‘Fallout’ by Karla Forbes

Published by Williams & Whiting,
15 August 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-470001278

Great friends Tim and Nick are enjoying a trip out on their power cruiser when they spot an old power boat drifting. They go to help and find three men aboard, complete with scuba diving equipment. Tim boards their vessel and offers to tow them to the shore. As Nick watches, to his horror as Tim attaches a rope, one of the men slit his throat. Nick grabs a life jacket and jumps over the side as the men come for him too. Whilst in the water he sees them scuttle their boat.

He comes to in hospital and the next day the police are waiting for him as he leaves. He is taken to the local police station. When interviewed he tells them about the three men and how Tim was killed. He can't believe them when he is told that Tim was having an affair with Nick's wife and she is expecting Tim's baby. They are convinced Nick killed his friend because of the affair but have to let him go as they cannot prove a thing, they also do not believe that the three men exist.

Tim's body is washed up and as Nick had a knife on him when pulled out of the water, the police go to arrest him. He evades them and goes on the run determined to prove his innocence and find the three men.

An old friend of his, Annelies, agrees to help him, and together they set out to discover the identities of the men, aided reluctantly by Annelies's brother, who is in the police force.

Meanwhile we learn that the government have received a demand for sixty million pounds in diamonds from a group who say they have the means to devastate London.  With a government policy of never giving into terrorists can Nick and Annelise track down these men and prevent a catastrophe and prove Nick’s innocence. But they are dealing with desperate people, as they find out to their cost.

A really fast moving, gripping story. The tension is palpable as Nick and Annelies attempt to outwit the criminals before the deadline.

Highly recommended. I look forward to reading more of Karla Forbes's books.

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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Karla Forbes first began writing books when she was twelve years old heavily influenced by Ian Fleming’s spy stories. She later dabbled in a futuristic sitcom and a full-length horror story. Although both of these efforts were consigned to literary oblivion, at least no one could have accused her of being in a genre rut.  She began writing properly more than ten years ago and her first book, The Preacher was published on Amazon in July 2011. Twelve books in total are available to download from the Amazon kindle book store. She writes about ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations and she aims for unusual but scarily believable plots with a surprising twist. She lives in Sussex with her husband. They split their time between the UK and Germany.

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.