DOUBLE TROUBLE: Ben Nevis & The Gold Digger Book 4

by B.L. Faulkner

Nuclear Scientists are being kidnapped from Porton Down to work in the Russian Thermobaric Warfare Unit in Belarus. Ben and Gold are sent to bring the last one back. But what if she doesn't want to come? A full-on, fast-paced international espionage thriller racing between Belarus and London with an explosive narrative and amazing finale in the London Russian Embassy. Hold on tight for an exciting ride!

169 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2022

About the author

Barry Faulkner was born into a family of South London petty criminals who ran with the Richardson's Crime Gang in the 60's-90's. Being the youngest his mother, a top fashion model, was determined he would not follow in the criminal footsteps of the rest of the family and enrolled him into the Morely Academy of Dramatic Art to pursue a career in acting. Sadly young Faulkner was asked to leave after three months when no acting ability had surfaced. He went onto become an advertising copywriter with the English branch of the US Agency Erwin Wasey Ruffraf and Ryan where he got lucky with some scripts he sent to the BBC TV and became a scriptwriter and editor for them and several ITV companies. During this time the DCS Palmer plots were amassed in various notebooks and three years ago Faulkner finally found time to write and publish them. His early insight into the criminal world of his family has added authenticity to the characters and plots that makes them credible and the pace keeps the reader glued to the end. His signature end twist will always surprise you. Check out his top rated crime blog at geezers2016.wordpress.com.

Reviews

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an excellent addition to a series that has already become a firm favourite of mine and just gets better and better. Ben Nevis (named after the racehorse, not the mountain!) is former army, SAS N14 and Metropolitan Police’s Organized Crime Squad, now working as a private investigator providing security and personal protection. Oh, and occasional hired hitman for a select few. Alison Gold aka The Gold Digger is former Israeli Defence Force and Mossad, now successfully relieving wealthy men of their money and occasional partner for Nevis when he needs her help. Gold Digger always has his back, without fail, and they are both incredibly good at what they do. Nevis has often been hired by his old boss Commander Clarence Woodward at MI6 when the government want complete deniability over an operation and this latest job is definitely no exception. Professor Margaret Hollings is the fourth top scientist working on some very nasty bombs to vanish from Porton Down and has ended up in Belarus working for the Russian program which is lacking behind the rest of the world. It seems she had a young lover posing as a Russian cultural attaché so did she go willingly or was it all a trap? The task is simple - bring her back dead or alive. With a trail of destruction and lots of corpses, Nevis and Gold travel from London to Belarus and with the help of the very useful Democracy Movement (Gold has friends literally everywhere!) they make it back to Blighty and Brize Norton after some hair-raising moments and very near misses, narrowly avoiding starting World War Three in the process. When the wretched Hollings woman goes walkabout again, they learn the real truth about her and then the fun really starts as they head off to the depths of the Forest of Dean and back to London for a cracking showdown.
No Ben Nevis story would be complete without visits to the wonderful Gilbert’s emporium, the Magicians and Scrapyard Annie’s (ahem) car rental service. Mutton dressed as lamb Annie just has to be one of my all-time favourite book characters! In keeping with the rest of this fantastic series, this is an excellent fast-moving story, full of action and superbly written with lots of humour and wit in places, and I just love the world of Nevis and Gold who make a fantastic partnership. I started to read and then didn’t come up for air until the final thrilling page, and am now eagerly awaiting the next story. 5*

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to BETA read this before it even had a title & it did not disappoint.

The fourth in the Ben Nevis & the Gold Digger series but it can be read as a standalone as plenty of background information is thoughtfully provided.
This series continues to deliver through action & the thrill of the ride, to the development of the main two characters. Peripheral characters return too at varying degrees of impact to the story but it is great to see them. These minor personalities provide much of the humour, which is needed believe me.
To paraphrase a famous film ‘One of our scientists is missing’ is the main plot line of this book. She is the British lead & appears to have been caught in a honey-trap by the Russians. Our intrepid duo have been tasked to bring her home or not, whichever appears more prudent at the time, either way the Russians are not to have her. You have to understand that although instructed by MI6, Nevis & Gold are strictly under the radar, as such they have a direct phone to their boss & no one else; Nevis’ telephone answering style is a joy.

Action packed, from London to Russia & the Forest of Dean, it’s thrills all the way. A brilliant read & roll on book 5.