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.

Another great novel by the author, with a senseo of authencity not usual in the thriller genre. It also provides an update on the ongoing War on Terror, and a very interesting protagonist.

This is the first of Gerald Seymour’s thrillers that I have read, although on reflection ‘thriller’ perhaps pigeonholes this book rather awkwardly. The tension certainly mounts as the chapters are hungrily devoured - this is a book that is not easy to put down - but the rather more thoughtful approach to counter terrorism deployed by the central character stands in stark contrast to the two dimensional ‘action man’ approach of many thriller authors. The author does make substantial demands on the reader’s preparedness to suspend disbelief, but never past the point at which the reader loses confidence in the narrative, whilst the writing has no difficulty in evoking atmosphere and reminding the reader of the grey areas to be found in the ‘war on terror’. There are many themes which are current in 2021: the threat posed by returning jihadi fighters; illegal migration across the channel; drone warfare; and the eternal imperative for the security services - we need to be lucky all the time….the terrorists need to be lucky just once.

The denouement is probably unexpected, certainly by this reader, but not in a bad way!

Highly recommended.

Defending one’s country from threats internal and external involves feats of extreme bravery, daring adventures and a group of dashing, strong, physically fit people fighting it out on the field. But, it also involves hours and hours of plodding through tonnes of data, identifying patterns and predicting the moves of the enemies—all the time working closeted somewhere inside a multistorey building amidst voluminous paperwork. Though extremely vital, the contributions of the latter population goes unsung, unknown even to their closest family and friends due to security concerns, and The Crocodile Hunter by Gerald Seymour is the story of one such plodder.

Jonas Merrick is such a non-entity to his colleagues at the British Secret Service that, even after serving for more than three decades, nobody is going to care a dime once he retires and leaves the office one final time. Not that he himself has ever done anything to gain popularity: he never socialises, is curt to the point of rudeness, has never gone to any of the fields where the work is done on ground, and follows his own rigid schedule like clockwork irrespective of what happens around him. On the day of his retirement, Merrick does something totally out of character and prevents a catastrophe—an action that earns him a lot of respect in addition to having his retirement cancelled. Several months into his extended stint at the Service, Merrick is on the trail of someone who is very likely to carry out a deadly attack on English soil. Through his characteristic plodding, Merrick tries to identify the terrorist and anticipate his moves so as to prevent the impending attack. This time though, when the time finally comes to go on the field and apprehend the terrorist, the Service has no team available to execute the operation and Merrick opts to do something he has never done—even in the prime of his youth. Supported only by a couple of greenhorns at the Service and a couple of cops without a clue about the operation, will Merrick’s first foray onto the field be a success? Will the elderly hunter catch his crocodile or will he be devoured?

Gerald Seymour is known for creating taut, gripping thrillers and The Crocodile Hunter is no exception. It is an intense, slow-burn of a thriller that has well drawn characters, deep know-how of the trade, believable action and a relevant theme. Seymour’s characters, right from the lead actors to the minor ones, are skilfully drawn and his descriptions of places and actions are likewise lifelike. In spite of having plenty of action, this novel is not for the reader who is in a rush. It deserves to be read at leisure to fully experience the author’s flair at bringing multiple strands of the story together. Though the climax is quite fitting for the overall plot, a few threads of the story have been left unfinished. Despite that, I found The Crocodile Hunter to be an absorbing read and would like to thank its author and publishers for the e-ARC through NetGalley in return for my unbiased review.

Gerald Seymour is one of my 'go to' thriller writers. You know the writing will be good and often there is a link to his previous career as a journalist.

This book is largely based on the character Jonas Merrick. He is supposed to be retiring after a long career with MI5, but on his retirement day he has a chance meeting with a suicide bomber and is able to turn the situation around and throw the bomb into the Thames. Suddenly, he is taken much more seriously at work and even begins to mentor new staff. He teaches them to hunt for a submerged crocodile - looking for a glint of eye or a nostril just above the surface. I really liked how this analogy linked to the title of the book and the main plot.

The character development is great in this book. Jonas seems to be a bit of a misfit and a bit of a loner. He keeps to himself and relies on his traditional methods and even catches the same train to and from work each day. But you also know that he has an instinct for the work and can be brave when faced with what to most of us is an unthinkable situation. The staff around him call him Wobby or wise old bird and his thoughts often drift to his caravan and a peaceful campsite in Devon. It is charming but it is also terrifying as the terror plot that runs throughout the book is very real and plausible.

A great read, highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Long-winded and boring.

It’s the first book I’ve read by Gerald Seymour. I chose the book because I’ve heard so much about his previous writing. Unfortunately, the book left me underwhelmed.

It starts with Jonas Merrick, disappearing from his retirement party. He leaves his guests to enjoy the spread management have supplied while he, someone who has never worked in the field before, ventures out of his office, and finds a young boy with a bomb strapped to his chest. Jonas talks the boy into allowing him to remove the bomb and throw it into the Thames.

Jonas’ main task in his job of thirty-five years working for A4, a part of the British security services, is to track the paperwork for known terrorists. He never stays late after work. Returns home each night on the same train. His wife and he love going on camping holidays. Now, thanks to removing the bomb, he becomes the new head of a department. Still looking for terrorists, this time those returning from ISIS. Youngsters joining the services could learn a lot from him. However, he’s so boring and so set in his ways that they’d rather forget about a future in keeping the country safe and take their talents elsewhere.

Jonas’ interest is peaked when a boat carrying refugees is spotted and followed. One of the refugees happens to be an ex-choirboy who left the UK to fight alongside ISIS. He compares tracking and looking for this man to tracking and killing a crocodile.

I’m afraid I lost interest after the first couple of paragraphs and had to speed-read. I’d jump a few pages and then wonder if I had because we were still looking at the maps of where Jonas and his wife were going to go on their next holiday.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Another glorious tale from this master of current events, this time the story of a returning ISIS fighter to this country. The search for him is led by a veteran spook who has spent his whole career desk bound until his retirement night when he prevented a suicide bomber in Victoria Gardens from completing his mission. He is then gratefully kept on and when news of a migrant boat landing at Deal the chase begins. The fighters history from being a choirboy at Canterbury Cathedral to becoming a fighter in the Middle East is all beautifully described and as usual the tension mounts until the final pages. A marvellous recommended book!

Gerald Seymour's latest thriller, "The Crocodile Hunter" begins rather surprisingly on its main character's ,Jonas Merrick, supposed last day at work for MI5 . Jonas is sneeringly known as the eternal flame because he never goes out and is thought of as a time-serving pen-pusher by the dashing young graduates and glory hunters around him. As his colleagues gather to send off a colleague most of them won't miss Jonas is elsewhere proving that his old school methods get results and he's probably a braver man than any of them. Seen in a new light and after it's discovered that Jonas in his quiet way has been a major asset his retirement lasts all of a few hours as he's almost begged to come back.
Britsh Jihadi Callum Jilkes is heading back home from Syria with revenge in mind.......and Jonas on his trail

What follows is a roller coaster ride as Callum loses friends on the journey through the war zones of the middle east to the small town in Kent where his Mother lives, dreaming of the emotional reunion that inspires him to keep going. Jonas is given a couple of novice agents to help him in his search,people I wouldn't trust to run a hot dog stall let alone track down deadly terrorists. Utilising his formerly unappreciated skills Jonas realises that to get the outcome he wants he'll finally have to leave the office and confront his prey face to face.

I really enjoyed the book,i wouldn't say it was as good as something like Seymour's classic Harry's Game but then not many books are. The interaction between the very different characters is expertly done and Jonas is definitely a different kind of hero. There seems to be a trend towards "older" lead characters at the moment and like the cast of The Thursday Night Murder Club it's good to have an older character who might well be struggling with some of the downsides of age but is switched on and very good at what he does rather than some eccentric old duffer, as characters in their Autumn years are too often portrayed.

Another winner from Gerald Seymour.

With two heroes? One a terrorist out for revenge and one a modern day George Smiley type civil servant then sparks fly right from the start and last till the end
Enjoyable book which maybe tells us more about the problems facing security services

Since 1975 Gerald Seymour has been writing outstanding novels and his latest book, The Crocodile Hunter, does not fail to match those previous books.

The storyline is, as always, highly topical with all the characters flawed but extremely well drawn and the author keeps you guessing what will eventually happen until the very end of the book and all of this is achieved without it feeling contrived or forced.

The Crocodile Hunter is an outstanding book and thoroughly recommended.

How does he do it? Every year without fail as he has done for the past 40 years Gerald Seymour comes up with a masterful thriller.

His knowledge of tradecraft is exceptional, his characters are often deeply flawed but impeccably drawn and de[picyed and the plot is invariably topical and credible.

This one is well up to standard and is never less than exciting.

A wonderful read from a master of his craft.

What can you say about Gerald Seymour?
This one will keep you wondering about the ending until the very end and is certainly an enjoyable read, as are all his books.