Fallout

Years ago, Geoffrey Charleton, Madeleine Halliwell, and William Lindsay were spies during the Cold War, working together on an ill-fated mission. Now, they have all been marked for revenge. Banastre Montjoy, Halliwell’s grandson, is also targeted, but he is able to escape. On hearing of his grandmother’s murder, he decides he must take action—not only to protect his own life but to avenge her death.

To tell more would be to give away far too much.

Fallout is a web as tangled as any a secret agent might weave, bouncing from one character to another so quickly your head might spin. Mine did, a little, but it was an enjoyable sort of spinning. It’s been a while since I’ve read a contemporary thriller that could keep me so on the edge of my seat, and Fallout did not disappoint. Even knowing as little as I do about the Cold War, I found myself swept up in the intrigue and danger facing not only Montjoy but everyone around him. Avid thriller readers will no doubt find themselves even more entranced.

When I say everyone around Montjoy is in danger, I wasn’t exaggerating. His half-brother, Sean Garrett, finds himself caught up in the trouble, as does his friend Samantha Anderton. To my relief, Anderton was no damsel in distress but was more than capable of looking after herself.

In fact, none of the characters, male or female, present themselves as damsels in distress. While that is a trope I’m fond of in moderation, it was refreshing to read a book where all the characters are capable. For one thing, I hadn’t realized just how enjoyable it is to read something where everyone can save themselves and doesn’t need to wait for rescue. For another, it makes the villains that much more compelling. After all, what’s more frightening: villains who come close to succeeding because of a weak link in the group of heroes or in spite of there being no weak link at all?

I will admit that I did find myself a little lost at points. The short chapters and quick shifts between points of view mean there’s a lot of information to take in at once, and when you’re juggled between almost a dozen characters, it means you have to be quick. At times, I wasn’t quite quick enough, but when I was, the story was incredibly rewarding. I’m already itching to reread it and see what new connections I might be able to make.