But while Jonas’s colleagues regard him as scratchy, fastidious, old, he is also ruthless, cunning and brutally pragmatic. With his trademark, slow-burn story - ultimately slight in nature - and a largish cast of well-drawn characters, expertly executed. It is never an easy read, as Seymour builds the fear and worry you feel for the characters as the climax approaches, but once you are a single chapter into a Seymour novel I would defy anyone to put it down and leave the rest unread. Jonas Merrick works in counter surveillance helping to keep the country safe and break any criminal enterprises.

Other similar authors include: John le Carre, Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Alan Furst, Mick Herron, Ted Allbeury, Robert Ludlum, Dan Fesperman, Simon Conway, Henry Porter and Adam Brookes. The set up is deftly drawn (drugs shipment due to land in Spain), the characters established early on but then not much happens for a very long time. All told, I left the book with a feeling of disappointment due to both the warm recommendation and the reputation of the author from his ITN reporting days. I have followed Seymour, and read all his books, since Harry's Game in the 1970's and like a fine wine he seems to get better and better as the years pass. It starts as a slow burner but the pace accelerates gradually into a shatteringly tense, exciting climax.

However he again retains his deep engagement and concern with those agents undercover at the front line. I appreciate that Gerald Seymour books are all about the gradual build up of tension but this was pedestrian and the pay-off not worth the wait. I felt that the author was attempting to go down the Frederick Forsyth/John le Carre route re espionage, but it didn't really come off.

A very wordy book and till you get into it, quite confusing with the long chapters and chopping and changing of where the action is taking place. Gerald Seymour never fails to engross and entertain me with his unique characters, finely crafted plot lines and gift of weaving tension and passion into his tales. But while Jonas's colleagues regard him as scratchy, fastidious, old, he is also ruthless, cunning and brutally pragmatic.Jonas is unashamadely boring and prickly, an elderly desk warrior who gets his kicks from visiting historical sites in his caravan.

He is something of an anti-hero, who cares little for his perceived persona but a great deal for the team he directs into danger. This is as always a superbly crafted thriller, yet so real, you can envisage getting stuck behind Merrick's caravan!I understand that this is the third book in a series - although I haven't read the earlier novels, I felt that this book worked just fine as a standalone. I found the first 100 pp fairly slow going but the pace picked up very quickly after that and the last quarter or so of this novel is as tense and exciting as any of Seymour’s previous works. I loved the fact that he seemed so ordinary but was so instrumental to national and international security.