‘Second Strike’ by Chris Ryan

Published by Zaffre,
22 May 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-83877-979-5 (HB)

David Hawkins works as head of security at the London Offices of DeepSpear Industries. He has been there a year after being banished under a cloud from his regiment in the SAS. He is still mourning the death of his brother Jacob six years ago, for which he blames himself and has turned to drinking heavily.

Early one morning his boss rings to say they have a problem. He meets him in the special security office together with Alex Millar, a woman who is Head of Cyber Security. There has been a suspicious death of a DeepSpear engineer, the second in the last month. There has also been a serious cyber-attack, worrying because DeepSpear manages a nuclear warhead storage site. The Russians are suspected.

Millar and Hawkins are sent down to Plymouth where the murders took place to investigate and retrieve the engineer’s laptop. While down there, Hawkins comes across an old soldier friend of his, John Bald who had also left the SAS under a cloud. He tells Hawkins he is Head of Security at DeepSpear’s premises in Plymouth. He joins in their search to get to the truth.

The laptop reveals connections to Albanians and Bulgarians, many of whom work at DeepSpear. Corporate espionage is suspected.

Finding out what killed the engineer becomes a priority, was it some kind of poison​? If so, it is nothing anyone has come across before.

Investigations lead Hawkins, Millar and Bald to a car wash business in Liverpool, run by Bulgarians and Albanians, the owner being a member of the biggest criminal group in Europe.

The deeper the three dig into the investigation, the more they realise Britain is in grave danger from her old adversaries. Drastic action is needed, leading to a heart stopping race to outwit the enemy, but at what cost?

A really exciting, nonstop, nail biting, action packed story, from beginning to end. Very highly recommended. 
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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Chris Ryan was born near Newcastle in 1961. He joined the SAS in 1984. During his ten years there he was involved in overt and covert operations and was also sniper team commander of the anti-terrorist team. During the Gulf War, Chris Ryan was the only member of an eight-man unit to escape from Iraq, where three colleagues were killed and four captured. It was the longest escape and evasion in the history of the SAS. For this he was awarded the Military Medal. For his last two years he was selecting and training potential recruits for the SAS. He wrote about his experiences in the bestseller The One That Got Away, which was adapted for screen, and since then he has written other works of non-fiction, bestselling novels and a series of childrens' books. He lectures in business motivation and security, and is a consultant for a security organisation. 

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.