Instead, he fleshes out this premise with a colourful romp through a highly dangerous underworld, peopled with Herculean Russians, scar-faced Syrians, mysterious beauties and dramatic punch-ups.

Bancroft’s hero is Rob Gilbert, a bumbling, libidinous, semi-alcoholic architect - hideous as a character on first introduction, but someone who eventually inspires a volte-face. Gilbert’s abuse of the drinks cabinet and his penchant for old fogey speech patterns - friends are greeted either as “my dear” or “old boy”, regardless of age or rank - become minor irritations as he elevates himself to an improbable but highly likeable hero. Managing to charm and ensnare into his confidence, an attractive investigative journalist, a career-climbing police woman and a geeky, adolescent computer hacker, Gilbert attempts to expose the grimy money-laundering empire of a ruthless Russian gangster, and in doing so, saves his own teetering career, friendships, and indeed marriage.

“The Architect” is Bancroft’s first novel, and it is a true page turner. Taking us on a journey from trendy Farringdon to Beijing, Beirut, Paris and southern Spain’s Moorish hinterland, Bancroft peppers his story with plenty of red herrings and interesting cliff hangers - all conveyed in an easily accessible, cinematic style.