Jeffrey Archer has published his final novel, Adam And Eve, more than half a century after his debut Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less. The 85-year-old author bows out with a thriller that has been described as a bookend to his 1979 best-seller Kane And Abel.
Archer's final novel
Adam And Eve shares the premise of two children with dramatically different social prospects, both born on November 11, 1918, the final day of the First World War. Themes of family, power, money, social position and birthright take centre stage, with twisty plots, red herrings and delicious coincidences.
Critics may have sneered at his writing over the years, but the review concludes Adam And Eve does not disappoint and is a fine page turner to bow out on, scoring 8/10.
New Bond adventure
Charlie Higson has written King Zero, described as one of the finest 007 continuation stories yet. The death of a former double-oh agent during a remote operation, when a robot surgeon is hacked with brutal consequences, sends Bond on a jet-setting adventure to the Saudi desert and the Maldives.
Everything points to a massive conspiracy to destroy technology, with an explosive showdown in an archetypal English village in the heart of the Congo. The review scores it 9/10, saying it is as good as Ian Fleming and then some.
Spy thriller and historical heist
David McClosky's London Station features CIA station chief Artemis Proctor, sent to London on a punishment detail by a new unnamed US administration. With the special relationship on its knees, the spies are spying on one another with disastrous consequences. The review scores it 9/10, praising McClosky's lightness of touch despite a rising bodycount.
The Saffron Thief by T L Mogford is set in 1666 in the wake of the Great Fire of London, when England was at the centre of the world saffron trade. With saffron selling for £4 a pound, Fabian Smith hatches a plot to steal a fortune and save his family. Set between London and Saffron Walden, Essex, the review calls it a thrilling heist novel that kicks off a new series, scoring 8/10.
