Harry Bristow: policeman, father, chauffeur, fraud.
In 1988 Harry made one mistake: he took a bribe, letting a man he knew as Igor into Britain – and he’s regretted it ever since. So when he recognises Igor many years later as his newly-elected MP, he knows he has to come clean. But the MP recognises him too – and Harry fears what he might do next.
Peter Robinson, MP: salesman, politician, bachelor, spy.
It was easy to get into Britain in 1988 as an illegal, working deep undercover, but the break-up of the Soviet Union cut Robinson off from his homeland. He’s inching closer to Britain’s levers of power – but now the one man who knows his secret has reappeared. With no way to contact Moscow, he must act fast to preserve his position and reap its rewards – at any cost.
Manon Tyler, CIA analyst, has just boarded a plane to London – with a report on Russian illegals to read.
If anyone is qualified to write a gripping spy thriller, it’s Dame Stella Rimington. She joined MI5 in 1968 and held various roles before working her way up to Director General in 1992, becoming the first woman to hold this post. If you haven’t heard of Rimington for her work with MI5 (or for inspiring the James Bond character M!) you may have read one of her ten bestselling Liz Carlyle novels, about MI5 officer Carlyle.
Her latest book, The Devil’s Bargain, introduces a new set of characters and follows a number of narrators in a tightly-woven plot. The book isn’t overly long, meaning the action is packed into each chapter; you could easily read The Devil’s Bargain over a weekend or during a few late-night sessions. For anyone interested in the inner mechanics of MI5 and the CIA, this book contains fascinating nitty-gritty details and insider information, which someone like Rimington is able to portray with the utmost authenticity. This book delivers twists and turns in spades.
The Devil’s Bargain is not to be missed for fans of espionage thrillers, especially since it’s written by an absolute legend of the field.
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