Modesty Blaise's friend Novak died trying to preserve hisdiscovery of the Impossible Virgin, a secret that meant enormous wealth.But right at the last moment, he babbled. When Modesty makes a forcedlanding in Central Africa, she meets the man who possesses Novikov'ssecret without knowing it—Giles Pennyfeather, the guileless andblundering young doctor with a gift for healing. In saving Giles fromBrunel, a dangerous killer, she buys yet another ticket to danger, forBrunel is determined to have the secret. Modesty and her lieutenant,Willie Garvin, take on Brunel and his partners in a fierce and deviousbattle, where Modesty is brought to the most shattering reverse she hasever suffered. How she fights back, and at last learns the truth of theImpossible Virgin and her ferocious guardians, brings this fifth tale inthe saga of Modesty Blaise to an astonishing climax.