The Shadow Network by Tony Kent
How do you take down an enemy when no one believes they exist?
When the lawyers of alleged war criminal Hannibal Strauss are caught up in a terror attack in The Hague, barrister Michael Devlin immediately suspects all is not what it seems. Teaming up once more with Agent Joe Dempsey, they must find who’s behind it all before any more innocent lives are lost.With their key witness on the run and assassins on their tail, their only lead is a codename: the Monk, a legendary and mysterious foreign agent with a fearsome reputation. But what is his stake in this dangerous game? And just who is part of his shadowy network of spies?
Caught in a complicated web of lies, secrets and double agents, there’s no one Dempsey and Devlin can trust but themselves.
About the author
Tony Kent is a criminal barrister, founder director of Chiltern Kills festival, and bestselling author of the Dempsey / Devlin series. First published in 2018 with Killer Intent – a Zoe Ball Book Club pick for ITV – Tony has since published a further four books in the series, including the Richard and Judy Book Club legal thriller Marked For Death. Tony’s novels call upon his experiences as one of the most in-demand criminal defence barristers in the country, with a particular specialisation in allegations of organised crime. This role has brought him into frequent and close professional contact with Scotland Yard, the National Crime Agency, MI5, Interpol and even the FBI, all of which allows him to bring a striking level of authenticity to his work. Sign up to Tony Kent’s newsletter at tonykent.net, or find him on X (Twitter) at @TonyKent_Writes
Review
Well, Tony Kent knows how to write a thriller! ‘The Shadow Network’ is packed full of action, tension and treachery. This is the fifth book in the Dempsey/Devlin series but it can easily be read as a standalone as each book contains its own mystery. I do recommend reading the whole series as they are highly entertaining reads.
When Dempsey is in London celebrating the christening of Devlin’s twin sons there comes the news of a terrorist attack right at the centre of the Hague. Unfortunately, Will Duffy, a close friend of Devlin’s is there in the midst of it and Dempsey quickly arranges to get the both of them over there. It soon becomes clear that this was a targeted attack on Duffy and his colleague rather than a random attack. With the only witness in the wind, Dempsey and Devlin have to take the word of an alleged war criminal that this is all to do with a mastermind known as ‘The Monk’.
This is a high-octane thriller from the start right to the very end. I'm not a huge reader of this action-packed type of book but I make an exception for Kent’s work as I always know it won't disappoint and they come across as plausible. I rattled through this in 24 hours and at times I was holding my breath, especially in the final scenes as everything came together. The only thing I would say is I felt the ending could have been played out longer. It could have even stretched to two books in my mind. But that is just me being greedy! This has short snappy chapters which encourage the reader to carry on turning the pages and the complex storyline enhances this.
This is a fun read. Let me know if you pick this one up.
