Pre-order the whiplash-inducing spy thriller, for fans of Scott Mariani and Black Doves.

'A freight train of a novel. Exhilarating, raw, unmissable' DAVID McCLOSKEY

'Crackles with tension. Brilliant, exciting and worryingly believable' CHARLES BEAUMONT

'Octagon bleeds authenticity from the first page to the last. Read it today!' JACK CARR, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CRY HAVOC

'An espionage novel that moves fast and hits hard' M.W. CRAVEN

'A blistering thrill ride' VASEEM KHAN, author of the Q Mysteries

'A smart, slick, adrenaline-fuelled adventure for fans of Ludlum and Fleming' CHARLES CUMMING


A DYING RUSSIAN SCIENTIST
confesses to his children what he did as a young man.

A MURDERED SPY
shares vital intelligence before he's ruthlessly assassinated in the English countryside.

A RITUAL KILLING
hidden in a forest clearing in Sweden hints at something much worse.

FORMER MI6 AGENT RUNNER
Stella McRae is the only person who can be trusted to investigate now her former employer has been compromised.

EX-SAS OPERATOR
Tommy Kane has always had Stella's back, but as the threats against them escalate, will his formidable skills be enough this time?

OCTAGON
A devastating plot against the West is already in train. Only Stella and Tommy stand in its way. And time is running out...


'A gritty, well-paced page-turner' THE CRITIC

Praise for C.J. Merritt:
'A writer to put on your reading list!' - David Baldacci
'A first-class blend of intrigue, suspense, and action... as propulsive as a Bourne movie.' - Charles Cumming, CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger winner
'Very well done' - Anthony Horowitz
'A tight, compelling thriller that never misses a beat.' - Lou Berney, CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger winner
'Gripping' - Peter James

About the Author
C. J. Merritt served as a British diplomat in Iraq and Jerusalem. Pursuing his interest in the psychological impact of armed conflict, he then retrained as a Clinical Psychologist and worked for the National Health Service in London, where he focused on treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. During this time, he began writing fiction, and his debut novel was published in 2018. Since then, he has authored several more thrillers (as Chris Merritt). Now, alongside his writing, he analyses espionage and insider risk for a cybersecurity consultancy. He lives in London.

Reviews
Espionage, action, terrorism, cage fights, motorcycles, mystery and mayhem, C.J. Merritt delivers the goods and then some! Octagon bleeds authenticity from the first page to the last. Read it today! -- JACK CARR, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cry Havoc
An espionage novel that moves fast and hits hard. Stella and Tommy are wonderfully drawn protagonists, damaged but fiercely loyal to each other and to their country, and the plot is current and very scary. Highly recommended. -- M.W. Craven
I hate this book, for keeping me up all night. Psychological insights, authentic tradecraft, sharply-drawn characters and a compelling plot grab the reader with a grip as tight as Tommy Kane's. Well-observed prose engages them with all the charismatic poise of Stella McRae. Bourne meets Smiley, with exquisite balance. -- Julian Fisher, author of Think Like a Spy
Octagon blends high-stakes, high-octane spy fiction with cryptic clue intrigue and a side order of globetrotting action adventure. A blistering thrill ride! -- VASEEM KHAN, author of QUANTUM OF MENACE
A smart, slick, adrenaline-fuelled adventure for today's fans of Ludlum and Fleming. -- CHARLES CUMMING
A gritty, well-paced, page-turner. -- The Critic
A classic ticking-clock thriller ... fast-moving, full of surprises and very hard to put down. -- James Wolff, author of Spies and Other Gods
A timely tale of the dangers of extremism lying just beneath the surface, of the dark web and cults of personality, Octagon will enthrall, grip, and spook you in equal measure. Will have you turning pages at breakneck speed. A top-shelf spy thriller from someone who knows his stuff. -- I.S. Berry, author of The Peacock and the Sparrow
OCTAGON plunges the reader into a nightmarish nuclear conspiracy that spans the European continent, from the darkest woods of Scandinavia to the Adriatic coast. Short on options, time and resources, the protagonists of this breakneck espionage thriller untangle a web of threats, opportunities and uneasy alliances that left my head spinning. An authentic and compelling spy novel that hooked me from the opening scene. -- DAVID GOODMAN
Here you have everything you look for in a spy thriller: action, suspense, drama, deft plotting and gritty realism. Buy now. -- ALAN JUDD



Book Information
ISBN 9780241807460
Author C.J. Merritt
Format Hardback
Page Count 448
Imprint Michael Joseph Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 664g
Dimensions(mm) 243mm * 166mm * 40mm