In this, his fifth escapade, Inspector David Bliss goes undercover once again, and heads to St. Juan sur Mer on the Côtes d’Azur. His mission is so secret that even Bliss doesn’t know why he is there: he only knows that he is tracking down a man the force wants in custody for an unstated reason.

But the winds of the Mediterranean provide clues that take Bliss off course and lead him to unravel two of the world’s best known unsolved mysteries: the identity of the Man in the Iron Mask and the location of the stolen Nazi gold.

James Hawkins was a police commander in the U.K. for 20 years and a Canadian private investigator for a further 8 years. He was also director of education at the Canadian Institute for Environmental Investigations. His debut novel, Missing: Presumed Dead (2001), was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel.

James Hawkins' profile page

"Lots of action and plenty of colour make this a good beach read." -Hamilton SpectatorAugust 21, 2004

"Should a search for a stranger, for unknown but obviously important reasons, not keep your interest, there are beautiful women, lots of great scenery and a plot that involves the Man in the Iron Mask and a hoard of stolen Nazi gold. That may seem too much for one novel, but Hawkins keeps it all moving and weaves it into a very tidy plot." -Margaret Cannon, The Globe and Mail, August 21, 2004

"The novel promises a Bliss-ful diversion for fans of light summer reading by the beach."

Metro Toronto