The Enemy Within

Tommy Wildeblood #2

by Adam Macqueen

It’s 1984. Tommy Wildeblood, the hero of Beneath the Streets, has put his days as a Piccadilly rent boy and scandal-hunting sleuth behind him and is studying at the radical Polytechnic of North London. But politics isn’t ready to leave him alone. With his school convulsed by the battle against National Front infiltrators and the miners’ strike splitting the country, everyone has to pick a side. Tommy knows where his sympathies lie–and not just because revolutionary summer camps and trips to the pit villages provide an ideal excuse to spend time with handsome young Irishman, Liam. But as the pair are drawn ever deeper into a web of radical politics, Tommy is forced to face up to how little he knows about his new lover–and how far he might be willing to go in the name of revolution. The Enemy Within is a gripping thriller whose cast of real-life characters include taboo-busting artist Derek Jarman, corrupt Trotskyist leader Gerry Healy, a young Jeremy Corbyn, and major figures from Margaret Thatcher’s government.

Genres: Thriller

256 pages, Paperback

Published February 3, 2022

Reviews

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Adam Macqueen's first in this new series as I was interested in the period of Harold Wilson's resignation. In the second, he has moved onto 1984 and a very interesting period largely forgotten for its general mood. So here I am reading what is arguably gay fiction. Tommy Wildeblood is a great character, borderline a private detective in Beneath the Streets, and that is a favourite strand of fiction for me, so I am easily up for the second volume. It wasn't quite what I anticipated. Arguably, it doesn't really get going until about page 200. However, Macqueen is such a smooth writer, that the first part, which is really a gay love story is an easy read. It's east to forget that it is set only 14 years on from the legalising of homosexuality and tensions were high with the Thatcher government and the GLC. Culminating in a funeral at filmmaker, Derek Jarman's home in Dungeness it is a fun read with an edge, but then the detection kicks in for part two. Macqueen's research is excellent and being in my early 30s at the time, I remember much of it. The IRA tensions and mainland bombing campaign had been ongoing since the early 1970s and the tensions are well detailed without overwhelming the story. It was a different world, without mobile phones, the internet, easy access to information, true of false, and it almost seems like an alien society. I wonder what younger people would make of it. While this is more graphically gay and sexual than volume one, it is just a love story and very entertaining, while saying something important about society then and how it led to now. My only criticism is that the conclusion is a little predictable, but so is the end of a roller-coaster ride.

[ERIC PECHINOT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the main character is the same, this book can be read regardless of "Beneath The Streets". In this one the backdrop to the story is what is referred to as "the Troubles", i.e. the long string of terror attacks by the IRA and crackdown on it. But you don't need to be a pundit on British politics to enjoy the read. Besides, the plot encompasses other sensitive topics, such as the fast spreading epidemic of AIDS in the eighties and the nagging question of how to trust someone you hardly know.
Adam macQueen has been working on a third volume, "The Inalienable Right". It can't come out too soon!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second Tommy Wildeblood novel from Adam Macqueen meets back up with a slightly more grown up and a little less naive Tommy in 1984, as he is studying at a Polytechnic in North London. I highly enjoyed the first book, Beneath The Streets, but in this new story we catch up with our protagonist living a calmer and less dangerous life as a student, albeit with him protesting with others, against the acceptance of Patrick Harrington, a student who is a known member of The National Front. Although is it less dangerous? This is Tommy we’re talking about! Thankfully no it’s not, so while Tommy is standing watch outside on the look out for the arrival of Patrick, he meets, and instantly falls for, Liam, and as their relationships blossoms, we soon find him once again getting himself involved in the dark and violent world of current politics.

Set around the bombing of The Grand Hotel in Brighton, as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet are staying there for the Conservative Party Conference, this novel wonderfully uses fact and real life characters to weave a fictional political thriller, full of grit, danger and fear, but also wit, depth and compassion. In the time of the miner’s strike and the emergence of a frightening and deadly new disease called AIDS, we follow Tommy as he embarks on a new relationship with fellow student Liam Delany. They seem to connect straight away. Liam knows little of the gay scene in London, so as Tommy introduces him to his friends and local groups and places they can go, and things they still need to be wary of, he finds a caring and thoughtful man. But when Liam suddenly stops seeing him and doesn’t answer his phone, Tommy starts to ask questions and soon discovers that he didn’t know anything about his new lover at all.

Giving an insight into a time of much fear and hatred but still with the hugely lovable protagonist from the first book, The Enemy Within is another gripping thriller fully cementing this series as one well worth reading.

Huge thanks to Simon at Eye and Lightning Books for my copy.

[Andy Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd in the Tommy Wildeblood series following on the acclaimed Beneath The Streets and you have another cleverly written thriller, it’s a book which takes the reader on a journey superbly evocative of the times and period, but more than that is wonderfully character driven.

As you read you get a real sense of who the characters are and the lives they had to live on a daily basis, you can instantly believe in them as people through the descriptive and rich narrative. It is hard not to take a liking to Tommy you can picture him in your head and throughout the book you learn a little more about his backstory, in this book whilst he does’nt seem as naive as in the first there is still a vulnerable side to him, someone determined to get their life on the right tracks at the same time not forgetting the past.

In part it is a story of love found and lost of a longing to understand and seek some form of acceptance, but It is also a gripping thriller which blends fact and fiction and turns it into one highly satisfying read, there is a strong narrative running throughout, the question for Tommy is how far will he go to uncover the truth and see justice served this is where the plotting shines, the tension and drama rise and where the storytelling stands out, one thing you can be certain of you don’t see the twists coming and the author keeps the reader on their toes. It screams and portrays 80s Thatcher and what that entailed depending on your circumstances, you can sense the injustice

This is a book that kept me engaged from the opening pages where you want to read every word, not sure in which direction I was to be taken and not sure what to expect, the ending however is totally unexpected and now has me eagerly looking forward to more. On an aside I particularly liked the passing reference and nod to Sandy and Julian

Adam Macqueen has written an outstanding book in which the words and storytelling do the talking one which leaves an impression once finished

[David Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Macqueen’s first novel Beneath the Streets revisited the Jeremy Thorpe/Norman Scott scandal and inserted his rentboy hero into that squalid episode in political history. Now, with the same hero, Tommy Wildeblood, he re-examines the 1980s, the bruising miner’s strike and the dawn of Aids when undertakers often refused to deal with the bodies of those who died from the “gay plague”.

Tommy is now 29, living in a Finsbury Park bedsit and attending a degree course at the politically radical North London Polytech as a mature student. A (somewhat cynical) left-wing activist, Tommy falls in love with Belfast-born Liam, who is very active with the pro-IRA anti-British demonstrations. At the peak of their relationship Liam suddenly disappears and the search for him takes Tommy down a dangerous road. We know from the Prologue that the drama will climax in Brighton’s Grand Hotel in October 1984.

In Beneath the Streets Macqueen imagined a totally different ending to the Jeremy Thorpe affair. Here he takes fewer liberties with the historical facts, but his scenario allows Tommy to cross Margaret Thatcher’s path. And there’s a stand-out gaudy episode when Tommy and Liam take drag-queen Clarrie’s ashes to Derek Jarman’s beach in Dungeness.

Adam Macqueen has served up two vivid, stylish flashbacks to flashpoints in 20th-century history; and he promises a third.

[David Menon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was terrific in that in continued the story of Tommy Wildeblood from 'Beneath the Street's but it also delves into that whole area of when you fall in love with someone who isn't who they say they are, and do you take that as a betrayal or do you try to understand why they've deceived you? This happens to Tommy when he meets and falls for handsome Irishman Liam and the dark places it draws him into the more he finds out about Liam's real life and not the one he's told Tommy about. Brilliant evocation of the times it's set in, the mid-eighties, with the brainless discrimination against gay people because AIDS was seen as a 'gay' disease, plus some powerful elements of the Northern Ireland troubles also brought into sharp focus, this novel is a great read. Looking forward to number 3 in the series and to see where Tommy goes next.

[David Cutler · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second Tommy Wildeblood thriller and just as good as the first.

It is well written and plotted with a twist which I didn't see coming. The idea of a former rent boy detective is quite brilliant, though less to the fore in this novel. What I think Macqueen does especially well is interweave a gay history (and other political issues too) in a very successful thriller.

Can't wait for the third.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Enemy With In. A beautiful blend of fiction and fact where the fact is more implausible than the fiction. With both this and Beneath The Streets Adam Macqueen has charted a witty, sexy, compelling queer history of the UK.
My only complaint is that I will now have to wait for the next instalment.

[Dominic Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely terrific thriller/detective story. Based around the Brighton bombing the characters, both real and imagined, are fully ran and the narrative fizzes along at great pace. Utterly enthralling!

[carelessdestiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second volume in the series is as good as the first. The protagonist has matured but still retains his sense of justice.

[Mark Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book Tommy is such a wonderful character and the 80s setting really made the book special

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

MacQueen's second Wildeblood novel - and it's really stepped up (not that I didn't enjoy the first). Again fiction set amongst historical events and a story deftly woven into fact.

Wildebood is an enjoyable character. Human, rounded and good company. And I was kept guessing until the end. Highly recommended.