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Fatal Ally
'A gripping spy thriller that will appeal to fans of John le Carr�, Charles Cumming, and the like ... an unputdownable novel.' Booklist Starred Review
Your staunchest ally can be your deadliest enemy: a riveting spy thriller.
After five years' silence, a British intelligence asset has made contact from Moscow. Claiming to be in possession of an explosive piece of information, he wishes to defect to the West. The carefully-planned operation however goes catastrophically wrong, the would-be defector ruthlessly betrayed by a rogue element at the highest level of US government. As a result, MI6's Margo Lane is ordered to deliver a message the White House won't forget.
It's mission that will take Margo to the violent heart of contemporary Russia and the edge of the civil war in Syria - and finally to a terrifying personal decision she had hoped she would never have to make.
Fatal Ally is a riveting, literate and almost unbearably tense thriller which explores a world where emotions are lethal distractions - and your conscience can get you killed.
Your staunchest ally can be your deadliest enemy: a riveting spy thriller.
After five years' silence, a British intelligence asset has made contact from Moscow. Claiming to be in possession of an explosive piece of information, he wishes to defect to the West. The carefully-planned operation however goes catastrophically wrong, the would-be defector ruthlessly betrayed by a rogue element at the highest level of US government. As a result, MI6's Margo Lane is ordered to deliver a message the White House won't forget.
It's mission that will take Margo to the violent heart of contemporary Russia and the edge of the civil war in Syria - and finally to a terrifying personal decision she had hoped she would never have to make.
Fatal Ally is a riveting, literate and almost unbearably tense thriller which explores a world where emotions are lethal distractions - and your conscience can get you killed.
- GenresNovels
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 2, 2019
‘Three teams would do it.’
A British intelligence asset, a former high-ranking KGB agent, makes contact from Moscow. He’s been silent for five years, but now he wants to defect. He claims to have an explosive piece of information. Arrangements are made for him to leave. But the operation fails when details are leaked to the Russians. MI6 operative Margo Lane is outraged, and desperate for revenge. Who betrayed the asset, and why?
A Syrian American woman is in an ISIS occupied part of Syria, leading a team to try to effect regime change. Her mission is dangerous enough, but she will also become a pawn in the struggle between the US, UK and Russian intelligence agencies. Can she survive?
‘All of us are on the side that lets us live a little longer. One day this one, tomorrow the other.’
This is a tense and unsettling spy novel. The various intelligence agencies act as gods, as does a very senior member of the US Administration: operatives and others become disposable pawns in their hubristic quest for dominance. Can anyone be trusted?
The final sections of the novel are set in Syria: full of tension, with some heroic actions taken by ordinary people caught up in an horrific situation.
‘Life should always end quickly. Only the jolt of finality made it bearable.’
I enjoyed this novel. There were quite a number of different characters involved. While this served to demonstrate a larger number of perspectives, it did slow me down a little and sometimes reduced the tension. I’ve not read any of Tim Sebastian’s earlier books: I’ll add them to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A British intelligence asset, a former high-ranking KGB agent, makes contact from Moscow. He’s been silent for five years, but now he wants to defect. He claims to have an explosive piece of information. Arrangements are made for him to leave. But the operation fails when details are leaked to the Russians. MI6 operative Margo Lane is outraged, and desperate for revenge. Who betrayed the asset, and why?
A Syrian American woman is in an ISIS occupied part of Syria, leading a team to try to effect regime change. Her mission is dangerous enough, but she will also become a pawn in the struggle between the US, UK and Russian intelligence agencies. Can she survive?
‘All of us are on the side that lets us live a little longer. One day this one, tomorrow the other.’
This is a tense and unsettling spy novel. The various intelligence agencies act as gods, as does a very senior member of the US Administration: operatives and others become disposable pawns in their hubristic quest for dominance. Can anyone be trusted?
The final sections of the novel are set in Syria: full of tension, with some heroic actions taken by ordinary people caught up in an horrific situation.
‘Life should always end quickly. Only the jolt of finality made it bearable.’
I enjoyed this novel. There were quite a number of different characters involved. While this served to demonstrate a larger number of perspectives, it did slow me down a little and sometimes reduced the tension. I’ve not read any of Tim Sebastian’s earlier books: I’ll add them to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 22, 2020
A retired KGB agent, Arkady Mazurin, would like to defect to Britain. This book takes place in the present, so does someone still have to defect to leave Russia? I did not think so, but do not know. To get Mazurin out, the British create a plan to have him attend a fete at the UN in NYC. This requires US cooperation, which they are willing to do, but then the US begins to make requests in exchange for their support. I did not understand why the British did not just fly Mazurin to Britain rather than yield to US demands. In any event, the US National Security Advisor, Harry Jones, trades the defecting KGB agent for a woman, Mai Haddad, he is hot for stuck in the Syrian civil war after her mission goes awry. Jones decides only Russia can get her out, so he double-crosses Britain. Totally for personal reasons.
Once Margo Lane, the British MI6 agent in charge of the Russian defection, learns of the double-cross, she heads to Syria for revenge. Her boss doesn't trust her and soon follows. The story builds to a climax as two MI6 teams, one Russian team, and a Syrian gang narrow in on American agent Haddad, only one of which wants to keep her alive. I thought this part of the story especially riveting.
There are many characters who play important roles that I have not mentioned: an Israeli Mossad agent, the Russian ambassadors wife, Jones' wife, a few kind and ordinary people in Syria and many others. Along with too much violence, there are too many characters. The dramatic ending, however, made keeping track of all these characters worthwhile.
Once Margo Lane, the British MI6 agent in charge of the Russian defection, learns of the double-cross, she heads to Syria for revenge. Her boss doesn't trust her and soon follows. The story builds to a climax as two MI6 teams, one Russian team, and a Syrian gang narrow in on American agent Haddad, only one of which wants to keep her alive. I thought this part of the story especially riveting.
There are many characters who play important roles that I have not mentioned: an Israeli Mossad agent, the Russian ambassadors wife, Jones' wife, a few kind and ordinary people in Syria and many others. Along with too much violence, there are too many characters. The dramatic ending, however, made keeping track of all these characters worthwhile.
May 15, 2019
Wow! This was good. A beautifully written, plotted and conceives spy thriller by an experienced writer still at the top of his game.
The characters were credible and well drawn and the book drew me in from the first chapter.
This was pacy and exciting stuff and sizzling with action and political intrigue and shenanigans.
I will certainly be seeking out his back catalogue as this was one of the best spy thrillers of the year.
The characters were credible and well drawn and the book drew me in from the first chapter.
This was pacy and exciting stuff and sizzling with action and political intrigue and shenanigans.
I will certainly be seeking out his back catalogue as this was one of the best spy thrillers of the year.
September 10, 2019
I really wanted to give this novel high grade but in the end I could not. I would give it a 2.5 . It is not a fast read for a short novel. There is a lot of introspecting by the main characters wonder why they are doing what they are doing and lean on action. The end was forshadowed well in advance. The author has talent but the whole point of the story was somewhat depressing and really not there-almost pointless. When the action did happen at the end of the novel it just did not seem realistic to me.
August 4, 2019
After American Intelligence betrayed Margo Lane’s Russian contact to Moscow, she had no reason to trust the Americans. Now the British Service has heard from a Russian agent who has had no contact with them for five years. He is offering to provide intelligence in exchange for asylum. An invitation is issued to a retirement party for one of his former co-workers in the New York embassy. From there he will be brought back to London. Since the operation is taking place on American soil Margo is ordered to notify the CIA.
Harry Jones is the president’s national security advisor. When he is briefed on the operation, he sees it as an opportunity to use this information to save someone he cares for. Once again a British operation is betrayed to the Russians. This time the British will not excuse the betrayal. Margo’s assignments take her to Moscow and war-torn Syria, where her actions are to leave a clear message to the White House that such interference will not be tolerated.
Tim Sebastian’s story will keep you on the edge of your seat as Margo, Syrian rebels and a Russian operative converge near the border with Jordan. With well-written characters and a look at how fragile alliances can become, this is an excellent and timely thriller. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Harry Jones is the president’s national security advisor. When he is briefed on the operation, he sees it as an opportunity to use this information to save someone he cares for. Once again a British operation is betrayed to the Russians. This time the British will not excuse the betrayal. Margo’s assignments take her to Moscow and war-torn Syria, where her actions are to leave a clear message to the White House that such interference will not be tolerated.
Tim Sebastian’s story will keep you on the edge of your seat as Margo, Syrian rebels and a Russian operative converge near the border with Jordan. With well-written characters and a look at how fragile alliances can become, this is an excellent and timely thriller. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
July 27, 2019
It has been a long time between books for British journalist and spy writer Tim Sebastian.
His last spy thriller, Ultra, appeared in 1997 and appeared to make the end of a relatively brief, but notable, spy writing career of nine books over the same number of years. Now after a twenty year, or so, break from espionage fiction he has returned with Fatal Ally.
Despite the long absence from the genre, Sebastian has slipped easily back into spy writing and has produced a tense and topical novel about the uneasy relationship between allies.
The book moves convincing between Moscow, Washington, London and the blood soaked border between Syria and Jordan. The pacing and the characters are very good and the intricate plot will keep you well engaged. There have been some outstanding pieces of spy fiction created so far this year and Fatal Ally is right up there with them.
See my review at murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
His last spy thriller, Ultra, appeared in 1997 and appeared to make the end of a relatively brief, but notable, spy writing career of nine books over the same number of years. Now after a twenty year, or so, break from espionage fiction he has returned with Fatal Ally.
Despite the long absence from the genre, Sebastian has slipped easily back into spy writing and has produced a tense and topical novel about the uneasy relationship between allies.
The book moves convincing between Moscow, Washington, London and the blood soaked border between Syria and Jordan. The pacing and the characters are very good and the intricate plot will keep you well engaged. There have been some outstanding pieces of spy fiction created so far this year and Fatal Ally is right up there with them.
See my review at murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
July 18, 2020
Cynicism writ large. No nation (of the Russians, Americans or Brits) comes out of this spy thriller at all honourably: what a surprise. Intricate plot, especially once the extraction from Syria begins (so many different groups trying to find their prey it was at times hard to keep track). Pacy page turner.
February 21, 2020
An excellent little book about the US, British, Russian and Israeli network of spy’s with the backdrop of the horrid Syrian civil war constantly coursing through the pages. I couldn’t put it down because not only is the story plausible but the characters real.
April 11, 2020
spies are not my usual type of genre, but this was engaging with short quick chapters and a clear multiple POV! it got a little bogged down with thoughts nearer the end, but it filled in the characters!
also it was written in British English, which is a rare find (for me) and so i did enjoy that!
also it was written in British English, which is a rare find (for me) and so i did enjoy that!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews