Anthrax Island (The John Tyler series Book 1)

An unusual setting although for me, after a time I found the Island location became a bit dull. Only so many times one can write about rain, mud and gale force winds. I found ,paradoxically, that the book improved when away from the Island itself.The " impossible " crime was nicely done and I found the Anthrax background story to be truly fascinating . I think thriller fans will find a lot to enjoy in this fast ,albeit one speed, read. There were a huge number of cardboard characters and I do wonder if it could have been trimmed by about 20 pages.I think many readers will disagree and it was very good value indeed.. As others have said ,very much an updated Alistair Maclean with a nod ..or three..to J D Carr. !!

Thanks to the team at Canelo for my ARC of ‘Anthrax Island‘. It’s available as an e-book now and will be released in paperback on 6th May. To get a signed copy, order through my lovely local independent bookshop Forum Books.This, the debut novel from D.L. Marshall, is a tense, taut, pacy thriller which weaves fact and fiction together seamlessly.I absolutely cannot rate ‘Anthrax Island‘ highly enough. D.L. Marshall has created a whip smart character in the form of John Tyler. I love the fact that Marshall trusts his readers to understand the subtext in the novel without always having to spell out what he’s insinuating. I really enjoyed the political barbs as well as Tyler’s one-liners.It’s clear from the first chapter that Marshall has done a large amount of research into Gruinard Island and the testing that was carried out there. Marshall uses his knowledge to add extra tension to the fact that there’s a killer prowling the place: if the murderer doesn’t catch you, the anthrax might.Given the fact that any time one of the small – but suspicious – cast of characters ventures outdoors, they must wear protective suits, Marshall uses this to create a cloying atmosphere in his prose. The way he describes being in the suit was so deftly done that I felt I was in the suit with Tyler. I could feel the claustrophobia the characters were experiencing.The desolate setting is evoked perfectly through detailed descriptions that really bring the place to life. But don’t think that because he’s so good at setting that this is a gentle story – ‘Anthrax Island‘ is a high velocity read that will leave you breathless. The way in which each chapter ends on a cliffhanger means that it’s almost impossible not to read on.With cinematic action sequences and adept plotting, ‘Anthrax Island‘ is a classic locked-room mystery crossed with the greatest of action thrillers. If Lee Child and Agatha Christie co-wrote a book, ‘Anthrax Island’ would be that novel.

When an equipment failure leaves a research crew trapped inside a decontamination chamber, technician John Tyler is flown in to fix it – at least that’s what he wants them to believe. Knowing one of the team is already dead, Tyler must find out what’s going on before things really get out of hand. But with the toxic Anthrax spores a constant threat, he’ll have to keep his wits about him.Anthrax Island reminded me a lot of Desmond Bagley’s books, with plenty of action, non-stop twists and turns and enough suspects to shake anyone’s faith in ever learning the truth. Set on a remote Scottish island where at least one person has already committed murder, as thrillers go, this is about as good as it gets. Throwing our hero from one deadly situation into another, there’s little time to stop and take stock. Not knowing who to trust, Tyler finds himself in a race against time to uncover the mystery and catch whoever is responsible. DL Marshall’s writing is tight and fast-paced, and the well-researched background only adds to the authenticity. The whole thing rattles along like an out-of-control steam engine, constantly moving the plot in new directions. If I’d had time to read this at one sitting, I would have – it’s almost impossible to put down. My only criticism, and it’s a small one, is that the denouement felt like it took too long to tie up the loose ends.A superbly clever and thoroughly gripping book that had me gasping for more at the end of each chapter.

The debut novel of D.L. Marshall mixes the ingredients of an Alistair MacLean adventure with a locked-room mystery,  a James Bond spy caper and the group paranoia of John Carpenter's The Thing (to which the author adds an overt nod on page 83 ). All great influences and all blend together to create a highly enjoyable page-turning thriller. Marshall's story is told from a first-person perspective by the hero, mercenary spy John Tyler, who is transported onto the titular island under the guise of a technician to repair a faulty protective door unit. The group of scientists working on the island are testing for remnant samples of experiments undertaken secretly during WWII. The death of Tyler's supposed predecessor is followed by others and the group quickly become distrustful of Tyler and each other, whilst the discovery of a new strain of the deadly anthrax attracts international interest. Marshall takes us through many twists and turns in his mazy plot and the tension builds as the paranoia amongst the group increases. Marshall's prose style is fluid and engaging. Tyler as a character feels real and human and has depth along with a personal motivation which unfolds throughout the story. Writing the novel in the first-person Marshall succeeds in elevating the "whodunnit" elements of the plot allowing the reader to unravel the mystery along with the protagonist. Marshall keeps a trick or two up his sleeve right up to the story's protracted denouement, which veers off into more traditional action movie tropes in the final chapters. That said, this remains a hugely impressive and thoroughly enjoyable read that promises great things for the intended series.