Thanks to Gordon Bickerstaff and Emma Welton of DampPebbles blog tours for a copy of Everything to Lose in exchange for an honest review.
Everything to Lose by Gordon Bickerstaff
Genre: Spy thriller
Publisher: indie
Publication Date: January 2015
Blurb
The chase is on…
While chasing down illegal sports drugs, Gavin and Zoe stumble into the greatest unresolved mystery of World War 2.
University researchers claim their new product will boost the performance of every athlete in the world. The Lambeth Group send a scientist, Gavin Shawlens, to investigate the claim.
The product is stolen, top athletes disappear, and the research team are unaware that their product has a dangerous side effect. Gavin must stop the product launch before more people die horribly. When Gavin disappears, Zoe Tampsin, from the Lambeth Group, must find him before he becomes the next victim.
As if Zoe hasn’t got enough on her plate. Past events in Gavin’s life catch up with him. A powerful US general has decided that Gavin must die to prevent exposure of a 60-year-old secret capable of world-changing and power-shifting events. (From Amazon blurb of Everything to Lose)
My thoughts
This is book two of the Lambeth Group thriller series, but I was able to follow along just fine. In my e-edition, Gordon Bickerstaff includes a section at the end about the Lambeth Group’s background and a few tidbits about both Gavin and Zoe. (I encourage you to read this first, as it will help clarify some initial questions.)
And if you’ve ever been around government folks, you know they adore acronyms! So he also offers a glossary of the various ones used in the book, which is helpful when the various politicians start tossing them around in dialogue.
Plot
This book hit the ground running and never stopped. This book was a lot of fun to read! Bickerstaff does a great job developing tension, both between the Lambeth group and their enemies, and within the group itself.
The book opens with scenes from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, as Hitler watches his rowing team lose and demands his scientists to discover whatever “energy boost” formula the winners used to trump his team. Then we jump to the present day as sports trainer Aiden finds himself backed into a financial corner by ruthless police officers. Then he disappears.
As top athletes disappear, rumors fly about sports drugs and falsified scientific research testing the new wonder drug. The Lambeth group gets involved and sends Zoe, Gavin, and several others to investigate at the university where the research is conducted.
Gavin is suicidal in his grief over losing the love of his life, Emma, in the previous book. Having this assignment is exactly what he needs to jolt him from his suicidal ideation and help him restart life. But his emotional fragility means that Zoe, as his leader, can’t fully trust him. It’s a good dynamic to have: Zoe can’t trust Gavin, Gavin can’t fully trust his own mind, and neither can trust anyone at the university. It puts tension into every aspect of this investigation.
That tension never lets up. While there are many story threads to keep track of, Bickerstaff does a great job weaving them together into a coherent story.
Characters
I found both Gavin and Zoe sympathetic characters. Gavin’s a bit of a bumbling absent-minded professor type, coupled with some serious social awkwardness. At times, he’s endearing; at others, he’s rude; and sometimes, he’s both simultaneously.
Zoe aptly describes herself as a hurricane. She’s fiercely protective of those under her care, and like all good spy thriller heroines, she knows how to fight and kill to reach her goals. Unlike many other spy heroines, though, Zoe seems empathetic toward others; when someone under her care dies, she isn’t afraid to cry and openly mourn, though she doesn’t let it get in the way of her work.
It’s also refreshing to read about a spy who has a life apart from her work. I got a good laugh out of reading about Zoe and her buddy Toni competing against each other in various crazy adrenaline-fueled challenges. Their latest? See who can parallel park a 62-ton Challenger battle tank! (I’ll leave these two badass Girl Scouts to it and hope they upload a video of this on Youtube.)
These two have a natural chemistry. Their banter is enjoyable to read. If you’re expecting them to have an openly sexual element to their relationship, you may be disappointed.
What they have is stronger than mere sexual attraction. It’s more like the bond between two military personnel who are fighting in the same battle; they have to trust each other with their lives. If a sexual relationship happens in later books, it will only be building on a good foundation of deep friendship.
Narrative Style
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I was tripped up by the number of sentence fragments used. Sometimes they worked to emphasize some point. Sometimes, though, they distracted me. There were also some unusual verb tense shifts throughout.
Emotional engagement
But those problems are minor things. The important thing was that I kept reading. And reading. And reading . . .
This was one of those books where I promise myself that I’ll read only one more chapter. Hours later, I look at the time and realize that I have to fix dinner or my family will riot. (Easy solution: I have them cook and I “supervise” while reading! Priorities, you know.)
By the end of the first four chapters, I felt emotionally attached to the various characters and invested in the outcome. As I’ve found with other books, if the author keeps me emotionally engaged with the story, then I can forgive-and-forget minor technical issues.
I read the book with bated breath, wondering what would happen next. Bickerstaff didn’t let me down. As I turned the last page, I felt satisfaction and suspense in equal measures at the cliffhanger ending. Well-done.
Recommended for all who love spy thrillers!
Buy the Book!
Purchase Links:
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Everything-Lose-Gordon-Bickerstaff/9781495972379
About Gordon Bickerstaff
I was born and brought up in Glasgow, Scotland. I studied biochemistry, and I’ve worked in several Scottish universities where I did research on enzymes, and taught biochemistry. After thirty years of teaching and research I retired my academic pen, and took of a mightier fiction pen.
I live in central Scotland with my wife and we enjoy reading, writing, and walking in the hills.
The Lambeth Group books follow the secret government investigations of agent Zoe Tampsin. A strong female protagonist with courage, determination, and guile. She is assisted by specialist consultant, Gavin Shawlens.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GFBickerstaff
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gordon-bickerstaff
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5776209.Gordon_Bickerstaff
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Like spy thrillers? Check out my review for The Kompromat Kill.