Walking from a restaurant to his hotel in New York City, David Trevellyan discovers the body of an apparently-homeless man in an alley. Almost immediately, the police arrive and David finds himself suspected of committing the murder. David realizes he’s been set up to take the rap.

However, the assistance he expects from the Royal Naval Intelligence Service, for which he works, does not materialize and he must find the answers for himself.

When the FBI becomes involved in the case, David finds himself pulled deeper into the miasma of a convoluted investigation. Can he find the answers he seeks, identify the murderer, and clear his name? Or is he setting himself up to become the next victim?

Told from David’s point of view, the narrative spins out a complex tale of deception and treachery. Despite a plot that is sometimes difficult to follow, the consistently-building suspense draws readers into the story and unexpected reveals keep the tension mounting. David is not particularly likeable, but readers will root for him to emerge victorious.

Each chapter begins with a flashback to David’s childhood or to his military training, emphasizing a particular lesson learned. It’s an effective device to give readers greater insight into the character. However, this is not a tale for the squeamish as the telling of the tale involves some particularly gruesome events, graphically depicted and guaranteed to be off-putting for some readers.

Recommended. ( )

Disappointing. It started out very well, but the plot seemed to become too complicated, with too many players. And I figured out that a certain character was working for the bad guys long before the hero did. I hate it when that happens. I don't even try to figure that stuff out in advance, but this was just obvious. The book has it's moments, but for such a supposedly clever person, he came across as pretty dumb. ( )

good 1st novel
as always creeper killer, good mystery

David Trevellyan is a Royal Navy intelligence operative who usually works undercover, sometimes with the approval of his masters — and sometimes not. On a seemingly normal evening, he takes a lonely late-night walk between a restaurant and his New York City hotel. A familiar huddled shape in the mouth of an alley catches his eye — a homeless man has been shot to death. Trevellyan steps forward, and a cop car arrives. A split second too late, Trevellyan realizes he's been set up.

I enjoyed this, though it seems other reviewers didn't.
My advice? Read it yourself and make your own decision! You can't judge a book by its cover, they say, nor should you judge a book by other people's opinions.
I will be looking out for the next book in the series, he has an eminently readable style, even if there is no over-the-top action. ( )

I'm giving this three stars but for me it's more three and a half.
I thought it was a good start to the series with lots of action and intrigue, also fairly fast paced. Who killed the six men? Are all six murders connected? Is there a leak in the FBI? Can anybody other than the lead character be trusted?
I'll certainly be looking out for the next one. ( )