Absolute Measures : Sometimes justice demands the ultimate sacrifice

by Humphrey Hawksley

British intelligence agent Tim Pack is sent to Khartoum, Sudan tasked with handling a special forces operation to rescue a kidnapped American scientist. There by chance he strikes up a relationship with a young teenager selling Sudanese swords in a market stall. The rescue operation is a success, but an innocent neighbor caught in the crossfire leaves the teenager, Yasin and his twin sister, Samira, orphaned. They are saved from destitution by a Philippine millionaire businessman, Ismael Musa and Samira and Yasin grow up in a world of wealth and privilege far from their humble roots. But the seeds of hatred, sown when they were children, are about to reap a terrible harvest. When Musa's business is destroyed amid the region's economic crisis, and their home is plunged into violent chaos, Yasin knows he can no longer work within the system. The time has come to teach it a lesson. Suddenly the West is confronted by a young man with a plan so audacious that they are literally defenseless against it. Tim Pack is the only one who knows Yasin and Pack knows the best way to get to Yasin is through his sister. Absolute Measures is a story of high-octane suspense drawn from the reality of the world in which we are all living.
The Times described Absolute Measures as a novel of considerable power. Humphrey Hawksley’s international thrillers have been praised for their credibility, pace and deep insight.
Here are some examples.
A neat plot…a provocative and topical thriller The Telegraph, London
You will never see China in the same way again, A novel of terrifying power and suspense set against the events leading up to the massacre at Tiananmen. Adam Williams, The Dragon’s Tail
‘A complex, intelligent, skilfully turned adventure story that will keep the reader spellbound, and propel Mr Hawksley directly into the front-rank of his craft’ – Simon Winchester

‘A solid, believable political thriller’ – Kansas City Star

‘Exciting… combines the elements of 1984, intrigue of the Cold War, power politics, technological and communications, science fiction and terrorism’ – Midwest Book Review

’[A] whirlwind thriller’ – Publishers Weekly
A superior-minded thriller based on recent history that maps out a possible, terrifying future and makes into plausible fiction the global political realities of our time.
Kirkus
Hawksley’s nightmare scenario focuses on the repercussions of wrong decisions.
Japan Times
A gripping thriller. the attention to detail is amazing.
Business Times
His highly realistic appraisal of international relations makes this imaginary story of future tragedy all too credible.
Taipei Times
Hawksley builds a scenario that is every strategic analyst’s worst nightmare.
India Today
Chillingly plausible. It all makes me feel nostalgic for the simple antagonism of the Cold War.
Mail-on-Sunday

437 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2012

About the author

Humphrey is an award-winning author, podcaster and journalist whose assignments with the BBC have taken him to crises all over the world. The three books in his future history series -- Dragonstrike, Dragonfire and The Third World War -- have been praised as authentic, catastrophic scenarios which begin with a Chinese strike in the South China Sea. His Rake Ozenna espionage thriller series is set in the Arctic and High North, beginning with Man on Ice and a Russian invasion of the Alaskan island of Little Diomede. Rake is an island native and a special forces veteran with the Alaska National Guard. The late, great Nelson de Mille applauded Rake as being smart and tough, 'and we’re glad to have him on our side.' Humphrey's non-fiction work includes Democracy Kills: What’s So Good About Having The Vote, published during the Iraq civil war and Asian Waters: The Struggle over the Indo-Pacific and the Challenge to American Power which examines the impact of Chinese expansion in Asia. Humphrey hosts the bi-monthly Democracy Forum Debates. His work has appeared in most mainstream media outlets and he has been guest lecturer at universities and think tanks such as the RAND Corporation, The Center for Strategic and International Studies and MENSA Cambridge. He moderates the Democracy Forum Debates on international issues and is a host of the Goldster Magazine Show and podcast.

Reviews

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read.

[Debi Lodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exhilirating read, even if you do know the "baddie pretending to be the goodie", but that was the only piece slightly formulaic. A Must Read.