Product Description

A bloodstained man runs half naked down a motorway at night dodging high-speed traffic - and worse. Cornered by police, admitted to a psychiatric ward suffering from trauma-induced amnesia, all he can recall is a detailed knowledge of sophisticated weaponry and military techniques that indicates a background in terrorism. When two armed soldiers guarding his room are murdered and Dr Elizabeth Santer, the psychiatrist assigned to his case, is abducted at gunpoint a desperate hunt begins for a dangerous killer. Terrorist - murderer - kidnapper - thief whatever he is, he remembers a town in Wales and it is to Wales he drags Elizabeth Santer with the security forces in all-out pursuit. There, a violent and bloody confrontation exposes a horrifying story of treachery and political cover-up. Is Elizabeth in the hands of a homicidal terrorist or an innocent pawn? Her life depends on the right answer. He continued to dodge between vans, trucks, cars; fearful lest his assailants had reached the motorway. Running - running - his heart hammering so fiercely he wondered why it hadn't burst. Blood surged through his veins, the drumbeat of pulses beating time with his footfalls as he swerved from lane to lane, and still they kept coming. Weaving...roaring...blasting...until a single soft sound alerted every fibre of his being. His eyes strained. He searched wildly for safety. There was none. He ducked as another crack echoed towards him...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #223317 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 371 pages

Review
"The author's best to date is a can't put down feast for lovers of the hunt - Kirkus Reviews A novel which is as gripping on its first page as it is for the next 370 - Swansea Evening Post"

Customer Reviews

'By Any Name' The Best Thriller of 2006?
'By Any Name' combines the sophistication of a Tom Clancy opus, the intrigue of a James Patterson mystery and the suspense of a John Grisham story into a cracking page turner.

Katherine John delivers authentic plot development and a cast of stong and believable characters, making 'By Any Name' several cuts above those thrillers reliant on co-incidence and populated with caricatures.

The horror begins when a fugitive man, covered in blood that is not his, is admitted into Dr. Elizabeth Santer's care. He claims he has no memory of who he is, what he is running from and, as Elizabeth soon discovers, no explanation for his intimate knowledge of the world of espionage, elite special forces...and terrorism.

Events spiral beyond Elizabeth's control when she is abducted by her charge, who evades both police and army in a terrifying chase to an unknown destination. Elizabeth, is kept guessing whether this man is an inncocent soldier, a mad killer or a vicious terrorist...and the suspense grows when it becomes clear that their pursuers have hidden motives of their own.

The reader is captivated until the final, unexpected conclsion which successfully ties up a novel that will surely have a claim to be the best thriller of the year.

By Any Name
'By Any Name' combines the sophistication of a Tom Clancy opus, the intrigue of a James Patterson mystery and the page turning compulsion of John Grisham novel into a captivating thriller with a page turning plot.

The story starts when a fugitive man, found covered in blood - not all of it his - is admitted to Dr. Elizabeth Santer's care. He claims to have no memory of who he is, no idea what he is running from and, she soon dicovers, no explanation for his intimate knowledge of the world of espionage, military special forces...and terrorism.

The situation soon escalates beyond Elizabeth Santer's control when she is taken hostage by her charge who evades both police army forces in a terrifying chase towards an unknown destination. She, and the reader, are kept guessing as to whether her abductor is an innocent soldier, a deadly terrorist, or a maniac killer. The suspense deepens when it become clear that some among their pursuers may have motives of their own...

What is refreshing about Katherine John's thriller is that, unlike some other novels in this genre, her plotting is always authentic rather than reliant upon co-incidence, and her characters are fully realised people not two dimensional caricatures.

Every strand of the story is drawn together in a stunning and unexpected conclusion that ties up one of the best thrillers of the year. But it today!

Rip-roaring stuff
This was a real discovery for me - a cracking thriller about a man who finds himself battered and bruised on the motorway with no idea who he is, but with skills and knowledge that he has no idea how he has come by. His path crosses with a psychiatrist, and before they no it, they are both on the run to discover who he is and why their lives are in danger. The premise is akin to `Bourne Identity', but I see that the novel predates the film (this title has been smartly republished by Accent Press).

It has a nice brooding atmosphere, but a strong pace to it. And great to see a woman writing this type of thriller, that traditionally seems to be the preserve of male authors. Highly recommended.