SPEARFISH

by Brian Callison

Twenty years ago he'd been Captain Michael Crofts, Parachute Regiment - before the mercenary recruiters had bought him and his ideals had expired along with the blood of too many men. Now he's retired … or he thinks he's retired. So determinedly retired that he hasn't merely hung up his faithful Beretta, he's stripped it and scattered its parts throughout Soho's trash bins.Then, by chance, he bumps into his old friend Commander Simpson, RN retired … at least Simpson says he's retired … and Simpson bears news of yet another old friend, another mercenary who has, apparently, also retired from the killing trade and now farms peacefully in a remote area of Scotland - although that, to a suddenly-concerned Crofts, seems a highly unlikely story. So much so that he travels up to Scotland to discover the real truth.… only to discover that he's still very much at war, and that his past is about to overtake him at a most unexpected and embarrassing moment - and that's when Crofts learns that he's going to have to fight simply to stay alive, never mind enjoy any kind of retirement.The trouble is, to do that he has to put together a jigsaw puzzle that somehow contains a thinking fish; a gutless little pervert called Thomson who was seemingly found not merely dead but horrifically mutilated into the bargain; a Mermaid, an impossibly-resurrected killing machine, and a large number of Woollen Men chillingly ready to commit mayhem at the drop of a hat … not to mention Commander Simpson RN, who seems to be less and less retired the more Crofts sees of him. Rather like Crofts himself, in fact … Ingenious, fast-moving, marvellously exciting, 'Spearfish' is Brian Callison at his breathtaking best.'There can be no better adventure writer in the country'. Alastair MacLean.

Genres: Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Brian Callison was a British novelist known for his best-selling thrillers and sea stories. Born in Manchester, England in 1934, he was educated at the High School of Dundee, and went to sea at the age of 16 as an apprentice with the Blue Funnel Line, sailing aboard cargo ships between ports in Europe and East Asia. Callison subsequently studied at Dundee College of Art in Scotland, and went into business. His first published novel, A Flock of Ships, appeared in 1970. In 2008 he completed a three-year appointment as a Fellow of The Royal Literary Fund at the University of Dundee, mentoring staff and students in all aspects of practical writing.
Callison died in Dundee on 5 February 2024, at the age of 89.

Reviews

[Michael Koch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. This was an interesting book from which action and violence always loomed. The protagonist is an older (~45) soldier then mercenary who has seen a lot of war and action and has recently cashed out and is looking to retire.
He has recently, in one day, fallen deeply in love with a young lady who is less than half his age and who is possibly incentive enough to keep him retired. An accidental (on his side only) meeting with a Royal Navy security officer has led him to a trip to Scotland and a visit with an old mercenary friend. His only other friend is a 9mm Beretta M951.
The friend seems to be in trouble and tied into a complicated plot that seems to involve a secret abandoned cove. The story's plot then becomes quite complicated. Action and violence looms large. However it comes fast and short. The result always impacts the protagonist's knowledge of what is going on and how and who is involved. This always takes up most of the story as the protagonist does a lot of searching and thinking until the next short burst of action pops out.
I do not mean to say that a thriller needs lots and lots of raw violence. However, in some of the best books when there is for example a fight, there would be a couple of blows landed, some furniture would be broken, one might pull a knife, and so on for a page or two. In this book, the fight would be over in a sentence or two.
Not your usual protagonist. Quite interesting nonetheless.

[Eddy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average thriller