Chen, the leader of a small band of terrorists known
as the LASP (the Liberation Army of the Singapore People) robs an army
munitions depot, then Chen secretly dumps the weapons in the sea, except for an
Armalite sniper rifle. Then he abducts two British nationals to hold for
ransom, with certain stipulations. Chief
Inspector Harry Chew is brought in to head the investigation, while the Britain
sends a team of British SAS commandos consisting of two men, Captain Mark
Fairclough and Sergeant Pete Smith.
This is a nob-stop action similar to the author’s
previous book, RIDE A CROOKED RICKSHAW, and, again, with memorable
characters. Chen is smart and deadly,
but seems not to care what happens to his team, as many of them die from their
own mistakes. In fact, we’re not sure if Chen plains on failing himself, but
the police team are always a step or two behind him, never getting close before
he’s gone again. Nor do they figure out the reason for the missing sniper rifle
until too late. The author knows how to build tension, while his characters
respond like real people, not just names on paper. Even thought RIDE A CROOKED
RICKSHAW is still my favorite book by this author, I highly recommend CHEN as a
fascinating international action mystery.
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