DCI Harry Taylor has no respect for red tape or political reputations - but he's great at catching criminals. And all his unorthodox skills will be needed as an extraordinary situation unfolds on his doorstep: a metal box of radioactive material is found at a dump in Stepney, East London, but before the police can arrive it is stolen in a violent raid. With security agencies across the world on red alert, it's Harry and his unconventional team from the Met who must hit the streets in search of a lead. They soon have two wildly different suspects, aristocratic art dealer Julian Smythe in London and oligarch Vladimir Voldrev in Barbados. But the pressure is on. How much time does Harry have, and how many more players will join the action, before the missing uranium is lighting up the sky? Holy cow....not only can this guy act but he can write one heck of a story! I finished this in one night because I absolutely could not put it down! I highly recommend this book and am seriously hoping he writes more!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"Deadly Game" by Michael Caine is a riveting thriller that takes readers on a high-stakes journey through the murky underbelly of international crime. With the legendary screen actor Michael Caine at the helm of the storytelling, the novel promises a blend of cinematic flair and gripping narrative.

The protagonist, DCI Harry Taylor, is a character that resonates with Caine's own on-screen personas—tough, unyielding, and with a disdain for red tape and bureaucracy. His unconventional methods make him an engaging lead, reminiscent of the maverick cops from classic crime dramas. The plot unfolds with the discovery of a metal box of radioactive material in East London, setting off a chain of events that pull Taylor into a web of intrigue involving art dealers and oligarchs.

Caine's writing is sharp and paced like a well-edited film, with scenes that transition smoothly and keep the reader hooked. The narrative is rich with twists and turns, maintaining suspense and a sense of urgency throughout. The backdrop of London and Barbados provides a stark contrast between the gritty city streets and the luxurious tropics, adding depth to the story's atmosphere.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to balance action with character development. Taylor's backstory and personal struggles are woven into the narrative, giving him a three-dimensional quality that elevates the book beyond a typical thriller. Caine's experience in the film industry shines through in his detailed descriptions and the vividness of the settings.

"Deadly Game" is a smart, brutal, and thoroughly entertaining read. It's a testament to Caine's storytelling abilities and his understanding of what makes a thriller work. Whether you're a fan of Michael Caine, thrillers, or just looking for a compelling read, this book is sure to deliver. It's a debut novel that not only entertains but also cements Caine's status as a formidable writer in the literary world.

Reading this thriller, I kept hearing Michael Caine's voice in my head. The premise is that lost uranium has been taken by some bad guys, but which ones? DCI Harry Taylor assembles a talented team of four tight-knit Met police to track it down., in a reverse heist.

The writing is cinematic in scope, and I want to see this as a film. The villains are ultra-villainous. The government agencies bog down with corruption and paperwork. The team travels to luxurious locations, keeping their heads out of the clouds as they race the clock.

Nuclear material is found at a a dump. Duly investigated by the authorities but unfound are the culprits.
When you can’t get it done through the usual channels…you call Harry and the SO22 gang.
The ferret out the villains in their own way…using the unique tactic of announcing theirselves to their subjects of interest.
In the end , they get their man….solve the problem and go on without any recognition…once again , the anonymous solvers of problems that face the world.
I enjoyed this book very much. I recommend. Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.

I love Michael Caine. In movies/talk shows/autobiographies. This book is my first negative about Caine. I couldn’t finish it. The writing was just mediocre, the story unoriginal and the characters stock. Not recommended. But will not change how cool I think Caine is (those late sixties glasses!).

This was a really well done thriller novel, it had a unique concept. I enjoyed the way Michael Caine wrote this, it had a great humor to it and worked with the genre. I was invested in the characters and how they dealt with the situation. It was a great read and I hope he writes more.

WOW! I truly wish that Sir Michael had decided to write a thriller years ago, so he'd have more time to write more novels! Deadly Game is an amazing debut novel, that not only reads well, but gives the reader a sense of reading a book ready to become a movie (I'm SURE this one will!)! Featuring a new concept in police work- dealing with stolen radioactive material and it's potential uses! You get everything you want in this novel- a police procedural that is also a thriller, which is also a mystery (where did the uranium come from, who has it?) and modern concepts re criminal activity and politics. Whew! So much in one place, but it's a book you won't want to put down, and you'll be discussing for weeks with friends, so make sure you're giving this one away to friends and family for the holiday season! And here's hoping that Michael can bring back DCI Taylor and his squad for another book or two!

Michael Caine is an amazing actor and now an amazing author. Such a great fast paced twist/turn thriller. I can easily see how his background lead him to create a great story. Can't wait to see more!

Sadly, this ARC was delivered by the publisher in such a mess that it was unreadable. Random paragraphing, text partially in bold face, constantly changing font sizes, odd words inserted here and there that clearly had nothing to do with the text, and on and on and on. I made it for less than fifty pages before I gave up. It was like trying to translate the text from hieroglyphs.

I have no idea how much Michael Caine actually had to do with writing this book and how much the use of his name is just a marketing gimmick, but whoever wrote it deserves a lot better. If thousands of writers without major publishers supporting them can deliver error-free, properly formatted e-books, why in the world is a huge UK publisher unable to do the same thing? If the publisher isn't even going to put out the effort required to see that ARCs distributed to reviewers are formatted in a readable form, whoever the author actually is needs a new publisher.

And all of that was a great shame since, from what sense I could tease out of the first fifty pages, the title looks promising. I only wish I could have read it.

Michael Caine does a fantastic job setting up a crafty narrative with lots of twists and turns. A ticking time-bomb of a thriller with a charismatic protagonist going up against double crosses and dangerous odds, this thriller is a fun read from start to finish.

Equal parts secret agent spy-thriller and beat copper mystery, Caine's "Deadly Game" was written about the blue collar sleuth for the blue collar sleuth...reader. Devoid of the polish and charisma of a double-0, our gumshoe works the dark alleys and streets like a professional, a native, his finger on the pulse of the local criminal underworld.

Caine's ability to paint a troubled and storied protagonist is not in the least contrived - in many ways, the most realistic and believable character I've encountered in print. An everyman without saying so, "one of us" without liking all of his qualities, a cussing and beat up copper without superpowers.

In short, I need more Harry Taylor.

This one was a real treat, and proved exciting to the last. Thanks to Hatchet Book Group, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Michael Caine is an absolutely brilliant actor, playing parts in some of my favorite movies, so I was disappointed when he announced he was retiring from acting. (Of course he’s earned it.) But like another of my favorite actors, Gene Hackman, it seems that Caine still has stories to tell. And with Deadly Game Caine makes his debut as a thriller writer. For the most part I’d say he’s successful. While his writing could use a bit more polish all his years of film making has given him an innate sense of what makes a good story. The story has nicely complex storyline and I have trouble not picturing Caine himself in the role of Harry Taylor. I’d like to thank Hachette Book Group, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Deadly Game.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R27DUR3D4N8U7/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

As a well-known and much loved actor, the author certainly has a built in audience for a spy thriller. No one expects such a thriller to necessarily be a literary masterpiece (with apologies to John le Carre), but neither the story nor the writing is good enough to keep the reader engaged. I will faithfully continue to watch any film Caine chooses to grace with is presence, but I'll skip any more novels.

"DCI Harry Taylor has no respect for red tape or political reputations - but he's great at catching criminals.

And all his unorthodox skills will be needed as an extraordinary situation unfolds on his doorstep: a metal box of radioactive material is found at a dump in Stepney, East London, but before the police can arrive it is stolen in a violent raid.

With security agencies across the world on red alert, it's Harry and his unconventional team from the Met who must hit the streets in search of a lead. They soon have two wildly different suspects, aristocratic art dealer Julian Smythe in London and oligarch Vladimir Voldrev in Barbados. But the pressure is on. How much time does Harry have, and how many more players will join the action, before the missing uranium is lighting up the sky? Deadly Game is a compelling, fast-paced novel of international intrigue and twisting suspense from a legendary actor and British icon, who now proves himself to be a first-rate thriller writer."

I mean, there's no way Michael Caine actually wrote this right? Unless this was his big move after quitting acting... Either way, it's what everyone's dad is getting for Christmas this year.