Message from Hell

Creasy #5

by A.J. Quinnell

The latest Creasy adventure takes our hero to Vietnam and Cambodia, ostensibly on a mission to rescue a US serviceman taken prisoner twenty-six years earlier during the Vietnam war. In reality, however, the mission is a decoy organised by a sadistic Eurasain woman, Connie Crum, who is a high-ranking officer of the Khmer Rouge. She has long harboured a grudge against Creasy who was responsible for the death of her father. A cat and mouse game between the two principles ensues, as each tries to out guess the other, resulting in a climactic shoot-out in a heavily mined and guarded Buddhist temple hidden in the Cambodian jungle.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Action

280 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1996

About the author

A. J. Quinnell was the pen name of Philip Nicholson, a mystery and thriller writer. He is best known for his novel "Man on Fire", which has been adapted to film twice, most recently in 2004 featuring Denzel Washington.

When the author was preparing to publish his first book, "Man on Fire", he wanted to keep his real identity a secret. During a conversation in a bar, his agent, Chris Little, told him he could use a pseudonym. The author chose "Quinnell", after the rugby union player Derek Quinnell and "A. J." from the initials of the bartender's son.

Nicholson frequented Gleneagles bar in Mġarr, Gozo, the town where the Malta ferry disembarks. He could often be found drinking vodkas with soda. He wrote late at night and through until the morning, always standing up.

The author's best-known creation was the character of Marcus Creasy, an American-born former member of the French Foreign Legion.

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last published "Creasy" book before the author passed away. I was sad that I never actually got to meet A.J. Quinnell before he died. I had planned to go to the island he lived someday just to see the place described so well in all of the books, and meet the man behind my favorite character ever. But I never got there.

[Bernardas Gailius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ką gi, užbaigiau skaityti visą Creasy istoriją. Drąsiai galiu ją rekomenduoti ir kitiems. Quinnell visiškai Lietuvoje neatrastas autorius, bet jis tvirtai stovi tarp trilerio klasikų: Forsytho, McCarry ir kitų. Penkios knygos apie Creasy tikrai neturėtų nuvilti nė vieno skaitytojo. Kelionės, nuotykiai, tikroviška tamsioji gyvenimo pusė, labai blogi, bet įtikinami blogiukai. Ir grupė buvusių samdinių, kurie puikiai dirba išvien, klasiškai valdo ginklus ir moka išspręsti visas problemas. XX a. visame gražume!

[Annmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read every one of AJ Quinnell's novels & have hard copies of almost all of them to be reread in my old age! Love all the different venues he explored. Of course, the Creasy stories were my favorites. "Message From Hell" was the only one I had not read. So glad to finally find it on Amazon Kindle. Sooo sad there will be no more. Rest in peace, Mr. Quinnell. You were a great story teller.

[David Phipps · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 5th and final book of the Creasy series. This thriller is about a cat and mouse game where someone is out to get Creasy and Creasy is playing along while trying to stay a step ahead. It was OK but perhaps weaker than previous books. As a conclusion to the series it is a let down. It makes we assume that the author intended to write more books in this series and for whatever reason could not. This book also had a sex scene that I thought was unnecessary to the story.

Overall I'm glad I read this series since it felt different from many of the other thrillers I've read that focus on assassin or special agent guy doing his thing. The biggest difference to me was the amount of preparation and assistance that was necessary especially in the early books. Creasy spent months carefully planning his revenge with a lot of help from an expanding set of friends.
This series felt more European with its large cast of characters of different nationalities. Creasy was perhaps overly attractive to women and this made the series feel more dated. The author seemed like a foodie as he had a penchant for mentioning all the expensive foods/drinks his character were having.

I have to say that the thing I'm going to remember the most is the shocking development in book 4. I've thought about that a lot and while I have to give kudos to the author for doing something so unexpected (to me at least) I do wonder if it was a good decision for this series.

[Louis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classic and an excellent finish to this series. I am sad to see that it's the end, but it kept me intrigued all the way to the end. It has a deep appreciation for the subtle nuances of violence. The scene's are not long and drawn out, which is perfect. I was certainly worried that Creasy would die and I am happy to say that the ending of this series did not disappoint. I was hoping that he would find a little more happiness in life. If he would have met any of the women that passed in previous books I think they would have lived much longer and healthier lives.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sniff, sniff, the end of the Creasy books. 😢 And how will it end?
“I don’t know. But it will end in death. Theirs or mine. It always does...”
That’s my Creasy! To a T!

This was a good read. Creasy sets off to find out if an old buddy from Vietnam is still alive. And he enlists his usual crew of friends and they get their usual results.
This book wasn’t as personal as the previous four. Creasy doesn’t hang out in Gozo and his family there is barely mentioned. And I think his daughter only gets one line! Also, the ending is much too quick, too anticlimactic.
But the epilogue made me smile. And so does/did Creasy. I’m gonna miss him.

[Kaushik Sriram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall more a slow burn thriller that promises much, and has good character interplay, but falls flat towards the climax with disappointing action sequences. Feels like AJQ ran out of steam overall in this series - a pity given Creasy's character is pretty well sketched out for a typical super action/spy thriller.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

New to the community. Read this book long time ago. In fact ended up reading all Creasy series. It’s a gripping read where raw justice is dealt. And the authors knowledge of warfare and ammunition is very impressive. Creasy and Guido and other members of his group make for a fascinating reading. Old school but very lucid. I wold recommend starting with Man on Fire. Happy Reading.

[David Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sad day for me, as this is the last of the Creasy novels. I have now read all 5 of them. And loved and enjoyed them all. On a recent Kindle Unlimited run, I also read a non-Creasy novel with KU: In the Name of the Father. I will check out a few more AJ Quinnell novels.
I highly recommend the Man on Fire series.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creasy at his best

The details and level of intrigue are simply amazing. While reading, you can feel the pressure that Creasy’s team is under to bring peace to these parents!! Very well conceived and presented.

[Adam Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a Creasy novel through and through. This one had a little more planning and a shorter bang. Of course, nobody should read this one first and therefore this review is pointless because you have read the others.

[R Ricalde · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final great Creasy read. All five books are terrific and Creasy is in the mold of Reacher, Rapp, Harvath but whistles to his own tune. A terrible loss that this character did not get more literary exposure as I think the series would have had a great, long run. Author passed in 2005 so that might have been a reason for book 5 being the final chapter. Writer was terrific is his plot lines and knowledge of locations and kept you on the edge from start to finish.

[L Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of 5 stars I give this book 10 stars.

What an excellent novel with details like no other.
A.J. Quinnell delivering his last book in the series with a knockout punch.

How I wish he could still be writing. I would read only his books👌

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good tead

Good read with a number of characters involved. Hate writing reviews to clear a screen, but this seems to be the only way to move on.

[Alison Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I enjoyed the book very much and I believe it is the last in the series. I’m going to miss Creasy and his friends.

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

280 pages

[Bruce Flushman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creasy At His Best

Liked the gang getting back together and the new female characters. A good read for these times. I recommend it.

[David Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

All good things must come to an end and alas, the Creasy novels did for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed them all and highly recommend them. Great reading!

[Leszek Scholz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but the end is...well...hopeless.
The RPG-7 which (supposedly) threw Creasy back into the minefield when fired - is in fact recoilless...Other than that - good reading.

[Merle Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Is there a next Creasey book.

[James Tuttle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s me

If I had stayed in the Army, I might have tuned out like Creasy….maybe. Great stories, I want more of this.

[brian sheean · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great read

I would recommend this book to anyone who has read “man on fire” or any of the Orphan X books.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mil

[Scott S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creasy

Classic thriller. Great ending to a well written series. You will definitely be glad to have read all five Creasy novels.

[Jtfreeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire Creasy series is outstanding…not many thriller writers rival this author. I wish I’d tracked these down sooner and I wish there more of them.

[Jluis · Rating 2 out of 5]

El peor libro que he leído de este autor.

[Sunil Punjabi]

great story....

[Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there nothing that Creasy and his team can do? What a series.

[Gina Gallo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the only one with an anticlimactic end. All of the book is in the prep work, and then- boom- it's over. I don't know- maybe it was because he was sick- but the ending felt a bit rushed. Great book though- I absolutely LOVED the ending. Creasy was such a great character, one of my favorites, and I miss him. It's so sad that Quinnell died before he could finish the "Priests of a Dead God" book.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creasy gets lured into what's supposed to be a trap, but he's too smart for that. This thriller involves all the guys from his crew with an assault on a Buddhist temple rigged to be his tomb.
A.J. Quinnell's books are hard to find these days. This book I purchased online in the London edition.