Product Description

Outside of Pakistan, the world's highest concentration of al-Qaeda lurks in South-East Asia and there, Nick Stone's bosses get wind of an act of terror that will dwarf even the nightmare of 9/11.When Stone is despatched to Malaysia by the CIA to assassinate a biochemist, he expects his mission to be a straightforward part of the fight against Bin Laden. But there are complications, not least because he is working alongside an attractive woman whose motives he doesn?t fully understand. Target neutralized, Stone returns to the USA and a maelstrom of personal problems. Kelly, the fourteen-year-old orphan to whom he is joint guardian, cannot escape the ghosts of her traumatic past; she has a prescription drug habit that's spiralling out of control, and Stone knows he is the only one who can help her. He takes her to recuperate in England, but the terrible consequences of what happened in Penang are never far behind.Realizing he cannot escape them, Stone unearths a doomsday threat against the populations of New York, London and Berlin and finds himself facing an unspeakable trade-off: the life of someone he loves, against those of millions he doesn?t even know.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20420 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 496 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Andy McNab's thrillers have been enormously successful, and Dark Winter will no doubt allow his publishers to add more noughts to his already impressive sales figures. McNab's secret is reliability. He always delivers the kind of high-octane thrills his readers expect and seems immune to the hit-or-miss syndrome that afflicts so many thriller writers.

Dark Winter has the tough (and battered) Nick Stone back in business, still parleying the skills he learnt in the SAS into his new role as a Special Intelligence Service operative. Al-Qaeda are concentrating their forces in south-east Asia (McNab is as topical as ever), and Nick is sent by the CIA to deal with one of Osama bin Laden's most dangerous biochemists. But Nick is given a female partner, and the mission takes unexpected turns. Back in the US, and struggling with the problems of being guardian to an orphaned girl, Nick finds a whole nest of terrorists plotting atrocities in both the US and the UK, and his involvement becomes (against his will) very personal indeed.

As always, the mixture here is incandescent, punctuating steadily accelerating narrative trajectory with stunningly orchestrated bursts of action at frequent intervals. McNab's characterisation of anyone other than the resourceful Nick is serviceable rather than detailed, but this is a strategy to ensure that the principal ingredient here--bone-crunching action--is always foregrounded. It may be a while since McNab was an SAS man himself, but the tradecraft is always coolly plausible, and McNab fans can count on getting their money's worth. --Barry Forshaw

From the Publisher
The incendiary new Nick Stone thriller from the bestselling author of Liberation Day and Last Light.

From the Back Cover
When maverick agent Nick Stone is despatched to Malaysia by the CIA to assassinate a shadowy biochemist, he expects his mission to be a straightforward part of the fight against Osama Bin Laden's network of terror. But there are complications - not least the attractive woman who he is working alongside.

Target neutralised, Stone returns to the USA and a maelstrom of personal problems. Kelly, the fourteen-year-old orphan to whom he is joint guardian, cannot escape the ghosts of her traumatic past; she has a prescription drug habit that's spiralling out of control, and Stone knows he is the only one who can help her. He takes her to recuperate in England, but the terrible consequences of what happened in Penang are never far behind.

Before very long, the conspiracy he has uncovered unravels to reveal a doomsday threat against the populations of New York, London and Berlin. And Stone finds himself facing the ultimate trade-off: the life of someone he loves, against those of millions he doesn't even know…

Customer Reviews

Outstanding!
The sixth and best of the Andy McNab series of novels, Dark Winter really is a culmination of all prior events, doccumented and otherwise for Mcnab's protagonist; Nick Stone, in more ways than one. There's a welcome return for fans of fast-paced action that was somewhat subdued in his previous novel Last Light, yet this is still reinforced with McNab's trademark zeal for specifics and details.

Without spoiling the dramatic conclusion, there really is nothing that can prepare you for the harrowing ending that will shock fans of the series who have become emotionally involved with the characters. You have been warned!

The plot is first rate with current issues in the political climate being addressed, specifically terrorism and the global vulnerability to these fundamentalists. Highly recommended to fans of Andy McNab and anyone who takes an interest in politics or clandestine operations.

Mr McNab, we salute you for the fine writer that you are!

A return to old form for McNab
I have always loved McNabs stuff and they are all excellent - especially Remote Control - although I thought that Liberation Day was a great read I didn't feel it had quite the edge of his other novels - well with Dark Winter he is back on top form. Just got the book today at 12 and have just finished it at 20.30 - I simply couldn't put it down - just superb - and yes this one has a surprising ending. I just feel sorry for Nick Stone - when will anything go right for this man.

Excellent return to form
I read this book in an entire day. I've really found myself drawn into the saga of Nick Stone and after a couple of indifferent tales this is well and trully a return to the form of "Remote control" and "Crisis Four" Action from start to finish that keeps you interested, keeps you turning the pages and a twist in the tale along the way. However I think this will be the end of Nick Stone, it's hard to see where McNab can take the character from here but can#t wait for his next book.