Product Description

Five grand for a couple of hours work? It seems easy money, but the deal ex-mercenary Max Iversson is chasing has gone disastrously wrong. Two of his friends are dead. And now he wants to find out who's behind their killings. Detective Sergeant John Gallan is also looking for answers. He's investigating the fatal poisoning of a nightclub doorman. But leads are scarce and, when they do appear, so do bodies. As Iversson struggles to stay alive, Gallan keeps on digging, unearthing in the process a shocking crime that's been unsolved for a long, long time. What neither man knows is that they are heading towards a devastating confrontation that will see one of them staring down the wrong end of a gun.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2367 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 448 pages

Guardian
' Kernick generates a potent cocktail of thrills that makes contemporary London feel like Dodge City. A knucklehead ride.’

Guardian
'Kernick generates a potent cocktail of thrills that makes contemporary London feel like Dodge City. A knucklehead ride.’

From the Back Cover
‘The next time I see Simon Kernick’s name on a book I will pick it up. Brilliant!’ Richard Madeley

Five grand for a couple of hours work?

It seems easy money, but the deal ex-mercenary Max Iversson is chasing has gone disastrously wrong. Two of his friends are dead. And now he wants to find out who’s behind their killings.

Detective Sergeant John Gallan is also looking for answers. He’s investigating the fatal poisoning of a nightclub doorman. But leads are scarce and, when they do appear, so do bodies.

As Iversson struggles to stay alive, Gallan keeps on digging, unearthing in the process a shocking crime that’s been unsolved for a long, long time.

What neither man knows is that they are heading towards a devastating confrontation that will see one of them staring down the wrong end of a gun.

‘I love this book! It’s hard, fast and tight and blasts through the London underworld like a speed boat on the Thames’ Lee Child

Customer Reviews

Bring back Iversson
Another winner. I have only just discovered author Simon Kernick's work after picking up RELENTLESS the other month in paperback, and after demolishing that in record time, I just came on Amazon and ordered 3 copies of his other books. This book will not disapoint, told in a unique and brave dual first person narrative, you get to be in the head of ex-soldier and Met. Copper - I really liked the Iversson character, as he sort of reminded me of Andy McNabs "Nick". It is great to discover a new writer and have his back catalog to go at. Just as you are getting sick of American crime novels along comes a homegrown talent that really knows how to spin a gritty British crime caper.

Getting Better All The Time.
I really enjoyed "The Business Of Dying", Simons first book. The question was, could he maintain or even improve those high standards? Well the "Murder Exchange" answers that with a resounding yes! So much so today I buy his third book & look forward to number four. Mr. Kernick is in the same league as Jake Arnott, & Mark Billingham: & by anyones standards that is well impressive company.
A truly atmospheric,clever, edge of the seat thriller; wonderful.

Clever, Original and Entertaining
This is a cleverly told thriller coming from a first person perspective, but it’s a little bit different than usual because the perspective alternates between two characters. This is achieved by changing perspective from chapter to chapter with the title of the chapter given to the character doing the talking. It’s also following a timeline that counts down to a zero hour scenario that gives the feeling of building to a tremendous crescendo. It’s very effective.

The two men telling the story are Max Iversson and John Gallan. Max Iversson is a former soldier, first with the army and then as a mercenary who now works as a personal bodyguard. He finds himself wanted by the police when a protection job goes horribly wrong. He realises he had been set up and wasn’t supposed to have survived and now is desperate to find out who set him up and why, while still avoiding apprehension by the law. John Gallan is that law, working as a Detective Sergeant in CID; he is trying to investigate an unrelated murder when Iversson’s name and business begin popping up throughout the investigation.

Mixed into the story and the lives of the two protagonists is an organised rime family, the Holtz family, and as with most stories involving organised crime, drugs, prostitutes and violence make their appearance. Iversson is pretty sure that it was the Holtz family that was involved in the set up, so he’s trying to find out why, as well as working out a way to get some sort of revenge. Gallan is pretty sure the Holtz family was somehow involved in the murder that he is working on and so he begins to tangle with them. The Holtz family is known to be ruthless towards anyone who crosses them no matter who they are, setting up a tremendous showdown as it becomes obvious that they’re all going to meet somehow. The results are not going to be pretty.

I like my thrillers to come with a fast-paced storyline carrying plenty of action sequences, which usually equates to full on violence. This book certainly fills that bill. The bad guys are ruthless, so are some of the good guys providing a no-holds-barred battle to the death. It’s a terrific follow up to Kernick’s first book, The Business of Dying, with a character or two making a return appearance here.