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Contact Zero
Who, what or where is Contact Zero? Deep in the mythology of the Service, whispered in training, clung to in moments of despair, is the belief that it is out there, the last chance saloon. You think you’re beaten, betrayed and utterly alone, but maybe you’re not. Maybe you get your one shot at rescue, if not redemption. Contact run by members of the Service, for members of the Service.When an operation is mortally compromised in David Wolstencroft’s fabulous second novel, four first-year probationary agents, cut adrift in four corners of the world, must put Contact Zero to the test. But first they have to find it.And maybe one of the youngsters isn't quite as innocent as the others...
592 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
6 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 22, 2024
An interesting read but a little over complicated to keep up with; and meant having to re-read some bits.
January 11, 2009
An intriguing espionage thriller set around the world.
Here are some things in the novel which I liked/disliked:
Thumbs Up:
1. Highly believable characters.
2. An engaging plot centered on the theme of trust and betrayal.
3. Well-written and oftentimes witty conversations between the young main characters.
Thumbs Down:
1. The author liked using ambiguities in describing certain events. It seemed that some readers would most likely research about certain stuffs in order to fully understand the novel.
2. Some of the riddles the main characters receive are fairly easy. Having no experience with cryptography, I immediately solved one of these before the main characters did. For Pete's sake, they're secret agents, why can't they break a simple code?
Despite the negative stuffs, Contact Zero is still a must-read from espionage fans.
Here are some things in the novel which I liked/disliked:
Thumbs Up:
1. Highly believable characters.
2. An engaging plot centered on the theme of trust and betrayal.
3. Well-written and oftentimes witty conversations between the young main characters.
Thumbs Down:
1. The author liked using ambiguities in describing certain events. It seemed that some readers would most likely research about certain stuffs in order to fully understand the novel.
2. Some of the riddles the main characters receive are fairly easy. Having no experience with cryptography, I immediately solved one of these before the main characters did. For Pete's sake, they're secret agents, why can't they break a simple code?
Despite the negative stuffs, Contact Zero is still a must-read from espionage fans.
August 28, 2009
I am just a little ways into this one, a vacation read right now, but the author is one of the writers of BBC's MI5, just about one of my favorite shows. So it is promising.
August 31, 2020
This book is a cross between the Hardy Boys series & Enid Blyton, it is perhaps one of the most annoying, juvenile books I've ever read. I used the paperback version to light a fire on Sunday night. If MI6 now employs kids like this now the UK has a problem. I'm not sure the 3 characters would pass muster to become scouts.
Give this to a child to read!
Give this to a child to read!
December 31, 2021
it was very... ok. nothing to rave about the way i did with Pilgrim. it's lowbrow spy fiction, which is surprising for me to say because i'm a lowbrow spy fiction fan and yet this was... just ok. the people in this are incompetent and talk like they're on 90s telly.
god i can't come to grips with the fact that this is the book that's going to get me over the line of my reading goal.
god i can't come to grips with the fact that this is the book that's going to get me over the line of my reading goal.
September 22, 2024
A kind of convoluted spy thriller from David Wolstencroft in “Contact Zero”
More at
https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2024...
More at
https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2024...
October 12, 2025
Fast paced and amazing!!!
September 11, 2022
This was fairly action packed and was about a group of spies who had been cut loose from their organisation. To survive they try to locate an organisation made up of spies in similar situations called Contact Zero.
October 19, 2010
The novel opens with several undercover agents around the world finding their covers blown and themselves either under attack or set up for a crime they didn’t commit. Only three of ten survive the assassination and framing attempts and they ring their ‘handlers’ in London to find out they’ve been cut loose. The organisation they work for (MI:5) isn’t going to help them now. They’re on their own.
Ben Locke was working in Lima, Peru when he was framed for trying to smuggle drugs. Escaping from the airport and going on the run, he contacts his graduating class via an online chatroom they use (they’re all freshmen, on their first assignments) and through one of them he learns that over half of their fellow agents have been assassinated in what looks like ‘accidents’. Ben, Lucy and Nat rendezvous in a place in South America and try to desperately figure out what to do. Their only answer: Contact Zero.
On their archival rotation for their training for MI:5, they all heard about Contact Zero but no one is entirely sure what it is. Some think it’s a group of agents that have been burned like they are, who provide assistance to those in their situation. Some think it’s a trap, testing loyalty. Some think it’s a myth and doesn’t exist at all. Ben, Lucy and Nat have no other options. Their money is running out, they need to find someone, anyone who can help them. So they construct a cryptic message designed to alert Contact Zero, if indeed any such thing exists.
They get a response and a bunch of cryptic clues that take them through South America, into Central America, to Israel and then onto Europe. Along the way they pick up a fourth member, a graduating classmate who wasn’t killed as reported in the press. They work together, trying to extricate themselves from the situation they’re in. Meanwhile, one of them knows a lot more than they’re letting on about what has happened to their friends and what this all means.
This novel was kind of like reading a action blockbuster movie where the “good guys” all get shot at, beaten up, attacked, double crossed etc and yet all still seem to keep soldiering on, cracking jokes, figuring out clues and avoiding being shot and killed. The author writes on the British TV series Spooks of which I’ve seen a couple of episodes many years ago so it seems he’s well versed in writing about agents. He researched this book extensively, talking to many spies about the elusive ‘Contact Zero’. And it was an engaging read, especially the beginning where it’s a series of attacks on the spies before you even know who is who. It jumped straight into the action and kept up the pace for most of the novel, barely pausing except for a couple of patches where the four survivors are just travelling around.
I enjoyed the read but I think it is just like a lot of those action blockbuster movies – good fun while you’re watching them and engaged by them but as soon as they’re over it’s onto the next one and they’re out of sight, out of mind. It wasn’t quite good enough that I get the feeling it will stick with me in any way at all. Plenty of action but not a lot of character depth and development. They’re all so busy double crossing each other and keeping things from each other and freezing out this person or that person and whispering about another person over in a corner that it’s almost impossible to get a handle on any of them. They all actually come across as quite unlikable most of the times with only a few really redeeming scenes for Ben, Lucy and the fourth one they gather along the way. Nat isn’t redeeming at all and shows signs of being downright creepy on several occasions. The villains are suitably villainous but also in the same empty way – you don’t really learn anything about them, they’re just 2D bad guys lurking in the background and pulling strings.
Ben Locke was working in Lima, Peru when he was framed for trying to smuggle drugs. Escaping from the airport and going on the run, he contacts his graduating class via an online chatroom they use (they’re all freshmen, on their first assignments) and through one of them he learns that over half of their fellow agents have been assassinated in what looks like ‘accidents’. Ben, Lucy and Nat rendezvous in a place in South America and try to desperately figure out what to do. Their only answer: Contact Zero.
On their archival rotation for their training for MI:5, they all heard about Contact Zero but no one is entirely sure what it is. Some think it’s a group of agents that have been burned like they are, who provide assistance to those in their situation. Some think it’s a trap, testing loyalty. Some think it’s a myth and doesn’t exist at all. Ben, Lucy and Nat have no other options. Their money is running out, they need to find someone, anyone who can help them. So they construct a cryptic message designed to alert Contact Zero, if indeed any such thing exists.
They get a response and a bunch of cryptic clues that take them through South America, into Central America, to Israel and then onto Europe. Along the way they pick up a fourth member, a graduating classmate who wasn’t killed as reported in the press. They work together, trying to extricate themselves from the situation they’re in. Meanwhile, one of them knows a lot more than they’re letting on about what has happened to their friends and what this all means.
This novel was kind of like reading a action blockbuster movie where the “good guys” all get shot at, beaten up, attacked, double crossed etc and yet all still seem to keep soldiering on, cracking jokes, figuring out clues and avoiding being shot and killed. The author writes on the British TV series Spooks of which I’ve seen a couple of episodes many years ago so it seems he’s well versed in writing about agents. He researched this book extensively, talking to many spies about the elusive ‘Contact Zero’. And it was an engaging read, especially the beginning where it’s a series of attacks on the spies before you even know who is who. It jumped straight into the action and kept up the pace for most of the novel, barely pausing except for a couple of patches where the four survivors are just travelling around.
I enjoyed the read but I think it is just like a lot of those action blockbuster movies – good fun while you’re watching them and engaged by them but as soon as they’re over it’s onto the next one and they’re out of sight, out of mind. It wasn’t quite good enough that I get the feeling it will stick with me in any way at all. Plenty of action but not a lot of character depth and development. They’re all so busy double crossing each other and keeping things from each other and freezing out this person or that person and whispering about another person over in a corner that it’s almost impossible to get a handle on any of them. They all actually come across as quite unlikable most of the times with only a few really redeeming scenes for Ben, Lucy and the fourth one they gather along the way. Nat isn’t redeeming at all and shows signs of being downright creepy on several occasions. The villains are suitably villainous but also in the same empty way – you don’t really learn anything about them, they’re just 2D bad guys lurking in the background and pulling strings.
August 29, 2013
Contact Zero – always just out of reach, not quite what you’re looking for, not exactly what you expect. The fictitious entity from which the book takes its name is similar.
The story follows four spies who trained together and have been sabotaged on their first postings. They seek to reach Contact Zero, the illustrious escape route for spooks who wish to leave their profession alive.
The pace is excellent. Although the fragmented opening makes it a little tricky to become orientated at first, the tales unite quickly and from there on in the narrative is easy to follow. The gang don’t waste much time in any one location and are always on the move. Wolstencroft does well to paint numerous vivid sets, from ancient monasteries to seedy bars to palatial apartments.
The four lead characters, plus KB, have distinct personalities and abilities, so it really does feel like there are four different personalities progressing through the novel. I would have liked more development of the characters who seemed a little one-dimensional. Their suspicion of each other, while understandable, was underplayed and could have had a greater plot impact than it did. Similarly, the mole was unmasked far too quickly; there was hardly any time to guess before the cat was released from its bag.
The concept of Contact Zero seems quite credible and there was plenty of semi-fact (or very convincing fiction) that gives the story an authentic feel. Particularly, the training anecdotes add a layer of believability that enhance the novel’s
enjoyment, but it must be said that the elongated flashback over several chapters right after a cliffhanger effectively killed the tension stone dead by the time we returned to present day. The running motif of events at training hidden from the reader until closer to the end was well played – there was enough tension to create intrigue without over-egging the fact. The reveal was satisfying and explained the impact on relationships well.
In the end, only Nat’s character had a decent conclusion. Ben, Lucy and Jamie were all found themselves in situations a little too convenient which left me feeling cheated of a decent ending, while KB’s swansong was just daft.
Although not a sequel to Good News Bad News, comparisons will inevitably be drawn. Contact Zero did not enjoy the dizzy heights of its predecessor. The writing was amateurish and the structure – particularly with flashbacks – was off. There was no significant twist at the end or exciting conclusion; the plot dribbled out in contrast to its action-filled premiere. While Good News Bad News keeps you guessing to the very last page, Contact Zero doesn’t have the same impact.
In fact, the characters and plot would make excellent spies – quite good at the time, but instantly forgettable.
The story follows four spies who trained together and have been sabotaged on their first postings. They seek to reach Contact Zero, the illustrious escape route for spooks who wish to leave their profession alive.
The pace is excellent. Although the fragmented opening makes it a little tricky to become orientated at first, the tales unite quickly and from there on in the narrative is easy to follow. The gang don’t waste much time in any one location and are always on the move. Wolstencroft does well to paint numerous vivid sets, from ancient monasteries to seedy bars to palatial apartments.
The four lead characters, plus KB, have distinct personalities and abilities, so it really does feel like there are four different personalities progressing through the novel. I would have liked more development of the characters who seemed a little one-dimensional. Their suspicion of each other, while understandable, was underplayed and could have had a greater plot impact than it did. Similarly, the mole was unmasked far too quickly; there was hardly any time to guess before the cat was released from its bag.
The concept of Contact Zero seems quite credible and there was plenty of semi-fact (or very convincing fiction) that gives the story an authentic feel. Particularly, the training anecdotes add a layer of believability that enhance the novel’s
enjoyment, but it must be said that the elongated flashback over several chapters right after a cliffhanger effectively killed the tension stone dead by the time we returned to present day. The running motif of events at training hidden from the reader until closer to the end was well played – there was enough tension to create intrigue without over-egging the fact. The reveal was satisfying and explained the impact on relationships well.
In the end, only Nat’s character had a decent conclusion. Ben, Lucy and Jamie were all found themselves in situations a little too convenient which left me feeling cheated of a decent ending, while KB’s swansong was just daft.
Although not a sequel to Good News Bad News, comparisons will inevitably be drawn. Contact Zero did not enjoy the dizzy heights of its predecessor. The writing was amateurish and the structure – particularly with flashbacks – was off. There was no significant twist at the end or exciting conclusion; the plot dribbled out in contrast to its action-filled premiere. While Good News Bad News keeps you guessing to the very last page, Contact Zero doesn’t have the same impact.
In fact, the characters and plot would make excellent spies – quite good at the time, but instantly forgettable.
May 6, 2011
(no spoilers)
This was a book I didn't know anything about that was given to me for my birthday and I really loved it! It's about the British spy service (MI6) recruiting some college kids and what happens with them when things seem to go wrong.
The story starts out with a bang, almost literally, and from the first pages I was gripped with the writing and the personalities of the characters. They're not spies like James Bond or Jason Bourne with action and guns and driving cars through shopping malls, etc. They are just college kids who just graduated and have lots of debt and date and are just living their lives but they sign up to serve their country and get pulled into a bad situation that only becomes worse and more complicated.
Some of the characters change allegiances but that's not saying much considering how thick and dense the plot gets at times. I was never confused or irritated, it kept things moving at a good pace and there was a lot of character development. The main guy, Ben, was my favorite and he seems to go through a lot more than the others, but no spoilers.
After I finished it I looked up the author because I never heard of him before and found out he has a book before this one, but also writes tv and movies in the UK. He writes a show called "MI5" and now I'm going to give it a shot because if it's half as good as "Contact Zero" it'll be a really entertaining.
So if you want to read a modern story about spies that's not all shooting and nuclear missiles and non-stop action then pick up "Contact Zero". It's not very well known but I highly recommend it.
This was a book I didn't know anything about that was given to me for my birthday and I really loved it! It's about the British spy service (MI6) recruiting some college kids and what happens with them when things seem to go wrong.
The story starts out with a bang, almost literally, and from the first pages I was gripped with the writing and the personalities of the characters. They're not spies like James Bond or Jason Bourne with action and guns and driving cars through shopping malls, etc. They are just college kids who just graduated and have lots of debt and date and are just living their lives but they sign up to serve their country and get pulled into a bad situation that only becomes worse and more complicated.
Some of the characters change allegiances but that's not saying much considering how thick and dense the plot gets at times. I was never confused or irritated, it kept things moving at a good pace and there was a lot of character development. The main guy, Ben, was my favorite and he seems to go through a lot more than the others, but no spoilers.
After I finished it I looked up the author because I never heard of him before and found out he has a book before this one, but also writes tv and movies in the UK. He writes a show called "MI5" and now I'm going to give it a shot because if it's half as good as "Contact Zero" it'll be a really entertaining.
So if you want to read a modern story about spies that's not all shooting and nuclear missiles and non-stop action then pick up "Contact Zero". It's not very well known but I highly recommend it.
February 16, 2016
This book appears to spring from great background knowledge of secret service agents and the territories where they might travel. But I almost gave up when the story began with a series of deadly attacks on individual UK spies.
There were some survivors, isolated and discredited, looking for a way to survive. I persevered, through the layers of deception and betrayal.
The reader needs to be tolerant of sudden viewpoint shifts and of the occasional cliche. I also had difficulty with the number of characters and the twists of plot. Near the end, one sequence left me wondering what had really happened.
For spy thriller enthusiasts, the rapid-fire action and stark credibility should make this an enjoyable read.
There were some survivors, isolated and discredited, looking for a way to survive. I persevered, through the layers of deception and betrayal.
The reader needs to be tolerant of sudden viewpoint shifts and of the occasional cliche. I also had difficulty with the number of characters and the twists of plot. Near the end, one sequence left me wondering what had really happened.
For spy thriller enthusiasts, the rapid-fire action and stark credibility should make this an enjoyable read.
February 23, 2009
A thriller in fact, I bought this book because last year I liked “Good news, bad news”, by the same writer. Contact Zero is the last chance for the members of the MI6. No one can assure that it exists but the belief is there. When a batch of new recruits in their first operations around the globe are killed at the same time, the four that have saved their lives under the cruellest treatment by the Service fight to get to Contact Zero. I liked this novel very much, there are fights, and perils, and suspicions galore but the four main characters are not Bond lookalikes. There is enough suspense and interest in the novel. I’ll look forward to Woltenscroft in the future.
January 31, 2017
It's a page turner because Wolstencroft is great at plots with excitement, suspense and intrigue. He lost me a little about 3/4 of the way through, when the paranoid plots were twisting so much I forgot who was who and which way was up or down... His books, like his tv scripts, all seem to centre around the spy game. I wish he wrote more books. I'm sorry this one is over.
October 25, 2007
The book was good with a fast pace to it - not too many flashbacks. or wasted plot fillers. I felt by half way you knew what was to happen in the end. But the whole build up still maintained a good page turner, which is what you need.
November 21, 2010
I read Wolstencroft's second novel first, that's just the sort of cavalier attitude that's got me into so much trouble at every turn.
But I wasn't disappointed.
Though the story wasn't crafted from angel dust, the writing was superb. A truly enjoyable read.
But I wasn't disappointed.
Though the story wasn't crafted from angel dust, the writing was superb. A truly enjoyable read.
January 26, 2011
a good solid read, without being spectacular...was very much like watch an episode of spooks (which is to be expected i guess) though i was tired of it by the end...
some nice twists and turns, all in all a good 3 stars....
some nice twists and turns, all in all a good 3 stars....
September 15, 2015
The book goes at pretty decent pace. Most of the characters, plots, etc are very believable. Nothing is too much of a hype. But, for me, the book lost 1 or 2 stars out of 5 because the book didn't have the last bang/kind of missed on the final explosion. Still it was a nice read.
August 21, 2008
good bu not great. Espionage thriller. It lacks a bit of story.
July 27, 2011
Fairly average story. Quite complex. I expected more from the man who writes the scripts for "Spooks".
January 22, 2012
Fledgling spies on their maiden assignment are brutally murdered. A few lone survivors get together and begin searching for Contact Zero, a mythical network of abandoned spies. An excellent read.
July 28, 2013
Was reasonably enjoyable - good characterisation and I liked all of the spy stuff, but I didn't the find the plotline itself that gripping.
January 6, 2014
It never really captivated me - seemed too obvious and superficial
December 11, 2014
Just could not get into this one.
January 21, 2015
Just not as good as good news bad news
Want to read
July 1, 2010Thrall has a copy. Spies last chance for safety.
March 26, 2017
Loved Spooks the tv series. Thought I'd give the book a read. Wished I hadn't. Shallow characters, dumb characters, easily led/caught. I was very disappointed with the book. I have read another book by the author and found it much better.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews