From Bell (Nick of Time, 2008, etc.), a James Bondish adventure brought up to date with Middle Eastern terrorists, Russian baddies and assorted other denizens of evil empires around the world.

Alex Hawke is a modern type, but not so modern that he's given up smoking—or, even if he does read Susan Sontag, that he's become new-age sensitive. He's a reader and a thinker, a veteran of British intelligence and a counterterrorism expert of renown. He also bears the burdens of grief. As Bell tells us in a slightly hamfisted bit of exposition, Alex's parents had been killed "at the hands of drug pirates when the boy was but seven" (which, doing the numbers, would put those drug pirates well ahead of the curve). To top that off, Alex's true love has fallen victim to the endless struggle between good and evil—or, as he puts it: "My heart's in the grave." By rights he should be a basket case, but then comes a call from old pal Prince Charles (yes, that Prince Charles), who informs him that the bloke or blokes who did in his uncle Dickie Mountbatten are back, threatening to repeat their dastardly acts on Charles and his progeny. The plot thickens, involving a small army of walk-on characters, some from real life (think Princess Di and Dodi Fayed) and some from an ample supply of stock characters (for one, an all-wise, ever-patient manservant). Though many genre conventions are well in place, Bell has fun with his tale, allowing Hawke enough opportunities for mayhem and carnage as to embarrass the murderous James Bond of Quantum of Solace—as when, for instance, he dispatches a terrorist, "little more than a boy," by slicing him apart with an assault knife. That's exactly in character, and exactly what the situation called for.

A meaty, entertaining thriller, sometimes predictable, more often not—just the thing for fans of Ludlum, Trevanian and Fleming.

Lord Alexander Hawke (Tsar), in the doldrums over the death of his pregnant fiancée, springs into action when Prince Charles calls to say the British Royal Family is in mortal danger. The enemy appears to be a serial-killing government insider responsible for the assassination of Lord Mountbatten three decades earlier, Lady Diana's death in Paris, and numerous other disasters in England. Meanwhile, his team in the States, ex-Navy SEAL Stokely Jones and CIA field agent Harry Brock, combats a rising threat posed by the Sword of Allah, a unified Taliban, and al-Qaeda command, which aim to gain control of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. In this dire situation, can Lord Hawke lock down those missiles? Can Stokes and Brock stop U.S. prisons from becoming madrassa hothouses? Can anyone save us from a worldwide caliphate and stop those "criminal-coddling nannies up in Washington"? VERDICT Bell's sixth Alex Hawke thriller lacks political sophistication, adhering to the headlines in a way that seems preachy and uninspired. The multiple plotlines do not cohere, and the muted élan vital will disappoint some readers. Still, series fans and those who admire Glenn Beck may find the novel's doomsday themes appealing. Readers who want a more accurate picture of Islamic terrorism should read Michael Gruber's The Good Son. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/10.]—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson

Bell's fine sixth thriller featuring swashbuckling British spy Alex Hawke mixes action and suspense with just the right amount of humor and old-fashioned boys-book adventure. Hawke, who's been feeling suicidal since a personal tragedy in his last outing (Tsar), snaps out of his depression and back into secret agent mode after receiving a phone call from his old pal, His Royal Highness, the prince of Wales. Someone is targeting the British royal family for assassination, starting years earlier with Charles's uncle, Lord Mountbatten. All clues point to the IRA and the mysterious killer known as Mr. Smith. Meanwhile, a terrorist organization, Sword of Allah, has joined forces with the Taliban and al-Qaeda and is carrying out a string of devastating bombings across the globe designed to establish a worldwide caliphate. Thriller readers looking for an unabashed romp with a patriotic heart and a smart take on modern-day terrorism will be amply rewarded. 6-city author tour. (Sept.)