I am reviewing the urban thriller White Ghost by Shaun Hutson which is a very good novel which I bought from kindle. Shaun is probably better known for his horror novels than thrillers and this novels does have elements of both most notably the gore like someone’s head being removed whilst still alive and someones muscle tendons in their arms and legs being severed. He has done his research on how triads in Hong Kong do assassinations. This novel is his 4th one to feature Sean Doyle an anti terrorist police officer who doesn’t go by the book and likes loud rock music and is partly based on his self apparently. I assume this novel was published before the peace process got sorted out in Northern Ireland. The story centres on 3 locations, Northern Ireland, London & Hong Kong. In Hong Kong it focuses on a faction of the triads who are doing a deal with the PIRA involving gun running and guns being hidden under floorboards although that is one of the first places the police look in an anti terror raid. In Hong Kong the police are starting to have some success with the triads and are starting to dish out long prison sentences where previously most got away with fines, at least in this story. This means the triads may have to look at other locations for doing business. The story snakes and twists along and Doyle has a contract put out on his life. It is probably a bit improbable the triads teaming up with the PIRA. It is quite a good story that I rather enjoyed and a typical Hutson novel in terms of sheer violence.
