When I first began blogging I met author Rob Sinclair who was just starting out as a full time writer. Since then I have been delighted to feature Rob on Linda’s Book Bag every year. Rob previously wrote a wonderful guest post about becoming a full time writer that you can read here and I have my review of Rob’s book Red Cobra, that you can read here. Last year Rob kindly stayed in with me to chat about The Green Viper in a post you can see here.

I was thrilled when Rob asked if I’d like a copy of the latest book in his James Ryker series, The White Scorpion, for review and I’m delighted to share that review today.

The White Scorpion was published by Bloodhound on 16th July 2019 and is available for purchase here.

The White Scorpion

Rule number one for an agent of the secretive JIA is to follow orders, no matter what.

But James Ryker has never cared much for rules. He only wants to do what is right.

Assigned to join a crew of elite security personnel in Chabon, Africa, Ryker’s mission objective is clouded by politics and obfuscation, and he knows only that to protect British interests in the region, he is to infiltrate the close protection team of the government of Chabon, a country with a dark and violent past.

Arriving in Chabon’s crumbling capital, Kilpassa, Ryker finds a country on the brink of civil war. A growing civilian rebellion threatens peace, with claims of atrocities committed by both sides, including the frail government run by enigmatic President Benyu – a former military general who took control of the country in a violent coup.

Drawn into Benyu’s inner circle, it soon becomes clear to Ryker that in Chabon, the lines between good and bad, and right and wrong, are nearly impossible to identify.

With a crisis of epic proportions unfolding before his eyes, Ryker knows one thing for sure: with or without the backing of his superiors, he must take drastic action, and quickly, or risk putting millions of innocent lives in danger.

My Review of The White Scorpion

James Ryker is back being put through his paces on a new mission.

Although The White Scorpion is the fifth in the James Ryker series of books and I haven’t read them all, it didn’t matter at all because this book can easily be read as a stand alone novel.

The White Scorpion opens in dramatic fashion and doesn’t let up for a moment until the very last full stop. I found it utterly intriguing to see how Rob Sinclair would take me from the prologue through the events of the previous few weeks that lead up to that point, and he did so with such skill that I am incredibly impressed. The plot of The White Scorpion is an absolute corker. It’s high octane, heart thumping and fast paced so that I found my pulse elevated and I could NOT tear myself away. The short chapters and the manner in which each one ends adds to the breathlessness experienced in reading Rob Sinclair’s magnificent story. I can’t understand why his James Ryker series hasn’t hit our screens yet as it is far better than anything of a similar vein that I have read.

Whilst The White Scorpion has more violence than the books I usually read, it never feels gratuitous. Rather, Rob Sinclair presents a realistic and vivid portrait of an unstable African country and the behind the scenes manipulations by international Western governments. The themes of corruption, power and state are all too believable so that as well as being a very exciting read, this book is an unsettling one too. I fear there is more veracity in Robe Sinclair’s writing than any of us might like to acknowledge. His portrayal of an African landscape felt very real to me too, and I was reminded of the places I have visited in Africa very evocatively.

It took me only seconds to fall back in love with Ryker who out shines any James Bond or Jack Reacher for me, but equally I found the other characters absorbing and intriguing. Not one of the fairly numerous cast felt bland or one dimensional. I wanted the working relationship between Ryker and Monroe to develop into a personal one because they felt so real to me. However, you’ll have to read The White Serpent to discover what, if anything, happens there!

The White Scorpion is a brilliant political thriller. I absolutely devoured it in two days because Rob Sinclair made me desperate to know what would happen next. I cannot recommend it highly enough – especially if, like me, this isn’t your usual reading genre. I’d urge you to give it a try because it’s fabulous.

About Rob Sinclair

Rob Sinclair is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series and James Ryker series of espionage thrillers as well as the globetrotting thriller hit Sleeper 13. His books have sold over half a million copies to date with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.
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Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

You can follow Rob on Twitter @RSinclairAuthor, visit his website and find him on Facebook.