Code Red, written by Ben Baldwin, is the first action thriller with the British Sam Taylor as main character.
The story starts with Sam Taylor being shot in Amsterdam a year ago while he was investigation an organisation that is active on the black market. Their device was: everything is for sale, you ask, we deliver. Jewelry, luxury cars, drugs, weapons, you name it, they deliver it.
Now something has happened in Amsterdam again that is related to him being shot and Sam Taylor goes back to the city where he has made some friends in the police force.
From then on the pace of the story is fast. One thing after the other happens and Sam is forced to do things he rather not and he has to ask himself who his friends are, who he can trust.

In the beginning of this book, I had the impression that another main character would have the lead in this book, but I was wrong. In the end there are some twists that I did not see coming, but also an important one that I saw from far away. That didn't kill my reading pleasure, not at all.
In fact, I like to read more about Sam Taylor. And I would prefer it to be with the German investigator Vogt because together they make a funny couple. Sam Taylor is not afraid, has humor and is also a womanizer. Vogt is a dwarf and it's the first time I red about a dwarf in such a high position in a criminal investigation unit.

On the website of the author I red that he signed a 3 book deal with Bloodhound Books and also the titles of the next books with Sam Taylor: 'Crossroads' and 'Code Spy', both to be released in 2025. I'm already looking forward to them.

Thoroughly enjoyed Code Red. A gripping and exciting read by Ben Baldwin. Sam Taylor, who works for the Government Repatriation department., is now my new hero and can't wait to read more in this series. The story was set in Amsterdam. Sam Taylor has returned to Amsterdam to identify the woman who shot him. Thorought the book I wasn't sure who to trust or believe which added to the intrigue. A 5 star thriller.

Sam Taylor makes for an interesting character as he, Interpol, and the Amsterdam police go after a group of thieves operating stolen goods on a large scale. Unfortunately, a mole from the good guys keeps telling the bad guys what's next. The investigation is bloody and many deathss occur. Fortunately, bad guys die. SPOILER ALERT!!!
Author Ben Baldwin revives a practice used commonly in the fifties and sixties where, if you created a good gay character, you had to kill him off or be seen as writing a "pro-gay" novel, a kiss of death back then,We've come a long ways since then, but Baldwin likes the old ways and creates a good gay character. You can guess what he does with him. That alone spoiled the novel for me.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I did receive a free ARC from Netgalley but with that notwithstanding I found this an engaging thriller and the who concept of repatriation Agent was new to me. I try a lot of across the water books, but they are usually a bridge too far (pun intended as the humor and pace I don't like. Great exception here with some major mystery twists, this could be an AC #2 writer in the making. Kepp it up.

Fast-paced and packed with twists, this action thriller delivers suspense even if some plot points feel predictable.

gripping, action, thriller, policing, interagency, international-crime-and-mystery, international-espionage, investigations, new-series, Netherlands, first-in-series, secrets, lies, untrustworthy, unputdownable*****

Who is lying and is there a mole in the operation? Who should Sam believe? Why was my brain glued to this book until 4AM?
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof copy from Boldwood Books via NetGalley.
#CodeRed by Ben Baldwin #SamTaylorBk1 @BloodhoundBooks #InternationalCrime #Thriller @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @kobobooks @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk #NewSeries

Code Red by Ben Baldwin was an excellent book, it was a gripping action thriller full of twists and turns throughout. What made this book extra special. it is the first book in a new Sam Taylor series and I loved it. Code Red was so good I ended up reading it in one sitting.
I love the new character Sam Taylor who is a maverick Government Officer in the UK.

Twelve months ago, Sam Taylor who is a maverick Government Office based in the UK was shot and left for dead while he was investigating a black-market organisation. Now, his shooter, who is a mysterious and beautiful agent, has been found dead in Amsterdam. Sam has been asked to go back to identify the body, Sam is reunited with old acquaintances and then was introduced to the lead of the investigation, Interpol agent Karl Vogt. He is a man with his own agenda.
But as the group enter's the mortuary, they find her body has vanished….............Leaving no trace on where she is!

Whilst back at the station Sam begins to receive mysterious messages to his personal mobile which turns their investigation on its head.

Now, knowing how much is riding on the case, Sam follows the messages and heads into the Dutch countryside where he meets an unexpected ally. This is when Sam discovers there is a mole working inside the force, he agrees to help take them down.

WoW! Now who can he trust?................

I am so looking forward reading the next book in the Sam Taylor's series. An Excellent book in a promising new series.

Review on Goodreads, Waterstones and Amazon UK

An absolutely excellent book! Gripping from start to finish and packed with intrigue at every turn. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat, with twists and surprises that make it impossible to put down. I was completely absorbed by the characters and the tension that built throughout the story. It was a truly fantastic read, and I found myself staying up late, eagerly turning pages. I can’t wait to dive into more from this author. Highly recommend for anyone who loves a thrilling, fast-paced story with depth and excitement!

This is the first book in the exciting new Sam Taylor Thriller series and actually the first time that I've read this author too as this is also their debut novel.

I've said before and I'll likely say it again - but I rarely read books in this genre and never seen to grab them off the shelves.
However, whenever I do give them a go, I absolutely love them! And this was no exception.

I think I tend to watch this genre more often and whatever the reason I don't grab the books, I know that ultimately, I'll end up loving the storylines.

This was a great introduction to our main character, Sam, and I loved the development over the course of this book, but can definitely see lots of potential for future books in this series and storylines that will keep us invested in following Sam on his adventures.
There was not so much in this one to fill us in with Sam's background (that might have been too much all in this first book) but I wonder whether future books might delve a little further into that side kf Sams character too?

This storyline felt both familiar and unique all at the same time - I loved that I got Line Of Duty vibes in some places but also think that the setting set this apart from.kthwr books that I've read kn this genre.

This was really well written with a great pace and exciting storyline that kept me gripped from start to finish. I literally raced through this.
Nicely set up and ready for book 2, I can't wait to see more of Sam Taylor.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with Sam Taylor and Nos on a stakeout in Amsterdam. Bos gives the word to start the seige and tells Sam to stay in the car. Things go bad from the start and soon Sam leaves the car and works his way to the building. At the building, Sam sees a woman, bust hesitates and is shot. As a result, he falls in the canal and is almost drowned.

Flash forward 1 year and Sam learns that the woman has died and he is asked to return to Amsterdam to identify the body. After arriving and going to the location to identify the body, he discovers the body is gone. As a result, Sam winds up spending more time than he planned. He also gets working on a team to bring the Nile organization down. This is the same group where the failed attack happened.

Read along and follow Sam, Bos. Vogt and the rest of the team as they track the group down. Discover what the reason the earlier raid failed involved and how it all ended. The action is immense and will keep you glued right till the end.

It is definitely worth the read!

Wow!! Fantastic book! Action packed moments in this one! It also had great suspense, murder, serial killers, mystery, great characters, a fantastic who done it that took me a while to get! And some wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

The last time Sam Taylor, from Britain's Repatriation Office was in Amsterdam, he was shot and almost died. It's a year later and he's back in Amsterdam to identify the corpse of the woman believed to have been his shooter and the killer of a fellow British officer.
The simple fly in fly out visit suddenly gets a lot more complicated when the corpse disappears and a new chase is on again, to find her before another officer is murdered.
Riveting suspense with great action and non stop twists.
Characters are intriguingly complex and work well within a storyline that moves right along.
Sam Taylor is a really interesting investigator with a strong moral.compass that adds much to the plo and interaction with his working teammates..
Looking forward to the next chapter in his story.