Angel of Death (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A COLD WIND BLEW IN FROM BELFAST LOUGH, DRIVing rain across the city..." (more)
Key Phrases: muslin trousers, girl dear, champagne bar, Prime Minister, Rupert Lang, Grace Browning (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The main plot device in Higgins's new thriller has a certain comic-strip blaze to it: a female British motorcyclist in black leather who carries a Beretta pistol and kills only to create chaos. This angel of death is also Britain's greatest actress, Grace Browning, relishing her new role as assassin of political activists of every stripe, be they Arab or Israeli, Catholic or Protestant, CIA or KGB, East End gangster or American senator. Browning belongs to a group that calls itself "January 30," seemingly in honor of Bloody Sunday in Belfast but actually in honor of nothing but the chaos that she and her homosexual superior, an old KGB hand who's now on Prime Minister John Major's staff, hope will usher in a worldwide Communist state. Pitted against January 30 and Browning are Brigadier Charles Ferguson of the PM's elite Group Four and his most devilish agent, returning Higgins hero Sean Dillon (On Dangerous Ground), ex-actor, ex-IRA hit man and master makeup artist. It's assassin vs. assassin, actor against actor, in this shallow and far-fetched yet exciting yarn, which needs all of Higgins's considerable expertise to stay on course as it hurtles from one nervy thrill to the next. BOMC main selection.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Sean Dillon, a former Irish terrorist turned undercover agent, and his boss, Brigadier Charles Ferguson, make their latest appearance (following On Dangerous Ground, Putnam, 1994) in a lively but rather predictable shoot-'em-up set primarily in the United Kingdom. A terrorist group, born from communism, is killing in the name of Irish nationalism. Their real purpose, however, is to foment anarchism and chaos among the major powers. Can Dillon, partner Hannah Bernstein, and Ferguson track down this band and prevent additional murder? Given the author's writing talent, it is disappointing to find the characters barely sketched and the plot clunking from one episode to the next. Unhappily, by attributing his characters' need for mayhem solely to bloody episodes witnessed in their youth, he cheapens the achievements of real people who have managed to survive Bloody Sunday and other violence. Purchase only where Higgins has a following.?Elsa Pendleton, Boeing Computer Support Svcs., Ridgecrest, Cal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 341 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; 1st edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425152235
• ISBN-13: 978-0425152232
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #535,158 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 4 in The IRA Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner, July 6, 2002

By	Charles Lewis (Macon, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sean Dillon was once the most feared soldier in the Irish
Republican Army, until one day he had enough of the destruction.
Now he works for the other side, the most successful agent in the
British government's fight against terrorism. But when he is
rescued from an ambush by a member of "January 30," the newest
and most dangerous terrorist organization, he has to wonder who
his friends and enemies really are.

This is the nucleus of Jack Higgins' Angel of Death. And this
novel is as well done as all of Higgins' other works. It has
interesting characters, plenty of action, and well-written
dialog.

Part of the fascination in this particular book is the inside
view we get of "January 30." Instead of the typical politically
motivated fanatics, this group is composed of four persons - a
Russian spy, a member of the British government, a college
professor, and a young actress - united by the excitement of the
hunt. For the spy, the purpose of their activities is a chaos
that will ultimately yield the collapse of the British system,
but the others are much more interested in the action than in the
results.

When the group saves Dillon, therefore, it was not out of any
hidden loyalty to the government. When he becomes involved in the
government's attempt to achieve a stable peace in Northern
Ireland, they know he will have to die. The struggle between the
two is a major part of this novel, and Higgins is quite skilled
in showing us both points of view and yet maintaining suspense.

But there are a number of other plots intertwined. At one point,
for example, Dillon goes to the Middle East to deal with the arms
dealer who had set up the ambush that opens the novel. He is
there for only a few hours when he is recognized and captured by
one of the many factions that are at war there. You know he is
going to escape - it's much too early to kill of your main
character - but I think the way it's done will surprise you.

Higgins also involves the United States in the story. In order to
maintain the cease fire that is in existence in Ireland, the
British Prime Minister requests President Clinton to send Senator
Patrick Keogh (a modern JFK) to mediate between the two factions.
But extremists on both sides are determined to prevent any real
peace, so Dillon is selected to act as his body guard. And now
"January 30" comes back into the picture.

This is a true page turner; I began it one Saturday morning and
finished it before I went to bed that night. I had to know how it
turned out before I could go to sleep!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Story, October 17, 2003

By	Vincent Giovannini (Reno, Nevada USA) - See all my reviews

This was a fantastic story! The plot was able to change with little hints. This book like many of Jack Higgins' are great at charcter build up. It will make you want to keep reading till the very end. I would like to quote Tom Clancy, "JACK HIGGINS IS THE MASTER."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bland, April 15, 2002

By	John G. Hilliard (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Angel of Death (Hardcover)

I did not believe the story of the characters at all, neither was well developed. The author also tried to go down the path of the "dark, brooding" lead that will alone save the world and he did not pull it off. I also did not like some of the writing; I found it a bit forced or dry. Not much between the covers. Sure the story sounds interesting, but somehow that does not translate to what is actually written. Overall, this is not that great of a book. There are many others out there that are better.