Tony Kent knows exactly how to grab the attention of his readers and to tighten that grip right up until the final page. The Shadow Network's opening scenes are breathtakingly tense as a shocking massacre takes place at the Grote Markt in The Hague. Meanwhile, Agent Joe Dempsey and barrister Michael Devlin are finally reunited, and it's under cheerful circumstances as Dempsey takes on the mantle of godfather to Michael and his journalist wife, Sarah's twin sons. They manage to share a brief moment of harmony with friends and family but readers already know that this will shortly be shattered as Devlin's close friend, fellow lawyer, Will Duffy was caught up in the carnage.
The motivations driving the actions of the characters is paramount throughout The Shadow Network and so it makes sense for Devlin – a man who has lost too many people who were important to him – to travel to The Hague to look for Duffy, and to bring him home, alive or dead. Likewise, their friendship and Dempsey's position in the UN's International Security Bureau means he is able to pull strings to help him. However, he soon has a further, more personal cause to be involved in what becomes a global operation to uncover who was responsible for what they realise was actually a targeted attack on the life of Kon Frankowski, a man Dempsey is only too aware of.
When they are told the Monk was behind the attack, Dempsey is initially sceptical, believing the name to be a Cold War urban legend. However, throughout the book, readers have an inside look at what this enigmatic figure is capable of and Dempsey is soon convinced that this formidable enemy is real, and very dangerous. The Monk is a fabulous creation; his backstory as the latest in a long line of people to hold the title is fascinating, his methods are ruthless and his fanaticism to his cause is utterly chilling. Tony Kent cleverly draws on history and more recent global events to establish that the scarily plausible organisation he heads is able to infiltrate and manipulate every aspect of society.
The blistering pace of the narrative is almost relentless as the action alternates between Europe, where Dempsey and Devlin's convoluted investigation means they don't know who they can trust and the USA where Eden Grace is tasked with keeping Kon Frankowski's wife safe. Having been introduced in Power Play, Eden's position as a mentee to Dempsey has established her as an engaging character and it's great to see how her skillset has developed here. Forced to face a daunting foe, she is thrust into a rapidly changing, dangerous situation which allows both her intuitive and physical abilities to be given prominence while still underlining her uncertainties as a rookie agent.
As the title suggests, this is not a straightforward hunt for one man and the web he mercilessly controls is extensive and highly effective, although not without its own limitations. Amidst the violent, bruising encounters, Dempsey is at his most vulnerable, emotionally and physically, desperate to protect those he loves and hit by dreadful revelations. Devlin, meanwhile, is also called upon to become physically involved at times and has to address his own principles in one particularly intense scene.
While the world waits for the next Bond announcement, I would suggest Joe Dempsey is the action hero we need; Tony Kent's high octane, cinematic set pieces are complemented by the excellent characterisation and a tense, unnervingly convincing plot. Perhaps what most raises this contemporary action thriller though, beyond its impressive credentials as an electrifying, compulsive rollercoaster ride, is the emotional punch it packs; there's a warmth to The Shadow Network and it's Tony Kent's best to date. Very highly recommended.

Mr Kent. You kept me awake until after 2am as I just had to finish The Shadow Network! The quality of the writing. The characters. The fast pace. The non stop action. Thrillers just do not come any better than this.

Tony Kent draws from his experience and his knowledge of the criminal world, writing a fast paced, perfectly plotted and authentic storyline and larger than life characters. Literally in the case of one of them. As an ex boxer and current criminal barrister we don’t know what he is drawing from the real criminal world and what is from his imagination, but this reads as something which could actually happen.

The story opens with an apparent terror attack at The Hague, taking the reader straight into the action and not letting them go until the last page has been read. This is a chunky book with 525 pages which just flew past. I could have carried on reading and can’t wait for the next one.

Dempsey and Devlin are at the christening of Devlin’s boys completely unaware of the events unfolding in The Hague. When they are made aware there has been a random terrorist attack and Devlin’s friend is missing they arrange to travel to The Hague immediately to look for him. They have no idea what they are heading into or that the attack was actually targeted. His friend being one of the targets.

Joe Dempsey. Ex Army and current agent for the International Security Bureau, the UN’s intelligence service, puts his hand selected alpha team to work. The small team of four is unofficially led by the very able Grace. They are sent to find the wife of a missing man and protect her but she is gone when they reach her home.

We get to see the softer side of Joe as his ex girlfriend appears in this story. He had to finish the relationship to keep her safe as his life does not allow for a family. Unbelievably she has got involved in the day’s atrocities by way of her husband and now her life is in danger.

There is a legendary foreign agent at play known as ‘The Monk’ who appears to be pulling the strings. He leads an organisation which was said to have been set up decades ago and which has its tentacles spread out across the globe. His identity is unknown. Even the people who work for him do not know who he is. It is up to Dempsey and Devlin to put their lives on the line to get to the bottom of today’s attack, find a missing computer expert who escaped from the attack and is now in hiding and who may have the answer, and track down the possibly non existent Monk.

I don’t want to spoil the plot but I gasped out loud at one revelation towards the end I did not see coming. Brilliant.

This is the fifth Dempsey and Devlin book. I have read Power Play (another fantastic read and my review is on my blog) and absolutely intend to read the others in the series. So glad there are even more to come.

This is a really fast-paced, action-packed story. Lots of suspense and plot twists. Hard to put down. I will definitely look out for other books in the series. Highly recommended!

WOW, WOW, WOW. That basically says it all. Despite have the four previous books in this series on my shelf this is the first one I have read but it will definitely not be the last, the first four will be devoured as quick as this one was. At 523 pages I thought it might take a while, but think again. I picked this up straight after finishing another book. From the first page of this book literally to the last the suspense, tension, action does not let up. You are completely gripped. I finished this in two sittings if I could have read through the night I would have finished it in one.

The main characters in the series are Joe Dempsey an ISB agent and Michael Devlin a Lawyer/Barrister. I loved these characters Dempsey is the tough guy all action will protect those he loves to the death. Michael is Irish and has clearly been through a lot but is now settled with a family. It’s at the christening of Devlin’s twins that he learns a lawyer friend of his is in The Hague where there has been what is believed to be a terrorist attack. Devlin has a strange message on his phone from Will Duffy that makes him feel uneasy. Dempsey soon arranges transport for them to go to The Hague. Little do they know what they are getting involved in.

Kon Frankowski was meeting Will Duffy and Mendel Prochnik in a cafe in The Hague, when all hell breaks loose, Prochnik is the first to die. Duffy grabs Frankowski and runs, but the shooters are everywhere and as Duffy goes down he tells Frankowski to run. Why were they meeting him?

Who can anyone trust? Dempsey and Devlin find themselves in the middle of this with two CIA guys not sharing information. The plot thickens until they go and see a Hannibal Strauss who is awaiting trial in a prison, this is who Duffy and Prochnik were to represent. When Strauss finally tells them all the bloodshed is down to The Monk, Dempsey is initially disbelieving as The Monk is just supposed to be a legend but Strauss tells him of the Mladarossi and how The Monk is real and has recruited thousands around the world.

The action in this book is engrossing, it’s not only in The Hague but in the US as well as Joe’s team have to protect Frankowski’s wife and children, someone Dempsey knows well. The Monk will go for those you love and will stop at nothing. He finds the weak spot and then recruits people to do his dirty work. When the reveal of who the Monk is my jaw dropped I couldn’t believe I didn’t guess it. This would make such a good film on the big screen and I for one would go and watch it.

If you haven’t read any books in this series and you like a fast paced rollercoaster ride, then read this and then maybe the previous four books, I wish I had read the previous four before this now as I like to see how the characters grow from book one onwards. This is a writer who I will now buy the books automatically.

Thank you to NetGalley and @eandtbooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review, my opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Another excellent read from this author. The evil puppet master, The Monk, is behind a very long game of many moving parts. A page turner which I thoroughly recommend.

“The Shadow Network” by Tony Kent is an espionage rollercoaster you won’t want to get off. This fast-paced thriller throws you headfirst into a world of long-dormant Russian sleeper agents, their tendrils wrapped around some of the world’s most pressing issues. The author masterfully crafts a scenario that’s not just thrilling, but chillingly believable.

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the plot, “The Shadow Network” throws in a delicious twist, keeping you guessing until the very satisfying – and surprising – end. This one is perfectly primed for a streaming service adaptation.

Thanks to Elliot & Thompson and NetGalley for ARC.

This is a wild ride - impossibly convoluted conspiracies? Check. Shadowy quasi-governmental agencies with unlimited budgets and no oversight? Check. Buddies against all the odds? Check? Stoic women and children waiting at home to be rescued in one way or another? Check. Tense stakeouts? International travel to European and North American locations? Bone crunching violence? Unfeasibly high body counts with no apparent consequences? Check. If that's your kind of thing - dive right in, don't stop to think about it.
This thriller is number 5 in a series, and I felt that having a bit more information and an understanding of the backstory would have helped. However, I enjoyed it. Will backtrack before I tackle number 6 though.

A very good thriller, fast paced and well written. I really donl't like these super-human heroes though. Too much of a Reacher (sic).

What a great story,it starts quite small and then just keeps growing.
The main characters piece together that an arch manipulator is in place but who or what is the end game.
Thoroughly enjoyed the read and definitely worth a try

Another enjoyable adventure in this series featuring Dempsey and Devlin. This fast- paced story of complex international crime keeps the reader engaged throughout. I look forward to the next in the series.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is an enjoyable read, although far-fetched and over-written in places. Not his best book.

A public massacre masking a targeted hit, shadowy networks and conspiracies, a near-mythical foreign agent that’s been pulling global strings for decades; British barrister and former boxing champion Tony Kent’s latest thriller certainly packs a wallop.

The fifth instalment in his very good series starring Northern Irish-born lawyer Michael Devlin and deadly United Nations intelligence agent Joe Dempsey, The Shadow Network sees the pair called to action for personal reasons after a mass shooting at the Grote Markt in the heart of The Hague, where lawyers for an alleged war criminal are gunned down as part of a massacre. They become further entwined in conspiracy and international intrigue as they try to find the mystery man the lawyers were meeting and protect his stateside wife – Dempsey’s long-ago lover – from deadly assassins doing the bidding of ‘the Monk’, a foreign agent many believe is more rumour than reality. Things get complicated by the various agencies who get in on the action, including the CIA.

Kent maintains a high tempo while providing some fascinating characters and set-pieces; the pages whir by on a litany of secrets and lies, double-crosses and cover-ups, fight scenes and action. Readers who love action-packed crime ala Lee Child or the globe-trotting spy thrills of the likes of Ludlum and Forsyth really should give Tony Kent’s books a whirl. There’s lots to savour; like any great boxer, a blend of brawn and brains.

[This review was first written for Good Reading magazine]

Stunning, action driven but also propelled by relations among the characters ,, from Kon, who unwittingly holds crucial info to Eden and her management of family ... thr massacre openingbthe book is terrifying, but Kent paces things well, giving us breathers among the zooming events and discovery of the mysterious Monk .. I'm not 'sold,' on deep elite conspiracy theories, but this imagining of it seems scarily persuasive... Dempsey and Devlin : I may need to dig into earlier books in the series to get a fuller sense of relationship Dempsey and Devlin because a lot is assumed...

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for this eCopy to review

The Shadow Network is a compulsive read, and fast paced so keeps your attention. I was hooked racing to find out what happened next.

Michael and Joe's relationship is excellent they are a likeable pair and you genuinely want them to succeed. This time they are trying to stop The Monk's deadly conspiracy. Full of intrigue secrets and lies it's hard to know what is true

A great political thriller

Thank you Elliot and Thompson for sending me a review copy of this novel.

I have never read any novels by Tony Kent and definitely thoroughly enjoyed it. This novel kept me up late at night, telling myself to read onw more chapter after finishing each one. It seemed to be a series book, and having not read the ones before it, I did not feel lost or felt like I needed to read the others to know exactly what was going on. I would recomend this book to thrill seakers and political thrill readers.
I enjoyed the back and forth of narrators throughout the book. I will be looking to read those prior to this book in this series.

Thank you to the author, Elliott & Thompson and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fifth book in a series, and the first book I've read by this author. The writing is atmospheric and the story is engrossing and a quick read, moving at breakneck speed - and there is no problem reading this as a stand-alone. However, I wish I had done a bit more research before requesting, as this is a book I would normally not read due to the extreme amount of gratuitous violence. Great f0r fans of the Jack Reacher series, but not my cup of tea.

This is the 5th book in the Dempsey / Devlin series and I have read books 3, 4 + 5 in just a few weeks since I discovered them. They are a great action packed pair. I see some reviews say this is the 'new Jack Reacher' and funnily enough I've been watching the first series of Reacher and that was who I was picturing whilst reading these books.
I look forward to the next outing of the pair and their team.

With the power and speed of an energiser bunny Tony Kent goes from a relaxing back yard post christening party into a massacre at The Hague in this pulse-pounding dramatic thriller that is both engaging and immersive.

What I love about this series is the strong bond of friendship between barrister Michael Devlin and Joe Dempsey of the UN’s International Security Bureau. When all the chips are down and you don’t know who to trust, these men will always have each other’s backs, no questions asked.

Dempsey is chilling at the home of Sarah and Michael just hours after taking on the responsibility of being godfather to Michael and his journalist wife Sarah’s twin boys. They learn of a supposed terrorist attack which one of Michael’s colleagues, Will Duffy, has been caught up in and badly injured.

Using Dempsey’s ISB resources the pair are soon on their way to Amsterdam to find Will and make sure he can return home safely. But this is a novel in which nothing is as it seems. Soon they find themselves caught up in a deadly conspiracy. At the heart of that conspiracy is a shadowy figure known as The Monk who runs an organisation of spies and infiltrators.

Kon Frankowski is a man Dempsey is all too aware of and suddenly this deadly conspiracy is both deeply personal and professional. Frankowski was with Will Duffy at the time of the attack and it quickly becomes clear that he was the real target of this assignation attempt. Now he’s in the wind, trying to keep a low profile and Dempsey and Devlin have to bring him in safely and recover the vital intelligence he has – intelligence that the Monk is willing to massacre as many people as it takes to get hold of.

Kent builds in some contemporary background to this shadow network which is beautifully judged and lends an air of authenticity to an organisation whose name reminds me of a tribe in Game of Thrones.

The CIA become involved too, but they don’t play nicely with others and Dempsey doesn’t know who he can trust so there are many twists and turns and action packed explosive moments on the way to getting to the truth.

Dempsey deploys Eden Grace to keep Frankowski’s family safe and it’s great to see her in full on action mode as this pacy, action packed, explosive thriller reaches its propulsive heights.

There are some genuinely surprising moments and some terrible misjudgements which all lead to a twisty, surprising read that leaves you breathless with the pace and dizzy with the possibilities for betrayal. When the chips are down, though, there are only a few people Dempsey can trust with his life.

Verdict: Short, sharp chapters combine with non-stop action and a deeply embedded subversive conspiracy network to produce an explosive action thriller packed with tension and with strong emotional undertones which beautifully offset the macho action. Explosive, adrenalin fuelled, surprising and immersive, The Shadow Network is a terrific read from a thriller writer who knows just how to keep his audience hooked.

Book 5 of the series this time featuring solicitor Michael Devlin and Agent Joe Dempsey an investigator for the UN. There are a number of different protagonists in this series and they swap and change a bit, the team in America are involved this time, but from a distance. It would help to read the earlier books to understand the individuals but reads well as a stand alone book. This time one of Devlin closest friends is in The Hague when he is involved in a mass shooting, believed to be a terrorist incident. It soon becomes clear that it was a deliberate act of murder and both Devlin and Dempsey rush to Holland to find out what happened. Told from multiple POV’s this is a well written fast paced and exciting thriller.

Briefly, it appears Devlin’s friend was acting as a lawyer for an alleged war criminal Hannibal Strauss and he and another solicitor, along with some bystanders, were killed in a cafe shooting. But who are the people prepared to commit wholesale murder? Joe is surprised to find a previous adversary know as The Monk, a ghost figure, is involved.

Told from multiple POV’s this is a well written fast paced and exciting thriller. A great plot full of intrigue, secrets and lies, full of action and as always there are references to current affairs that help keep things real. Alongside the main event there are a number of other thread keeping the tension high. A very good conspiracy thriller with some good chapter end cliffhangers and great red herrings. Very entertaining read.

This certainly has whiled away some horrible February weather.

Excellent plotting, macho characters, a lot of violence and some pretty good tension raising.

Exactly what I want in an escapist novel.