Member Reviews

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

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The author obviously really knows his stuff and if he doesn't his research was immense.
An interesting foray into a world that I just about remember (Though obviously not in any detail) yet one that still manages to be a real eye opener.
I love short, punchy sentences but I can understand why some reviewers found it difficult to get into. That said, it's well worth getting to grips with the first couple of chapters.
Many thanks.

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Betrayal is the first book by Stewart Binns that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is an historical thriller based in the 1980s and centres around an incident in Northern Ireland follows by a chase.

The detail and writing feel authentic and the tension keeps being cranked up and the pages turned.

The finale was a slight surprise but that didn't detect from the overall story in any way

Recommended

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Stewart Binns is an extraordinary storyteller in this piece of historical fiction set in 1981 during the incendiary atmosphere of The Troubles in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He brings alive the turbulent period with all its menace and brutality in a city that resembles a war zone with its dangerous men, constant bombing and where death is everywhere. Belfast is bitterly divided in the sectarian civil war, with no end in sight, occupied by the British Army, at a time of the hunger strikes fuelling the sky high tensions between the Protestants the Catholics. Many different groups are at play, operating with their own kill lists, and the multiple intelligence agencies are not above killing themselves with highly political and secretive agendas. Leaks between them are common, as indeed are rogue operators.

Into this unsettling and disturbing milieu, Jim Dowd, a special forces soldier and Maureen O'Brien, an army analyst, are given the mission of infiltrating the most dangerous and troublesome Catholic neighbourhood, The Ardoyne. They cannot afford to have their identities revealed as brutal repercussions are swift and deadly. They settle into the area as teachers, slowly making connections and friends. It does not take long for Jim to see the human and courageous side of the people as he begins to empathise with them. He is also drawn to Kathleen McKee, the daughter of a IRA man. Orders to assassinate a local figure place Jim in a quandry, will he and Maureen survive the dark and murky scenario they have been propelled into?

Binns blends a mixture of fact and fiction in this compelling and authentic portrayal of Belfast in the 1980s. His research is impressive as he takes us back into to a desperately turbulent time period with its never ending loss of life and political shenanigans. It can only makes us feel grateful that whilst there are still problems today, that nevertheless so much has changed for the better in Belfast and Northern Ireland. The story is complex, nail biting in its tensions and suspense, and utterly gripping. Just fantastic and highly recommended! Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

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Betrayal is a novel set in 1980’s Belfast and our protagonists are undercover agents racing against time before the IRA discovers who they really are.

The book is incredibly well researched but I found the dialogue to be a little difficult to follow. Entire conversations were made up of extremely short sentences that just leave you a bit confused. This wasn’t helped with the constant switching of perspective and narrator.

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Set in January, 1981, they are undercover in Belfast. Determined to put an end to the war, but in doing so, who will they betray?

Jim dowd and Maureen O'Brien are special forces soldiers. Their mission is to go undercover and infiltrate one of the city's most dangerous Catholic neighbourhoods, and help change the course of a war that no one is winning. This is a well written, true to the era this book was written about. He builds a fantastic picture of the every day occurances of living in a nervous and uneasy environment. There is some graphic descriptions of blood and gore that might put some readers off this book. This is not usually my choice of book but I'm so glad I've read it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author Stewart Binns for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I have read the Crusades series by Stewart Binns and enjoyed those. ‘Betrayal’ is a stand-alone novel by him set in Belfast in 1981. It focuses on Jim Dowd and Maureen O'Brien, special forces soldiers, who are ordered to go undercover, infiltrate one of the city's most dangerous Catholic neighbourhoods the Ardoyne, and carry out orders that will pit them against not only the IRA but members of their own forces and spymasters.

It is a fast paced read, with plenty of action and although it lacks the subtlety of say Le Carre or Deighton, Binns has a decent go at a spy/espionage thriller. The description of Belfast at the height of the Troubles are graphically described, particularly the effects on the day to day life of its citizens. Binns also pops in bits of history throughout the novel to give the reader some background and the glossary gives further details on various organisations and events involved in Northern Ireland.

Another highly readable novel by an author now on my ‘must read’ list.

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January 1981, and the troubles in Northern Ireland are experiencing a second wave of hunger strikes in the Maze prison near Belfast, and together with the bombings, shootings and riots, it only heightens the tension already felt.

It's during this time that Jim Dowd ( British Special Forces soldier ) and Maureen O'Brien ( army intelligence officer ) are sent to a divided Belfast on an undercover mission to infiltrate the republican area of Ardoyne. This is a lawless place run by extremely dangerous individuals, and it's imperative that their true identities are not discovered, as traitors are dealt with in a particularly brutal manner.

Jim and Maureen are employed as teachers, and slowly they integrate into the community, becoming friends with some prominent but dangerous members of the IRA. Though it appears to be a lawless community, it's also a proud and courageous one, loyal to a man, and Jim begins to see things from their point of view, but orders are on their way from HQ in London that will test his loyalties to the limit, and will also place himself and Maureen in an even more dangerous position than they are already in!

Let me just say that Stewart Binns has written a belter of a story - he clearly has great knowledge of this time and place in history, or has at least done extensive research. The narrative crackles with fear and tension much of the way through, the plot itself was utterly gripping, and I became so invested in the characters that I was holding my breath in abject terror at times!

DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!

* My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my ARC in exchange for an honest review*

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Super violent thriller that begins in the troubles of N. Ireland in the early eighties. The first half cleverly sets the scene for an explosive second part that races around the country with shocks galore all graphically depicted in this excellent tome. Recommended !

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Betrayal by Stewart Binns A thriller about the troubles in Ireland in the 1980's.
Jim Dowd and Maureen O'Brien are sent to Belfast as undercover agents to infiltrate and spy on the population. This is a story about suspicion, fear, violence and desperate times.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin UK -Michael Joseph for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Any thriller about the troubles in Ireland will be compared to the all-time classic of the genre - "Harry's Game" by Gerald Seymour but "Betrayal" is an exceptional book. It is well written, has believed;e and credible characters and plot and the author has deep in-depth knowledge of Belfast and the political situation of the time.

An excellent read and highly recommended.

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Jim Dowd and Maureen O'Brien are sent to the notorious location of the Ardoyne a republican enclave in a divided and secular Belfast of the 1980's...."Several streets have disappeared altogether leaving large tracts of waste ground covered in the rubble of demolition. The scene resembles the shattered landscapes of Britain's cities in the aftermath of German bombing during the Second World War."... Their mission is to settle, infiltrate and befriend a deeply suspicious mainly Catholic population. Their occupation is that of school teachers, cast adrift in a world full of dangerous men, and they must use all their training and skill to avoid being outed as infiltrators and spies. Once accepted in the community they patiently await further instructions from their handlers in London. As time passes Jim becomes attracted to Kathleen McKee the daughter of Jimmy McKee, quartermaster of the Ardoyne branch of the IRA. This is a dangerous situation made even worse when orders are received to assassinate Sean Murphy the Ardoyne OC (Officer Commanding) Has Jim become too involved and understanding of the plight of the catholic population to carry out his orders? Can Maureen convince him how perilous their situation is fast becoming imploring him to do as ordered?

I have to confess that I have a keen knowledge of the politics of Northern Ireland at the time. I lived in Belfast during this period and knew firsthand what it felt like living in a country close to the brink of civil war. The constant bombings and tensions between a proud and stubborn people were a day to day occurrence creating a very nervous and uneasy environment in which to live. Stewart Binns has written a wonderful book that oozes fear and suspicion from the very first chapter creating a tour de force that is impossible to put down. His use of dialogue to build a picture of a society in meltdown creates some of the most memorable prose I have read this year....."We must have victory, victory at all costs, however long the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."........."On the other hand, the opposite side of his head explodes. Blood and brain matter are sprayed everywhere making a shocking splash as they cascade across the inside of the windscreen. His short life is over in an instant."....."We're like so many others- civilians and military, guilty and innocent. We're all pawns in a game. So many have died; there's been so much pain, so much hurt."..........

You, dear reader, will have to read this book for yourself to discover if Jim and Maureen can escape before their true identity becomes know to the local IRA.As always in politics life is complicated and every organization be it MI5, MI6, Special Branch etc have hidden agendas and are equally as ruthless in their ability to carry out killings..."There's a rogue unit at large; right wing, disaffected. They're on our tails and feeding intel back to the RUC which, in turn, may be leaking it to the IRA and its ASU in England."... Over the years I have read a number of books concerning "The Troubles" and Betrayal by Stewart Binns is undoubtedly one of the best. Many thanks to the good people at netgalley and Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly Recommended.

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