The book is about the search for her father following the death of her mother. She has grown up believing him dead, only to realise the man at the funeral with the scar is him. The search follows him into Cambodia, Vietnam & Thailand.

The books pulls no punches showing the full horrors of what happened in these areas and there is no romanticism on the effect the father’s lifestyle has had him. But as the story progresses you go on a journey with him. The characters are fully rounded and it is an emotion packed book.

I was already a fan of Peter May but this is by far the best of his books I have read. Gritty & real but he also manages to make it heart warming despite the horror it portrays. And the ending was perfect.

Peter May transports us to Cambodia at the time of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in a no hood barred tale of deceit and corruption. Elliott sets off to find a family for Yuan and soon realised where he can and cannot trust his fellow beings. It portrays the life of those wishing to escape and how others embrace corruption persecution and prostitution to survive
Amidst this Elliots daughter seeks to find the father she has been brought up to believe died many years ago and their two quests collide in Thailand
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and well researched novel my thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for an ARC copy to revuew

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. One of my favourite authors, this was good but nothing like the Lewis trilogys and so dragged on a bit

I always enjoy books by Peter May and I was interested to read this edited and republished book. Set in Thailand and Cambodia in the 1970's, it tells the story of Jack Elliot, a mercenary, hired to find the family of Mr Ang who were left behind in Cambodia when he fled the country. Jack's estranged wife has died and the daughter he never knew, has followed him across the world. A book about history and fatherhood. It is very well written and researched. I liked the central characters of Jack and Lisa. Plenty historical references coupled with tension, make this an interesting read. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would recommend it..My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Superb, sad and thought provoking. Yes
The story is set in the UK, Thailand and Cambodia. Jack is a former soldier who had been court marshalled for leading his men in a massacre of civilians in Aden. He is now a mercenary and is paid by Ang Young to rescue his family who are still in Cambodia. Running parallel to Jack’s story is that of his daughter. She has grown up thinking her father was dead but on the death of her mother she discovers that he is still alive and sets out to find him.
I found parts of the book quite harrowing because of of the sheer brutality of the Khumer Rouge . Those accounts rang true and whilst I was reading them all I could see were the mountains of skulls that typify that regime.
The book was well written and definitely “edge of your seat.” It is a book that will stay with me for a long time to come.
Thank you Peter May, Netgalley and Quercus Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion

Having read previous books by Peter May, this wasn’t what I was expecting at all. This is a novel Mr May wrote in the 1980’s which he has revised and is due for republication. The action of this book takes place in the late 1970’s in Thailand and Cambodia, which was then known as Kampuchea under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot. I did struggle with reading this one, although I am not sure why, as it is well written, but it may just not be my type of story. However, I am sure there will be many readers who will love this plot and story.

John (Jack) Elliott is ex British Army, but had been court marshalled and imprisoned for an incident that happened in Aden. On release he turned to be a ‘soldier of fortune’, a gun for hire. He has built a barrier around himself a wall to protect him from hurt. His wife had divorced him after Aden, and told their daughter that he was dead. Lisa (the daughter) was a young, naive, impressionable girl. Although this changed in the story as she travelled to Thailand in the search of her father, she soon learned how people will use and abuse you. Returning to London she is a different girl than she was when she went to Thailand.

Jack Elliott is hired for a lot of money by Ang Young to rescue his family, Serey his wife, Ny his daughter, and Hau his son, from Cambodia. Jack knows this is a dangerous mission for him and his team. Ang Young had managed to escape four years earlier.

The story is told through several voices, but with two plots running through. Jack going in to Cambodia to attempt to rescue Ang Young’s family. The second where Lisa loses her mother, to then find out her father is not dead, as she had been led to believe by her mother. Lisa is determined to go and find her father. The two stories are intertwined and keep you on edge, wondering how it is all going to end. I personally didn’t like how the book ended, but again that is me and my opinion. The book has some fairly descriptive scenes of what would have been happening in the region at the time. Which some may find difficult to read.

The book is well researched despite Mr May explaining that he was unable to go into Cambodia to do actual research. From reading this you would not get that impression, it is quite atmospheric at times, not just geographically but also from the political situation and the human suffering. It made you think of what was going on in those years.

I would like to thank netgalley and Ruverrun publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

This is my third Peter May book and each of them has been completely different from this super-talented author. This book was originally written in the 1980s but has had a re-vamp to fit more into the style of writing for today's readers.
It is 1978 and soldier of fortune Jack Elliott has been employed to get a small team together and go to Cambodia to rescue the family of a man that he had to leave behind in the war. Back home in Britain Lisa Robinson's mother had recently died leaving her an orphan with a small fortune she had known nothing about. She had told that her father had died when she was a baby, now she has discovered that her father is alive. She remembers a man standing watching the funeral and now knows it was him. His name is Jack Elliott. Lisa, after a bit of digging, decides to track him down and books a plane ticket to follow him.
This is quite an epic journey, violent, traumatic and life-changing. The chapters switch between Elliott, Lisa and the family he has set out to rescue. The descriptions of the camps where the families are kept are horrific, very much in line with the second world war atrocities. Boy soldiers forced to commit terrible acts of violence, starving families, rape and executions. The perilous rescue and endless trek towards safety that just keeps moving further out of reach.
Lisa is extremely vulnerable in her new environment, too trusting and nieve. A trip into a hell she would never forget and which costs far more than money. It seemed a country where life had little value and could be bartered for as an expendable commodity. I read it all with a very grim unbelievable understanding as to how people could treat fellow humans like this and I knew it was all too real.
I really couldn't put this book down as every page brought a new danger, a pure adrenaline rush of urgency, tension and heartache. Not everyone can have a happy ending, life just isn't like that. Another stunning story, so looking forward to reading more Peter May books.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

A disturbing thriller set in a very disturbing time and place. Characters are very well portrayed. with all their flaws..Not an easy read,makes you think about right and wrong,good and bad.

I really enjoyed reading this novel and don't understand some of the harsh reviews which have been published. The author explains at the beginning that the novel was originally written in the 1980s and he has recently updated it for re-release. He goes on to say that when he wrote the original, he was unable to access Cambodia to research the area in detail.

There are two main storylines in this book. Jack, ex-military, is a 'soldier of fortune' who is paid by Ang to rescue his family from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Meanwhile, Lisa loses her mother and discovers a father who she always believed to be dead. The two stories are very much intertwined and keep you guessing about what will happen in the end. Despite not travelling to east Asia whilst writing the book, the author has described the area in sufficient detail that you get a great sense of place and history. The events in Cambodia and Vietnam in the 1970s would have been recent when the book was originally written and are now historical references. I thought the whole novel was very well written, with great tension throughout, which keeps you turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a re-issue of one of Peter May's early books, written before he had become a bestselling author. His inexperience and unpolished writing come through clearly, although he has edited this version recently. The characterisations are not as strong, characters are inconsistent, and situations implausible, and events unbelievable. Having said all that, there is an honesty that shines through the story, and genuine angst about the events in Cambodia. I am a fan of his China series of books, and the more recent Scottish Isles books, so it was interesting to read something written before the author became capable of more sophisticated writing. I would not recommend it as a book to start with if you have never read him before.

’d forgotten that Peter May wrote this novel set in Cambodia so I was intrigued to read it. It’s been revised and rewritten since it was first published and is a step away from his Scottish novels, so it was interesting to discover.



It’s also very different from his other ones and has an older feel to it, but this is of course due to the twenty years difference in writing between them and the subject matter. Cambodia and the terrors of the Khmer Rouge are well-documented but I’ve never read about them in quite the same way before.



If you’ve ever wondered what life in Cambodia at that time must have been like, then this is the book for you. The author explains that he wasn't allowed to enter the country to research it. Hoiwever, he didn't let that stop him. This author has ways of finding things out! The plot is strong to shine a light on the subject matter. Moreover, the time and place really make this a striking read in many ways.


It’s very graphic in places and the sense of violence and injustice are of course going to play a major part in this kind of novel. John Elliot as a former officer in the British army. Working now as an assassin for hire. He’s on his most dangerous case yet of helping someone to find someone. There’s lots of adventure and action scenes which were thrilling but for me the power of this book lies in the human angle, the human aspect of living in the times of such political turmoil. Times of danger, death and constant fear of the Khmer Rouge.

Reading about it in a history book is hard enough, but in a novel, it's even more so. In the novel you get a real sense of the daily life in that country. You really get under the skin of what is going on and you get to know the people in the country. Peter May has a unique style and way of mixing cultural and political history with gripping plots and interesting characters and this book proves to be a timely reminder.

A wonderful story of the savage times set around the PolPot regime in Cambodia. Two tales of a mercenary soldier and his daughter merge in this exciting yarn as the soldier and two companions attempt the rescue of a small family from a Cambodian forced labour camp. The daughter is attempting to find him and has followed to Thailand where her own adventures lead to betrayal and captivity. Brilliantly evocative one can smell the jungle feel the tension and emotion as it all builds to an explosive conclusion. Superb!

I’ve read a number of books by Peter May and really enjoyed them all as they are well written and compelling stories.
I was excited to receive The Noble Path as a review copy via NetGalley and once I started reading it I realised it was going to be even more interesting as it had a historical aspect too.
In the preface May explains that the book was written many years ago but he has slightly edited it and republished. Obviously the original book was not historical but current when written.
Despite the fact it is a republished book I felt that it was just as relevant. today as it tells of refugees and their treatment.
Jack Elliot, a soldier of fortune is hired by Mr Ang to rescue his wife and two children whom he was forced to leave behind in Kampuchea when he escaped.
They are in a work camp prisoners of the Khmer Rouge.
Jack sets off with 2 other ex soldiers and heads to Thailand to buy weapons and enter Cambodia.
Meanwhile his estranged wife dies leaving his teenage daughter alone and when she discovers her father, whom she thought was dead, is actually alive, she follows him to Thailand.
However Jack has already crossed the border into Cambodia and Lisa is left alone, an innocent among some very evil people who befriend and then betray her.
These two parallel stories are told and both had me turning the pages to see if Lisa and Jack would ever get to meet.
The main theme of the book seems to be fractured family relationships. Jack and Lisa have never met, Ang’s wife feels betrayed by her husband and the children have barely seen him.
Due to his past and acts committed as a soldier in wartime conditions Jack feels that he cannot allow himself to form relationships or care for anyone.
I really liked the characters in the book, particularly Jack and Lisa. Grace was interesting and also conflicted, supposedly helping, Lisa yet happy to betray her.
The historical research about the Khmer Rouge and the boat people was impeccable and I learnt a lot about this time in the 1970s which is now history.
I highly recommend this book as a well written historical thriller.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of The Noble Path, a stand alone adventure set in Thailand and Cambodia originally published in 1992 and recently revised and republished.

In late 1978 mercenary Jack Elliot is offered a large sum of money to rescue Ang Serey and her two children from Cambodia by her husband, Yuon, who had managed to escape four years earlier. Cambodia is a genocidal, fanatical, communist regime so it will be a dangerous mission. In the meantime Jack’s daughter Lisa learns that he is not dead as she had been told and is determined to connect with him.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Noble Path which is a highly improbable but exciting and addictive read. The narrative switches between the two plots, Jack and Lisa’s separate adventures, with several voices in each. That sounds confusing and the switching can be choppy at times but the multiple voices within each narrative are well done and enrich the read rather than distract or confuse. As I said, the plots are improbable but I just went with the flow and soon got involved. I found Jack’s story exciting and couldn’t help rooting for him as he and his small team blast their way across Cambodia (Mr May’s term as it was officially called Kampuchea). Lisa’s story is something else, more a tale of lost innocence and degradation. It is unedifying and I found it hard to sympathise with her as I couldn’t shake the idea that her stupidity brought it about. I don’t like to think what it says about me as she suffered, although, to be honest, her story seems like an add on that could have been easily deleted and not missed.

Mr May admits in his forward that he couldn’t get into Cambodia for research but it isn’t obvious as the novel is very atmospheric from the geography to the political situation and the human suffering. It is extremely well done and eye opening.

The Nobel Path is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

In a departure from his normal writing of books in series Peter May gives his readers a monumental stand alone novel dealing with events in Cambodia and Thailand during the period of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. It was a time of massive murder of the people of these countries by a group of homicidal maniacs that had taken power with unlimited self awarded powers.
Two people are featured as central characters in order to tell two separate stories of those affected by the horrors of events in Cambodia and Thailand. First is Jack Elliot, a soldier of fortune who has been tasked with bringing out a wife and two children from the domain of the Khmer Rouge by their father that had deserted the family as they were taken away. He now expresses regrets and is willing to pay Jack to mastermind their freedom and bring them to him. The second is 18 year old Lisa Robinson who is actually Jack's daughter and looking for her father. Jack does not know he has a daughter. On the other hand Lisa has caught a glimpse of her father at her mother's funeral.
Mr May paints pictures of both individuals to tell the story. First Jack assembling a small crew of himself and two others and their trip into the interior of the area ruled by the Khmer Rouge. The author's graphic description of the horrors inflicted on the people are probably the best I'v read delineating the monumental excesses of a group that were admittedly more maniacal than any other such savages down through history. The reader is there looking on and in all probability will not be able to stop following the descriptions. The period was followed by reporters of all media, but nothing they ever wrote can bring out what Peter May does.
Lisa decides to look for her father and learning from a friend of his that he has gone to Cambodia decides to travel there to search for him. Mr May is able to draw in the reader with his description of Lisa's travels, her loss of any innocence she may have come with when faced with the reality of what she encounters. The novel is an excellent one and even if alone as the author's product does inscribe him into a select group of writers.

