Secret Service – Grab This Book

Power Play – Tony Kent

THE ENEMIES AREN’T AT THE GATE
THEY’RE ALREADY INSIDE

When a plane explodes over the Atlantic Ocean, killing hundreds of passengers, including controversial US presidential candidate Dale Victor, it appears to be a clear-cut case of terrorism. The suspect has even confessed to the bombing. But as criminal barrister Michael Devlin is about to discover, everything is not as it seems.

Also suspecting there are other forces at work, intelligence agent Joe Dempsey is driven to investigate. Who would have wanted Victor out of the way – and would commit mass murder to do it? As the evidence begins to mount, everything seems to point to the US government itself, all the way to the top. And now someone is determined to stop Dempsey and Devlin from discovering the truth. At any cost.

With countless more lives on the line, Dempsey must find a way to prove who’s pulling the strings, and free the White House from the deadly grip that has taken hold of power.

I received a review copy from the publisher. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to join the blog tour.

Tony Kent gives Power Play an explosive start (quite literally) which commands your immediate attention. He then spends the next 480 pages treating the reader to one of the best action adventure/political thrillers I have ever encountered. At a time I have been struggling to read and concentrate on any one title, Power Play arrived and nothing else has had a look in.

There is a large cast of characters so my normal approach of summarizing the story is not really an option – this is a story which is supported by the players. It is not easy to single out one or two names and try to explain their role as that only touches on small elements of a big adventure. Power Play is very much that, persons unknown have a vested interest in ensuring one narrative is kept secret. There is a second series of events which the opposing faction would like to know about but at the start of the book they don’t even know there is a secret to uncover. Watching two powerful forces trying to outmaneuver each other and gain control is wonderfully entertaining and Tony Kent pitches it perfectly.

The early chapters had me thinking “Hollywood Blockbuster”. The aforementioned explosive start, followed by an intense life-or-death chase scene. A covert special ops teams taking out a house full of bad guys and American agents conducting unauthorized activities on the streets of London. It was a reading rollercoaster with twists, turns and the story shooting me off in unexpected directions. The action was taking place in the US, in the UK and there was the real feeling this was going to be a “big” story – with The White House on the cover the suggestion is that we are looking at incidents which will have a global impact.

Soon I am thinking “not Hollywood” as a big blockbuster film would need to lose so much of the detail which makes Power Play so damned unputdownable. This is a grand story in terms of players and characters with key roles to play who drive the action and suspense. Power Play needs to be dramatized for television and played out over a number of episodes. This would allow the layers of intrigue Kent has built into the story to be given the chance to establish before Joe Dempsey (Intelligence agent) or Michael Devlin (barrister) can begin to unpick the lies behind the “official” sequence of events.

So many elements of the book just cannot be discussed as they would leave clues and spoilers. Frustrating from a review viewpoint as I’d love to champion some of my favourite elements. Suffice to say the author keeps a fast pace story zipping along by excellent use of tight and punchy chapters, numerous character viewpoints to keep events moving and the constant threat of discovery or exposure keeps the villains of the piece edgy and dangerous whilst keeping our heroes in regular peril (even if they don’t know it).

Power Play should appeal to fans of action thrillers and espionage thrillers. Although I mooted Hollywood adaptation or Television Dramatization for Power Play there is one golden rule which should be remembered…the book is ALWAYS better. This book needs to be read, you need Power Play in your life – you will not be disappointed.

Power Play is published by Elliott and Thompson and is available from 16 April in paperback, audio and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081QYVHKD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Category: 5* Reviews, Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

May 5

Soho Honey – A W Rock

This contemporary crime story takes place over three weeks in November and unfolds against the multi-cultural backdrop of Soho, London.

Branen had to leave the UK six years before to escape his complex clandestine history and the consequences of a crime that achieved worldwide notoriety. When his daughter is brutally murdered in Soho he believes that he could be the reason. He returns to his old hunting grounds to find the killer.

His search brings him into conflict with the British Secret Service and Soho’s underworld. He is forced to flee Soho again after a tragic meeting with his ex-wife. His past has caught up with him and the hunter becomes the hunted.

Now forty years old Branen wants to stop running and to remove forever the continuing threat to his life. In an effort to get rid of his pursuers he is faced with the prospect that his only chance of survival could lead to his death.

My thanks to Kate at Authoright for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

There is a lot going on in Soho Honey. As the book sets up the story you are bombarded with names, details, affiliations and character back story. I will admit to being slightly overwhelmed at first, but when Soho Honey settles down the various pieces start to fall into place and there is a frenetic and fantastic story spilling out.

Branen is a complex lead character – from the outset we learn of his involvement in one of the most high-profile events of the last 20 years. He has a young family but his behaviour drives them away and Branen leaves the country seeking a fresh start (and to put some distance between himself and his employers). Despite his less than pure past I liked Branen – he drops out of the story for a while, just enough time for AW Rock to set up a compelling reason for Branen to put his life at risk and return to the streets of Soho.

I really enjoyed the mix of characters that interact within the streets of London’s Soho. Through the bars and back-street hotels will pass drug dealers, gangsters, prostitutes, businessmen, models and a covert operative of the British Secret Service – their lives will overlap in spectacular fashion.

A story which switches from gritty street drama to a political thriller then a spy/espionage tale there is a lot to like about Soho Honey. At times it is brutally graphic in depictions of violence, there is frequent drug use and the death count is high. If you like your thrillers unpredictable and action packed then you would do well to add this to your reading queue.

Soho Honey releases on 5 May 2016 and is published by Clink Street Publishing.

You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soho-Honey-W-Rock/dp/1911110241/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462400607&sr=1-1&keywords=soho+honey

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off