Johnson served as Secretary of State, Home Secretary, and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in the British government’s Labour Party and showed a talent for writing with four volumes of memoirs that became best-sellers. Now with the same flair he has taken to writing mystery novels. As Russian gangs try to gain power in London, a young Ukrainian woman becomes a target. She is given some protection by an innocent admirer that draws him into the maelstrom too. A fast-moving, exciting thriller that holds the reader’s attention. I’m looking forward to more by Johnson. Highly recommended. ( )

It's a thriller about Russians doing bad things in present day London (or Londongrad as it is called), with a bent cop in the mix. The plot is twisty and there's a surprise ending, of sorts, that makes it worth reading. It's a debut novel and the story-telling is busy: a lot going on and some characters with no purpose. Most of the English people in the story are bystanders to the action, except for the protagonist, Gary, an innocent caught up in the Russian's bad acts. The plot line about the bent cop fits in well, even though it seems like an add-on. ( )

Surprizingly good. Thoroughly enjoyable. Recommended. ( )

Cleverly worked plot, very relevant with Russians and Ukrainians involved. Premise is a young worker in a boring job suddenly thrust into threatening events he doesn't understand, simply by being on the late train to Gypsy Hill at the wrong time. ( )

I have enjoyed Alan Johnson’s various volumes of memoirs – I had a particular personal interest because he had, briefly, been Secretary of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (now the Department for Education) while I worked there. It would be fair to say that throughout his short period in the Department, he had been conspicuous principally by his virtual invisibility, but I had still thought that he might have some juicy morsel to dispense, with which to whet the salacious appetites of my fellow functionaries.

Those memoirs certainly told an amazing story – especially the first volume, This Boy, and his journey from desperate, poverty-stricken childhood in the post war years in what is now affluent Notting Hill, but was then run-down Notting Dale, to serving in the Cabinet is utterly life-affirming.

This is his first novel, and he has taken to the format very confidently, weaving an exciting and engrossing story about infighting between Russian and Ukrainian gangsters across London. It veers more towards the light-hearted end of the crime genre, but does not allow that to compromise the plot. His protagonist, Gary Nelson, is charming in his lack of heroic pretension (although that does not prevent him displaying considerable courage and integrity throughout), and it is all too plausible that he should fall so heavily for the alluringly beautiful woman whom he sees on his commuter train each morning.

This was a thoroughly entertaining novel, and I am looking forward to the next in the series. ( )