Info
Written By: Tony Kent.
Published By: Elliott & Thompson.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a physical copy of the book for the purpose of this review and thanks to Random Things Blog Tour for adding me to the tour.
Overview
When the lawyers of alleged war criminal Hannibal Strauss are
caught up in a terror attack in The Hague, barrister Michael
Devlin immediately suspects all is not what it seems. Teaming up
once more with Agent Joe Dempsey, they must find who's behind
it all before any more innocent lives are lost.
With their key witness on the run and assassins on their tail, their
only lead is a codename: the Monk, a legendary and mysterious
foreign agent with a fearsome reputation. But what is his stake in this dangerous game?
And just who is part of his shadowy network of spies? Caught in a complicated web of
lies, secrets and double agents, there's no one Dempsey and Devlin can trust but
themselves.
The Shadow Network is a tightly plotted and fast paced political thriller set against the
backdrop of Russian espionage, American spy-hunting and the modern day consequences
of the games played by both superpowers during the Cold War.
Overview taken from the official book press release.
Review
Sometimes it's the cover that pulls you into a book and that was definitely the case here, the dramatic black and white image caught my eye then the blurb took me deeper still and then I just had to know more.
The story brings back together the duo Michael
Devlin and Joe Dempsey for yet another fast paced thriller that explodes literally from the first few pages. Just when you think that you've read most the spy / action novels out there Tony Kent brings The Shadow Network that blows the other titles out the water. The story hits hard and gives no apologies if you're not ready to keep up you may aswell just go home.
As the story gathers more pace it becomes clear that the web the duo are investigating is more intricate than they originally thought and it reaches deeper than they would want, the thought of one of Michael's friends getting wrapped up in a terrorist incident and disappearing is all the duo need to pack up and get him back but first they'll need to find him and that may well be the hardest part.
Reading the story kind of reminded me of Strike Back (the TV adaptation) with it's similar unrelenting pace that keeps you glued to the pages but the story isn't just gusto and testosterone it has more of a body than that and that allows the story to organically flow through the pages and the shorter chapter format allows you to read big chunks in one sitting (if not all of it).
I personally haven't read the previous books (although I will fix this) so I missed the background of the characters but it didn't ruin the story for me and felt like I wasn't missing anything that wouldn't allow me to enjoy the book.
Summary
Time now then for me to put my thoughts into a summary, overall I enjoyed the book it had a fast pace from the off and the story gripped me and didn't let go, I can now say I'm a fan of Devlin and Dempsey and will definitely be looking out for them. Definitely recommend for fans of thrillers that explode off the pages. Make sure you take a breath before you start and embrace yourself as you dive in.
Verdict-Out of 5 ⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EXCELLENT
I give The Shadow Network an excellent full marks score of 5 ⭐, an explosive thrill ride that leaves you breathless.
The Shadow Network is available now from book outlets.
Note on the author
Tony Kent is a practising criminal barrister and former boxer who draws on his experiences to bring a striking authenticity to his thrillers: Killer Intent, Marked for Death,
Power Play, No Way To Die and now The Shadow
Network. Ranked as a 'leader in his field' Tony has prosecuted and defended in the most serious trials during his twenty years at the Criminal Bar - specialising in murder, terrorism, corruption, kidnap and organised crime. His case history is filled with nationally reported trials and his practice has brought him into close professional contact with
GCHQ, the Security Service and the Ministry of Defence.
He has also defended in matters with an international element, involving agencies such as the FBI. Tony also appears as a criminal justice expert on a number of TV shows, including Meet,
Marry, Murder; My Lover, My Killer and Kill Thy Neighbour. Prior to his legal career Tony represented England as a heavyweight boxer and won a
host of national amateur titles
This review was part of the Random Things Blog Tour please check out the other bloggers on the tour
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