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Shemlan: A Deadly Tragedy
Jason Hartmoor is dying of cancer. But will his past kill him first?
After a lifetime of service around the Middle East, retired diplomat Jason Hartmoor is dying of cancer. He embarks on a last journey back to Lebanon where he studied Arabic as a young man at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, the infamous ‘British spy school’ in the village of Shemlan far up in the hills overlooking Beirut.
Jason wants to rediscover the love he lost when the civil war forced him to flee Lebanon. Instead his past catches up with him with such speed and violence, it threatens to kill him before the disease does. The only man who can keep him alive long enough to face that past is Gerald Lynch.
After a lifetime of service around the Middle East, retired diplomat Jason Hartmoor is dying of cancer. He embarks on a last journey back to Lebanon where he studied Arabic as a young man at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, the infamous ‘British spy school’ in the village of Shemlan far up in the hills overlooking Beirut.
Jason wants to rediscover the love he lost when the civil war forced him to flee Lebanon. Instead his past catches up with him with such speed and violence, it threatens to kill him before the disease does. The only man who can keep him alive long enough to face that past is Gerald Lynch.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McNabb
19 books53 followersALEXANDER MCNABB
Alexander McNabb has been working as a journalist, editor and magazine publisher in the Middle East for some 38 years. Today he consults on media, publishing and digital communications.
Alexander's first serious novel was the critically acclaimed Olives - A Violent Romance, a work exploring the attitudes, perceptions and conflicts of the Middle East, exposing a European sensibility to the multi-layered world of life on the borders of Palestine. Published in 2011, the book triggered widespread controversy, finding a receptive audience in the Middle East and beyond.
Olives was followed in 2012 by testosterone-soaked international spy thriller Beirut - An Explosive Thriller. His third Middle East-based novel, Shemlan - A Deadly Tragedy, about a man dying of cancer unearthing a deadly past, published in 2013. Together, the three form the 'Levant Cycle'.
A Decent Bomber, set in Ireland, published in 2015. It tells the story of a retired IRA bomb-maker forced to resume his old trade, pitching 'old terror' against 'new terror' in a battle of wits between an Irish farmer with a violent past and Somali extortionists with a questionable future.
His next novel, Birdkill, is a psychological thriller about a teacher who has lost her recent past to 'The Void', a terrible incident she can't recall and nobody seems to be in a hurry to tell her about. Her friend Mariam embarks on a race to uncover the truth before Robyn is driven over the edge into insanity.
His latest, The Dead Sea Hotel, is part spy thriller, part morality tale, part ghost story. Krikor Manoukian is the proprietor of the run-down Dead Sea Hotel. His beloved wife Lucine has passed away, his daughter Araksi is mooning around in love with an unsuitable boy and Manoukian is in debt up to his eyeballs. The last thing he needs is a dead Englishman in one of his rooms, but that's just what he's got. Little does Manoukian know it but he's got the Englishman's ghost to deal with, to boot.
You can find Alexander and his books at www.alexandermcnabb.com.
Alexander McNabb has been working as a journalist, editor and magazine publisher in the Middle East for some 38 years. Today he consults on media, publishing and digital communications.
Alexander's first serious novel was the critically acclaimed Olives - A Violent Romance, a work exploring the attitudes, perceptions and conflicts of the Middle East, exposing a European sensibility to the multi-layered world of life on the borders of Palestine. Published in 2011, the book triggered widespread controversy, finding a receptive audience in the Middle East and beyond.
Olives was followed in 2012 by testosterone-soaked international spy thriller Beirut - An Explosive Thriller. His third Middle East-based novel, Shemlan - A Deadly Tragedy, about a man dying of cancer unearthing a deadly past, published in 2013. Together, the three form the 'Levant Cycle'.
A Decent Bomber, set in Ireland, published in 2015. It tells the story of a retired IRA bomb-maker forced to resume his old trade, pitching 'old terror' against 'new terror' in a battle of wits between an Irish farmer with a violent past and Somali extortionists with a questionable future.
His next novel, Birdkill, is a psychological thriller about a teacher who has lost her recent past to 'The Void', a terrible incident she can't recall and nobody seems to be in a hurry to tell her about. Her friend Mariam embarks on a race to uncover the truth before Robyn is driven over the edge into insanity.
His latest, The Dead Sea Hotel, is part spy thriller, part morality tale, part ghost story. Krikor Manoukian is the proprietor of the run-down Dead Sea Hotel. His beloved wife Lucine has passed away, his daughter Araksi is mooning around in love with an unsuitable boy and Manoukian is in debt up to his eyeballs. The last thing he needs is a dead Englishman in one of his rooms, but that's just what he's got. Little does Manoukian know it but he's got the Englishman's ghost to deal with, to boot.
You can find Alexander and his books at www.alexandermcnabb.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 22, 2014
See also my reviews of other novels by this author: Olives - A Violent Romance and Beirut: An Explosive Thriller.
As I previously read and enjoyed books by this author, I was happy to say yes to his request for a review of Shemlan - A Deadly Tragedy. As usual, I was provided a free copy of the book, but made no promises and received no other consideration.
When McNabb includes words like "violent" and "deadly" in the title of his books, take it as a warning: his books are violent. People get blown up, tortured, and killed. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. If you can't handle that, don't read these books. If you ignore the warning and read them anyway, don't complain about the violence.
Fortunately for me, I don't have a problem with violence, and I enjoyed these books immensely. McNabb crafts a masterful spy novel full of twists and turns, really bad bad guys and questionably good good guys. If you thought the spy novel died with the end of the Cold War, take heart and pick up these novels.
Gerald Lynch is back, and for a guy who has been declared by his agency to be physically inadequate to perform his job, he still manages to kick ass and take names. This story centers around the sad and clueless character of Jason Hartmoor, who attended the "British spy school" in Beirut before. After Beirut erupts in civil war and the school is closed, Hartmoor is placed on assignment thither and yon around the world. He's a diplomat, that's what happens. At the time this story takes place, Hartmoor is retired, and dying of cancer, He returns to Beirut for one final farewell to his past, and a woman he loved. His return stirs up old troubles and sets off a series of unexpected events. Gerald Lynch ends up right smack in the middle of the trouble. I have to say - for a dying man, Hartmoor certainly displays a strong will to live. Apparently, he would prefer to die as a proper Englishman should - at home, in his own bed. Lynch has to figure out who all the players are, while making sure the more deadly players don't get their hands on Hartmoor. In the process, Lynch loses people who are precious to him, and the spy games become personal.
One thing I like about this series is McNabb doesn't take the easy way out. It would too easy, given the setting in the Middle East, for the intrigue to center around terrorists and their plots. However, McNabb doesn't take the easy path. Instead, readers get a wild ride through the Middle East and East Europe, and a glimpse at another kind of evil, the kind that can be found in any corner of the world. Each story delves deeper into Lynch's character and while some of what we know about him might make us uncomfortable, he shines as the flawed hero of the story.
It helps to have read the prior novels in this series. This book does reference some of the people and story plots. However, in my opinion it isn't absolutely necessary to do so in order to get the full impact of this story. But why wouldn't you want to read them all? :-)
As I previously read and enjoyed books by this author, I was happy to say yes to his request for a review of Shemlan - A Deadly Tragedy. As usual, I was provided a free copy of the book, but made no promises and received no other consideration.
When McNabb includes words like "violent" and "deadly" in the title of his books, take it as a warning: his books are violent. People get blown up, tortured, and killed. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. If you can't handle that, don't read these books. If you ignore the warning and read them anyway, don't complain about the violence.
Fortunately for me, I don't have a problem with violence, and I enjoyed these books immensely. McNabb crafts a masterful spy novel full of twists and turns, really bad bad guys and questionably good good guys. If you thought the spy novel died with the end of the Cold War, take heart and pick up these novels.
Gerald Lynch is back, and for a guy who has been declared by his agency to be physically inadequate to perform his job, he still manages to kick ass and take names. This story centers around the sad and clueless character of Jason Hartmoor, who attended the "British spy school" in Beirut before. After Beirut erupts in civil war and the school is closed, Hartmoor is placed on assignment thither and yon around the world. He's a diplomat, that's what happens. At the time this story takes place, Hartmoor is retired, and dying of cancer, He returns to Beirut for one final farewell to his past, and a woman he loved. His return stirs up old troubles and sets off a series of unexpected events. Gerald Lynch ends up right smack in the middle of the trouble. I have to say - for a dying man, Hartmoor certainly displays a strong will to live. Apparently, he would prefer to die as a proper Englishman should - at home, in his own bed. Lynch has to figure out who all the players are, while making sure the more deadly players don't get their hands on Hartmoor. In the process, Lynch loses people who are precious to him, and the spy games become personal.
One thing I like about this series is McNabb doesn't take the easy way out. It would too easy, given the setting in the Middle East, for the intrigue to center around terrorists and their plots. However, McNabb doesn't take the easy path. Instead, readers get a wild ride through the Middle East and East Europe, and a glimpse at another kind of evil, the kind that can be found in any corner of the world. Each story delves deeper into Lynch's character and while some of what we know about him might make us uncomfortable, he shines as the flawed hero of the story.
It helps to have read the prior novels in this series. This book does reference some of the people and story plots. However, in my opinion it isn't absolutely necessary to do so in order to get the full impact of this story. But why wouldn't you want to read them all? :-)
March 13, 2024
To be able to read more books of this standard!
The third book in the series (please, Mr McNabb, be so very decent enough to indulge us all with more helpings of this reality of your creation) is unsurprisingly; brilliant and consummate.
The world of the guy called Gerald is quite naturally as deadly hectic as ever. The cleverness of this particular story revealed itself in my mind somewhere around the half way point, but oh, it’s so clever!
What at first appears to be the usual spoof spook games of power hungry and greedy men also has a very human side to it. A deep, sad and haunting human side which many readers can probably relate to.
The third book in the series (please, Mr McNabb, be so very decent enough to indulge us all with more helpings of this reality of your creation) is unsurprisingly; brilliant and consummate.
The world of the guy called Gerald is quite naturally as deadly hectic as ever. The cleverness of this particular story revealed itself in my mind somewhere around the half way point, but oh, it’s so clever!
What at first appears to be the usual spoof spook games of power hungry and greedy men also has a very human side to it. A deep, sad and haunting human side which many readers can probably relate to.
July 27, 2025
Shemlan is part of trilogy of books with one overlapping character named Gerald Lynch. This book has more action than romance. In fact, there is hardly any romantic scenes throughout the novel. There are some nice written action scenes but the main story is one hardly imaginable. Unfortunately, I did not feel the story was solid enough unlike "Olives" and "Beirut". A lot of bar scenes repeatedly throughout the novel which left me disappointed because we did not get to know the connection deep enough between the protagonist and the antagonist. A rewrite could be due to improve character development.
July 28, 2014
Jason Hartmoor, the main character is clearly defined from the start; I immediately got a good sense of him. An incident in his past had caused his past employer to look back into his life. Depicting a respectable man, this taint in his past continues to haunt him.
The multi-dimensional characters display different sides and interesting pasts. Because of the age of the characters their exploits go back to the seventies.
Beirut, the country to which Hartmoor travels to is described with good detail, without too much blogging down the plot. I easily stayed with the pace of the novel, interested to see where this would lead.
The more I read the more interested I became. It wasn’t full of violence, but yet certain events displayed the brutality of how far some would go. The characters were enjoyable to read about, and this event and government operation that the Americans want to keep secret all added to the mystery of the novel.
The detailed descriptions of war-torn Beirut years past gave me a clear idea of what it would have been life, helping me to connect with the events. The author creates a fluent stream of imagery, easily pictured. As the plot progresses, so to more things are revealed, hard to know friend from foe.
Jason Hartmoor caught up in this violent world all over again, comrades brutally tortured and murdered, him followed by various parties, and Estonian assassins ready to hurt people to prevent the truth from getting out.
This intriguing novel keeps getting better and better as more layers are unveiled. The author does an excellent job with pacing the novel. For a little while one may be lulled into a false sense that it is nearly all over, when suddenly something else smashes into the plot and the excitement and speed take hold. Jostling the reader up and down.
The sad enormity of what Jason had done, consequences from the past leave behind a large trail of death. Criminals from the past still are present, utilising their resources, but Jason continually stands in their way, and they desperately want to bring him down.
At times towards the end there are some tedious points discussed that slow down the novel, debatable whether the novel would have benefited without it, but then again some details may have been necessary.
It was indeed a tragedy, mistakes unwittingly made, many bodies left behind. The ending belying those sad realities of war. How easy to get caught up in the mayhem without realising it.
4 out of 5 stars
The multi-dimensional characters display different sides and interesting pasts. Because of the age of the characters their exploits go back to the seventies.
Beirut, the country to which Hartmoor travels to is described with good detail, without too much blogging down the plot. I easily stayed with the pace of the novel, interested to see where this would lead.
The more I read the more interested I became. It wasn’t full of violence, but yet certain events displayed the brutality of how far some would go. The characters were enjoyable to read about, and this event and government operation that the Americans want to keep secret all added to the mystery of the novel.
The detailed descriptions of war-torn Beirut years past gave me a clear idea of what it would have been life, helping me to connect with the events. The author creates a fluent stream of imagery, easily pictured. As the plot progresses, so to more things are revealed, hard to know friend from foe.
Jason Hartmoor caught up in this violent world all over again, comrades brutally tortured and murdered, him followed by various parties, and Estonian assassins ready to hurt people to prevent the truth from getting out.
This intriguing novel keeps getting better and better as more layers are unveiled. The author does an excellent job with pacing the novel. For a little while one may be lulled into a false sense that it is nearly all over, when suddenly something else smashes into the plot and the excitement and speed take hold. Jostling the reader up and down.
The sad enormity of what Jason had done, consequences from the past leave behind a large trail of death. Criminals from the past still are present, utilising their resources, but Jason continually stands in their way, and they desperately want to bring him down.
At times towards the end there are some tedious points discussed that slow down the novel, debatable whether the novel would have benefited without it, but then again some details may have been necessary.
It was indeed a tragedy, mistakes unwittingly made, many bodies left behind. The ending belying those sad realities of war. How easy to get caught up in the mayhem without realising it.
4 out of 5 stars
February 12, 2014
The author's first-hand knowledge of the Middle East comes across in this novel, enabling him to mix real places with fictional characters.
The plot revolves around a retired diplomat,Jason Hartmoor, who has terminal cancer. He plans one last trip back to the Lebanon, while he is still able, to see if he can find the one woman he has always loved, but was forced to leave behind when civil war broke out. Back in England he endured an unhappy marriage, but for many years was able to correspond with his lost love by letters in which she told him that she was now happily married. Unbeknown to him, his visit stirs up a hornets nest of espionage and counter-espionage; of agents and double-agents, from the CIA to the KGB. People want him dead, for reasons he cannot understand. SIS agent Gerald Lynch is sent to keep Hartmoor safe and alive until they can find out what the real reason is for his visit.
This was a well thought out plot with believable characters. The ending took me by surprise, not what I expected at all. Congratulations on a well-written book
The plot revolves around a retired diplomat,Jason Hartmoor, who has terminal cancer. He plans one last trip back to the Lebanon, while he is still able, to see if he can find the one woman he has always loved, but was forced to leave behind when civil war broke out. Back in England he endured an unhappy marriage, but for many years was able to correspond with his lost love by letters in which she told him that she was now happily married. Unbeknown to him, his visit stirs up a hornets nest of espionage and counter-espionage; of agents and double-agents, from the CIA to the KGB. People want him dead, for reasons he cannot understand. SIS agent Gerald Lynch is sent to keep Hartmoor safe and alive until they can find out what the real reason is for his visit.
This was a well thought out plot with believable characters. The ending took me by surprise, not what I expected at all. Congratulations on a well-written book
November 4, 2013
[NOTE: I have a close personal acquaintance with the author through various social media platforms and he has favorably reviewed my novel. I submit this review on my own initiative, and not as the result of any request of the author.]
This is the third of McNabb's novels on espionage, love affairs and general roguery in the Middle East, following Olives, and Beirut.
McNabb has a real knack for description, once again. The violence and danger that lurks under the surface - or right in the open - is so tangible and real. I can feel the dust in my sinuses, squint from the overbearing sunshine. The desolation is palpable.
As in the previous stories, there is an excellent melding of the violent chicanery with the touching love story, two story arcs that cross all too tragically in a devastating ending.
This is the third of McNabb's novels on espionage, love affairs and general roguery in the Middle East, following Olives, and Beirut.
McNabb has a real knack for description, once again. The violence and danger that lurks under the surface - or right in the open - is so tangible and real. I can feel the dust in my sinuses, squint from the overbearing sunshine. The desolation is palpable.
As in the previous stories, there is an excellent melding of the violent chicanery with the touching love story, two story arcs that cross all too tragically in a devastating ending.
November 20, 2013
This is the third of McNabb's trilogy and, for my money, the best. His work is always well written and convincing, taut, exciting and fast paced, but this one is just better at all of those than anything before. There are two tracks of story, one in the past, the other in the present which intersect in a story of spies and their lies which is brilliantly crafted. There is no happy ending in the tale and it could have wound up being just a cynical record of murder, drugs and deception, but it has a heart and people who care for each other and who the reader will wind up caring for too - even if they don't necessarily find themselves completely liking them.
January 6, 2014
Very well-written, surprised in a way at the brutality exacted over some characters - some repeats, some new ones. But it made for more 'realism', which is a good thing. McNabb shows knowledge of the Middle East and its affairs, which makes this real. It's not a 'parachute journalism' style of writing a novel, which is the danger in thrillers set in a political backdrop.
Not essential to read McNabb's first two books - Olives and Beirut - for this, but it does help with context in certain passages, even though everything is explained clearly.
Not essential to read McNabb's first two books - Olives and Beirut - for this, but it does help with context in certain passages, even though everything is explained clearly.
December 10, 2013
This is the third installment in the life of Gerald Lynch and certainly the most action packed. Olives, which was the first book in the series was fantastic because it linked a love story with action-adventure. In Shemlan though, the author has changed the theme with most major characters where it is about the memory of a past love life as a motivation for the action-adventure that follows. Well worth a read
March 24, 2014
A clever, suspenseful and action-filled story about a retired diplomat and the sequence of events that follow when he returns to Beruit years after he left due to the civil war. This return triggers the interest of the CIA, SIS and culminates in tragic events you won't see coming.
The pace is kept while you're taken on an action packed political adventure filled with intrigue. A highly recommended read.
The pace is kept while you're taken on an action packed political adventure filled with intrigue. A highly recommended read.
January 15, 2016
Another great book in the Gerald Lynch series. I'm really pleased to have discovered Alexander McNabb. His writing is clear, concise and just plain readable. Great characters and a compelling plot.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews