I didn't realise that Alan Johnson had written any fiction, but this was such a pleasant surprise. The book is a great thriller, set between London and Crete with a well-developed plot and characters. It was an easy, page-turning read with a dash of romance, which I very much enjoyed. I look forward to reading another of his books in the future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of One of Our Ministers is Missing in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly decent politician called Johnson who can actually write? Yes, unlike the recently disgraced Prime Minister Boris, Alan Johnson, the onetime Home Secretary really can write as he proved with his acclaimed trilogy of memoirs. I personally didn't get into this thriller but it's still worth a look.

I remember Alan Johnson as a Labour minister, and I was interested to read his book (his second novel - I haven't read the first). One of Our Ministers is Missing is an escapist crime romp, and the political backdrop is obviously something about which you'd expect Johnson (Alan, not Boris...) to know his stuff, although the political stuff doesn't actually play that big a role in the story.

When Tory peer, businessman, and government minister Edward Bellingham goes missing while holidaying with his wife in Crete, assistant police commissioner Louise Mangan is roped in to investigate alongside Greek police. The story encompasses a hitman planning his last job (and his unsuspecting wife), gangs, people smuggling, a missing journalist, a beleaguered Turkish writer, and even a dash of romance.

It's basically a good old fashioned adventure story. I couldn't say I was ever exactly on the edge of my seat, but I enjoyed it, and I liked the character of Louise, and her relationship with her Greek counterpart. I appreciated that Alan Johnson chose to make this senior officer a woman - and a competent and assertive one at that - and he writes her reasonably well. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy!

Edward Bellingham is a rich man with a dirty secret. He is a member of the House of Lords and a Junior Minister but has gone missing on the isle of Crete where he has a holiday home. Assistant Chief Constable Louise Mangan is asked to liaise with the Greek police but she also has pressing issues on the home front as there is an alert that a dissident Turkish author may be the target of an assassination plot. Are they both potential international incidents, or is the answer a lot simpler?
Johnson writes populist books which make a great lightweight read. Here the plot is fast-moving and flips on several occasions before the denouement. The writing is straightforward, it’s not high literature, but it is a really entertaining diversion for a few hours!

Reviewed in 2022