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Operation Fools Mate 48: A modern military action thriller
A modern military action thriller that instantly pulls you into the authors mind. Modern warfare doesn't get more realistic than this.
"Baldwin is a talented writer who doesn’t rely on machismo or misogyny, often present in this genre. Instead, he elevates his characters with a credible and intricate plot while revealing the undeniable truths faced by military personnel in combat zones."
"The storyline touches on a political undercurrent so relevant to 2024 that one might think Baldwin has a hotline to 10 Downing Street. His antagonism for self-serving higher ranks is evident and enriches the plot, but not in the way you would expect. Operation Fools Mate 48 is realistic to the point that an appearance on The News at Ten won’t be surprising."
"When I shared this book with my reading group, it was a hit; they loved it, which is high praise considering our previous read was quite a different genre."
Still reeling from the devastating attacks, the UK struggles to stop the relentless advance of the enemy war machine now on it's shores.
It's military is broken and on the run, it's population undecided on who to believe. The Government must make tough choices if it's to survive, who to sacrifice, and who to save.
Our characters try to salvage what they can from the situation, using the hard-fought lessons of the past to try to stem the flow of the enemy juggernaut advancing towards them. As we follow them in this continuing saga, experience every explosion, feel every bullet, as the reader finds themselves in the middle of the modern-day battlefield. Fought not in foreign lands or faraway places, but in the very streets and towns that we all call home...
Book Two of a series of books classed as a military techno thriller that offers action, thrills, excitement, sadness and shock as you follow the characters in their desperate attempts to stop the inevitable. The invasion of the United Kingdom. Dare you open the page...
"Baldwin is a talented writer who doesn’t rely on machismo or misogyny, often present in this genre. Instead, he elevates his characters with a credible and intricate plot while revealing the undeniable truths faced by military personnel in combat zones."
"The storyline touches on a political undercurrent so relevant to 2024 that one might think Baldwin has a hotline to 10 Downing Street. His antagonism for self-serving higher ranks is evident and enriches the plot, but not in the way you would expect. Operation Fools Mate 48 is realistic to the point that an appearance on The News at Ten won’t be surprising."
"When I shared this book with my reading group, it was a hit; they loved it, which is high praise considering our previous read was quite a different genre."
Still reeling from the devastating attacks, the UK struggles to stop the relentless advance of the enemy war machine now on it's shores.
It's military is broken and on the run, it's population undecided on who to believe. The Government must make tough choices if it's to survive, who to sacrifice, and who to save.
Our characters try to salvage what they can from the situation, using the hard-fought lessons of the past to try to stem the flow of the enemy juggernaut advancing towards them. As we follow them in this continuing saga, experience every explosion, feel every bullet, as the reader finds themselves in the middle of the modern-day battlefield. Fought not in foreign lands or faraway places, but in the very streets and towns that we all call home...
Book Two of a series of books classed as a military techno thriller that offers action, thrills, excitement, sadness and shock as you follow the characters in their desperate attempts to stop the inevitable. The invasion of the United Kingdom. Dare you open the page...
477 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 23, 2024
About the author
M.L Baldwin
6 books5 followersM L Baldwin is a former Tank Commander who joined the Second Royal Tank Regiment in 1996 and served with them on operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan over a 19 year career. He was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) during his last tour of Afghanistan.
After leaving the forces he decided to try his hand at becoming an author, which is where you join him now in his journey. Inspired by the likes of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy, he wrote his debut series of books for Operation Fools Mate back in 2023 which he hopes people will enjoy reading as much as he enjoyed writing them. Using his own first hand experiences of life on the front line of combat operations, he hopes to bring a level of realism and excitement that will both shock and excite his readers. After all, the modern battlefield is full of technology but ultimately, it's the human element and a certain degree of luck that play its part the most.
His expertise in his field have garnered widespread acclaim and featured interviews on BBC Radio, whilst his articles in leading publications such as The European, NationalWorld, MSN, the Daily Star (UK), The London Economic and others, have helped solidify his reputation as a sought-after authority in the field.
Keep watching for more exciting titles. In his own words, "I'm not finished yet, I'm only just getting started."
After leaving the forces he decided to try his hand at becoming an author, which is where you join him now in his journey. Inspired by the likes of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy, he wrote his debut series of books for Operation Fools Mate back in 2023 which he hopes people will enjoy reading as much as he enjoyed writing them. Using his own first hand experiences of life on the front line of combat operations, he hopes to bring a level of realism and excitement that will both shock and excite his readers. After all, the modern battlefield is full of technology but ultimately, it's the human element and a certain degree of luck that play its part the most.
His expertise in his field have garnered widespread acclaim and featured interviews on BBC Radio, whilst his articles in leading publications such as The European, NationalWorld, MSN, the Daily Star (UK), The London Economic and others, have helped solidify his reputation as a sought-after authority in the field.
Keep watching for more exciting titles. In his own words, "I'm not finished yet, I'm only just getting started."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 7, 2025
Can't stop to write a review
Straight into book 3. Yeah, it's too exciting to write much at the minute. I'll save it for after book 3. Incidentally, why isn't that titled 72? Still lots of typos but the story is great.
Straight into book 3. Yeah, it's too exciting to write much at the minute. I'll save it for after book 3. Incidentally, why isn't that titled 72? Still lots of typos but the story is great.
July 21, 2025
Loved the book and the trilogy, for some reason no matter what I tried I could not review the last book. As an ex service man although RN I realised the author knew what he was talking about, well worth reading if only a little far fetched at times. I will say one last thing and I hope the author reads these reviews, I’m a soppy old matelot and I like a happy ending, you need to finish the story! A fourth book please.
May 17, 2026
good second book - slightly let down by typos
The first book in this series was good, storywise this second one was better; but the typos… annoying.
Still, I look forward to number 3 - an interesting premise, well thought through and I can forgive grammatical and typo errors due to that.
The first book in this series was good, storywise this second one was better; but the typos… annoying.
Still, I look forward to number 3 - an interesting premise, well thought through and I can forgive grammatical and typo errors due to that.
February 18, 2026
brilliant story
An excellent book and with every possibility of this being really true looking forward to the next book in series
An excellent book and with every possibility of this being really true looking forward to the next book in series
December 30, 2025
I am enjoying these books immensely, I haven’t been this caught up in a series of books since I can’t remember when, the first book built the tension and anger at what was happening, this book starts giving you the hope of a fight back, for a book to make you feel like I have been feeling tells me how good these books are and how much I am enjoying the authors writing of it, storyline is excellent, the characters are lovable and equally hated, I haven’t been able to put this book down, just like the first one, I really recommend this series of books, I bought them as a trilogy and will be starting the next one, immediately, but have found that there’s a fourth one being released for spring of 26, which I will definitely be eagerly waiting for.
April 7, 2025
Well! That was even more tense and action packed than book 1! I have to admit, I've always felt a level of safety knowing that we (The British) have our armed forces, who have sworn to protect us. So a book series in which they might not be able to do that is very unsettling! I tell myself it's only fiction, but it's so well written that it feels completely believable.
This book is fast paced, non stop action. Fantastic, realistic characters, and a story line that has me flip-flopping from one opinion to another almost as fast as I'm turning the pages!
I'm really looking forward to finding out how it all ends in book 3.
This book is fast paced, non stop action. Fantastic, realistic characters, and a story line that has me flip-flopping from one opinion to another almost as fast as I'm turning the pages!
I'm really looking forward to finding out how it all ends in book 3.
December 9, 2024
The second in the series and another great book. Full of detail, scarily believable and incredibly well written. Looking forward to seeing how the story ends!
November 7, 2025
Home is where the heart is!
A great series of books. Keeps the reader on edge and just has the reader wanting more!
Knowing the area makes it better.
A great series of books. Keeps the reader on edge and just has the reader wanting more!
Knowing the area makes it better.
March 20, 2025
Fools Mate 48
What an absolute riveting read you get to the end of a chapter and you have to carry on reading
What an absolute riveting read you get to the end of a chapter and you have to carry on reading
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews