Alex King knows he made a mistake, and as a result MI5 has been coerced into investigating the sudden and mysterious death of an MI6 operative. In the frozen wilds of Lapland at a point where Finland, Russia and Norway intersect, an isolated hotel becomes the only sanctuary from the most powerful Arctic storm in living memory. A Russian defector holds the key to a terrifying secret. Pursued by ruthless mercenaries, who will stop at nothing to silence them, the defector heads for the hotel, unaware that the man they mean to meet has been murdered. King must intercept the defector and get the deadly secrets they hold to safety. But who can he trust? And why, after all these years has King’s past finally caught up with him here? Facing attack on all sides, and battling the frozen elements, King suspects that the fight most deadly is not always the one you can see.
A P Bateman is the author of seventeen novels, with twelve of his titles reaching No.1 in Amazon's paid top 100 categories in all Amazon regions and four titles reaching No.1 in Kindle sales in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia.
He has a background in close protection and investigations which has given him a unique insight into the scenarios and locations his characters find themselves in.
His hobbies are swimming, driving, archery, shooting and food; his passions are travel and writing.
He has recently released his seventeenth novel - "Hunter Killer" - the twelfth book in the highly acclaimed Alex King series.
You can keep up with A P Bateman and discover more at his Facebook page: @authorapbateman or his website: www.apbateman.com
Reading Order:
The Rob Stone Series: 1) The Ares Virus 2) The Town 3) The Island
The Alex King Series: 1) The Contract Man 2) Lies and Retribution 3) Shadows of Good Friday (A series prequel) 4) The Five 5) Reaper 6) Stormbound 7) Breakout 8) From the Shadows 9) Rogue 10) The Asset 11) Last Man Standing 12) Hunter Killer
Standalone Novels: Hell's Mouth Unforgotten
Short Stories: The Perfect Murder? Atonement (an Alex King thriller)
This is the sixth in the Alex King series, and on this occasion, Alex travels to the frozen north where Norway, Finland and Russia meet but where borders are blurred, and storms are always trying to wipe out what little life survives in the area.
King is a maverick; an outsider, but a guy you would want on your side and would trust with your life. We know his faults and weaknesses but, like family and close friends, love them nonetheless. King is hardly a lovable character but is someone who can be relied upon when your back is against the wall.
Alex King’s partner, Caroline, features heavily in this story and proves to be an excellent foil to his “action man” approach to getting things done. She is also no pushover as several who come up against her during the story find out to their cost.
The writing style in the early stages of this new novel was not to my taste as it featured short, sharp, almost staccato sentences but I quickly realised that it suited King’s mood. He knows that he is being used by his bosses at MI5 at the behest of MI6 who seem to be pulling strings. The mission is simple – find and bring home a defector who has vital information. But it’s never that simple, and there are those who have instructions to prevent him at all costs. And then there is the weather. Anything liquid freezes immediately in a temperature which has to be experienced to be believed. This is a very tough assignment which will test King and his team to the extreme.
I am a self-confessed A P Bateman fan who looks forward to reading any of his books with relish, so why only 4 stars? My expectations regarding characterisation and realistic dialogue were fully met, as always, but I found the plot flow slightly disjointed and confusing at times. It’s hard to be perfect 100% of the time. Don’t let my very slight reservation put you off though, as this is still a superbly well-crafted thriller. My strong recommendation is that, if you are new to this series, you start at the beginning of the series and work up to this one. I envy you as you are in for a literary treat.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Another triumph, these books and my new hero Alex King just keep me page turning book after book. Each story is a totally different plot, extremely well written, and I will be so sorry when I have read them all, next book is 7, so excited for another whirlwind adventure with AlexKing. Please keep up the good work A J Bateman, you are such a talented writer .
As per the other books in this boxed set, the story was good, but the editing was poor and distracting in places. I used the Kindle’s “Report Content Error” feature but I have no idea if anyone actually reads and acts on those reports.
There were things like men wearing “suites” instead of suits, or words appearing twice “in the in same sentence”.
Sorry, my man, but whoever does your editing needs a refresher course.
Great read flies along at a good pace and the characters are believable
I really enjoyed reading this book. I will be looking at the next Alex King book to keep reading the series. The characters are engaging and seem interesting enough to make the reader want to keep going. Nice one!!
Grab a cup of coffee, or tea, sit down and enjoy the ride..!
Brilliant. Just bloody brilliant. I've had a slow day today, and not been able to read much. So I've only read one book!!!! Mr Bateman, you had me shout out loud, stop from reading and take a deep breath, and then carry on. Thank you for being an astounding author. And now I will start book 7.... Happy days 😀😀😊
Another Russian wants to defect and she has information MI5 needs. The agent sent to bring her back disappears near the Finland Russia border where temperatures are -22F and the worst storm in memory approaching. Alex King is tasked with the job. The problem is, a team of Russian mercenaries have been contracted to make sure she gets eliminated first.
One of the best books I've read recently. A totally unusual location with bone-chilling weather and a very involved plot. Believable characters and action that keeps on coming. Highly recommend it!
Alex gets in and out crises many times in this book. I like the action and how he solves what ever situation is going on wherever in the world he happens to be. Easy read.
Alex King is a character who believes in a biblical sense of justice. Bad people of the worst intentions fall prey to his skills and he leaves the world a better place.
Really enjoyed this book. Amazing how people can live in a those climates. Let alone fight! I love the character of Alex king. Really looking forward to reading many more in the series. AP Bateman brings the characters to life. What a great author. Thanks AP
The setting was very much removed from the norm and added to the interest. So I have just finished book six, each book gets better and the same group of characters makes it easier to get into the next book. I expect that I won't be able to stop until all twenty books have been read.
Likeable characters and an easy read. Thanks Mr Bateman Looking forward to reading the next one and a blockbuster film If you like Lee Child give this a go
Another great exciting read soo well written you actually feel part of the story Alex is in the thick of the story and very resourceful in his approach to danger love Alex and his friend Rashid he is a good character and adds humour to the story as well as being good at his job .love this author.