Synopsis/blurb....
"Dark and punchy. An enigmatic hero takes on the dangerous streets of London." Shaun Baines, author of Pallbearer
Two Albanians, sitting in a car, are selling cocaine outside a school again.
Enough is enough, James Marshal, an ex-Para, tells himself as he observes the drug dealers.
Marshal assaults the Albanians. But it's just the start, rather than the end, of things.
The ruthless gang, led by Luka Rugova and Viktor Baruti, demand retribution. The blood debt must be paid.
To gain intelligence on the criminal organisation Marshal approaches the fixer, Oliver Porter.
In return for providing Marshal with information, Porter asks a favour of his former associate.
Marshal must drive the fixer's niece around for a couple of days.
But a lot can happen in a couple of days.
When Marshal returns to London, the Albanians find him. The blood debt still needs to be paid.
Marshal must end what he started, one way or another.
Enough is Enough is the follow-up title to the acclaimed and bestselling novel Gun For Hire.
Recommended for fans of Graham Greene, Lee Child and Stephen Leather.
A decent start, followed by a lull, then about halfway it warmed up again and recaptured my interest, before a kind of hurried finish which kind of brought us full circle - Marshal settles up with the Albanians.
I'm unsure if the loss of urgency was the story or just a bit of ennui in my reading. I have multiple books on the go at any one time usually and I didn't make much headway with the others, so I'm guessing me.
I liked the start. Ex-military man, James Marshal gets the hump with some Albanian drug dealers, pushing their wares near the school on his street. Marshal sends them packing with a few injuries and several dents to their macho pride. Their culture and gang fidelity demands retribution, something Marshal is aware of.
Pre-empting things, Marshall contacts an old comrade for some intelligence details on the gang. Oliver Porter is a fixer. He provides the information in return for a favour. Marshal has to chauffeur his niece around town for a couple of days and avoid hitting on the retired model in the meantime.
The middle segment of the book sees Marshal assessing the intelligence while ferrying the niece around town as they slowly fall for each other. Women and commitment aren't Marshal's thing, as we previously discover in the opening passages of the book. But maybe he just hadn't met the one.
Conversations on books, poetry, music, property, plans and ambitions follow as the pair (girl's name escapes me) get to know each other. There's a quick punch-up at a party as Marshal defends one of the attractive catering staff's virtue from some drunken boorish hooray Henrys.
Then it's back to London, back to the Albanians, then back to romance.
I think I kind of expected more full on action throughout as opposed to heavy romantic undertones taking over the story for a decent chunk of the book. I didn't dislike it, it showed our main character had more layers and depth to him that a caricature fighting man full of biff, bash, bosh with nothing between his ears.
Quite a quick read once I committed to it and stopped dithering. Enjoyed eventually and definitely an author I would read more from in the future.More than a 3.5 - just about a 4 on balance.
Thomas Waugh's Nothing to Lose has been enjoyed before.
Read - August, 2019
Published - 2019
Page count - 144
Source - review copy from publisher - Sharpe Books
Format - PDF
If I'm being honest, Col, this doesn't sound like one for me, although I can see how the premise would make for a solid action novel. Still, it's good to know the characters are solid and reasonably interesting.
ReplyDeleteMargot, no book is for everyone - plenty more fish in the sea!
DeleteI might like this, but I have to much on the TBR to be motivated to add it to the list.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean.
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