Stella Rimington - Secret Asset

review by Brian on show 12th May 2011
The second novel from the former head of MI5, and again featuring Intelligence Officer Liz Carlyle.

When Liz learns from one of her agents that suspicious meetings are taking place at an Islamic bookshop, she trusts her instincts that a terrorist cell is at work. Her boss, Charles Wetherby, Director of Counter Terrorism, trusts her as well, and immediately puts a surveillance operation into place. An attack seems imminent.

So Liz is surprised when Wetherby suddenly takes her off the case. And she is shocked to hear the reason why: he has received a tip-off that a mole is at work in British Intelligence. If true, then the potential damage to the Service itself could be immeasurable. Now, as her colleagues scramble to avert a terrorist strike, Liz must find out who the mole is, and what his intentions are, before it is too late.

Once again, Stella Rimington uses her experience in the Service to give an authentic tone to her story. I do find quite worrying the apparent lack of cooperation and rivalry that exists between MI5 and MI6, when one would expect that they would be working closely together on a case such as this.
A good story that I enjoyed. The climax builds up well to the final conclusion. I do wish that Liz could get her love life sorted out, but no doubt that will be resolved in future stories, of which there are a few more.

A book I can recommend.
by Brian