Act of Vengeance

by Michael Jecks

When the Cold War ended, Jack Case was one spy too many. Discarded, he tried to keep his job in British Intelligence. Then, after 9/11, rapid recruitment brought in a rash of new, talented young men and women. They were trained and put into the field swiftly - often too swiftly. And then the mistakes started to happen. Mistakes that should have been avoided. Mistakes that could be embarrassing to Her Majesty's Government. And thus Jack Case's idea for a new team, the "Scavengers", of experienced agents who could be sent to clear up the messes left behind by newer recruits suddenly came to appeal to the new management.

Jack is sent to tidy up one last case. A man who committed suicide in Alaska. But this was no ordinary suicide. This was an agent who held secrets. And Intelligence fear that he put his secrets down on paper.

For Jack it's straightforward. But when he finds his life is threatened, he is left with the question: which spies want him dead?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Michael Jecks is a best-selling writer of historical novels. The son of an Actuary, and the youngest of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994

He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.

His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.

A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.

From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.

Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.

His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.

Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.

Reviews

[Michael Jecks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first modern thriller, and I was hugely thrilled to get a brilliant comment from Lee Child when he read it. It's a fast-paced story set around the murky world of modern spies. I had enormous fun writing and researching it - I hope readers will like it too!

[Val Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the Templar books written by Michael Jecks. Act of Vengeance is a great modern spy thriller written by one of my favourite historical crime fiction authors. It is quite different to the hugely popular Templar series, and it took me a while to get into this book, but the writing is excellent and the effort was well rewarded.

Act of Vengeance is one of the very few books I have read where the author successfully takes the action from Britain over to America and back without getting lost in the petty details. London, Alaska, Washington State and Virginia - with a very topical plot-line. The British and American secret services become intricately involved when a washed-up UK agent is sent on a final mission to follow up on the suicide of a British soldier.

Act of Vengeance is a well constructed story of Jack Case, an agent out of favour, called back to undertake a tidying up exercise after the death of a former interrogation officer in a remote cabin in Alaska. This is a story of betrayal, of rendition and of an agent's persistent quest for truth and revenge. I highly recommend Act of Vengeance and personally look forward to more stories featuring Jack Case, or at least more modern thrillers from Michael Jecks.

Val Penny

[Bob Haven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early in the book, I felt I was reading a well-written spy novel with some literary merit. But soon, it seemed only the story was keeping the book readable, and then even the story got tedious. "Act of Vengeance" is a fun read, but is a pretty average pop thriller. The British author really should have had an American review the dialog of the American characters. Trailer-park juvenile delinquents don't say a man is "fair" when he has blonde hair. Americans don't call the US Air Force the air corps. And why do all the American characters use the word "reckon" constantly in their speech? No one I know says "reckon", yet it is so overused, it becomes incredibly annoying. For example (from page 348):
"You reckon it happened by accident?"
"No. I reckon they probably booby trapped it and killed the poor bastard..."
"That's what I reckon," Jack said.

[Hua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the second book I have 'read' or actually listened to as in the audio version written by Jecks. I thoroughly enjoyed the story being read by Peter Noble. Jecks has a skill of plot writing in a chess competition style. It felt like the protagonists and the antagonists chess pieces being strategically moved, mapping out a much larger picture. The military descriptions were just enough not to bore the listeners nor too little as to leave the readers in ignorance. The characters were colourful, especially the 'bad' guys. One tiny disappointment I had was with how the bad guys were dealt with in the end. It somewhat felt a bit unsatisfactory in a sense. However, the whole book was a really enjoyable 'read' or should I say 'hearing'.

[Paul Lavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good first effort from Mr Jecks of a book set in modern times. The only reason it took so long to read is that I have a disabled child who took a lot of my time. If you like fast paced thrillers then this is well worth a read.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but reading was slow for me. I like Michael Jecks historical books the best.

[Susie Dokos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moves along at a snails pace.

Good story line, way to drawn out. Nothing like I expected. Some books are hard to put down, this wss hard to pick back up.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very thoughtful gift from my husband -- a book by an author he loves, recommended by an author I love. It was fine, though I wish I had loved it. Some complaints: it felt a little slow and over-long; there were so many characters I had trouble keeping track; and the main character's problem-solving to keep one step ahead of trouble felt a bit pat and not especially clever or creative. It could probably use another round in editing to clean up some scattered typos and odd line-breaks in the Kindle version. The plot was suitably twisty and tangly -- too tangly, even -- although I did see a few things coming that felt too obvious. While the problem-solving wasn't especially clever, for the most part it didn't hand anyone the stupid ball and have them make obviously out-of-character or poorly-motivated bad decisions. Although the main character's initial spycraft seemed a little lacking and transparent, once he needed to do a better job of hiding, he stepped it up. I was amused by some of the British slang that snuck into the Americans' dialogue.

[Kristina Suder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Case - an experienced agent at MI 6 - desires most of all not to get more missions and instead grow his relationship with his wife Claire. But his career-oriented boss wants different - to be able to use him in a situation that would make her rise in position and for him to pay with his life - that is to say, to strike two flies with one blow.The story is a page turner, a "tennis match", with Case as the ball, which goes back and forth in the reader's hope that the situation will solve to his advantage. More and more people are pulled into the game and after having had first his own organization against him, Case also has to fight against the CIA, FBI and local police in the United States, where the action is taking place. Putting the book aside becomes harder and harder - a real agent thriller of the exciting kind!

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

British hero

I must admit the first quarter of this book in was a bit confused. All the jumping around of the different characters I wasn't sure who was who. But, that straightened itself out after awhile. Then as an American reader I found some of the grammar and slang a little trying but I got around that, too. With all that being said, this was a pretty good book. Jack was a great character who you wanted to root for. And, for a guy being all alone in a foreign country, he does alright for himself. Luckily for him he makes a few friends along the way to help him in his plight. This book was like a thriller and a mystery rolled up together. You should enjoy it.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars. This is a solid series debut for Jack Case, a grizzled but cerebral intelligence officer who is tasked with tracking down a journal with damning secrets of rendition and torture. What follows is part detective story and part espionage book as Jack puts the pieces to an international conspiracy together. It's a must read for fans o Daniel Silva or Olen Stennhauer

[Roseruf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book excellently written, quite different for a "spy novel" and with a very strong criticism that I have really, really, loved! All the characters are very well depicted and they are very human, and you can understand their motivations and fears, not a common trait for most of the "spy novels" I have read.

[DianeCollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

I liked this novel. Enjoyed the characters and story line. There are parts that were more in depth concerning torture, but I skipped over and continued the story. Hope to see Jack Case in another novel.

[Sandra Mullett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Act of vengence

This book drew me in from the first paragraph. Excellent story line. Liked the characters as I'm definitely into British books at the moment. A few grammatical errors but didn't detract from story just had to read a couple of times

[barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this spy /intelligent agencies working for and against each other in modern times all the characters came to life and very fast paced enjoyed from page one to the end

[Brian A Hebdige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Full of interesting details and a story that keeps you guessing until the end.The ending is certainly satisfactory and satisfying.

[Dair]

Hmm... can't get into this book... days pass without me wanting to listen to it...

[Marv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spy vs. spy vs. spy, etc., story will hold your interest through frequent plot twists and action scenes. British spy Jack Case is trying to reconcile with his wife, who was quite unhappy when she learned of his real occupation. Worse, he's rumored to have killed her lover while she and Jack were separated. Then, his 'final' mission turns into a disaster, with him as the man in the middle, aimed at from all sides. However, a few good people come to his aid -- which is very good, because he really needs help, despite his uncanny ability to elude most of his multiple pursuers. Let's just say that not everyone who wears a white hat deserves that honor.

[J Paul Abernathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Political statement wrapped around a spy novel

Story had lots of bad characters doing bad things in the name of patriotism and self promotion with numerous hard to believe actions. Hard to follow through first quarter of the book.

[Jeff Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unconvincing

Flat, cliched characters. Bad dialogue; Americans do not use British terms like "pay rise", "gaol", etc. Plot wasn't particularly believable, which didn't help. Didn't finish it.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and exciting read! I have all of Jeck's work in historical mystery fiction and he proves that he can write as well outside of that genre in this 'spy thriller.'

[Marni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Fast-paced and gripping.

[Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable fast paced thriller. Okay some things are a bit improbable but that, thank God, is why it's called fiction. Will look out for more of this series when they come out.

[James Krauss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the normal Michael Jecks book. This one is a spy novel that takes place in modern times. It is an easy read that keeps you involved as his historical novels do.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a superb read. Gritty full of tension, great story. Highly recommended.

[Pamela Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine debut

I like this spy. Of course he's work-weary and has personal challenges, but he knows how to get into and of of trouble in fine style.