You may assume that most of this book is fantasy, but the facts check out. You sense that the author has been there, from rock climbing to Van Gogh, from flamenco to the Biafran war, from begging in Winchester to travelling through the Sahara. Much of the story may be true. It could even mostly be true. Two parcels of fifty copies each of Disappearing were ordered to confidential addresses in London and Brussels. A file was compiled to aid a decision on whether to suppress publication, parts of which were leaked to the Daily Telegraph. Names of the individuals quoted have been redacted. No censorship was ordered.

‘The book explains how an individual can divest themselves of identity, go off grid and use terrorist-supporting Hawala to move money. Heal’s success is a direct threat to our banking system and a danger to Western civilisation.’ Senior Executive Officer, International Monetary Fund, Informal Funds Transfers

‘Any story that quotes freely from Aeschylus, Ascherson, Basho, Bowles, Cervantes, Dostoevsky, Eliot, Herodotus, Kant, Larkin, Mandelstam, and a dozen more, must have something going for it.’ Professor, Oxford University, attached to the Home Office

‘He snipes at most aspects of European government. If what he says wasn’t so inherently dangerous, I would recommend ignoring this petulant book.’ Senior Conservative politician, attached to National Counter Terrorism Security Office