What do you think?
Rate this book
The Gemini Connection
This intriguing thriller follows the intertwining lives of Evie Longshaw, a talented young doctor, and MI5 operatives Jackson Bridges and Harry Rivers. When Evie unexpectedly becomes the recipient of coded messages from a suspected terrorist hotspot, it leads the three of them on a perilous chase across Europe. Amidst the danger, the trio form an unlikely bond whilst, back in London, cantankerous MI5 boss Stanners finds himself dealing with problems closer to home. When the identity of the message sender is finally revealed, a complex web of betrayal and deception begins to unravel around them. Loyalties are pushed to their limits as they all must confront the ultimate when the distinction between friend and foe blurs, how much are they willing to sacrifice to protect one another and ensure the safety of their loved ones?
327 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2024
27 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 19, 2024
Great 1st novel
Great book could not stop reading it. Loved the plot and it made me cry in the end . Well done Helen let us know when you have published your 2nd book. Waiting in anticipation for another good read
Great book could not stop reading it. Loved the plot and it made me cry in the end . Well done Helen let us know when you have published your 2nd book. Waiting in anticipation for another good read
April 25, 2024
Strongly recommend this brilliantly plotted thriller. Read in one sitting... genuinely 'unputdownable.' Enough twists to keep you guessing, and characters worth caring about. Great debut. Looking forward to more Bridges and Rivers stories.
August 25, 2024
Engaging & witty
Different from most of the suspense books I've read. In a good way! Loved the story & characters & enjoyed the humor! I think this doctor & author is very gifted. I will enjoy reading more from this author!
Different from most of the suspense books I've read. In a good way! Loved the story & characters & enjoyed the humor! I think this doctor & author is very gifted. I will enjoy reading more from this author!
July 2, 2024
Great book!
This is a really enjoyable read! It has lots of action and wonderful characters. Hopefully, I can find more like this one!
This is a really enjoyable read! It has lots of action and wonderful characters. Hopefully, I can find more like this one!
February 25, 2025
This different kind of spy story about two MI5 computer jockeys sent to find an asset is set off by the interception of indecipherable messages and the chance encounter of one of the two men with the asset, an anesthesiologist because of an appendicitis attack. The novel is filled with enjoyable characters in exciting situations. I don’t want to give away too much of this story, but I will say I hope it really is the start of a series as the subtitle A Bridges and Rivers Mystery implies. The plot contains scenes in Paris and Turkey including lots of action and humor. Even the love story is handled realistically.
July 21, 2025
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Gemini Connection
Author: Julie Hamstead
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 6/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
9 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Enjoyed this thriller very much. I wouldn’t give it A for originality as it ‘feels’ like a by-the-numbers thriller, but fans of the genre will be happy – plenty of twists, a little humor, lots of suspense.” Male reader, aged 66
“A well-plotted, spy thriller with interesting characters. The pacing is mostly strong, and the editing is, well, so-so – spotted a few errors here and there.” Female reader, aged 71
“Loved the characters, particularly the doctor. Also, I liked the writing style which despite a few errors sprinkled here and there, is accessible and fast-paced. In fact, there’s never a dull moment. Fans of Ian Fleming and John le Carre will find this fun.” Female reader, aged 39
“I liked how the author put a little humour in the story. As a result, it’s less ‘grim’ than a lot of spy novels.” Male reader, aged 49
To Sum It Up:
“A fast-paced, thrill-a-page thriller with a strong cast of characters.” Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: The Gemini Connection
Author: Julie Hamstead
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 6/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
9 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Enjoyed this thriller very much. I wouldn’t give it A for originality as it ‘feels’ like a by-the-numbers thriller, but fans of the genre will be happy – plenty of twists, a little humor, lots of suspense.” Male reader, aged 66
“A well-plotted, spy thriller with interesting characters. The pacing is mostly strong, and the editing is, well, so-so – spotted a few errors here and there.” Female reader, aged 71
“Loved the characters, particularly the doctor. Also, I liked the writing style which despite a few errors sprinkled here and there, is accessible and fast-paced. In fact, there’s never a dull moment. Fans of Ian Fleming and John le Carre will find this fun.” Female reader, aged 39
“I liked how the author put a little humour in the story. As a result, it’s less ‘grim’ than a lot of spy novels.” Male reader, aged 49
To Sum It Up:
“A fast-paced, thrill-a-page thriller with a strong cast of characters.” Wishing Shelf Book Awards
July 30, 2025
one of those cannot put down books
Difficult to believe it’s a first novel….the story draws you in from the first and never lets go. Highly recommend
Difficult to believe it’s a first novel….the story draws you in from the first and never lets go. Highly recommend
December 27, 2024
Strong plot and characters, well paced and with an interesting story. It deserves a better cover, and definitely deserves a professional editor, there were far too many instances of 'she was sat' (rather than 'she was sitting') and spelling errors (eg 'discrete' where it should read 'discreet'). I absolutely love reading, and particularly love thrillers, so it's really frustrating when a potentially great book is undermined by these little faults. I absolutely accept that I'm particular about these things, it still deserves its 4 stars, but with better editing it would be a 5-star book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews