Dark Arena

The Frenchman #2

by Jack Beaumont

The Frenchman returns in Dark Arena, a super-charged espionage thriller from Jack Beaumont.

When an agent of the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) is brutally murdered in front of his family, the “Company” swings into action, determined to track down the killers.

Meanwhile, operative Alec de Payns of the secretive Y Division is turning a Russian intelligence officer by blackmail. His team must establish who is posting classified material against the Kremlin to embassies all over Europe—and who is killing their operatives.

The clues lead to a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists, and mercenaries on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, which Alec must infiltrate. What he discovers there will set Europe on course for catastrophe. Can de Payns and his team establish who is setting up an assassination? Who is the target? And will they be able to stop it?

A deadly Europe-wide manhunt, Dark Arena is another electrifying thriller from ex-DGSE spy Jack Beaumont, delivering all the taut plotting, superb action, and authentic spycraft that made The Frenchman a critically acclaimed bestseller.

Genres: Espionage, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, France, Suspense

461 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2024

About the author

Jack Beaumont is the pseudonym of a former operative in the clandestine operations branch of the French foreign secret service, the DGSE. He joined 'The Company' after being an air force fighter pilot and later flying special operations and intelligence missions. Beaumont's background gives The Frenchman a level of authenticity that few other spy thrillers have been able to achieve.

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A highly detailed spy novel set in France and other parts of Europe with the full works. Set before the Ukraine war, it’s filled with gas plots and bad Russians and all the rest. An entertaining read.

[Robert Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Beaumont is part of a wave of new espionage and thriller authors who have come out of the security services. John Le Carre was in the British security services but probably the best known of recent times is former head of MI5 Stella Rimington. Jack Beaumont, formerly of the French secret service, or DGSE, is one of a new crop of espionage authors that also includes former CIA officer David McCloskey (Damascus Station). Beaumont’s first book The Frenchman introduced Alec de Payns, former airforce pilot and now spy with the DGSE (the path also taken by Beaumont in his career) and revolved around a potential terrorist attack on Paris and a possible mole in the DGSE. De Payns, still affected by the events of The Frenchman, and his team are back in the follow-up Dark Arena.
Dark Arena revolves around the running of agents to uncover a multipronged plot orchestrated by Russia. An agent is killed bringing classified information back from the field but at the same time, other information is being dropped into the ears of Western security services, urging them to take action against Russia. In order to follow the trail of evidence, de Payns has to go undercover on a luxury Mediterranean yacht. Meanwhile, his team are trying to determine what other services know, who is leaking the information to them and why. All of this taking place in the shadow of a looming war in Ukraine because while the chapters do not come date stamped the action is clearly taking place in the months before Putin’s invasion.
Dark Arena is replete with spy craft – dead drops, cut outs, mobile phone tracking, secret identities and interagency bickering. All of which feels very authentic. But the only character with any depth or range is de Payns himself. And that is: agent with PTSD, worried about his family who nevertheless will see the job through. The rest are agents with fairly interchangeable roles. The action builds to a couple of action set pieces as de Payns and his team try to foil various plans but probably the tensest part of the novel is the undercover mission on board the yacht.
All of which makes Dark Arena a spy novel that is likely to me most appreciated by espionage aficionados. While others may find the amount of jargon and technobabble detracts from their ability to connect with character and plot. But for those after a book that allows them to feel that they are deep in the workings of the security services, albeit in a highly fictionalised sense, Beaumont delivers.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Beaumont (Not his real name) was in real life what Alec de Payns is in this series about The Frenchman. The first one was great but Dark Arena the second book was even better. What made it extra good was that it's one of few fiction books that deals with the time leading up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a plausible scenario. Although these books are a bit slower than most in the genre to read that is also one of the reasons I like them. The attention to detail and the work that goes into being an agent for DGSE is what sets them apart from other works. I also like the personal side of the troubles for Alec. I recently discovered that there will be a third book in this series and I can't wait to get a copy. This is some highly recommended stuff.

[Kimmy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The (for my part) eagerly awaited follow up to The Frenchman, written by former spy and understandable pseudonym Jack Beaumont. You can read the blurb for the details, however the ‘wow factor’ is present in this second book, dealing with topical issues like Russian invasion of Ukraine, gas supply issues in Europe, and inter-and intra-nation factions and interests.
What really fascinates me is the world around us that exists as we blithely go about our days. I may just reassess what I do, to better gain an understanding of procedures, and maybe just identify an intelligence agent - that guy sitting in the cafe facing the door, the one who takes the circuitous route home, etc. However, if I’m able to identify who they are, then they’re likely not a very good spy. Or: that’s what they want me to think. The devil here is in the detail, and although I need a wall chart to keep up with who is who, which informant is actually someone, and the agents’ alter egos, the comparison with the mundane (or welcomingly mundane) family life to which the agents return (if they’re lucky) is well described, although the switch between the two must require absolute compartmentalisation. However, since book 1, had my suspicions about A Particular Person, which were proved right in this book. Or maybe I’m just a natural cynic (spoiler alert: I am).

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another ripper spy thriller from Jack Beaumont. A bit disconcerting are all the acronyms but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. A few twists I didn’t see coming and all the cloak and danger you would expect.
These books are great!
Whilst reading this I couldn’t help thinking how much my late dad would have loved these books.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an interview on the author the other day which was engrossing. Alec de Payns, The Frenchman, is by all accounts a realistic portrayal of the author's life as a counter-terrorism spy. And this story is very similar to a mission that the author carried out. Hence, it adds real credence to the reading experience because it's not just fiction but a fictional account of a real life mission.

What's fascinating about the story is that we never really know what de Payns' goal is. Because he doesn't know it. His French agency knows that the Russians are up to something, but what exactly, they're not sure. And it's not until the last 50 or so pages that the ultimate target is identified and de Payns and his team are sent to stop it occurring!

What we spent almost 400 pages prior to that is de Payns and his team doing a whole series of espionage activities trying to flush out the Russians end game. It's engrossing even if there is a degree of repetition in a number of the activities.

What is also fascinating is the parallel storyline involving de Payns family. Romy, his wife, is employed in a significant climate change think tank and she's busy. de Payns life is unpredictable and manic so for this couple and their two young boys to find some consistent rhythm is terribly difficult and stressful. It creates a great deal of tension between de Payns and Romy. Once again, this is a very realistic representation of the author's life. No wonder, he got out of it after eight years. No good marriage could survive such unpredictability and risk for an extended period of time.

There is a lot of detail which helps in visualising the narrative. However, if, like me, understanding all the details of the various weapons and such is not your thing, then it tends to slow down the pace of the story. But, I imagine a spy's world has lots of slowness and waiting for other combatants to move. It's like a chess game, I expect and Beaumont does a good job setting us into the nitty gritty of the spy world.

This is the second in the series and I'll go find the first one, which apparently, has been optioned by the Le Carre sons, for a TV series, which is tremendous for Beaumont. I hope it makes it to the small screen.

If you like a great spy thriller, try this series. Let's hope Beaumont becomes the Aussie (well, we've adopted him as one) John le Carre.

I feel very fortunate to have received an early ebook copy of the story from Allen & Unwin via Net Galley. This has had no bearing on my review.

[Peter Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Arena: A Frenchman Thriller

What a romp of a read!

First off; a spoiler alert! My reviews are not a blow-by-blow recounting of the narrative. Look at the descriptions here on Goodreads or your online book store of choice.

This is my second Jack Beaumont novel and I've enjoyed it just as much as the first. It's a great pity that Monsieur Beaumont has only two of his books translated into English.

A reviewer on another website described Dark Arena as "A Chillingly Plausible Thriller" - I couldn't put it better myself. This book reminds me of some of the better British espionage novels. It's very well written (as long as you like short pithy paragraphs - I do) and has a really sound plot.

Being French; Jack Beaumont (his nom de plume) bases his stories in the Direction générale de la Sécurité extérieure or DGSE - France's external security agency. He went to work for the DGSE after he crashed his Mirage jet fighter and ended his French Air Force career. This makes a pleasant change from characters employed by the CIA or MI-6.

Our main protagonist is Alec de Payns (carried over from The Frenchman) who is a multi-dimensional character (like a George Smiley, but more modern). He has a lot on his mind; there's the tussle with the FSB and the CIA and trying to prevent a catastrophe and at the same time his marriage to Romey is under significant pressure. Through all this de Payns is a believable and likeable character. All the other characters are also well drawn.

This really was a good read and I highly recommend it to you.

Regards,
Peter

[Annette Chidzey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the first book by Jack Beaumont, I was excited to read of a second book featuring French protagonist Alec De Payn. As with The Frenchman -the action was fast paced and there were many twists and turns. The narrative reintroduced familiar members of the DGSE including Briffaut, Shrek, Templar and JeJe as well as explored the pressure felt by De Payn’s wife Romy and their two boys totally unable to know anything about De Payn’s secret life.
The plot outline was very current with references to Putin and Zelensky - Ukraine; Russia; and militant Islamic groups acting as terrorist agencies connected to key national power brokers.
I really enjoyed this second novel and look forward to future writing by this former spy who writes under the assumed pseudonym of Jack Beaumont.
Fast paced, short chapters characterised by changing tension and at times unpredictable developments. A thoroughly entertaining and engaging read.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed but gripping spy novel. I read the first in the series a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it but I think this one was even better. The story was interesting but I particularly enjoyed the moral challenges and the difficulties in balancing work and family that the main character faced. The main character is based on Jack Beaumont’s former life as a spy and I had the pleasure recently of hearing Beaumont speak at the Sydney writers festival where he talked about the challenges he faced as a spy and his decision to leave the profession which I think changed how I read this book.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Beaumont , a pseudonym, obviously knows a lot about the operation of contemporary security agencies in Europe, Dark Arena is a fast paced totally believable piece on the shared intelligence work of key agencies operating in various countries. It’s so up to date that you know you’ve just hear the news that this is based on..This clever and thrilling expose of methods and madness of the intelligence operatives world is effectively packaged so that we can understand the machinations of agency heads as well as the lives of the field staff and operatives. Reminiscent of the brilliant French TV series Berlin Station the moments are sometimes shocking but softened by the very genuine ‘’for my county’ passions of the operatives. What differentiates Dark Arena is that these spies have families, marriages and day to day life challenges such as who picks the boys up from football. The women are strong and happily possessing their own careers as befits any contemporary look at the world. I hadn’t read his first novel The Frenchman but after this I think that I will. Thanks to @netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy. Much appreciated.

[Karen]

Jack Beaumont is a pseudonym used by a former operative in the clandestine operations branch of the DGSE, the French Foreign secret service. He joined them after being an air force fighter pilot, flying special operations and intelligence missions. Needless to say there are a lot of similarities between the author's background and that of his main character Alec de Payns.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...

[Bridget Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page-turner and a very enjoyable read. Reads at a fast-pace right until the end.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best thrillers I have ever read.

[Jordison Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beaumont’s second book again draws on his experiences as a clandestine operative.

‘You see the worst of human nature’: Jack Beaumont, author and former spy with the French secret service.

Frenchman Jack Beaumont spent years working in a job most of us assume is terribly exotic – for a start, Jack Beaumont is not his real name. It’s the pseudonym he uses now that he writes fictionalised accounts of international espionage, inspired by his former job as an operative in the clandestine operations branch of the French secret service.

His new novel Dark Arena was published this week, following the work of the fictional operative Alec de Payns, whom Beaumont created in his 2021 debut The Frenchman. His protagonist works in counter-terrorism where danger is ever present, but de Payns also struggles with the burden of living a double life.

Beaumont wrote The Frenchman largely as an exercise in therapy; after eight years as a spy, living a lie took its toll. Most operatives spend five years in the highly stressful division of the DGSE – the French equivalent of the British MI6 – and burnout, divorce and suicides are not uncommon.

Even after leaving the job, Beaumont was struggling, and a friend suggested writing it all down. “The book was really just for me, to start with.”

He’s talking over Zoom from Sydney, where he lives with his Australian wife (who wishes to remain anonymous), their two sons and a new identity. Often juggling five different identities, spending time away from his wife and sons, a slow, creeping paranoia eventually wore him down. When his wife found him obsessively checking every door and window of their house, and sitting on the couch for hours at night with a knife in his hand, Beaumont realised it was time to get out.

“One day she said, ‘Why are you doing this?’ I said, ‘Well, someone else can do to me what I’m doing to them.’ And then she realised – that’s what you’re doing? Entering people’s houses in the middle of the night and threatening people?”

He was doing that, and much more; the stories in his novels are “inspired by” real operations he worked on, mostly in counter-terrorism. But as well as thrilling plots with operatives criss-crossing continents, Beaumont’s books are infused with a sense of authenticity. Beneath the spy capers are the more quotidian aspects of the job – the planning, the waiting, the bureaucracy – and an increasingly traumatised protagonist aching for a normal family life.

Working in espionage is not, says Beaumont, like Jason Bourne films.

“That’s how it’s different from James Bond or Jason Bourne. Although sometimes we are doing stuff which is close to what you see in movies. Sometimes you’re looking around, and you think, ‘Oh shit – I’m doing this!’ ”

Has he killed anyone? “If I say yes, you’re going to think, ‘He’s not allowed to say yes, so if he says yes, it means he’s lying’ and if I say no, you’re going to think, ‘He was a spy and he’s not allowed to say it, so he’s lying’.”

Good point. But also, he adds, it depends on what you mean by “killing”. “When you enter someone’s life to draw out intelligence … it usually ends badly for this person. You don’t pull the trigger, but you destroy this person’s life.”

The job is, he concedes, occasionally exciting. “Especially when you manage to grab the intelligence from someone, and you know it’s very, very, important information, or when you’re jumping out of a plane at night.”

But you can’t share it with anyone. “The job puts you in solitude because you can’t share anything, even with your wife or kids.”

Movies would have you believe that most male spies are single, but in fact The Company, as the DGSE is known, prefers married operatives; it’s considered a sign of honesty and mental stability.

“A single guy with no child, in another country, with another identity and a bank account … you need something to hook you back to who you really are, something to come back for,” says Beaumont. “So they recruit you because you’re married, knowing at the end of the day, the job can provoke divorce.”

THE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO JACK BEAUMONT

Worst habit? Checking the house in the middle of the night in the dark, with a knife in my hand.

Greatest fear? Stepping on Lego.

The line that stayed with you? “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” – Eli Wallach in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Biggest regret? Stepping on Lego.

Favourite room? Basement.

The artwork/song you wish was yours? Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

If you could solve one thing... Cancer.

And when you work in intelligence, Beaumont says, you are never relaxed. Even flying military planes over Afghanistan is less stressful. “Once you are home, it’s over,” he says. “But … in intelligence, there are no holidays, no weekends, no nothing – the bad guys are trying to identify who you are, where you are, so they can have leverage on your family; they won’t stop because it’s Sunday. Every day, you walk around the city with your wife and kids, looking around at everyone, checking you’re not being followed.”

It’s not surprising that Beaumont left the job with a hefty case of post-traumatic stress disorder. “Basically, it’s eight years of being on a war mission.”

Previously a fighter pilot in the French air force (no boring call-centre gigs on this CV), Beaumont flew his first war mission, in the Balkans, at just 21. He spent years carrying out clandestine missions, “landing illegally by night on roads and fields, with night-vision goggles, taking off from Albania with people firing Kalashnikovs trying to stop us … it was pretty intense,” he says, employing some serious understatement.

After an accident during dogfighting training left him with a serious spinal injury – he had to crash-land his single-seat Mirage – Beaumont re-trained as a pilot for the French special forces. Set to join the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, he had to undergo survival training in high-altitude mountains but injured his back again and had to be extracted. A second surgery meant the end of his military career. He was devastated.

“I was really lost,” he says. (He could have become a commercial pilot, but didn’t, he says, want to fly a “bus” with 100 people behind him.)

Friends in the special forces suggested he join the DSGE, and he took the year-long application test, studying an MBA in business intelligence at the same time. He hadn’t told his wife, and she wasn’t thrilled when he got the gig, but Beaumont assumed he would be a deskbound analyst – which he was, briefly, before being cherry-picked for a role in the operations division. This time, his wife was less impressed. “She said, ‘You do what you want, but it’s too dark for me. I don’t want this darkness in my life’,” he says.

That darkness would eventually catch up with him. For eight years he tried to balance family life with clandestine operations which involved months of work to create plausible identities, befriending people and exploiting their weaknesses before forcing them to co-operate and give over intelligence.

“You see the worst of human nature because you have to approach people who are willing to betray their country or their family or their company,” Beaumont says. “And you also have on your shoulder that if you screw up the mission, the French president will have to say sorry to another country. It’s pretty big!”

Reverting to his real self eventually felt like just another “role”. “It’s very hard switching to father and husband mode,” he says. “It becomes another identity, and that’s when you lose yourself. It’s very dangerous.”

From the moment he was recruited, he says, there was a “ying and yang”, a light and darkness to the job. “To fight the bad guys you have to be as bad as them, even worse, so you have to bring your own dark side to the max. It’s slow, progressive, and you don’t realise it,” he says. “Until you wake up one morning and your yin and yang is almost all darkness – and only a little white spot of good left”.

Beaumont is much happier these days, working in defence for the Australian government and writing novels.

But is changing his name enough to protect him? Being “out of the shadows”, he says, is actually safer; if something happened, he ventures, it would imply that the stories in his novels are not fictional. “And then who would take the risk? If someone came to me, it would prove he has betrayed his country or his company.”

He’s already working on a third Alec de Payns novel and The Frenchman has been optioned for a TV series by the sons of espionage novelist John le Carré, who created the adaptation of The Night Manager, with True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto as writer.

Beaumont will be an executive producer, but he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. “We need to line up all the planets and there are plenty,” he says.

Still, it must be thrilling? Although compared with international espionage, perhaps nothing is that exciting. “Well,” he says with a laugh. “Raising kids is pretty exciting.”

Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont (Allen & Unwin) is out on January 3.

The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger.

Source: The Age newspaper / Australia.

[Edward Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Spy man wow 😍

[Dimitrije Vojnov · Rating 3 out of 5]

U drugom romanu Jacka Beaumonta vraća se njegov agent Alec de Payns u veoma zanimljivoj zaveri koja se tiče događaja koji su otvorili prostor za rusku agresiju na Ukrajinu.

U tom smislu, roman sa završava objektivno događajima od pre dve godine, dakle napadom Rusije, ali po svom odnosu prema temi veoma je aktuelan i mogao bih reći veoma kontroverzan.

Jack Beaumont je pseudonim francuskog penzionisanog obaveštajca, danas zaposlenog u australijskoj namenskoj industriji, i već prvi roman izvorno izdat u Australiji i pisan na engleskom, dobio je adaptaciju Nica Pizzolatta, sa kojom se do sada nije ništa desilo, ili barem ne nešto o čemu je javnost obaveštena.

Zahvaljujući Nicovoj preporuci sam i otkrio Beaumonta i zainteresovao se za njegov rad a posle čitanja romana i za njega kao ličnost. Uprkos veoma upornim pokušajima da doprem do njega i napravim intervju, u toj nameri nisam uspeo iako je on nominalno pisac jedne male izdavačke kuće koji voli publicitet. Međutim, izgleda da je predosetio moje interesovanje za njega natprosečno intenzivno, i do razgovora nije došlo.

Čini mi se da je moje interesovanje umnogome opravdano drugim romanom u serijalu jer u njemo Beaumont ponovo izdaje rukopis za relativno malog australijskog izdavača i u tekstu nudi neka razmišljanja koja su izrazito nepopularna u današnjem svetu.

Uprkos tome što su Rusi u ovom romanu glavni negativci i prikazani kroz prizmu najbeskrupuloznije formacije koju su imali a to je Wagner, veoma je zanimljivo kao Beaumont dosta otvoreno predstavlja Zelenskog ad homineem kao marionetu zapadnih Službi i lokalnih tajkunskih interesa. Iako prikaz postojećih političara nije redak u špijunskim romanima, on je obično dat u skladu sa nekim uvreženim mišljenjima u javnosti zemlje kojoj se knjiga dominantno obraća. Zelenski je velika zvezda na Zapadu, i ovakav ne toliko kritički koliko potpuno nipodaštavajući odnos prema njemu je veoma zanimljiv.

Svakako da roman koji ovako predstavlja Zelenskog ne može računati na neki ogroman uspeh. To znamo i mi a zna i čovek koji se potpisuje kao Jack Beaumont pa ga ipak tako ispisuje. Koja je agenda u pitanju, ostaje da se ispita.

U svakom slučaju, nastavlja se postojanje pisca koji je na bazi romana napisanog na engleskom i tek kasnije prevedenog na maternji jezik, uspeo da sebi priušti adaptaciju Nica Pizzolatta koji uprkos blagom cancelu i koketiranju sa trumpovskom desnicom i dalje ipak postoji kao holivudsko ime.

Dakle, pitanja za intervju je sada još i više.

Sam roman je vrlo solidan. Opet je reč o jednom rukopisu na tragu kanonskog Fredericka Forsytha, jedna fina patriotska dubokodržavna proza u kojoj Alec de Payns ima posla sa pretnjom koja mu je blizu ako ne "kuće" u smislu Francuske a ono samog porodičnog doma.

Pakistanski program biološkog oružja je bio egzotičnija okosnica, i DARK ARENA se bavi nekim temama koje su istrošenije, tu su libijski post-gadafijevski despoti, palestinski rent-a-teroristi, gasni interesi i Wagner. Ali, naravno, zna se da ni to ne izbegavamo, i ukupno uzev, ko god je ovo pisao dobro ga je skrojio.

Beaumont je došao na teren koji je stilski evoluirao u međuvremenu ali to ne znači da i dalje nema ljubitelja forsythovske ortodoksije koji vole latinske citate kao moto tajnih obaveštajnih odeljenja, onu ničiju zemlju između krimića i političkog romana, laki špijunski egzistencijalizam prožet nasiljem fizičkog i mentalnog karaktera.

U odnosu na prvi roman, drugi deluje za čitav stepen svesnije da je reč o serijalu, premda je ovde priča zaključena bez cliffhangera, ali je svakako zanimljivija ako se poznaje prva knjiga.

Ako je ovo pisao Beaumont, zaslužuje pohvale kako je u špijunskim danima perceptivno čitao knjige koje se prodaju na aerodromu. Ako je pisao ghost writer, to je opet pokazatelj koliko solidnih neafirmisanih pisaca ima na engleskom govornom području i koliko je to jaka industrija.

[jeff popple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Beaumont, purportedly the pseudonym of a former operative of the clandestine operations branch of the French foreign secret service (DGSE) who now lives in Australia, made a good entry into the international thriller genre with his first novel The Frenchman.

The Frenchman was a gritty espionage tale with plenty of seemingly authentic spy detail, which was seen through an interesting French perspective. Dark Arena continues the adventures of DGSE agent Alec de Payns, who is tasked with tracking down an agent of influence who is sending highly classified material against the Kremlin to embassies all over Europe. A deadly conspiracy is aligning the West against Russia. But who is behind it? And to what end?

As de Payns, and the other agents in the secretive Y Division of the DGSE, manipulate various sources, and even go undercover themselves, they become aware that a major operation is also being planned using Middle Eastern terrorist units.

Dark Arena is an intricate, but generally quick moving spy novel, that provides an interesting new perspective on events in Europe in early 2022. The plot unfolds in a credible way, with plenty of clandestine meetings and some nicely observed moments of tension and action. The story builds to gripping climaxes in Turkey and the Mediterranean, and a coldly observed final conclusion.

As with The Frenchman, it excels in its detailed descriptions of spycraft, the politics of French Intelligence operations, the relationships with other intelligence agencies, and the security measures taken by elite DGSE agents. Sometimes it all seems a bit too elaborate, but generally it is seamlessly interwoven into the story. This seemingly insider grasp of spy techniques, especially around organising secret meetings, gives the novel a convincing shine of credibility, and Beaumont is also good at describing the various locations through which de Payns passes through.

Beaumont’s characters are well crafted and are not the one dimensional, gun-toting super heroes to be found in some spy fiction. He is also very good at articulating the personal cost of spying, both on the families of the French agents and the foreign assets that they use. De Payns’ awkward relationship with his wife is well described and believable, and even the minor characters, particularly his boss Briffaut, are nuanced and interesting.

There are a couple of slow moments, and the final twist is easy to see coming, but overall I really enjoyed Dark Arena.

See full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/2...

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Dark Arena from Allen & Unwin Australia to review.

Rating of 4.75.

Former French spy Jack Beaumont presents a powerful and captivating sequel to his awesome debut with Dark Arena, a gripping read with a compelling look at European espionage.

When a member of the DGSE, France’s foreign secret service, is brutally murdered in front of his family by a team of Russian agents, Alec de Payns is brought in to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding his attack. De Payns soon discovers that this bloody operation is related to a recent piece of intelligence the DGSE recovered, which identifies hostile actions the Kremlin is authorising throughout Europe.

Infiltrating a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists and Russian mercenaries aboard a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, Alec discovers details about a mysterious assassination plot that could tip the balance of power in Europe. Determined to intervene for France’s advantage, de Payns and his team attempt to uncover the target of the assassination, as well as the underlying reasons for the death sentence. But the more they dig, the more they begin to suspect that someone is manipulating the DGSE into a confrontation with the Russians.

Closing in on their targets, de Payns soon discover the full extent of their opponent’s plans, and the DGSE are soon left with hard decisions, especially as intervening could impact France’s energy security. Caught between dangerous superpowers and with a war on the horizon, can de Payns and his team make the right choice, or will doing the right thing cost their country terribly?

This was a superb and extremely clever spy thriller sequel from Jack Beaumont, who expertly follows on from his debut with another outstanding novel. Dark Arena is an incredible read, which I think I enjoyed even more than The Frenchman, due to its excellent twists and compelling examinations of European politics and espionage.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/01/13/...

An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 11 January 2024:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/01/13/...

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[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series featuring Alec de Payns, a highly experienced operative in the French foreign intelligence service, DGSE. This one didn’t quite hold my interest as much as that one but nevertheless it is still a thoroughly entertaining and meticulously detailed spy thriller. And once again, due to the author’s credentials, we receive incredible insight into the workings of the clandestine operations carried out by “spooks” and their back-up teams. Action-packed with much skulduggery, this plot is topical, set in the lead up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine with Putin and Zelensky referenced, as well as militant Islamic terrorist groups in cahoots with international power brokers. Oil, gas and Europe’s crucial energy needs are highlighted as well as the continent’s vulnerability in that regard. Goulburn Alec’s great team returns and there is quite an emphasis on the struggle to maintain successful family relationships as Alec and his wife Romy butt heads about his career.

[Lee McKerracher · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can tell that Jack Beaumont (nom de plume) has a background in espionage and he writes a cracking good yarn about international spy agencies, terrorism and the politics behind so many massive industries including oil and gas.

Our protagonist, Alec de Payns is again charged with trying to sort out the truth from the rumours about a potential assassination attempt on European soil - who is the target - who is behind it? But there is something else going on in the background - smoke and mirrors, spy agency against spy agency, government against government and no one telling the whole truth.

All the time Alec is confronting his own fears about his job potentially endangering his family and is this the time he should pull the plug on his career?

The tension keeps mounting throughout until a fascinating climax that sees Alec country hopping to try and stop an attack on a major asset - but will he and his colleagues from the DGSE get there on time?

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An improvement over his first book in terms of pacing and storytelling, it's not as overtly expository (and repetitive) as the first one in terms of spycraft, yet it does retain its authenticity. You can believe it was written by a former spy.

It still has the quality of a thriller, written-for-TV script (I won't give away the final twist here, but you should see it coming a mile away), but still quite enjoyable. It does have a little more character development but it still feels like the main character is the author's alter ego, so the other characters are much flatter and designed mainly to be foils. If I'm mistaken, and Beaumont is not a middle-of-the-road conservative (dubious of clean energy, concerned with national safety first, etc.) then my hat off to him for developing an authentic character.

[Matthew Barmack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goes off the rails a little at the end but another great spy book from this author. Combination of well-developed characters, interesting tradecraft details, and a great geopolitical premise. As in the author's first book, the tension between the author's work as a spy and his domestic life is poignant. Focuses on a Russian plot involving the Wagner Group and Libyan militias/terrorist groups to choke off competing gas supplies to Europe. (How can I not like a book that includes the following: “This is all economics?” Magnus allowed a rare smile. “Perhaps all economics is really energy?”). There are a few chapters in which the protagonist is embedded as a steward on a mega-yacht that reminded me of James Bond movies. Also compelling plot details and observations on how Russia and other governments use think tanks to manipulate policymakers and the media.

[Under Milkwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

It certainly helps that the author known as Jack Beaumont was really a French spy in a past life.
In the main, spy and terrorist novels are usually a little fanciful and tend to trade credibility for action. Not so Jack Beaumont and his literary alter-ego, Alec de Payns. Just like his first highly acclaimed novel, the Frenchman, the reader is assured of a front row seat in a gripping, totally credible espionage adventure.
Sure there were times when I got a little confused especially when confronted with an abundance of conspiracy theories and false flags. But isn't this the crazy, out of control world we live in today?
No stone is left unturned in this expansive thriller. The endless unrest in the Middle East, the pending invasion of Ukraine, the sleight of hand that controls oil and gas production. Who do we trust?
Ah, the theatre of War!

[Joy Ramlogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

having listened to the marathon audible novel on my long commute, I am even more wrapped up in the story of the DGSE and Alex De Paynes and his crew. This second novel delves further into the tensions between the CIA and the European services and the toxic mix of energy, global politics, terrorism and the Wagner group. Masterfully spinning from Eastern Europe to the steppes to the near East and then back to France, this reminds me of the adrenaline from the Bourne movies with more thought and depth. Alec and his team have deep loyalties and the thread of the PTSD and the dangers to their families is brought to the front of the storyline. There was a tad of predictability in the postscript of who was Brenda (the CIA handler) but this did not detract from the power of the story. Will be reading the next installment.

[Joseph Freedom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Arena is an absolutely phenomenal follow-up to The Frenchman, replete with all the technical and tactical tradecraft you could ask for, and a depth of character development that really makes you wonder how good of a spy Beaumont was in his DGSE days… 🤔😂

We see the canon characters grow and develop along the timeline, while a new and more sinister plot emerges from the ashes of old evils once thought vanquished. Over the course of our ensemble’s travails, we also learn that perhaps not all paranoia is bad… n'est-ce pas?

Really great read. Fully recommend. I hope there’s much more to come from Beaumont in the future!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this directly after the first one, and it is better. Both still have lots of detail about spycraft and inside knowledge, and are written in a very straight forward and easy (for a spy novel) to follow style.

The obviously very topical plot linking the energy crisis and Ukraine and Russia, and the intersection of work and home life was well done.

Overall, while this has strong women in it, the women seem to come out of it very poorly (rape, torture and murder across the 2 books).

Looking forward to more, until the spy's wife pulls the plug on it all.

[Sandy Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked… if you like police procedural crime fiction sub-genre, then this is espionage procedural, more than endless special forces ‘superman’ action. Probably more realistic as far as it goes. And of course, there was action.

What I didn’t like… the callousness with which threats against enemy family members or bystanders are assumed to be the price you pay for international security. But again, that’s probably awful reality.

In the end possibly all resolved a bit too tidily.

So this 4 star would be a 3.5 star if there were halves. But I will read another one in the series.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read many spy thrillers, but this one I found totally absorbing and thought provoking.
I read it in 3 sittings!
It was up to the moment, about the Ukraine and Russia conflict.
The mental conflict between espionage and family.
It also touched on the conflict between military and environmental matters. This area would be worth expanding on in later books. Good and evil, what is justified and what is not?

[Jessica Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

like the last one, this book is great!!

This book starts up where the last one left off. You can tell he’s been working on it for a while, and it was worth the effort. But the book reads like it was set in present day, but the European geopolitics are all circa 2021, pre Ukraine invasion.

The gritty and granular detail about what it is like to be a spy for France and the emotional cost is absolutely riveting. I highly recommend this book.

[Zoë Routh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fast-paced, gritty thriller. Gut-wrenching, pulse pounding, and intriguing. Alec de Payns continues his service to the Company, French spy service, embroiled in international intrigue with high stakes. Meanwhile he tries to maintain a marriage and family while coping with trauma, grief, and constant worry his cover will be blown and they’ll come for his family.

Loved this thriller and look forward to more.