When retired Marine, RSM Frankie Chapman is hurt in a burglary at his home, the burglar stole his hard fought medals from campaigns stretching back to 1982 to his retirement. His daughter, Josie and the remaining members of 11/06 club - Macca, Charlie, Jacko and Asquith join forces to get her Dad's medals back come hell or high water!! What follows is a fast paced rollercoaster of book, with a few laugh out loud moments! All the characters are well written and they have a strong bond. The subplots all come together with an explosive conclusion. Let's just say, I was rooting for the fearsome fivesome!!!!

As you would expect from this author, this book is full of action and thrills but very entertaining and enjoyable at the same time. Written about a group of ex marines who fought in the battle for Mount Harriet in the Falklands. With all of them now retired from the service and living their own lives the author epitomises service life in so far as you never forget your colleagues and will always do anything for them. That is the case when one of the group is killed and had his medals stolen to order, such as how unique a grouping of medals they were. The remaining four members of the group, known collectively as the 11/6 club, that being the date of their memorious victory, get together with the daughter of the victim to get the medals back due to their sentimental value and for someone to pay for the death of their colleague and Dad.
Each person has unique skills which are utilised fully in their challenge during which forces humour comes to the fore.
A really well written book which has everything you would look for in a thriller!

Frankie (Chapman and ultimately a Regimental Sergeant Major) was in the Marines and was highly decorated for his service. He fought in many conflicts including the Falklands. He was not a man to show off his medals generally however he would wear them to the War Memorial gathering in November to pay respect to his fallen brothers. He is about to leave for the service when the phone goes. It's the nursing home his wife is in with dementia and she is troubled. He takes the medals off and goes to see her. When he returns he disturbs a thief who has his box of medals and nothing else. There's a scuffle and he dies as a result.

So starts this book and it sets a scene nicely. His daughter, Josie, is devastated and returns home immediately. At his funeral some of those who served with him in the Falklands are talking things through. They represent a small club calling themselves the 11/06 club (named after an incident in the Falklands war) and they wonder what they can do to help. The story follows the efforts of the 11/06 club to try and get the medals back. Josie refuses to be excluded!

There's a decent tale here. It's violent at times and, as with most of these type of books, credibility is strained at times. The 11/06 club are a nicely varied collection of characters (4 of them) and Josie, as Frankie's daughter has a good skill set to compliment those of her father's generation. Given there's a Cockney in the 11/06 we get quite a bit of rhyming slang and there's plenty of Marine terms too. I did find this a bit of a distraction as each bit of slang had to be explained.

This is a good pacey read and fans of Neil Lancaster's other books (Max Connor is a pseudonym) should definitely enjoy reading this. Personally I prefer the Max Craigie series by this author but this is a good enough read. The book is set up for another book with Josie as the lead character - while I found her a good action character I'd have liked a bit more depth but perhaps that will come in the next book.

This is the first book in a new series by Neil Lancaster, writing as Max Connor. Unlike his previous books, this is not a police procedural book. The story centres around the daughter of a veteran and his four former colleagues, as they attempt to steal back the medals he had won.
This was a reasonably entertaining read but not as good as the police stories. I found the characters, at best, bland and there were times when they were a bit irritating. The character of Josie did not come across well. The pace felt a bit stop start. After a great beginning the action seemed to stall for a while until the drama of the conclusion. The writing style was different to the police books, it came across as slightly patronising at times.
Overall, this was entertaining but nothing special.

I have to confess I was a bit nervous when sent a copy of this from the publishers. This is a new series from Neil Lancaster, writing as Max Connor. Lancaster’s Max Craigie books are a must-read for me, but I probably wouldn’t usually pick up a book about retired Marines mates.
I need not have worried. The 11/06 club brings together a group of retirees far tougher than The Thursday Murder Club! When one of the 11/06 club’s members has his medals stolen, dying as a result of the theft, they swing into action, assisted by the dead man’s daughter. The formidable Josie Chapman and her 11/06 mates, swing into action to retrieve the medals from a proper baddie.
Action-packed and full of humour, I enjoyed this immensely, and will definitely look forward to the next in the series.

An excellent read - and a little different too. No Mercy starts with the death of a veteran during the theft of his medals. His old unit vows to get them back, using their military skills and contacts from civvy street. They are joined by the dead man's daughter, who turns out to have a flair for undercover work.

The team have great experience, but some physical limitations being in their sixties. But Josie brings youth and physical skills aplenty. The plot is tight and the pace is fast, making this a very readable novel. The characters are believable and well written, flaws and all.

No Mercy is an excellent novel with just a touch of humour, as the old soldiers take on one last mission to avenge a fallen comrade. Their sense of purpose is strong and the action is realistic.

No Mercy by Max Connor (a pseudonym for Neil Lancaster) is a fast-paced, gripping crime thriller. The story follows Josie, whose father is fatally injured in an attack that leaves his war medals stolen. With the police at a dead end, Josie teams up with her father’s former colleagues—veteran ex-soldiers—to track down the culprits. Their investigation leads them to Scotland, where Josie proves herself just as capable as the men in infiltrating a castle stronghold controlled by a dangerous European criminal.

The plot is packed with action and suspense, and Josie’s character is both relatable and impressive. The team dynamics are strong, with well-developed characters that add depth to the mission. Max Connor’s easy-to-read, no-frills style lets the story shine, and the pacing ensures that you’re never left bored or bogged down in too much detail. If you’ve enjoyed Neil Lancaster’s crime series in the past, this book will not disappoint. It’s a solid, entertaining read with the same level of intensity and smart storytelling that fans have come to expect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for three ARC of this book.
This is Neil Lancaster's first book writing as Max Connor and although I appreciated the well formed and mostly likeable characters the storyline just wasn't one for me.
It was a too Army / SAS type based book and as such is not the type of book I normally read.
I do like Neil Lancaster policing and look forward to reading more of those.

No Mercy is the story of Josie who gets together with several of her father's old colleagues to retrieve his war medals after they are stolen and her father fatally injured in the attack. The police seem to be unable to trace who took them so the group stealthily trace who ordered the crime and where the medals are destined. The trail takes the group to Scotland where Josie proves herself every bit as reliable and competent as any of the ex soldiers. Together they break into the Scottish castle, a stronghold of a European villain and complete the mission.
The book is a fast paced, easy read, although the plot stretched the boundaries of normal activities rather far and I have to say I prefer the author writing as Neil Lancaster and love his DS Max Craigie books which I find far more realistic. Having said that, No Mercy is well written and easy to read with a satisfying outcome so there was nothing to dislike — I just hope there is more DS Craigie to come!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This is a great thriller.
I’ve enjoyed Neil Lancaster’s other books and this looks to be the start of a new series, which I’ll definitely be reading.
Josie’s Dad is attacked in his own home and knocked violently to the ground. The thief got away with his treasured medals and when he passes away soon after, Josie wants revenge.
Her Dad’s old friends who all served with him agree that something needs to be done to get the medals back, and want to help.
The group soon start to put a plan into action when it’s clear the Police can’t do much.
They need to get to the root of the theft and realise the medals were stolen to order. There’s some dodgy characters that are just out for themselves, and Josie is great at weaving herself into their world.
This is an action packed crime thriller and I loved it.
I look forward to finding out what’s next for Josie.
Thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this book.

I hadn’t heard of Max Connor, but when I started to read No Mercy, the writing style had a certain familiarity, which I couldn’t pinpoint. I subsequently discovered that Connor is Neil Lancaster, an author I like and I’ve read many of his books. He has a particular style and I feel that’s very well reflected in No Mercy where the writing and character development feels accomplished.

Back to the story; well you’ll have suspend credulity a little. I’m not entirely convinced that a 30 year old female would bond with her late dad’s old comrades to perform a heist in Scotland. A home robbery is bungled, Ex Marine Frankie Chapman is killed and his medals are stolen. He was one of a group of ex Marines who met up every June to reminisce. His daughter, Josie, swears revenge and enlists the help of his buddies. The trail takes the group to a castle in Scotland and involves European oligarchs and people trafficking. That said, it’s an entertaining romp and a fast piece of pure escapist fiction. I fell into their exclusive little world quite easily and even with some of the scenario being slightly preposterous, I was swept along with the story. Well paced and the characters are believable…although I found Josie rather irritating. Clearly the bones for a series, so it’s watch this space and it could do very well.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

When their old comrade, retired veteran and decorated Royal Marine Frankie Chapman, dies during a home invasion, the 11/06 club come back together to recover his stolen military medals. After they find out the medals have fallen into the hands of a wealthy billionaire who dabbles in human trafficking, they form a plan to steal the medals back – and Frankie’s daughter, Josie, wants in on the action.

I found this an easy read with a clear story and good character development. I did, however, find Josie irritating but the rest of the characters reminded me of “The Thursday Murder Club.” This has the makings of a possible series as the characters are already well defined.

There are heists books and there’s ‘No Mercy.’ Max Connor (aka Neil Lancaster) introduces us to retired veterans who have fought for their country in places like the Falklands amongst others. They meet up every year on 11th June to reminisce and then disaster strikes when Frank Chapman dies during a home robbery. His daughter Josei is naturally distraught, but anger soon takes over when she realises that his military medals were stolen. She vows to get them back and a plan is hatched. The old boys work with Josie on recovering the medals in a moral heist. An entertaining and touching tale with some classic Heist references. A satisfying read.

Max Connor is the pseudonym for Neil Lancaster, an author whose Max Craigie crime series are among my favourites in the genre. No Mercy is the first in what is to be a new series featuring Josie Chapman. In this book Josie's father has just been tragically killed in a bungled burglary where his extensive collection of well earned military medals is stolen. .Josie's mother is in care, suffering from advanced stage dementia. 30 year old Josie, an outdoors enthusiast, skilled climber and runner, joins with her father's 4 ex military colleagues, now all in their 60s, to retrieve the medals. All have their own skills and assets to bring to the arduous task of recovering the medals from a heavily guarded castle in the north east of Scotland owned by a Slovakian oligarch. In the process they discover that expensive goods acquisition is not the only activity of 'The General' who is also involved in human trafficking.
One of the aspects of Neil Lancaster's writing which I admire is his character development. He is clearly developing his new characters in this novel also but perhaps rather too much time is spent on this which leads to repetition of certain aspects and a detraction from the plot. I felt the book required some careful editing to remove some of the unnecessary repetition. The setting of this book, particularly the castle and its surrounds, is very clearly described. Aspects of the plot rather stretched the bounds of credibility although the team's solutions to the difficulties they faced in the pursuit of the medals were an interesting read.
I have high hopes that the continuation of the series will achieve the level of the Max Craigie books and look forward to reading more about Josie in her new role.

Each year, the 11/06 unit reunite to commemorate their time in the Falklands, a time that bonded them for life. When Josie's father dies after a mugging gone wrong, whereby his medals are stolen, the gang, along with Josie, their fallen comrades daughter go on a mission to ensure the medals are returned.
I found it a great read with good characters, storyline and lovely settings especially the Castle. The banter between the lads was great.
Having read all of the Max Craigie series, I was happy to get this book written under Max Connor.
I don't think it is quite as good as Neil's the Max Craigie series but that's probably just because that is a great series in my opinion.
Looking forward to more books in the hopefully new series
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the digital advanced copy

Exciting story about a set of stolen medals and the ensuing operation to rescue them carried out by four veteran special services men more than ably assisted by the daughter of the late recipient killed in the initial robbery. At times somewhat annoying with an overuse of Cockney rhyming slang it all zips along with a clever investigation to discover its route to the secretive buyer. All builds to an exciting climax in an old Scottish castle, the lair of a classic Bond villain as the truth is revealed. Good fun!

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book, as I was worried it would be a bit "gung-ho" but I loved it. The story is a good one, and the main characters are all very appealing. There is quite a lot of technical detail but this doesn't spoil the pace of the story, which is completely absorbing. I'd love to see this as a film!

When their old comrade, retired veteran and decorated Royal Marine, Frankie Chapman, dies during a home invasion, the 11/06 club comes back together to recover his stolen military medals. After they find out that his medals have fallen into the hands of a wealthy billionaire who dabbles in human trafficking, they form a plan to get the medals back - and Frankie's daughter, Josie, wants in on the action. But Josie wants more than just her father's medals returned, She wants retribution, and she's out for blood.

The 11/06 club members were all on the Falkland Islands during the war on 11/06/1982. The story starts as one of the 11/06 club members, Frankie Chapman, medals are stolen. His daughter meets up with his old comrades, needing the help of the 11/06 club members to help her get her father's medals back. But Josie also wants revenge.

Each character is well-developed and they each have their own unique skill set. Josie is a courageous girl, but it wasn't long before she started to get annoying. I loved all the retired Marines and the banter they shared.

Published 5th June 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQStories and the author #MaxConnor for my ARC of #NoMercy in exchange for an honest review.

After enjoying Max's books written under another name I expected to like this one.
But sadly this didn't work for me.
I found the writing style to be slightly different and I just couldn't get into the story at all.

Max Connor is the pseudonym for a bestselling and award-winning author (one of my favourite authors as it happens)! Oh ok then, it’s none other than Neil Lancaster, he of the extremely popular DS Max Craigie series.

The Battle of Mount Harriet was an engagement of the Falklands War, which took place on the night of 11/12 June 1982 between British and Argentine forces.

Our protagonists are a group of ex military veterans who took part in that battle, and they are banding together for one last time after their old comrade, retired veteran and decorated Royal Marine Frankie Chapman, dies during a home invasion.
This then is the story of how our four veterans more commonly known as the 11/06 club set about recovering Frankie’s stolen military medals some 40 years after the Falklands war. The medals are worth quite an amount of money, but it’s Frankie’s honour that is at stake here not the monetary value.

Frankie’s daughter Jose joins the guys in their endeavour, but much as she wants her father’s medals back, she also wants revenge, someone will pay, and she is one determined woman!

Their search leads them to a billionaire, who is willing to pay for whatever his heart desires, regardless of how the items were acquired. In addition, he’s also involved in human trafficking, and clearly has no moral compass whatsoever.

This was a terrific storyline. The author has created a team of ex military veterans, (very ably assisted by Jose), who display the personal tensions and dark humour of a group of committed professionals used to operating in a high pressure environment. It was hugely entertaining, lots of tension, and interlaced with great big dollops of banter. Recommended.