What do you think?
Rate this book
Bushfire
'Bushfire' is a terrifying thriller of greed and deceit. The action spans the oceans, from Colombia to the British Isles and is set against the inferno of a raging drugs' culture. Cumbrian undercover detective Boyd, and the covert power of the State, battle against globally organised crime syndicates unaware that some amongst them have different plans: Private and personal revenge... A gripping tale from Paul Anthony. Paul Anthony is the pseudonym of a policeman. As a detective, he served with Cumbria CID, the Regional Crime Squad in Manchester, the Special Branch, and other national agencies in the UK
- GenresMystery
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
5 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Paul Anthony
94 books70 followersPaul has written 7 full length fictional novels - crime fiction - plus a collection of poetry, a book of short stories, a non-fiction self help book regarding an authorship, and a children's fantasy book which was co-written with Meg Johnston. These books are in both print and Kindle. Four books make up the Boyd detective series and three are in the Davies King series. They are all stand alone books. In the past he has been published by a Vanity House and a Traditional Publishing House. He is currently an independent self publishing author with a store front on the 'Lulu' website as well as amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. He has written over 20 screenplays for both television and film either on his own, or with the award winning screenwriter, Nick Gordon. Our author is also a writer for Broowaha: an online newspaper based in America, but he is also a Linkedin Influencer where many of his articles, memoirs, short stories and non fiction articles appear. Paul Anthony is the pseudonym of a man born in Southport, Lancashire. The son of a soldier, he settled in Carlisle before joining the Police as a Cadet. Joining Cumbria police at the age of 19, he served throughout Cumbria. As a detective, he served in Cumbria CID, the Regional Crime Squad in Manchester, the Special Branch, the anti-terrorist branch, and other national agencies in the UK. He is the holder of an Honours Degree in Economics and Social Sciences, a Diploma in Management and a Diploma in Office Management. Paul is also a supporter of the Dyslexia Foundation UK who selected 'The Fragile Peace' to be the first book in their audio library. He is also a keen promoter of 'United Artistes', a casting agency operating from Carlisle, Cumbria, providing supporting artists (extras) for the television and film industries working in the Midlands, the north of England, and the whole of Scotland. The agency specialises in providing ex armed services and police personnel with 'specific' military and police skills required by film and television production companies. His blogsite and further details of his books can be found at paulanthonys.blogspot.com When not writing, Paul Anthony enjoys reading a wide range of works, reviewing same, and playing guitar badly. His favourite genre to read is 'non-fiction' and 'thrillers'. He also enjoys running, kettlebells, athletics, keeping fit, pilates, walking the Cumbrian Fells, dining out and dining in, keeping Koi carp, and following politics, economics and social sciences. He is married and has three adult children and five grandchildren. He is a member of the Independent Authors Network and a former winner of the featured authors contest. Paul is also a member of the League of Writers and a former featured author at the the 'Books Without Borders' event in Yonkers, New York, and a featured author at the Frankfurt Book Fayre.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 18, 2011
First book I've read by Paul and completely enjoyed it.
August 24, 2011
‘Bushfire’ is a fast paced, expertly written, brilliant tale of crime and suspense.
The plot is clever, multi layers, detailed and precise. The writing has great depth which makes the reader feel as though they are right there, in the middle of this dangerous world of crime.
This book is captivating and filled with adventure, excitement and drama.
In a nutshell, this story has all the hallmarks of a Martina Cole book, but the big difference between the two is that what Paul Anthony has created in ‘Bushfire’ feels real, raw and grown-up.
It opened my eyes to the world of organised crime and those who bravely fight it. It tackles deep social issues and forces your mind beyond the normal bounds of society into the terrifying underworld of drugs and terrorism.
I found myself connecting with the main crime fighting characters, routing for them, supporting them and wishing I could get into the book and warn them of dangers only the reader could see.
The criminals terrified me as I glimpsed the inner workings of a world I didn’t know existed. The very darkest side of human nature – greed, illicit drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism. It is a story of a world only few can really understand.
This is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.
I have only ever read one crime thriller which felt absolutely real – ‘Bushfire’ by Paul Anthony.
The plot is clever, multi layers, detailed and precise. The writing has great depth which makes the reader feel as though they are right there, in the middle of this dangerous world of crime.
This book is captivating and filled with adventure, excitement and drama.
In a nutshell, this story has all the hallmarks of a Martina Cole book, but the big difference between the two is that what Paul Anthony has created in ‘Bushfire’ feels real, raw and grown-up.
It opened my eyes to the world of organised crime and those who bravely fight it. It tackles deep social issues and forces your mind beyond the normal bounds of society into the terrifying underworld of drugs and terrorism.
I found myself connecting with the main crime fighting characters, routing for them, supporting them and wishing I could get into the book and warn them of dangers only the reader could see.
The criminals terrified me as I glimpsed the inner workings of a world I didn’t know existed. The very darkest side of human nature – greed, illicit drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism. It is a story of a world only few can really understand.
This is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.
I have only ever read one crime thriller which felt absolutely real – ‘Bushfire’ by Paul Anthony.
August 26, 2011
What an excellent book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This story has held me more and interested me more than the last two Clive Cussler books I have read and that is saying something as Clive Cussler is one of my favourite authors.
I do believe I have found a new favourite author.
The plot is brilliantly gripping and the characters are vividly real. It has an excellent pace and is crammed full of adventure, suspense and twists.
This author writes with great intelligence, skill and talent. His knowledge and understanding of the criminal world is unchallenged amongst other crime writers and I honestly think this is the best crime thriller I have ever read.
I recommend this book to EVERYONE.
This story has held me more and interested me more than the last two Clive Cussler books I have read and that is saying something as Clive Cussler is one of my favourite authors.
I do believe I have found a new favourite author.
The plot is brilliantly gripping and the characters are vividly real. It has an excellent pace and is crammed full of adventure, suspense and twists.
This author writes with great intelligence, skill and talent. His knowledge and understanding of the criminal world is unchallenged amongst other crime writers and I honestly think this is the best crime thriller I have ever read.
I recommend this book to EVERYONE.
October 17, 2011
I won this book after entering a competition on this website. Thanks to Paul for ensuring that I received it swiftly after being told that I had won it. It's not a bad book, there were some niggles along the way.
So first, the good. It is very easy to read and not one of those books that is written in a convoluted style that can be hard to get your head around. You can tear through the pages quickly and easily. It also does leave you wanting to know what happens next. I read the book over three days that included a fairly hectic work schedule, so it is a credit to the story that I wanted to know how it would all be resolved.
Indeed there are moments at the start where you genuinely don't know which way it is going to go. There is a fairly nasty murder quite early on, which in retrospect seems obvious but at the time you did kind of expect the guy to live, albeit after having the living daylights kicked and cut out of him.
So that's the good. There was, however, quite a lot that I struggled with, the first being the dialogue. Quite often there would be a sentence felt like it was being spoken by someone for whom English was not their first language. For some of the characters this was fitting (there is a truly international cast of characters within these pages) but every now and then one of the English guys would come out with something that did not seem to come naturally from their mouths.
Then there were the characters. None of them seemed very real, we never really saw the inner workings of their minds, almost like in a movie, a medium where you only know what is narrated or shown. The book reminded me of a movie in another way as well - there were a number of scenes where a character would be talking to another on the phone, and we would be told about things that were happening on both sides of the conversation but in the same scene, as you would in a movie. In a film it works because you have the visuals to tell you about the shift in location, but here it made the scenes seem disjointed and you had to think about who was where, because the inference from the writing was that everyone was close to each other, when in fact they were not.
The actual plot made sense but there were some odd moments. The first time when we meet our main four characters on a hill in Scotland, there was no real reason for them to be there together, and the reason put into the dialogue, "Trident is the thing to see!" just seemed thrown in to provide that explanation, even though it didn't make any sense, especially once you get to know their backgrounds.
Also, when two characters get engaged at the end you can't help thinking "but they live in different countries and have known each other less than two weeks!!!"
It's not a bad book, the story is pretty good but it does read more like a movie script than a novel. If you like action thrillers though, definitely worth a look.
So first, the good. It is very easy to read and not one of those books that is written in a convoluted style that can be hard to get your head around. You can tear through the pages quickly and easily. It also does leave you wanting to know what happens next. I read the book over three days that included a fairly hectic work schedule, so it is a credit to the story that I wanted to know how it would all be resolved.
Indeed there are moments at the start where you genuinely don't know which way it is going to go. There is a fairly nasty murder quite early on, which in retrospect seems obvious but at the time you did kind of expect the guy to live, albeit after having the living daylights kicked and cut out of him.
So that's the good. There was, however, quite a lot that I struggled with, the first being the dialogue. Quite often there would be a sentence felt like it was being spoken by someone for whom English was not their first language. For some of the characters this was fitting (there is a truly international cast of characters within these pages) but every now and then one of the English guys would come out with something that did not seem to come naturally from their mouths.
Then there were the characters. None of them seemed very real, we never really saw the inner workings of their minds, almost like in a movie, a medium where you only know what is narrated or shown. The book reminded me of a movie in another way as well - there were a number of scenes where a character would be talking to another on the phone, and we would be told about things that were happening on both sides of the conversation but in the same scene, as you would in a movie. In a film it works because you have the visuals to tell you about the shift in location, but here it made the scenes seem disjointed and you had to think about who was where, because the inference from the writing was that everyone was close to each other, when in fact they were not.
The actual plot made sense but there were some odd moments. The first time when we meet our main four characters on a hill in Scotland, there was no real reason for them to be there together, and the reason put into the dialogue, "Trident is the thing to see!" just seemed thrown in to provide that explanation, even though it didn't make any sense, especially once you get to know their backgrounds.
Also, when two characters get engaged at the end you can't help thinking "but they live in different countries and have known each other less than two weeks!!!"
It's not a bad book, the story is pretty good but it does read more like a movie script than a novel. If you like action thrillers though, definitely worth a look.
December 6, 2011
I found this an amazingly well written book. The author really did his research on the drug organization and the Justice system
Mr Anthony is a brilliant writer. The book just flowed when reading it.
Bushfire is a fast paced, on the edge of your set book. I had a hard time putting it down. Need to know what was going to happen
next. I feel in love with the main character of the book.
The characters seemed so real that you felt you where there with them. You wanted to try and help at times.
I'm hoping to see more of the main character in books to come. Just could not help liking him.
I love thriller books and this was sure one thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
I would recommend this book. Need to keep an eye on this author. He is going to go places with his writing.
Mr Anthony is a brilliant writer. The book just flowed when reading it.
Bushfire is a fast paced, on the edge of your set book. I had a hard time putting it down. Need to know what was going to happen
next. I feel in love with the main character of the book.
The characters seemed so real that you felt you where there with them. You wanted to try and help at times.
I'm hoping to see more of the main character in books to come. Just could not help liking him.
I love thriller books and this was sure one thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
I would recommend this book. Need to keep an eye on this author. He is going to go places with his writing.
January 13, 2012
Paul Anthony has written a winner with Brushfire. He takes the reader into the dark and dangerous world of narcotics trafficking and terrorism. The realism is in every page because Anthony moved in this world as a British detective investigating these crimes
The story centers on a group of British detectives attending a Europol conference in Portugal. They are led by Detective Inspector William Boyd, a dedicated and seasoned police officer. During the conference, Boyd goes for a run and spots an IRA terrorist. This leads to a joint investigation with the British detectives, Portugal authorities and DEA.
The investigation leads to a drug kingpin named Klaus from whom IRA terrorists want a load of drugs. However, terrorists decide they want everything Klaus has and kill his guards and hold Klaus and his wife prisoner. The detectives are hot on their trail and in a series of violent confrontations, take down Klaus’ operation, but the IRA men escape on Klaus’ boat. But not for long.
Shadowed by a British submarine, Boyd and his detectives know the IRA is headed for Britain and approximately where. With the help of British Customs and British Intelligence, the terrorists and drug dealers are cornered in a climatic confrontation.
Brushfire is action filled and gripping. A must read if you like action/adventure novels.
The story centers on a group of British detectives attending a Europol conference in Portugal. They are led by Detective Inspector William Boyd, a dedicated and seasoned police officer. During the conference, Boyd goes for a run and spots an IRA terrorist. This leads to a joint investigation with the British detectives, Portugal authorities and DEA.
The investigation leads to a drug kingpin named Klaus from whom IRA terrorists want a load of drugs. However, terrorists decide they want everything Klaus has and kill his guards and hold Klaus and his wife prisoner. The detectives are hot on their trail and in a series of violent confrontations, take down Klaus’ operation, but the IRA men escape on Klaus’ boat. But not for long.
Shadowed by a British submarine, Boyd and his detectives know the IRA is headed for Britain and approximately where. With the help of British Customs and British Intelligence, the terrorists and drug dealers are cornered in a climatic confrontation.
Brushfire is action filled and gripping. A must read if you like action/adventure novels.
April 30, 2012
“Bushfire” by Paul Anthony is about the illegal drug industry in 1990’s spanning Ireland, Portugal, and across the ocean to South American connections. This complex, well-written crime story follows layers of characters, from the criminals, the law enforcement, and the go-betweens as they make plans and interact with each other, making a non-stop story that is almost impossible to put down. I highly recommend this novel to readers that enjoy being pulled into the dangerous, intense world of international crime fighting. Five stars!
October 19, 2011
I won this book on Goodreads and enjoyed it very much. The International loctions and characters kept me on my toes and I thank Paul Anthony for a very good read. Here's to you Paul, looking forward to your next book. Peggy
Want to read
December 28, 2011I am not through reading Bushfire yet, but I am sure it will be just as good as I anticipate it to be, in that Paul Anthony is an excellent author.
Read
March 19, 2018I am not sure where I got this title from but it was not my usual sort of read. I found it very confusing and violent. It kept switching back from the police to the criminals in the same paragraph and I got confused about what was going on. I finished because I don't like to give up on a book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews