June 23, 2008
The solid 15th entry in Higgins's Sean Dillon thriller series (after The Killing Ground
) finds aging, arthritic ex-gangster Harry Salter retired from active operations, leaving Dillon, once the IRA's most feared enforcer, as the real leader of the loose gang of stalwart lads who covertly battle the foes of Western civilization. A newcomer to the team, Maj. Harry Miller, on the surface a mild-mannered MP who's in reality the British prime minister's secret hit man, hooks up with series regular Blake Johnson in Kosovo, where the Russians, intent on reclaiming old glory, are stirring up trouble. Meanwhile, Islamic fundamentalists are intent on bringing Britain to its knees. The action moves swiftly amid a variety of foreign locales, including Moscow, London and Beirut, to a climax that will leave readers asking themselves, evidence to the contrary, whether the great game is really
over.
November 24, 2008
Action, betrayal, murder and mayhem have long been the staples of Jack Higgins's international thrillers featuring ex-IRA enforcer turned British operative Sean Dillon, and this latest outing continues that tradition. However, Dillon falls into more of a supporting role in a story involving the current Russian regime's efforts to bring forth a new type of cold war. Most of the heavy lifting is performed by the seemingly mild-mannered MP Harry Miller, who, like Dillon, is in reality a British secret agent. Michael Page's narration keeps the action flowing, all the while balancing an international cast of heroes and rogues. Whether the characters are Russian politicos or Irish thugs, British elites or Islamic terrorists, Page provides each with their own particular voice. With a dry, straightforward delivery, he is equally adept in presenting the intricate, globe-trotting plot, driving the story forward and maintaining the taut suspense. Fans of this enduring series will not be disappointed. A Putnam hardcover (Reviews, June 23).
July 15, 2008
While in Kosovo, Blake Johnson, an aide to the president of the United States, meets Harry Miller, a military agent for the British prime minister. The two become entangled in an incident with a Russian military squad that results in the British agent shooting a Russian soldier who was trying to torch a mosque. This killing in turn leads to a series of escalating retaliatory actions from the Russians that affect Johnson and Miller, as well as other British and American associates. The book features several characters from earlier Higgins novels (e.g., "The Killing Ground, Without Mercy", and "Dark Justice") and contains the same kind of action and adventure. A series of flashbacks helps to fill in the background story, so readers unfamiliar with Higgins's continuing series characters will be able to follow the plot. Because Higgins has a large fan base, this book will be of interest in all public libraries.Joel Tscherne, Cleveland P.L.
Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 1, 2008
Member of Parliament Harry Miller is also a troubleshooter for the prime minister. When the PM sends Miller to Kosovo, he discovers uniformed Russian soldiers about to set fire to a village mosque, and he shoots their young commanding officer in the head. This rough justice reverberates through the Kremlin, and acts of revenge begin across Europe and the Middle East. Higgins posits a neocon nightmare to buttress his plot: the Evil Empire is using its oil reserves to "addict" Western Europe and succoring terrorists of every stripe to create widespread chaos. Countering the Russians and all the terrorists are a number of characters that have appeared in earlier Higgins novels, including onetime IRA member Sean Dillon. Dillon and Miller are hard guys who elude death and seem to never miss a head shot. The action is nonstop, but the characters are paper-thin, and the dialogue is often leaden. Higgins is clearly off his game here, but he still has many loyal fans, who will be excited at the prospect of something new from one of their favorites.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)