Reviewed by Belinda Hamilton

I have to say that the prospect of reading a book written by a woman who has headed the MI5 in England had me in a bipolar sway from excitement to trepidation.  On one hand the police processes would be spot on, and truth is usually stranger than fiction. Then the other side of it could have been a bit like dry All Bran for breakfast, especially since most police work is actually paperwork. 

This is the seventh book in the Liz Carlisle series, so I put my big girl panties on and delved into a character who has 6 books worth of history behind her and 328 pages to either make me love her or hate her.

Here’s the good reads blurb

“Geneva, 2012. When a Russian intelligence officer approaches MI5 with vital information about the imminent cyber-sabotage of an Anglo-American Defence programme, he refuses to talk to anyone but Liz Carlyle. But who is he, and what is his connection to the British agent?

At a tracking station in Nevada, US Navy officers watch in horror as one of their unmanned drones plummets out of the sky, and panic spreads through the British and American Intelligence services. Is this a Russian plot to disable the West’s defences? Or is the threat coming from elsewhere?

As Liz and her team hunt for a mole inside the MOD, the trail leads them from Geneva, to Marseilles and into a labyrinth of international intrigue, in a race against time to stop the Cold War heating up once again…”

We open with a scene that makes little sense but it is a gripping crime none-the-less, and for most of the book the crime goes unanswered which really had me questioning the relevance of it’s occurrence. I haven’t read any of Stella’s previous work, so I don’t know if this was a signature plot twist or not. 

I enjoyed the anonymity of the evil people. We are given the scent and a hint of who may be perpetrating such heinous acts, but I can tell you I didn’t guess a single one. 

I had a bone to pick with one of the male counterparts of Liz Carlisle, but more for his sexist view towards women in an intelligence role than his obstructive demeanour. I guess in a job where it’s been a boys club for so long, it is to be expected that some men don’t like change. Rude and unacceptable, but understandable. 

The body count is pretty high and the gore is gruesome enough to make my fluffy-bunny-loving self cringe. 

Liz is suitably kick arse in a dangerous reality where anything less would mean she’d be eaten alive. 

I don’t think I’ll pursue the other 6 books in this series, but I will most likely read The Geneva Trap again. See if I can pick up on clues I missed this time around. I’d suggest this one for a cold afternoon. Just be sure to have the guard cat or dog with you.

http://www.stellarimington.com/

Paperback, 328 pages

Published September 13th 2012 by Bloomsbury (first published July 19th 2012)

ISBN 1408819651 (ISBN13: 9781408819654)

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Reviewed by Cels Jansink

“Russian spies are on the streets of London- and they are prepared to kill….”

MI5 intelligence officer Liz Carlyle finds herself in a race against the clock after learning of a plot to assassinate a  super-rich Russian ex-pat now residing in London. Nikita Brunovsky is one of the high profile critics of the Putin regime and although the details of how he is to be silenced is unclear, the Foreign Office is determined no incident shall happen on British soil and Liz is tasked with his protection. After going undercover, Liz learns that an “illegal” Russian agent has arrived. Could this be the assassin she seeks or is the plot thicker than first imagined?  Embroiled in the high-octane world of the oligarchs, Liz soon finds herself in deep danger……………

There is something refreshing about delving into the world of cloak and daggers with all the thrills and spills reminiscent of a James Bond adventure and being gifted with an incredible smart and sassy female lead. Liz is engaging right from the very beginning and it was on her strength of character alone that I made my way through the often confusing first few chapters to truly find my feet in the story.  That has to be my only gripe about the whole novel.  We enter a complex and finely tuned world that if it is your first foray into the author’s imagination as it was for me, you can be left a little lost until the main players and strategies are firmly implanted into your mind.  That being said though this did grip me from the very beginning and I was determined to find out just what was going on and who was behind it and I’m so glad I persevered through the initial confusion. This was my first time reading a spy adventure and I will definitely be back.

Stella Rimington certainly knows her stuff and it shows.  Not only is she highly gifted at her craft, her background as the former Director General of MI5 (and the first female DG) certainly cements her world with an authentic ring. The intrigue is thick and entwined in so many engrossing layers; it will keep you guessing right to the very end. The characterisation is superb on both sides and the quick stepping and double dealings will leave you wondering just what side you want to remain on. This certainly reminds us that a woman can run with the big boys and often leave them lagging a circle or too behind.

So if you’re ready to test your wits against the biggest players in the spy game, tag a ride-along with Liz.  This is one heck of a journey you won’t forget and will leave even the most die-hard spy fan wondering, Bond who?

Illegal Action- Stella Rimington

Arrow Books

ISBN:978-0-0995-0213-5

394 Pages

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