Great story, fabulous author with brilliant writing and plot. Highly recommend to others, and cannot wait for more by this author.

4★
“‘. . . must have been on to these guys. We need to somehow find out what she knew. The feds won’t talk to me for obvious reasons. You got anyone inside?’

‘I’ll have a think.’

Bailey thought he almost caught Ronnie smile. ‘You do that.’ A guy like Ronnie Johnson always had someone on the inside.”

That’s one of the problems here – people on the inside. The enemy within. This is the third outing with Ayliffe’s former war correspondent character John Bailey. We know from the first two books what he’s faced, what he’s risked, and what he’s lost, and we also know he’s always at risk of backsliding.

Now his paper is retrenching journalists and going digital, so he could – should – retire. But he can’t override his investigative instincts, so we find him from the first page knocking on an apartment door in a crowded Sydney building. No answer.

“Bailey looked up just in time to see a body falling from the sky.

Leaping to his feet, he fell backwards into the wall, hands hugging bricks, seeking shelter from the arms and legs flailing in the air until, almost in slow motion, the body landed with a loud thud on the footpath.”

It’s not the only body we’ll see, nor the only death attributed to suicide or petty crime, but Bailey is convinced everything is linked to some right-wing extremists who have begun radicalising those people who feel threatened by foreigners. It doesn’t matter who the current target is. It depends on who people are worried about – Muslims, Asians, Blacks, refugees.

In other words, white supremacists are taking advantage of the people on the dark web who are searching for a cause, something to give them importance. I believe they refer to Islamic terrorism as left-wing, and I have to admit that was new to me!

“Top of his list was trying to understand how … had managed to differentiate left-wing and right-wing terrorism. What the hell was the difference? Was he really suggesting that Islamic terrorism was left-wing, with far right extremists being the opposite end of the ideological spectrum?

And how did …’s murder fit into all of this? Are his alleged attackers left-wing terrorists because he’s a darling of the right? The distinction was utter nonsense.”

What wasn’t new to me, but is horrifying, is the powers the AFP (Australian Federal Police) have at their disposal, and in this instance, they weren’t used against the original “terrorists”, as the public knows them, but against Bailey himself! Here he is, looking into far-right violence, when he gets a surprise visit from the AFP.

Arriving home, he saw police and flashing lights at his house and knew that the woman who had contacted him about information must have been onto something. They had worked together years ago about a cover-up in Afghanistan, and obviously somebody had gotten wind of their recent meeting.

Bailey survived torture and 10 months captivity in Iraq and many years of alcoholism and grief. He is not easily shaken. Calling for ‘backup’ before he gets to the house, he hopes to stall, and insists on reading the whole search warrant. But he is actually shaken when he sees how much they can do to his belongings.

“There was one other clause he found deeply disturbing. It related to every electronic device found in Bailey’s possession. Computers. Phones. Storage devices. Police had the power to search whatever they wanted. And more. Bailey was trying not to panic as the words filtered through his eyes and into his brain. The warrant said they had the power to ‘add, copy, delete or alter’ anything they found on his electronic devices.”

This has been a big issue in Australia. How much is too much? Where do we draw the line on privacy, and how can you ever ensure “appropriate oversight”? Here’s what they can do.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/med...

This stinks. They’re supposed to be on the same side, and it’s looking as if there may be an “enemy within” the police somewhere. Of course, this kind of thing also feeds into the conspiracy theories about The State taking over.

I found the first half slower than the previous two books, but it definitely picks up at the midway point. It’s good to see characters from the previous books and also to see Bailey remain true to style. He stocks up on shirts at a local charity shop, and at the rate his are ruined by guns and fights, no wonder. Who cares anyway?

“It was true that Bailey was a well-known journalist, but he wasn’t exactly a household name. He’d always shunned offers to be an ‘expert’ on television. He wasn’t the type of person who got stopped in the street. He was an old-school print man with a name that rang bells but a face that barely anyone knew.”

However, when he is searching for a homeless girl who might be a witness he needs, he approaches a free meal van and realises he may need to clean up his act.

“‘We’ll start serving food in around fifteen minutes. Still getting set up.’

The response made Bailey uncharacteristically self-conscious about his appearance. Maybe his daughter was right. Maybe the flannelette shirt, jeans and Blundstone boots combo didn’t cut it any more. Although his stubbly face and shaggy, unkempt hair probably didn’t help. ‘I’m not here for a feed,’ Bailey said, trying not to sound defensive.”

There are smuggled guns, more bodies (good, bad, and ugly) and plenty of action. This happens just before Covid-19 hits Australia, so there’s no virus to contend with, but the rest of the story is immediate and frightening.

Thanks Tim, for another good yarn, and thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.

I am way overdue to give feedback on this book, but wanted to read the first two books in the series first and given how I feel about them I am sure that I will love this third book in the series. I have just finished State of Fear and cannot wait to start The Enemy Within!

Yet another fantastic book by Tim Ayliffe. I am hooked.

Not being the biggest reader of crime, thrillers or mystery novels I have come to enjoy some of them and Tim's novels have to be my favourite. I love that he doesn't pad them out with unimportant, over descriptive nonsense. He writes well and the story flows, keeping the action and suspense happening so that you just have to keep reading. Again, I just couldn't put tis book down.

John Bailey, a journalist that has been through some rough times, to say the least, is at it again. He clamps onto a story and doesn't let it go until all is done and dusted. Characters from past books come to light again in this one, But one of the good things about the writing is that although there are numerous characters they all have a place and you can follow what is happening and where they all fit in.

This is a book about the world we live in and covers so many problems in our world today. It is intriguing, thrilling and even a bit scary but better still it is a fantastic read and I can't wait until the next installment.

The Enemy Within is Tim Ayliffe’s third exciting thriller to feature investigative journalist John Bailey.

After a young Sudanese man is beaten into a coma only streets away from where a white supremacists rally was held just hours earlier, Bailey, writing a piece on the rise of right wing extremism for the launch issue of a new independent magazine, finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy determined to start a race war.

Fast paced and offering plenty of action, elements of the plot are recognisable from headline events including the emboldening of various hate groups (supported by political, media and law enforcement leaders), the cull of experienced investigative media, and the AFP raid on a journalist. I really like the way that Ayliffe (a former journalist himself) grounds his stories so that events seem plausible, and are relevant to Australian society. I found it easy to guess who was behind the direct actions of the extremists, but the identity of other players came as a surprise.

Up against a well resourced and connected enemy, Bailey gets some help in The Enemy Within from his former newspaper colleagues, Gerald Summers, and Marjorie, plus ex-CIA agent (among other things) Ronnie Johnson. Unable to trust the police, when they learn of the supremacists end game Bailey and Ronnie physically take on the threat in a tense showdown.

Bailey is in a fairly good place in this third novel,. He remains sober, he has grown closer to his daughter, he has adopted a dog, and his PTSD from his time as a captive in Iraq is rarely close to the surface. Though he is still mourning the death of his girlfriend (in State of Fear), there is a hint of possibility of a new romance in forthcoming books when Bailey reunites with a former lover, TV journalist Annie Brooks.

The bushfires raging along the coast of NSW, which creates a pall of smoke over Sydney, and a throwaway line that refers to the incipient pandemic dates the timeline at January 2020. Set in Sydney, readers familiar with the city will recognise locations such as the Lindt Cafe and Bondi Beach.

The Enemy Within is a gripping, tense and entertaining read. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the previous novels, The Greater Good and State of Fear, to enjoy this novel but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Set in Sydney, Australia at the start of 2020 with bushfires raging down the south east coast, The Enemy Within by Tim Ayliffe is smoking hot! Fast paced and action filled there is hardly time to take a breath as John Bailey, an experienced investigative journalist who worked intensely in war torn areas overseas, started looking into the white supremacy movement which seems to have gained momentum in the world and even in Australia.
While this is the third in a series of John Bailey stories this didn’t prevent my totally enjoyment of this story. Great character development and lot of personal tension and interactions that gave an added dimension to the plot.
Highly recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Simon & Schuster for a copy to read and review.

Tim Ayliffe is an Australian journalist who has used his experience to write two previous stories of former war correspondent, John Bailey. The Enemy Within is the third of the series and sees John working on a magazine article on nationalist and white supremacy extremists. Having enjoyed the others, this can still be read as a standalone novel and has the usual current day references to be a refreshing new international thriller. It begins with a body falling from the sky in front of John and then goes back in time to reveal the gripping tale of John’s investigation. Note, the earlier two adventures have an international locale but this book tackles the ultra-right extremist groups in an Aussie context. A most enjoyable read with a four-star rating and another John Bailey book due out later this year. With many thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes.

This is the first book written by Tim Ayliffe that I have read, and even though this book is a part of the John Bailey series it certainly can be read as a stand-alone novel.

I found the story to be face paced, action packed and well written.

I will have to check out the first two books in this series and keep an eye out for what comes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author, for so kindly gifting me this novel to read and review.

This was a really good read. I haven’t read any of the previous John Bailey books, but this did not affect my ability to approach this one. Bailey is a respected seasoned journalist who covered the Afghanistan and Iraqi Wars in the early 2000s (and exposed a war crime purportedly carried out by Australian special forces – an accolade that won him no fans in the upper echelons of government and the military). Now back home in Sydney and recovering from the drink and nightmares from his coverage overseas, Bailey has quit his job at a large mainstream newspaper and is now investigating the rise of the alt-right and white supremacy in Australia for a new indie newspaper outfit.

In the symbolic shadow of the fires that raged across Australia in early 2020 and blanketed Australia’s capital cities with smoke, Bailey’s reporting quickly drags him into a sinister world of far-right extremism. The movement is well resourced, organised, and appears to have contacts in high places. Teaming up with an ex-CIA colleague, and an investigative TV reporter, Bailey ultimately uncovers a disturbing plot to incite racial hate in Australia - seemingly with the explicit approval of the apparatus of the state itself.

While I don’t know the full background of Bailey as a result of not having read the previous novels, the character is well-defined and likeable (reminds me a little of Max Payne in some ways). The plot and matter has relevance given the rise of alt-right movements worldwide in recent years and the Australian angle is different (if terrifying). A lot of research and detail was performed on the part of Ayliffe – that much is clear. Overall a 4.5/5 star book from me – will pick up his earlier books as a result.

My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and NetGalley for their provision of an ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon Schuster Australia publishers for this eARC.
I have not read any of Tim Ayliffe, or the John Bailey series before, and it is really good.
This is number three but can definitely be read as a standalone.
Well written and a constant pace.
As a fellow Australian, I found this vey informative and liked that I had heard about a lot of the content that was in this book.
John Bailey is a very likeable character and I will purchase the previous two books in paperback.
Recommended reading.

The Enemy Within is the third book in the John Bailey series. I haven't read the previous books, so I was happy that I was able to read this book as a standalone. I definitely will be reading the previous books because of how much I enjoyed reading this book.

John Bailey an investigator journalist, he starts to investigate the rise of a white supremacist group and suspects a neo-nazi is behind the attacks in the streets of Sydney. One of his closest key sources washes up dead, he knows either they are onto him or he will be next. Joining forces with his old friend Ronnie Johnson to get the enemy within out of the shadows.

I love that this book included some real hard life events. The book is set in Sydney in early January 2020, right when Sydney and the vast majority of NSW was on fire. Also there was a snippet of the Covid 19 virus that started in China. Even though it's a sad topic I thought it added an element to the book even though it was just a mention.

Secondly Aylifee mentions some terrorism attacks such as the siege at the Lindt Cafe, Sydney and 9/11. It was not only suitable for the book but it was also a reminder how no matter where you live in the world, terrorist acts can happen.

Bailey's character is portrayed really well; he is a well respected journalist and has numerous key sources in the police and government departments. He is a very likeable person and not once I ever judge his decisions like I have done in other books with other journalists. But within saying this, he was still that type of journalist who wouldn't stop at nothing to find out the truth.

It was a fast paced action book, realistic in the criminal and justice department, stating many Legal Acts, and Terrorism Acts so it was very well researched. Also it's a book that is heavily based on the media front, and how media can alter the truth as well as have positive effects as well.

I highly recommend picking up this book along with the previous books because I have no doubt they will be just as great as the third.

Book is due to release on the 28th July 2021.

Thank you so much for Netgalley, Simon and Schuster for the gifting of the eARC and Tim Ayliffe for writing a fantastic crime thriller.

After the traumatic events of the past few years, former foreign correspondent John Bayley is slowly settling back into his life in Sydney with a new job writing features for a new news magazine. He’s given up drinking, sees his daughter regularly and has even adopted a rescue dog. However, his life is not peaceful for long and is suddenly thrown into turmoil when the Australian Federal Police raid his home, an old friend and source is murdered and a story he is working on about domestic white supremacy groups leads to violence.

Ayeliffe’s experience as a journalist shines through as many actual events (such as the AFP raid on a journalist) form the basis for his fictional events and characters. John Bayley is a great character, tough and resilient and relentless in his need to expose the truth. Together with his old CIA friend Ronnie Johnson they make a formidable pair. The result is a dark and gritty, action packed thriller that is frighteningly scary, given the current increasing rise of far-right terrorist groups and random acts of racially driven terrorism. Always plot driven, it never got bogged down with political details and charged along at a brisk pace with many heart-stopping moments along the way. I can see this series becoming an excellent TV series.