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Harry Tate #5
Execution
When a Russian hit team catches up with Roman Tobinskiy, political opponent of Moscow and former FSB colleague of Alexander Litvinenko (murdered by polonium poisoning in 2006), it's an easy kill; he's lying helpless in a hospital bed. They realise too late that in an adjacent room is Clare Jardine, ex-MI6 officer, recovering from wounds while saving Harry Tate's life.
When Clare goes on the run, Harry is ordered to track her down before the Russians reach her. It's one of his toughest challenges yet. For not only is Clare as adept at covering her tracks as Harry is himself, but the Russians are not the only ones chasing her.
Harry is about to come up against an old enemy from his past. And if he is to save Clare’s life – as she saved his – he must seek help from a most unlikely source.
When Clare goes on the run, Harry is ordered to track her down before the Russians reach her. It's one of his toughest challenges yet. For not only is Clare as adept at covering her tracks as Harry is himself, but the Russians are not the only ones chasing her.
Harry is about to come up against an old enemy from his past. And if he is to save Clare’s life – as she saved his – he must seek help from a most unlikely source.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
17 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Magson
48 books100 followersAdrian Magson is a British crime-writer, his books often involve conspiracies, and have two repeating main characters - Riley Gavin, a young female investigative reporter, and Frank Palmer, a former RMP (British Royal Military Policeman) now a private investigator.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 25, 2019
This is a good summer read with plenty of thrills and tense moments. It is the 5th outing for Harry Tate and here we find him looking for and then protecting a former MI6 officer.
This is the story of Clare Jardine who is a 'bystander' to a Russian hit and is threatened when she is considered a witness who knows too much. Her life is in danger after she goes underground, but who can she trust and with an insider assisting the crack Russian kill team how can she possibly survive?
The plot has many twists and turns and is quite gripping at times. However, I found it a little simplistic at times with human error assisting the plot rather than remaining true to basic trade craft of a career spy. For example how did they find us so quickly they must have tracker on you. Oh my phone ..
Still, like so many books, these types of novel need to cut corners to build suspense and keep the action coming; if mistakes were not made, indeed the Russians could have killed Clare Jardine on page 2 and then there would be no book. Its like all such books of this genre. No Mr Bond I expect you to die but then delegate the killing of 007 to lesser staff who always fail to finish the agent when a bullet in the head would have killed the book and destroyed the whole franchise.
Therefore in the best traditions enjoy the book and look forward to more exploits in the life of Harry Tate, I will!
This is the story of Clare Jardine who is a 'bystander' to a Russian hit and is threatened when she is considered a witness who knows too much. Her life is in danger after she goes underground, but who can she trust and with an insider assisting the crack Russian kill team how can she possibly survive?
The plot has many twists and turns and is quite gripping at times. However, I found it a little simplistic at times with human error assisting the plot rather than remaining true to basic trade craft of a career spy. For example how did they find us so quickly they must have tracker on you. Oh my phone ..
Still, like so many books, these types of novel need to cut corners to build suspense and keep the action coming; if mistakes were not made, indeed the Russians could have killed Clare Jardine on page 2 and then there would be no book. Its like all such books of this genre. No Mr Bond I expect you to die but then delegate the killing of 007 to lesser staff who always fail to finish the agent when a bullet in the head would have killed the book and destroyed the whole franchise.
Therefore in the best traditions enjoy the book and look forward to more exploits in the life of Harry Tate, I will!
May 11, 2014
Harry Tate adventure number 5. Each one gets better in my opinion. Harry is tasked with working off the books to find and aid his former colleague Clare Jardine. She is recovering from being shot saving Harry and Rik in a previous story. She is being hunted by a Russian hit team and Tate has to get her before they do. A great read and old characters return and some new ones to help and hinder along the way. a great addition to the series.
May 24, 2020
Fairly routine. The execution referred to in the title is not the one at the beginning but the one at the end. The formidable Claire Jardine has something to do with it. Apparently there is a 2019 sequel but it's not available at my library. Harry Tate will have to wait. There are more Adrian Magson titles to check out though.
November 18, 2017
I enjoyed these Harry Tate series so much that I was hoping there would have been more to come but sadly not. However Adrian Magson is now up there with my favourite writers so I'm looking forward to his next series.
January 29, 2020
A very good story that stands alone despite being part of the Harry Tate series. It deals with characters and a history from previous books that is explained eventually. All in all a good espionage thriller.
May 10, 2017
another fast read, but believable and current
August 11, 2018
Great series
Harry Tate is the man. Adrian’s three part series ended way too soon. Great read full of excitement and adventure.
Harry Tate is the man. Adrian’s three part series ended way too soon. Great read full of excitement and adventure.
January 2, 2022
This wasn't my favorite as far as suspense goes. It was still a good book and well written.
December 3, 2013
Former MI6 agent Clare Jardine is having a rough week. First, she was shot in the stomach. Then, while recuperating in King's College Hospital in London, two Russian hitmen sneak in one night & finish off one of their countrymen who's in the room across the hall. He was a friend of Litvinenko (the high ranking Russian killed by polonium poisoning) & former FSB, now exiled form Russia.
After the killers leave, Clare knows she's in trouble. She's not only a witness, she speaks Russian. With her broken body & large gaps in her memory, she leaves & proceeds to hide in central London.
Since her last assignment, Clare doesn't have many friends. She had been banished to an outpost with other agents who had fallen out of favour & during a shootout was injured saving the life of Harry Tate, former MI5.
Harry & Rik Ferris were encouraged to "retire" from the agency & now run a security consulting business. When they are contacted by Clare's old boss, Richard Ballatyne, to find her, Harry feels he owes her one. But neither he nor Rik could have predicted the fallout from this. Soon, they are running with Clare, not just from the determined Russians, but from an old nemesis & a new threat inside MI6. Ballatyne helps as much as he can behind the scenes but can't show his hand 'til he finds the leak from within.
This is a fast paced thriller full of intrigue, double crosses & secrets. Harry & Rik are a likeable team of opposites. Harry is old school, smart & suspicious of everyone. Rik is a young hacker with mad computer skills & a unique fashion sense. Clare is an interesting character. She's a survivor with as much to fear from her former colleagues as the FSB. She's prickly, distrustful & even if you don't particularly like her, you have to respect her abilities & intelligence. Clare has always been in the closet but the only one that may help them is an old lover who happens to be a Russian agent.
There are lots of twists & turns and several of the characters you really want to see get what they deserve. These people have turned back stabbing into an art form & everyone has a hidden agenda. The dialogue is sharp & real as the author slowly reveals layer after layer of lies & secret alliances and you can't help cheering on the trio as they take on all comers & the body count rises.
All in all, a well written thriller that should appeal to fans of Lee Child & Nelson DeMille as well as fans of previous Harry Tate novels.
After the killers leave, Clare knows she's in trouble. She's not only a witness, she speaks Russian. With her broken body & large gaps in her memory, she leaves & proceeds to hide in central London.
Since her last assignment, Clare doesn't have many friends. She had been banished to an outpost with other agents who had fallen out of favour & during a shootout was injured saving the life of Harry Tate, former MI5.
Harry & Rik Ferris were encouraged to "retire" from the agency & now run a security consulting business. When they are contacted by Clare's old boss, Richard Ballatyne, to find her, Harry feels he owes her one. But neither he nor Rik could have predicted the fallout from this. Soon, they are running with Clare, not just from the determined Russians, but from an old nemesis & a new threat inside MI6. Ballatyne helps as much as he can behind the scenes but can't show his hand 'til he finds the leak from within.
This is a fast paced thriller full of intrigue, double crosses & secrets. Harry & Rik are a likeable team of opposites. Harry is old school, smart & suspicious of everyone. Rik is a young hacker with mad computer skills & a unique fashion sense. Clare is an interesting character. She's a survivor with as much to fear from her former colleagues as the FSB. She's prickly, distrustful & even if you don't particularly like her, you have to respect her abilities & intelligence. Clare has always been in the closet but the only one that may help them is an old lover who happens to be a Russian agent.
There are lots of twists & turns and several of the characters you really want to see get what they deserve. These people have turned back stabbing into an art form & everyone has a hidden agenda. The dialogue is sharp & real as the author slowly reveals layer after layer of lies & secret alliances and you can't help cheering on the trio as they take on all comers & the body count rises.
All in all, a well written thriller that should appeal to fans of Lee Child & Nelson DeMille as well as fans of previous Harry Tate novels.
December 12, 2013
A good, solid spy thriller. A Russian hit team is stalking an injured Claire Jardine through London, while Harry Tate tries to get to her first.
I encourage any first time reader of the Harry Tate series to start with Red Station, the first book in the series.
Recommended for readers of Jon Stock (The Legoland Trilogy) and Jason Matthews (Red Sparrow).
I encourage any first time reader of the Harry Tate series to start with Red Station, the first book in the series.
Recommended for readers of Jon Stock (The Legoland Trilogy) and Jason Matthews (Red Sparrow).
July 4, 2024
Russian hitmen hit a dissedent in a London Hospital. It just so happens that a former M15 agent is in the room across the hall recovering from an attempt on her life. She hears the commotion and is able to sneak out, but the killers are looking for her too.
Harry Tate is the person that is assigned to find her and to find the killers..
Harry Tate is the person that is assigned to find her and to find the killers..
April 2, 2016
Nice diversity and complexity of the characters in this novel, including very strong and independent females. Kudos to Magson for this narrative development.
The ending felt a little simplistic to me, but overall a good read.
The ending felt a little simplistic to me, but overall a good read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews