Sinister Tide

Ah, but we love Colin Forbes for this! His books are so entertaining. This is his latest thriller(at least until RHINOCEROS comes out) and is up to his usual standards! The main characters are once again Britain's best MI6 agents Tweed, Paula Grey and Bob Newman. Along witb ace sniper Marler and also heavies Pete Nield and Harry Butler, they are up against the evil genius Dr Goslar who has perfected a bio-chemical weapon of mass destruction. France, hungry for Euro-domination, wants this weapon, and sends agents of their own after Goslar. America's military is also after it - who will reach Goslar first? Along the way, Paula Grey is kidnapped, a former British Army weapons expert Brigadier Adam Burgoyne helps out - but whose side is he really on? The action of this story takes place in Geneva and also the French town of Annecy. Forbes describes his locations authentically, I have visited Annecy myself when Inter-Railing five years ago and could relate to these parts of the book well. The climax and final twists in the plot are well unexpected too. Add to all this two token ladies also trying to get to Goslar, Serena Cavendish and Judy Warner who Tweed cannot trust and you have a real top potboiler of a novel! In typical Forbes vein, the narrative does contain some unintentionally funny lines. For instance:(p.1) Tweed, talking to a police inspector: 'I told you Roy. Because of the message that came into SIS headquarters in London. From that evil genius, Dr. Goslar!'(p.45) Tweed: 'La Defense? That's the amazing business centre in Paris with incredibly tall buildings.'(p. 341) The main rotor blade struck him just below the jaw, sliced off his head.(poor grammar!) It flew through the air like a melon, a leaking red melon.Not to mention Goslar's mansion called GARGOYLE TOWERS. But it's all great. clean fun. And of course, they all get to stay in the best hotels and drink litres of champagne and wine in between tracking the baddies. Hugely entertaining.