Blog Tour: End Game by Matt Johnson
Today I am joining the blog tour for Matt Johnson's latest thriller, End Game. It is the third and final installment in the Robert Finlay series. I have not read the previous two books, which I think would have been useful in fully appreciating this novel, however, it can be read as a standalone, as there are references, which help readers who haven't followed the hero from the beginning of his journey.
4****
The story centers around Robert Finlay, a retires SAS operative and current detective. As you might imagine, events take a turn and he is pulled back into a life he wanted to escape. His former colleague and close friend's girlfriend is murdered and Kevin, the friend, is arrested. Yet when he escapes, Finlay is held responsible and sets out to discovery the truth.
What I liked about this book was its pace and protagonist. Finlay is a clever yet caring and multi-faceted character, and I think I will go back and read the other two books in the series, simply because I liked him and want to know more about why he is the way he is in End Game. The story also moved very quickly, a must in my book for a spy thriller. The story is a little confusing at times, but ultimately quite satisfying and the way it wraps up made sense to me. The book also had a really cinematic quality sort of a blend between Spooks (the MI5 TV series), James Bond and the Bourne films. I wouldn't be surprised if the book, or the whole series were adapted at some point in the future.
Overall, a solid thriller with an engaging plot and a protagonist I could easily root for!
Robert Finlay seems to have finally left his SAS past behind him and is settled into his new career as a detective. But when the girlfriend of his former SAS colleague and close friend Kevin Jones is murdered, it’s clear that Finlay’s troubles are far from over. Jones is arrested for the killing, but soon escapes from jail, and Finlay is held responsible for the breakout. Suspended from duty and sure he’s being framed too, our hero teams up with MI5 agent Toni Fellowes to find out who’s behind the conspiracy. Their quest soon reveals a plot that goes to the very heart of the UK’s security services. End Game, the final part in the critically acclaimed Robert Finlay trilogy, sees our hero in an intricately plotted and terrifyingly fast-paced race to uncover the truth and escape those who’d sooner have him dead than be exposed.
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About the author: Matt Johnson served as a soldier and Metropolitan Police officer for twenty-five years. Blown off his feet at the London Baltic Exchange bombing in 1992, one of the first police officers on the scene of the 1982 Regent's Park bombing, Matt was also at the Libyan People's Bureau shooting in 1984 where he escorted his mortally wounded friend and colleague, Yvonne Fletcher, to hospital. Hidden wounds took their toll. In 1999, Matt was discharged from the police with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Whilst undergoing treatment, he was encouraged by his counsellor to write about his career and his experience of murders, shootings and terrorism. One evening, Matt sat at his computer and started to weave these notes into a work of fiction that he described as having a tremendously cathartic effect on his own condition. He has used his detailed knowledge and memory to create what has been described by many readers as a fast paced, exciting and authentic tale of modern day policing. Matt Johnson is living proof that PTSD is a condition that can be controlled and overcome with the right help and support. He has been described by many fans as an inspiration to fellow sufferers. A keen biker, Matt rides a '99 Harley Davidson Fatboy and is patron to the UK based 'Armed Forces Bikers' charity. He is also patron to a newly-formed charity, 'Shoeboxes for our Heroes'. In his spare time Matt keeps honey bees and produces his own honey. He scuba dives, collects unusual hats and enjoys hill-walking with his three dogs at his home in Wales, UK near the Brecon Beacons.
Connect with the Matt Johnson:
Email: mattjohnson57@hotmail.co.uk