REVENGER

Britain, not too far into the future, a country where the economy has gone into meltdown, civil disorder is a common event and a charismatic right wing leader is riding high in the polls.

 In London to catch up with an old army friend Sam Carver finds himself in the middle of a riot that shows worrying signs of having been planned. Forced to use his unique fighting skills to defend innocent bystanders Carver is tagged by the authorities as suspect number one, alone and on the run he must outwit his pursuers and an old adversary with a score to settle.

Tom Cain’s latest Carver novel cleverly exploits the anxieties stirred up by the London riots of 2011, making his vision of a Britain that really is broken all the more convincing because he knows just how far to push things. There may be insurrection in the air but the frustrations and fixations of everyday life are still recognisably present, if played out at a more hysterical pitch.

As a professional journalist writing under a pseudonym Tom Cain is very convincing in his depiction of the awkward dance of repulsion and dependence enacted between the media and politicians. A political rally forms one of the book’s set pieces and it is portrayed in all its manipulative lack of glory with utter reality.

At heart this is a solid thriller playing on the well tested theme of the dystopia just around the corner; it does so with considerable skill. The action is maintained from almost the first page and is portrayed with an awareness of the sordid reality of violence that is rare and refreshing. I don’t know how Tom Cain will set about bringing Carver back for another outing, but on the strength of this book I hope he does.