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Published Apr 2012
320 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Mark Mills, bestselling author of Amagansett, The Savage Garden, and The Information Officer, is renowned for blending riveting history, rich atmosphere, and thrilling suspense. Now, in House of the Hunted, Mills deftly unfolds a story of betrayal, love, and the inescapable pull of the past as an ex-spy finds himself drawn back into his treacherous former life.
Côte d'Azur, France, 1935: As Europe moves inexorably toward war, Tom Nash feels pleasantly removed, pursuing a quiet writing career on an idyllic stretch of the French Riveria. A former intelligence operative for the British government, Tom now finds refuge among the lively seaside community of expats and artists, hoping to put the worst deeds from his job - and memories of the woman he once loved - far behind him. But Tom's peaceful existence is shattered when an unknown hit man tries to kill him in his sleep. Tom is sure that somebody knows his secrets, and that this attempt on his life won't be the last.
Relying on his instincts for self-preservation, Tom suspects everyone of double-dealing, even people he considers his friends: the Russian art dealers from Paris, the exiled German dissidents, even his former boss and closest confidant. And as he plunges further into his haunted past, Tom feels himself turning into the person he used to be - a dangerous man, capable of anything.
Combining vividly drawn characters and gripping acts of espionage, House of the Hunted is a superbly crafted novel by an exceptional and versatile storyteller.
"Starred Review. Lots of intrigue and great scenery. The characters are very real and the romance warmly satisfying. Highly recommended." - Library Journal
"A lot of atmosphere complements the excitement, while the ending seems to suggest that a sequel might be in the works. Let's hope so." - Kirkus Reviews
"Pleasing prose and convincing period detail compensate only in part for a sluggish plot." - Publishers Weekly
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Mark Mills is a screenwriter whose first novel, Amagansett, was published in a dozen countries and received the British Crime Writers' Association John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award. His other novels include The Savage Garden and The Information Officer. A graduate of Cambridge University, he lives in Oxford with his wife and two children.
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