Cry Havoc

This is a quite satisfying British intelligence service procedural with enough character development to make things seem a bit less technical than these things often are. As in most British police yarns, the reader is always kept informed of just who reports to whom, and who's in charge when whom is out of town. The action moves briskly along two or three tangents, but everything comes together at the end.

Everyone employed by the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) is shocked by the suicide death of the head of the Asian Desk Bill Orchard. Representing SIS at the funeral is Will Landon who is accosted by the victim's sister-in-law claiming the Firm killed him and that just prior to his death SIS Deputy Director General Jill Sheridan visited him. Will reports the claim to his superior Peter Ashton, head of the Eastern European Desk, who reports this to the DG.Jill has other problems besides the probe into her and Bill's activities. Apparently while on Florida vacation, she was drugged and videotaped having kinky sex. The client then kills the movie producer Kransky and his two actors. Terrorists believe they have perfect blackmail material and it becomes Peter's job to lead the effort to abort their diabolical plan.CRY HAVOC is a strong modern day espionage thriller that sub-genre readers will enjoy and not just for its terrorist subplot. Fans will appreciate its insightful look at how politics impede and interfere with accomplishing the mission especially at the DG level. Will and Peter are delightful protagonists and Jill is a piece of work who the audience will not want to meet in a dark alley. Clive Egelton's latest tale is a winner.Harriet Klausner