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'Another fast, action-packed thriller form the former head of MI5 ... the quality of her writing is still very high and you know that you are going to have a very exciting read with her entertaining stories ... the author did work for MI5 in Northern Ireland during her career and it adds an authenticity which is hard to ignore.' -- Euro Crime.
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
Product Description
MI5 officer Liz Carlyle is posted to Northern Ireland. From the moment she lands in Belfast, danger follows. She soon discovers that the peace process in the province is precarious. Then a source reports strange goings-on at a house on the Irish Sea owned by the Fraternity, an organisation Liz suspects of being a front for renegade former IRA men. Its head is Seamus Piggott, an Irish-American with a gun-running past. When another informant reports a plot is being hatched against the security forces, Liz and her colleague Dave Armstrong suspect Piggott is involved, along with a former French Intelligence officer. Moving from London to Belfast to the South of France, the latest Stella Rimington Liz Carlyle novel is a propulsive thriller filled with action and nail-biting suspense.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I bought this as a paperback for 20p from a charity shop couple of weeks ago and read it in one sitting. It's undemanding and totally unsatisfying at a number of levels and for a number of reasons. I thought it a complete waste of money and this is the second and last Stella Rimmington I'm going to try.
As a thriller, it doesn't work because it fails to build tension. There's little in the way of variety of pace and the plot, whilst largely credible, never builds into a gripping page turner. So what about the characters? I have a real problem with Liz Carlyle in that she just doesn't ring true. I can understand the author's wish to develop a series of books based on central and recurring characters, but they need to be believable. Liz Carlyle is more like a low grade office manager than a senior Intelligence Officer. Too many examples of unrealistic dialogue, she has no charisma and I'd expect her to have a more gutsy attitude. Neither the story or the people ever take off. They're paper thin, one dimensional and it's difficult to engage fully with any of it.
I am truly disappointed because I'd hoped that a former head of a world leading Intelligence Service would present readers with some really remarkable characters and storylines. She must be aware of so many instances where fact is stranger than fiction. I did read somewhere that some of her works are 'ghostwritten'. I don't know if that's true, or if this is one such work. Either way, please think before you buy; I think there are better books by more accomplished authors to spend money on.
As a thriller, it doesn't work because it fails to build tension. There's little in the way of variety of pace and the plot, whilst largely credible, never builds into a gripping page turner. So what about the characters? I have a real problem with Liz Carlyle in that she just doesn't ring true. I can understand the author's wish to develop a series of books based on central and recurring characters, but they need to be believable. Liz Carlyle is more like a low grade office manager than a senior Intelligence Officer. Too many examples of unrealistic dialogue, she has no charisma and I'd expect her to have a more gutsy attitude. Neither the story or the people ever take off. They're paper thin, one dimensional and it's difficult to engage fully with any of it.
I am truly disappointed because I'd hoped that a former head of a world leading Intelligence Service would present readers with some really remarkable characters and storylines. She must be aware of so many instances where fact is stranger than fiction. I did read somewhere that some of her works are 'ghostwritten'. I don't know if that's true, or if this is one such work. Either way, please think before you buy; I think there are better books by more accomplished authors to spend money on.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
In Dame Stella's fifth Liz Carlyle adventure, the MI5 agent is dispatched to take over in Northern Ireland, where a confused gang of American, French and Spanish criminals, pretending to be Irish Republicans, kidnap one of her agents.
I've enjoyed reading this novel more than the last couple in the series - the writing style seems to have improved a lot, although there are one or two moments that grate (two characters have wives named Moira just a few pages away from one another). The character of Liz is very realistic, but the other characters don't seem to have been given quite enough depth, including the baddies whose characterisation doesn't quite seem true to their motives.
The book moves at a good pace, and I absolutely love the level of detail that the writing goes into at some points. My favourite parts of these books are where the A4 teams tail suspects - it's so believable (presumably helped by Dame Stella knowing exactly how it's really done!) and her descriptions are some of very few that manage to translate themselves into images in my head. These A4 scenes are ones that I could really see in a cinematic form.
Overall, better than what I've been reading recently, and I am definitely looking forward to the next.
I've enjoyed reading this novel more than the last couple in the series - the writing style seems to have improved a lot, although there are one or two moments that grate (two characters have wives named Moira just a few pages away from one another). The character of Liz is very realistic, but the other characters don't seem to have been given quite enough depth, including the baddies whose characterisation doesn't quite seem true to their motives.
The book moves at a good pace, and I absolutely love the level of detail that the writing goes into at some points. My favourite parts of these books are where the A4 teams tail suspects - it's so believable (presumably helped by Dame Stella knowing exactly how it's really done!) and her descriptions are some of very few that manage to translate themselves into images in my head. These A4 scenes are ones that I could really see in a cinematic form.
Overall, better than what I've been reading recently, and I am definitely looking forward to the next.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is Stella Rimington's fifth novel featuring the clever and resourceful MI5 intelligence officer Liz Carlyle. While it's a stand alone novel, you'll probably enjoy it more if you've read some of her other books as many of the characters have made previous appearances.
At the start of the book, Liz Carlyle is transferred to Northern Ireland to take charge of MI5's agent runners division. Unbeknownst to her, the Director General is aware of her closeness to the recently widowed Charles Wetherby and wants to avert any potential inter-office romance. She expects to find that Northern Ireland is a backwater, but she soon discovers that there is a breakaway terrorist cell of former IRA members who want to continue the struggle by targeting policemen and members of MI5. When one of her colleagues comes under threat, she needs to quickly find answers.
As a thriller it's good but not outstanding. It's a well written and enjoyable read, but the tension never builds sufficiently to put it in the "can't put down" category. The villain is also devoid of any strong motivation or believability. On the other hand, what Rimington has going for her is credibility. As the former head of MI5, she knows the details that make the story feel authentic and knowing her pedigree definitely adds to the book. For example there is one early scene when an MI5 officer is meeting with his contact and the MI5 team are providing back up surveillance. Had I read this scene in another book, I might have thought: "well it wouldn't happen that way". Knowing Rimington's background, instead I could think: "oh, so that's how they'd do it". Fascinating.
I really like the way that Liz's character is developing and I thought this was one of Rimington's best yet. The romantic tension between Liz and Charles Wetherby is an ongoing sub-plot that didn't intrude on the main story but added a pleasing extra dimension. The ending wraps up the plot neatly, but leaves enough threads hanging to make it obvious that there will be another installment. I'm already looking forward to it.
At the start of the book, Liz Carlyle is transferred to Northern Ireland to take charge of MI5's agent runners division. Unbeknownst to her, the Director General is aware of her closeness to the recently widowed Charles Wetherby and wants to avert any potential inter-office romance. She expects to find that Northern Ireland is a backwater, but she soon discovers that there is a breakaway terrorist cell of former IRA members who want to continue the struggle by targeting policemen and members of MI5. When one of her colleagues comes under threat, she needs to quickly find answers.
As a thriller it's good but not outstanding. It's a well written and enjoyable read, but the tension never builds sufficiently to put it in the "can't put down" category. The villain is also devoid of any strong motivation or believability. On the other hand, what Rimington has going for her is credibility. As the former head of MI5, she knows the details that make the story feel authentic and knowing her pedigree definitely adds to the book. For example there is one early scene when an MI5 officer is meeting with his contact and the MI5 team are providing back up surveillance. Had I read this scene in another book, I might have thought: "well it wouldn't happen that way". Knowing Rimington's background, instead I could think: "oh, so that's how they'd do it". Fascinating.
I really like the way that Liz's character is developing and I thought this was one of Rimington's best yet. The romantic tension between Liz and Charles Wetherby is an ongoing sub-plot that didn't intrude on the main story but added a pleasing extra dimension. The ending wraps up the plot neatly, but leaves enough threads hanging to make it obvious that there will be another installment. I'm already looking forward to it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A gripping story
This was my first Stella book and I have to say I found the story pretty gripping and very believable. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Glostermeteor
Not yet read -- sorry cannot comment
Unable to comment yet! I have not had time to read it yet and find that I cannot close this window without writing something in this box!!
Published 24 days ago by BigEff
Good idea but............
This is the first of SR's which I have read. I thought the idea was excellent, but the story never really grabbed me. Read more
Published 26 days ago by TeeandDeeBee
Spy fiction meets chick lit?
Not to my personal taste! Too much of the book is given over to the emotional and romantic problems of the characters to the detriment of the plot. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mike P
A Really Gripping Read
Stella Rimington has the credentials which says that she she should know what she's writing about and her writing definitely proves that. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. E. Hamer
A gripping read
This is the second Stella Rimington book I had read and it lived up to expectations. You feel you get to know the characters and get a real feel for the situation. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ros33
Fast pacing spy novel
This is a light easy book for relaxing and enjoying. The heroine is MI5 and we live through her problems with collegues and also when things go wrong. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tango girl
Good but lacking depth
This is another good book in the series. It moves with pace. However I feel the characters lack some depth.
Published 1 month ago by Dave Waller
Disappointing
Very disappointing read. Characters very shallow and a totally implausible storyline. This is first time I have read a book by this author and in view of her back ground I expect... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Victor E. Davies
Dangerously Unpresent
Disappointing - No depth or development to the characters and no suspense. Got stuck on 24% complete on my Kindle for two weeks as every time I started to read that page I fell... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Funky Munky
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