ljwrites85's review
3.0
Thomas Balden works for the Surveillance Support Unit otherwise known as the SSU, who are used by other agencies and called the unkind nickname of ‘floaters’. After the 7/7 London attacks his unit is taken over by MI5, then suddenly his boss Christine, disappears along with Sir Peter Carroll the Director General of the SSU.
Thomas thinks foul play is involved, he desperately works to find them both, while dealing with other problems closer to home.
I didn’t realise when I started reading this it was the fifth in the series (this is why you should always read the blurbs fully). It took me a while in this book to grasp who was who, and understand their relationships etc. I would recommend to read the earlier books to have a better understanding, although as with most Joffe books, there was a handy character guide at the back to help.
The book is set against the backdrop of 7/7 and really captures the feel of paranoia and fear that surrounded the country at that time. I also really got a good sense of London while reading it, which I think is a difficult thing to do!
Thomas Balden is how I would imagine an actual spy to be, not running around sipping martinis and driving flash cars like James Bond, but running surveillance operations and generally hiding in the shadows.
This is a very action packed and tense read but I feel after the build up, the ending was a little bit of a let down but of course that might be me just being picky.
Thomas thinks foul play is involved, he desperately works to find them both, while dealing with other problems closer to home.
I didn’t realise when I started reading this it was the fifth in the series (this is why you should always read the blurbs fully). It took me a while in this book to grasp who was who, and understand their relationships etc. I would recommend to read the earlier books to have a better understanding, although as with most Joffe books, there was a handy character guide at the back to help.
The book is set against the backdrop of 7/7 and really captures the feel of paranoia and fear that surrounded the country at that time. I also really got a good sense of London while reading it, which I think is a difficult thing to do!
Thomas Balden is how I would imagine an actual spy to be, not running around sipping martinis and driving flash cars like James Bond, but running surveillance operations and generally hiding in the shadows.
This is a very action packed and tense read but I feel after the build up, the ending was a little bit of a let down but of course that might be me just being picky.
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