Illegal Action, Stella Rimington
Illegal Action, Stella Rimington
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Illegal Action

Author: Stella Rimington

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Unabridged: 9 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/01/2008


Synopsis

Liz has been transferred to counter-espionage–the hub of MI5 operations during the Cold War, which has been scaled back as anti-terrorism has gained priority. But there’s plenty for her to do: there are more spies operating in London in the 21st century than there were during the height of East-West hostilities. Even the Russians still have a large contingent, although now they spy on the international financial community and on the wealthy ex-pat oligarchs who make England their domain.

In her new assignment, Liz quickly uncovers a plot to silence one of these Russians: Nikita Brunovsky, an increasingly vocal opponent of Vladimir Putin. The Foreign Office is adamant about forestalling a crime that could become a full-blown international incident, but there’s not a single clue as to how the assassination will be carried out–and Liz is solely responsible for averting disaster. So she goes undercover, attaching herself to Brunovsky’s retinue: racing against the clock to determine who betrayed him and suddenly facing a wholly unexpected second task–unmasking a Russian operative working undercover alongside her.

Dame Stella has once again distilled her experience as the first woman Director General of MI5 into a spy novel of arresting psychological complexity and unflagging suspense.

About The Author

Stella Rimington joined Britain’s Security Service (MI5) in 1969. During her nearly 30-year career she worked in all the main fields of the Service’s responsibilities—counter subversion, counter espionage and counterterrorism—and successively became Director of all three branches. Appointed Director General of MI5 in 1992, she was the first woman to hold the post and the first Director General whose name was publicly announced on appointment. Following her retirement from MI5 in 1996, she became a nonexecutive director of Marks & Spencer and published her autobiography, Open Secret, in the United Kingdom. She is also the author of the novels: At Risk, Secret Asset, and Illegal Action. Rimington lives in London.Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold ClimateRumpole of the BaileySherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Alex

‘People sometimes become a little starry-eyed about Russians. They are a romantic people, with great souls and passionate intensity. Many of them are utterly charming…but deep down they are all hard.' The “Illegal” in the title is a foreign agent in deep cover – an assassin – and in this case a woman......more

Goodreads review by Trish

When Stella Rimington first published a novel in 2004, I was pleased, surprised, and interested. It was kind of cool, watching the watchers, and seeing what she decided to share with us of her life, her work as the first Director General of Britain's domestic security service, MI-5. Her earlier work......more

This spy thriller from the former head of MI5 was a pretty dull and lifeless affair. The plot involves undercover Russian assassins on the streets of London (which gave it a frisson of topicality), feuding oligarchs and art world shenanigans, but it never came together as a satisfying whole. Stella......more

Goodreads review by Mal

In Illegal Action, the third novel in the Liz Carlyle series by Dame Stella Rimington, Liz is transferred from her prestigious post in Counter-Terrorism to a new job in the Russian section of Counter-Espionage. The section is widely considered a backwater in MI5, but ts acting director feels differe......more


Quotes

“An ideal beach read for the upcoming vacation season . . . Elements of the old-fashioned spy novel–sudden twists and characters with hidden agendas–combine with James Patterson’s secret to success.”
Booklist

From the UK:

“Rimington’s plot, as one should expect from a former head of MI5, bristles with subterfuge and splices in allusions to Litvinenko’s poisoning to give Illegal Action a contemporary feel . . . Carlyle, in her third outing, has depth and tenacity.”
Financial Times