Beijing Conspiracy, The

Critically-acclaimed writer Shamini Flint is back with another thoroughly original and exciting tale, and after the superb Inspector Singh series, I am pleased to have some more action set in Asia. It's a complex case but one Flint crafts to flow exceptionally well with an easy narrative style and the story is very much characterised by nothing really being quite what it seems. China is portrayed in an authentic, true-to-life manner with a beautiful sense of time and place although this isn't surprising given the author has lived and worked in Asia for many years.

Based in the metropolis that is Beijing we are treated to a very readable and compelling yarn about young American spy, Jack Ford, and the daughter he never knew existed. The stakes are incredibly high and with the possibility of starting World War III should he save the life of his long-lost daughter or the lives of many that will inevitably be on the line should war break out? Full of political intrigue and adrenaline-pumping action this is an enjoyable spy thriller. Recommended. Many thanks to Severn House Publishing for an ARC.

This is a fast paced espionage thriller which involves a secret plot between factions in the USA and China which seems only too real given the current political situation in both countries.
Jack Ford an ex CIA spy and former special forces operative is summoned back to China by an ex girlfriend claiming he has a long lost daughter.
Jack and Xia had met 30 years earlier during the Tiananmen Square protests when Jack was a young agent on his first assignment. They fell in love but then drifted apart and he knows nothing about this daughter.
There are flashbacks to their time in Tiananmen Square and what happened to student Xia and Jack is gradually revealed in the course of the novel.
However en route to meet his daughter several violent things happen and Jack ends up with a secret document which is invaluable to both the USA and China. Everyone is looking for him and Jack needs all his skills to stay one step ahead of them.
Although the plot was complicated, it was believable and once I got my head round the different scheming characters I found it one of those books I just couldn’t put down. The POTUS was obviously a thinly veiled description of the current holder of the position and unfortunately his actions in the situation seemed quite plausible.
The author obviously knows a lot about China as Jack’s time there in past and present is extremely well described.
I liked Jack as a character and would be happy to see him in another book if the author decided to write one.
This is an enjoyable modern thriller which was a compelling read and really built up to a very exciting climax.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.