Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Black 13 by Adam Hamdy is a spy thriller that is filled with action, suspense, and unexpected twists. Set in a post-Brexit world, the book follows Scott Pearce, an ex-MI6 officer who is recruited by a mysterious organization called Black 13 to prevent a terrorist attack.

The characters in the book are well-developed, and the author does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged with the story. The plot is fast-paced and filled with tension, and the action sequences are well-written and immersive.

However, at times, the narrative can be a bit convoluted, with several subplots running simultaneously, which may make it difficult for some readers to keep track of the overall story. Additionally, some of the characters' motivations can be a bit unclear, and certain plot points feel rushed or underdeveloped.

Overall, Black 13 is an enjoyable spy thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It's not without its flaws, but the exciting action and well-drawn characters make it a worthwhile read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This felt like a bit of a book of two halves!
The first half was a bit of a struggle but it definitely picked up in the second half.

A fantastic action-packed, explosive read that kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. Can't wait to read more in the series!

This is the first spy thriller that I've read in over a year and I enjoyed every bit of it. The book started off with a bang and the bangs just kept on coming. This was a fast-paced hold your breath type book. All the characters were really well created and written. Even though Scott Pearce was the main character of this book, it was Leila, or Lyly as Pearce affectionately called her, was my favourite character of this book. A strong woman who has been to hell and back, she is a wonderful character with who I just not only sympathized but willed her on. And Pearce was a well written character as was Melody Gold, Kyle Wollerton and Wayne Nelson. The evil characters were well created as well and the subject of the entire book was quite topical, quite current. And the ending was quite intriguing and the promise of the series going on further is all that I need to be sold on this series. Overall a brilliant book and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone who loves good spy thrillers. And a big thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me this book in exchange of my honest review.

A fast paced book which was well written and gripped me in instantly, I'm looking forward to the next in the series already!

A gripping contemporary spy thriller that will have you turning the pages. Well written with good characterisation, a story full of intrigue and fast paced action.
If this is the first in a series then I would love to read the next one.

Lots of action and adrenaline in this contemporary spy thriller. Great plot and interesting characters. Definitely recommend it, can't wait for the next exciting installment of ex-MI6 and former SAS Scott Pearce series.

As someone who has an enduring fascination with the far-right, Adam Hamdy’s Black 13 was a novel that I was looking forward to reading.

I must stress at this point, that my fascination with the far-right doesn’t translate into approval or support, quite the reverse. But as a former current affairs television journalist I was always interested in how people bought into their poisonous ideology. I worked on many a programme that looked at the far-right and spent many an hour studying them. But the best way to educate people is not documentaries or non-fiction, important as these mediums are, but to incorporate such research into popular entertainment. And that’s exactly what Adam Hamdy has done with Black 13.

Scott Pearce is an ex-MI6 officer, and former SAS man, who’s been exiled by the spy agency. After single-handily foiling a major terror attack in Pakistan, Pearce was convinced there was a wider conspiracy and despite being ordered not to, continued to investigate. Dismissed as a crank and conspiracy theorist, he was forced out and now continues his investigation off-the-grid while working as a climbing instructor. When a lawyer turns up in Thailand where he’s working with footage of a former colleague lying dead on a London street with two thugs standing over him, Pearce is dragged into a major far-right conspiracy that threatens bloodshed the likes of which the UK has rarely seen.

Black 13 is first and foremost a high-octane and gripping spy thriller, in the genre of Jason Bourne. The action is well portrayed, and it is an exciting and page-turning read. This is a book that has film or tv-series adaptation written all over it. But while it can be enjoyed simply on that level, there is a bit more depth to the novel than that.

For a start, the author has done his research on military and espionage topics and there are a number of revealing passages that hint at some of the capabilities in use by the intelligence services. I worked in current affairs television for almost twenty years and in that time I made a number of contacts of my own. There were points in the book where I read things that I know aren’t widely disseminated.

More important is the author’s use of the far-right as the plank of the novel’s plot. Far-right violence is the single fastest growing threat, and while still dwarfed by that of Islamist terror, it’s quickly catching up. It’s high time that popular entertainment takes note of this, as this is how issues are disseminated most widely. While as a former current affairs journalist I have nothing but respect and appreciation for serious journalism and non-fiction, I’m under no illusions that it’s through popular entertainment – computer games, Hollywood movies, music, genre fiction – that awareness is raised most. Again, the author’s clearly done his research and has familiarised himself with the far-right.

This leads me to my only criticism of the novel, and it’s a small one. The author is at pains at points in the narrative to suggest that it is at the extremes of politics where danger lies, and seems to suggest that the far-left is as dangerous as the far-right. While this is undoubtedly true in the broader, historical sense (few would deny that Stalin was as much of a monster as Hitler) it is simply not true in the current climate in which the book is set. The violence of such groups as Antifa is undoubtedly troubling and counter-productive, but simply pales into insignificance when compared with groups such as Combat 18 or National Action. Find me an Antifa equivalent of Anders Breivik who murdered 77 and injured over 319. Or the Christchurch perpetrator who murdered 51 and injured 40.

*SPOILER WARNING*

Towards the end of the novel, there are strong hints that the far-right plot has been sponsored from abroad, and I’ve seen that the author’s next novel (and sequel to Black 13) is titled Red Wolf. It’s clear where this is going – that the far-right was sponsored by Russia (or elements within) with the view to destabilising the west. As it’s well established that Putin’s Russia has indeed sponsored far-right organisations and parties throughout the west for just such a purpose, this is not far-fetched and shows once again that the author has done his research.

In conclusion, Black 13 is a brilliant novel, a page-turner than can be enjoyed on the beach but which also carries an important message. This is a great read and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Sometimes when people describe books as non-stop action, or breathtaking, they can become over-used words, but not here. This is literally 100mph all the way through - great mix of action & intrigue, with a side-order of scarily believable extremism. A definite page turner!

This debut outing for exiled agent Scott Pearce had me hooked from the first pages. I'm an avid thriller fan and yet the author has updated the genre and the plot is actually rather terrifyingly close to home. When a lawyer shows up in Thailand looking for Pearce's help what follows takes us sharply back to the UK and a plot which centres on corruption at every level of the British establishment. Strong female characters, heartbreakingly real encounters with sex slaves, Pearce and his team who never know who to trust. Scott Pearce is Jack Reacher for the 2020s. I fully expected to see this adapted on the big screen. Bravo to the author.

A fast paced thrilled that kept me gripped until the last page. I enjoyed this.

Thank you to NetGalley and to t he publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping story despite some serious credibility issues. The pace is excellent, the characters maybe a bit stereotypical, the action is good, the plot stretches credibility pretty far. You would have to be a serious conspiracy theorist to find this plot remotely believable, and I struggled to believe in the hacking capability of Leila. I still found this book hard to put down though!

Mind blowingly good, there are pages where you want to skip a bit as some political viewpoints from different characters however this book will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to work out what happens next...

This is an exciting, fast paced and modern thriller. P I Nathan Foster is hired by a law firm to investigate a private bank, on behalf of a wealthy client. When he is killed, lawyer Melody Gold is sent to find ex-M16 agent, Scott Pearce. Pearce once knew Foster and, with Gold revealing the cover he has worked so hard to maintain, he returns to the UK with her, to help investigate.

From the first page, the reader is thrown right into the action. However, Pearce is a man who is well aware of what it takes to stay alive. He involves some old friends, including the mountainous Wayne Nelson and Syrian tech specialist, Leila Nahum, to help him. Meanwhile, Melody finds herself totally out of her depth and in danger, with no idea of what Foster discovered, or for whom…

If you like exciting thrillers, with more depth, then you will enjoy this. It starts running and keeps going until the last page. With some wonderfully, stereotypical baddies, alongside the modern storyline, this combines action and characters to care about. All of them have their demons, but I found Leila the most intriguing and look forward to reading more about Scott Pearce and his team in future reads. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

2 stars for the first half and 4 stars for the second. The first half of the book despite some action gets bogged down in repetitious detail. I nearly gave up at the 50% mark. Adam Hamdy has obviously done a lot research and wanted to impart as much as possible to the reader as there is a serious side to the book. In needing to keep Pearce alive for future volumes, his numerous escapes do stretch credulit eg. the Black 13 killers stand over Foss, Pearce's friend to make sure he's dead, but walk away and leave Pearce to die or not.

Overall, it's an enjoyable book but would be better as a film or mini-series.

So many five star reviews for Black 13, but for me I felt like I was on the outside looking in. I could not get totally immersed in the plot built around a world of extremism, radicalisation and extreme violence. The survival of the protagonist Scott Pierce was at times hard to swallow, given what occurred. A lengthy read with plenty of action, at times confusing. Other reviewers clearly enjoyed Black 13 more than me...

This is an action packed read introducing Scott Pearce, a modern up to date spy thriller. Mr Bond step a side there is a new kid on the block. What’s roller coaster ride this book is. Fantastic. Adam Hamdy has moved the genre into 2020. Right from the prologue until the end of this novel the pace is fast and intense. If you are into intrigue and spy thrillers then this is a book I recommend you buy and read.

Scott’s 2 years undercover alias as a climbing instructor is blown, Scott has to run for his life, not for the first time, certainly not for the last. This is a book full of great characters, great plot, and the action phew!!!

My only question is how is Scott still alive, but we know he has to survive as this is a series and you can’t kill the main man off in book one. Despite knowing that, it still leaves your heart pounding as you go through the plot, wondering how is he going to get out of this one. Pearce was ex MI6 when he was labelled as a conspiracy theorist and not believed that people escaped from a previous mission he was hailed a hero for.

Scott grabs some former associates he can trust, I loved Leila a highly skilled woman who refuses to let her past define her. Scott certainly has his work cut out when he has to untangle some webs of deceit and corruption.

The reader is shown glimpses of Scott’s background which explains some of what has made Scott the person he is. The novel does look into some deeper matters, yes there’s lots of action and adrenaline, but it also shows the way people can be manipulated to believe certain things they are shown, whether this be through some form of social media or another way.

This is a definite current contemporary thriller, with a great plot, brilliant three dimensional characters, just roll on book two I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Macmillan for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

This book tackles the difficult subject of extremism in our society. A lone hero helps to balance the odds. An excellent read, highly recommended, particularly to those who read Jack Reacher and Ben Hope novels.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pan Macmillan for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book - it really is an explosive start to what will be a new series. It's intriguing, complex and action-packed. Thoroughly absorbing.

Scott Pearce, living under an assumed identity in Thailand, is Ex-Special Forces and Ex-MI6. Once hailed a hero, now disowned, he's quietly following a smuggling trail which has taken him from the Middle East, to India and Bankok. He's an invisible climbing guide until Melody Gold, a lawyer, appears and knows his real name......then the adventure begins.
His Ex-colleague and best friend Nathan Foster has died on the streets of London. Working as a private investigator, Nathan was investigating a bank, employed by Melody's boss on behalf of a un-named but very wealthy client. Running the gauntlet of local police, he and Melody make it back to England, determined to find out how and why Nathan died.

We are led into the world of rising extremism, safe-houses, undercover contacts and the loyalty of Special Forces colleagues - just a small team of special people determined to stop an atrocity.

I Loved the characters and dialogue and the amazing use of modern technology, as well as the intermittent references to the main characters' back-stories where their past experiences equip them to handle the situations they find themselves in.

I am so looking forward to a new adventure for this dynamic team.
Thoroughly recommended.