The hero of the book is Dan Raglan, an English ex foreign Legion member who is called back from his semi-retirement to help resolve an abduction case in London. The plot takes him through London and across Europe.

The book was very well researched and all the action taking place, described beautifully but without much ornamentation.
As a first time reader of one of Gilman books I found it a little tricky to get into the narrative and follow how different characters related to each other. But after a while I did get to grips with it and really enjoyed the pace of the story. I really like how the author took time to explain how the fake tattoos are fitted and made. A detail I have always been curious about.

I did enjoy reading the book but am generally more of a person that likes a character to develop and I could not see that in Dan Raglan. I’m looking forward to seeing whether some character development can be found in the next book about him.

An action packed wonderful novel of revenge for a Russian mafia crime that starts with a kidnap in London finishing in a Siberian gulag. The title character is an ex Foreign Legionnaire called in by MI6 to assist in the initial kidnap hunt. The death toll mounts throughout until the thrilling denouement. All the travels across Europe are beautifully described as well as even details of false tattoos are included. Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended!

I loved Night Flight to Paris, David Gilman's last book and was hoping for a sequel so I was surprised when The Englishman came along and slightly disappointed - until I started to read what soon became obvious to me is a first rate contemporary thriller which introduces a new hero in the Englishman – Dan Raglan, a one-time member of the French Foreign Legion, and a killer in his own right.

His backstory is well investigated and helps explain how he has become the man he is. He is living in semi-retirement alongside other Legion veterans when he is called back to solve a kidnapping and eventual murder of a well known banker who turns out to be a secret service asset.

There is a complex plot involving the Russian mafia and a seemingly suicidal revenge mission into a Russian Gulag but as you can imagine, Raglan comes through in the end.

Well researched and written as you would expect from such an experienced writer, this book drew me in from the beginning and has introduced a new hero in Raglan and I well suspect this is the first of a new series.

If so I welcome the fact as this was an excellent and exciting book.

Heartily recommended.