Set in London, The Secret Agent follows the shadowy exploits of Mr. Verloc, professional spy. Considered one of Conrad"s finest novels, The Secret Agent is somewhat visionary, covering terrorism and anarchy more than a century before it dominated world headlines in the 21st Century. One of the characters of The Secret Agent, Mr. Verloc"s brother-in-law Stevie, was based on French anarchist Martial Bourdin, who died a gruesome death in Greenwich Park when the explosives he carried prematurely detonated. The Secret Agent was ranked the 46th Best Novel of the 20th Century by Modern Library.