The Poisoned Rock‘Robert Daws is an exciting addition to the canon of 20th century crime writers.’Peter James. International bestselling author of the Insp Roy Grace series.With only five weeks to go before the end of her secondment to the Royal Gibraltar Police Force, D.S. Tamara Sullivan is enjoying life on the Rock. With one murder investigation successfully under their belts, Sullivan and her … belts, Sullivan and her commanding officer, Chief Inspector Gus Broderick, settle down to regular police work under the sunny Mediterranean skies.
In London, the British Government has declassified a large number of top secret files regarding British Military Intelligence operations during World War Two. One file, concerning espionage operations on Gibraltar, has been smuggled out of the U.K. to Spain. It contains information that will draw Sullivan and Broderick into the dark and treacherous world of wartime Gibraltar. A place where saboteurs and espionage plots abounded. Where double and triple agents from Britain, Germany and Spain were at war in a treacherous and deadly game of undercover operations.
As the summer heat reaches its zenith in Gibraltar Town, a film crew has arrived on the Rock to shoot a movie about one of the most enigmatic and legendary spies of the war years – ‘The Queen of Diamonds’. Starring Hollywood A-lister Julia Novacs and produced by local born film maker, Gabriel Isolde, it is the talk of the Rock.
It is only a matter of time before past and present collide and a dangerous battle begins to conceal the truth about the Rock’s poisonous wartime history. Detectives Sullivan and Broderick become caught in a tangled web of intrigue and murder that will once again test their skills and working relationship to the very limit.
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The Poisoned Rock…
is the second Sullivan and Broderick murder mystery by actor and broadcaster Robert Daws.
‘During the early years of WW2, the Allies possessed not a single spot of ground
in Western Europe, except for the Gibraltar fortress. As General Eisenhower
noted – Gib was the key to the Mediterranean. And yet Gibraltar was an intelligence nightmare.
German and Spanish agents spied relentlessly on every move that was made on the Rock. It was a stage on which one of WW2’s most absorbing intelligence battles was played out.’
British Security Service, MI5
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This is the second in the series but need not be approached as a serial – each could stand alone. What a cool setting. The author’s descriptions of Gibraltar were nothing like what i had imagined. I felt as if I had been there thanks to the author. The story is a bit far-fetched but not so much that I couldn’t enjoy the read.
I figured who-done-it quite early and the two detectives seemed rather dull in not suspecting the culprit earlier. There were many clues. But the ‘why’ I did not foresee and the ending was somewhat unexpected.
this was the second I have read by this author, the story line was excellent and I have no hesitation in recommending this book, you will not be disappointed with the twists and turns in the plot, but none are unrealistic.Take it on holiday or have it on the bedside table enjoy it.
This is the second book in this series I’ve read and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first. Daws masterfully weaves Gibraltar’s complex history into a plot that in less skilled hands would have left readers confused and floundering. The action involves multiple countries at multiple times in history and sometimes pivotal characters with more than one name. Throughout it it all though, I never felt lost. Regardless what happened it fit and I never doubted that somehow this author was going to pull it all together in the end. Not in some magical way, though. All the clues were there and all the characters and plot elements contributed to it in their own way. When it ended, it ended not in any of the ways I thought it might as I read the book, but in the way it should.
Daws books now firmly reside among that small but treasured collection I call “Books to reread when the book you’re reading makes you want to shoot yourself.” If you read a lot of mysteries and want to add to your own collection, I suggest you read some Daws.
Excellent mystery. I thought I had the killer pegged…but missed by a long shot. The pieces to the puzzle were there, but wow, I did NOT see the ending coming!
Enjoyed learning about WWII Gibraltar.
I didn’t continue to the end. A little too slow developing characters for my taste, but that’s me. No serious objections. Seemed well thought out and written. Just not my style.
enjoyable read set in Gibraltar so interesting to read about life on the rock
Interesting slice of history about a pivotal time and place about which I previously knew absolutely nothing.
Good plot, believable characters.
I love these characters and the tales of the Rock. Keep them coming!!!
I was fascinated by the historical setting
I enjoyed reading a story set somewhere I know nothing about.
Interesting storyline. Learned about Gibraltar. Would recommend
Finally–an author who understands that correct punctuation can make a story flow! I really enjoyed this novel. I hope he will continue to write about these characters. It made me really imagine how strategic Gibraltar was during WW2.
Very interesting – a current day mystery involving a spy story from WW2.
I’ve read the previous books about this character set and loved them. This one jumps off where the last one finished and adds long term plot elements. Brilliant mystery as always!
Having lived on the rock for 20 years (i have since moved on) I really enjoyed this book. A virtual walk up and down streets and pueblos that were so familiar. Story line was also good and plausible given the rocks history.
Good story line. Good characters. Clean read.
Dragged a bit