Bomb Grade

Charlie Muffin #11

by Brian Freemantle

As the dust settles after the demise of the Cold War, Charlie Muffin must thwart a plan that could bring the world to the brink of nuclear holocaust   It has been more than five years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Charlie Muffin, Britain’s cagiest spy, is beginning to feel obsolete. As the machine of state intelligence is dismantled around him, he expects that he too will soon be on the scrap heap. But Britain needs him in Russia one more time. Since the demise of the Soviet empire, Charlie’s old stomping grounds have gone to seed. The Communist bureaucracy has degenerated into chaos. Rampant corruption, coupled with easy gangland money, means that disorder reigns. In the anarchy, 250 kilograms of uranium goes missing and Charlie must track it down before it goes to the highest bidder. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Brian Freemantle including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

Genres: Espionage, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Ebooks, Adventure

548 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Aka John Maxwell, Jonathan Evans, Jack Winchester, Harry Asher and Richard Gant.

Brian Freemantle [b. 1936] is one of Britain's most acclaimed authors of spy fiction. His novels have sold over ten million copies worldwide. Born in Southampton, Freemantle entered his career as a journalist, and began writing espionage thrillers in the late 1960s. Charlie M (1977) introduced the world to Charlie Muffin and won Freemantle international recognition—he would go on to publish fourteen titles in the series.

Freemantle has written dozens of other novels, including two featuring Sebastian Holmes, an illegitimate son of Sherlock Holmes, and the Cowley and Danilov series, about an American FBI agent and a Russian militia detective who work together to comabt organized crime in the post-Cold War world. Freemantle lives and works in London, Englad.

Reviews

[Diogenes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this series progresses, the intrigue becomes more and more complex and the story develops like a championship chess match, plotting so many moves ahead that it dazzles the mind. Charlie Muffin is a reverse snob, he antagonizes (and gets even with) those who think they're better than him, but he gets the job done, if not always in the approved way. Yet this foot-sore, disheveled, expense account padding hero is a charming spy.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was long, but I enjoyed the story.

I will say, though, that I could see the ending from pretty early on. I knew who the traitors were going to be, who was going to die, who’d come out on top, etc. Did that stop me cheering along, or holding my breath in places? Nope.

It’s so annoying that Amazon, Kindle, or Audible doesn’t have the rest of the series! Now what do I do?!? I need to see Charlie and Natalia live happily ever after!!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better Charlie Muffin books.

[Adolfo Ramon · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning, I thought it was going to be as the title says: "a bomb". But afterall, it's pretty good, and mixing russian mafia gives a touch into it.

[Geoffrey Ashlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read most of the Charlie Muffin series by Freemantle and generally I would rate them as 5 stars. Therefore I find it difficult to believe that this convoluted piece of prose was even written by Freemantle - maybe he used a ghost-writer?

I found the story ridiculously complex and poorly explained. Sadly, I think that it will be my last "Muffin" as I don't want to risk wading through hundreds of pages of confusing twaddle ever again.

[Tim Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

To date the best of a very good series

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Shawn MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in this series.

[Krishnan Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like this entry in the series as much as the previous book. I liked the theme of nuclear theft but the plot was quite complicated and it was difficult for me to follow everything that was happening.

At the end, I wasn't sure what Charlie knew when though there were some good twists and reveals along the way.

I think I'll take at least a small break from this series for the time being and check out some other books.