Goddard's book --at least those I've read -- have common theme: a rather ordinary man is thrust into a vast conspiracy through no fault of his own and must figure a way out. In this case, British civil servant Richard Eusden is asked by his ex-wife, Gemma, to meet someone in a train station on the continent and collect a briefcase. He is then to take the briefcase to Marty, his ex-wife's current husband, and a former friend of Richard's. Gemma then sort of disappears from the story, but she is replaced by a cast of thousands. I won't even begin to sort out the plot for you because I can't. Seems everyone is somehow involved with the Tsar and fingerprints and about two-thirds of the way through I kept wondering whatever was motivating Richard who could (and should) have bailed many times.The plot was formidable and rather predictable, but as an audiobook it held my interest, perhaps because the shower was nice and warm. I like Goddard but suspect this is not one of his better books.
