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Thomas Bladen #4
Shadow State
An ordinary British surveillance officer is blackmailed into a dangerous double game by his partner's estranged father in this grounded London espionage thriller.
He’s ordered to spy on the man blackmailing him—and refusal is not an option
Reluctant spy Thomas Bladen already has enough people telling him what to do. American intelligence operative Stephen Heick has found a persuasive way to join them—threatening everyone Thomas cares about.
Heick isn’t just another handler. He’s the estranged father of Karl McNeill—Thomas’s ex-Army surveillance partner. And as Heick seeks access to Karl, Thomas’s superiors press him for information on the American, forcing him into a perilous double game.
Behind these competing demands lies the Shadow State, an elite pan-European network of power brokers in the midst of a deadly leadership feud.
When a ruthless enforcer closes in, Thomas and Karl turn to the work they know best—covert surveillance, hidden cameras, and extracting secrets their enemies can’t afford to lose.
But as rival Shadow State factions gather at a London hotel, Thomas must outmanoeuvre all the puppet masters before his loved ones become collateral damage…
For readers who
Fallible, reluctant protagonists dragged into high-stakes dangerGrounded British government surveillance and street-level spycraftBlackmail, family secrets, and divided loyaltiesEvolving partner dynamics and deadpan workplace banterAtmospheric London noir with an edge of dry, sardonic wit
Shadow State is book four in the Thomas Bladen Spy Thrillers series, gritty, grounded British espionage fiction perfect for fans of Mick Herron, John le Carré, and Len Deighton.
_________________________________________
Praise for the Thomas Bladen Spy
★★★★★ I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast paced thriller and a good chuckle at the same time.
★★★★★ Full of realism, snarky in a snort-out-loud type of way, and full of twists and turns… a good old British thriller.
★★★★★ You really care about the hero, and worry about him. I like the very British humor.
★★★★★ A good spy thriller with an appealing flawed hero in Bladen. I liked the London life evoked!
★★★★★ Very much in the same genre as le Carré’s world and I would recommend it to any one who likes that type of novel.
He’s ordered to spy on the man blackmailing him—and refusal is not an option
Reluctant spy Thomas Bladen already has enough people telling him what to do. American intelligence operative Stephen Heick has found a persuasive way to join them—threatening everyone Thomas cares about.
Heick isn’t just another handler. He’s the estranged father of Karl McNeill—Thomas’s ex-Army surveillance partner. And as Heick seeks access to Karl, Thomas’s superiors press him for information on the American, forcing him into a perilous double game.
Behind these competing demands lies the Shadow State, an elite pan-European network of power brokers in the midst of a deadly leadership feud.
When a ruthless enforcer closes in, Thomas and Karl turn to the work they know best—covert surveillance, hidden cameras, and extracting secrets their enemies can’t afford to lose.
But as rival Shadow State factions gather at a London hotel, Thomas must outmanoeuvre all the puppet masters before his loved ones become collateral damage…
For readers who
Fallible, reluctant protagonists dragged into high-stakes dangerGrounded British government surveillance and street-level spycraftBlackmail, family secrets, and divided loyaltiesEvolving partner dynamics and deadpan workplace banterAtmospheric London noir with an edge of dry, sardonic wit
Shadow State is book four in the Thomas Bladen Spy Thrillers series, gritty, grounded British espionage fiction perfect for fans of Mick Herron, John le Carré, and Len Deighton.
_________________________________________
Praise for the Thomas Bladen Spy
★★★★★ I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast paced thriller and a good chuckle at the same time.
★★★★★ Full of realism, snarky in a snort-out-loud type of way, and full of twists and turns… a good old British thriller.
★★★★★ You really care about the hero, and worry about him. I like the very British humor.
★★★★★ A good spy thriller with an appealing flawed hero in Bladen. I liked the London life evoked!
★★★★★ Very much in the same genre as le Carré’s world and I would recommend it to any one who likes that type of novel.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2026
About the author
Derek Thompson
24 books45 followersDerek is a British author of novels and short fiction.
Thomas Bladen Spy Thrillers published by Vinci Books: STANDPOINT, LINE OF SIGHT, CAUSE & EFFECT, SHADOW STATE, FLASHPOINT, and PATHFINDER.
DS Wild Crime Mysteries published by Joffe Books:
LONG SHADOWS, WEST COUNTRY MURDER, and DEATH IN WILTSHIRE.
INTO THE VOID is a collection of short fiction by Sixpence Publishing.
Reviews
THOMAS BLADEN SPY THRILLERS
"Realistic rather than glitzy. This story did not disappoint with its gritty detail and credible characters. Kept me hooked right to the end. Great writing!" VC
DS WILD CRIME MYSTERIES
"...Slid down like a beer at the end of a hard day... engaging and entertaining story that kept me in suspense. A good balance of male & female characters, well written and believable." Helenmx5
Thomas Bladen Spy Thrillers published by Vinci Books: STANDPOINT, LINE OF SIGHT, CAUSE & EFFECT, SHADOW STATE, FLASHPOINT, and PATHFINDER.
DS Wild Crime Mysteries published by Joffe Books:
LONG SHADOWS, WEST COUNTRY MURDER, and DEATH IN WILTSHIRE.
INTO THE VOID is a collection of short fiction by Sixpence Publishing.
Reviews
THOMAS BLADEN SPY THRILLERS
"Realistic rather than glitzy. This story did not disappoint with its gritty detail and credible characters. Kept me hooked right to the end. Great writing!" VC
DS WILD CRIME MYSTERIES
"...Slid down like a beer at the end of a hard day... engaging and entertaining story that kept me in suspense. A good balance of male & female characters, well written and believable." Helenmx5
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 10, 2017
Shadow state by Derek Thompson is a mystery and thriller read.
A CAR IS BEING STOLEN . . . IN THE BACK SEAT IS A BABY. BUT SOMEONE IS WATCHING THE CRIME TAKING PLACE.
Spy Thomas Bladen has the car thief under surveillance and he has a split-second to choose what to do next. His intervention could lead him on a deadly trail . . .
Meanwhile Thomas’s partner Karl is reunited with a very dangerous man: his father. And the Shadow State give Thomas a choice between exposing a defector and his life being wrecked.
Good read with good characters. I liked the story. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
A CAR IS BEING STOLEN . . . IN THE BACK SEAT IS A BABY. BUT SOMEONE IS WATCHING THE CRIME TAKING PLACE.
Spy Thomas Bladen has the car thief under surveillance and he has a split-second to choose what to do next. His intervention could lead him on a deadly trail . . .
Meanwhile Thomas’s partner Karl is reunited with a very dangerous man: his father. And the Shadow State give Thomas a choice between exposing a defector and his life being wrecked.
Good read with good characters. I liked the story. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
November 22, 2016
Thomas Bladen is a photographer who also does some work for SSU.He is doing some surveillance on an auto theft drop off point and notices a baby in the backseat of the car. He goes down to rescue the baby and this starts him off with his partner, Karl on a twist and turn threw government and commerce which makes it hard to tell who is on which side. There is the legal and then the Shadow Sate which operates outside the law all over Europe. Who can they trust and what have they gotten into? Be sure ot read to answer the questions that make you wonder what is happening.
October 11, 2017
3.5 stars. The good point is that Thomas Bladen has become more self confident and assertive. The bad points: I don't understand why someone would stick with a girlfriend that is constantly running hot and cold. As we learn more about the "Shadow State" it hardly seems worthwhile to follow it in these plots.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews