ðə nˈɑːvəl fˈiːtʃɚz ɐ bˈɑːndlˈaɪk kˈæɹɪktɚ nˈeɪmd dʒˈoʊnə kˈɑːsɡɹoʊv, dᵻskɹˈaɪbd baɪ ðɪ ˈɔːθɚ ðˈʌs: “kˈɑːsɡɹoʊv ɪz ænd aɪ mˈiːn ɪz hˈɪɹ ɪnðə vˈɛɹi pɹɪsˈaɪs, nˈɑːntɹˈeɪdmɑːɹk vˈaɪəleɪɾɪŋ, sˈɛns ʌvðə wˈɜːd ðə ʃˈɔːn kənˈɜːɹi bˈɑːnd, bˌʌt wˈʌn hˌuː nˈɛvɚ ɹᵻtˈaɪɚd ænd hˌuːz bˌɪn ɐ sˈiːkɹᵻt ˈeɪdʒənt fɔːɹ fˈɪfti jˈɪɹz.
The novel features a Bond-like character named Jonah Cosgrove, described by the author thus: “Cosgrove is (and I mean ‘is’ here in the very precise, non-trademark violating, sense of the word) the Sean Connery Bond, but one who never retired and who's been a secret agent for fifty years.