One False Move

by Robert Goddard

What value can be put on a human mind? How Joe Roberts does what he does is a mystery. He has a brain that seems able to outperform a computer. To a games company like Venstrom that promises big profits if his abilities can be properly exploited. So they send Nicole Nevinson to track him down and make him an offer too good to refuse.

But Venstrom aren't the only people interested in Joe. His current boss, a shady businessman, is already making serious money out of Joe's talents and isn' going to let him go without a fight. And then there are other forces, with still darker intentions, who have their own plans for him.

Almost before she knows it, Nicole's crossed an invisible line into a world where the game being played has rules she doesn't understand and where no-one can help her win.

But win she must. Because the battle now isn't just for Joe's mind, it's for Nicole's life.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2019

About the author

In a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.

Reviews

[Kylie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing thriller, it starts off with a job offer, which unleashes a whole maelstrom of events. Nicole is sent from London down to Cornwall by her company, Venstrom, a big player in the world of computer gaming. A talented player has been unearthed there, an unwitting genius that has the ability to beat Venstrom's computer program time and time again, which nobody should even come close to. Nicole's job is to go to Cornwall, identify the talent, and offer him a job with the company. Simple right? WRONG!

Nicole's plan quickly hits a major snag, The talented player, a young man named Joe, is in the employ of a local man, to whom he offers tips on stocks and shares, apparently very lucratively. So much so that his employer is not going to let him go, and soon Nicole finds herself threatened, and nearly killed.

Nicole finds herself on the run with the most unlikely of allies, and soon learns that she is an unwitting pawn in a game of cat and mouse that goes back to the time of the cold war. The question now isn't will she manage to reel Joe in for her company, it's will she even survive the attempt?

This is another winner from Robert Goddard, an unputdownable novel full of suspense, as we race from one side of England to the other, not really knowing where we stand or what the opposition is up to. Even though I had a few quibbles with the narrative, mainly, if Joe was such a big fish, why was a minor player in the company like Nicole sent to headhunt him? Another was that in all that was going on the authorities were conspicuous in their absence. But these were minor things and didn't really detract from what is a really good, timely, thriller. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Goddard certainly knows how to write a cracking thriller which is so skillfully plotted, and with complex, multilayered storylines that travel in gobsmacking directions. This is a truly twisted yarn that has our protagonist, Nicole Nevinson, working for computer gaming Silicon Valley corporate giant, Venstrom, heading to Cornwall to find and secure the services of an unknown game player in Cornwall. Venstrom have been tracking a gamer, Joe Roberts, who has gifts that can often ourperform the computer when it comes to a game that originates in China, called Go. This is virtually unheard of, and they want Joe working for them, they are willing to do whatever it takes, and offer him anything he wants to come work for them. Nicole finds herself in St Maws and Falmouth, determined that she shall succeed in her quest and establish her position in Venstrom. However, she is about to disappear down a rabbit hole that is to shatter her entire life as she knows it, and in a deadly struggle to survive the ruthless forces coming from multiple directions, all arraigned against her.

To Nicole's surprise, she finds Joe has employment with a shady businessman, Conrad Vogler, and Vogler has no intention of letting Joe go and he can fight real dirty. Despite being authorised to offer Vogler whatever compensation he wants, Nicole begins to find herself terrified as it dawns on her, nothing will persuade Vogler to let Joe go. Her boss, the ambitious Carl, arrives on the scene, certain that he can close the deal with Vogler and make his career by signing Joe on the payroll. He too is to find he has underestimated what he is up against as it becomes clear there are numerous shadowy figures and organisations who want Joe too. As murders occur, the story moves into the area of espionage and the intelligence services as Nicole finds help from someone who has been forced into hiding for many years, but find themselves inadvertently back on the frontline. Nicole finds herself learning of a past history that goes back to the cold war and the collapse of the Berlin Wall, facing international criminal gangs and a powerful traitor responsible for an untold number of deaths, and several steps ahead of her in the battle to ensure that she is eliminated.

This is a fantastic thriller, full of chilling menace, that is loaded with suspense and tension. It is so compelling that I resented any intrusions from real life that took me away from the book. The characterisation is great, especially that of Nicole whose life begins to unravel in ways she could hardly have expected at the beginning of her assignment. My one regret is that Joe's character is not as developed as I would have liked it to have been. This is a brilliant read for all those that love thrillers with complex plotlines, and packed with twists and the unexpected. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good thriller that Robert Goddard fans will love One False Move will get you in from the beginning & you will be taken on a rollercoaster ride that will question your allies & enemies it was fast paced well written & you won't weant to put this down.


Nicole Nevison offers Joe who is a computer gaming genius an offer he can't refuse Venstrom a computer gaming company run by Conrad Vogler a big player in the computer industry he wants Joe to beat Venstroms computer program time after time. Until another company wants Joe's services the fight is on to secure Joe's talents.


The stakes are high & nicole has taken on more than she can chew! there is a certain amount of red herrings & subdefuge going on in this book, there were twists & turns that only Mr Goddard could pull over your eyes he ias a master of the thriller genre & will have you staying up long into the night to find out all the answers.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it is quite pedestrian to begin with in order to set the scene and introduce the characters, it soon becomes a fast-paced cat and mouse tale. I love my thrillers based around technology and this has many exciting twisty surprises in store for the reader, and once you progress past the slow start the action is non-stop; it certainly keeps you on your toes. The premise is quite an original one and reminded me a lot of Criminal Minds and similar shows where they pluck hackers out of obscurity and employ them due to their huge technological capabilities.

This is a book that is complex, plot-driven and never fails to get the adrenaline pumping, and main protagonist Nicole shows herself to be a very likeable and stubbornly determined individual, but can she stay a step ahead when the going gets tough?

[Natalie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m really conflicted about this review. I enjoyed the first half of the novel immensely; the intrigue, and the uniqueness of the plot had me turning page after page.
But...and it’s a big but...and a few of them...
If Joe is such an untapped talent why is a lowly employee like Nicole sent to procure his services?
Joe, for whom so many suffer various demises, is a completely undeveloped character, sadly.
At the halfway mark, there’s s sudden history lesson, albeit needed for the second half but it comes from nowhere!
And finally, with this level of corruption, the involvement of external agencies, etc - where are they, why do so many loose ends still dangle (like missing bodies, and the other crimes)?
Great potential but falls a bit short.

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

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**3.5 stars**

One False Move by Robert Goddard. (2019).

Joe has a brain that seems to be able to beat a computer. Nicole works for a games company called Venstrom who want Joe so they send Nicole to track him down and make him an offer too good to refuse. But Venstrom aren't the only ones after Joe. His current shady boss is making a lot of money and isn't going to let him go without a fight. And then there are other secret forces who want Joe...
Nicole is quickly sucked into a battle for Joe and his mind, inexperienced with the other players and also fighting for her life.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I LOVED the last novel I read from this author (Panic Room). I went into this book with high expectations. Probably too high haha. I did definitely enjoy this book. It was a very clever plot and I think the storyline would make a great action thriller movie. The reader is held in suspense for most of the book and the story is full of twists that end up being somehow all related by the end. But...I found the storyline a bit convoluted and confusing. It happened more than once where I was flicking back pages going wait what is happening, and who is this again; this particularly occurs in the second half of the book. Considering Joe is the focus, the reader never really learns that much about him which is a shame.
Overall, I did enjoy the book but the storyline felt a bit complicated at times.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advance copy of One False Move, a stand alone thriller set initially in Cornwall.

Nicole Nevinson is sent by her employer, computer firm Venstrom, to lure computer genius Joe Roberts from his current job to work for them. Things don’t go according to plan as Joe’s employer is loath to release him and other organisations are taking an interest. Soon Nicole is on the run in fear of her life.

I thoroughly enjoyed One False Move as it is a tense, exciting read with many twists and turns. The novel is a bit slow to start with plenty of scene setting as Nicole tries to explain her mission to the reader. I must be out of touch with modern reality or maybe I’m just not greedy enough because offering Joe anything he wants in return for his genius and the desperation to secure his services seems rather OTT to me. This, however, is the premise and what follows explores that desperation. It is non stop action after the slow start with enough twists and heart pounding moments to tempt me to skip to the end to make sure it all turns out well. I resisted but held my breath several times. The first person narrative from Nicole makes it more immediate as she is cast adrift in a dangerous situation not of her own making. It is difficult to say much more without issuing spoilers as the plot is quite complicated and introduces many unexpected elements.

I rather like Nicole. Initially she is all corporate executive determined to sign up Joe and give her career the resulting boost such a coup would merit but as events spin out of control she shows herself to be resourceful with great survival instincts. Of course she has her down moments, especially when events overtake her and she’s helpless, but it just makes her a more rounded character.

One False Move is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine a little snowball that is riding downhill picking up twigs, pebbles then suddenly, it gets bigger, moves faster and now it is deadly because it has picked branches and rocks. Well, a plot by Goddard is something like that.

This book is very well written like all Goddard’s book, it has intrigue, it is fast paced and for the history enthusiast like me, it has plenty so a big plus. A multiple set of thrilling and exciting subplots will leave your head spinning and the characters are well developed. So what went wrong? The plot toward the end became a little unbelievable. The ending felt rushed, like the author needed to give the manuscript that same day to the publisher. After investing so much time on a book I would like to see how everything was resolved toward the end.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Goddard is a writer of ingenious thrillers. He is a master plotter. And One False Move is absolutely superb! You think you know where you're going and then time after time the floor shifts beneath your feet. This is compulsive reading and I am in awe of the author's skill. Again!

[Jon Mackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murphy's law states that "if anything can go wrong, it will" and that's the premise of Goddard's novels although these situations have felt more contrived in his more recent novels. Protagonist Nicole is given the task of first establishing whether Joe is actually able to out think a computer on a game of of Go, or whether there is some trickery involved. Assuming that he is the genuine article, her next task is to make him an offer that he can't refuse and to compensate others for the losses they may incur once Joe stops his 'consultancy' for them. But then people have a habit of not turning up to appointments and Nicole realises that people aren't who they say they are, and the stakes are much greater than she imagined possible.

This story has the page-turning qualities and narrative style that one expects from Goddard's novels. But almost exactly halfway through there is a complete change of tone. There's a lengthy historical exposition about the background and the motivations of one of the characters which serves to bring the narrative to a grinding halt. It's like roadworks. Zipping along at 70 and then forced to trundle at 20 for a bit that you need to get through before the pace can pick up again, but the novel never gets back to it's initial pace. Aside from the handful of characters who (may or may not) have placed a part in the historical events, there is very little depth to some of the characters, very little background and once they've outlived their usefulness, they're dismissed from the stage: either bumped off, in an accident or just left having provided a bit of help. So, as well as they "if anything can go wrong" approach, there are an astonishing number of coincidences of helpful characters who just happen to provide a means for Nicole to achieve the next stage of her journey.

A good story, but really more of a long-train-journey read, rather than the depth of some of his other stories.

[Bruce Hatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just the third Robert Goddard book I’ve read and, like the first, the brilliant Panic Room, much of the action takes place on the beautiful coast of south Cornwall.
Nicole Nevison is a headhunter for Silicon Valley gaming company Venstrom and is in St. Mawes to recruit Joe Roberts, a brilliant young player of the game Go; even beating Venstrom’s own supercomputer. Joe is currently employed by a corrupt businessman called Conrad Vogler who certainly has no intentions of letting his gifted employee go elsewhere. Nicole soon finds herself way out of her depth. However, it soon transpires that she’s up against adversaries far more dangerous than Vogler.
There is a middle section which goes back to the late 1980s and early 90s - Gorbachev, Berlin Wall, Tianamen Square etc – which gives us the essential background to a central character and the main villain.
Robert Goddard seems to have a gift for plots which feature an ordinary character thrown into an extraordinary situation and using resources they didn’t know they possessed to cope. For me it seems a surefire way to grab the reader’s attention right through until the final page.

[Tracey Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good bit of escapism

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Robert Goddard is one of my favourite authors, but this book left me feeling less that satisfied.

It seemed a little bit of a mess just thrown together and shaken until something appeared that resembled one of his usually great novels. I cared little for the protagonist, and found myself hoping for her demise at some points throughout the book, which is probably a sign that the novel did not reach me as the author intended.

I pushed through to read the entire book, mainly because I don't like to discard a book that is not finished, and found the ending to be extremely poor. It resembled a bad satire, where everybody and his dog appears out of the blue, pointing a gun at somebody else. And then there are the twists that I usually find well planned. This time they feel forced and weak.

The book is basically an attempt to write a modern tech thriller, but it fails to deliver. It doesn't come across as modern, and I found myself wishing Goddard would stick to thrillers with historical settings. That is his strength.

Fortunately, I know Goddard has better books in his catalogue, so I will definitely be reading more of his titles. Yet, I will probably stay clear of any that are set in modern times.

[Dawn Marsanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of Robert Goddard, but this one, like the Panic Room, just didn't match up to his earlier works.
I found the first part quite engaging, then there was a middle section which was like reading a history book and I found it a struggle.
The final part became rather unbelievable and I wasn't compelled to finish the book. However, I pressed on and felt rather underwhelmed.
For me, this book had echos of The Fox by Frederick Forsyth.

[Blue50p · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read most of this author's novels since Past Caring (which is well worth 5 stars) they have become less enjoyable with the 'trilogy' being the bottom line.
This book starts well then is interrupted by a 'look back' which seriously distorts the story.
The last part of the story is just about readable

[Lou Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fast paced thriller.. think I have found another author I like, which is great because he's written a lot of books!

[Sammy Dawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst book I have ever read. Absolute drivel

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Nevinson is sent to track down a young man, Joe Roberts, who seems able to beat the best computers in the world at the board game “Go”. That sets in motion a complex weave of events with corporate espionage and dips into the world of the secret service.

I have read a number of Robert Goddard’s books over the years preferring his earlier work over his more recent books. However, I was still keen to try this book out. I found myself way out of my comfort zone. I really am not interested in the corporate business world and nor do I much like spy books. I was on to a bit of a looser here. I did debate giving up when it became apparent that this really wasn’t my sort of book – however, I am determined to stretch my reading this year so stuck with it.

In the end I actually quite enjoyed this book. It was quite a complicated plot with a lot of characters from the corporate, smuggling & spy worlds. They did seem to change sides regularly so I needed to keep my wits about me. The book was well written and did make sense – the plot does come together at the end.

The book is written from the point of view of Nicole. She is sent to Cornwall to liaise with Joe on behalf of a computer company. That is her job & she gets heavily involved in a world that she knows nothing about. She doesn’t know who to trust and makes mistakes. She is definitely a little naive about the ruthlessness of human nature. However, she digs deep and comes out in the end – sort of!

I am pleased that this book challenged me as a reader. I shall continue to keep my eye open for his future work.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Under Milkwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

What is it about the name Goddard and losing the plot?
Jean-Luc not only lost a 'd', he enjoyed a lost 'weekend' then went off the rails. (arguably)
Liza a.k.a Clancy fell into the overflow by talking to a kangaroo.
Brendon renounced his sainthood by becoming a megalomaniac-ish mad bomber.
And for the sake of this review there's Robert the writer who appears to have literally lost the plot.
One False Move is his twenty-ninth novel in roughly as many years. I've been there as a loyal reader from the outset and now I'm getting a little nervous.
As the title may or not imply, it's about the world of gaming. (It's not Goddard's self-assessment). Far from being the chief protagonist, Joe is a gifted young gamer who seems to have the ability to outmanoeuvre the 'humble' computer. Naturally everyone wants a piece of him, particularly a global gaming consortium named Venstrom who are represented by an anxious yet ambitious young woman named Nicole. Nicole's mission, should she choose to accept it, is to coerce Joe into coming aboard as a star recruit. Trouble is, there's lots of baddies who also want to get their hands on Joe. Up to this point, that is a good thing because Goddard thrives on mysterious skullduggery.
It also helps that the novel is principally set in Falmouth, Cornwall because as always, Goddard writes with a keen sense of place. It's the credibility of his characters that are beginning to let him down. Oh, yes and the plot.
When Goddard published his excellent Wide World Trilogy some years ago his love of modern history was successfully blended into a three-part thriller as it looked at characters set within the uncertain and suspicious times between two world wars. With One False Move it's as if he decided that now was the time to expand the history factor to include the ramifications of the fall of the Berlin Wall and in particular, the steady rise of Chinese power. Which is all fascinating, but how does he weave this into a tale of computer gaming? Err, easy!
Plumb in the middle of the novel one of the charismatic characters gets into the willing ear of our young narrator, Nicole and delivers a forty page breakdown of world history in the late 80's. Unlike me, Nicole takes it all in without battering an eyelid, let alone asking a question.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh because Robert Goddard is an exceptional thriller writer and my rating doesn't show the extra half star. However, he is edging into his late sixties and maybe he sees the need to include more concerns for the younger generation. Climate change featured heavily in the last novel and now it's games and emojis. So why not keep up with the Genexers and Millenials in lieu of those out of touch Joneses? Well...
Finally, despite all his contemporary leanings, I do have to question the book's cover image and typography. It's so Alistair Maclean. The title 'One False Move' is acceptable but when it is followed by '..and you're dead', isn't that pastiche?
Come back to us, Robert. All will be forgiven.

[Joe Stamber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of dubious characters, deceit and confusion, with many questions but few answers - not Prime Minister's questions, but another Robert Goddard novel. Nicole is sent to Cornwall to headhunt computer genius Joe got the gaming company she works for. As is usual for a Goddard novel, the initial premise sounds fairly straightforward... but of course it soon spirals into a crazy nightmare for Nicole. I was really enjoying reading until around the half way mark, when suddenly another character takes over the first person narration for some political history. It did turn out to be necessary for the plot, but it really broke the story up at the time. We do get back to Nicole for the remainder of the story. Regular readers of Goddard's won't be surprised to hear that the longer it goes on, the more convoluted it gets, but he knows how to tell a tale and my interest never waned. Not his best, but overall I enjoyed it, so I would rate it 7/10, rounded up to 4 stars.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Nevison sets out for St.Mawes and Falmouth with the aim of recruiting Joe Roberts, an expert Go player, for her bosses at Venstrom computers. Very little goes to plan as she is caught up in corruption, espionage and murder.

The book moves quickly along in Robert Goddard's familiar style leaving the reader to keep the pages turning. Nicole, the main character, comes across as naive as she seems to believe everyone. How does she know who to trust and is Joe quite all that he seems. Nicole chooses a path that lets her into danger.

A good readable novel. A must for all Goddard fans.

[Ellie Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been a fan of Goddard's work and I enjoyed this one, which had plenty of suspense, though perhaps a less complex plot than we're used to. Definitely worth reading, with its twists and turns, although I found it harder to relate to Nicole than some of his previous protagonists, which made it less engaging for me.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange thriller as a girl tasked with hiring a gifted computer gamer becomes embroiled in global politics and worldwide espionage. A little too far fetched for me but an interesting story and worth a look.

[Jane Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Robert Goddard - he never disappoints! This one is about a games company who want to get hold of a boy who can beat their computer at a game called Go and about the awful situation they all get into. As always it is a pacey tale and the story moves on rapidly with lots of twists and turns. Great escapism!

[Paul Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and brilliantly written. I can only imagine the amount of research needed to write this!
Clever, intricately woven plot with a great story.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of this book the main character says something like her colleague didn't know what he was getting them into. After reading the rest of the book, I'd say that was pretty accurate if not an understatement. We start off with a relatively simple task for Nicole. To track down a game player and persuade them to work for her games company Venstrom. Both these things initially go well but there is one small sticking point. Joe, the game player already has a job and his current employer isn't about to let him go without a fight; and he plays dirty. Things soon spiral further as it seems that Venstrom isn't the only one interested in Joe and his talents and what follows is a fast action, scary, roller coaster thrill of a ride that eventually has Nicole on the run fearing for her life.
Well... firstly I have to say that I really wasn't expecting to go where we went in this book and I am not talking geographically. Don't worry, I'm not going to spoil anything in this review but I will say that it did remind me of quite a few of the author's earlier books with the path it took. I'd love to qualify this statement and also explain exactly why I loved this book but I really want everyone to get the same shocking tingle of excitement I got when certain things came out.
As with all the books I have read by this author plotting was extremely tight and very well executed, especially important given the direction we took. Characterisation was also good. We had a veritable mix of good and bad and, also as usual from the author, those who were somewhere in between. Again I'm reluctant to go into detail but I will just say that there were some juicy secrets and lies to be found along with a dollop of duplicitous behaviour. I especially loved it when help came from a very unlikely source... Pacing was perfect and fitted with the narrative well.
All in all, a good addition to an already impressive back catalogue, most of which I have already read. Hopefully I will be able to fill in more gaps whilst I wait for the next new offering. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Kath B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great thriller from Robert Goddard - an adventure story but with just the right amount of realism to make you think it could actually happen/have happened.

[Gabbiadini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished . Brilliant thriller that gathers pace to a thoroughly breathtaking last third. Really original plot that you can never second guess makes it a satisfying , captivating thriller .

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced action thriller from a renowned British author. Nicole works for a computer company who want to recruit Joe to their team. He iis a champion at the game GO beating human contestants and a computer. The question is whether he has analytical powers and computer skills that can be harnessed. her company is not alone in wanting him onboard for their various reasons. Nicole ends up in a chase of espionage and counter espionage . Nicole's life is in danger and she must keep one step ahead to preserve her life. There are numerous twist and turns along the way, as one would expect from this author, and the story spans a considerable time frame as the background unfold.
A book to keep you on the edge of your seat, anticipating the next adventure or misadventure.