This heist book has movie adaptation written through it, with unsure loyalties and a looming deadline the tension ratchets itself up. Thoroughly enjoyable and awaiting more from EC Scullion

Synopsis/blurb ....

"There is a safe, in a house, inside a secure compound in South America.

Your job is to bring me the contents of that safe."

Disgraced security consultant Tom Holt accepts a job from a mysterious lawyer, on behalf of a client named Capricorn.

Holt's team comprises Anil, a safe-cracking ex-con; Ray, a disgruntled logistics man, and Becca, a fiery red-headed thief with as much attitude as she has talent for picking pockets.

On arrival in the alluring Argentine city of Buenos Aires, Holt's past swiftly catches up with him. As he begins to question the client's motives, he finds there are darker, more sinister characters who show loyalty to his employer.

Who is Capricorn?

What's inside the safe?

Tom Holt is about to discover how far he will go to expose the truth, even if it means risking everything, including his own life...
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My take ...

An enjoyable fast-moving thriller set mainly in South America after kicking off in London. Tom Holt has just been sacked after the discovery of his pilfering company funds to fuel his gambling addiction. A visitor makes him an offer he can't refuse. Help recover the contents of a safe and he might just get some semblance of his old life back.

In Buenos Aires he meets the fellow members of his team ... a bent ex-copper, a safecracker and an alluring thief and pickpocket. Some team bonding, team tensions, and past indiscretions come back to endanger Tom and jeopardise the mission. Ergo - a hasty exit.

Montevideo, the job, surveillance, planning, mistrust, obstacles, local help, interference, pressure, more questions than answers, an insider with a different agenda, the job, an outcome, a schism, betrayal, repurcussions, and a few more twists and turns before our conclusion.

I enjoyed the book. I've not visited Uruguay in my reading before, nor spent too much time in Argentina, so it was good to travel somewhere differently. I liked how Tom's past came back to haunt him and intersect with his present. I liked Tom as the main character and I enjoyed the interactions between the other members of the team. Three of the four had secrets and hidden agendas. Two of the four you never quite trusted. The most likeable of the bunch, was also the most straightforward and also the unluckiest.

There is a decent conclusion to the book, one that left me satified, but which also leaves issues unresolved in respect of Tom and Becca's situation with their powerful employer.

E. C. Scullion has followed up Intruders with Evaders, a novel which drops later this month. One to look out for I think.

4 from 5

Read - August, 2021
Published - 2020
Page count - 244
Source - review copy via Net Galley
Format - ePUB read on laptop, and a bit on Kindle

http://col2910.blogspot.com/2021/08/e-c-scullion-intruders-2020.html

This was a great read, with a thrilling story line, gripping you until the very end. Haven't read anything by this author before, will do so now. Recommended.

I have had this book on my kindle for a couple of months now, just begging to be read, and I am so glad that last night I decided to listen and take that book for a read ... The Intruders felt like Oceans Eleven had been placed in my very own book; with all the twists, plots, and cursing's that accompany a job that could potentially destroy the lives of everyone involved.
The Prologue shows a snippet of the past, where a woman in a green coat is being followed by a guy (who we later find out is called Anton) because of something that she was or had done, which has upset Anton's employer, Capricorn. Aroused with suspicion of what is about to go down, the first couple of chapters introduces us to Tom Holt, Albert Denham, Ray, Anil, and Becca. However, it must be added that it felt like a slow build up with this plot; it did take a good 25-30% of the book to get fully into it
Denham is the lawyer of Capricorn, who is tasked with getting Holt to break into Sabina Cordero's house, as she is blackmailing Capricorn with the contents. Unsurprisingly, Denham doesn't tell Holt what the job is, until he goes to the office and signs a Non Disclosure Agreement. Once Holt does, he is given a phone and credit card and asked to travel to Buenos Aires to meet his team. When Holt gets to the destination, he meets up with Ray, who gives him a lift back to the apartment that are all staying in. Anil and Becca are waiting for them when they turn up. It is clear at this point that all individuals keep their cards very close to their chest about skills and knowledge they have regarding the job, and they don't particularly feel impressed at being controlled or handled by Holt. Holt knows that he is the one leading and organising the break in, but other than that, he doesn't know anything.
Anil is the safe breaker, Ray is the ex-policeman and Becca can pickpocket. I did love the fact that in certain chapters, we are taken away from the story line and given background information on all the characters to give us an idea on why they are working for Capricorn. I did at times, feel sorry for the lawyer, Denham; it was clear that he didn't enjoy working for Capricorn and in the end, it cost him his life. Although, the one character I did find it hard to understand and like was Ray (no surprise there). The last one to have their past reveal (which was teased throughout the book!!!) was Becca. Towards the end of the book, we found out that Becca is actually the niece of Capricorn. Yep, you read that right!
Through observations, hard work, and adrenaline packed action from all characters, we see Holt, Becca, Ray and Anil carry out the break in to get the contents of that safe. Although warned by Denham to not look through the contents of the safe, once they returned home, Holt convinces Anil to download the USB drive (from the safe) contents on to a laptop. Adamant for the contents Ray to bring out a gun and aims it alternately between Anil and Holt. Holt hands over the USB drive and document, but Ray takes aim and shoots Anil dead. Ray then takes leave and heads for the airport. This is when we find out, that Denham isn't the only one who has been calling the shots. Anton, Capricorn's trusted guy, has been getting information from Ray during this time and had ordered Ray to kill Anil and bring the contents straight to the UK. With this in mind, I, at this point, was convinced that Becca had something to do with what was going on, and that maybe this was all a set up...
Towards the end of the book, it turns out that Holt had copied the contents on the USB drive on to the laptop before handing it to Ray. When he and Becca left the apartment after Ray shoot Anil, they went to a safe place, ditched their phones and started being a cosy couple. However, Holt wakes up to find Becca standing with Anton at the bottom of the bed, as Becca had betrayed him and they left with the laptop. After this, Holt uses everything he has to make sure that Becca stays safe, and that the information from the laptop could be sent to people who would look further into the details.
Overall, I loved this book! It kept me hooked after I got through the first couple of chapters. There were a lot of parts that I found difficult to read, as the descriptions were that graphic you could visually see everything so clearly. The background chapters on the characters gave insight which helped round out why the characters acted out the way that they did! Only downside was the ending. I didn't get to find out whether; the contents were looked into? Did Becca and Holt meet back up again? Is Sabina safe? Did Ray run away? Does the Capricorn get taken down? I truly hope that there is a second book coming out!!

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a multi layered thriller with lots of character building and descriptive landscape. While it had plenty of twist and turns, it felt a bit slow for a heist novel. A team of criminals are tasked with retrieving the contents of a safe under the directive of a powerful, dangerous man, the Capricorn. They travel in several countries in South America in search of the safe. They encounter obstacles and danger but they remain loyal to the goal. Interesting plot but slow execution.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview INTRUDERS by EC Scullion. This is a fast paced book that takes the reader to South America. Here a band of outsiders are given an assignment to get the contents of a safe. The problem - well the safe is in a guarded area where they can be killed at any time.
This is a character driven book and not your typical "heist" novel.
Good one. - 4 stars.

This is pretty good. It has interesting characters and an engaging plot, along with some humor and a couple of surprises. Probably a good bet if you're seeking a heist read.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

What's the goal? To reach and empty a well-garded safe.
Oh no, it's the usual novel with characters overcoming obstacles and setbacks, to get the coveted prize, or even lose everything, depending on the author's mood?
Well, don't expect this in "Intruders". The story doesn't revolve around a safe, but it rather speaks about loyalty and the sense of justice, about secrets that challenge relationships, about double loyalty and the price of honor. Yes, all this packed in a interesting and well-told story.
Set mainly in Argentina and Uruguay, it keeps the reader's attention, sparking curiosity and questions, and surprizing with twists and turns.
Valuable is the way in which the author --thanks to her first-hand experience-- immerses the reader in Latin-American settings, with picturesque and realistic characters, accustomed to a fast and even violent way of life.
In conclusion, "Intruders" is a well-written, well-paced work. A recommended reading.