It is a true-life Le Carré: In spring 2018, former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are found in England suffering from life-threatening poisoning symptoms. There is little doubt that the Russian intelligence service is behind the attack using the nerve agent Novichok. In response, numerous countries around the world expel over 140 Russian diplomats, and trade sanctions are imposed - relations between Russia and the West reach their absolute lowest point since the Cold War. Mark Urban, who has reported on the shadowy world of espionage as a BBC reporter for decades, is the only person Skripal confided in. From 2017 until the assassination attempt, the author conducted numerous exclusive interviews with him. The result: a gripping book that delves deep into the new power struggle between East and West, starting with Skripal.