Sleep When You’re Dead – Jude O’Reilly

In thirty-six hours, thousands of innocent people will die. There’s not a second to waste. And no time for sleep…

MICHAEL NORTH: THE PERFECT MI5 ASSET. Ruthless, brave, loyal and, best of all, disposable. The bullet lodged in his brain means he could die at any second.

Now, undercover in a doomsday cult on a remote Scottish island, he has thirty-six hours to stop the mass murder of thousands of people.

But in the world of the indoctrinated, Michael soon realises that everyone is a potential enemy. He’s used to his own life hanging by a thread – never before has it come so close to snapping.

 

I received a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley.

 

This book opens with a breathtaking, explosive chase through the streets of London. A terror attack by a lone protagonist intent on leaving a trail of carnage in his wake is fleeing from Michael North. Jude O’Reilly grabs readers right from the off and you can be in no doubt over how high the stakes are. This opening pursuit culminates in a deadly standoff and North finds he has to make a split second decision around his own survival or capturing a killer.

That high impact introduction to Sleep When You’re Dead sets the pace of the whole novel. In this third outing for Michael North there’s a race against time for our hero, the clock is literally ticking down towards a unkown event which threatens the lives of thousands of people.  A cult who have been hidden away for years on a remote Scottish island appear to be on the verge of initiating an attack. But the nature of that attack is unknown and M15 want to send North to the Island to infiltrate the cult and stop their plan.

It’s a desperate mission, particularly as the islanders don’t welcome visitors and will naturally be suspicious of anyone suddenly arriving in their midst. But North is well used to being brought in to desperate situations and his interest is further piqued by the discovery an old childhood friend has been on the island making a documentary about its inhabitants. Many years have passed since North last saw Mia, a fellow survivor from their time in children’s homes, and someone he never expected to see again. While the lure of seeing his old friend helps North accept the mission, in reality he has little choice, such is the control Edmond Hone (his “boss”) has over him.

If you’ve read any of the previous Michael North stories then you’ll know there’s a second character who North relies upon. Teenage computer whiz and M15 asset, Fangfang Yu. Fang brings the tech knowhow, the sass and the humour to these stories and she’s lethal with a computer. Plus her Grandmother scares the hell out of North and his pugilistist pal Padrig “Plug” Donne. The trio of North, Plug and Fang have proven to be a formidable trio and each will need to bring their skills if a disaster is to be averted.

But while North is off to Scotland where he will have limited contact with Fang she finds she has her own problems to deal with. While snooping too deeply into a US Government computer system Fang trips an alert and brings the full attention of the American secuirty forces onto herself. It’s a distraction from her work with North and although she is Hone (and the UK’s) asset she is also expendible if the Americans have a vested interest in what happens to Fang. How will the teenage geek keep the elite of American intelligence off her back?

North is a terrific protagonist and you can’t help be drawn into this action packed adventure. O’Reilly hits the perfect balance of action and intrigue and there are moments of pure tension when nothing is going to draw your eyes away from the page. I am a fan of this series and Sleep When You’re Dead just keeps the good stuff coming – get onboard the Michael North Express Train, it is a journey you really should not miss.

 

Sleep When You’re Dead is published by Head of Zeus and is available in physical, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleep-Youre-Dead-Michael-Thriller-ebook/dp/B09B2VX85H/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1690322511&refinements=p_27%3AJude+O%27Reilly&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Jude+O%27Reilly