The Predicament
Published on 9. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-4059-7841-5 (ISBN)
Description
Britain's most beloved storyteller returns with another twisting adventure of obsessive love and elegant espionage starring reluctant spy and accidental hero, Gabriel Dax.
'Extravagantly enjoyable' THE TIMES
'The Predicament is ingenious, thrilling and wonderfully entertaining' JOHN BANVILLE
'Boyd's addictive storytelling is at its very best as he navigates a collision of chance, ambition and human frailty' HER MAJESTY QUEEN CAMILLA
GABRIEL DAX, TRAVEL WRITER TURNED ACCIDENTAL SPY, IS BACK IN THE SHADOWS . . .
Unable to resist the allure of his MI6 handler, Faith Green, Gabriel has returned to a life of secrets and subterfuge. His latest operation takes him to Guatemala under the guise of covering a tinderbox presidential election, where the ruthless decisions of the Mafia provoke pitch-black warfare in collusion with the CIA.
As political turmoil erupts, Gabriel's reluctant involvement deepens. His escape plan leads him to West Berlin, where he uncovers a chilling realisation: there is a plot to assassinate magnetic young President John F. Kennedy.
In a race against time, Gabriel must navigate deceit and danger, knowing that the stakes have never been higher . . .
'Engaging, intelligent and deeply satisfying. I rate him one of our greatest living novelists' PETER JAMES
'I enjoyed it hugely. Boyd is one of my favourite authors - he never disappoints' KATE ATKINSON
'Simply the best realistic storyteller of his generation' SEBASTIAN FAULKS
'There are few reading pleasures as great as giving in to a William Boyd novel' SUNDAY TIMES
'Extravagantly enjoyable' THE TIMES
'The Predicament is ingenious, thrilling and wonderfully entertaining' JOHN BANVILLE
'Boyd's addictive storytelling is at its very best as he navigates a collision of chance, ambition and human frailty' HER MAJESTY QUEEN CAMILLA
GABRIEL DAX, TRAVEL WRITER TURNED ACCIDENTAL SPY, IS BACK IN THE SHADOWS . . .
Unable to resist the allure of his MI6 handler, Faith Green, Gabriel has returned to a life of secrets and subterfuge. His latest operation takes him to Guatemala under the guise of covering a tinderbox presidential election, where the ruthless decisions of the Mafia provoke pitch-black warfare in collusion with the CIA.
As political turmoil erupts, Gabriel's reluctant involvement deepens. His escape plan leads him to West Berlin, where he uncovers a chilling realisation: there is a plot to assassinate magnetic young President John F. Kennedy.
In a race against time, Gabriel must navigate deceit and danger, knowing that the stakes have never been higher . . .
'Engaging, intelligent and deeply satisfying. I rate him one of our greatest living novelists' PETER JAMES
'I enjoyed it hugely. Boyd is one of my favourite authors - he never disappoints' KATE ATKINSON
'Simply the best realistic storyteller of his generation' SEBASTIAN FAULKS
'There are few reading pleasures as great as giving in to a William Boyd novel' SUNDAY TIMES
Reviews / Votes
A swinging 60s espionage thriller * Guardian * Boyd raises the stakes with his second Cold War novel featuring reluctant spy Gabriel Dax . . . a deft mix of espionage, desire, and moral compromise * iNews * Stylish stuff * Observer * A faultless evocation of 1960s England, masterful, old-fashioned storytelling. The second novel in a trilogy that'll leave you wanting more * Saga * One of our most thrilling writers * Daily Express * Beautifully crafted, with echoes of le Carre, Greene and Forsyth, this is a superb evocation of a vanished world, seen through the eyes of a relatably hapless accidental hero * Guardian * Boyd writes elegant prose and tells a convincing story, as he has been doing now for nearly 45 years * The Scotsman *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
215 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-7841-5 (9781405978415)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
William Boyd
The Predicament
The new historical spy novel from the bestselling author of Gabriel's Moon
E-Book
09/2025
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.99
Available for download
Person
William Boyd was born in 1952 in Accra, Ghana, and grew up there and in Nigeria. He is the author of sixteen highly acclaimed, bestselling novels and five collections of stories. Any Human Heart was longlisted for the Booker Prize and adapted into a TV series with Channel 4. In 2005, Boyd was awarded the CBE. He is married and divides his time between London and south-west France.