Freefall, by Adam Hamdy, is the second book in the author’s Pendulum Trilogy. Set across several continents it opens with a suicide in London, the depiction of which is chilling. The action then moves to Afghanistan where John Wallace, the photographer targeted in the first book in the series, has gone to hide from the world and grieve for his beloved Connie. Several of the original cast return, although all have been damaged by their horrific experiences, referred to just enough to allow this to be a standalone read. Detective Patrick Bailey has eschewed therapy and turned to alcohol to cope with the lingering effects of his shooting. Over in New York FBI Agent Christine Ash is suffering her own nightmares. Her inability to trust colleagues, a result of her traumatic upbringing, will have deadly consequences. Ash is convinced that the Pendulum case involved more than one man, that he did not work alone, but her boss remains unconvinced. Proof presents itself when Wallace comes under attack, first in his mountain retreat in Afghanistan and then in Kabul. The reach of a shadowy organisation with apparent links to Pendulum ensures that it is Wallace who is branded a terrorist after he flees the scene. When eventually taken into custody he discovers that nowhere is safe. Short, pithy chapters keep the reader appraised of the action as it unfolds in key locations. With the forces of law and order compromised it becomes necessary to call on personal friends for assistance, including some wonderfully shady characters. The enemy, whoever they may be, show no mercy. This is a high-octane, adrenaline fuelled thriller that powers along at unremitting pace yet never runs out of the energy and ingenuity to maintain reader engagement. Along with the gradual reveals, the denouement adds a twist that makes me eager for the next instalment already. An exhilerating, entertaining read.

Before I start on my review I have to hold my hands up and state that, when I volunteered to read and review this book, I had not realised it was the second in a projected trilogy and I have not read the first book, Pendulum. I know that often books can be read as standalone but, having read Freefall, I believe it is essential to read the first book to get the most out of this one. The book opens eight months after the conclusion of the first book with the graphically-described suicide of a journalist. This aftermath of this incident, which appears not to be a straightforward suicide after all, is attended by Bailey, a police officer who was involved in the action in book one. The action then jumps around from chapter to chapter between this investigation, scenes taking place in the USA involving an FBI agent who is investigating a series of gruesome decapitations using a vicious tool and events in Afghanistan where the hero from book one has gone to hide out and try and come to terms with the events of the first book, which involve the mysterious Pendulum. I have to say I was confused, which is entirely my own fault for not having read book one first. There are lots of references back to the events of the first book and the thoughts and actions of the three main characters here are obviously deeply influenced by what happened to them previously. They have developed relationships with each other, and all have stories that I can tell have been well-established in the previous volume and not having this information I am sure took a lot away from the reading experience of this one. That having been said, there is a lot to enjoy and commend in this book. Hamdy also writes screenplays and his eye for the visual is very apparent from the beginning. Each scene reads like a movie in your head, his descriptions are so vivid they jump off the page and I enjoyed his writing style very much. The dialogue flows naturally and the characters seem complex and very well developed – hence my frustration in not having all the back story from the previous book – as it is obvious that they have all been deeply affected by what happened previously and are struggling with it in their own ways. A lot of thrillers eschew emotional depth in favour of all action but this is not the case here, Hamdy manages to provide both in equal measure. The action takes place across the globe. I was particularly enamoured of the descriptions of the Hindu Kush and the conflict taking place in the remote areas of Afghanistan. I love any book that really takes me to a place and a situation I have never been using the full five senses and Hamdy certainly manages to do this effectively. The action in the book is unrelenting from page one and keeps up the pace to the end. It is definitely a page turner. I would say it is not for the sensitive or squeamish. Hamdy does not hold back on the imagery and, as previously pointed out, his descriptions make these images jump off the page and slap you in the face. In the first few chapters we have suicide, attempted beheadings and IED explosions, all described in unrelenting prose so potential readers should bear this in mind. If you are a fan of this kind of ballsy thriller, you will love it. In conclusion, this is a gripping and thought-provoking thriller that is a gut above some that I have read with its focus on emotional as well as physical action but make sure you read Pendulum first if you want to avoid floundering like I did.