What do you think?
Rate this book
John Bailey #3
The Enemy Within
SET TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN. Like Michael Connelly’s Bosch, John Bailey will risk everything to get to the truth – and expose a deadly enemy.Shortlisted for the 2022 Danger Prize.Shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award.'He heard a voice, someone calling out in the distance, followed by a loud fluttering of birds. Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky ...' Investigative journalist John Bailey is doing his best to turn his life around after losing the woman he loved. He has a new job. He’s given up the drink. He even has a dog. But then Federal Police raid his home with a warrant granting them unprecedented powers to take anything they want, including all his electronic devices and passwords. When Bailey protests, they threaten to put him in a prison cell. Someone wants to stop Bailey doing what he does best – exposing the truth. He has been investigating the rise of a global white supremacist group and suspects that a notorious neo-Nazi in the United States has been directing deadly racist attacks on Sydney’s streets. When the body of one of his key sources washes up on a nearby beach, it’s clear Bailey and anyone helping him have become targets. Bailey reaches out to a ruthless old friend – CIA veteran, Ronnie Johnson – to lure the enemy from the shadows. An enemy who thought they were untouchable. Until now … The brilliant third book in Tim Ayliffe’s John Bailey series. Bailey’s adventures in The Enemy Within, State of Fear and The Greater Good are to be adapted for the screen by CJZ Productions, Australia's largest independently owned production company series. Praise for The Enemy ‘A breathlessly written book, ripped from today’s headlines, this is a cracking read that blurs the line between fact and fiction. More please.’ Michael Robotham 'A cracking yarn told at breakneck speed. I couldn't put it down.' Chris Hammer ‘Sharp, gritty, sophisticated. Ayliffe’s criminal world is terrifyingly real.’ Candice FoxPraise for State of Fear ‘Another brilliantly crafted thriller from Ayliffe that fits perfectly in today’s worrying world … Get this guy on TV.’ Herald Sun ‘Sharp, incisive and scarily prescient, I was hooked from the first chapter to the final page.’ Sara Foster, bestselling author of The Hidden Hours ‘Utterly compelling and terrifyingly timely. I could not put it down.’ Pip Drysdale, bestselling author of The Sunday Girl ‘As a correspondent, I lived this world. Tim Ayliffe has written it.’ Stan Grant, writer and broadcaster Praise for The Greater Good ‘A brilliantly written character starring in cracking crime thriller.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2021
49 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
About the author
Tim Ayliffe
6 books92 followersTim Ayliffe’s thriller novels have been informed by his 25-year career as a journalist in Australia and around the world. He writes about espionage, extremism, politics and the global power games at play in the 21st Century.
He is the author the standalone thriller - Dark Desert Road - and the ‘John Bailey’ series including The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within, Killer Traitor Spy and The Wrong Man. Ayliffe's novels are also in development for TV.
When he's not writing or chasing news stories, Ayliffe watches rugby and surfs. He lives in Sydney.
He is the author the standalone thriller - Dark Desert Road - and the ‘John Bailey’ series including The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within, Killer Traitor Spy and The Wrong Man. Ayliffe's novels are also in development for TV.
When he's not writing or chasing news stories, Ayliffe watches rugby and surfs. He lives in Sydney.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 25, 2022
After the traumatic events of the past few years, former foreign correspondent John Bailey is slowly settling back into his life in Sydney with a new job writing features for a new news magazine. He’s given up drinking, sees his daughter regularly and has even adopted a rescue dog. However, his life is not peaceful for long and is suddenly thrown into turmoil when the Australian Federal Police raid his home, an old friend and source is murdered and a story he is working on about domestic white supremacy groups leads to violence.
Ayeliffe’s experience as a journalist shines through as many actual events (such as the AFP raid on a journalist) form the basis for his fictional events and characters. John Bailey is a great character, tough and resilient and relentless in his need to expose the truth. Together with his old CIA friend Ronnie Johnson they make a formidable pair. The result is a dark and gritty, action packed thriller that is frighteningly scary, given the current increasing rise of far-right terrorist groups and random acts of racially driven terrorism. Always plot driven, it never got bogged down with political details and charged along at a brisk pace with many heart-stopping moments along the way. I can see this series becoming an excellent TV series. 4.5★
With thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
Ayeliffe’s experience as a journalist shines through as many actual events (such as the AFP raid on a journalist) form the basis for his fictional events and characters. John Bailey is a great character, tough and resilient and relentless in his need to expose the truth. Together with his old CIA friend Ronnie Johnson they make a formidable pair. The result is a dark and gritty, action packed thriller that is frighteningly scary, given the current increasing rise of far-right terrorist groups and random acts of racially driven terrorism. Always plot driven, it never got bogged down with political details and charged along at a brisk pace with many heart-stopping moments along the way. I can see this series becoming an excellent TV series. 4.5★
With thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
December 20, 2021
4★
“‘. . . must have been on to these guys. We need to somehow find out what she knew. The feds won’t talk to me for obvious reasons. You got anyone inside?’
‘I’ll have a think.’
Bailey thought he almost caught Ronnie smile. ‘You do that.’ A guy like Ronnie Johnson always had someone on the inside.”
That’s one of the problems here – people on the inside. The enemy within. This is the third outing with Ayliffe’s former war correspondent character John Bailey. We know from the first two books what he’s faced, what he’s risked, and what he’s lost, and we also know he’s always at risk of backsliding.
Now his paper is retrenching journalists and going digital, so he could – should – retire. But he can’t override his investigative instincts, so we find him from the first page knocking on an apartment door in a crowded Sydney building. No answer.
“Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky.
