book cover of The Head of the Snake
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The Head of the Snake

(2023)
(The second book in the Sarah Black series)
A novel by

 
 
"It's so exciting to see a powerful female character like Sarah Black emerging. A fast-paced espionage thriller that feels fresh and exciting - and takes you to some shocking places. It will keep you up far too late!" - Holly Watt, journalist, crime writer and winner of the 2019 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.

Sarah Black is back and—with or without her MI6 handlers—is hungry for revenge.

Scarred from her exploits in Tbilisi, she still has unfinished business in the murky world of global espionage. Namely the mastermind behind the foiled attack and the man who always seems to be one move ahead.

Tracking her foe to the civil war in Sierra Leone, where he is financing the ruthless rebel leader, Foday Sankoh, Sarah uncovers an even deadlier masterplan.

Cut off from MI6, Sarah decides to take matters into her own hands, but soon finds herself out of her depth, in a lawless land where everyone is either aggressor or victim.

But will bringing her foe to justice really be enough to satisfy her need for vengeance, or must she find and cut off the real head of the snake?

The Head of the Snake is the second novel in the Sarah Black series, and the sequel to The King’s Pawn, described by bestselling author Richard Lyntton as “A world of intrigue, deception, and a perilous slalom of twists and turns you… might never recover from”.

"Fast-paced, interesting, and with a perfect ending, definitely recommended." - Jane, Goodreads

"I was so enthralled by Lucy's debut which I read (again) at the beginning of January, I begged for, and got a sneak preview at this. The Head of the Snake is an EVEN better book than The King's Pawn. It's palpable that Lucy is writing about her own real experiences. The raw energy of West Africa, of the various war profiteurs operating in and around Freetown, of the slippery nature of international diplomacy when it comes to starting, continuing, and ending wars, the raggedness of consciousness and motive when operating in the hot tropics under constant stress (and attack by insects and stomach bugs), and the incredibly realistic first-person description of a fire-fight with the rebels - this book took my breath away. Once again, it's not really a spy thriller - except in its blistering pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat - what really makes it pop and tingle in a way that is very different from other books in this genre, is the authenticity of the protagonist, the self-deprecating humour, the bizarreness (reality often being far weirder than fiction), the tenderness, and - hopefully without giving too much away - in this book, the heart-rending loss." - Daniel H, Goodreads

Genre: Thriller

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