Captain Eric Brunt was a secret agent. His codename was “Magpie” — because he stole and hoarded vital enemy intelligence in the way that the bird allegedly hoarded anything that glittered.

When a Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boat poised to pick up Eric was destroyed, the spy was trapped in occupied France, alongside Frank Nelson, a fellow survivor from the boat. Frank blamed Eric for the loss of his crew and ship. Now both men would have to work together to escape the clutches of the dreaded Gestapo.