Arkhangel is another exciting, action-packed instalment in the Max McLean series. It starts off fast-paced, with a huge twist, and from there it's a journey through various countries as Max races to find out the meaning of a mystery dollar bill. In this book I particularly enjoyed the interplay between Max and a new character, Baaz, who seems 100% ready to become Max's "guy in the chair".

However, I did struggle at times with the action sequences. While exciting, some of them are just too long, with every single move and glance and dip and dive described one after the other. I also found that the book as a whole was probably a bit too long - I felt like it took me a lot longer to read than it should do. And this may be me, as I typically read the book late at night before sleep (when I was potentially already tired), but the closing chapters didn't make it entirely clear what the real story was behind the dollar bill. It almost felt slightly MacGuffin-ish to me, but again, I may just have not been fully concentrating.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Takes some time to get things starting but then the story and plot are OK. Writingstyle is not mine though.
Not mine, maybe you'll enjoy it :)

Untangling the knots and hidden pieces of spycraft and legend kept me enthralled all the way to the end.

Sequel to 'The Breakline', a military thriller with non-stop action sequences that gets gruesome in places, not for the faint-hearted.
Max McLean is a British special forces assassin and a crack-shot for the last two decades. A routine hit goes badly wrong, when Max finds someone got there before him. In the target's dead hand, Max finds a hundred-dollar bill inscribed with the word “Arkhangel” which is the name of the Russian village where his mother was born. Max McLean doesn’t believe in coincidences. Thus starts a frantic chase across the world. The fantastic scene settings give it a cinematic feel. Can't wait to read Max McLean's next exciting adventure.

Action-led with a layered plot that draws the reader onto the final twist. Max is a likeable anti-hero whose activities are always deniable by his employers. This story is a medley of conspiracy, espionage and political thrillers and is a rollercoaster read.

Despite the apparent invincibility of the main protagonist and the relentless determination of his pursuers, this story has an authentic touch that keeps you wondering if this could happen? The characters are relatable and the fast-paced plot well written.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin Books UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.

I am disappointed to say that I struggled to get into this particular storyline and actually gave up after about a quarter of the book. Sure it is a great read for some but not for me in this instance.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Wow, I'm totally exhausted after this read!

I actually feel like reading it again so that I can make a note of the body count in this Jason Bourne meets James Bond action thriller.

It is very well written and I appreciate all the detail you find in this book. It is definitely well researched.

"Every story has a beginning. The trick is knowing where to find it"

This is the puzzle Max has to solve when a run off the mill opp goes wrong. From here the snowball effect is devastating and the body count keeps up with the page count!

The story takes us from Ireland to Paris. From Paris to Jerusalem and then on to Russia.

It definitely is visual storytelling at its best!

Thank you to NetGalley; Penguin Books UK and Michael Joseph for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another book that I thoroughly enjoyed by this author, and I loved the action and the story. A great spy thriller read.

Action packed with surprise ending that the author has cleverly given us enough clues about so we feel in the know. Very impressive. Max is a hired hit man and his colleague had set him on a task to assassinate someone anyway dead with a note in his pocket that's very personal to Max .. the entire work is a kind of violent drive through his past .. he miraculously escapes everything like all bg the best heroes!! Many (comforting) elements of the vf thriller genre excitedly (if sometimes repetitively) done .. great entertainment ..

Rather confusing at times

Max McLean is an official but officially a non-existent assassin. He doesn’t exist, so anything he does can be denied. He is sent to dispose of an individual in Ireland only to find someone got there before him. He is fortunate to escape with his life but also with a hundred dollar note inscribed with the word “Arkhangel” which is the name of the Russian village where his mother was born. Coincidence? McLean doesn’t believe in coincidences. Thus starts a frantic chase across the world.

The recently released film “Tenet” is advertised as James Bond on acid and this is a description which would equally apply to McLean. The action is non-stop, and our hero is always dodging bullets in the thick of it. Where Max differs from 007 is that he seems to be a one-woman man; which is unfortunate when that one woman is the daughter of the man he was sent to kill, and she believes he carried out the job. As an aside, even though he didn’t murder his victim, the conversation about his intent to do so would be an interesting one to hear.

The main criticism I have of the story is that it’s always frenetic and on one level. There is no change of pace. Additionally, the characters are fairly one-dimensional, and I was frequently confused as to where we were in the world and who were the protagonists at that particular stage. The scrapes that he was able to get out of quite frankly beggared belief. I am quite willing to suspend a certain amount of belief in favour of enjoying a good plot, but my reading was consistently interrupted by the thought that – this wouldn’t happen.

In short, I didn’t enjoy the novel as much as I felt I should have done. I enjoyed the genre and had hoped for more as my expectations were high. However, it took me several weeks to finish, and it was difficult on occasions to raise enough enthusiasm to pick it up again. The writing itself was excellent though but as a novel the rough edges needed to be knocked off and the remainder polished.

mr zorg

Elite Reviewing group received a copy of the book to review.

Arkhangel – What is the truth?

James Brabazon has written a thriller that will keep you guessing throughout so much you will be wondering is this a spy thriller or a crime thriller? Only you can decide where you wish to place this as a reader. One thing is you will not be disappointed by the book.

What is the truth? Does Max McLean really exist? Or should the question really be, who is Max McLean? Will all this be solved by the end of the book? These questions are just some of the things that will be going through you mind as you delve into Arkhangel.

Whatever his real name Max is often used for off the books ‘wet’ work that the British government can distance itself from. Does he work for Mi6 or the Director of Special Forces? The only thing that he can remember is that he once joined the British army, under a false name and the rest is history.

Sent to ‘liquidate’ a target in Ireland Max does all his preparation work and then takes the required action, only to find that the target is already dead, with a bag full of $100 and someone is now shooting at him. Throughout the book there is someone different shooting at Max.

Whether he is in Ireland, Paris, Israel or Russia, there are chases that leave you breathless, all in pursuit of a $100 bill that is folded neatly in his pocket. He may want answers but there are plenty of people willing to shoot him and get the dollar bill. As Max crashes his away around Europe being the hunted, he really wants to catch up with Rachel in the hope she can shed light on what is happening to him.

Can he get out of this alive? Does he have any friends left that will not be shooting at him? Max certainly does not know, and nor does the reader until the end.

This really is an excellent thriller done at breath taking speed, with the main character not really sure who is or what he is. With plenty of action from the warmth of Israel to the cold tundra in Russia, one thing is certain, Max needs to keep moving to stay alive.

Arkhangel is what a true thriller should be.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley, James Brabazon and the publisher for this copy of Arkhangel in return for an honest review. This book was a white knuckle ride from start to finish. Max McLean is a soldier who is so undercover that he doesn’t exist. Sent to Northern Ireland to take out a target, he realises he has been set up when the location and compromised and he has to flee for his life, and prove his innocence. There is a great deal of detail indicating a huge amount of research has been carried out by James Brabazon. The pace is relentless and the action is nonstop, this reads almost like an action movie. The body count is high and although I enjoyed the pace I would perhaps like to engage more with the character. Recommended for fans of high thrills, non-stop action and a nerve wracking story line.

Max is an assassin for the UK Government. He doesn't officially exist. When a hit appears to go wrong he has to go deep undercover to find the truth with an unknown enemy pursuing him. Great read, plenty of twists and turns would recommend

Off-the-books assassin for the British Govenment Max McLean is a lone wolf who may have just been thrown to the lions.

Arkhangel is a thrilling fast paced read from start to finish.

Max is on mission that goes horribly wrong and finds himself fleeing from Ireland and being chased to France, Israel and Russia.

Will he make it out alive?

With a secret coded banknote burning a hole in his pocket and multi national agencies willing to pay any price for it Max is up against so many odds.

If you're a fan of James Bond, Mission Impossible 24 you will love this modern action thriller.

It's a serious page turner that I couldn't put down.

This was a non stop action, spy thriller. .It travels through various countries leaving mayhem in its wake. Some enjoyable characters and an absorbing story line with a frenetic conclusion,

A good fast paced thriller which kept me interested. It is not quite believable in a few places but still a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A famous thriller writer once said that you need to draw the reader in from the first few words - or words to that effect. This writer certainly does that and continues in a fast paced story across several countries.
Quite a few twists and turns, our hero is in the mood of a McNab or similar forces character. Like a Jack Reacher character, he seems invincible again all odds and forces. A real page turner and an enjoyable action story. I had a job to stop reading and get on with other things in my life.

This is a stunning sequel to The Break Line! Dripping with authenticity & a tense plot that knows how to keep you hooked!
A modern espionage thriller that has action scenes written with precision & pace, with a plot that keeps this series alive. As far as sequels go, this does a fantastic job of keeping the story fresh. I cannot wait for book 3!

James Brabazon's novel is an action-packed, fast-paced thriller. Expect as much violence in one mission as James Bond probably saw in his entire career.
The author takes his assassin hero, Max, from Ireland, to the English Channel, Paris, Israel, and of course, Russia. All the settings are drawn in detail and were surely once well-trod by the author himself. It adds immense authenticity.
I am impressed and will certainly be reading any and all additions to the series.