This is the first book that I've read by Mr. Kent and I'm glad I did it! The Shadow Network is well-written, fast-paced, and kept me reading throughout the night. I love espionage stories and this one has sleeping agents, double working agents, and it focuses on the difficult relationship Russia has established with other countries, especially the USA. Thrilling and entertaining!
I thank Mr. Kent, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Elliott & Thompson for an advance copy of The Shadow Network, the fifth novel to feature ICB Agent Joe Dempsey and barrister Michael Devlin, set mostly in The Netherlands.

A mass shooting in The Hague brings Dempsey and Devlin to the scene, where they quickly realise that it was not a random event, but a disguised assassination orchestrated by a shadowy operative known as The Monk. With their only witness on the run and The Monk’s minions trying to kill them they can only rely on themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Shadow Network, which is a high octane read with an above average level of both violence and mistrust. Still, at the end of the day it’s all good, clean fun in the sense of see baddy, shoot him (and they’re all men) and that the good guys (not all men) are simply smarter.

The action opens with the shooting, but told mostly from the witness, Kon Frankowski’s point of view. This ratchets up the tension as he’s a civilian and is scared witless. After that there is a gradual accumulation of knowledge until the endgame plays out. This accumulation of knowledge is punctuated by various attempts on their lives, betrayal, twists and lots of bullets.

I take the general mayhem and indestructability of Dempsey and Devlin as entertainment rather than realism, but the background of the Ukrainian invasion gives it a present day realism and is the idea of an old network with rogue agents embedded all over the world so fanciful when western countries have been doing it for years? The CIA and their secretive ways add a further dimension. It all creates an interesting stew, although I don’t think The Monk’s identity is as well hidden as it could be because I guessed a bit before the unmasking. On the other hand, some of the other twists caught me by surprise.

The novel is told from various points of view with Kon Frankowski on the run in The Netherlands and and Dempsey’s number two, Eden Grace, weathering the storm in the States adding a broader perspective to events, while The Monk’s interactions with his underlings give the reader a good idea of his stone cold personality. Unfortunately this constant changing of voice gives the novel a choppy feel.

The Shadow Network is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is the latest in Tony Kent's explosive thriller series featuring Irish barrister Michael Devlin and Joe Dempsey of the UN's International Security Bureau. Devlin is married to journalist Sarah Truman, both now parents to baby twins, and have organised the christening of the boys. Joe has not seen his friends for some time, and zoom is hardly the same thing, he has flown in for the ceremony and to enjoy a break, having been chosen to be godfather to the boys. Whilst not certain of his suitability for the role, he falls in love with the babies on first sight, however celebrations are cut short when the wife of lawyer Will Duffy learns of a apparent horrifying 'terrorist' attack in Amsterdam, and it seems likely Duffy might have been injured or worse.

Joe rises to the situation and soon he and a deeply scared Devlin are on a flight to find out what happened to Will, who with a Hungarian lawyer, were part of a team defending notorious war criminal, Hannibal Strauss. As it happens it soon becomes clear that Joe's involvement as part of ISB is required, his presence not welcomed initially by a covert CIA team, who know Strauss's lawyers were the real targets of the deadly attack. So begins the start of non-stop breathless action scenes as Joe in particular is to be to be tested in his most challenging mission ever, along with Devlin who finds himself reclaiming the more violent side of his nature when required. Joe is shocked to find himself up against a mythological and long running legendary enemy, known as The Monk, and he may not live to tell the tale as he does his best to ensure a lover from his past is protected, the only woman he has ever lived.

There is much to admire in this global political conspiracy thriller, the complex storytelling, the short snappy chapters that ratchet the tension and suspense sky high, the never ending twists and turns, and an enemy the like of which Joe has never come across. However, for me, this addition to the series does not flow as seamlessly as the previous books, and there was a little too much repetition when it comes to the action, and at the end, The Monk as a character comes across as similar to The Wizard of Oz when he is unveiled. Having said all that, I still found this a sufficiently engaging and entertaining thriller, and I have every intention of reading the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

No time to catch a breath in this one- the action just keeps on coming- this is edge of your seat action and I just couldn’t put the book down.
A continuation of the Joe Dempsey and Michael Devlin series, “The Shadow Network”starts innocuously enough at Devlin’s sons’ christening where Joe is to be a Godfather.
However there is a mass shooting in Holland where one of the guest’s lawyer husband is working and Michael and Joe rush over to locate Will, dead or alive and in doing so get caught up in a huge plot, run by a shadow man known as The Monk, a man who has agents everywhere and will stop at nothing to protect his network.
As those close to Joe get caught up in the danger he is forced to send his team in the US to find and protect people he cares for whilst he works out what the Monk is after.
This thriller contains almost more excitement than is good for me- I barely had time to collect my thoughts as I raced through the book.
Joe and Michael do not know who to trust as there are enemy agents everywhere and this builds the tension even more. It seems at one point that the only people they can have faith in are themselves.
This is a fast paced, cleverly plotted thriller which had me gripped from the very first page and I highly recommend it to all fans of action novels. It helps if you’ve read the previous books but it is not a prerequisite- if you haven’t you will definitely enjoy the earlier ones too.
I have no hesitation in giving “The Shadow Network” five stars and eagerly await the next one in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Another Dempsey/Devlin rollercoaster tale of mayhem around a seeming terrorist attack on a square in The Hague. Chock full of bloody action the pace never flags with lots of twists this is an entertaining addition to the series. Virtually everyone is a suspect at some stage so to say your kept guessing until the latter stages would be an understatement. Roll on the next one when our heroes have recovered!

If you like full on action then I would highly recommend The Shadow Network by Tony Kent which is the latest book in one of the best action packed series around.

The action never stops and keeps the pages turning whilst the story moves along at a rapid pace.

Definitely recommended.

If you want a thriller that packs punches, then look no further. Tony Kent's 5th in a series, Joe Dempsey and Michael Devlin are brought together for a supposedly social event but very quickly, they are off to locate a colleague who is caught up in a terrorist attack in the Hague. Of course, things are not as they seem and The Shadow Network ducks and weaves in high octane fashion that will leave you not wanting it to end. A clever tale that is in the heavyweight category. Move over Jack Reacher. The best one yet.

Loved the last eat instalment of Devlin and Dempsey. If you’ve already read this series, Shadow Network amps it up even further, beyond what you’ve already experienced. If you’re new to the series, you’re in for an absolute treat. Devon and Dempsey are one of the best character pairings out there in crime fiction these days. .

This is book 5 in the excellent, action filled, Dempsey and Devlin series from Tony Kent, an author at the top of his game!. It can easily be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend this thrilling series to lovers of the genre. It has a contemporary and believable plot, very relevant to world events today. The characterisation is very believable, with it's clever plotting and brilliant descriptive passages. I devoured this book from page 1 as I just could not put it down and I loved the ending. Looking forward to more in this series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Another dark and manic adventure with Dempsey and Devlin.

The series of books written by Tony Kent feature a large cast of characters, not all of whom appear in every book. This time it's (mainly) the turn of Dempsey and Devlin, in a dark story of spies and conspiracy.

The story opens with a clandestine meet at The Hague which goes wrong when terrorists open fire in a café, killing two lawyers and several bystanders, but allowing one particular person to escape. Meanwhile, following the events of "No Way To Die", Dempsey is visiting London to attend the christening of his godsons, sons of Devlin, and his partner, Sarah. When news of the shooting reaches Michael and he learns that one of those shot is an old friend, he and Dempsey are soon racing to the scene.

Without further ado, the pair is rocketed into another non-stop rollercoaster adventure full of danger, mystery and corruption. Faces from previous encounters pop up, and fans of the series will be pleased that several strands are carried forward nicely. It's the usual Kent labyrinth of plot and sub-plot, and while it's not necessary to have read all the previous books, it'll help the reader to know some of the background.

Poor Dempsey and Devlin are once again subjected to every danger and terror their foes can throw at them. Both men, so different in their skills and attitudes continue to develop and grow, and it's clear the author is determined to present them as fully formed characters. Each book reveals a little more of their background and personality. Dempsey is still the main action character, but Devlin, not seen for a while, brings his own skills to play. A further sub-plot sees Eden Grace flex some muscles too, and we need to see more of her in future.

As usual, the author manages to slip in many current topical events, including covid, and tensions within the international political scene. It's another manic chase to the end. Oh, and the ending is worth a mention on its own - I can say no more.

Recommended for fans of the series and good thrillers generally.

Dieser Roman ist der neueste Thriller des britischen Autors Tony Kent. Erneut sind Michael Devlin und Joe Dempsey die Protagonisten, was eine spannende und actionreiche Geschichte erwarten lässt.

Es beginnt mit einer Massenschießerei auf dem Grote Markt in Den Haag, dem Zentrum für Einkäufe und Feiern in dieser südniederländischen Stadt. Die Schießerei mutet an wie ein Attentat, ein Amoklauf oder auch ein Terroranschlag. Es kommen dabei 32 Menschen ums Leben und es werden 43 verletzt. Die ganze Welt ist geschockt.

Gleichzeitig findet in London ein Treffen von Freunden statt. Der Anwalt Michael Devlin hat Besuch. Selbst sein Freund Joe Dempsey von der Spezialeinheit der Vereinten Nationen ist aus New York eingeflogen, um mit seinen Freunden zu feiern. Über die Nachricht im Fernsehen erfahren Sie von der Massenschießerei in Den Haag. Auf den Bildern im Fernsehen entdecken sie den Freund eines Freundes von Michael Devlin. Alarmiert und mit der Frage konfrontiert ob Devlins Freund wohl auch dort in Den Haag dabei war, beschließen sie sofort, dies herauszufinden.

Schnell wird alles arrangiert, um von London nach Den Haag zu fliegen. Devlins Freund, für Dempsey ist klar, dass Michaels Freunde auch seine Freunde sind, ist Anwalt und hatte einen Prozess am internationalen Gerichtshof, weshalb er zusammen mit seinem Anwaltsteam dort zu tun hatte.

Parallel dazu erfährt der Leser, dass einer aus diesem Anwaltsteam aus der Schießerei heraus fliehen konnte und kein Opfer wurde. Die Kollegen und Freunde Prochnik und Duffy waren beide Opfer geworden. Ihn, Konrad Frankowski, hat es nicht erwischt. Aber er hat Angst. Er muss fliehen, da ihr Mandant an einem Deal gearbeitet hat, der einen russischen Verbrecher, den Mönch, zum Ziel hatte.

Tony Kent hat erneut einen höchst spannenden Thriller geschrieben, bei dem die Wendungen immer höher gedreht werden. Der Roman legt ein hohes Tempo vor, was seine Handlung angeht. Schließlich geschieht fast alles innerhalb von 24 bis maximal 48 Stunden. Abgesehen vom Prolog zwei Wochen später.

Gleichzeitig wird an dem einen Tag, an dem sich alles abspielt, an mehreren Orten auf zwei Kontinenten agiert. Dank des Teams vom International Security Bureau der Vereinten Nationen (ISB), welches von Joe Dempsey geführt wird, sind Leute in den USA am Brennpunkt wie auch in den Niederlanden.

Interessant ist der Hintergrund, auf dem Toni Kent seine Story aufbaut. Der Ukraine-Krieg ist auf vollen Touren, die russische Geheimdienstorganisation Mladorossi und der Mönch, ihr Gründer und Führer existiert schon seit über 100 Jahren und wird tatsächlich als real existierend für möglich gehalten. Toni Kent hat ihr handfeste Machenschaften und Handlungen aufs Auge gedrückt. Das ist echt interessant!

Ebenso interessant sind die Konflikte innerhalb der Sicherheitseinheiten. In seiner fiktiven Konstellation lässt Toni Kent die staatlichen und halbstaatlichen Institutionen FBI CIA MI6 neben dem ISB agieren. Sie sind misstrauisch gegeneinander und erwartungsgemäß wird erst am Ende aufgedeckt, wer zu den Guten und wer zu den Bösen zählt. Schließlich ist auch unter deren Mitarbeitern Korruption nicht ausgeschlossen.

Insgesamt ist »The Shadow Network« von Tony Kent ein absolut fesselnder Thriller, der die Leser von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite in Atem hält. Mit einer packenden Handlung, interessanten Charakteren und einer Prise geopolitischer Spannung ist dieses Buch ein Must-read für alle Thriller-Fans. Kent gelingt es, die Leser in eine Welt der Intrigen und Geheimnisse zu entführen und sie mit unvorhersehbaren Wendungen zu überraschen. Obwohl es sich um ein fiktives Werk handelt, fühlt es sich doch erschreckend realistisch an, was den Nervenkitzel noch verstärkt. Wer auf der Suche nach einem actiongeladenen, mitreißenden und packenden Lesevergnügen ist, sollte sich »The Shadow Network« nicht entgehen lassen. Tony Kent hat erneut bewiesen, dass er zu den Meistern seines Genres gehört. Lesen Sie diesen Thriller und lassen Sie sich in eine Welt voller Geheimnisse und Gefahren entführen!

© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2024

This was a good story which kept me turning the pages throughout the night. Great mystery, writing and plotting will recommend to all my friends who love this genre.

A good, exciting well written thriller with great characters and a plot that sizzles with action and excitement. What's more to like?

This is the fifth Devlin/Dempsey book and they are getting better with each addition to the series. It could be read as a standalone but why deny yourself the pleasure of reading the previous four?

Highly recommended.

Dempsey and Devlin are back and this is another knockout book from Tony Kent. The plot moves at a cracking pace and it certainly had me guessing who could actually be trusted. Secrets and lies, conspiracy theories, double agents, assassins and a mysterious foreign agent controlling everyone and everything even governments. This is for me his best one to date. It was also interesting to get a glimpse into Dempsey’s private life, and to realise that he once had one. This is most definitely a thrilling read I’d highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Elliot and Thompson for letting me read this.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

Wow, wow, wow. This is a very fast paced, thoroughly enjoyable read with a great multi layered plot line and is full of suspense, thrills and action. The Shadow Network really hit the mark with me and is one of my best reads this year.

Dempsey and Devlin are in London when they hear of shootings in The Hague and that a friend is one of the victims. What follows is a roller coaster of a read that at times took my breath away. I loved being back in the world of Dempsey and Devlin and following them as they investigate the shootings. Who can they trust and is everyone as they appear to be? I liked that the story is told through different characters and their perspectives and the move from character to character is seamless. I love the cliff hanger chapter endings that made me desperate to know more and what was coming next. Dempsey's team in USA play a part in the story, adding more suspense and action and having the story take place in two countries just added to my enjoyment when reading.

Tony Kent builds up the tension, suspense, intrigue and mystery so well that I was hanging onto every word as the story unfolds. This is a very well written book that really hits the ground running and certainly grabbed my attention and interest and held it all the way through to the very last page. I think, for me, this is the best book so far in this series. If you like thrillers, you'd like this book and I'd recommend it.

4.5 stars

I always enjoy Tony Kent's work and was looking forward to starting this one.
Good to see some familiar faces (although this definitely works as a stand alone novel) and the plot is an excellent one.
Lots of names to remember, together with who is working for who so some concentration needed which may slow the pace a little but overall another great installment.
Many thanks for the entertainment.

After the events that took place in No Way To Die, it would be fair to say that Joe Dempsey has earned himself a bit of a break. A few days R&R, feet up, quiet life … that kind of thing. And as he’s visiting London to take his place as Godfather to the twin sons of his best friend, Barrister, Michael Devlin, and his partner, journalist Sarah Truman, that’s exactly what he’s going to get. How much trouble could he possibly get in just doing that? … Well, based on the heart pounding opening to The Shadow Network, and the fact that Tony Kent doesn’t allow his protagonists all that much by way of down time (luckily for us), the answer to that question was always going to be ‘loads’.

To be fair to Dempsey and Devlin, it’s not the christening that is going to put them in harms way, but as news arrives that one of Michael’s friends is caught up in a suspected terrorist incident in The Hague, neither will rest until they have found him and brought him home, whatever his fate. it’s a decision that is going to see both men face one of the biggest fights of their lives, against a foe with all the might, myth and mystery of Keyser Soze. Could Dempsey have finally met his match? How do you defeat a man of legend, someone that no-one knows truly exists?

Well – if you read, The Shadow Network, you will find out. Jam packed with tension and action from the off, this book had me in its thrall immediately and did not let me go until I read that very last page. A tale of corruption, conspiracy and bloody brilliant misdirection, this is a tale which will have Tony Kent fans chuckling with glee. Not for the fate of our favoured protagonists – if you think that Dempsey has been through the ringer before, you ain’t seen nothing yet, trust me. This is a situation that is going to push him, And Michael, to their very limits, and with the very person they are up against being little more than a ghost, it’s a battle that will be very hard to win. But it makes for one heck of a read and had me powering through the pages, long after I should have been heading to bed. Exactly what I want in a book. Great fight scenes, a lot of mystery and a whole host of suspicious characters and people of dubious intent that kept me completely on edge.

I do love the characters in this series. Tony Kent has created two very different people in Joe Dempsey and Michael Devlin, but they compliment each other perfectly. Whilst Michael may not be as skilled as his friend, he can hold his own in the battle stakes, and he has somewhat of a past of his own, which fans of the series will understand. We haven’t seen him in a few stories now, so it was great to be back in his sphere, even if, to a degree, he still played a slightly lesser role than Dempsey. But then again, danger and action are Dempsey’s life, so when it comes to taking down the bad guys, he was always going to play a significant role. And it was really good to see his team on the other side of the Atlantic playing a very key role in the action too. Led by Eden Grace, they are faced with protecting a key figure in the whole plot, without really knowing who it is they would be defending them against. I really like Eden and seeing her in this situation, guided by Dempsey to a degree but ultimately having to use her own intuition and skills to defeat an unknown foe was great to see. As readers we know a trifle more about who we can, or cant ,trust, but not everything.

This book is packed with action, suspense and conspiracy. Drawing on some very recent current affairs and life events, this is one of those books which really does have a strange ring of truth about it. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility, I guess. Would explain a lot as well. There were moments in the book that really made me smile, for reasons I can’t state here, but it certainly resonated. But most of all, I just loved getting lost in the action, that kind of feeling where you find yourself slowly leaning forward in your chair as the action picks up and the tension starts to sky rocket. With this kind of tale, where the bad guy will literally use any means necessary to get what they want, and where weaknesses are expose and exploited, it was so hard to know who trust, and that makes for a really intense read. And I loved it. The ending – surprising, but not. The promise the author has left us with for what may be yet to come … So absolutely perfect. Loaded with threat, leaving me apprehensive but also really excited. I cannot wait. But I will have to I guess. (Boooooo).

God I’ve missed these guys. Most definitely recommended.