I liked the background political story in this book of a government cutting public spending and in its place awarding contracts to private companies to do the work. It felt in line with current concerns about the national health service.

I could envision this book as a small-screen drama series with Richard Madden as police negotiator Alex Lewis.

This book could easily be read as a stand-alone although it follows on from The Siege.

I have devoured this book in one sitting. Once I was pulled in, I couldn’t put it down. I was desperate to find out what was going on. Also, I didn’t want this books to end.

Everything about this book has been brilliant. I absolutely loved getting between the covers of this. This was everything I hoped for and so much more. This is a book which should be on everyone’s radar.

I absolutely recommend this book to other readers.

Brilliantly entertaining with a dryly humorous take on contemporary politics and policing. Looking forward to his next one!

When negotiator Alex Lewis is called to a bridge in London to talk down a potential jumper he does not realise what this will lead to. Becca Palmer is a young political advisor who claims she was having an affair with a senior politician, one who may or may not be involved in corruption. Her mental health is fragile and Alex, his partner Pip and a journalist they encounter have to decide whether or not to take her claims seriously.
I really enjoyed this book. It is not overly highbrow and is quite short so I skipped through it in a couple of hours but it was gripping enough to keep me hooked for that time. There is loads of cliche here but it is backed up by experience, Sutherland has lived the life of his protagonist Alex, and the knowledge and detail shows. As a quick exciting thriller it works very well.

This is an interesting thriller from the author, a good mixture of thriller, police procedural and political suspense

This is my first taste of John Sutherland's brilliant London based series featuring the empathetic Superintendent Alex Lewis, a hostage negotiator who has seen far too much of human pain and suffering that he is having to deal with complex PTSD, experiencing traumatic nightmares, supported by his fellow hostage negotiator and partner, DI Philippa 'Pip' Williams. However, this does not stop him wanting to do his job, his commitment to saving lives is absolute, even as he despairs at the state of policing in Britain. Government budget cuts have seriously affected the service they can offer the public, whilst other public sector cuts have led to a rise in knife crime and the consequent deaths that follow. This has not stopped the government aiming to implement further cuts, chanting the dangerous mantra of private sector good, public sector bad, with the police constantly battered by being told to do the impossible, demoralised by being expected to do more with less.

Presiding over this debacle is the wealthy, good looking, charismatic, ambitious and well thought of 47 year old Sheffield MP, Simon Jones, the Policing Minister, with Camilla Lane as hiis senior advisor. It appears Jones can do no wrong, praised to the skies by the right wing of the party and the media, and is being touted to become the next PM. Alex saves the life of the young, vulnerable Becca Palmer, with mental health issues, who has just been fired by Jones, a junior member of his department. Becca was going to jump off a London Bridge, she's an utter mess, but when she claims that she loved Jones, and had an affair with him, he believes her, even though she comes across as unreliable. She has other suspicions concerning Jones, Alex ends up getting unusually close to Beth as events conspire to bring her into his and Pip's orbit.

The narrative begins to enter explosive territory when they and a journalist end up exposing corruption and more, all of it concluding in a fraught, shocking and nail biting finale. I am delighted to have discovered the tenacious Alex Lewis, a man of integrity overflowing with human compassion, this comes at a high price, but which he refuses to ditch for an easier life. Sutherland impresses with his astute, authentic, and insightful storytelling with its echoes of our real life contemporary politics, I suspect many would agree when one of his characters refers to the government as a 'crooked cabal of charlatans and chancers'. A gripping and terrific read that I recommend highly. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I will be reading the first in this series!

I enjoyed this book a great deal, deftly stepping the pace up while not leaving behind any accuracy or detail.

An accomplished and enjoyable read.

This is an interesting thriller from the author, a good mixture of thriller, police procedural and political suspense. I really liked the plot and the characterisation, especially Becca who is assistant to a rising MP. It's an emotional read, woven beautifully by the author as we see Becca struggling to come to terms after being dismissed from her job. Superintendent Alex Lewis is drawn in to this as a negotiator when Becca attempts to take her own life. An excellent mixture of suspense and political thriller which i would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

John Sutherland’s The Fallen is an excellent follow up to last year’s The Siege and is a definite page turner with numerous twists and turns.

Whilst The Fallen picks up a little while after the finish of The Siege is can still be read as a stand-alone although you will definitely want to read the previous book after you’ve finished the new one.

A clear 5* read

I was extremely late in reading The Siege, the debut novel from John Sutherland, but when I did read it I absolutely loved it, in the way it's appropriate to love a book about a hostage situation that is. What it did mean was that when the opportunity came up to read an advance copy of book two, The Fallen, via Netgalley, I snapped it up. Thank you auto approval! It also meant that having been only recently acquainted with protagonist, Police Negotiator, Alex Lewis, I fell into step with this new case very, very quickly.

Quite a departure from the high stakes, multi-victim, almost literally explosive hostage situation of the first story, this time around Alex is called upon to talk a young woman, Becca, out of throwing herself off Westminster Bridge. No less dramatic and no less important than Alex's previous case, but the approach needed was very different and the outcome ... well that's an entirely different story too. Because this wasn't just a one time deal for Alex, and what he is told by Becca leads him into very dangerous waters, professionally speaking if not, thankfully, literally. Politics, policing and personal drama all make for a heady mix, one that had me turning the pages at speed and completely and utterly glued to the story.

I really like Alex as a character. He is down to earth, honest, highly principled, subtly flawed, and far too invested in the fates of the people he is sent to save. It's safe to say that his previous case, as with so many others, had taken a personal toll on him, and his confidence in going into this perilous situation with Becca is, at best, wavering. But when you are a person's only hope, you have to possess an inner strength, and this is something that shines through in Alex, even as he feels the weight of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders. Thankfully he has a lot of support from both professional and personal quarters so we can rest easier knowing that pastoral care is in place for some of his darker, self doubting moments. Yes, I'm that invested in him as a character. This stuff really matters you know!

You can feel the authenticity of the portrayal of this side of Alex's character really coming through in the narrative, drawing, no doubt, from the various experiences of the author himself. Whether John Sutherland was ever embroiled in anything quite as scandalous as this case turns out to be ... Well, I'm sure there are many stories that he'll never be in a position to tell, but then again you don't have to look much further than the daily news features to work out where the inspiration for this particular story may have come from. Despite this being a very different kind of hostage drama, there is still a huge amount of tension and, surprisingly, action, that flows through the book. Whilst there is, inevitably, a certain amount of political wrangling and subterfuge that dictates the direction of the story, there is a lot of mystery to be resolved and the more that is revealed, the more and more intrigued I became.

As a former government employee, it is not just the loss of Becca's job which has led her to such a low, and the more we delve into her personal circumstances courtesy of Alex and his partner and fellow hostage negotiator, Pip Williams, the more understandable her situation becomes. As I said earlier, I literally raced through this book, sometimes gobsmacked by what was revealed, and more often than I perhaps expected, caught unawares by what was uncovered. And then those final scenes ... well, I was not expecting that. As the tension grew, the pacing increased to match. It's all high stakes stuff for the characters involved, people for whom failure, the loss of reputation and status, is really not an option. it's even higher for Alex, and this I'm not sure I've yet forgiven the author for the level of peril he places the poor man in.

Whether we get a proper happy, or at least just, ending or not, you'll need to read to find out, but let's just say that I'm hoping it's not the last we've seen of Alex and Pip. I'm loving these books and really enjoying seeing a completely different side of policing. Definitely recommended.

"The Fallen" is a gripping and thrilling novel by John Sutherland that masterfully combines elements of suspense, politics, and emotional turmoil.

Becca Palmer, the protagonist, is a compelling character who finds herself entangled in a web of deceit and power struggles within the highest levels of government.

The story opens with Becca's sudden dismissal from her job as an assistant to Simon Jones MP, the highly-regarded Policing Minister. Her distress is amplified as she attempts to come to terms with her love for Simon, creating a highly emotional narrative. The author uses this intense opening to draw you into Becca's world right from the start.

The central theme of the novel revolves around a potential conspiracy encompassing the Policing Minister, with Becca hinting that she knows something incriminating about Simon Jones. This sets the stage for an intriguing exploration of corruption and deception, making it difficult for readers to put the book down.

The introduction of hostage negotiator Alex Lewis adds another layer of complexity to the story. As he tries to save Becca's life during a heart-wrenching scene on Westminster Bridge, their relationship develops, leaving readers rooting for both characters as they navigate this tense situation.

"The Fallen" excels in its ability to weave together the personal and political aspects of the story, maintaining a sense of urgency throughout. The intense pacing of events will keep you enthralled while offering enough detail and backstory to keep you fully invested in each character's journey.

In conclusion, "The Fallen" is an enthralling thriller that captivates its audience through a combination of emotional depth and political intrigue. John Sutherland expertly crafts an engaging tale that will leave readers craving more.

Highly recommended for fans of suspense and political thrillers alike.

Superintendent Alex Lewis, a skilled police negotiator, returns in John Sutherland's second book to take on new challenges, including navigating the murky world of politics and corruption while grappling with his own personal issues.

Sutherland deftly weaves together an intricate plot that offers both thought-provoking moments and unexpected twists, while showcasing the humanity of a police officer who is simply trying to do his best in a difficult and often dangerous job. This is a book that feels all too real at times, and readers will find themselves fully engrossed in Lewis's mission to save those who are most in need.

With its gripping storyline and nuanced characters, this is a must-read.

Don't miss out on the chance to get your hands on this thrilling book when it hits shelves on June 8th.

The second Alex Lewis book sees the troubled hostage negotiator back in fine form as he is at the heart of a plot they threatens the security of the nation.

Well plotted and empathetically written the book is naturally accurate on the workings of the police and an exciting g and roller coaster read.

Highly recommended.