Russell James has been named “the Godfather of Noir” by Ian Rankin. Russell writes crime novels - about criminals and victims, not the cozy procedural or whodunnit. He is the editor of Great British Fictional Detectives.
When Putin placed his armies in full strength along the Ukraine border, we told ourselves he wouldn’t invade. What if China takes the same approach to Taiwan?
The worrying premise behind Emperor is that when China’s President (called Qin, the all-powerful ‘Emperor’) challenges the West by amassing his army, navy, air force and cyber weapons with the unmistakable intent of ‘reunifying’ the island by force, Western governments would want to conceal the intel from the public, rather than provoke World War Three.
But a Chinese mole leaks the news and supports it with a mass of data, and releases it not to the main news media but to ‘Cincinnatus’, an independent outlet known for exposing government secrets in the public interest. (Think Wikileaks.) Western governments want the news suppressed. So, it seems, does President Qin. First, a messenger is killed. Next on the ‘intended’ list are the Chinese mole and the Cincinnatus link: Ava Shute, ex-NSA and all-round tough girl. She finds herself in mortal danger and practically alone. Her own side offers protection – but can she trust them? Is she tough enough on her own?
And what if anything will stop President Qin?
This is a very readable, fast-moving, information-packed – and horribly topical thriller from an author who knows this world inside out.
