Picked this book up on a whim for a loved one in hospital. We are from around the area it is based and it was impossible to put the book down. Was thought provoking of who is involved and detailed to the chaos of crime! Definitely a book you would not regret reading!

The book was one that once started was almost impossible to put down and I read it very quickly as it was a real page turner. I believe that this was the author's best book so far. Sally Page is an MI5 'footie', a junior Secret Service Agent who maintains 'legends': fake identities or footprints used by real spies. Her day consists of maintaining flats and houses where the legends allegedly live, doing online shopping, using payment, loyalty and travel cards and going on social media in their names - anything to give the impression to hostile surveillance that the legends are living, breathing individuals. One day she goes out for coffee leaving the safe house from which she and her fellow footies operate. When she comes back they have all been murdered and she barely escapes with her own life. She is on the run: but from whom she has no idea. Worse, her bosses at MI5 seem powerless to help her. To live, she will have to use all the lies and false identities she has so carefully created while discovering the truth . . . The story is very violent and bloody and there are scenes of torture that may upset readers of a more sensitive nature but they had to be included because they were very necessary to the very detailed story. The tension between the different personalities and the excellent characterisation make this a hugely enjoyable thriller. Stephen Leather is one of the UK’s most successful thriller writers, an e-book and Sunday Times bestseller and author of the critically acclaimed Dan ‘Spider’ Shepherd series, the Jack Nightingale supernatural detective novels and many stand- alone thrillers. Born in Manchester, he has been writing full time since 1992. His bestsellers have been translated into fifteen languages and several of his novels have been turned into films. In 2011 alone he sold more than half a million e-books and was voted by 'The Bookseller' magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world. This seasoned writer is at the top of his game and immersing yourself in his world is deeply rewarding as it is a spellbinding and quite brilliant read. “The Runner” is an extremely enjoyable book and a rattling good read. It was well written and therefore easy to read, even though it is quite lengthy at 336 pages, it is very well researched and cleverly plotted and I was completely absorbing until the final exciting paragraph. I believe that this was the author's best book so far. The book was one that once started was almost impossible to put down and I read it very quickly as it was a real page turner. Very strongly recommended. (The Publisher supplied me with an Advance Copy In Exchange For a Fair Review)

Sally Page has been maintaining safe houses for MI5 for two years. It’s a job normally reserved for new recruits or for those nearing retirement. She enjoys the work and tries not to associate her feeling of being held back with rejecting a pass from her immediate past. Usually after 6 months a “footie” would be dropped or moved to a more senior role. She is a runner and delights in running (not jogging) to work in all weathers. Her sport will certainly come in handy as on this particular day she will be chased by professional killers intent on finding her – but why? The plot develops nicely with bits of information being fed to the reader at just the right point. Doubts about whether she can trust MI5 and her managers are also introduced which support the actions she takes to stay alive. There are few people she can turn to who she can trust. So starts an action-packed adventure where the body count mounts as the reader turns the pages. The characters are well-developed but the reader should not get too attached to anyone in case the inevitable happens. However, despite this being an excellent read for those who enjoy this genre, there were instances which had my OCD flashing like crazy. I felt that the author at times talked down to the reader. For instance, I am sure that Ms Page would have been well aware of Northolt and explanations of “comms” and “ordinance” were quite unnecessary. Additionally, identifying the mole was far too easy and for a team of professionals not to have assumed that their cars would have had trackers hidden on them was unthinkable. So, it’s a very solid 4 stars from me but tinged with disappointment that it could so easily have been a rock-solid 5! mr zorg Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to read.

I'd never read anything by Stephen Leather before this, but I'll be looking for more of his novels now. This one is a standalone and it's a rip-roaring adventure that’s a real page turner. Sally Page is a junior MI5 agent, employed as a ‘footie’ – someone who manages the fake identities and footprints used by real spies. She does their ‘shopping’, uses their travel cards and posts on social media in their names, to maintain the impression that they are living their fake lives. One day she gets back to the office to find all her teammates dead, and she only just manages to escape being killed herself. Going on the run, she is pursued across London but has no idea who she can trust, or who is behind the killings. I thought this was a great read, with lots of twists and turns. You are rooting for Sally from the start and the pace never lets up. It's a real page turner. Review by Jules, Oundle Crime