Complicating Kate’s assessment of the situation is the suspicion that her husband Stuart, codename ‘Viper’, was not the only Russian agent in MI6. In her investigation of him, however, she does discover that her husband, Stuart, is a Russian agent who's betrayed her as well. There were some unanswered questions left in this book, so I'm pleased that there will be a third book, which will be published next year! Goes to show that thrillers can indeed be intelligent and well thought-out, and not insulting and stupid.

From that point onward, Kate oscillates between mental and familial crises at home and her need to convince her government to accept Borodin's deal at work. It's a silly book really; a good read and with a good pace; but just a little too full of ineptitude. I love these because Tom Bradby beautifully balances the edge-of-your-seat thriller elements with the spycraft and political infighting. A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy. Kate is a terrific protagonist and her personal journey is as revealing and worth sharing as the action adventure the overall plot and story brings.

It’s all pretty well done and Tom Bradby knows a lot about what he is writing about here – perhaps to the point of overdoing the detail at times. I hope it is a little more tightly focussed, though, and branches out from the slightly samey structure of the first two. The stress is getting to Kate and her family but the time is coming where she may have to choose between country and sanity.

This is dealt with sensitively and adds another layer to what is an excellent and exciting tale of spies, deceit, secrets, fear and love.

His ability to weave a complex yet very intriguing conspiracy is to be admired, also his ability to pull you into the story. He never meanders, never wastes time, which allows the story and characters to flow naturally with good pace. He offers to exchange a kompromat video of Ryan in the company of underage girls for refuge in England. At the insistence of the foreign minister that Borodin’s story be better substantiated before she makes a decision, Kate makes a dangerous trip to Russia under cover.

The atmosphere of the novel, set mostly on this wild Greek island, echoes strongly the classical tragedies of Greece. In the sequel, Kate Henderson not only must deal with the aftermath of the fact that her husband was a mole working for Russian intelligence, but also with the effect it has on her relationship with her children. I'd recommend you read Secret Service first as both are so good, you wouldn't want to miss out on the background to characters and their history as could be a little difficult to understand the plot if you don't. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.I really enjoyed this second installment and hope for more racing round Europe battling against her internal demons and treachery at home and at work. Side by side with the tense spy thrills is the story of the unravelling of M16 agent Kate as she tries to cope with the personal implications of events.

For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin. Every time I read about Russia I keep thinking Killing Eve and I am waiting for someone to be assassinated in a ridiculously theatrical style, while dressed as a clown. I really hope this series of books get made into a film or tv series as would be fantastic and hope there will be a third instalment n the not too distant future! We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker.