The story opens with the release of Anke Luyten who, three years previously, had been one of a group who freed apes from a research laboratory. During the break-in a guard was shot dead. Anke hadn’t shot him but she was the only one to be caught, and was sentenced as an accessory for murder. When she comes out of prison, the security service pressure her to infiltrate the circle of former fellow environmental-activists Peter Heemskerk and Volkert van der Graaf. The latter is suspected of murdering an environmental officer, as well as of preparing a new attack – the target isn’t yet known. Meanwhile Anke’s Turkish neighbour Erdogan Demir falls in love with her. When she goes undercover, Demir tracks her down, along with press photographer Jim de Booy. All this time Fortuyn’s popularity has been rapidly on the rise and he is having an unpredictable impact on the voters, the media and the election campaign, upsetting the Dutch political consensus and breaking taboos, notably in making immigration one of the key points of his campaign. We see the effects of this through De Booy, the press photographer, and Demir the immigrant.

Ross brings Anke, Demir and De Booy together at the scene of the assassination, Demir trying to save Anke from being killed, De Booy hoping to become famous by photographing the assassination. Yet did they actually witness the attack? The assassin may not have been working alone. A defence contract and billions of euros are at stake; there are others who want Fortuyn out of the way.

As maverick politician, Pim Fortuyn shook consensual Netherlands from its torpor, and his assassination sent shock waves through Dutch society. This tersely written thriller by prize-winning Tomas Ross is both exciting and alarming. It has international appeal.