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Michael Bale #2
Target Zero
Former close protection officer Michael Bale has a dangerous skillset. One that many men – good and bad – want to make use of.
That's why a powerful Russian oligarch wants to hire Michael to protect him. And with Michael's wife gone and his track record with the Met in tatters, Michael doesn't feel he has a choice.
But when a terrorist attack on the M11 kills a police firearms team, MI5 suspect that Michael's new client and the Russian GRU are involved. The bomb was a Sunburn missile warhead, military-grade and able to vaporise everything in its blast radius. And there are more warheads out there.
Blackmailed by MI5 into spying on the client he's been hired to protect, Michael is pushed to his limits by this new double-agent status. If he doesn't locate the other warheads, thousands of civilians will die – and time is running out...
That's why a powerful Russian oligarch wants to hire Michael to protect him. And with Michael's wife gone and his track record with the Met in tatters, Michael doesn't feel he has a choice.
But when a terrorist attack on the M11 kills a police firearms team, MI5 suspect that Michael's new client and the Russian GRU are involved. The bomb was a Sunburn missile warhead, military-grade and able to vaporise everything in its blast radius. And there are more warheads out there.
Blackmailed by MI5 into spying on the client he's been hired to protect, Michael is pushed to his limits by this new double-agent status. If he doesn't locate the other warheads, thousands of civilians will die – and time is running out...
- GenresThriller
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2022
13 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Riches
51 books358 followersAnthony Riches began his lifelong interest in war and soldiers when he first heard his father's stories about World War II. This led to a degree in Military Studies at Manchester University. He began writing the story that would become Wounds of Honour after a visit to Housesteads in 1996. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 17, 2022
Follow up to the rather entertaining “Nemesis” where a Met close protection officer goes rogue to find those responsible for his sister’s death.
The authorities have decided to overlook Mickey Bale’s transgressions and he has quietly left the Met and spent time upskilling his close combat talents.
MI5 think he might be the right person to go undercover as close protection for a Russian Oligarch who they suspect might be supporting a deadly terrorist plan. The trouble is, Mickey has burned a lot of bridges and has very few friends left and there are still gangsters out there who think he is there to be used.
It’s entertaining action all the way and a lot of fun. A writer of fantastic Roman thrillers, Anthony Riches has managed to transfer here talents rather well, he excels in writing good characters and the relationship between Mickey and his MI5 handler is excellent.
The authorities have decided to overlook Mickey Bale’s transgressions and he has quietly left the Met and spent time upskilling his close combat talents.
MI5 think he might be the right person to go undercover as close protection for a Russian Oligarch who they suspect might be supporting a deadly terrorist plan. The trouble is, Mickey has burned a lot of bridges and has very few friends left and there are still gangsters out there who think he is there to be used.
It’s entertaining action all the way and a lot of fun. A writer of fantastic Roman thrillers, Anthony Riches has managed to transfer here talents rather well, he excels in writing good characters and the relationship between Mickey and his MI5 handler is excellent.
May 29, 2023
I was a big fan of Anthony Riches series set in Roman times but this second Mickey Bale novel is a big departure from the ancient world.
Mickey Bale is a former Metropolitan Police close protection officer who is at something of a loose end. He was 'retired' from the service with a GC but also a record for killing a number of very bad men. He is clearly a man of some 'talent' and his services are quickly in demand by several parties - working as a personal bodyguard to a rich Russian; by a gangland leader and also by MI5 who are chasing terrorists with very big bombs that they're planning to set off.
A fast paced and action packed thriller with a pretty high body count. Good enough in its own way but I preferred the previous stuff.
Mickey Bale is a former Metropolitan Police close protection officer who is at something of a loose end. He was 'retired' from the service with a GC but also a record for killing a number of very bad men. He is clearly a man of some 'talent' and his services are quickly in demand by several parties - working as a personal bodyguard to a rich Russian; by a gangland leader and also by MI5 who are chasing terrorists with very big bombs that they're planning to set off.
A fast paced and action packed thriller with a pretty high body count. Good enough in its own way but I preferred the previous stuff.
September 6, 2024
English John Wick vibes, but in all seriousness, how many of these characters can we have before it just becomes mundane? Good guy (English) kicks bad guys ass (Russian) 🙀 didn’t see that coming 😴
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2023
**Should Read as 4.5 STARS**
This eventful thriller is the 2nd part of the much improved "The Protector" series.
Storytelling is superb, the storyline well structured, and worked out with a great set up towards an ending with an explosive plot.
In this thriller we follow once again Michael Bale, in his environment now as bodygaurd of the Russian oligarch called, Pavel Salagin.
At the same time Michael has to deal with a bunch of gangsters and bring an end to one of its members in a spectacular fashion.
He's also tracked down by a certain James Cavendish, former military and now working for MI5, and blackmailed into joining that institution, and so Michael Bale becomes involved in a much bigger wargame, that one being between MI5 and the Russians.
In all these circumstances between his work for MI5 and that for his Russian employer, Michael Bale will come into various dangerous and lethal situations right till the end, where for me personally at the end he's shown as a kind of Superman with hardly any scratch while doing the near impossible.
All in all, this is a terrific thriller, with just one minor flaw being the Superman thing, but otherwise the rest is superbly told and filled with human- and lifelike emotions form all persons involved, and so a whole making this an excellent fast-paced and action-packed read.
Very much recommended, for this is a certain improvement to the first outing and so a great addition to this improving series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Thrilling Target"!
This eventful thriller is the 2nd part of the much improved "The Protector" series.
Storytelling is superb, the storyline well structured, and worked out with a great set up towards an ending with an explosive plot.
In this thriller we follow once again Michael Bale, in his environment now as bodygaurd of the Russian oligarch called, Pavel Salagin.
At the same time Michael has to deal with a bunch of gangsters and bring an end to one of its members in a spectacular fashion.
He's also tracked down by a certain James Cavendish, former military and now working for MI5, and blackmailed into joining that institution, and so Michael Bale becomes involved in a much bigger wargame, that one being between MI5 and the Russians.
In all these circumstances between his work for MI5 and that for his Russian employer, Michael Bale will come into various dangerous and lethal situations right till the end, where for me personally at the end he's shown as a kind of Superman with hardly any scratch while doing the near impossible.
All in all, this is a terrific thriller, with just one minor flaw being the Superman thing, but otherwise the rest is superbly told and filled with human- and lifelike emotions form all persons involved, and so a whole making this an excellent fast-paced and action-packed read.
Very much recommended, for this is a certain improvement to the first outing and so a great addition to this improving series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Thrilling Target"!
February 1, 2023
Target Zero, book 2 in the series so far..
So Mickey or Michael Bale is back, recovered from the events in the first book “Nemesis”. While not as complex in plot as the writers other better known Roman works, it does not suffer, in fact this could be considered a plus. As it means the pace and action can be ramped up a notch or three. The main character Mickey has returned and before long is hired as bodyguard to a very rich Russian, then instructed by mi5 (ok blackmailed) to report if said Russian is up to any thing naughty, which he might be. While this is going on, gangsters from the first book want to control Mickey which is never a good idea. Que more unhinged violence and mayhem. Getting back to the main premise, some military grade weaponry has fallen into the hands of terrorists who are planning to create carnage on the streets of London. Its up to Mickey to find out where and who. Russian’s, Homegrown terrorists or the latter being played by the former? If you like watches there are more than a who here and it makes me wonder if the writer has a thing for them along with his liking for motor racing. So a mix of violence, Mi5, Spetsnaz/GRU, gangsters and terrorist.. All make a book that really does deliver and also suffers from “Just one more page….” When is third out or the movies?
So Mickey or Michael Bale is back, recovered from the events in the first book “Nemesis”. While not as complex in plot as the writers other better known Roman works, it does not suffer, in fact this could be considered a plus. As it means the pace and action can be ramped up a notch or three. The main character Mickey has returned and before long is hired as bodyguard to a very rich Russian, then instructed by mi5 (ok blackmailed) to report if said Russian is up to any thing naughty, which he might be. While this is going on, gangsters from the first book want to control Mickey which is never a good idea. Que more unhinged violence and mayhem. Getting back to the main premise, some military grade weaponry has fallen into the hands of terrorists who are planning to create carnage on the streets of London. Its up to Mickey to find out where and who. Russian’s, Homegrown terrorists or the latter being played by the former? If you like watches there are more than a who here and it makes me wonder if the writer has a thing for them along with his liking for motor racing. So a mix of violence, Mi5, Spetsnaz/GRU, gangsters and terrorist.. All make a book that really does deliver and also suffers from “Just one more page….” When is third out or the movies?
September 7, 2025
action packed and a good follow up to the first Michael Bale book.
It's a contemporary thriller where Russians are the bad guys and the British intelligence services want to stop them. Adds a layer of real world plausibility and a known background. Do we need more beyond Russia = bad? Sure. But that's not a fault of Riches, he is just going where the genre is going.
It's a fast paced thriller that is a fun read.
It's a contemporary thriller where Russians are the bad guys and the British intelligence services want to stop them. Adds a layer of real world plausibility and a known background. Do we need more beyond Russia = bad? Sure. But that's not a fault of Riches, he is just going where the genre is going.
It's a fast paced thriller that is a fun read.
March 20, 2022
Target Zero by Anthony Riches was an action packed phenomenal read. This book is the second in the Michael Bale series. I highly recommend that you purchase this book come April 14th. Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book for this advanced copy.
May 4, 2022
A brilliant sequel to Nemesis, a read that grips you by the throat from page 1.Topical scary plot involving Russia, false flags and terrorists in the UK, plausible and reeks of realism.The ex Met CP now private and working for a dubious oligarch, his MI5 acquaintance introduced in Nemesis running him as a spy with a nice bit of coercion.
Cannot recommend more highly this brilliant all to plausible thriller.
Cannot recommend more highly this brilliant all to plausible thriller.
May 3, 2022
Target Zero is an action-packed international thriller with contemporary themes, intelligence organisations and an enigmatic main protagonist. The second in the Michael Bale series, it's an intense, page-turning read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 8, 2022
It Could Happen?
All too believable, up to the minute, contemporary terrorist attacks in Britain thriller, with old school gangster sub-plot. Well written and further development of characters introduced in "Nemesis" .
All too believable, up to the minute, contemporary terrorist attacks in Britain thriller, with old school gangster sub-plot. Well written and further development of characters introduced in "Nemesis" .
March 17, 2022
I enjoyed this, although I felt it was more TV action movie than novel. The writing was ok...
April 16, 2022
Excellent sequel
Started, reading and didn't stop! I'm hoping that there's going to be more of these soon. Anyone who likes a modern thriller will enjoy this series.
Started, reading and didn't stop! I'm hoping that there's going to be more of these soon. Anyone who likes a modern thriller will enjoy this series.
May 13, 2022
Excellent read
Action packed, great characters, believe, exciting and topical. Technical knowledge of weapons is top drawer, more muay thai from mickey please.
Action packed, great characters, believe, exciting and topical. Technical knowledge of weapons is top drawer, more muay thai from mickey please.
May 17, 2022
A truly great thriller and a particular bonus for me with one of the characters named David Slater. Anthony Riches goes from strength to strength and I can't wait for the next in the Micky Bale saga.
April 4, 2022
Wow, what a book that was to read! Perhaps a bit too close to the bone given what is currently going on in the world but it kept me glued to the book wanting to know what happened next!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews