It is the middle of the twentieth century, and Andrew Flint is a company man through and through… He has arranged all aspects of his life, from the most intimate to the most mundane – to fit in with what the company wants, all with a view to enhancing his career.And the company recognises such efforts. Little wonder, then, that Andrew has been marked out for possible promotion and sent on Intersyn’s prestigious management course.Yet it turns out to be no ordinary management course.On this course, neither candidates or course administrators are necessarily as they seem. On this course, several participants are haunted by demons from the past and sense threats in the present.On this course, some seek vengeance.On this course, people die.And as Andrew progresses through the challenges set by the company to assess his potential, he finds his own life changing, too. What exactly will Andrew have to do to assure his future at Intersyn? Only the Ruthless Can Play is a compelling thriller that is bound to appeal to fans of classic British murder-mysteries.Praise for John Burke ‘Polished, professional and highly inventive’ – Irish Times ‘Fearsome picture of Bright Young Things of Today’ - The Guardian ‘Murder, conspiracy, secrets.... it’s got everything!’ - Thomas Waugh John Burke (1922-2011) was born in Sussex and served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Marines during World War Two. He wrote several crime novels and thrillers under the names Jonathan Burke, J.F. Burke and John Burke, including Swift Summer(1949), which won the Atlantic Award in Literature. Some of his other novels appeared under the pseudonyms of Joanna Jones, Sara Morris, Jonathan George and Owen Burke.