Secret Asset (Liz Carlyle, #2) by Stella Rimington

Secret Asset (Liz Carlyle, #2) Reviews

• 
  Simon Taylor

  The former Director General of MI5 has written a spy thriller. It should have been the equivalent of Jamie Oliver cooking you dinner or David Beckham teaching your kids how to play football. In fact, it was a bit like Bruce Forsythe telling you how to stay young. I don’t think I truly understood what an airport thriller was like until I read this.
  
  The problem with Secret Asset isn’t just that it wasn’t good enough to be good, it also wasn’t bad enough to be bad. At least bad books have the decency of helping you dislike it. But Secret Asset was just… bleh.
  
  There are two cases being investigated: an upcoming terror attack by Muslim extremists, and a mole in MI5 planted by the IRA back in the times of the Troubles. The cases, like in all such books, inevitably merge into one connected dose of criminality.
  
  Our leading lady, Liz Carlyle, is a likeable enough sort of a lead character, and Rimmington at least tries to flesh her out a bit; she is single, her flat is untidy and her mother has cancer. The cancer storyline in particular was about as random as it gets. We meet her mother in one brief scene and the treatment is mentioned a few times, always in the back of Liz’s mind. It seems like an afterthought by Rimmington to try to humanise her main character but fails. It adds nothing, isn’t developed and just seems like the keyboard meandered into a bit of a rut with that one.
  
  Among Liz’s less human abilities are omniscience, or so it seems. Every hunch Liz has, every bit of intuition, is - quelle surprise - spot on. But despite her superhuman mind being laid out before us, we never really get the chance to get to know her properly. There’s no sympathy or understanding of the character other than a name of the person driving the plot.
  
  The supporting cast is a simple collection of average fuzzy nobodys with nothing in particular to distinguish them from each other. They are a collection of stock characters, any of which could be dropped with no impact on the story.
  
  Whodunnit in the whodunnit is plainly obvious. Even when you figure it out in books, you want to at least doubt yourself a bit. But it’s so incredibly stark from the outset, even Rimmington doesn’t bother getting excited with the reveal. Liz tells her boss, ‘It’s so and so’, and her boss agrees she’s probably right (of course). It has all the excitement of a wet fart.
  
  When the story limps to its grand climax, it conjures all the enthusiasm of a cold pizza. The resolution of the villain’s crimes are ‘off-screen’, as it were, with some boring cameo character explaining what happened to them. There’s absolutely no reason we couldn’t have at least been shown that.
  
  On the plus side, the writing style is clear and readable. A lot of novels – especially thrillers – have heavy bits you need to wade through, but Rimmington at least manages to keep you going with relative ease, although that’s probably to do with the lack of substance rather than any particular craft or design.
  
  Remember, the author once ran the government body she’s writing about. Her former career as Director General is emblazoned on the front cover. And the inside flap. And the page before the inside flap. It’s a USP, and part of what drew me to the book in the first place, so it’s not unfair to expect some return on that boast. But instead of a unique insight into an intriguing world, instead of plots complex and villains insurmountable, we get a damp squib. It’s readable, and you’ll get through it fast. And then you’ll completely forget all about it.
• 
  Peter

  Interesting procedural interludes kept me reading through this MI5 tale which ties together the home-bred terrorism of the Northern Irish conflict with today's challenges from radicalized young Islamists. Rimmington's style can be rather didactic and strait-laced and , for me, she fails to bring alive the characters. But she clearly knows what she is writing about and the underlying theme of conflicted loyalties is nicely woven through the novel. I'm going to try some more Liz Carlyle books as I have the feeling Rimmington might loosen up a bit as she settles into the series. Hope so.
• 
  James Piper

  I enjoyed this book.
  
  The MI5 is the internal force in the UK to fight terrorists and spies. (MI6 works outside the UK). The author worked as its head before retiring. Her inside knowledge results in a more realistic storyline.
  
  There's some action, suspense, some mystery but it's not over-the-top like US writers (Thor / Flynn).
• 
  Suzannah

  I enjoyed the first Liz Carlyle book, but sometimes it's hard to follow up a debut novel with something as good, and that seems to be the issue here. Nearly every aspect was less precise and perfectly judged in this second outing: the writing, the characterisation, the plot, the theme...
  
