Book number 18 is Free Agent by Jeremy Duns, its available in hardback from both amazon and play.com as well as directly from Simon & Schuster
Now straight off I've got to say until I read Child44 and The Secret Speech, I hadn't read any cold war thrillers. I didn't think they'd be my kind of thing. I couldn't have been more wrong.
I thought this book was brilliant, Well written and carried a great pace throughout, and importantly for me. I know this isn't a factor for everyone. It's a good size, some book's are a little small and holding them gives me cramp in my hand's but not this one, I've not got the hugest hands in the world but they're not the smallest either so a decent size book is a pleasure to hold
In Free Agent you follow the story of MI6 agent Paul Dark who during the late 40's took part in a top secret mission to hunt down and execute Nazi war criminals with his father.
During the attempted capture of a Nazi Paul is stabbed and taken to the red cross hospital where he is nursed by a dark haired beauty called Anna, After the weeks of recuperation and Anna doing her best to get him under her spell.
Anna tells Paul that she is a KGB agent who had been sent to turn him against his country. Immediately he leaves the hospital and informs his father that the nurse is KGB. After realizing his father is in danger he goes to the house they were using as a base and finds his father dead. thinking he can save Anna he races back to the hospital only to find Anna dead.
Everything he understood about that mission, about its consequences, has been built on lies.
In '69 and a KGB colonel called Slavin, has walked into the High Commission in Lagos and announced that he wants to defect. he has information which indicates that there is yet another double agent within MI6, which after the betrayal by Kim Philby and the rest of the Cambridge Five would be devastating to the Service.
Paul Dark has been above suspicion during MI6's years of doubt mainly as he's 'Larry Dark's boy.' But this time he can see his number coming up.
When Paul discovers that everything he's taken for granted and trusted for more than 20 years turns out to be another lie and his arrest may only be moments away, then he only has one option he has to both fight and take flight literally, he jumps on a plane to Nigeria in an effort to stop Slavin from revealing him to the world.
Free Agent is a twisting turning, thriller set between London and Nigeria during the peak of the Cold War. The surprises keep coming all the way throughout right up until the very last page.
I wouldn't say this is a gritty, spy on spy kind of book its more like a 40's era gumshoe film noir, It's polished and highly enjoyable, When I twittered about this book, I got loads of people asking about it, a fair few have since either emailed or direct messaged me through Twitter to say they bought it and loved it as well.
If you want to follow Jeremy Duns on twitter go to twitter.com/jeremyduns or @jeremyduns and if you want to follow me check @50bookchallenge or twitter.com/50bookchallenge
