The Dealer and the Dead - Softcover

Seymour, Gerald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1444778609 ISBN 13: 9781444778601

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 2011

Synopsis

SOMETIMES, surviving a war can almost seem worse than dying in it. In a Croatian village near Vukovar, no one who survived will ever forget the night they waited for the weapons they needed to make a last-ditch fight against the advancing Serbs. The promised delivery never came, and the village was overrun. Eighteen years later, a body is unearthed from a field, and with it the identity of the arms dealer who betrayed them. Now the villagers can plot their revenge. In leafy England, arms dealer Harvey Gillott regards himself as a man of his word. There is only one blemish on his record, and that was long ago. But Gillott, his family, his friends and his enemies are about to be pitched into a sequence of events that will unfold across Europe with breath-taking drama and almost biblical power. Harvey Gillott is about to find out what happens when the hand of the past suddenly reaches out to the present - and it's holding a gun.

About this title

About the Author

Gerald Seymour exploded onto the literary scene in 1975 with the massive bestseller HARRY'S GAME. The first major thriller to tackle the modern troubles in Northern Ireland, it was described by Frederick Forsyth as 'like nothing else I have ever read' and it changed the landscape of the British thriller forever. Gerald Seymour was a reporter at ITN for fifteen years. He covered events in Vietnam, Borneo, Aden, the Munich Olympics, Israel and Northern Ireland. He has been a full-time writer since 1978.

Review

“A war crime propels this stellar thriller from Edgar-finalist Seymour (Harry's Game).... How Seymour develops these characters and manipulates them until they all end up in Vukovar is a testament to his talent and skill.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Seymour loves detail, and The Dealer and the Dead serves it up brilliantly.... The Bosnian conflict was spectacularly cruel. Two decades on, it continues to spur headlines and to provide potent plotlines for novelists. It's fitting that Seymour, one of the finest contemporary espionage novelists, shines his unique light on it.” ―Booklist, starred review

“Those who are drawn to densely woven, slowly unfolding plots and thoughtful writing will rate this book a winner. Decades after establishing himself as a master of British spy fiction with Harry's Game, Seymour shows no signs of slowing down or losing relevance.” ―Kirkus

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

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

“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

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

“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

“[Seymour's] meticulous research shines through in his latest thriller.” ―Oxford Times

“Riveting.” ―Manly Daily

“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

“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

“A tense thriller.” ―Choice

“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

“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

“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: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1444778609
• ISBN 13: 9781444778601
• Binding: Paperback