I have enjoyed reading Peter May novels for sometime now especially the 'Lewis Trilogy' and 'The China Thrillers' but unfortunately this one did not rise to those high standards.
The original novel was written some time ago but was rewritten / edited to exclude sex scenes that were more fashionable at the time of its release.
There are two stories running in this novel, firstly discredited British Army officer Jack Elliot facing the task of rescuing a family in Cambodia from the evil regime where they face death. And secondly eighteen year old orphan Lisa Robinson searching for the father she never knew was alive, the same Jack Elliott.

This is a decent read and certainly worth a look but not the author's best work

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Quercus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of Peter May, particularly his books in the Lewis trilogy.

This was a reissue of a novel written by Peter May back in the 198O’s. I must admit that I was a tad disappointed that it wasn’t another one of Peter May’s excellent novels set in Scotland. This is a strong book nevertheless, with some portrayals of life in Cambodia during the civil war and genocide of a nation 1975-79 under the new name of Kampuchea, as it was subsequently renamed under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot.

John Elliot, a former officer in the British Army who was once jailed in disgrace has now become a soldier of fortune, a mercenary or assassin for hire and will take on difficult assignment if the price is good. He is asked to rescue a family out of the hell of Kampuchea by a former Vietnamese businessman, now very wealthy and an American citizen, who left his family and his conscience behind when he escaped and left them behind. The job is a dangerous one and a team of other mercenaries is recruited to join the mission.
Unfortunately, John Elliot has an estranged relationship with his daughter who travels to Thailand to find her father. He also has a price on his head for his involvement in a killing in Northern Ireland.
With some tense action scenes but also heartbreaking examples of life for the broken people who are left behind to be used and abused by the soldiers of the Khmer Rouge, once the middle classes and intellectuals of the nation have been systematically executed bringing the nation back to the Middle Ages.

I can remember this time in history and reading the articles at the time published by the award winning John Pilger, one of the only journalists of that time to be reporting on the horrors of the genocide. It was difficult to read the heartbreaking articles at the time I remember.

An interesting book, a fast paced one but not one I feel is Peter May’s best.

Well worth republishing. The Vietnam war has fallen out of favor as far as contemporary thrillers go but this book is well worth revisiting. It's a little dated in parts but once you know it was written years ago and take that into account when reading it's a pacy, well researched and surprisingly poignant read

** spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars
A fast paced book,set mostly in the madness of the Kmher Rouge take over,and the sheer carnage and senseless violence that came with it.
I felt the other parts,focussing on daughter Lisa let the book down slightly.
Her story arc was pretty predictable from the off.
That aside,I was rooting for Jack and his soldiers of fortune and the family they were sent to rescue the whole way... and even when that came to an end,I still felt the tension for what I knew was coming.

3 - 4 stars. This is a reissue with some changes, of a book that Peter May originally wrote in the 1980’s. There was much in the book I thought was very good and it seemed extremely well researched but I felt the ending was too protracted and I lost some focus. The action in this thriller principally took place in the late 70’s Thailand and Cambodia then known as Kampuchea under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, when Jack Elliot was hired by Ang Yuon to rescue his family (wife Serey, daughter Ny, son Hau) from Cambodia.

John (Jack) Elliot was ex British Army, court martialled and imprisoned for an incident in Aden, turned soldier of fortune, a gun for hire as he demonstrated in bandit country otherwise known as Armagh, Northern Ireland where the action began. Jack has developed a hard exterior, a protective barrier, which was caused by guilt and as he explained in the book ‘no one loves you’, ‘Deaths too easy. Life’s much harder’. However, he showed some vulnerability later on which was interesting. He had been married but following Aden his wife divorced him and told his daughter Lisa that he was dead. Lisa was young, naive, impressionable although this changed throughout the action in the book as she took the decision to search for Elliot and followed him to Thailand. I found this very contradictory as it didn’t seem to gel with how she was portrayed and I’m not certain whether a young girl ,on her own, in the late 70’s with zero experience would have done this????? However, in Thailand she learned to her cost that people will use you and abuse you and she returned to Britain a different girl.

There were some excellent descriptions of Thailand some of which were very beautiful but the less appealing side was clearly shown too. The most fascinating parts took place in Cambodia where the effects of the regime and returning society to the Year Zero were graphically portrayed. Peter May demonstrated how the people were broken in spirit and body by the forced return to an agrarian society. One scene in a former school were especially unsettling. As a contrast to Phnom Penh under the Khmer Rouge there were some beautiful descriptions of how it was before 1975 which made it even sadder.

Elliot did rescue the Cambodian family but he paid a high price, as did they. In particular Ny who sacrificed herself and her body to save her family. Overall, there was much to praise in the book but the escape from Cambodia just went on too long for me and I lost some interest. The ending was one step too far for me. It did help to already have some knowledge of these events but it isn’t by any means essential as it’s clearly explained.