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Capture or Kill
Tom Marcus
Macmillan
RRP: $34.99
MI5 agents seem to be pretty prolific authors with good imaginations as Tom Marcus demonstrate sin his latest novel.
This one follows Matt Logan, an agent frustrated by the rules. He’s approached to become part of a fully deniable team who will operate outside the law. Then (predictably) tragedy hits and changes.
This is certainly a novel true to the spy thriller genre and was a pretty enjoyable read. I wasn’t always clear as to characters motivations, and while I enjoyed the addition of female characters they seemed very one dimensional compared to others in the novel.
This is clearly an attempt at a series like the Reacher and Bourne ‘franchisees’ – the epilogue at the end of the novel clearly sets up the sequel (if it’s commissioned). I however won’t be gagging to read it.
I’m not quite sure I can place my finger on why exactly this novel didn’t grip me the way others with similar storylines have, perhaps I didn’t warm to the main character? Either way I didn’t care enough about what happened to him, or the other characters to feel a real desire to read on. Put it this way, if I lost this novel, or left it on a bus by accident, I wouldn’t be worried and wouldn’t even search for a replacement one to see what happened in the end.
So, a pretty average review really, but that’s not to say that it’s a terrible book – it just didn’t do it for me – I’m sure lovers of this genre will find it entertaining enough.
About the Author
Tom Marcus, former MI5, grew up on the streets in the North of England. He joined the Army at sixteen and went on to become the youngest member of the Armed Forces to pass the 6-month selection process for Special Operations in Northern Ireland. He was hand picked from the Army into MI5 as a Surveillance Officer. He left the Security Service recently after a decade on the frontline protecting his country due to being diagnosed with PTSD.
Due to the ongoing specific threat to Tom Marcus, MI5 insist he keep his identity hidden and he continues to work with the Security Service and other agencies to ensure he stays safe.
