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A Fatal Game
FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GOOD LIAR, SOON TO BE A MAJOR FILM
A terrorist attack has just hit a busy railway station. Jake Winter was the British intelligence officer in charge of stopping the attack and now his career, and his conscience, are in freefall . . .
Jake's next anti-terror operation has to be a success. He has got himself a new source - a young British Asian man, Rashid, recently returned, apparently disillusioned, from battle, who he hopes is the key to foiling the next attack and to getting Jake to the leader of the network. But is Rashid really working for British intelligence, or has Jake put his faith in the wrong man once again?
A Fatal Game is the story of an organization, and a single man, in a state of panic. And panic is the last thing you need when you're playing a game like this ...
***PRAISE FOR NICHOLAS SEARLE***
'It reminded me strongly of John le Carre ... this is high praise' Daily Mail
'Unbearably tense' Daily Telegraph
'Think of Ruth Rendell morphing into John le Carré' Daily Express
'You will have your socks knocked, nay, blown off' Stylist
A terrorist attack has just hit a busy railway station. Jake Winter was the British intelligence officer in charge of stopping the attack and now his career, and his conscience, are in freefall . . .
Jake's next anti-terror operation has to be a success. He has got himself a new source - a young British Asian man, Rashid, recently returned, apparently disillusioned, from battle, who he hopes is the key to foiling the next attack and to getting Jake to the leader of the network. But is Rashid really working for British intelligence, or has Jake put his faith in the wrong man once again?
A Fatal Game is the story of an organization, and a single man, in a state of panic. And panic is the last thing you need when you're playing a game like this ...
***PRAISE FOR NICHOLAS SEARLE***
'It reminded me strongly of John le Carre ... this is high praise' Daily Mail
'Unbearably tense' Daily Telegraph
'Think of Ruth Rendell morphing into John le Carré' Daily Express
'You will have your socks knocked, nay, blown off' Stylist
256 pages, Hardcover
Published July 4, 2019
17 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
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July 11, 2025
DIETRO LE QUINTE
Ora che il maestro John Le Carré non c’è più – maestro che aveva imparato la lezione da uno scrittore ancora più grande, Graham Greene, che però Le Carré batteva ampiamente sul piano del lavoro nell’intelligence britannica (quella di Greene sportiva, all’acqua di rose, quella di Le Carré ben più robusta) - Ora che John Le Carré non c’è più, si apre la corsa a chi si aggiudica il titolo di successore, nipotino prediletto…
E forse ha ragione Giancarlo De Cataldo quando dice che le spy story (benedette esse siano, io le amo, sia su pagina che su schermo) si dividono in due categorie principali: o à la James Bond, o à la Le Carré.
Senza se e senza ma, io che James Bond lo amo, e tanto, ma solo al cinema, e solo se interpretato da Connery o Craig o Brosnan, le altre varianti le trovo risibili - e insieme a loro amo Charlize Theron-Atomic Blonde, la saga di Bourne è tra i miei film preferiti - sulla pagina propendo invece per la categoria di spy story alla Le Carré: più lente, riflessive, psicologiche, magari senza bisogno di pistole e inseguimenti, ma raffinatamente scacchistiche.
I romanzi alla Red Sparrow li trovo penosi con quel loro inquinante tasso superomistico – anche se nel caso specifico il passero rosso del titolo è una macchina da guerra di sesso femminile. Mi trovo a mio agio se trionfa il “fattore umano”, per dirla alla Greene.
Nicholas Searle, che pare sia nom de plume, sfoggia una biografia di tutto rispetto, se è da prendere sul serio: un quarto di secolo di attività nell’intelligence britannica.
Un’altra parte della sua biografia, quella di scrittore, è invece più verificabile: tre romanzi all’attivo, due tradotti in italiano, questo e L’inganno perfetto – The Good Liar, dal quale è stato tratto l’omonimo film con Helen Mirren e Ian McKellen.
Qui mi ha regalato un romanzo corale: ho potuto seguire il punto di vista della coppia pakistana che ha perso figlio e nipotina nell’attentato, dei membri della cellula terroristica, di agenti funzionari e dirigenti dell’intelligence (le mitiche MI5 e MI6), di ministro e sottosegretario, dei poliziotti.
Ma nel coro c’era una voce solista: quella di Jake Winter. Colui che si chiede: posso fidarmi di qualcuno se non riesco più a fidarmi di me stesso?
Come mai Jake ha difficoltà a fidarsi di sé è presto detto: pochi mesi fa un'operazione è fallita miseramente, sessantatré morti in una stazione di Londra. La persona della quale si fidava, il suo infiltrato, era Abu Omar, un giovane musulmano, che, non si capisce come e perché, sostituisce lo zainetto approvato dalla polizia con un altro pieno di esplosivo, non si sa come né perché trasportava un cellulare, contraddicendo gli ordine di Jake. Anche Abu Omar è saltato in aria. Era complice o vittima? Lo avevano costretto a sostituire lo zainetto ‘innocuo’ con quello esplosivo o lo scambio era avvenuto a sua insaputa? È stato lui ad azionare il detonatore o si è trasformato in miccia inconsapevole?
Tante domande che Jake si pone a martello e alle quali non riesce a trovare risposta.
Ora, nonostante l’inchiesta in corso che lo vede come testimone a rischio di passare imputato (l’attività che nell’intelligence si esercita con maggior profitto e raffinatezza è lo scaricabarile, la ricerca del capro espiatorio), Jake Winter è a capo di un’altra operazione simile: deve fidarsi di Rashid, un altro giovane mussulmano che ha combattuto con l’ISIS per poi pentirsi, disgustato di tutto quello sgozzare e giustiziare e punire. Rashid gli ha detto che insieme ad altri tre della sua cellula farà una strage allo stadio in occasione della partita col Real Madrid.
Jake può fidarsi di Rashid?
Diavolo, questa seconda operazione ricalca in maniera impressionante la prima. Che è fallita. Ed è stata una strage con sessantatré morti.
Un bel viaggio “dietro le quinte” dei servizi segreti, all’interno delle loro procedure: la valutazione dei rischi, le liste di controllo, le verifiche incrociate, i profili psicologici, i tranelli, le vie di fuga, i rapporti, gli incontri, gli interrogatori, le analisi strategiche, lo studio sulle coperture, le fonti confidenziali, i gruppi di collegamento, le riunioni sulla strategia operativa, le diagnosi di benessere….
Per me, autentica delizia da suggere con estatica lentezza.
Il lavoro in realtà è abbastanza semplice. Due o più persone si uniscono, una rivela all’altra qualche segreto, e quella converte ciò che le viene detto in qualcosa di prezioso e utilizzabile, senza mettere a repentaglio la vita dell’altra persona.
Vero, Jake: ma questa è la teoria. Solo teoria. E tu lo sai bene, l’hai imparato a tue spese.
René Magritte: La spia (1928).
Ora che il maestro John Le Carré non c’è più – maestro che aveva imparato la lezione da uno scrittore ancora più grande, Graham Greene, che però Le Carré batteva ampiamente sul piano del lavoro nell’intelligence britannica (quella di Greene sportiva, all’acqua di rose, quella di Le Carré ben più robusta) - Ora che John Le Carré non c’è più, si apre la corsa a chi si aggiudica il titolo di successore, nipotino prediletto…
E forse ha ragione Giancarlo De Cataldo quando dice che le spy story (benedette esse siano, io le amo, sia su pagina che su schermo) si dividono in due categorie principali: o à la James Bond, o à la Le Carré.
Senza se e senza ma, io che James Bond lo amo, e tanto, ma solo al cinema, e solo se interpretato da Connery o Craig o Brosnan, le altre varianti le trovo risibili - e insieme a loro amo Charlize Theron-Atomic Blonde, la saga di Bourne è tra i miei film preferiti - sulla pagina propendo invece per la categoria di spy story alla Le Carré: più lente, riflessive, psicologiche, magari senza bisogno di pistole e inseguimenti, ma raffinatamente scacchistiche.
I romanzi alla Red Sparrow li trovo penosi con quel loro inquinante tasso superomistico – anche se nel caso specifico il passero rosso del titolo è una macchina da guerra di sesso femminile. Mi trovo a mio agio se trionfa il “fattore umano”, per dirla alla Greene.
Nicholas Searle, che pare sia nom de plume, sfoggia una biografia di tutto rispetto, se è da prendere sul serio: un quarto di secolo di attività nell’intelligence britannica.
Un’altra parte della sua biografia, quella di scrittore, è invece più verificabile: tre romanzi all’attivo, due tradotti in italiano, questo e L’inganno perfetto – The Good Liar, dal quale è stato tratto l’omonimo film con Helen Mirren e Ian McKellen.
Qui mi ha regalato un romanzo corale: ho potuto seguire il punto di vista della coppia pakistana che ha perso figlio e nipotina nell’attentato, dei membri della cellula terroristica, di agenti funzionari e dirigenti dell’intelligence (le mitiche MI5 e MI6), di ministro e sottosegretario, dei poliziotti.
Ma nel coro c’era una voce solista: quella di Jake Winter. Colui che si chiede: posso fidarmi di qualcuno se non riesco più a fidarmi di me stesso?
Come mai Jake ha difficoltà a fidarsi di sé è presto detto: pochi mesi fa un'operazione è fallita miseramente, sessantatré morti in una stazione di Londra. La persona della quale si fidava, il suo infiltrato, era Abu Omar, un giovane musulmano, che, non si capisce come e perché, sostituisce lo zainetto approvato dalla polizia con un altro pieno di esplosivo, non si sa come né perché trasportava un cellulare, contraddicendo gli ordine di Jake. Anche Abu Omar è saltato in aria. Era complice o vittima? Lo avevano costretto a sostituire lo zainetto ‘innocuo’ con quello esplosivo o lo scambio era avvenuto a sua insaputa? È stato lui ad azionare il detonatore o si è trasformato in miccia inconsapevole?
Tante domande che Jake si pone a martello e alle quali non riesce a trovare risposta.
Ora, nonostante l’inchiesta in corso che lo vede come testimone a rischio di passare imputato (l’attività che nell’intelligence si esercita con maggior profitto e raffinatezza è lo scaricabarile, la ricerca del capro espiatorio), Jake Winter è a capo di un’altra operazione simile: deve fidarsi di Rashid, un altro giovane mussulmano che ha combattuto con l’ISIS per poi pentirsi, disgustato di tutto quello sgozzare e giustiziare e punire. Rashid gli ha detto che insieme ad altri tre della sua cellula farà una strage allo stadio in occasione della partita col Real Madrid.
Jake può fidarsi di Rashid?
Diavolo, questa seconda operazione ricalca in maniera impressionante la prima. Che è fallita. Ed è stata una strage con sessantatré morti.
Un bel viaggio “dietro le quinte” dei servizi segreti, all’interno delle loro procedure: la valutazione dei rischi, le liste di controllo, le verifiche incrociate, i profili psicologici, i tranelli, le vie di fuga, i rapporti, gli incontri, gli interrogatori, le analisi strategiche, lo studio sulle coperture, le fonti confidenziali, i gruppi di collegamento, le riunioni sulla strategia operativa, le diagnosi di benessere….
Per me, autentica delizia da suggere con estatica lentezza.
Il lavoro in realtà è abbastanza semplice. Due o più persone si uniscono, una rivela all’altra qualche segreto, e quella converte ciò che le viene detto in qualcosa di prezioso e utilizzabile, senza mettere a repentaglio la vita dell’altra persona.
Vero, Jake: ma questa è la teoria. Solo teoria. E tu lo sai bene, l’hai imparato a tue spese.
René Magritte: La spia (1928).
July 11, 2019
Who isn’t fascinated by the world of spooks? These men and women, whose jobs are steeped in mystery so much that they aren’t even allowed to talk about it, spend their days in ways we know nothing about. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing. After all, there is a lot of stuff going on out there in the world and none of it is particularly good. Ignorance is bliss?
In A Fatal Game, we meet Jake Winter. Jake is a spy for the British Intelligence Service but things are about to come crashing down around him. The story starts with a terrorist attack on a busy railway station. Jake was in charge of stopping this attack but his asset seems to have played him for a fool. While an enquiry into this terrorist attack is ongoing, Jake’s job doesn’t just stop. He’s found another source, who’s part of yet another terrorist cell. But can this young man be trusted or will history repeat itself?
This is one tense ride and you’re never really quite sure how it will all end, which seems fitting because neither do the characters in this story. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Nicholas Searle tackled this intriguing tale from various angles. The reader follows Jake and his partner as they meet with the source, we are also introduced to the members of the terrorist cell, we follow the preparations from the armed forces, the political games behind the scenes and the enquiry into the railway station attack which makes you feel like a member of the audience, desperate for answers while all the while feeling none will be forthcoming. All these points of view really place the reader right in the centre of all the action.
What a compelling read this is. Full of fascinating characters, deceit, the games some people play and never quite knowing what will happen, A Fatal Game feels horribly realistic, utterly believable and somewhat frightening. If anything it has left me with the utmost admiration for spies all over the world, in awe of the responsibility they face every single day and the knowledge that it isn’t at all as glamorous as it looks on tv. It may be short at a mere 245 pages but it packs quite a punch and it held my attention throughout, right up until the quite dramatic conclusion. A Fatal Game is a well-plotted spy thriller that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the genre.
In A Fatal Game, we meet Jake Winter. Jake is a spy for the British Intelligence Service but things are about to come crashing down around him. The story starts with a terrorist attack on a busy railway station. Jake was in charge of stopping this attack but his asset seems to have played him for a fool. While an enquiry into this terrorist attack is ongoing, Jake’s job doesn’t just stop. He’s found another source, who’s part of yet another terrorist cell. But can this young man be trusted or will history repeat itself?
This is one tense ride and you’re never really quite sure how it will all end, which seems fitting because neither do the characters in this story. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Nicholas Searle tackled this intriguing tale from various angles. The reader follows Jake and his partner as they meet with the source, we are also introduced to the members of the terrorist cell, we follow the preparations from the armed forces, the political games behind the scenes and the enquiry into the railway station attack which makes you feel like a member of the audience, desperate for answers while all the while feeling none will be forthcoming. All these points of view really place the reader right in the centre of all the action.
What a compelling read this is. Full of fascinating characters, deceit, the games some people play and never quite knowing what will happen, A Fatal Game feels horribly realistic, utterly believable and somewhat frightening. If anything it has left me with the utmost admiration for spies all over the world, in awe of the responsibility they face every single day and the knowledge that it isn’t at all as glamorous as it looks on tv. It may be short at a mere 245 pages but it packs quite a punch and it held my attention throughout, right up until the quite dramatic conclusion. A Fatal Game is a well-plotted spy thriller that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the genre.
October 4, 2020
Tutto tacque. La vibrazione del pavimento e il rimbombo distante avevano dato la notizia principale. gli schermi raccontavano ciò che lui già sapeva, in quel momento.
Il momento in cui capì che la sua vita era terminata.
Avevo voglia di leggere un bel thriller galvanizzante e questo titolo prometteva un attentato da sventare, una corsa contro il tempo, un'ambientazione tra servizi segreti inglesi e cellule terroristiche a cui l'attualità ci ha ha purtroppo abituati.
E questo promette, in effetti, l'ultimo romanzo di Searle.
L'aspetto più interessante è senza dubbio la coralità del romanzo, la mancanza di un POV univoco, che salta di continuo, ora dalla parte del servizio di spionaggio, ora dalla parte dei singoli terroristi della cellula, ora dagli stessi parenti delle vittime di un attentato precedente che stanno ancora elaborando il lutto.
Inoltre, poichè l'autore ha lavorato in passato proprio nel settore dell'intelligence, la sua ricostruzione del dietro le quinte risulta senza dubbio accurata, dandoci l'idea che questo lavoro è fatto solo in minima parte di azione, ma si compone essenzialmente di analisi dati, intercettazioni, pedinamenti, ricostruzioni di possibili scenari fatti allo sfinimento.
Peccato però che lo sviluppo di questo romanzo sia un grumo caotico di dialoghi, ragionamenti e azioni. Mi sono fatta l'idea che l'autore avesse molta materia, anche per esperienza diretta, da utilizzare, ma la usa male, accontentandosi di abbozzare tutto in modo superficiale, e talvolta anche con una narrazione eccessivamente tecnica e lievemente soporifera.
Ammetto che se mi sarebbe piaciuto entrare nella mente dei terroristi, i dubbi che avevo non sono stati risolti. Le motivazioni poste alla base di gente che non ha esitazioni a farsi saltare per aria, portandosi centinaia di simili nell'oltretomba insieme, è semplicemente che si tratta di ragazzi disperati, rabbiosi, e che se non fossero divenuti terroristi religiosi, sarebbero stati arruolati in qualche altra azione violenta. Ma allora come spiegare l'adesione di persone ricche, con una famiglia tranquilla alle spalle, con una buona istruzione superiore? Risposte non pervenute.
E la confusione vige anche tra gli stessi "buoni" perchè, ammettiamolo, certe scelte e strategie qui paiono guidate più dalla politica e dall'approssimazione, che non da una vera consapevolezza (della serie "speriamo che la bomba si trovi nello zainetto giusto e che Dio ci aiuti"...).
Insomma, soprattutto il finale mi ha lasciato insoddisfatta.
Manca a mio parere una svolta attesa a lungo, vari nodi non vengono districati, e io non ho compreso cosa succede a chi. L'autore conclude dicendo che ha cercato di descrivere tutti con realismo e compassione (pure per i terroristi), ma magari poteva sforzarsi per un paio di capitoli in più.
Avrei valutato anche meno nel complesso, ma c'è un personaggio (la signora Masoud) che da sola vale l'intero libro: mussulmana, laureata ed estremamente intelligente, ammette con candore la sua scelta rassegnata di vivere con la maschera di "brava moglie docile" proprio per evitare di girare con un bersaglio sulla schiena a causa della sua bravura e autonomia, in un contesto sociale non ancora maturo per riconoscerle un ruolo. I dialoghi che la riguardano sono di un cinismo impressionante e difficili da digerire in un'Inghilterra del ventunesimo secolo.
Il momento in cui capì che la sua vita era terminata.
Avevo voglia di leggere un bel thriller galvanizzante e questo titolo prometteva un attentato da sventare, una corsa contro il tempo, un'ambientazione tra servizi segreti inglesi e cellule terroristiche a cui l'attualità ci ha ha purtroppo abituati.
E questo promette, in effetti, l'ultimo romanzo di Searle.
L'aspetto più interessante è senza dubbio la coralità del romanzo, la mancanza di un POV univoco, che salta di continuo, ora dalla parte del servizio di spionaggio, ora dalla parte dei singoli terroristi della cellula, ora dagli stessi parenti delle vittime di un attentato precedente che stanno ancora elaborando il lutto.
Inoltre, poichè l'autore ha lavorato in passato proprio nel settore dell'intelligence, la sua ricostruzione del dietro le quinte risulta senza dubbio accurata, dandoci l'idea che questo lavoro è fatto solo in minima parte di azione, ma si compone essenzialmente di analisi dati, intercettazioni, pedinamenti, ricostruzioni di possibili scenari fatti allo sfinimento.
Peccato però che lo sviluppo di questo romanzo sia un grumo caotico di dialoghi, ragionamenti e azioni. Mi sono fatta l'idea che l'autore avesse molta materia, anche per esperienza diretta, da utilizzare, ma la usa male, accontentandosi di abbozzare tutto in modo superficiale, e talvolta anche con una narrazione eccessivamente tecnica e lievemente soporifera.
Ammetto che se mi sarebbe piaciuto entrare nella mente dei terroristi, i dubbi che avevo non sono stati risolti. Le motivazioni poste alla base di gente che non ha esitazioni a farsi saltare per aria, portandosi centinaia di simili nell'oltretomba insieme, è semplicemente che si tratta di ragazzi disperati, rabbiosi, e che se non fossero divenuti terroristi religiosi, sarebbero stati arruolati in qualche altra azione violenta. Ma allora come spiegare l'adesione di persone ricche, con una famiglia tranquilla alle spalle, con una buona istruzione superiore? Risposte non pervenute.
E la confusione vige anche tra gli stessi "buoni" perchè, ammettiamolo, certe scelte e strategie qui paiono guidate più dalla politica e dall'approssimazione, che non da una vera consapevolezza (della serie "speriamo che la bomba si trovi nello zainetto giusto e che Dio ci aiuti"...).
Insomma, soprattutto il finale mi ha lasciato insoddisfatta.
Manca a mio parere una svolta attesa a lungo, vari nodi non vengono districati, e io non ho compreso cosa succede a chi. L'autore conclude dicendo che ha cercato di descrivere tutti con realismo e compassione (pure per i terroristi), ma magari poteva sforzarsi per un paio di capitoli in più.
Avrei valutato anche meno nel complesso, ma c'è un personaggio (la signora Masoud) che da sola vale l'intero libro: mussulmana, laureata ed estremamente intelligente, ammette con candore la sua scelta rassegnata di vivere con la maschera di "brava moglie docile" proprio per evitare di girare con un bersaglio sulla schiena a causa della sua bravura e autonomia, in un contesto sociale non ancora maturo per riconoscerle un ruolo. I dialoghi che la riguardano sono di un cinismo impressionante e difficili da digerire in un'Inghilterra del ventunesimo secolo.
July 6, 2019
A Fatal Game – When life is not a game
Nicolas Searle has once again written an excellent thriller and continues the good work that he began with the Good Liar. He is following in the well trodden footsteps of Le Carre and others, and he knows how to keep you hooked until the end.
Jake Winter has an asset in play, all he has to do is lead the team to the local railway station and see who the asset meets. All the police and the spooks are close and following and then boom, his asset detonates a bomb. Then the subsequent public inquiry he is under pressure, to tell the truth and not to avoid answering some of the questions. Some of the establishment would like someone to pin the blame on for the terrorist outrage.
While he has to attend the public inquiry, he also has another asset in play who is almost ready to reveal who the main person is behind the outrage at the railway station and who is intent on terrorising this northern town. He knows that his new operation with Rashid has to be a success, a recent returnee from the Middle East, he needs for this to turn out a success and everything else will be duly forgotten.
Jake is beginning to be disillusioned with the operations, disillusioned with the service and the lies. This not being helpful when you have people’s lives in your hands. The service is also worried about Jake and the operation, even more so the closer the operation is to the final ‘event’.
With so many questions of trust, do you trust your asset, do you trust yourself, do you trust everyone else around you? Jake is a character that many people could identify with, especially the self-doubt and the panic when under a serious amount of pressure from the boss.
A Fatal Game is a great story of our times that will keep you gripped from beginning to end.
Nicolas Searle has once again written an excellent thriller and continues the good work that he began with the Good Liar. He is following in the well trodden footsteps of Le Carre and others, and he knows how to keep you hooked until the end.
Jake Winter has an asset in play, all he has to do is lead the team to the local railway station and see who the asset meets. All the police and the spooks are close and following and then boom, his asset detonates a bomb. Then the subsequent public inquiry he is under pressure, to tell the truth and not to avoid answering some of the questions. Some of the establishment would like someone to pin the blame on for the terrorist outrage.
While he has to attend the public inquiry, he also has another asset in play who is almost ready to reveal who the main person is behind the outrage at the railway station and who is intent on terrorising this northern town. He knows that his new operation with Rashid has to be a success, a recent returnee from the Middle East, he needs for this to turn out a success and everything else will be duly forgotten.
Jake is beginning to be disillusioned with the operations, disillusioned with the service and the lies. This not being helpful when you have people’s lives in your hands. The service is also worried about Jake and the operation, even more so the closer the operation is to the final ‘event’.
With so many questions of trust, do you trust your asset, do you trust yourself, do you trust everyone else around you? Jake is a character that many people could identify with, especially the self-doubt and the panic when under a serious amount of pressure from the boss.
A Fatal Game is a great story of our times that will keep you gripped from beginning to end.
July 11, 2019
A Fatal Game is another fantastic, thrilling book from this talented author!
Firstly the author has clearly done a lot of research into terrorism as there is a lot of details included into the story which I found very interesting to read about. I didn’t know how all the different services in the UK, like the police are counter terrorism units, worked together so I thought it was fascinating to discover more about this. These little details also helped make the story seem more real so I felt more invested in what would happen.
The characters are all very well drawn and believable and I enjoyed getting to know them better over the course of the book. The author slowly reveals to the reader more about their background and why they are in the situation they are in which made me feel more sympathetic to them as I understood the reasons behind their actions.
I thought this was a very absorbing, enjoyable read which I found easy to get into. The pace is quite steady and there is always something to keep the reader’s attention. The ending was a bit surprising as I didn’t see it ending the way it did for some of the characters.
Huge thanks to Ellie Hudson from Viking for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
Firstly the author has clearly done a lot of research into terrorism as there is a lot of details included into the story which I found very interesting to read about. I didn’t know how all the different services in the UK, like the police are counter terrorism units, worked together so I thought it was fascinating to discover more about this. These little details also helped make the story seem more real so I felt more invested in what would happen.
The characters are all very well drawn and believable and I enjoyed getting to know them better over the course of the book. The author slowly reveals to the reader more about their background and why they are in the situation they are in which made me feel more sympathetic to them as I understood the reasons behind their actions.
I thought this was a very absorbing, enjoyable read which I found easy to get into. The pace is quite steady and there is always something to keep the reader’s attention. The ending was a bit surprising as I didn’t see it ending the way it did for some of the characters.
Huge thanks to Ellie Hudson from Viking for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
August 23, 2019
Ending was very underwhelming - rest of book nicely written
August 13, 2019
Disappointing. I greatly enjoyed "The Good Liar" by the same author so had high expectations for this. It began well, but about two-thirds of the way in started to sag, with long conversations rather than plot development, and the ending felt like a let down, with quite a lot of loose ends untied, and a lack of a convincing round-off. A great pity.
August 12, 2019
A major terrorist attack has just hit a busy train station and members of the public have been killed. The Security Services knew about the planned attack in advance and Jake Winter was the Intelligence Officer in charge of the operation to stop it. His career, his self-esteem and his confidence levels are at an all-time low but life has to go on. While he is attending the public enquiry and being interviewed in detail about his role and what exactly went wrong in the previous attack, unbeknown to the enquiry panel or the public, he is also involved in his next “project”. On this occasion his source is Rashid, a young man who has been fighting abroad for “the cause” and has now been selected as one of the main perpetrators of the next planned attack. He has allegedly become disillusioned and was therefore willing to be recruited by British Intelligence Services in an attempt to foil the next attack. But can he be trusted? That is the million dollar question but there are no certainties in Jake’s world, and he cannot afford to make a second mistake. This book basically gives a blow-by-blow account of the anti-terrorist operation as it unfolds.
In essence this book is a very detailed behind-the-scenes look at counter-terrorism and it is fascinating. I have absolutely no idea whether the methods used by the Intelligence Forces in this book were realistic but as Nicholas Searle, the author, worked in Intelligence for many years, presumably this lends a degree of authenticity to the narrative. The methods used to fight terrorism are far more complicated than I could ever have envisaged and the amount of work required, combined with the numbers of people involved in a single operation are staggering as procedures and processes are put in place to safeguard the security of the British public. Not only are we given an insight into a world which would normally be totally inaccessible to mere mortals, but the book also investigates the complex relationships between all the participants in this multifaceted operation and how trust becomes a leap of faith, tempered by a very large dose of caution. I thought that the aspect of the book which worked particularly well was the way in which the author allowed us to examine the feelings, doubts and emotions of all the concerned parties. And when I say all, I mean not just the police and the government departments involved in the operation, but also the terrorists themselves and the members of the public who have been affected by previous attacks.
For me the downside was that there was just too much detail and I found myself getting bogged down (and actually a little bit bored) with the minutiae at times. Also, although written in the third person, I often found myself unsure as to who the subject was which didn’t make for an easy read.
I had never come across Nicholas Searle before but will look out for his other books. Whilst I was not totally convinced by this one, it was good enough for me to give his books another chance.
In essence this book is a very detailed behind-the-scenes look at counter-terrorism and it is fascinating. I have absolutely no idea whether the methods used by the Intelligence Forces in this book were realistic but as Nicholas Searle, the author, worked in Intelligence for many years, presumably this lends a degree of authenticity to the narrative. The methods used to fight terrorism are far more complicated than I could ever have envisaged and the amount of work required, combined with the numbers of people involved in a single operation are staggering as procedures and processes are put in place to safeguard the security of the British public. Not only are we given an insight into a world which would normally be totally inaccessible to mere mortals, but the book also investigates the complex relationships between all the participants in this multifaceted operation and how trust becomes a leap of faith, tempered by a very large dose of caution. I thought that the aspect of the book which worked particularly well was the way in which the author allowed us to examine the feelings, doubts and emotions of all the concerned parties. And when I say all, I mean not just the police and the government departments involved in the operation, but also the terrorists themselves and the members of the public who have been affected by previous attacks.
For me the downside was that there was just too much detail and I found myself getting bogged down (and actually a little bit bored) with the minutiae at times. Also, although written in the third person, I often found myself unsure as to who the subject was which didn’t make for an easy read.
I had never come across Nicholas Searle before but will look out for his other books. Whilst I was not totally convinced by this one, it was good enough for me to give his books another chance.
August 2, 2019
It's testament to the sign of our times when this glimpse into the mindset of a terrorist organisation, both from the insider dealings of the terrorists and also from those who seek to protect the public from harm, is such a fascinating and timely read.
When a surveillance goes horribly wrong, Jake Winter, a British intelligence officer, feels the full force of public condemnation but with a heightened sense of danger comes an obligation to get it absolutely right next time. Using contacts within a terrorist organisation is a brave and determined move but is not without considerable danger and it is this dangerous aspect which is explored in detail. A Fatal Game is one of those stories in which you're never quite sure who is working for whom, or indeed if any of the undercover operatives are truly what they seem, and therein lies the strength of the novel and is what kept me guessing until the end.
The author writes well and maintains a high level of tension throughout the story without compromising on the believability in the way the plot unfolds. Reading of the author's background of working in intelligence for many years, it's obvious throughout the novel that he is writing about what he knows and he does so without ever seeking to over sensationalise the after effects of a terrorist attack and always with a keen sensitivity for those people who may have been caught up in such an atrocity in real life.
To say too much about the plot would give far too much away, as this, like all suspense stories, is best read without any spoilers, and in keeping it that way, the full force of the ending will impact on you as much as it did to me.
When a surveillance goes horribly wrong, Jake Winter, a British intelligence officer, feels the full force of public condemnation but with a heightened sense of danger comes an obligation to get it absolutely right next time. Using contacts within a terrorist organisation is a brave and determined move but is not without considerable danger and it is this dangerous aspect which is explored in detail. A Fatal Game is one of those stories in which you're never quite sure who is working for whom, or indeed if any of the undercover operatives are truly what they seem, and therein lies the strength of the novel and is what kept me guessing until the end.
The author writes well and maintains a high level of tension throughout the story without compromising on the believability in the way the plot unfolds. Reading of the author's background of working in intelligence for many years, it's obvious throughout the novel that he is writing about what he knows and he does so without ever seeking to over sensationalise the after effects of a terrorist attack and always with a keen sensitivity for those people who may have been caught up in such an atrocity in real life.
To say too much about the plot would give far too much away, as this, like all suspense stories, is best read without any spoilers, and in keeping it that way, the full force of the ending will impact on you as much as it did to me.
May 28, 2021
Decent and topical thriller when is an informant with a terror group genuinely trustworthy and when is he stringing his handler along as the first one in this book is doing which costs plenty of lives. Once bitten twice shy? Well the handler is certainly on a tight leash after his seeming oversight and thus his informant second time round is as well...no chances taken that he too will prove to be unreliable. Rattles along at a decent pace, the characters come across very credibly and the seediness and hypocrisy of both sides too although of course the baddies are clear and the veil they threaten to perpetrate -- the good guys (the security forces) bad side is largely petty internecine rivalries which of course opens the way for things to slip through the net and for crucial signs to be missed. Away from the main thread there is an interesting scenario between the handler and the mother of one of the victims of the first outrage....how do you apologise to a parent for being responsible for the oversight that claimed their child? A thought-provoking book.
August 19, 2019
Highly touted as being in the Le Carre line of craftsmanship, this thriller is unfortunately not up the master's standard.
Yes, there is the highly contemplative writing, the self-doubting main secret agent who has a higher moral standard than what the 'service' and the meddling politicians impose on him. There is in fact a bunch more 'action' than you'll find in Le Carre's last novels.
However, the self-reflective dialogs appear to me quite stilted and artificial. The worst point is an intellectual discussion between secret agent and the mother of two terrorist victims - no grieving mother could have such a coldly rational dialog with a man who she must identify as a main culprit of on operation gone badly wrong.
Yes, there is the highly contemplative writing, the self-doubting main secret agent who has a higher moral standard than what the 'service' and the meddling politicians impose on him. There is in fact a bunch more 'action' than you'll find in Le Carre's last novels.
However, the self-reflective dialogs appear to me quite stilted and artificial. The worst point is an intellectual discussion between secret agent and the mother of two terrorist victims - no grieving mother could have such a coldly rational dialog with a man who she must identify as a main culprit of on operation gone badly wrong.
September 4, 2019
When a terrorist bomb goes off in a busy station and innocent civilians are killed tough questions are asked. For Jake Winter this is too close to home as the bomber was one of his agents. Juggling appearing at the enquiry with handling his latest recruit, Rashid, Jake is close to the edge. As Rashid lets Jake know that another attack is due Jake feels his life unravelling.
There are some really good ideas in this book but sometimes they get lost in the welter of well-meaning. Ideas about modern politics are pushed through less likely characters and it all becomes very confused towards the end with the plot turning in on itself. Searle can plot a decent story and has really modern ideas about the nature of spying but tighter editing would make his books sing more.
There are some really good ideas in this book but sometimes they get lost in the welter of well-meaning. Ideas about modern politics are pushed through less likely characters and it all becomes very confused towards the end with the plot turning in on itself. Searle can plot a decent story and has really modern ideas about the nature of spying but tighter editing would make his books sing more.
March 16, 2019
I like it when an author does not get typecast and every book Nicholas Searle has written is totally different - but of equally high calibre.
I really enjoyed "A Fatal Game", a tense thriller dealing with the terrorist threat that faces us all today when nobody is quite sure who he or she seems to be.
Is the mole within the terrorist cell playing the intelligence services or is he really trying to help them?
The secret is not revealed until late on in what is a captivating and well plotted book that never fails to thrill.
Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed "A Fatal Game", a tense thriller dealing with the terrorist threat that faces us all today when nobody is quite sure who he or she seems to be.
Is the mole within the terrorist cell playing the intelligence services or is he really trying to help them?
The secret is not revealed until late on in what is a captivating and well plotted book that never fails to thrill.
Highly recommended.
June 15, 2021
It is not what I expected at all. It is a very strong story, very insightful of course due to the insights of the writer. It gives great insights into the thoughts, the hope, the despair, the betrayal and above all the uncertainty of all actors involved. There is constant lying, wheeling and dealing with very high stakes. What I don't like at all is the ending, it is incredibly abrupt and leaves lots of questions. That may very well be intended, because these questions are not answered in real life., still more closure would have helped. Recommended reading.
September 21, 2019
Started out well & focuses on the anxiety of the counter terrorism team. Am not sure how real the internal strife is within the establishment but sadly I suspect it largely a true reflection. I found some the terrorists characters a bit clichéd but their story was real. The build up & tension kept me reading but then the sudden twist of the main characters destiny & subsequent exit didn’t stack up. It was a good read but but lacklustre ending
September 27, 2021
Weirdly it was ok and I wasn’t exactly bored but it was slow and a bit hum Ho. But I did finish it and was dissatisfied with it overall - but it wasn’t bad. Hence the 3 not the 2. The cliffhanger was unnecessary considering the way the story unfolded. Also there are no real good guys. So the moral authority and the asides about the ethics of it all play to an empty room. Average I would say.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
This explored the impact of terrorism and its effect on; the completely misguided suicide bomber (a victim), the pernicious mystery radical extremist organiser, the informer, the undercover investigators and the police and the real victims, the general public. A superb portrayal of all of these elements and written with authority and authenticity. Highly recommended.
August 19, 2019
Thrilling and clearly well researched. Very interesting facts thrown in too. The detailing is what makes this book what it is. Definitely helped to make me feel more in tune with the book. A little difficult at some points in the book but otherwise a fab read.
November 1, 2019
Although an interesting insight into the world of hunting terrorists, the focus on the operational and technical aspects diluted the pace of a potentially great thriller. Definitely worth a read though.
November 3, 2019
This book kept me hooked from start to finish. A tense and tightly written thriller, I’ll now be seeking out the author’s other books.
One niggle I did have was the American spellings of words in a British book, but maybe I’m being a little pedantic...
One niggle I did have was the American spellings of words in a British book, but maybe I’m being a little pedantic...
June 13, 2020
A looming London Terrorist attack based novel. Main character is an agent of security, tracking suspects. It’s quite short, suspenseful, written by someone familiar with the process. Covers all points of view, that’s its best feature.
May 1, 2021
Exciting and thought provoking. I have enjoyed all of this author's books and really rate his writing skills. Felt the ending was correct but wished I had certainty about the outcome however as we know after reading this book certainty cannot be guaranteed.
August 13, 2019
Bit confusing at the beginning but got better and better to a cracking finale.
August 17, 2019
I didn't actually get to finish this book as I found it very confusing. I don't feel that the characters were made clear who they are so was easy to loose focus on what is going on.
October 27, 2019
Spy books are supposed to be confusing, I guess ??
April 16, 2022
Questi romanzi su agenzie di spionaggio: intrighi e doppio gioco, corredati da introspezioni psicologiche sui protagonisti, sono indigeribili.
September 25, 2022
Fattar inte att jag läste färdigt, den var riktigt dålig 👎
December 28, 2022
The tension builds and the plot unfolds really well.
Some of the characters feel a little sparse but a gripping and rewarding experience ✨️
Some of the characters feel a little sparse but a gripping and rewarding experience ✨️
March 26, 2025
This sort of book is usually right up my street but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. Nearly didn't finish it a couple of times but persevered to the end, am I pleased I did, not really.
Read
December 9, 2024DNF
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