The Accident Man
"… a perfect thriller."
Synopsis:
A powerful consortium of wealthy and influential men has employed Samuel Carver to eliminate a known terrorist target in a classic 'black' operation. At least, that's what they have told him. With skilled, military precision he sets about the mark, but it all soon starts to go wrong. Finally, having completed his job and forced the car carrying his target to crash at speed in a tunnel in Paris, he realises that he has been set up. Worse still, someone is now trying to eliminate him in order to cover their tracks.
It's Sunday 31st August 1997 - and the target turns out to be the Princess of Wales. Now Carver knows he's in big trouble.
Having shaken off one of the two assassins paid to eliminate him in the Paris sewers, Carver manages to hook up with the second, the stunning Russian courtesan, Alix, in an unlikely alliance. Can they trust each other? Soon both are on the run and trying to unravel the tangled trail of deceit that surrounds them.
Who are the secretive members of the consortium and why did they want the Princess dead? Is someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes? Along the way Carver and Alix encounter a ruthless Russian oligarch, dangerous hired thugs, corrupt high-ranking British government advisers, MI5, MI6 and a lot more besides…
Is Alix all she seems - and will Carver live to tell the tale?
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Review:
With an impressive list of literary fans heralding this book pre-publication (Wilbur Smith, Lee Child and more…) much was expected of The Accident Man – and, boy, does it deliver! This novel reads like a masterclass in thriller writing. It starts with a brilliant opening hook; adds some great characters, exotic locations, a tough-guy hero, a stunning female lead, some really nasty bad guys, a few mysterious twists and turns to the plot and… well, what more could you ask? The really interesting thing about The Accident Man is that, despite being based around the death of the Princess of Wales, the actual event of her death is peripheral to the main storyline and, in fact, she is never named. The entire focus of the plot is on Carver as the main protagonist. He's the classic British hero. Strong, super-efficient and outwardly unemotional - yet with a core of decency and emotional attachment that belies his macho front. If Carver returns – and I really do so hope he will - he could just turn out to be a Bond for our times. Reading The Accident Man is an exhausting, exhilarating and utterly enjoyable experience. That Cain manages to gain, and maintain, our sympathies for Carver – the hired assassin responsible for the death of the Princess of Wales – is quite a feat in itself. Yes, it's escapist stuff, yet somehow entirely believable. I strongly urge you to read this book. It's a perfect thriller.