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KENNEDY 35

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KENNEDY 35

By: Charles Cumming
Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
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Charles Cumming’s gripping new thriller series surrounding Lachlan Kite's intelligence agency BOX 88

*Icarus 17, the fourth book in the gripping Lachlan Kite thriller series is available to pre-order now!*

Waterstones Best Espionage Thriller of the Year

Sunday Times Thriller of the Month

Financial Times Thriller of the Year

The location: West Africa

The player: 24-year-old spy Lachlan Kite

The target: A war criminal on the run

The objective: Kill or capture

Kite’s mission should be straightforward, but it soon turns into a terrifying game of cat and mouse along the beaches and backstreets of Senegal.

Now, nearly thirty years later, it seems the game isn’t over.

And unless Kite can turn the tables on his pursuers, the inner workings of the secret state could be exposed…

*The next book in the thrilling BOX 88 series, Icarus 17, is available to pre-order now*

Praise for KENNEDY 35

'A bold choice of setting, which adds skilful dabs of colour to a tightly wrought tale' The Times

‘A compelling exploration of the consequences of realpolitik and the intermingling of the personal with the political’ Guardian

‘Cumming marshals his twin time frames expertly and illuminates an awful chapter in recent history. A first-rate spy thriller’ Mail on Sunday

‘Atmospheric and packed with threat, it thrills on every single page’ Daily Mail

‘An enthralling, haunting work…taking the spy thriller to a new level of storytelling’ Financial Times

‘A compelling depiction of the various layers of infamy involved in an appalling blot on the history of humanity’ Literary Review

What Readers are saying about KENNEDY 35

'I couldn't put this down… a cracking read!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fast-paced and tightly plotted. If you love Ian Fleming you will adore this series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Charles Cumming has a fantastic way of bringing espionage thrillers to life' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Gripping, intricate, smart and suspenseful story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Plenty of action and a terrific plot, well told' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2023 Charles Cumming (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
Action & Adventure Espionage Genre Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Exciting Africa
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Critic reviews

Praise for Kennedy 35'Tense and Topical' Waterstones Best Espionage Thrillers of 2023
‘‘The Rwandan genocide still casts a long shadow in this haunting, masterful work, which also asks tough questions about international justice’ Financial Times, Thriller of the Year
‘Cumming is perhaps matched only by Gerald Seymour now when it comes to recounting field operations; and in the Senegal set piece — with its vivid sense of place, its echoes of le Carré and Greene — he excels himself’ Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month
'Cumming’s concern for his protagonist’s psychological development remains the most distinctive aspect of his writing, but he also deserves kudos for his bold choice of setting, which adds skilful dabs of colour to a tightly wrought tale' The Times
‘A compelling exploration of the consequences of realpolitik and the intermingling of the personal with the political’ Guardian
'A stylishly plotted page-turner' Daily Mail
‘Cumming marshals his twin time frames expertly and illuminates an awful chapter in recent history. A first-rate spy thriller’ Mail on Sunday
‘Atmospheric and packed with threat, it thrills on every single page’ Daily Mail
‘An enthralling, haunting work…taking the spy thriller to a new level of storytelling, one that illuminates the darkest corners of our modern world’ Financial Times
‘Compulsively readable’ Daily Telegraph
‘The unusual setting gives it real heft’ Sun
‘Educational and infuriating, this is a compelling depiction of the various layers of infamy involved in an appalling blot on the history of humanity’ Literary review
‘The action works to perfection, with thrills and suspense perfectly calibrated throughout’ Crime Time
All stars
Most relevant
Not Cummings best in my opinion - but a good spy yarn nevertheless. Plenty of loose ends left for another in series.

More spying adventures

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Nicholas Boulton has become one of my favourite narrators. His tone is neutral, warm and engaging. Character portrayal especially in this book is in my opinion excellent. Accents are believable, as is his pronunciation of non-English words. There is nothing to dislike.

Excellent narration of a fine book

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Can’t wait for the fourth! Would be great if they settled on a narrator. But a great book love the Senegal parts

Best of the three!

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Great story in the series of Loughlan Kite . I would say Charles Cummings is somewhat obsessed with material goods like Audemars Piguet watches etc . I found this rather unnecessary tbh that aside which is a very minor criticism it was excellent.

Great Spy Novel

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Unlike the first two books in the series, Kennedy 35 lacks the paranoia and sense of being ill at ease operating undercover - the feature that usually most distinguishes the author's' writing.

There are also almost too many uninteresting disposable characters here - actually became quite hard to follow who was who at one point - not helped by absence of pauses between short scene swaps (production issue).

So a bit generic and bland, perhaps a bit rushed even - but still a fun instalment, looking forward to the next one - hope the quality of the first two will return.

The narrator is once again superb - there appears to be no limit to his ramge.

A bit disappointing, but a solid third instalment

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