Ascension

'One of our finest thriller writers' Evening Standard

“The binary simplicity of the Cold War has been replaced by a geopolitical Rubik's cube of corruption, nationalism, oil money and internet deceit. Tremendous evocation of modern Kazakhstan and the contemporary intelligence landscape. Scary if true, or even half true - Sunday Times Crime Club, star pick for A Shadow IntelligenceElliott Kane is an unusually thoughtful spy... As much a thinker as a doer, Kane has much in common with le Carre's Jerry Westerby - Irish Times, praise for A Shadow IntelligenceOliver Harris is always pure quality and I'm loving the hell out of his foray into the contemporary spy novel. Elegant and compulsive - Ian Rankin, praise for A Shadow IntelligenceThis may be the deepest a contemporary spy novel has penetrated the cold new world of dark web intelligence and cellphone surveillance.... An absorbing, superbly written novel likely to stand as one of the best spy novels of the year - Kirkus, starred review for A Shadow Intelligence”

One of the best new spy series continues with ex-spook Elliot Kane reluctantly back in harness to investigate the suspicious death of a former colleague on Ascension Island. First-class cloak-and-dagger stuff against an unusual backdrop -- Jake Kerridge Daily Telegraph
One of our finest thriller writers...Fans of his criminally underrated Belsey novels, about a corrupt London detective, will recognise some familiar themes, including a soft spot for heroic losers and an interest in the physical and mental remains of the Cold War. But it is the location that matters most of all, windswept and staffed by a mixtures of spooks, oddballs and drunks, and it will stay with you long after you close the book Evening Standard
A fascinating tale of modern espionage in a unique setting Irish Independent
Harris evokes a powerful sense of place in a landscape where the elements turn out be a character in its own right and the intrigue developing as a result of his investigation quickly sets up a rather frantic and tense finale. A bloody good read! Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time
A twisty, propulsive spy thriller, all set against the vividly evoked hellscape of one of the most remote islands in the world Irish Times
A corker...Harris expertly keeps the plates spinning while breathing thrilling life into the ex-pat community and its moon surface existence Big Issue
Oliver Harris is always pure quality and I'm loving the hell out of his foray into the contemporary spy novel. Elegant and compulsive' Ian Rankin, praise for A Shadow Intelligence

Oliver Harris was born in London but now lives in Manchester. He is the author of the Nick Belsey series of crime novels, plus two novels featuring MI6 officer Elliot Kane. He teaches creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

'One of our finest thriller writers' Evening Standard A BBC2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK 2021 ' Oliver Harris is always pure quality' Ian Rankin 'A fascinating tale of modern espionage in a unique setting' Irish Independent Three friends from a mission many years ago reconnect when one of them dies in mysterious circumstances on remote Ascension Island. Rory Bannatyne had been tasked with tapping a new transatlantic data cable, but a day before he was due to return home he is found hanged. When Kathryn Taylor, on the South Atlantic MI5 desk, begs ex-spy Elliot Kane to go over and investigate, he can't say no, but it's an uneasy reintroduction to the intelligence game.Entirely isolated from the world, the disappearance of a young girl on the island at the same time as Rory's death means local tensions are high. Elliot needs to discover what happened to her as well as to Rory. But the island contains more secrets than even the government knows, and it's not going to give them up without a fight. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ' Captivating ...Gripping, relevant and frenetic. You'll be hard pressed to put this one down for a second' Amazon reader five star review' Stunning spy novel...This is the best of its genre I've read ' Amazon reader five star review' A bit like a thinking person's Lee Child ' Amazon reader five star review

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