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Ex-deniable operator Nick Stone seems to be living his dream, not a care in the world as he steers his camper van round the surfing and parachuting centres of Australia, a board on the roof, freefall rig behind him, and a beautiful young backpacker at his side.

But, when he witnesses on TV the massacre of children in a terrorist siege in the other side of the world, long-suppressed memories are triggered and Nick finds himself catapulted once more into working for the American secret services - only this time, of his own free will.

The Aggressor

As events unfold in the bleak, medieval villages of Azerbajhan and teeming streets of modern Istanbul, it isn't long before Nick discovers the true objective of the mission on which he has embarked. His talents are being misused by those who stalk the corridors of power ... and he is determined to make a stand.

Review of The Aggressor by Andy McNab – The Fulbourn Reading Group

We wondered whether we had been given this book with the intention of provoking a negative response! We didn't expect to enjoy it; however most of us found it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be and it certainly stimulated lively discussion.

Aggressor is an action packed thriller. Andy McNab has drawn on his own experience to good effect. Though none of us can confirm the murky world of the mercenary, the novel appeared to have an authentic ring.

He is particularly convincing when describing the technical aspects of this kind of life. The strong bonds of loyalty between the two protagonists in sharp contrast with their betrayal by almost everyone else, whether in the army or beyond, was also credible.

We felt we got to know the characters quickly at the beginning but disappointingly there was no further development in the course of the novel and they remained two-dimensional throughout. Unfortunately the use of vocabulary in the narrative passages is as limited as in the dialogue.

Whilst none of us showed any desire to read another of McNab’s books it did make us think we might further explore this genre in the future.