Leaping to his feet, he fell backwards into the wall, hands hugging bricks, seeking shelter from the arms and legs flailing in the air until, almost in slow motion, the body landed with a loud thud on the footpath.”
It’s not the only body we’ll see, nor the only death attributed to suicide or petty crime, but Bailey is convinced everything is linked to some right-wing extremists who have begun radicalising those people who feel threatened by foreigners. It doesn’t matter who the current target is. It depends on who people are worried about – Muslims, Asians, Blacks, refugees.
In other words, white supremacists are taking advantage of the people on the dark web who are searching for a cause, something to give them importance. I believe they refer to Islamic terrorism as left-wing, and I have to admit that was new to me!
“Top of his list was trying to understand how … had managed to differentiate left-wing and right-wing terrorism. What the hell was the difference? Was he really suggesting that Islamic terrorism was left-wing, with far right extremists being the opposite end of the ideological spectrum?
And how did …’s murder fit into all of this? Are his alleged attackers left-wing terrorists because he’s a darling of the right? The distinction was utter nonsense.”
What wasn’t new to me, but is horrifying, is the powers the AFP (Australian Federal Police) have at their disposal, and in this instance, they weren’t used against the original “terrorists”, as the public knows them, but against Bailey himself! Here he is, looking into far-right violence, when he gets a surprise visit from the AFP.
Arriving home, he saw police and flashing lights at his house and knew that the woman who had contacted him about information must have been onto something. They had worked together years ago about a cover-up in Afghanistan, and obviously somebody had gotten wind of their recent meeting.
Bailey survived torture and 10 months captivity in Iraq and many years of alcoholism and grief. He is not easily shaken. Calling for ‘backup’ before he gets to the house, he hopes to stall, and insists on reading the whole search warrant. But he is actually shaken when he sees how much they can do to his belongings.
“There was one other clause he found deeply disturbing. It related to every electronic device found in Bailey’s possession. Computers. Phones. Storage devices. Police had the power to search whatever they wanted. And more. Bailey was trying not to panic as the words filtered through his eyes and into his brain. The warrant said they had the power to ‘add, copy, delete or alter’ anything they found on his electronic devices.”
This has been a big issue in Australia. How much is too much? Where do we draw the line on privacy, and how can you ever ensure “appropriate oversight”? Here’s what they can do.
https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/med...
This stinks. They’re supposed to be on the same side, and it’s looking as if there may be an “enemy within” the police somewhere. Of course, this kind of thing also feeds into the conspiracy theories about The State taking over.
I found the first half slower than the previous two books, but it definitely picks up at the midway point. It’s good to see characters from the previous books and also to see Bailey remain true to style. He stocks up on shirts at a local charity shop, and at the rate his are ruined by guns and fights, no wonder. Who cares anyway?
“It was true that Bailey was a well-known journalist, but he wasn’t exactly a household name. He’d always shunned offers to be an ‘expert’ on television. He wasn’t the type of person who got stopped in the street. He was an old-school print man with a name that rang bells but a face that barely anyone knew.”
However, when he is searching for a homeless girl who might be a witness he needs, he approaches a free meal van and realises he may need to clean up his act.
“‘We’ll start serving food in around fifteen minutes. Still getting set up.’
The response made Bailey uncharacteristically self-conscious about his appearance. Maybe his daughter was right. Maybe the flannelette shirt, jeans and Blundstone boots combo didn’t cut it any more. Although his stubbly face and shaggy, unkempt hair probably didn’t help. ‘I’m not here for a feed,’ Bailey said, trying not to sound defensive.”
There are smuggled guns, more bodies (good, bad, and ugly) and plenty of action. This happens just before Covid-19 hits Australia, so there’s no virus to contend with, but the rest of the story is immediate and frightening.
Thanks Tim, for another good yarn, and thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
I think you could enjoy this as a standalone, because Ayliffe fills in the background well, but as with most series, I prefer to start at the beginning.
My review of #1 - The Greater Good
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of #2 - State of Fear
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“‘. . . must have been on to these guys. We need to somehow find out what she knew. The feds won’t talk to me for obvious reasons. You got anyone inside?’
‘I’ll have a think.’
Bailey thought he almost caught Ronnie smile. ‘You do that.’ A guy like Ronnie Johnson always had someone on the inside.”
That’s one of the problems here – people on the inside. The enemy within. This is the third outing with Ayliffe’s former war correspondent character John Bailey. We know from the first two books what he’s faced, what he’s risked, and what he’s lost, and we also know he’s always at risk of backsliding.
Now his paper is retrenching journalists and going digital, so he could – should – retire. But he can’t override his investigative instincts, so we find him from the first page knocking on an apartment door in a crowded Sydney building. No answer.
“Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky.
Leaping to his feet, he fell backwards into the wall, hands hugging bricks, seeking shelter from the arms and legs flailing in the air until, almost in slow motion, the body landed with a loud thud on the footpath.”
It’s not the only body we’ll see, nor the only death attributed to suicide or petty crime, but Bailey is convinced everything is linked to some right-wing extremists who have begun radicalising those people who feel threatened by foreigners. It doesn’t matter who the current target is. It depends on who people are worried about – Muslims, Asians, Blacks, refugees.
In other words, white supremacists are taking advantage of the people on the dark web who are searching for a cause, something to give them importance. I believe they refer to Islamic terrorism as left-wing, and I have to admit that was new to me!
“Top of his list was trying to understand how … had managed to differentiate left-wing and right-wing terrorism. What the hell was the difference? Was he really suggesting that Islamic terrorism was left-wing, with far right extremists being the opposite end of the ideological spectrum?
And how did …’s murder fit into all of this? Are his alleged attackers left-wing terrorists because he’s a darling of the right? The distinction was utter nonsense.”
What wasn’t new to me, but is horrifying, is the powers the AFP (Australian Federal Police) have at their disposal, and in this instance, they weren’t used against the original “terrorists”, as the public knows them, but against Bailey himself! Here he is, looking into far-right violence, when he gets a surprise visit from the AFP.
Arriving home, he saw police and flashing lights at his house and knew that the woman who had contacted him about information must have been onto something. They had worked together years ago about a cover-up in Afghanistan, and obviously somebody had gotten wind of their recent meeting.
Bailey survived torture and 10 months captivity in Iraq and many years of alcoholism and grief. He is not easily shaken. Calling for ‘backup’ before he gets to the house, he hopes to stall, and insists on reading the whole search warrant. But he is actually shaken when he sees how much they can do to his belongings.
“There was one other clause he found deeply disturbing. It related to every electronic device found in Bailey’s possession. Computers. Phones. Storage devices. Police had the power to search whatever they wanted. And more. Bailey was trying not to panic as the words filtered through his eyes and into his brain. The warrant said they had the power to ‘add, copy, delete or alter’ anything they found on his electronic devices.”
This has been a big issue in Australia. How much is too much? Where do we draw the line on privacy, and how can you ever ensure “appropriate oversight”? Here’s what they can do.
https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/med...
This stinks. They’re supposed to be on the same side, and it’s looking as if there may be an “enemy within” the police somewhere. Of course, this kind of thing also feeds into the conspiracy theories about The State taking over.
I found the first half slower than the previous two books, but it definitely picks up at the midway point. It’s good to see characters from the previous books and also to see Bailey remain true to style. He stocks up on shirts at a local charity shop, and at the rate his are ruined by guns and fights, no wonder. Who cares anyway?
“It was true that Bailey was a well-known journalist, but he wasn’t exactly a household name. He’d always shunned offers to be an ‘expert’ on television. He wasn’t the type of person who got stopped in the street. He was an old-school print man with a name that rang bells but a face that barely anyone knew.”
However, when he is searching for a homeless girl who might be a witness he needs, he approaches a free meal van and realises he may need to clean up his act.
“‘We’ll start serving food in around fifteen minutes. Still getting set up.’
The response made Bailey uncharacteristically self-conscious about his appearance. Maybe his daughter was right. Maybe the flannelette shirt, jeans and Blundstone boots combo didn’t cut it any more. Although his stubbly face and shaggy, unkempt hair probably didn’t help. ‘I’m not here for a feed,’ Bailey said, trying not to sound defensive.”
There are smuggled guns, more bodies (good, bad, and ugly) and plenty of action. This happens just before Covid-19 hits Australia, so there’s no virus to contend with, but the rest of the story is immediate and frightening.
Thanks Tim, for another good yarn, and thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
I think you could enjoy this as a standalone, because Ayliffe fills in the background well, but as with most series, I prefer to start at the beginning.
My review of #1 - The Greater Good
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of #2 - State of Fear
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
October 29, 2022
The 3rd book in the John Bailey series, The Enemy Within is more focused on the problems home in Australia than the last two were. The rise of the white supremist movement is gaining alarming support. Bailey, now working for a brand new magazine, is putting together an in-depth piece about right wing extremism in Australia.
When Bailey attends a much-publicised talk / rally given by an American right-wing radical he is rumbled by a local supremacist who recognises him as a reporter. He manages to get out of the hall without too much damage but knows he’s put himself on the radar of a dangerous group.
Outrage soon follows when, a day or so later, he’s served with a search warrant by the AFP that gives them incredibly invasive powers to go through his home and all of his electronic devices.
It’s supposedly related to a story he wrote 11 years before in Iraq and involves information given to him by a friend who works for the Australian Federal Police, but the timing seems all wrong. Either way, it smacks of incredible overreach and Bailey responds with enough enmity to earn himself a stint in prison.
He knows he has the makings of a strong story that will put a spotlight on a scourge that is gathering strength both in Australia and the rest of the world. But when a couple of murders take place, both to people Bailey is closely acquainted to, the stakes get raised.
I found The Enemy Within to be a fast moving thriller that deals with a subject that has had increasing airtime in recent years. The conversation has moved from patriotism to nationalism and on into the far more disturbing racism and beyond and Ayliffe touches on many of the points that should be concerning to all of us.
Oh, and I like the casual way we are given a clue as to the time period in which the book is set, too.
For Bailey, the hits keep on coming to once again test his mental state of mind. More friends are killed in the course of his investigation and, as with the earlier books, his sleep is wracked with nightmares (although they don’t appear to be happening with quite the frequency as before). On top of this he seems to be prone to bouts of paralysing reflection by day. That he can continue to function normally is a mystery in itself.
It’s clear, though, that he’s settling back into a more normal life in Sydney. No more drinking, a new job and a new dog for companionship.
I was a little concerned through the first half of the book that there was no sign of the “super-sidekick” Ronnie Johnson. But as the action ramped up, the stakes became sufficiently hectic for Ronnie to come wading in, cigar stub and all.
My only criticism comes in the form - and it’s a bit of a bug-bear of mine, I admit - of the reliance on an outlandish coincidence that provides a crucial piece of information to trigger the exciting story climax. Sydney’s not the largest city in the world but, with a few million people knocking around town, the odds are pretty astronomical that the one single major threat that Bailey is tracking down is going to come so close to home. It just felt, I don’t know, lazy to me. (If this seems a little cryptic, it's because I'm retying desperately not to give away any spoilers).
Other than that little bit of finger wagging from yours truly, The Enemy Within continues the John Bailey series in fine style. It does a good job of putting a spotlight on an issue that is relevant to our time. And it does so in a way that makes for some pretty compelling reading.
When Bailey attends a much-publicised talk / rally given by an American right-wing radical he is rumbled by a local supremacist who recognises him as a reporter. He manages to get out of the hall without too much damage but knows he’s put himself on the radar of a dangerous group.
Outrage soon follows when, a day or so later, he’s served with a search warrant by the AFP that gives them incredibly invasive powers to go through his home and all of his electronic devices.
“There was one other clause he found deeply disturbing…The warrant said they had the power to ‘add, copy, delete or alter’ anything they found on his electronic devices.”
It’s supposedly related to a story he wrote 11 years before in Iraq and involves information given to him by a friend who works for the Australian Federal Police, but the timing seems all wrong. Either way, it smacks of incredible overreach and Bailey responds with enough enmity to earn himself a stint in prison.
He knows he has the makings of a strong story that will put a spotlight on a scourge that is gathering strength both in Australia and the rest of the world. But when a couple of murders take place, both to people Bailey is closely acquainted to, the stakes get raised.
I found The Enemy Within to be a fast moving thriller that deals with a subject that has had increasing airtime in recent years. The conversation has moved from patriotism to nationalism and on into the far more disturbing racism and beyond and Ayliffe touches on many of the points that should be concerning to all of us.
Oh, and I like the casual way we are given a clue as to the time period in which the book is set, too.
"The newsreader moved on to another news story. Something about a flu-like virus in China that nobody seemed too worried about. Bailey switched off the television."
For Bailey, the hits keep on coming to once again test his mental state of mind. More friends are killed in the course of his investigation and, as with the earlier books, his sleep is wracked with nightmares (although they don’t appear to be happening with quite the frequency as before). On top of this he seems to be prone to bouts of paralysing reflection by day. That he can continue to function normally is a mystery in itself.
It’s clear, though, that he’s settling back into a more normal life in Sydney. No more drinking, a new job and a new dog for companionship.
I was a little concerned through the first half of the book that there was no sign of the “super-sidekick” Ronnie Johnson. But as the action ramped up, the stakes became sufficiently hectic for Ronnie to come wading in, cigar stub and all.
My only criticism comes in the form - and it’s a bit of a bug-bear of mine, I admit - of the reliance on an outlandish coincidence that provides a crucial piece of information to trigger the exciting story climax. Sydney’s not the largest city in the world but, with a few million people knocking around town, the odds are pretty astronomical that the one single major threat that Bailey is tracking down is going to come so close to home. It just felt, I don’t know, lazy to me. (If this seems a little cryptic, it's because I'm retying desperately not to give away any spoilers).
Other than that little bit of finger wagging from yours truly, The Enemy Within continues the John Bailey series in fine style. It does a good job of putting a spotlight on an issue that is relevant to our time. And it does so in a way that makes for some pretty compelling reading.
January 13, 2022
This is the third book in the Bailey series and it gets better and better, set in Sydney, Bailey finds himself investigating a group of white supremists. As part of his research Bailey attends a rally and is disgusted to hear the hate around him.
Soon it becomes personal with others close to him in serious danger as targets of revenge and racism.
This was a hard book to put down, and I am again grateful to have discovered this author. Many good books to still come I think!
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Soon it becomes personal with others close to him in serious danger as targets of revenge and racism.
This was a hard book to put down, and I am again grateful to have discovered this author. Many good books to still come I think!
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2021
I love the John Bailey character and Tim Ayliffe delivers another excellent read here.
Journalist John Bailey again searching for the truth and letting nothing stand in his way. He's doing a long form story about the rise of right wing extremism in Australia. When his house is raided by the Australian Federal Police, he begins searching for why and this drags him deeper into the story with even wider reach than he initially thought.
Being set in Sydney, this one has a familiar feel.
Can be read as a standalone - but the other two John Bailey books are also top reads, so why not read them all :-)
Journalist John Bailey again searching for the truth and letting nothing stand in his way. He's doing a long form story about the rise of right wing extremism in Australia. When his house is raided by the Australian Federal Police, he begins searching for why and this drags him deeper into the story with even wider reach than he initially thought.
Being set in Sydney, this one has a familiar feel.
Can be read as a standalone - but the other two John Bailey books are also top reads, so why not read them all :-)
July 10, 2021
The Enemy Within is the third book in the John Bailey series. I haven't read the previous books, so I was happy that I was able to read this book as a standalone. I definitely will be reading the previous books because of how much I enjoyed reading this book.
John Bailey an investigator journalist, he starts to investigate the rise of a white supremacist group and suspects a neo-nazi is behind the attacks in the streets of Sydney. One of his closest key sources washes up dead, he knows either they are onto him or he will be next. Joining forces with his old friend Ronnie Johnson to get the enemy within out of the shadows.
I love that this book included some real hard life events. The book is set in Sydney in early January 2020, right when Sydney and the vast majority of NSW was on fire. Also there was a snippet of the Covid 19 virus that started in China. Even though it's a sad topic I thought it added an element to the book even though it was just a mention.
Secondly Aylifee mentions some terrorism attacks such as the siege at the Lindt Cafe, Sydney and 9/11. It was not only suitable for the book but it was also a reminder how no matter where you live in the world, terrorist acts can happen.
Bailey's character is portrayed really well; he is a well respected journalist and has numerous key sources in the police and government departments. He is a very likeable person and not once I ever judge his decisions like I have done in other books with other journalists. But within saying this, he was still that type of journalist who wouldn't stop at nothing to find out the truth.
It was a fast paced action book, realistic in the criminal and justice department, stating many Legal Acts, and Terrorism Acts so it was very well researched. Also it's a book that is heavily based on the media front, and how media can alter the truth as well as have positive effects as well.
I highly recommend picking up this book along with the previous books because I have no doubt they will be just as great as the third.
Thank you so much for Netgalley, Simon and Schuster for the gifting of the eARC and Tim Ayliffe for writing a fantastic crime thriller.
March 1, 2024
A new Bailey is back with a clean slate after losing his beloved girlfriend.
Still wearing his flannelette shirt and Blundstone boots he now has dog to care for and love.
His passion for exposing the truth is as strong as ever.
A white supremest is in Sydney to spout his vile rhetoric and propaganda.
Flaming the fuel of ignorance among those ready to listen.
Meanwhile the country is burning, suffering catastrophic fires across the nations.
The heat is on.
A tumultuous series of events unfold as murder, abduction and ugly truth are exposed.
Bailey, of course is in the thick of the drama and integral to solving the crimes.
A man that should be on the police payroll.
This is another intense winner in this series.
Delving into the social and political landscapes as well as natural disasters is clever. Terrorism comes in many guises and is wrong period.
Racism is rampant universally both now and historically and is a phenomenon that not one racial group can claim immunity from.
It is good to see the issues at the forefront in popular fiction.
Still wearing his flannelette shirt and Blundstone boots he now has dog to care for and love.
His passion for exposing the truth is as strong as ever.
A white supremest is in Sydney to spout his vile rhetoric and propaganda.
Flaming the fuel of ignorance among those ready to listen.
Meanwhile the country is burning, suffering catastrophic fires across the nations.
The heat is on.
A tumultuous series of events unfold as murder, abduction and ugly truth are exposed.
Bailey, of course is in the thick of the drama and integral to solving the crimes.
A man that should be on the police payroll.
This is another intense winner in this series.
Delving into the social and political landscapes as well as natural disasters is clever. Terrorism comes in many guises and is wrong period.
Racism is rampant universally both now and historically and is a phenomenon that not one racial group can claim immunity from.
It is good to see the issues at the forefront in popular fiction.
September 10, 2024
I am enjoying this series, and the books are getting better with each instalment. The books are really well paced thrillers. I think a big part of my enjoyment of the series is they are set in parts of Sydney that I know really well, having lived and worked there previously. For me the stories have a great sense of place.
September 6, 2021
Yet another fantastic book by Tim Ayliffe. I am hooked.
Not being the biggest reader of crime, thrillers or mystery novels I have come to enjoy some of them and Tim's novels have to be my favourite. I love that he doesn't pad them out with unimportant, over descriptive nonsense. He writes well and the story flows, keeping the action and suspense happening so that you just have to keep reading. Again, I just couldn't put this book down.
John Bailey, a journalist that has been through some rough times, to say the least, is at it again. He clamps onto a story and doesn't let it go until all is done and dusted. Characters from past books come to light again in this one, But one of the good things about the writing is that although there are numerous characters they all have a place and you can follow what is happening and where they all fit in.
This is a book about the world we live in and covers so many problems in our world today. It is intriguing, thrilling and even a bit scary but better still it is a fantastic read and I can't wait until the next installment.
The Enemy Within
Tim Ayliffe
Simon & Schuster
Not being the biggest reader of crime, thrillers or mystery novels I have come to enjoy some of them and Tim's novels have to be my favourite. I love that he doesn't pad them out with unimportant, over descriptive nonsense. He writes well and the story flows, keeping the action and suspense happening so that you just have to keep reading. Again, I just couldn't put this book down.
John Bailey, a journalist that has been through some rough times, to say the least, is at it again. He clamps onto a story and doesn't let it go until all is done and dusted. Characters from past books come to light again in this one, But one of the good things about the writing is that although there are numerous characters they all have a place and you can follow what is happening and where they all fit in.
This is a book about the world we live in and covers so many problems in our world today. It is intriguing, thrilling and even a bit scary but better still it is a fantastic read and I can't wait until the next installment.
The Enemy Within
Tim Ayliffe
Simon & Schuster
March 10, 2024
Pretty good just didn’t like the main character
July 11, 2021
Wow! What an adrenaline rush of a read this book was! Set predominantly in Sydney’s Inner City and Inner West suburbs, this fast paced and sharply written crime thriller sucked me in from the first chapter.
John Bailey, a former war correspondent now working as an investigative journalist, is assigned to write a cover story profiling an infamous American neo-Nazi and the rise of a global white supremacist group, for a new publication, Enquirer Magazine. In researching this task, he uncovers a dark underworld in his own city of Sydney, with terrifying characters and violent racial hatred.
I loved the craggy and rumpled Bailey, and the relationships he has in this book. The way the story unfolded, with flashbacks to his time in the Middle East, and also the perspective of his long time friend,colleague and former lover Annie Brooks, who now works as a commercial tv reporter on a current affairs show, made for a fantastic lockdown read. I love reading books by journalists. The language, expression and knowledge they have, never fails to impress me and this one is not exception. I can definitely see it being translated to screen and I look forward to reading Tim’s previous books now! Although this is his third, it can be read as a stand-alone as I have done.
Due out 1st August. Highly recommended by Mia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for sending me this ARC
@timayliffe
@simonandschusterau
#theenemywithin #crimethriller #australianfiction
John Bailey, a former war correspondent now working as an investigative journalist, is assigned to write a cover story profiling an infamous American neo-Nazi and the rise of a global white supremacist group, for a new publication, Enquirer Magazine. In researching this task, he uncovers a dark underworld in his own city of Sydney, with terrifying characters and violent racial hatred.
I loved the craggy and rumpled Bailey, and the relationships he has in this book. The way the story unfolded, with flashbacks to his time in the Middle East, and also the perspective of his long time friend,colleague and former lover Annie Brooks, who now works as a commercial tv reporter on a current affairs show, made for a fantastic lockdown read. I love reading books by journalists. The language, expression and knowledge they have, never fails to impress me and this one is not exception. I can definitely see it being translated to screen and I look forward to reading Tim’s previous books now! Although this is his third, it can be read as a stand-alone as I have done.
Due out 1st August. Highly recommended by Mia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for sending me this ARC
@timayliffe
@simonandschusterau
#theenemywithin #crimethriller #australianfiction
December 24, 2025
The Enemy Within is a solid, competent continuation of Tim Ayliffe’s political thriller series, delivering intrigue, shifting loyalties, and a finale that goes fully feral. The ending is undeniably action-packed and chaotic in the best way, with revelations and momentum that finally snap the story into high gear. When it works, it really works.
That said, coming off the high of State of Fear, this instalment feels a little lacklustre by comparison. The tension takes its time to build and never quite sustains the same urgency throughout. Bailey remains a challenging protagonist to connect with, and while the conspiracy is interesting, it doesn’t bite as hard or feel as sharp as in the previous book. Still, the ideas are compelling enough to keep things moving, and the wild ending does a lot of heavy lifting.
Not a total misfire, just a reminder that not every crisis can be a five-alarm fire. 🔥
That said, coming off the high of State of Fear, this instalment feels a little lacklustre by comparison. The tension takes its time to build and never quite sustains the same urgency throughout. Bailey remains a challenging protagonist to connect with, and while the conspiracy is interesting, it doesn’t bite as hard or feel as sharp as in the previous book. Still, the ideas are compelling enough to keep things moving, and the wild ending does a lot of heavy lifting.
Not a total misfire, just a reminder that not every crisis can be a five-alarm fire. 🔥
August 16, 2021
Grizzly
January 16, 2025
Another great crime fiction from Tim Ayliffe - and once again he draws from current events. This time, the focus is the rise of "White Supremacists". The journalist is determined to uncover those responsible for the death of a friend and the recent violence which is likely linked to followers of local gangs of thugs who stir up hate against non-white Australians.
John Bailey is a wonderful character who has developed through the series as an honest, dedicated, loyal, thoughtful journalist and friend who has had to overcome personal "demons". He is able to analyse and identify the not-so-obvious between-the-lines events.
SET TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN. Like Michael Connelly’s Bosch, John Bailey will risk everything to get to the truth – and expose a deadly enemy. Shortlisted for the 2022 Danger Prize. Shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award. 'He heard a voice, someone calling out in the distance, followed by a loud fluttering of birds. Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky ...' Investigative journalist John Bailey is doing his best to turn his life around after losing the woman he loved. He has a new job. He’s given up the drink. He even has a dog. But then Federal Police raid his home with a warrant granting them unprecedented powers to take anything they want, including all his electronic devices and passwords. When Bailey protests, they threaten to put him in a prison cell. Someone wants to stop Bailey doing what he does best – exposing the truth. He has been investigating the rise of a global white supremacist group and suspects that a notorious neo-Nazi in the United States has been directing deadly racist attacks on Sydney’s streets. When the body of one of his key sources washes up on a nearby beach, it’s clear Bailey and anyone helping him have become targets. Bailey reaches out to a ruthless old friend – CIA veteran, Ronnie Johnson – to lure the enemy from the shadows. An enemy who thought they were untouchable. Until now … The brilliant third book in Tim Ayliffe’s John Bailey series. Bailey’s adventures in The Enemy Within, State of Fear and The Greater Good are to be adapted for the screen by CJZ Productions, Australia's largest independently owned production company series. Praise for The Enemy ‘A breathlessly written book, ripped from today’s headlines, this is a cracking read that blurs the line between fact and fiction. More please.’ Michael Robotham 'A cracking yarn told at breakneck speed. I couldn't put it down.' Chris Hammer ‘Sharp, gritty, sophisticated. Ayliffe’s criminal world is terrifyingly real.’ Candice FoxPraise for State of Fear ‘Another brilliantly crafted thriller from Ayliffe that fits perfectly in today’s worrying world … Get this guy on TV.’ Herald Sun ‘Sharp, incisive and scarily prescient, I was hooked from the first chapter to the final page.’ Sara Foster, bestselling author of The Hidden Hours ‘Utterly compelling and terrifyingly timely. I could not put it down.’ Pip Drysdale, bestselling author of The Sunday Girl ‘As a correspondent, I lived this world. Tim Ayliffe has written it.’ Stan Grant, writer and broadcaster Praise for The Greater Good ‘A brilliantly written character starring in cracking crime thriller.
John Bailey is a wonderful character who has developed through the series as an honest, dedicated, loyal, thoughtful journalist and friend who has had to overcome personal "demons". He is able to analyse and identify the not-so-obvious between-the-lines events.
SET TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN. Like Michael Connelly’s Bosch, John Bailey will risk everything to get to the truth – and expose a deadly enemy. Shortlisted for the 2022 Danger Prize. Shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award. 'He heard a voice, someone calling out in the distance, followed by a loud fluttering of birds. Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky ...' Investigative journalist John Bailey is doing his best to turn his life around after losing the woman he loved. He has a new job. He’s given up the drink. He even has a dog. But then Federal Police raid his home with a warrant granting them unprecedented powers to take anything they want, including all his electronic devices and passwords. When Bailey protests, they threaten to put him in a prison cell. Someone wants to stop Bailey doing what he does best – exposing the truth. He has been investigating the rise of a global white supremacist group and suspects that a notorious neo-Nazi in the United States has been directing deadly racist attacks on Sydney’s streets. When the body of one of his key sources washes up on a nearby beach, it’s clear Bailey and anyone helping him have become targets. Bailey reaches out to a ruthless old friend – CIA veteran, Ronnie Johnson – to lure the enemy from the shadows. An enemy who thought they were untouchable. Until now … The brilliant third book in Tim Ayliffe’s John Bailey series. Bailey’s adventures in The Enemy Within, State of Fear and The Greater Good are to be adapted for the screen by CJZ Productions, Australia's largest independently owned production company series. Praise for The Enemy ‘A breathlessly written book, ripped from today’s headlines, this is a cracking read that blurs the line between fact and fiction. More please.’ Michael Robotham 'A cracking yarn told at breakneck speed. I couldn't put it down.' Chris Hammer ‘Sharp, gritty, sophisticated. Ayliffe’s criminal world is terrifyingly real.’ Candice FoxPraise for State of Fear ‘Another brilliantly crafted thriller from Ayliffe that fits perfectly in today’s worrying world … Get this guy on TV.’ Herald Sun ‘Sharp, incisive and scarily prescient, I was hooked from the first chapter to the final page.’ Sara Foster, bestselling author of The Hidden Hours ‘Utterly compelling and terrifyingly timely. I could not put it down.’ Pip Drysdale, bestselling author of The Sunday Girl ‘As a correspondent, I lived this world. Tim Ayliffe has written it.’ Stan Grant, writer and broadcaster Praise for The Greater Good ‘A brilliantly written character starring in cracking crime thriller.
August 14, 2021
The Enemy Within is Tim Ayliffe’s third exciting thriller to feature investigative journalist John Bailey.
After a young Sudanese man is beaten into a coma only streets away from where a white supremacists rally was held just hours earlier, Bailey, writing a piece on the rise of right wing extremism for the launch issue of a new independent magazine, finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy determined to start a race war.
Fast paced and offering plenty of action, elements of the plot are recognisable from headline events including the emboldening of various hate groups (supported by political, media and law enforcement leaders), the cull of experienced investigative media, and the AFP raid on a journalist. I really like the way that Ayliffe (a former journalist himself) grounds his stories so that events seem plausible, and are relevant to Australian society. I found it easy to guess who was behind the direct actions of the extremists, but the identity of other players came as a surprise.
Up against a well resourced and connected enemy, Bailey gets some help in The Enemy Within from his former newspaper colleagues, Gerald Summers, and Marjorie, plus ex-CIA agent (among other things) Ronnie Johnson. Unable to trust the police, when they learn of the supremacists end game Bailey and Ronnie physically take on the threat in a tense showdown.
Bailey is in a fairly good place in this third novel,. He remains sober, he has grown closer to his daughter, he has adopted a dog, and his PTSD from his time as a captive in Iraq is rarely close to the surface. Though he is still mourning the death of his girlfriend (in State of Fear), there is a hint of possibility of a new romance in forthcoming books when Bailey reunites with a former lover, TV journalist Annie Brooks.
The bushfires raging along the coast of NSW, which creates a pall of smoke over Sydney, and a throwaway line that refers to the incipient pandemic dates the timeline at January 2020. Set in Sydney, readers familiar with the city will recognise locations such as the Lindt Cafe and Bondi Beach.
The Enemy Within is a gripping, tense and entertaining read. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the previous novels, The Greater Good and State of Fear, to enjoy this novel but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.
After a young Sudanese man is beaten into a coma only streets away from where a white supremacists rally was held just hours earlier, Bailey, writing a piece on the rise of right wing extremism for the launch issue of a new independent magazine, finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy determined to start a race war.
Fast paced and offering plenty of action, elements of the plot are recognisable from headline events including the emboldening of various hate groups (supported by political, media and law enforcement leaders), the cull of experienced investigative media, and the AFP raid on a journalist. I really like the way that Ayliffe (a former journalist himself) grounds his stories so that events seem plausible, and are relevant to Australian society. I found it easy to guess who was behind the direct actions of the extremists, but the identity of other players came as a surprise.
Up against a well resourced and connected enemy, Bailey gets some help in The Enemy Within from his former newspaper colleagues, Gerald Summers, and Marjorie, plus ex-CIA agent (among other things) Ronnie Johnson. Unable to trust the police, when they learn of the supremacists end game Bailey and Ronnie physically take on the threat in a tense showdown.
Bailey is in a fairly good place in this third novel,. He remains sober, he has grown closer to his daughter, he has adopted a dog, and his PTSD from his time as a captive in Iraq is rarely close to the surface. Though he is still mourning the death of his girlfriend (in State of Fear), there is a hint of possibility of a new romance in forthcoming books when Bailey reunites with a former lover, TV journalist Annie Brooks.
The bushfires raging along the coast of NSW, which creates a pall of smoke over Sydney, and a throwaway line that refers to the incipient pandemic dates the timeline at January 2020. Set in Sydney, readers familiar with the city will recognise locations such as the Lindt Cafe and Bondi Beach.
The Enemy Within is a gripping, tense and entertaining read. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the previous novels, The Greater Good and State of Fear, to enjoy this novel but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.
July 17, 2021
This was a really good read. I haven’t read any of the previous John Bailey books, but this did not affect my ability to approach this one. Bailey is a respected seasoned journalist who covered the Afghanistan and Iraqi Wars in the early 2000s (and exposed a war crime purportedly carried out by Australian special forces – an accolade that won him no fans in the upper echelons of government and the military). Now back home in Sydney and recovering from the drink and nightmares from his coverage overseas, Bailey has quit his job at a large mainstream newspaper and is now investigating the rise of the alt-right and white supremacy in Australia for a new indie newspaper outfit.
In the symbolic shadow of the fires that raged across Australia in early 2020 and blanketed Australia’s capital cities with smoke, Bailey’s reporting quickly drags him into a sinister world of far-right extremism. The movement is well resourced, organised, and appears to have contacts in high places. Teaming up with an ex-CIA colleague, and an investigative TV reporter, Bailey ultimately uncovers a disturbing plot to incite racial hate in Australia - seemingly with the explicit approval of the apparatus of the state itself.
While I don’t know the full background of Bailey as a result of not having read the previous novels, the character is well-defined and likeable (reminds me a little of Max Payne in some ways). The plot and matter has relevance given the rise of alt-right movements worldwide in recent years and the Australian angle is different (if terrifying). A lot of research and detail was performed on the part of Ayliffe – that much is clear. Overall a 4.5/5 star book from me – will pick up his earlier books as a result.
My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and NetGalley for their provision of an ARC.
In the symbolic shadow of the fires that raged across Australia in early 2020 and blanketed Australia’s capital cities with smoke, Bailey’s reporting quickly drags him into a sinister world of far-right extremism. The movement is well resourced, organised, and appears to have contacts in high places. Teaming up with an ex-CIA colleague, and an investigative TV reporter, Bailey ultimately uncovers a disturbing plot to incite racial hate in Australia - seemingly with the explicit approval of the apparatus of the state itself.
While I don’t know the full background of Bailey as a result of not having read the previous novels, the character is well-defined and likeable (reminds me a little of Max Payne in some ways). The plot and matter has relevance given the rise of alt-right movements worldwide in recent years and the Australian angle is different (if terrifying). A lot of research and detail was performed on the part of Ayliffe – that much is clear. Overall a 4.5/5 star book from me – will pick up his earlier books as a result.
My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and NetGalley for their provision of an ARC.
October 4, 2024
Read this for bookclub. Actually enjoyed it more than i expected to, especially in the last third when things heated up. Story line was more straightforward than i expected, not as twisty or gripping as i thought it would be. Yes there was a body right at the beginning and we learnt about who that was 2/3 way through, but it wasn't hang on the edge of your seat type waiting, it was clearly going to be revealed when the time was right. Nothing else really unexpected (although the epilogue / last chapter was a surprise). Loved the setting of Sydney during a terrible bushfire season. Liked the protagonist - jaded journalist, with trauma from past (that was touched on but not heavily - i gather previous books do that), and who'd recently lost his girlfriend (cop?). Loved the connection with a past FWB. Enjoyed the character Ronnie. Few too many deaths to make it believable for me, and one connection that seemed too close to the protagonist (coincidence, but stretching belief), but otherwise an enjoyable read, despite its nasty underpinning subject matter (white supremacy and its emergence in Australia).
October 1, 2021
John Bailey is an ex war correspondent journalist living in Sydney, Australia, a recovering alcoholic who loves chasing a good story. When his good friend, Harriet Walker from the navy is murdered and then her body discovered on a beach, just before he and Harriet had a catch up meeting the next morning. Bailey starts digging into what she was researching and found she was looking into a worldwide group of white supremacists lurking in Sydney. Finding out that one of the supremacists is a young neighbour he knows, he is shocked to discover him getting prepared to launch an attack for the cause and the involvement goes very high up in rich wealthy people.
Tim Ayliffe is a good writer and his plots are well paced and easy to read. He is one of my favourite Aussie authors and I enjoyed this book a lot.
Tim Ayliffe is a good writer and his plots are well paced and easy to read. He is one of my favourite Aussie authors and I enjoyed this book a lot.
December 12, 2021
An easy, pleasant read about a topic, domestic-grown terrorism, that is becoming more visible these days. Unfortunately this novel seems to be written straight out of the Thriller Formula guide. One man, our hero, uncovers a dastardly plot. An innocent is murdered, then as our hero gets closer to finding the perpetrators, the body count rises (though rarely anyone very close to our hero). Then, in a climactic final scene, our hero is alone with the armed bad guys and must use his considerable initiative to save the day. He is, of course, bruised but triumphant in the end. Authors: please show some genuine imagination if you are writing these stories.
August 3, 2021
A tightly written, interesting thriller that dives deep into some really relevant questions for our contemporary society.
Bailey is a great character, Ayliffe's writing is really solid, and the plot is just unusual enough to keep you guessing until the very final page. Well worth a read!
Full review at the Nerd Daily: https://thenerddaily.com/review-the-e...
Bailey is a great character, Ayliffe's writing is really solid, and the plot is just unusual enough to keep you guessing until the very final page. Well worth a read!
Full review at the Nerd Daily: https://thenerddaily.com/review-the-e...
January 9, 2022
This was a really good read. Set in Sydney, I loved that I knew lots of locations in the book and found the comparison of the story to actual world events quite sobering.
Fast paced and well written, I would happily read the other two books in the series.
Fast paced and well written, I would happily read the other two books in the series.
August 12, 2021
This is the third book in the series and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Love the Sydney contemporary setting and fast pace. Looking forward to reading more of John Bailey’s story.
August 13, 2021
Love a good crime novel based in Sydney. John Bailey is another action hero - good stuff
February 22, 2022
Second time audio book
September 22, 2022
4.5 - another great great read
October 3, 2022
Great to have a gripping thriller read set in Sydney. Moreover, the investigative hero is a reporter. We need more of them. I’ll definitely go back to No 1 and 2 of the series. No spoilers!
January 24, 2023
3.5 stars
Great book, easy and quick to read with a worrying topic.
Great book, easy and quick to read with a worrying topic.
May 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Real page turner.
September 11, 2024
Not bad. Always good to read about Aussie books with places you recognise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews