Close Call

Liz Carlyle #8

by Stella Rimington

From the former director of MI5, the new Liz Carlyle thriller—taken from today’s headlines.

The Arab Spring has swept through the Middle East and Liz Carlyle and her compatriots in the Thames House’s counter-espionage division are racing to investigate arms deals in Yemen. There’s a UN embargo forbidding any member country from supplying arms to either side in the uprisings, but Andy Bokus, head of the CIA’s London Station, has evidence that the weapons being smuggled into Yemen are not only being sold to both sides, but are coming from a connection in the UK—a highly embarrassing black mark on the government and, if true, full of disastrous consequences.

British-American cooperation widens as Liz teams up with her old rival Bruno McKay, MI6’s Head of Station in Paris, and Isobel Florian of the French domestic service, the DCRI, to trail and trap the elusive weapons dealer. The evidence points to a former French intelligence officer, Antoine Milraud, who leads them all on a mad chase across Europe until investigators witness him passing something to an elegantly dressed, very mysterious man.

When Milraud is caught and informs on his fellow conspirators, Liz finds herself embroiled in a larger, potentially explosive situation that twists all the way back to what she feared most—that the arms are being sold through the UK, and the mysterious man is closer and more capable of brutal violence than she ever could have imagined.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Spy Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published July 3, 2014

About the author

Dame Stella Rimington was a British author and Director General of MI5, a position she held from 1992 to 1996. She was the first female DG of MI5, and the first DG whose name was publicised on appointment. In 1993, Rimington became the first DG of MI5 to pose openly for cameras at the launch of a brochure outlining the organisation's activities.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, particularly as the author’s distinguished career in MI5 from 1968 was involved in countering subversion, espionage and terrorism – and led to her becoming Director General in 1992, the first woman to hold this top post.

While the story is fiction, it is reminiscent of a lot of the serious Middle East events at the present time, relating to the scourge of psychopathic Jihadi extremists and their brutal attempt to conquer the world with ideology based on their warped interpretation of Islam. It would appear that the UN are currently unable to halt this serious problem, which is growing like an incurable cancer in modern society and depriving whole countries of the means to live peaceably.

The narrative is beautifully presented with the story easy to follow. Once I started reading, I had to continue to find out how it ended. Highly recommended.

[Manray9 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read several of Stella Rimington's earlier novels featuring the recurring character of Liz Carlyle. Her Close Call continues the rapidly-fading trend of the novels. It is trite and predictable. All of Rimington's characters have degenerated into stereotypes. It is almost as if the reader knows what they'll say before they say it. Her plots are like rejected television scripts from the waning seasons of a trendy program. I'm done with Stella.

[Pragya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard an interview with Stella Rimington on the New York Times Book Review Podcast and was intrigued enough to order the book from Audible. What interests me most was Rimington writing about a job she knew well. Stella Rimington is the former Director General of MI5. I discovered after buying the book it is book eight in the Liz Carlyle series.

In this story Liz Carlyle and her counter terrorism unit in MI5 have been assigned to watch the international under- the- counter arms trade. The British Intelligence has become concerned the extremist AL-Qaeda Jihadist are building their power base. Liz and team must intercept illegal weapons before Al-Qaeda obtains them. We are taken on a tour of Paris and Berlin in the hunt for the weapons.

The author has managed to choose a hot button issue on which to base her story on. There is a suggestion of significant moral or psychological depth to the story. There is action added to the intelligence gather operation. I feel the story has been grabbed right out of today’s headlines. I might go back and read the other books in this series. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Julie Barrie narrated the novel.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

How better to read espionage than from a former MI5 director general. Liz and teams from several countries are chasing a possible terrorist activity from information provided by a rogue French agent. Is he giving them all of the information? They are able to follow some of the bad guys while loosing others.(what? The good guys are not always able to discretely follow the bad guys.). What are the jihadis members suspected of buying the arms, ammunition and guns going to do with it. Where is the target? The trail seems clear and then closes down.

Lots of characters to get to know. The 8th in the Liz Carlyle series is my first but I will read others. I usually like to read a series from the beginning but was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway!! Good read and now I have a new author and series to read! Hope you also enjoy Ms Rimington's books.

[David Snape · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes on the main character Liz in a scenario where they could be a possible arm deal that all predicts a meeting place in Paris. Or is it really closer to home? Overall, the story is pretty solid, with a few standout moments at the end. However, i feel it is a bit short and safe myself. The basics are good and I enjoyed reading it but I wouldn’t want to read it again.

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was trying to explain this book to my son (we talk about what we have read) and the more I thought about it the more I was bothered by the covert racism and right-wing ideology which goes through it. It did leave an unpleasant taste in my mouth even at the time but I have to admit I raced through most of it because it is well written and edited to be easy and relaxing to read. But it was written in 2014...the author really really might have known better had she bothered to think!

It did overdo the foreshadowing on a main twist and because the cover declares proudly the former profession of the author (really?) you get a feeling that the universally beloved, supposedly brilliant, femme fatale Liz Carlyle is a self-insert.

I won't bother with any more of these but this one jumped out at me from a little free library.

[Lyn Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once I got into it I discovered that I didn't feel like reading in this genre. So back to the library about a third read. Yes, did read the ending. Especially important If I think I might not be bothered reading the whole book. Sometimes the ending is so unexpected I change my mind and read the whole thing to see how it got there. This time it made up my mind and I headed back into the tall piles of books by my bed.

[Peter Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another semi-gripping Liz Carlyle adventure. I don't want to spoil the book for others but one incident was so sad; will things ever be the same again? I'm starting to sound like Liz! Seriously, I have read all of Stella Rimington's books so far and the novels are becoming formulaic. I will try her next when it's published but if there is no change it might be time to move on.

Regards,
Peter

[BookQueen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writing by numbers

[Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and enjoyable. Perfect summer staple.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stella Rimington won't win any prizes for writing great literature. Her Liz Carlyle series of spy novels are written in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner. The prose is unembellished. Her strength as a novelist lies instead in her skill in plotting and her intimate knowledge of espionage gained as the Director General of Britain's MI5 in the 1990s. She knows exactly how intelligence agencies really work. And she uses that knowledge to weave tales around the issues that have preoccupied British and American intelligence for the past three decades.

The former MI5 director knows what she writes about
In Close Call, the eighth novel in the Liz Carlyle series, Liz now runs the Counter-Terrorist section of MI5. She teams up with senior officers of MI6, the CIA, and Special Branch of the police and with her French lover as part of an extensive investigation into a terrorist plot. Martin Seurat works for DGSE, France's external intelligence agency. On a previous case, they had worked together in Ireland and the south of France to chase down a renegade former French intelligence officer. One of Liz's colleagues nearly lost his life during that investigation. Now, Martin faces mortal danger from the same renegade officer who had escaped capture.

Close Call is readable, suspenseful, and timely even four years after its publication.

[Jackie Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just like these books, the plotting and the characters, how they make their way through life, competently. I also enjoy the writing and the plotting, which provides lots of action across the Continent and at home.

We see a flashback of Liz Carlyle's time in Liverpool Special Branch during her training and this provides extra suspense during the investigation. And, there is also an appearance by her current beau - I liked the mix of personal and professional.

I found the ending more problematical. There was an abrupt change of perspective from Peggy, anxious and doing all the right things, to Liz , abrupt enough that we lose sight of Peggy for a while. It creates a tension as we also lose sight of a key piece of intelligence but it feels a little crudely executed. The ending is also rather abrupt and I couldn't decide whether it worked. It was very visual - I saw one of those rapid, silent sequences of images catching us up on what was happening, without spending a lot of time on something that is really very familiar. That was quite efficient and it made sense that the personal part was told in retrospect and not shown in detail - this is a spy thriller, after all. However, it felt like Dame Stella had just lost interest now the main story was over. On to the next book, eh?

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the eighth novel in the series featuring MI-5 officer Liz Carlyle, written by a woman who herself was an MI-5 officer for decades and made history when she became the first woman to head up MI-5. I have to say these yarns just get better and tauter. Like a lot of her British thriller colleagues, Stella is not afraid to sacrifice sacred cows. If you're getting too attached to characters who have become established regulars from previous Liz Carlyle adventures, be forewarned. Separate from that, or perhaps in addition to it, this plot is, if anything, more grounded in reality. You really do feel that these intelligence officers are in real danger even while simply going for a drive to meet up with an asset. I also love how Stella shows the inter- and intra-agency rivalries and spatting even while all sides would do well to focus on their common objectives. You get the queasy feeling that these agencies do sort of behave that way in real life. Close Call is yet another awesome spy thriller to add to your collection.

[Craig Smedley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only recently come across this author and note that this story was first published in 2014. Maybe since then, terrorists have changed or maybe they have developed more sophisticated means of attempting to damage western civilisation. As a former head of MI5, I am sure that the author has an excellent understanding of what these people will go through to try to enforce their views on the world, and she has written an enthralling and entertaining story of one such attempt. The characters are well fleshed out along with some inter agency jealousies identified, and the story has plenty of twists and turns along the way.
With involvement and co-operation of various security agencies in France, England, Germany and the American CIA, a plot to create havoc is eventually revealed and home grown English terrorists are defeated, although the prime character, Liz Carlyle head of the MI5 Counter terrorist division, is affected by the loss of her French contact at the DGSE. The danger is from the illegal arms trade and crims in Manchester are identified as possible pawns in the hands of the terrorists. Recommended as an excellent story.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Stella Rimmington novel I have read so cannot compare with her earlier works. However as a standalone I enjoyed the book even if the plot was a bit predictable. I like the Liz Carlyle character and her interactions with the other main protagonists which show some human face to people we often consider as been almost automatons.. I will certainly seek out some of the earlier novels which others suggest may be better than Close Call. The plot is a little formulaic and there are no clever twists but the story moves along quickly and is an easy read. The book revolves around trying to track down home grown jihadi's before they can carry out an atrocity. The tracking involves a number of government agencies from various countries and whilst there are some interesting relationships I felt that the response of some of the agencies was a little weak and unbelievable.

[David Gee]

This is the eighth novel featuring Liz Carlyle of MI5’s Counter-Terrorism Unit, who is presumably a version of Stella Rimington's younger self. In Close Call Liz and her team are following up an international arms-smuggling outfit whose reach extends from Yemen and the former Soviet republic of Dagestan to Paris and London – and Manchester, where this story comes to a thrilling climax.

As spy-writers go, Mrs Rimington is a ‘disciple’ of Le Carré rather than Fleming – no Goldfinger-sized villain, but an emphasis on the nitty-gritty of espionage: bugging and shadowing. Her style is a lot less rich than Le Carré and seems to be pitched for a Mumsnet readership (no disrespect). But it’s very clear that she writes with real authority about those who protect us from those would destroy us.

[H.R. Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong thriller with a relatable heroine.

This is the first Stella Rimington I've read (not ideal coming in at book number 8) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Her ability o draw on real-life experience makes the storyline and plot more interesting.

It took me a couple of chapters to get hooked but once I was I had to finish reading.

Liz Carlyle works in counter-espionage and is drawn into investigating an illegal arms deal with connections to the UK. Not everything goes to plan and the investigation morphs into a race against time, trying to avert a serious disaster on home soil.

The main characters are not the gun-toting superheroes so often portrayed in spy thrillers. they're more like the Le Carre heroes/heroines and I enjoyed the story more for it.

[Brigid Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Close Call is yet another well crafted espionage thriller from the former Director General of MI5. It is my eighth read in this series.
Liz Carlyle and her counter terrorism unit are tipped off by a CIA agent on a possible arms shipment to the UK. Thus begins a race against time to prevent a possible extremist attack. The author weaves a very believable plot that is both authentic and thought provoking. It also highlights the dangers that the intelligence forces face as they try to intercept illegal weapons.
I have grown fond of all the characters the author has created in this series, and empathy for their humanity in very distressing circumstances. Close Call is my favourite read thus far. Highly recommended.

[Robin Colesmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid espionage thriller from the former DG of MI5. Not as strong as some of the previous instalments in the series but enjoyable enough. Earlier in the series Rimington was happy to create new intelligence officers to join the team. In later books, it annoys me how only about 11 people seem to work in or with UK intelligence. There are 2 MI6 officers, 2 CIA officers, 2 French intelligence officers, and maybe 5 MI5 officers. And a consequence of this seems to be not "Who is needed for the plot" but rather "What should I get Fane to do now?" Which is of course somewhat writing in reverse when it comes to thrillers.
But as I say, enjoyable nonetheless. 3*

[Oundle Crime · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Liz Carlyle espionage series comprises 10 novels, and this is Book 8. Like all the stories it felt completely believable, and the characters all felt real. Liz and her Counter Terrorism group in MI5 are looking closely at the international under-the-counter arms trade, all too aware that extremist Al-Qaeda jihadis are preparing to launch another attack. As the pieces begin to fall into place, Liz and her team need to intercept illegal weapons as they head to Europe and possibly to London. I thought this was a great story: well-written, realistic, tense and exciting. I couldn't give it anything less than 5 Stars.
Review by: MadDog, Oundle Crime

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was enjoyable but not as good as the prior books in the series. Liz liaises with her counterparts in the US and France when intel is received about a possible planned attack in the UK. Meetings are occurring in Paris when a disgraced French spook is found to be the go between in an arms deal.

There's enough going on to keep you riveted and I do enjoy these books. Certain events left me sad. I enjoyed the links to Yemen and the surveillance of the suspect in the UK was the highlight for me. Well worth a read.

[Jo-Ann Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt very anxious while reading this book. It was probably very realistic because there were many times I would think the characters were making a terrible mistake or missing something. It moved along at a fair pace but was not a real page turner.

The writing is very straightforward. The scenes are well described but the writing lacks emotion. It was an easy read but it did not grab me.

This book was received from the Goodreads giveaways.

[Warren C.Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Carlyle returns in smuggling adventure.

Another entertaining yarn from Stella Rimmington, former spy master. Seeing the return of Liz Carlyle and colleagues. Based on a rogue French spy's forays into arms dealings, and a shifty Yemeni, a Cheshire nightclub owner, this novel is pacey, and carries the authenticity of the writer's inside knowledge. It fails for me in that the conclusion seems a bit rushed, however, still a good read!

[Paul Servini · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember reading the first of these novels and thinking it really was trying to tackle some of the moral questions thrown up by terrorism; trying to make us see things from a different perspective. Unfortunately, none of her subsequent books have lived up to this promise. Yes, they are good stories and make for interesting reading but that is all. However, this story also fails in that a number of the plot lines were predictable and the characters lacked any real depth. Disappointing.

[Michael Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Stella Riminghton and definitely not my last. It was in my opinion well written by a most talented author. Knowing that she was formerly head of MI5, it made the story believable and I felt that the meetings within the security organisations were authentic and enhanced the overall experience of the novel. I hesitated to give it a 5 star rating, but 4+ would have been just about right.

[Scott Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment suffers from the same lack of Liz as the last novel. There seems to be a lot of, er, character development that is hopefully, at least, setting things up for the last two books in the series. Peggy Kingsolving really comes into her own. I'd say this is as much a novel about Peggy as Liz. The plot seems more contrived than usual for these books. The law enforcement efforts less efficacious than usual. I'll finish the series, and even recommended it, but Le Carré she is not.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Write what you know! That is certainly the case with Close Call written by a former head of MI5. And with London being no stranger to terrorist attacks, Stella Rimington had plenty of material with which to work. This, the 8th installment of the Liz Carlyle series, has her tracking homegrown jihadi terrorists with allegiance to Yemen. The author keeps the reader enthralled, yet I found the finale somewhat anticlimactic.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Done it again. Started a long running book series well over half way through!
Book was pretty good albeit a little slow to start. There were flashes of genuine realism in the detail (as, I note, many other reviewers have readily attested) and the plot held together pretty well throughout.
So working backwards and on the reliable assumption that these series only get more average as they progress, the initial books must have been corkers😳.

[Dave Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read, if you're following the Liz Carlyle series it's a good next storyline. As a novel far more believable than a lot of spy stories with no outlandish elements. Bit too close to reality considering what happened 3 years after publication.

It's as thought the author really does have an insight into that world 🤔