Avenger by Frederick Forsyth

Val Penny ♦ May 14, 2016 ♦ 1 Comment

I had never read any books by Frederick Forsyth, although I felt I should have done. So, when my husband and I were clearing out the spare bedroom and we found Avenger, I set it aside to read. Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author, former journalist and spy, and occasional political commentator. He was born in Ashford, England on 25 August 1938.

It took me a few weeks for Avenger to reach the top of my pile. However, I was glad when it did. Avenger is a political thriller novel by Frederick Forsyth. It was published in September 2003 and was subsequently adapted for television in the 2006 film Avenger starring Sam Elliott.

Attorney Calvin Dexter hangs his shingle in a quiet New Jersey town. He leads a generally quiet life and has a reasonably successful practice. For a hobby he takes to the hills while triathalon training.

Ricky Colenso travels to Bosnia to volunteer as an aid worker the summer before he goes to college. He is a rich young man with a desire for philanthropy and to work for a charity but he  is killed by a thug whose paramilitary unit is subservient to Slobodan Milošević. Nobody knows what has happened until one of the unit confesses in 2001.  His family is grieving, so his weathy grandfather calls on Dexter to settle the score. Many years later, a worldwide chase is on. Dexter begins to draw a net around the killer. However, CIA agent Paul Devereux must find a way to stop Dexter before his quest for vengeance throws the world into chaos.

The masterful plot, with four or five separate threads, intertwines, and at each step the master storyteller contrives to add in historical perspective on the Vietnam war, its prelude and aftermath; on the CIA; on the African “wars of liberation”; on the United Arab Emirates; on the laws of the sea. Avenger is an exciting story: a great read. If you enjoy a good thriler, I highly recommend it.

Valerie Penny