Skeleton Key

The story felt really fast-paced and clever, but I'm curious what inspired the mix of detective work and spy thriller elements. Did he always plan to combine these genres?

There were moments where I wondered if trusting the wrong person would be the downfall — does this reflect common spy story themes or was it something unique here?

The detailed descriptions made the world feel very real, but I wonder if the author drew from actual places or created the setting from imagination.