This isn't my usual sort of book, but I was intrigued by a spy book written by an ex-spymaster. I'm afraid it disappointed - it was interesting in places, but full of clichéed characters [the good looking heroine, the impetuous sub-hero, the cold calculating villain, the incompetent boss], and 'lucky coincidences' to enable the plot to move clunkily forward. The end scene was rather "is that it?" - one had the feeling that the author had reached her required word-count and just wanted to get finished.I don't think I'll bother with any more in the series. Rather run of the mill thriller set in post Troubles Northern Ireland. The plot revolves around a breakaway Republican group seemingly set on resuming the killing pitted against a the forces of law and order, primarily MI5 intelligence officer Liz Carlyle. The trouble is that both the terrorists and the intelligence service are both depicted as rather bungling as this is the only way that the plot can work.This is the 5th in the Liz Carlyle series penned by the former head of MI5, Stella Rimington, and whilst it was well paced, you could have driven a truck bomb through the plot.
What do You think about Present Danger (2009)?
Entertaining enough but plot holes big enough to drive a stolen boat through.
—Cante
Good - an excellent break from similar American books
—saim
