“When the rendezvous with your asset is thwarted by an Iranian terror-cell operator who wants your blood, what action do you take? YOU RUN.
When you’re unable to contact your team and you’re the target of a police manhunt which unwittingly assists the killers, how do you survive? YOU HIDE.
When you know the Iranians have smuggled themselves into England to unleash a murderous attack, how do you prevent the atrocity? YOU FIGHT.
With a contemporary twist on the classic chase novel, THE FILE is perfect for fans of Geoffrey Household’s ROGUE MALE and Desmond Bagley’s RUNNING BLIND.
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I wanted to write a manhunt thriller for a long time. THE FILE – my tenth novel – is the result. I’ve always been fascinated with this corner of the suspense genre. I’ve always thought the chase novel is the purest and most compelling type of thriller. The plot is in constant motion, propelled by the jeopardy the protagonist endures.
THE FILE is my first standalone novel, but one of my favourite characters from my STATION HELIX and RYAN KERREK books does make a brief appearance. There is a twist in the book which is achieved by keeping the protagonist’s name hidden. (I did give him a name when devising the story; I just don’t reveal it to the reader.)
There’s actually a precedent for this, and it’s often done by writing in the first-person voice. The main character in Geoffrey Household’s ROGUE MALE – a great inspiration for my book – is anonymous (until the sequel which was written over forty years later). And there’s a simpler reason for keeping my protagonist’s name a secret: he’s a spy.
That brings me to the dedication. I made a remarkable genealogical discovery while writing THE FILE. My grandfather’s cousin was awarded the Military Cross during the First World War and was later deployed to Dublin as a spy for British Intelligence during the Irish War of Independence. I’m proud to dedicate the book in his honour.
Some of the best thriller novels ever written are manhunt stories. Perhaps the most famous example is David Morrell’s FIRST BLOOD, which introduced the character of Rambo into popular culture. I’ve written about some great chase novels on my blog, so do take a look for some reading ideas (once you’ve enjoyed THE FILE).
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