Book Review – Target by Simon Kernick

Book Review – Target by Simon Kernick

 Who would have thought a few drinks with your best friend's ex could lead to such devastating consequences?

  When wannabe writer Rob Fallon bumps into his best mates ex, Jenny Brakspear on a night out in London he has no idea what he’s getting himself into, after a few drinks they end up back at jenny’s flat, with rob feeling guilty before anything has even happened.

Whilst Rob is in the bathroom two assailants kidnap Jenny .Unable to stay hidden rob makes a run for it, narrowly avoiding being killed… for now. Rob optimistically hopes the police can help.

 Tina Boyd is the on duty officer who listens to Fallon’s story and takes it upon herself to investigate. There is only one problem though –there isn’t one piece of evidence. When Boyd and fallon return to jenny’s apartment they discover that the doorman hasn’t seen anything and that Jenny’s flat is spotless even Rob’s jacket is gone. To put the final nail in the coffin it turns out that there is no CCTV footage of Fallon and Brakspear or the kidnappers entering the building.  Despite every instinct telling her that Fallon is a delusional piss head Boyd can’t help but feel that something isn’t right.

Her boss believes that there is nothing to investigate so Boyd turns to an ex colleague and peruses the case on her own and calls in Rob Fallon to help her out, soon enough both of them are fighting for their lives – Rob has witnessed a friend being killed right in front of him as a warning to let things lie and Tina has been kidnapped.

Eventually Mike bolt Tina’s  colleague takes the investigation and discovers the real reason for Jenny’s kidnapping – a planned terrorist attack involving mustard gas, imported into Britain by Jenny’s father , who runs a small time gas company. At this point the book turns into a cross between a Bond movie and an episode of 24.

From this point the book absolutely flies and it becomes clear that jenny’s kidnapping is only a small part of the plot. IRA members, Underworld criminals, Company director’s and city boys all seem to be connected to the plot, but how?

Will everyone survive? Or will thousands of innocents face death by mustard gas?

  In short this book was fucking awesome and I’d recommend it to anyone, thriller fans or not.

Final thoughts in bullet point form

·         Tina Boyd is the female equivalent of Jack Bauer

·         Keeley Hawes would make a good Tina Boyd.

·         I’m seriously tempted to read the book again. Immediately

·         Although seriously tense the second half of the book has some genuinely funny moments.

·         The second half of The book is like a cross between a Bond movie and an episode of 24.