The Ninth Directive

Working for a UK government department that officially “does not exist”, undercover agent Quiller is flown to Thailand to meet his boss Loman, with whom Quiller has a tense, difficult relationship. An important and popular Englishman will be flown to Bangkok to take part in a parade, cementing the ties and good will between Thailand and Britain. Word is out that an unfriendly government has hired the world's most skilled and dreaded assassin to kill the Englishman during a parade through Bangkok's streets. Quiller must find the assassin before the killing takes place.

The assassin is clever, and succeeds in misleading Quiller. It is now a race for time between the assassin's brilliant plan and Quiller's ability to avert disaster.