The Spectral Island

I found The Spectral Island by Stephen de Burges to be an excellent read; just as the book description promised.

Dr Jamieson is an independent investigator/agent called in by the UK government to investigate unusual activtiy on Ivundé, in the Indian Ocean as detected by satellite images, The primary cover story is that a school/madrassa is being built on the island. The real story is that there is gold. But Dr Jamieson quickly deduces that the gold story is also a ruse. On the suspiciously dark side, there is North Korean, Chinese, and Iranian involvement including a Chinese naval fleet in the Indian Ocean and a North Korean submarine just off the the island's coast. There is intriguing interplay between the governments of UK and USA, the military on Diego Garcia, the embassy staff on the island, Ivundé's corrupt president, and the locals who assist Dr Jamieson. The writer gives the reader plenty of expert detail to support the well-written and well-paced plot. The primary characters are described and used well to advance the story which felt very credible throughout and kept me interested and keen to read more throughout. The language and writing style make the book both easy to read and also carry an air of authenticity and credibility. I would certainly like to read more by this author.

With trademark British wryness and reserve, THE SPECTRAL ISLAND is a novel of espionage involving a formerly quiet island in the South Pacific, which suddenly seems to be of immense interest to Islamic Middle Easterners as a site for education buildings. But of course what meets the eye is deception not fact, as the British government calls in a gifted freelance expert to uncover the truth and the actual reason the island will be commercially appealing.

Day by day the world in which we live becomes ever more dangerous. The author takes this fact for a starting point in a high octane action thriller. International intrigue and corruption are played out against the exotic backdrop of a fictional island in the Indian ocean. There's plenty of action and some well drawn characters. Very much the sort of thriller which made Hammond Innes, Desmond Bagley and Frederick Forsyth so famous.

International intrigue and a genuinely credible plot, all set in a part of the world all too open to such manipulation. The writing style is dry and snappy, which suits the plot perfectly and maintains a great pace. It lends itself to more from this talented author and very engaging protagonist.