The Secret War

The third and final book in the Karen Anderson trilogy and just as before, Louise couldn't pick a more current and controversial theme for 'The Secret War'. Set during the COVID pandemic, the book delves deeper into a far more sinister and deliberate political agenda of biochemical warfare between the US and China. And, as it happens, an even deadlier virus is being transported across the Atlantic on a cruise ship ready for release in New York. Of course, it doesn't quite go to plan with Karen Anderson snooping around.

As with the other novels, Louise has created some fun, likeable and laughable characters. With a desperate jilted mistress, a clingy money obsessed girlfriend-for-hire and an eccentric lecturer, all their individual stories come together in an exciting pay off at the end.

'The Secret War' is an easy light read with satisfying twists and turns throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy in return for an honest review

Third in the Karen Andersen series, this book is about a bioterrorism plot. There is much in it which makes you wonder whether this is fact or fiction. The topic is ultra-contemporary with the current US China relationship in the news daily.
The Secret War starts in the early month of the Covid lockdown with the zoom bombing of a language lesson. It combines a grand conspiracy linked to the Chinese Communist Party with a series of unexplained murders, a luxury crossing from UK to New York and twists and turns right the way through.
The story draws in around eccentric Tomio Nakamura, a biochemistry professor who has recently retired from Liverpool University. He’s caught coronavirus and dies. On searching his house his nephew becomes convinced he was a spy, but his girlfriend, Private Investigator, Karen Andersen, believes he’s been set up and sets out to discover the truth.
A riveting story and good range of larger-than-life characters. My favourite was Yoyo Chen, who travels from Beijing to accompany a Chinese professor on a secret mission and makes his life a total misery.
The research was impressive. Easy to read, it’s a spy story with a modern spin and totally believable and a surprising ending.
With thanks to New Century for allowing me to review this book.

This is the third book in the series and I enjoyed the other two a lot more, I think it’s more to do with the COVID storyline as every time I open the newspaper or turn on the TV, it’s there so I just feel that reading is my escape from reality. Now if the book had come out in a year or so, then I know I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more.

The Secret War takes you into a world of international secret services and corruption at the highest levels of government. Clever take on a topical subject with twists and turns. Original and well researched. A fresh take into the infiltration of the CCP into universities, internet espionage and bio-weapons. Some colourful characters and even a little humour. A good book to come out of the lockdown experience.

With thanks to New Century for an advanced reading copy in return for an honest review

The Secret War was written during lockdown, so it’s not for those who are looking for light relief from the word Covid. But it is bang up to date and thoroughly readable.

This is number three in a series of political/spy thrillers with terrorism elements. The main character is Karen Andersen, a private investigator who is mostly employed on research into Intellectual Property crime and counterfeit merchandise but who gets drawn into investigations via her cybersecurity abilities.

The Secret War introduces the shadowy components of the recruitment tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party which extend globally by way of Uni campuses and Weibo discussion forums. The background is China’s expansion plans, the potential for a bioterrorist attack in the US and collusion between international security services on bio testing. A militant cell within the CCP has been developing a deadly virus and the hapless detective chances upon it after the death of a professor at a Liverpool University related to her boyfriend. For all her unpredictability and random operations, she has flashes of brilliance which lead her to unravel a complex plot.

The story covers Beijing, Hamburg and doesn’t let up for several thousand miles which includes a Transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York, a luxurious but claustrophobic setting in which a host of ultra-colourful players cross paths to complicate the mystery. Burfitt-Dons keeps us on edge with an assortment of unexplained disappearances and deaths so the intensity of the threat they are in feels very real. The ending is unexpected and an expression of our Big Brother times with its fake news and internet-overdosed age.

This is quite a different format to other spy books I’ve read but a great thought-proving well researched contemporary, gripping, twisty and completely convincing story. The bright characters, dry humour which runs through it and the short easy chapters makes it a book which crime fans will race through.

The Secret War by Louise Burfitt-Dons is the third book and final book in the Karen Anderson series. I have read the other two books and can say I really enjoyed how the author uses current issues of the time and creates a thriller that has you hanging on her last word. I knew I was in for a good read as I started this and am glad to say I was right.
Karen Andersen, private investigator, stumbles across intelligence in a Liverpool University that an ultra-right faction of the CCP plan to release the hyper contagious virus on an unsuspecting New York City.
Heading out of Southampton on a luxury cruise, she has just seven days to disrupt the strategy. In the turmoil on board, Karen struggles to unravel the complexities.
Louise burfitt-Dons couldn't have chosen a better time to set this book. Set in the Covid Pandemic, this book takes biochemical warfare between China and America and delves into the political agenda that is far more sinister than anyone realises. We discover there is an even deadlier virus being transported to New York on a cruise ship, with the intention of being released there. Their biggest issue is Karen Anderson...
A book that blends murder with the threat to world peace and conspiracy with the up to date fake news we have today and even social media. The author has, again wrote a high action story in which she manages to slowly reveal, drip feeding the reader chapter by chapter. It keeps you turning the pages needing to know. I always find I get so immersed in Louise Burfitt-Dons stories and The Secret War did the same this time. The tension was racked up to the point that I was almost on the edge of my seat with the pages flipping as fast as I could read.
A Karen Anderson thriller that doesn't disappoint in any way, action murder, biological warfare and a Karen Anderson that never gives up...what else do you want in a story? In my eyes, nothing.
Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Louise Burfitt-Dons for the copy of the third and final book of the series.

Follow Private Investigator Karen Andersen as she helps get to the bottom of things during these challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic. Although this is book 3 in the series, it can so easily be read as a stand-alone.

I loved the contemporary nature of this novel with all the conspiracies surrounding Covid-19. Louise has her finger on the pulse of Britain coping under the numerous lockdown restrictions. I loved how the many modern threats to life in the UK were explored plus the global risk of bio-terrorism. All your fears are listed along with a very long list of what-ifs. I loved the plot and how suspicions of the many characters were creepily developed.

There were no boring bits in this novel and I found it very engaging - the conspiracy element is so strong. I really enjoyed reading The Secret War and think it would make a great television drama. This novel raises a lot of questions when you consider the modern problem of fake news. Just who is telling the truth as we womble around wearing face masks?

The Secret War is a work of fiction but it does make you wonder about the source of Covid-19. I found this novel to be an OUTSTANDING 5 star read and I will never think about the Yamaha DX7 in the same way again.

A contemporary thriller and the third and final instalment in the Karen Anderson trilogy is required reading for those who enjoy action, conspiracy and espionage. Following Liverpool-based Professor Nakamura's death, a conspiracy involving bioweapons begins. Very topical given our current COVID-19 predicament; it really makes you wonder about the origin of the virus. It addresses the propaganda and dissemination of untruths through social media and the wider internet and the clandestine war happening online between states - cyber espionage - no one really cares about because it's invisible to them despite it being just as dangerous as more overt conflict. A compulsive, interesting and thought-provoking read. Highly recommended.

This is the third book in the Karen Anderson series and I enjoyed the previous ones a lot more.

Was it the COVID storyline? Was it the probable fake news about the USA infecting Wuhan first? Or was it the biowarfare stuff? Who knows what is going to happen next?

All good meaty stuff but I would have liked the characters to have had more of a back story - hence not quite 5 stars.

Thanks to Net Galley and BooksGoSocial for the chance to read and review.

The book was thought-provoking, well researched and the story had so many twists and turns it was hard not to keep reading. I really enjoyed how the author led us into the present day situation with regards bioweapons. But there were other sub plots which were great. The characters were amazing. Much of the aciton is set on a ship and I found that a great location for a spy thriller.