Synopsis: In January 1996, Phil McKenzie leads his Special Air Service team on a secret mission into Kentobi, Africa. An assassin codenamed ‘Chameleon’ kills the Kentobi president, but it is Phil who is framed for murder.
To appease the authorities he agrees to a brief secondment with the Metropolitan Police and then discharge from the Army. During his attachment to the 'Met', he sees how the hands of the authorities are tied. It reminds him that the teenager who murdered his parents in 1977 was never caught to face justice.
Phil returns to his hometown in July 1996 as Hawk, a vigilante. The term ‘deniable ops’, finds new meaning as Phil tackles Glasgow’s underworld with his small and unique team.
Review: Crime thrillers are ten a penny these days so finding a good one may take a while. With Beyond the Law, author Tom Benson has created quite the crime caper, and with the sequel recently released, it's likely to win the author a new generation of fans.
The story is slickly presented, stylish to a fault, and places you side by side with our 'hero' Phil McKenzie, also known as Hawk, as the former Special Ops soldier (who doesn't seem to have left the life behind) takes on the vicious underworld of Glasgow.
Now this city is a tough place to be, I know it quite well, and it was a joy to read some of the real places that are mentioned in the story. Realism is the order of the day here, and yet some readers may be surprised how this gritty thriller, a kind of Taggart on acid (1980s children will know what I mean) has a heart at its core, meaning that it is not just a thriller for the boys, as I believe women will enjoy it too.
There is a myriad of characters in the story, with Kirsten and Rachel amongst my favourites. All are fleshed out, detailed, and you care about them. This elegant writing style is evident in the author's other short stories, and it was a pleasure to delve into a much longer tale. Beyond the Law is a long book but never feels like that.
It's an enjoyable, pulsating ride that is simply one of the best thrillers I have read in years.
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