Helmand, 2004: Afghanistan’s most lawless province, where nearly 90 per cent of the world’s opium is grown. Pink and lilac poppies flutter innocently in the breeze in fields that stretch for miles and miles along the Helmand River south of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Gangsters and warlords battle for supremacy in the lucrative trade, territories well-known, and fiercely contested.
Well Diggers, an Anglo-Dutch NGO helping the farming community, comes under attack. One man is dead and another man is missing – suspected kidnapped, so head of security Ginger Jameson calls in his old friend Alasdair ‘Mac’ MacKenzie to help.
But when the expected ransom demand fails to materialise, rumours blossom, creating a web of deceit and a multitude of false leads. Embarking on a rescue mission into the no-go reaches of southern Helmand might look like a major scoop to Mac’s girlfriend, investigative reporter Baz Khan, but it puts the whole team in danger. And if they don’t find him soon, they won’t find him at all…
From Helmand’s shimmering poppy fields to the blistering Desert of Death and the opium bazaars of Bahram Char, where nothing is as cheap as a man’s life, this is the gripping sequel to Death in Kabul.
As the title suggests, this thriller is set in Helmand and immediately had my attention from the opening.There’s mistrust, exploitation, fear, loyalty, the lengths you’d go to protect those you love/care for and a search for the truth/justice.
Wow! I was thrown into the action right from the start. The scene is set and jaysus did my pulse pound. Graphic and harrowing at times, but not gratuitous, the story felt authentic and at times, way too real!
The authors did a great job with the characters in this story. They were a mixed bunch and like me, there will be some that readers will enjoy more than others. As it should be for they added the conflict and tension that drove the story forward. Also can I just mention LOBO! I want!
Would I recommend this book? You bet your ass I would. This was a military thriller with a twist! Death in Helmand is an intense, explosive read with non stop action. I could feel the fear and panic at times. The sense of jeopardy was palpable and the characters had me invested 100%. Definitely recommend!
