Vagabond: A Thriller - Hardcover

Seymour, Gerald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250075653 ISBN 13: 9781250075659

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 2016

Synopsis

A legendary spy handler is called out of retirement for the most dangerous and high-stakes operation of his career in the newest thriller from the "best spy novelist ever" (Philadelphia Inquirer)

It was a dirty job in a dirty war. Danny Curnow, known in the army by his call sign, Vagabond, ran agents and informers. He played God with their lives and their deaths, and was the best at his job - and he quit when the stress overwhelmed him. Now he lives in quiet isolation, until the call comes from an old boss: Violence in Northern Ireland is on the rise again. Weapons are needed for a new campaign. Gaby Davies of MI5, sparky and ambitious, runs the double agent Ralph Exton, who will be the supposed middle man in brokering an arms deal with a Russian contact. The covert world of deception and betrayal was close to destroying Danny across the Irish Sea. Fifteen years later, the stakes are higher, the risks greater, and there is an added agenda on the table. If he wants to survive, Danny will have to prove, to himself, that he has not softened, that he is as hard and ruthless as before.

Vagabond shows Gerald Seymour writing at the top of his powers and returning to the territory of some of his greatest and most beloved bestsellers including Harry's Game. A perennial bestseller in the UK, Seymour writes with the same kind of cerebral style that has made authors such as Frederick Forsyth and John le Carré bestsellers in the U.S. He routinely receives rave reviews for his work, and Vagabond is no exception-The Financial Times (UK) hailed its display of "the most intelligent writing in the thriller genre."

About this title

About the Author:

GERALD SEYMOUR was a reporter at ITN for fifteen years, where his first assignment was covering the Great Train Robbery in 1963. Seymour's first novel was the acclaimed thriller Harry's Game, set in Belfast, which became an instant international bestseller and later a television series. Six of Seymour's thrillers have now been filmed for television in the UK and U.S. The Outsiders is his twenty-ninth novel.

Review:

"Seymour has his fragmented narrative down to such a science there's never any doubt that we will be rewarded for our patience. As classic a thriller as this is, it boasts a sharp contemporary edge that traffics as much in cynicism as despair (everyone is haunted by a death or moral failure). In either mode, the tension builds. An author who seemingly can do no wrong, British spymaster Seymour delivers another first-rate effort―this one focused on an old-fashioned hero facing up to new challenges."―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Seymour excels at creating characters with deep backstories: Riordan, the not-posh MI5 agent Gaby Davies, an unusually honest copy in Prague named Karol Pilar, and, best of all, the legendary double agent brought out of retirement to handle Exton, Danny Curnow (code name Vagabond). He also does a fine job of capturing the enduring hostility on both sides."―Publishers Weekly

“Seymour [is] incapable of creating a two-dimensional character . . . The ending is brilliantly orchestrated.” ―The London Times on The Dealer and the Dead

“Crisp, taut and contemporary, by a stylish writer.” ―The Observer (UK) on The Dealer and the Dead

“Discerning thriller readers can safely say that the best practitioner currently working in the UK is the veteran Seymour. He is, quite simply, the most intelligent and accomplished in the current field . . . Here, we have a typically compromised Seymour anti-hero, a masterfully organised globe-spanning narrative and a mass of highly persuasive detail. The Dealer and the Dead is Seymour firing on all cylinders, and his rivals need, once again, to look to their laurels.” ―Barry Forshaw, author of The Man Who Left Too Soon, on The Dealer and the Dead

“With Seymour, not only do you get a cracking story deftly told, but you also feel you are learning something.” ―Birmingham Press on The Dealer and the Dead

“The final scenes are brilliantly orchestrated by Seymour, the sustained tension becoming almost unbearable . . . Without doubt, The Dealer and the Dead is one of the finest thrillers to be published so far this year.” ―Yorkshire Evening Post on The Dealer and the Dead

“[Seymour's] meticulous research shines through in his latest thriller.” ―Oxford Times on The Dealer and the Dead

“Riveting.” ―Manly Daily on The Dealer and the Dead

“In a day when shop-worn plots in the disguise of well-written books are doing the rounds, The Dealer and the Dead comes as a refreshing, breathtaking story that keeps you gripped right till the very end.” ―Indian Express on The Dealer and the Dead

“The Dealer and the Dead displays [Seymour's] usual ability to concoct a tightly controlled plot that is cleverly engineered . . . steadily crafted into a compelling tale . . . Another first-class thriller from the always reliable Seymour.” ―Canberra Times on The Dealer and the Dead

“A tense thriller.” ―Choice on The Dealer and the Dead

“Veteran British spy novelist Gerald Seymour has written an extraordinary work of fiction. This is Seymour's 21st novel, and critics on both sides of the Atlantic have for years compared him to John le Carre, Graham Greene, Eric Ambler and other masters of spy fiction, but his reputation has never quite equaled theirs. No matter. Serious readers will find in A Deniable Death not only suspense, strong characters and a realistic look at the world of espionage, but a majesty that is rare in fiction. At a certain point, the novel rises to a mythic level, portraying courage and loyalty and sacrifice almost beyond understanding.” ―Washington Post on A Deniable Death

“Outstanding... Seymour (Harry's Game) is strong on the details of surveillance and spycraft, but on even surer ground with his characters as he focuses on Gibbons's stoic dedication, Badger's ruthless single-mindedness, and Foxy's prideful professionalism. Even the Engineer comes across as a human being, thanks to a complex subplot about getting his wife to the West for cancer treatment. Once the narrative gains momentum, it's hard to put this one down.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review on A Deniable Death

“A book for those seriously into espionage who want to absorb every detail of how a spy mission is planned and carried out... Seymour's painstaking attention to detail is a plus, as it gives the story an authentic ring and lets the reader experience the mission in real time.” ―Kirkus on A Deniable Death

“A vividly drawn ensemble of spooks, terrorists and civilians.” ―Sunday Times Books of the Year 2011 on A Deniable Death

“Picking up a novel by Gerald Seymour is like taking a deep breath of fresh air . . . When readers get to the nailbiting climax, involving an agonising wait for airborne rescue, they may be wondering why they should bother with any other thriller writer.” ―Independent (London) on A Deniable Death

“The novel exemplifies Seymour's ability to create and control a large, vividly drawn ensemble who are unwittingly connected (in this case via two fed-up soldiers)... Also characteristic is a Hitchcockian skewing of the reader's sympathies, with the ostensible good guys in Whitehall shown as coldly ready to sacrifice lives, and the bomb-maker seen in the round as both killer and devoted husband.” ―The Sunday Times (London) on A Deniable Death

“Seymour is a master of the thriller set on the murky edges of modern war . . . As ever he juggles action, context and suspense with a special-forces level of expertise.” ―i on A Deniable Death

“After 28 novels, Seymour's empathy for those he ensnares in his moral minefields remains movingly even-handed.” ―Daily Telegraph (London) on A Deniable Death

“A gripping thriller.” ―Sun on A Deniable Death

“Mr Seymour is . . . on form . . . The tradecraft of silent watching and the discomfort, thirst and increasing claustrophobia of the hideout are brought very much to life . . . the grim landscape of the border region and the harsh lives of its inhabitants are skilfully evoked.” ―The Economist (Australia) on A Deniable Death

“Great storytelling . . . You just have to read this novel as it is absolutely gripping.” ―Eurocrime on A Deniable Death

“Gerald Seymour is the grand-master of the contemporary thriller and Deniable Death is his greatest work yet. Gripping, revealing and meticulously researched, this is a page-turning masterpiece that will literally leave you breathless.” ―Major Chris Hunter, author of Extreme Risk, on A Deniable Death

“Suspense master Seymour dazzles with commanding language and meticulous detail.” ―Entertainment Weekly on Rat Run

“Seymour is not one to cut corners. He does his research, thinks hard about his story and gives us richly imagined novels that bristle with authenticity.” ―Washington Post on The Collaborator

“In a class of his own.” ―The Times on THE WAITING TIME

“A dense, intensely satisfying thriller from one of the modern masters of the craft, Seymour's latest novel will remind the world just how phenomenally accomplished a thriller writer he is.” ―Daily Mail on THE COLLABORATOR

About this edition

• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1250075653
• ISBN 13: 9781250075659
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 432