Enemy Within

by Paul Adam, Daniel Philpott (Narrator)

Tom Whitehead had never heard of Operation Gold Dust. Why would he? No reason for a respected, middle-class academic, loving husband and father of two to be aware of an international investigation into internet pedophilia. Until he finds himself at the center of it. Raided by the police at dawn, and in the full glare of the paparazzi, Tom is hauled away for questioning. About the pornography found on his computer at work. About the fact it was paid for with his credit card. About the overwhelming, conclusive evidence against him. Yesterday he was an academic writing a book about industrial unrest. Today he is a monster. As he is questioned, he discovers that this was no random search - he has been under investigation for some time. The police acquired his details from the National Criminal Intelligence Service – via the FBI. But why? And how? Tom needs help to prove he’s been framed, and his lawyer introduces him to Moran, a private detective who has learnt that no one in authority is in any way trustworthy. An opinion rapidly justified as the sinister truth begins to emerge. Someone has been listening in on Tom’s life. Someone at the global eavesdropping network Echelon. Someone to whom the name Danny Shields, found on Tom’s emails, has rung alarm bells. As far as Tom is concerned, it’s the name of a young man mysteriously murdered during the miners’ strike in the 1980s. But it is also a name that has panicked people in the Cabinet, at Special Branch, MI5 and the FBI. For this goes all the way to the top. And Tom is at the very bottom. Not a good place to be when the vultures start circling…

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

Audiobook

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads database.

- Paul Adam is an English writer of novels for both adults and younger readers. He studied law at Nottingham University, then began a career in journalism, working both in England, in his childhood town of Sheffield, and Rome. Since then he has written 11 critically acclaimed thrillers for adults and the Max Cassidy series of thrillers for younger readers about a teenage escapologist, the first of which, Escape from Shadow Island, won the Salford Children's Book Award. His books have sold widely around the world and have been translated into several foreign languages. He has also written film and television scripts. Adam lived in Nottingham for many years but now lives in Sheffield with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Iulian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It keeps you gripped to the book :)

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would make a brilliant film!

[Jilli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost interest and gave up.

[Steven Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t very impressed by the start of this novel — the writing is not particularly good, the main character not particularly interesting and there is a lot of mundane detail: for example, about getting a family out of a house in the morning. Even when the first bit of bad news arrives for the protagonist, it is bogged down by the reader being told too much detail rather than being allowed to build up their own picture by the author’s skills — showing what is going on. All a bit laboured. For example, the following passage:

Tom pushed his chair away from the desk, feeling suddenly claustrophobic. The office was too cramped, there was no room to breathe. He needed to some air. He stood up and moved towards the door.
‘You going somewhere, sir?’ Paramore asked.
‘To the toilet. Is that a problem?’ Tom replied. He was starting to get annoyed with these intruders. His initial shock had waned a little. His anxiety was giving way to indignation. What the hell was going on here? He’d done nothing wrong, yet has been treated like a criminal.

Then we get switches from one character’s point of view to another’s, which is off-putting. I haven’t mentioned the rather unnecessary prologue yet either. My advice to any reader would be to skip that. It adds nothing. If it was put there to try to get you interested before the rather slow first five chapters then it doesn’t succeed.
All that said, once you get to chapter 6 and introduction of Moran, the book does take off and you are into a page turning novel with cliff-hangers and plot twists that keep you wanting to read on. The main character, Tom, remains somewhat flat throughout, however, and is overshadowed by the strength of Moran, Zac, Annie and even Moran’s mother. Towards the end, after the Wales scenes, the novel again loses its way a bit. Tom’s actions start to appear inexplicable, after everything he has learnt. Even Moran himself seems to let his professionalism and grasp of the situation slip. And then, the so-called “faceless ones” who up to that point have been ruthless and efficient suddenly started to appear disorganised and incompetent. Why was there no bug on Mrs Shields’ phone? Why were the ones sent to chase Tom down so overweight and un-athletic? Why weren’t they carrying guns? And why didn’t they get him when he returned to his car, or have the main route out of Whitby covered?
I had hoped the book would finish strongly once it had got going, but the basic premise for the whole book, the reason for the State intervening, became unconvincing — the motivations of the two 14-year-olds bizarre in the extreme. The middle part of the book was good though.
35 Sheffield novels and counting reviewed at:
http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...

[İlhamə · Rating 4 out of 5]

-4 :d

[Cath · Rating 3 out of 5]

A conspiracy theory thriller set in England, leaving a married middle class father accused of child pornography.

Whilst it had the potential to leave a "bloody hell, what if this happened to me?" feeling, it lacked something to fully leave that imprint. The first third of the book had me intrigued, wondering where the plot was leading me. The second third had me scan reading, losing interest and thinking it was ridiculous and a step too far. By the final third, when I realised America was involved, it became easier to believe and had me hooked again.

Whilst the lead character clearly had appalling luck to end up in the middle of such a conspiracy, how lucky was he to have a mate who just happened to be a lawyer, with the most dodgy and resourceful ex-copper PI available to work his case full time?!

Interesting, slightly entertaining yet the plot was really a step too far.

[Jane Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent with a couple of minor flaws. Adam's plots are well constructed and he writes with flair.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well plotted and tense, this book, published in 2005, shows Paul Adam characteristically ahead of the game in his research, years before the Snowden leaks.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

very well written suspense filled plot. could not put it down

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A believable thriller that kept one turning pages. There was one female character that felt like a rip-off of the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" but apart from that irritation, a good airport read.