The Hostage

Well, since going AWOL for a month or so, I have discovered some fantastic authors, which means I have loads of book reviews to catch up on. I'll start with The Hostage. It's actually one of the more recent ones I've read, but it's also first in the series, so I figure that makes a good start point.

A brilliant novel, dragging you into the heart of the action through life-like description, vivid images that leap from the page and into your mind's eye, and an enigmatic character who leaves you hungry for more details. Since reading my first Duncan Falconer book I've been hungrily hunting for more, and this one does not disappoint. My only slight annoyance is that I didn't realise it was the first in the series straight away because it looked newer than the one that came after it which I bought at the same time, but that's my fault and not the book's. I was hooked from start to finish and struggled to put it down.

When a stakeout to catch a RIRA operative goes wrong and the watcher is snatched, Stratton is sent out to retrieve him before he's taken over the border. Catapulted straight into the action, the focus then switches briefly to an American SEAL, over to learn what he can from the SBS. And when a stakeout in Paris goes wrong, leading to the American's kidnapping, Stratton is determined to catch the mole who's lurking somewhere in Military Intelligence. But that's only the surface of a much deeper plot, leaving Stratton in a desperate race against time to avert catastrophe. I suppose the plot sounds like a fairly run of the mill thriller, but the writing is first class and it certainly doesn't feel predictable.

All in all, an excellent book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.