by Mark McShane
First published 1985
Appleton Porter stands six feet seven inches tall, which makes him perfect for two things: basketball and espionage. When British intelligence needs an agent to infiltrate an international basketball competition in Dublin, Porter gets the assignment. He poses as a player on the British national team, but his real mission runs far deeper than any game. The tournament becomes a cover for the most important operation of Porter's career. He finds an unexpected ally in a masseuse who proves more than willing to help. Together they navigate the dangerous waters of international intrigue while Porter maintains his athletic facade. The basketball courts of Dublin become a battleground where one wrong move could expose everything. Porter must balance his cover identity with the demands of a mission that could define his entire career as a spy.
Genres: adventure, mystery, action, espionage
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, secret-identity
Setting: Dublin, United Kingdom
Period: 20th-century
185 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday