Συνωμοσία Θανάτου

Frank Pagan #4

by Campbell Armstrong, Γιώργος Μπαρουξής (Translator)

Ένα χειμωνιάτικο πρωινό στο Λονδίνο, μια βόμβα εκρύγνηται σ’ ένα βαγόνι του ρετρό και πάνω από εκατό άτομα βρίσκουν το θάνατο. Καμία τρομοκραπκή οργάνωση δεν αναλαμβάνει την ευθύνη για την έκρηξη. Έτσι η ταυτότητα των δραστών και τα αίπα παραμένουν άγνωστα.

Μερικές ώρες αργότερα, μια νεαρή πόρνη δολοφονείται με άγριο τρόπο στο Μέιφερ. Στον τοίχο του δωματίου της είναι γραμμένο με αίμα ένα αινιγματικό μήνυμα, το οποίο απευθύνεται στον Φρανκ Πέιγκαν, μέλος της αντιτρομοκραπκής υπηρεσίας του Ειδικού Κλάδου, που ουσιαστικά βρίσκεται σε διαθεσιμότητα. Μετά απ’ αυτό, όμως, επανέρχεται στην ενεργό δράση και αναλαμβάνει την υπόθεση.

Ο Πέιγκαν, που ενεργεί με το δικό του τρόπο, έξω από τους συμβατικούς κανόνες, και ακολουθεί συνήθως το ένσπκτο του, αρχίζει να εντοπίζει ένα σκοτεινό σχέδιο πολύ πιο απειλητικό από ό,π μια έκρηξη βόμβας στο μετρό. Και καποια στιγμή θα έρθει ανπμέτωπος με δυο παλιοιίς εχθρούς του: μια ψυχοπαθή τρομοκράπσσα, την Καρλότα, και το φάντασμα του Τζιγκ, του πιο φημισμένου αντιπάλου του, του οποίου ο θάνατος έφερε στη ζωή κάποιους καινούριους δαίμονες διψασμένους για εκδίκηση...

«Ο Campbell Armstrong μας δίνει μια συναρπασπκή συνέχεια του κλασικού του μπέστ σέλερ Τζιγκ, αποδεικνύοντας όπ είναι ένας μυθιστοριο-γράφος στην ακμή της καριέρας του».

The Bookseller
«Απείρως καλύτερο από το Τζιγκ... ένα βιβλίο που πραγμσπκά απορροφά την προσοχή του αναγνώστη. Ο Armstrong έχει αναπτύξει έναν τρόπο γραφής που τον τοποθετεί πολύ πάνω από,το πλήθος των άλλων συγγραφέων».

The Times

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

413 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

aka Thomas Altman, Campbell Black, Jeffrey Campbell (with Jeffrey Caine), Thomas Weldon

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Campbell Armstrong got a degree in philosophy before taking a position teaching creating writing. After his excellent series about counterterrorism expert Frank Pagan, Mr. Armstrong has written several compelling novels of crime and life in his native Glasgow.

Reviews

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2020 Reading Bingo: one word title)
I recall reading Jig a long time ago and held a favourable memory of it being pretty good in the thriller genre stakes. So I came to Jigsaw (having unintentionally skipped the intervening books; Mazurka and Mambo) with the sort of expectations that Chapter 1 went headlong into satisfying. The remaining 36 chapters plus epilogue, set in varied locations and played out through an array of shady characters was essentially a cat and mouse story where special branch’s anti-terrorist agent Frank Pagan chases down the perpetrator behind this London Underground attack. Oh, and with the obligatory femme fatale thrown in for additional sport/distraction. Worth reading and I’ll be on the look out for copies of his other titles.

[Mike Giess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first Campbell Armstrong book. I chose it based on the description and was I ever disappointed. I found it slow and tedious to the point where I couldn’t finish the book-and that is a rarity for me. I don’t see myself purchasing any more books by this author.

[Debi Lodge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took 6 weeks to get just over half way. Too many character, too much disconnected storylines and in the end I just gave up. Some people love this author, and good for them. But not for me

[Lilly Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very predictable. Only in the last 100 pages did it have a bit of a twist, but only slightly

[Mark Braun · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little disjointed. and many connections left unconnected. our only just barely. I liked Jig more than Jigsaw.

[Matt Kessel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Campbell Armstrong was a new author to me. My Mom gave me this book to read as a "new" author. I really enjoyed this book. I found out after the fact that it was a sequel to Jig by the same author, but that did not detract from the overall story. The characters were interesting and believable. Some aspects of the story were a stretch (but they often are in fictional police novels). I was disappointed that my local library did not carry any of his books so I will be checking eBay to see if I can find anymore of his titles.

[henrys-axe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should one divide the book into thirds, the first two were very engrossing and well done. The story and plausibility began to fall apart in the final section. Frank Pagan is a forceful character but not without near-fatal weaknesses (making him very human).

[Papamusonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best book I have ever read. It has everything you would want in a story, unexpected twists, action, romance, politics, intelligent characters, absolutely awesome.