Airside by James Swallow #Airside @jmswallow @welbeckpublish #BookReview

 

Two million in cash. Nowhere to run. Nothing left to lose. Would you risk it?

Today is the worst day of your life.

The deal you risked it all for has fallen apart at the last minute.

You're stranded at a remote airport as a storm rages outside.

Then you discover an unattended bag. Inside is two million euros in cash.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Airside by James Swallow was published in paperback by Welbeck Books on 8 December 2022. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I've set myself a couple of book-related challenges this year. The first is to read a book with a one word title for each letter of the alphabet. The second challenge is to read at least twenty four books set in twenty four different countries. Airside hits both of these challenges - it's a two for one! 

James Swallow has written over fifty novels and this is the first of his books that I've read. He is best known for his Marc Dane series. 

Airside is a book that I probably wouldn't have picked up if it were not for the challenges that I've set, it's been on my shelf for a couple of years, being sadly overlooked for other titles.  I'm really glad that I picked it and read it.  It is, at times, totally bonkers, but there is no doubt that it is a gripping, fast paced chase-thriller. I absolutely flew through it. 

Set in a small provincial airport in Germany during a thunder storm, this is the story of an ordinary guy whose life is going down the pan, and who seems to attract chaos, has a history of not quite getting things right, but who is also a fabulous lead character. Kevin Tyler has travelled through this airport for months, but this will be his last departure. His hard work, trying to secure a deal for his small company has fallen through. He is facing life with no money, no business and no hope. To make things worse, the thunder storm has grounded many flights, and because he had a stand by ticket, he's just been bumped off the last flight out to London. The nearby hotel is full and Kevin will have to spend the night in the airport. 

The setting is fabulous. As the night falls, the airport gets emptier, the shops begin to shut down and there are just a few stranded passengers left. It's an impersonal place, full of strangers, with no warmth, harsh lighting and uncomfortable seats. 

In the rest rooms, Kevin makes a discovery. It is because of his total frustration about his situation that he makes the decision to keep the stash of used Euro notes that he has found - probably around two million in total, instead of handing them in. 

And so, Kevin becomes the hunted. We are thrust into a world of dangerous and vengeful people who will stop at nothing to get what they think is theirs. Serbian ex military, with no qualms about hurting anyone. A twisted politician who thinks that he can do as he wants. A woman who escaped brutality, only to go on and dish out the same punishments to others. These are people who are not to be messed around with, yet ordinary Kevin does just that. 

It's a real roller coaster of a read. With characters who deceive and betray, some who show their true sides when under pressure, and all of them wonderfully created. It can be an exhausting read at times, as the pressure mounts and the reader is really not sure if Kevin will survive this. 

Explosive and a bit crazy. I enjoyed this one. 

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon bestselling author, a
BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over fifty books, along with numerous scripts for video games, radio and television. 

His writing includes the critically aclaimed Marc Dane action thrillers, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, 24, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and more.

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