It began in the manner of all the very best adventures: in a coffee house.

When one Richard Hannay—intrepid, inquisitive, and on the hunt for intrigue—encounters an old acquaintance in Constantinople, he has an inkling that something thrilling is afoot.

Charged with an item of great mystery and import—a washbag, no less!—he soon finds himself in a very dangerous pursuit: from the luxurious confines of the Orient Express to the decks of the Titanic herself, all with the very fate of Europe in his care.

Can he slip the net of Count Schwabing, whose long arm stretches from Berlin to the Bosphorus? And what of Madame Zara, the cabaret enchantress—does she play at affection, deception, or something far more deadly?

In over his head, often a step—or thirty-nine—behind, but absolutely, resolutely determined to save the day, Hannay is about to embark on an escapade that will test his wits, his courage, and his ability to keep hold of a blasted washbag.

‘007 meets Tintin meets Sharpe. Richard Hannay is the hero we need in these dark, troubled times – steel-willed, unstoppable, indestructible, yet big-hearted and generous of spirit, and driven by a conviction to do the right thing. This is a beautifully written book, and Miller delivers a riveting, rollicking, laugh-out-loud yarn’ Damien Lewis

'Ben Miller has the Richard Hannay riff down perfectly and it's delightfully pacy and atmospheric. It's a superb read' Simon Scarrow

'A joyful dive into an era of proper adventure with British charm and stiff upper lip, in tandem with the silliness of British humour. A delight!' Fern Britton

'An irresistible adventure, with thrills, spills, and lashings of old-fashioned charm' Tom Mogford

'Fantastic period detail – funny, moving, and brilliantly gripping' Susan Lewis

Ben Miller is a bestselling author, actor and director. He has written several blockbuster books for children, including The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale and Once Upon a Legend. A Very Dangerous Pursuit is his first adult novel.