The Frenchman
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4.2 • 223 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
A gripping debut thriller based on the real-life experiences of a former French intelligence operative.
Alec de Payns is an operative in the secretive Y Division of the DGSE, France's famed foreign intelligence service. He's the agent at the sharp end of clandestine missions, responsible for eliminating terror threats and disrupting illegal nuclear and biological weapons programs. The element the missions have in common is danger - danger to de Payns, to his team and to those who stand in his way. But increasingly it's not just the enemies of France that are being damaged by de Payns' actions. His marriage is under strain, and at the back of his mind lurks the fear that haunts every operative with a family - what if they come after my children?
When a routine mission in Palermo to disrupt a terrorist organisation goes fatally wrong, Alec is forced to confront the possibility that they may have been betrayed by a fellow operative. And now he's been tasked to investigate a secretive biological weapons facility in Pakistan. Alec must find out how they're producing a weaponised bacteria capable of killing millions, and what they plan to do with it. But with a traitor in the ranks, it's not just Alec in the firing line. Soon he'll be forced to confront his worst fear - and the potential destruction of Paris itself.
This is fiction, but based on the experiences of a real French spy. The knowledge and tradecraft that lie behind Jack Beaumont's taut plotting and brilliant eye for detail enliven every page, making The Frenchman all the more plausible, and all the more frightening.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Author Jack Beaumont uses a pen name, thanks to his comprehensive past career in the French foreign secret service. That makes him a rare authority on the actual mechanics of the spy thrillers he now writes, and that depth of knowledge shines through in his fiction debut. The Frenchman introduces Alec de Payns, a top operative and family man who’s already juggling a lot when a counterterrorist mission goes off the rails. Alec must decide whether there’s a turncoat in his midst as Paris itself falls under direct threat. Without allowing the pace to ever lag in the slightest, Beaumont gives a grounded account of global espionage and geopolitical turmoil, complete with details that wouldn’t be known to most people. Alec returns for further hectic outings as the series continues.
Customer Reviews
Classy debut
Author
French but now lives in Australia. Former French air force pilot then operative in the clandestine operations branch of the French foreign secret service, the DGSE ('The Company'). Jack Beaumont is a pseudonym, surprise, surprise. This is his debut novel.
In brief
Alec de Payns, late thirties, married is a former fighter pilot turned agent for Y division of the DGSE. He's very experienced and has a group of tough-as-nails co-workers he relies on. All operate under false names, and drink to excess. Our boy's job is to get close and personal with the targets, which means dudes try to kill him a lot. He doesn't get to see his wife and kids very often, and he can't tell them anything about what he does. After a mission to Palermo sniffing out Islamic terrorists goes wrong, he's approached by internal affairs to help find a mole inside the organisation. Then there's a new mission to Pakistan to suss out a mad scientist type who has created a super-duper weaponised version of Clostridium perfringens. Yada, yada with mucho tradecraft, double crosses etc. Our heroes save Paris just in the nick of time. The baddies get their comeuppance.
Writing
Presumably written in English, given that no translator is named. If so, very well written genre fiction that benefits greatly from the writer's intimate knowledge of what actually goes down out in the field. All the manoeuvres required to make sure no one is tailing you undoubtedly necessary but does get a little tedious at times. (an updated version of George Smiley). Once the action warms up, it's full steam ahead.
Bottom line
Authentic, entertaining, gripping. A classy effort first time out.
Brilliant!
Loved this. The tension was almost unbearable!
Authentic and contemporary tradecraft
Expect to read dime store crime fiction author after author lifting descriptions of tradecraft from this author for years to come.
The heavy emphasis on authentic and detailed tradecraft n this release may be correct, but as with early science fiction the detailed descriptions of correct process can at times compromise the pace of storytelling and engagement of the reader.
An excellent and authentic debut.
I’m sticking with this author because they know what they are talking about.