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First Response
From the bestselling author of the Spider Shepherd and Jack Nightingale series comes First Response, the utterly addictive new thriller by Stephen Leather. London is under siege. Nine men in suicide vests primed to explode hold hostages in nine different locations around the city, and are ready to die for their cause.Their to force the government to release jihadist prisoners from Belmarsh Prison.Their 6 p.m. Today. But the bombers are cleanskins, terrorists with no obvious link to any group, and who do not appear on any anti-terror watch list. What has brought them together on this one day to act in this way? Mo Kamran is the Superintendent in charge of the Special Crime and Operations branch of the Met. As the disaster unfolds and the SAS, armed police, and other emergency services rush to the scenes, he is tasked with preventing the biggest terrorist outrage the capital has ever known.But nothing is what it seems. And only Kamran has the big picture. Will anyone believe him?A chillingly plausible and pulse-pounding depiction of how London might be held to ransom in a concerted terrorist this is thriller writing at its very best.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2016
77 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Leather
236 books1,521 followersStephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
March 18, 2016
A stand alone novel by author Stephen Leather is my 1000 review on Goodreads and I was pleased that it was worth the 4 star rating I awarded it.
I have long been a fan of Stephen Leather especially the Spider Shepherd series but have always enjoyed his stand alone novels and this was no exception.
This novels builds the suspense from page 1 and keeps going and going. Nine Asian men in suicide vests are strategically placed in London handcuffed to a member of the public and threatening to blow them up if they don't take notice and political prisoners are not released before the 6pm deadline. Superintendent Mo Kamran, himself a Muslim leads the Police in negotiations to talk down the terrorists and what follows is a race against time as the police try to out think the terrorists and save the innocent. As in many good thrillers things are not always what they seem and an exciting climax is achieved. Another excellent book by the talented Stephen Leather.
I have long been a fan of Stephen Leather especially the Spider Shepherd series but have always enjoyed his stand alone novels and this was no exception.
This novels builds the suspense from page 1 and keeps going and going. Nine Asian men in suicide vests are strategically placed in London handcuffed to a member of the public and threatening to blow them up if they don't take notice and political prisoners are not released before the 6pm deadline. Superintendent Mo Kamran, himself a Muslim leads the Police in negotiations to talk down the terrorists and what follows is a race against time as the police try to out think the terrorists and save the innocent. As in many good thrillers things are not always what they seem and an exciting climax is achieved. Another excellent book by the talented Stephen Leather.
November 16, 2015
Something different from one of Britain’s top thriller writers. Of late Stephen Leather has focussed on his action series featuring Spider Shepherd (excellent by the way) and his supernatural series featuring Jack Nightingale (also excellent and very clever too). But I have been reading his books for many many years and I remember the number of stand-alone thrillers he has produced so this one is a nod back to the clever stand-alone’s of the past.
In First Response we have co-ordinated hostage taking across London, demands for the release of terrorists and the Police driven actions to control the situation and investigate. So far so good and not an overly different storyline. But then this is Stephen Leather so as the Police realise that something is odd about this, you do to. There is an agenda being played out and nothing is what it seems. The author combines his usual clever plotting with detailed knowledge of the way the Government/Police would respond while making the odd poignant point about the reality of politics and responsibility and of course blended with strong and intelligent characterisation.
I am obviously a fan of the author’s works but I have to say I was reading this while travelling through London on public transport. When I heard a Police siren I immediately assumed it was going to one of the incidents described in this book! That suggests I am easily brainwashed or Stephen Leather knows how to suck you in and immerse yourself in his books. I hope it is the latter.
Great stuff.
In First Response we have co-ordinated hostage taking across London, demands for the release of terrorists and the Police driven actions to control the situation and investigate. So far so good and not an overly different storyline. But then this is Stephen Leather so as the Police realise that something is odd about this, you do to. There is an agenda being played out and nothing is what it seems. The author combines his usual clever plotting with detailed knowledge of the way the Government/Police would respond while making the odd poignant point about the reality of politics and responsibility and of course blended with strong and intelligent characterisation.
I am obviously a fan of the author’s works but I have to say I was reading this while travelling through London on public transport. When I heard a Police siren I immediately assumed it was going to one of the incidents described in this book! That suggests I am easily brainwashed or Stephen Leather knows how to suck you in and immerse yourself in his books. I hope it is the latter.
Great stuff.
October 28, 2019
Interesting plot with realistic scenarios, logical sequencing of events and very informative as to how the English handle terrorist situations. The ending is surprisingly good. On the other hand it is repetitive and parts read like an instruction manual. My rating is 3.5.
December 21, 2015
It's been awhile since I read a book in one sitting, especially when I reached page 377, and the ending of Stephen Leather's First Response at 3.20am. You get the picture. First Response is not released until next March and I was lucky enough to be provided with a proof copy by the publishers. This is one hell of a read, and as contemporary as you can get. Scotland Yard is rocked by a developing crisis that has all the hallmarks of a full-on terrorist attack, on the back of the recent events across the Channel in Paris. One by one reports come in of a series of similar events across London. In each case an Asian man handcuffs himself to a member of the public and commands bystanders to take notice of him or he'll blow them all up with his suicide vest. A church, a pub, a childcare centre, a bus, a major shopping centre are all targets which eventually reach nine in total. At the Police Command Centre Superintendent Mo Kamran, himself a Muslim is initially in charge and the negotiations begin. The nine kidnappers keep repeating the mantra that they will blow themselves and their victims up if a group of terrorist detainees isn't released by 6pm. As the pressure mounts a strategy develops and its a race against the clock to make it work. The conclusion is as surprising as the story itself is real and compelling.
December 29, 2019
Great read. Plot kept one guessing until the final few pages. Unexpected ending.
June 28, 2016
A very interesting take on events that have happened and still could. The fact that it covered a number of locations meant a great deal of repetition but in each place there were sufficient variations to hold the reader's interest. Towards the end it became obvious to me what was really happening, but I still had to read on just in case there was yet another twist from a very good author. First Response is well written and researched. Stephen Leather has given us a work of fiction that could become fact. To be honest I am genuinely concerned that it might give someone an idea that could cause mayhem to many innocent people.
March 2, 2016
Really like the Dan spider books by Stephen but this standalone novel is brilliant it's a real page turner couldn't put down until the end well worth a read , Stephen has excelled himself with this novel he keeps pacy with a few twists to keep you guessing until the end
March 28, 2017
First class
A first class thriller from. Stephen Leather. Keeps you engrossed and has a great twists in the tail.. Read it and enjoy .
A first class thriller from. Stephen Leather. Keeps you engrossed and has a great twists in the tail.. Read it and enjoy .
December 28, 2017
Well paced thriller based around a terrorist attack on London - well put together with a good twist
July 24, 2016
I am a big fan of Stephen Leather novels especially the Jack Nightingale and Spider Shepherd series of thrillers. When I saw First Response I just had to buy it, and I’m glad I did! I enjoyed the book so much I read it in 2 days.
First Response sees 9 suicide vest wearing terrorists taking hostages in London and threatening to blow them up if their demands are not met.
On the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London 9 cleanskin (people with no obvious affiliations with a terrorist organisation, not necessarily known to the Security Services and are not on any anti-terror watch lists) suicide bombers are at 9 different locations throughout the city (church, shopping centre, post office, nursery school, coffee shop, pub, bus, restaurant and an MP’s office). They handcuff themselves to a hostage at each location. All wearing a suicide vest they demand that 6 ISIS fighters are released from Belmarsh Prison by 6pm or they will detonate the vests and blow themselves and the hostages up.
Superintendent Mo Kamran of the Special Crime and Operations branch of the Metropolitan Police is put in charge of the operation to prevent the bombers from carrying out their threats. With the help of armed police, SAS, bomb disposal and other emergency services Kamran has the biggest job of his career that seems to have a deadly outcome no matter what choices he makes, but everything is not as clear cut as it seems!
Overall, First Response is a first rate, exciting thriller. With terrorist plots and actions a very real worldwide issue at the moment this novel has been expertly written and is very plausible. From the first to last page there is non-stop action, suspense and thrills with twists and turns to hide the terrorist’s true intentions.
First Response is a fantastic, explosive and engrossing read, Stephen Leather at his very best!
First Response sees 9 suicide vest wearing terrorists taking hostages in London and threatening to blow them up if their demands are not met.
On the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London 9 cleanskin (people with no obvious affiliations with a terrorist organisation, not necessarily known to the Security Services and are not on any anti-terror watch lists) suicide bombers are at 9 different locations throughout the city (church, shopping centre, post office, nursery school, coffee shop, pub, bus, restaurant and an MP’s office). They handcuff themselves to a hostage at each location. All wearing a suicide vest they demand that 6 ISIS fighters are released from Belmarsh Prison by 6pm or they will detonate the vests and blow themselves and the hostages up.
Superintendent Mo Kamran of the Special Crime and Operations branch of the Metropolitan Police is put in charge of the operation to prevent the bombers from carrying out their threats. With the help of armed police, SAS, bomb disposal and other emergency services Kamran has the biggest job of his career that seems to have a deadly outcome no matter what choices he makes, but everything is not as clear cut as it seems!
Overall, First Response is a first rate, exciting thriller. With terrorist plots and actions a very real worldwide issue at the moment this novel has been expertly written and is very plausible. From the first to last page there is non-stop action, suspense and thrills with twists and turns to hide the terrorist’s true intentions.
First Response is a fantastic, explosive and engrossing read, Stephen Leather at his very best!
February 24, 2016
In a change from Stephen Leathers recent releases in the Spider Shepherd and Jack Nightingale series, First Response is a standalone novel.
Topically up to the minute it involves 9 separate hostage situations all across London. At each location a suicide bomber is handcuffed to one of the hostages and making the hostages send messages using social media of their demands.
When the initial incident becomes two, then three, four and increasing up to 9 it becomes apparent that the incidents are a co-ordinated attack and emergency contingency plans are put into place with a team of security expects from police, intelligence agencies and security services all working together as the deadline of 6pm approaches.
The characterisation is good and the storyline moves between those in the control centre and the hostage locations with ease. With events taking place over one day it moves along at a breakneck pace from start to finish. A compelling drama that I really could not put down
I've read most of Stephen Leathers novels and love his style of writing, this was no exception and is very highly recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending me a review copy.
Topically up to the minute it involves 9 separate hostage situations all across London. At each location a suicide bomber is handcuffed to one of the hostages and making the hostages send messages using social media of their demands.
When the initial incident becomes two, then three, four and increasing up to 9 it becomes apparent that the incidents are a co-ordinated attack and emergency contingency plans are put into place with a team of security expects from police, intelligence agencies and security services all working together as the deadline of 6pm approaches.
The characterisation is good and the storyline moves between those in the control centre and the hostage locations with ease. With events taking place over one day it moves along at a breakneck pace from start to finish. A compelling drama that I really could not put down
I've read most of Stephen Leathers novels and love his style of writing, this was no exception and is very highly recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending me a review copy.
September 11, 2016
Brilliant, starts at a fast pace and continues at it relentlessly until you all to quickly reach the end.
There were a few things I liked about "First Response," first I have family and friends in London, I've lived and worked in the city. I know all the locations he writes about. He describes them like a photograph. So straight away I was able to live in the story.
Mr Leather can take Dan Brown for a ride when you put his thriller/supense work side by side, this book takes you by the unmentionables and accelerates to full speed in less than three pages.
The characters feel very real and I feel sure that they are based on actual people and their actual activities (although in reality they have always failed!)
Finally the level of detail in Stephen Leather's "First Response" is excellent, he's not only written a thrilling book, one which I couldn't put down as it was always exciting tense. He has given us a look at the workings of our security services (Police).
I have already recommended this to my friends and those at work. I'm interested in reading more of his books now!
There were a few things I liked about "First Response," first I have family and friends in London, I've lived and worked in the city. I know all the locations he writes about. He describes them like a photograph. So straight away I was able to live in the story.
Mr Leather can take Dan Brown for a ride when you put his thriller/supense work side by side, this book takes you by the unmentionables and accelerates to full speed in less than three pages.
The characters feel very real and I feel sure that they are based on actual people and their actual activities (although in reality they have always failed!)
Finally the level of detail in Stephen Leather's "First Response" is excellent, he's not only written a thrilling book, one which I couldn't put down as it was always exciting tense. He has given us a look at the workings of our security services (Police).
I have already recommended this to my friends and those at work. I'm interested in reading more of his books now!
June 18, 2016
A pretty impressive thriller (thanks Derry), showing that even the most careful of criminals can make small mistakes and dropping hints to the police. Lovely, modern counterterrorism, a poke at the Prime Minister and a deep appreciation for the difference between the Islamic State and the state of islam.
August 24, 2019
Never heard of this author before. Picked the book on a whim. BOY!!! Did I luck out on this one!
Tense, plot changes at speed, fraught with suspense and a most unexpected ending.
The book blurb is completely accurate. “London is under siege.”
As suspense/thrillers go this is as good as it gets.
Tense, plot changes at speed, fraught with suspense and a most unexpected ending.
The book blurb is completely accurate. “London is under siege.”
As suspense/thrillers go this is as good as it gets.
February 26, 2016
Brilliant Read, Great Twist!
As always with Stephen Leather's books, First Response is well thought through, well researched and with a believable storyline. Plenty to make you think about and a great twist at the end.
I completely enjoyed being absorbed by it.
Thanks Stephen!
As always with Stephen Leather's books, First Response is well thought through, well researched and with a believable storyline. Plenty to make you think about and a great twist at the end.
I completely enjoyed being absorbed by it.
Thanks Stephen!
March 12, 2016
Gripping read
It was good reading a novel with different characters in it , I did kind of figure out the end story half way through but it didn't detract from yet another brilliant book from one of our greatest thriller writers.
It was good reading a novel with different characters in it , I did kind of figure out the end story half way through but it didn't detract from yet another brilliant book from one of our greatest thriller writers.
March 12, 2016
WOW.....
What a ride!
What a finish
What a twist
A compelling and fascinating suspense novel, that will thoroughly entertain, and entice you.
It all comes together in the end, and you will sit back in your seat and go WOW
What a ride!
What a finish
What a twist
A compelling and fascinating suspense novel, that will thoroughly entertain, and entice you.
It all comes together in the end, and you will sit back in your seat and go WOW
April 8, 2016
Hooked me in, brilliant,
I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of us all. Highlights the major problems we face in our multicultural world. And worth reading to the end to decipher the plan. I enjoyed this.
I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of us all. Highlights the major problems we face in our multicultural world. And worth reading to the end to decipher the plan. I enjoyed this.
May 28, 2016
My book of the year so far. SL is Britain's Best Thriller writer. Thoroughly enjoyed the book with a great twist. Helped me switch as I am very stressed at the moment being made redundant and looking for a new jo.
October 24, 2016
What a brilliant book, not 1 I would've picked myself as the author usually doesn't write the genre I'm into. Great style of writing and full of plot twists and turns throughout and keeps you entertained, guessing and wanting to read more right up to the end for the big plot twist!
May 5, 2016
So bloody good!!
Just brilliant
So current and bang on.
just read it NOW!!
Just brilliant
So current and bang on.
just read it NOW!!
April 16, 2018
So f...ing unexpected. I love Stephen Leather, no doubt about it.
June 13, 2016
I bought this and took a chance and my god it was worth it! I was hooked from the beginning and the way the plot is written is very clever, highly recommend!
September 11, 2016
His best book so far.... Great page turner
September 17, 2016
Wow really exciting the whole way through
November 12, 2016
absolutely amazing. read it in one sitting - which is bad because i have to be up for work in 3 hours
January 17, 2018
An exhilirating and exciting read with a twist to the ending. Love it!
May 6, 2019
Both clever and page-turning, this book is perhaps best described as a blend of three parts:
* about 60% a "counter-terrorism procedural" - like a police procedural but but describing how different agencies might respond to a multi-site London-wide suicide bombing threat. The level of technical detail is impressive, from the command centre and technologies used, the command structures and techniques, down to the weapons used by the tactical teams and the SAS. I'm not in a position to judge its authenticity but it all feels plausible and like the author has done detailed research.
Pros: techically detailed and fascinating
Cons: too many characters to keep track of, and it's difficult to do character development in a procedural anyway. Good police procedurals tend to zoom in on a specific team and do patient character work over a series. The blurb majors on Mo Kamran, the 'Gold Commander' of the operation for much of the day, but even in his case we don't really get much sense of the police as characters rather than chess pieces.
* Maybe 30% of the book is devoted to time with the suicide bombers and their hostages. This is the weakest part of the book, because there are 9 locations (not a spoiler, in that it's on the blurb) and that gives over 18 named characters, which is just too many to track. The book refrains from going 'inside the heads' of the bombers until the end, which helps keep us guessing along with the police but makes them inscrutable. The hostages benefit from Leather's deft hand with the short pen portrait, but I didn't feel the emotional intensity of the hostage situation really worked in most cases because there was too much inter-cutting.
* The final 10% of the book is the clever bit - the plot behind the plot, a kind of sleight of hand trick. All the myraid cards we've been shown and then whisked away get rearranged without apparent effort so that the final few pages make sense of the whole operation. It's well done and, while I'd spotted some of the cards that didn't fit, I hadn't put it all together.
Recommended as an airplane novel that isn't emotionally demanding, if you like procedurals.
* about 60% a "counter-terrorism procedural" - like a police procedural but but describing how different agencies might respond to a multi-site London-wide suicide bombing threat. The level of technical detail is impressive, from the command centre and technologies used, the command structures and techniques, down to the weapons used by the tactical teams and the SAS. I'm not in a position to judge its authenticity but it all feels plausible and like the author has done detailed research.
Pros: techically detailed and fascinating
Cons: too many characters to keep track of, and it's difficult to do character development in a procedural anyway. Good police procedurals tend to zoom in on a specific team and do patient character work over a series. The blurb majors on Mo Kamran, the 'Gold Commander' of the operation for much of the day, but even in his case we don't really get much sense of the police as characters rather than chess pieces.
* Maybe 30% of the book is devoted to time with the suicide bombers and their hostages. This is the weakest part of the book, because there are 9 locations (not a spoiler, in that it's on the blurb) and that gives over 18 named characters, which is just too many to track. The book refrains from going 'inside the heads' of the bombers until the end, which helps keep us guessing along with the police but makes them inscrutable. The hostages benefit from Leather's deft hand with the short pen portrait, but I didn't feel the emotional intensity of the hostage situation really worked in most cases because there was too much inter-cutting.
* The final 10% of the book is the clever bit - the plot behind the plot, a kind of sleight of hand trick. All the myraid cards we've been shown and then whisked away get rearranged without apparent effort so that the final few pages make sense of the whole operation. It's well done and, while I'd spotted some of the cards that didn't fit, I hadn't put it all together.
Recommended as an airplane novel that isn't emotionally demanding, if you like procedurals.
February 19, 2020
London is put into virtual lockdown as a number of apparent suicide bombers are left in various premises across the city and handcuff themselves to one of the people taken hostage in those premises. Demands are made for the release of 5 returnees from ISIS imprisoned in Belmarsh. The first hostage is taken at 10am and threats are made that unless the prisoners are at Biggin Hill by 6pm that day, the bombs being worn will be detonated. All is not as it appears, however, as the narrative unfolds during the day. The police have no idea what links the bombers as none of them appear to have come to notice as potential terrorists and, indeed, one is identified early on as an undercover police officer who has been infiltrating a suspected drug running operation. There is, needless to say, a twist to the story. I had assumed there would be, and thought I'd worked out what it would be, but I was very wrong!
January 29, 2018
First Response is a book about one day in London when nine terrorists with bomb vests take various places hostage. They want six prisoners released and none of them will negotiate. The book switches POVs between each hostage situation and Kamran, the man running the response to the terrorists.
This was a gripping book, though I found it hard to keep track of so many characters, and I liked seeing how the response was coordinated between each hostage situation. The twist at the end was amazing and it made this book at least one star better in my eyes.
I was recommended this book by a friend and I completely understand why she liked it so much. Four stars!
This was a gripping book, though I found it hard to keep track of so many characters, and I liked seeing how the response was coordinated between each hostage situation. The twist at the end was amazing and it made this book at least one star better in my eyes.
I was recommended this book by a friend and I completely understand why she liked it so much. Four stars!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews