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Richard Mariner #19
Benin Light
A Richard Mariner Adventure - Benin Light, the lighthouse marker for the bay that will lead to Granville Harbour, wild and inaccessible on the western coast of Africa, is a welcome sight for Richard and Robin Mariner. Until someone opens fire on them. The couple are shocked to see Sergeant Voroshilov, a Russian Militia man who left Robin lucky to be alive after their last encounter. And when armed guards arrive at their hotel to arrest Richard, trouble really begins . . .
- GenresAfrica
215 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Peter Tonkin
91 books61 followersPeter Tonkin's first novel, KILLER, was published in 1978. His work has included the acclaimed "Mariner" series that have been critically compared with the best of Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes.
More recently he has been working on a series of detective thrillers with an Elizabethan background. This series, "The Master of Defense", has been characterised as 'James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes meets William Shakespeare'. Each story is a classic 'whodunit' with all the clues presented to the reader exactly as they are presented to the hero, Tom Musgrave. The Kirkus Review described them as having 'Elizabethan detail, rousing action sequences, sound detection...everything a fan of historical mysteries could hope for."
More recently he has been working on a series of detective thrillers with an Elizabethan background. This series, "The Master of Defense", has been characterised as 'James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes meets William Shakespeare'. Each story is a classic 'whodunit' with all the clues presented to the reader exactly as they are presented to the hero, Tom Musgrave. The Kirkus Review described them as having 'Elizabethan detail, rousing action sequences, sound detection...everything a fan of historical mysteries could hope for."
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 10, 2025
This is No 139 in My World Reading Journey - Country Benin.
Benin Light is the 15th installment in Peter Tonkin's Richard Mariner series, offering readers a high-seas adventure filled with suspense and action. The narrative follows marine adventurer Richard Mariner as he navigates the treacherous waters near Granville Harbour on Africa's western coast aboard the supertanker Prometheus V. Upon arrival, Mariner encounters hostility from local authorities, leading to a series of perilous events, including an attack on his helicopter and wrongful imprisonment. The plot intensifies with the reappearance of Sergeant Voroshilov, a Russian Militia officer with a violent history involving Mariner's wife, Robin.
Kirkus Reviews describes the novel as "another brisk retro caper from Tonkin, with a colorful cast, abundant action and many, many close calls."
The story's setting in a region rife with poverty and corruption adds depth to the narrative, presenting challenges that test Mariner's resilience and resourcefulness.
I am not sure how accurate this book is: is Benin corrupt?, does Benin have oil fields?, does Benin have significant mineral deposits? are still unanswered in my mind. All of these topics come into play in this book. I have the feeling that they were included in the story to make the book sensational. I do know this much: Benin is a dangerous country and the crime rate is high. The history of Benin has also included coups and violent changes of government.
Tonkin is a good author. My one complaint was the extremely fast pace of the book. I frequently could not keep up. Tonkin has written many books and I will probably try at least one more, especially if it takes place in a country that I have not yet included in my reading list.
4 stars
Benin Light is the 15th installment in Peter Tonkin's Richard Mariner series, offering readers a high-seas adventure filled with suspense and action. The narrative follows marine adventurer Richard Mariner as he navigates the treacherous waters near Granville Harbour on Africa's western coast aboard the supertanker Prometheus V. Upon arrival, Mariner encounters hostility from local authorities, leading to a series of perilous events, including an attack on his helicopter and wrongful imprisonment. The plot intensifies with the reappearance of Sergeant Voroshilov, a Russian Militia officer with a violent history involving Mariner's wife, Robin.
Kirkus Reviews describes the novel as "another brisk retro caper from Tonkin, with a colorful cast, abundant action and many, many close calls."
The story's setting in a region rife with poverty and corruption adds depth to the narrative, presenting challenges that test Mariner's resilience and resourcefulness.
I am not sure how accurate this book is: is Benin corrupt?, does Benin have oil fields?, does Benin have significant mineral deposits? are still unanswered in my mind. All of these topics come into play in this book. I have the feeling that they were included in the story to make the book sensational. I do know this much: Benin is a dangerous country and the crime rate is high. The history of Benin has also included coups and violent changes of government.
Tonkin is a good author. My one complaint was the extremely fast pace of the book. I frequently could not keep up. Tonkin has written many books and I will probably try at least one more, especially if it takes place in a country that I have not yet included in my reading list.
4 stars
Displaying 1 of 1 review