False Friends

The 9th Spider Shepherd Thriller

By: Stephen Leather

Narrated by: Paul Thornley

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

The top five Sunday Times best seller.

The ninth book in the best-selling Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series.

The most wanted man in the world is dead. Now those loyal to him seek revenge.

When Navy SEALS track down and kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, it's obvious there was a traitor on the inside. After the false friends are revealed to be two British students, Malik and Chaudhry - former Islamic fundamentalists recruited by MI5 - they become targets themselves.  

Dan 'Spider' Shepherd must teach the pair how to survive undercover with al-Qaeda closing in. But Spider is not used to playing the handler. And with the line between mentor and friend beginning to blur, and a terrorist plot putting thousands of lives at stake, can he protect everyone before it's too late?

©2012 Stephen Leather (P)2012 Isis Publishing

First story where it’s not 100% POC as the bad guys

I really love this series, and this book has finally addressed a pet peeve where the bad guys were always people of colour (Asian or black). Great story all round.

Awesome, as ever!

Dan Shepherd, omg an amazing fast action packed story, as ever. Love this story line and all those involved, Paul Thornley even managers to make Charlie Button sound sassy 👍🏻

Spider is a hypocrite 😣

If, like me you have listened to the previous instalments of ‘spider shepherd’ you will understand. Although I cannot takeaway from the entertainment value of this series and will listen to the rest.

Another superb book of Spiders trials

Love this series of Stephen Leathers books of Spiders trials and covert works.

I found this series after reading / listening to all of Andy McNabs books about Stone and his undercover work.
These were also superb but its actually the excellent narration by Paul Thornley that made me look for and find Stephen Leathers series of Spider books.
Tried listening to other narrators of the McNab Stone series but they are just not believable when read by the other option of narrators.

Please keep up the great and incredibly in-depth writing Mr. Leather - superb

False Friends

I can see why the American veterans wouldn't like this, must say if it were criticising British special forces and the military I'd feel the same. though I wouldn't say anyone who likes it is woke (whatever that over used pejorative word is meant to mean), as one reviewer said.

Certainly an either brave or stupid fiction to tie into real events.. most uncomfortable and perhaps not the best choice for fiction.

That said I did enjoy. It does actually make some good points as do the other books in the series, such as comparisons with home grown or almost homegrown extremists founded by different overseas sympathisers and this more recent problem and their funders.

That said it is a bit formulaic and vigilante but an enjoyable boys own story.

A woke ex-SAS soldier. Hmmm..

Couldn't finish it. A reasonable story-line but couldn't get past the constant and blatant anti-US diatribe and the idea that an ex-squaddie of any description would be outraged at the covert execution of Bin Laden. Aimed at the 'liberal' market I'd suggest. However, Paul Thornley is brilliant as ever.