  The two separate investigations don't mesh very well; I had the antagonist picked out far too early; the core of deeper meaning was almost vanished; the recurrence of an Islamic terror plot felt a bit unimaginative; there was no acknowledgement of governmental/establishment flaws (it was particularly painful to hear a character think approvingly that unlike Islamic law, UK law could not possibly be twisted to provide a cover for extremism...what); and most astonishingly, the book ended with the worst anticlimax I've ever found in a published book.
  
  What is left is a decently grounded and accurate intelligence procedural, but not a patch on the first book. As regards the rest of the series, I feel sure Rimington has nowhere to go but up from here, but I might try some other spy stories first.
• 
  Robert Webber

  I am a fan of John Le Care’s ‘Cold War’ novels which satirise the British establishment through the medium of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). The language employed is often deliberately opaque and elliptical but the characters are carefully drawn and their motives are often hidden and confusing. In contrast, the Liz Carlisle series of books by Stella Rimington, a former head of MI5 the domestic counterpart of SIS, are much more straightforward stories with simpler characters but are nevertheless, absorbing ‘page turners’. The principle character is interesting with an attractive personality and who keeps the reader glued to the plot. The conclusion to this novel is satisfying if slightly unexpected and leaves one looking forward to following ‘Liz’ into her next adventure. Recommended.
• 
  Jackie Harrison

  I gave this book 5 stars as it kept me guessing for quite a while trying to work out who the mole was and what damage they planned to do. It was a perfect holiday puzzle as clues and red herrings were dropped into text. However, once I’d guessed and then had it confirmed the rest of the book seemed to fizzle out a little for me. Don’t expect gory, violent scenes though as even the violence seems to be clinically passed over. I’m looking forward to Liz’s next adventure.
• 
  Susan J. Barrett

  A quick, well-paced read. Not quite edge-of-your-seat, but a solid spy story.
• 
  Mal Warwick

  Sohail Din, a young Pakistani-British man, has postponed entry into law school for a year to serve as an undercover source for MI5. His agent runner, Liz Carlyle, returns from leave to find that Din has reported a visit by a notorious radical Pakistani imam to the Islamist bookstore where he works. There, the sheikh met with three young British men of Pakistani origin who are suspected of radical sympathies.
  
  Suddenly, the inter-agency Counter-Terrorist Committee finds itself with a high-priority case. The Committee links MI5 (the Security Service) with MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service), GCHQ (Britain’s NSA), the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard), and the Home Office (Britain’s Justice Department). MI5 takes the lead.
  
  Suspecting an imminent terrorist attack on British soil, MI5 swings into action. As an officer in the counter-espionage department, Liz hopes to become involved in the investigation. But the Director of Counter-Terrorism, Charles Wetherby, pulls her aside for a secret assignment: determine whether one of the men or women working for MI5 is a mole. In the ensuing investigation, she uncovers suppressed old relationships to the IRA and suspicious circumstances involving several of her colleagues. Liz’s journey toward the truth takes her to Oxford University and to Queens University in Dublin as well as to a succession of towns in southern England. Eventually (no surprise!) the two investigations merge, rushing toward a tragic climax.
  
  Secret Asset, like the other novels in the Liz Carlyle series, is a compelling read. In the manner of a police procedural, Rimington paints a detailed picture of the complex way in which a counter-terrorist investigation plays out. Practically no one who writes spy novels can match her for knowledge about the craft.
  
  About the author
  
  Dame Stella Rimington served in Britain’s Security Service (MI5) from 1969 to 1996. In the course of her career, she served in every major field of responsibility. She became director in succession of all three branches and became Director General in 1995. She turned to fiction in 2004 at the age of 69. She has since written a total of nine Liz Carlyle novels. Secret Asset was the second.
• 
  Ярослава

  Стелла Рімінґтон, колишня директорка МІ5, написала серію детективів про агентку МІ5, яка запобігає терактам і вистежує подвійних агентів, і ця серія вичерпно демонструє, що для написання захопливого тексту не конче досконало розуміти, як саме працює те, про що пишеш - значно важливіше розуміти, як працює текст. А з цим біда.
  Це має бути гостросюжетний текст: подвійні агенти! начинені вибухівкою вантажівки! убиті інформатори! І я розумію шарм procedurals із описом того, як все працює, але, їй-бо, конкретно це читається, як опис службових обов'язків якогось, просто не знаю, податкового інспектора. Сходили в такий-то відділ, поговорили з тим-то. Потім у іншій відділ, там теж поговорили. Дуже фрагментована структура з оповіддю від імені різних героїв не дає змоги ні за кого переживати, саспенсу нема як явища, напруги також. Напругу авторці вдається створити лише в одному моменті, за класичним рецептом: герою треба щось зробити, є строгий дедлайн, виникають якісь перешкоди, нагадуємо про дедлайн - біда в тому, що цей герой терорист, який намагається дещо підірвати, тобто за нього вболівати теж не виходить)))
  Коротше, читнути можна. Але можна й не читнути.
• 
  Bill Wilson

  My first book by this author, and it's a compliment to her that I was delighted to learn there are at least six more in this series. Very good read, with two seemingly unrelated plot threads that come together skillfully in an unexpected way. You have to like your suspense in a more cerebral sense, as there's little of the slam bang, shoot-em-up, blow-em-up of some others in this genre. Also quite interesting how she gets to the bottom of the villain's motives, finding that personal vendettas are every bit as motivating as geopolitical outcomes. Her protagonist is likable, and the supporting characters were well formed and complementary. I'm hooked, and unless she falls off dramatically in the future books, will no doubt read them all.
• 
  Hilary

  In the second Liz Carlyle book, Liz is tasked with finding a mole within MI5.
  
  Once again, Stella Rimington’s style of writing and detail impressed me. I love Liz Carlyle as a character, and she blossomed in this novel.
  
  However, there are too many characters in this one, particularly in the middle third, it gets a bit too confusing trying to remember all the names and who is who! I tried reading passages a couple of times, which slowed down the story and made it a lot harder to follow.
  
  So all in all, not as good as book number one, but I do still love the characters and Rimington’s style of writing!
• 
  Hannah

  This is another perfectly acceptable spy-thriller from Rimington. I continue to wish that Peggy was the main character, and I guessed the twist about halfway through. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book - I adore books about competent people being competent, and it did give me a few thinky thoughts about England and Ireland and the entanglement of the two countries through the years. Basically this book does what it sets out to do, very competently. Just like its characters.
• 
  MacarthursMutterings

  Oh my Stella writes a good book, not ready any before but will get the other two she has written, if you like a crime/thriller I highly recommend this
• 
  Paula

  I enjoyed this book written by someone who had inside knowledge of MI5.
• 
  Barry Medlin

  Outstanding!! Stella Rimington knows her stuff and writes a great spy novel!!
• 
  Rhondda Powling

  Liz Carlyle is a young, smart and enterprising MI5 agent. She is excited to be back at work and a little nervous following several months away after a harrowing mission where she suffered injuries as they found their quarry.
  One of her strengths is assessing people. After a meeting with one of her agents, Sohail (codename Marzipan) in a cafe in north London, where he reports suspicious meetings taking place at an Islamic bookshop, she trusts her instincts and believes that there is a terrorist cell organising for an attack on British soil.
  She takes her information to Charles Wetherby, her boss and Director of Counter-Terrorism, who also trusts her instincts and immediately puts a surveillance operation into place. As this is happening, Liz is surprised that Wetherby pulls her off the case. When he reveals that there may be a long-standing mole in MI5, she understands the potential for damage to the British Intelligence services. She undertakes the job of checking the histories of her fellow agents without arousing their suspicions. Whilst she is working on uncovering the mole and exposing them before any major damage is done, her colleagues work frantically to avert an impending terrorist strike.
  The plot weaves together elements of Islamic terrorism, the remnants of IRA cells and an alienated spy to create a fast-paced espionage thriller that keeps you interested until the final climax.
  
• 
  Sarah Hearn

  The second Liz Carlyle book but my third. Since I just finished the first one recently, it was nice to get a quick following plot with the second. When Liz says she was off after a hospital stay, I knew why, when she talked to Charles Wetherby about his wife, I knew what was up there. This plot was completely different and yet very similar. We see more of the inside workings of MI5 with the different departments doing different tasks, so that’s similar to the first book, but the storyline is very different. This time, there is a suspected IRA mole inside the Service, and Liz is tasked to find him/her. At the same time, Liz’s best asset has advised her that something is going down at the Islamic bookshop where he works. With these two apparently disparate possible terrorist actions, Liz is pulled two ways. Also, her mother is not well and Liz needs to focus on that, and one of her great friend’s is having marital problems. As usual, her cool rational thinking finally worked out who’s who and what they are up to. Can’t wait to read Book 3.
• 
  Jackie Cain

  I find Stella Rimington's novels compelling in the same way that I find the Val McD ones: the characters are intriguing and I want to know what they do next. So, I bought the next one as soon as I finished this!
  
  But, to stick for the moment to Secret Asset, it has a very evocative opening - a domestic scene in the aftermath of the Irish "Troubles". After that it shows continuity, picking up the story of Liz Carlyle, her fellow agents and informants. It catches us up quite quickly with the back story that we need. Maybe that could be a bit more subtle but it is business-like, perhaps matched to the subject matter of the novel - intelligence summaries.
  
  After that there is the same idea of dogged procedure, following up leads and investigating people in a systematic way as I saw in the first novel. Throw in a couple of red herrings and clever accounts of the activities of a key player without betraying who that person and it is a great second novel. I really enjoyed it.
• 
  T. K. Elliott (Tiffany)

  This is the second of Rimington's Liz Carlyle books; I read the first one too. Having read both, I'm now discerning a pattern: Liz Carlyle is not James Bond.
  
  Liz works as part of a team, and there is paperwork and meetings, with different people contributing to the operation. There's a distinct lack of sexy foreign spies, car chases through picturesque parts of Europe, and really cool gadgets. Liz is doing a job, and so are her colleagues... all except one, who has a private project on the go.
  
  When reading this series, therefore, one has to let go of the preconceptions of the spy novel and be ready for something much more low-key and realistic-seeming.
  
  I enjoyed it, and I'll definitely be continuing with the series.
• 
  John Sklar

  Great book with a terrific plot and characters. I read the 10th in the series and decided to go back and read them all. This is book 2 and I can see the main character developing. She is smart, clever and sophisticated. I enjoyed the story very much. The book is very British to the point that I had to look up some slang and try to imagine some others.
  As in all spy novels one has to decide if the events are plausable. This story is very real and the characters behave like real people, not superheros. They make mistakes and wrong decisions, get tired and simply behave the way one would expect.
  I'll get to the next one in a few days.
• 
  Tom Maseth

  The second in the Liz Carlyle series. Liz is an agent with MI-5, Great Britain's internal security service / intelligence agency. Liz is investigating a tip-off that a mole has been planted in one of the branches of British Intelligence. The sleeper spy or “secret asset”, possibly a former IRA operative now working with British-born Al Qaeda sympathizers, has one thing on his (or her?) mind: total devastation. This is happening at the same time as Liz's colleagues are trying to encounter an impending terrorist strike and the juxtaposition of the two increases the tempo of the action considerably. A good read as Dame Rimington is the former head of MI-5.
• 
  Pixie

  I enjoyed the level of detail in this book as much as the storyline itself which, by now in 2021 (the book was published in 2006) seems more familiar as many TV shows & other novels have dealt with the topic of undercover work & terrorism. This book doesn't disappoint as the author gives her own twist on events with the ever-sharp Liz Carlyle as an M15 Intelligence Officer who helps prevent a terrorist plot. Some of the methods used for surveillance and communication seem a little dated by present-day high-tech developments but the plot and insights into personalities is all good stuff. I think I've now read all of the Liz Carlyle series, wish there were more!
• 
  Katie

  Book 21 of 2022 Format: Audio Genre: Thriller/Espionage
  
  I started reading my library copy but a bout of vertigo stopped me from physically so, after a week of lost momentum, I used my audible credit to finish the second Liz Carlyle book.
  
  I did not find this as gripping as its predecessor, even before the vertigo stalled my momentum. For some reason, the jeopardy felt that high and there were a few more characters involved that felt strictly necessary. The first book had fewer characters and clear jeopardy so this can only be a 3*.
  
  The good parts were Liz, a character I am generally fond of, and the introduction of another female character who really brought something to the page.
• 
  Ginny Kavanagh

  There is a mole in MI5 and a threatened Muslim terrorist attack looming. What seem like two separate story lines eventually do come together. The book, however, never really does. I liked our hero, Liz Carlisle, but the villain was not especially credible. I never bought into his motivation. And the ending was flat. It took me longer than usual to get through this one. It will not be one I remember. Not bad but just not special. This was the second in a series. I may try the first one. But it will wait behind others on my list.