The Searcher

Description

From the author of The Agent of Deceit, Chris Morgan Jones, comes The Searcher, another captivating spy thriller. "This is the thing. You're a clever man and no doubt you understood this the moment I arrived in your office, but let's spell it out. Unlike half the people I interview in here you have a lot to lose . . ." Isaac Hammer is under arrest. The police have proof that his company, a private London intelligence agency, has broken a dozen laws - tapping phones, hacking emails, bribing police - and now he must face the consequences. But this wasn't Hammer's work, or his style. This was all Ben Webster, and now Webster is missing. Released from custody, Hammer heads to Webster's house to persuade his old colleague to give himself up. But Webster isn't there; he's in Tbilisi, and his wife hasn't heard from him in days. Hammer has no choice but to break bail to bring back the wanted man. In Georgia, every step he takes is watched by policemen, spies and gangsters. Someone out there, Hammer soon realizes, is ready to kill him and everyone dear to him to stop him stumbling towards the truth . . .

For over a decade Chris Morgan Jones worked for Kroll, the world's largest investigations company, where he specialised in Russian matters and international disputes. His first novel featuring Private Spy Ben Webster, An Agent of Deceit, was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Chris lives in London with his wife and two children.

Morgan Jones does invite comparison with Le Carre . . . mesmerizing stuff * Guardian * Jones is in complete control with this, his third novel featuring Webster and Hammer. In the previous two Hammer played a supporting role. Here, he proves himself a lead player of great appeal, combining deep intelligence with just the right amount of dash. Suspenseful from start to finish, with plenty of regional colour informing the narrative, Jones' third spy thriller is a flawless piece of storytelling.' Kirkus Review * Kirkus * Hammer proves to be as good a leading man as Webster smart, instinctive, nobody's fool. More captivating, however, is Jones's sensory portrait of Georgia, where human behavior is brutish and unfeeling one moment, big-hearted and gentle the next * Publishers Weekly *