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The Corporal's Wife
A suspenseful and thrilling novel about a small British team sent into Iran to smuggle out a feisty, independent young woman named Farideh. If they are caught, they will all be executed by the fundamentalist government - the Brits because they are effectively spies and Farideh because her husband is regarded as a traitor and she has a dangerous mind of her own.
Farideh's husband is a corporal in the Revolutionary Guard, entrapped by MI6 and held in a safe house in Austria for interrogation. His lowly position would not normally make him a target, but his job as a driver to a top general means that he knows the location of secret nuclear sites and has overheard many unguarded conversations.
But he won't talk unless they will bring out Farideh. The SAS say it's too dangerous, but the director of the operation doesn't want to lose his prize. He assembles a little team of three ex-soldiers and one student drop-out who knows the language and smuggles them into Tehran.
The journey out is an epic of drama and suspense, culminating in a never-to-be-forgotten run for the border. Along the way, we meet many characters, both British and Iranian, who display courage, cowardice, hatred, and love.
Farideh's husband is a corporal in the Revolutionary Guard, entrapped by MI6 and held in a safe house in Austria for interrogation. His lowly position would not normally make him a target, but his job as a driver to a top general means that he knows the location of secret nuclear sites and has overheard many unguarded conversations.
But he won't talk unless they will bring out Farideh. The SAS say it's too dangerous, but the director of the operation doesn't want to lose his prize. He assembles a little team of three ex-soldiers and one student drop-out who knows the language and smuggles them into Tehran.
The journey out is an epic of drama and suspense, culminating in a never-to-be-forgotten run for the border. Along the way, we meet many characters, both British and Iranian, who display courage, cowardice, hatred, and love.
423 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2013
60 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Seymour
100 books290 followersGerald Seymour (born 25 November 1941 in Guildford, Surrey) is a British writer.
The son of two literary figures, he was educated at Kelly College at Tavistock in Devon and took a BA Hons degree in Modern History at University College London. Initially a journalist, he joined ITN in 1963, covering such topics as the Great Train Robbery, Vietnam, Ireland, the Munich Olympics massacre, Germany's Red Army, Italy's Red Brigades and Palestinian militant groups. His first book, Harry's Game, was published in 1975, and Seymour then became a full-time novelist, living in the West Country. In 1999, he featured in the Oscar-winning television film, One Day in September, which portrayed the Munich Olympics massacre.
Television adaptations have been made of his books Harry's Game, The Glory Boys, The Contract, Red Fox, Field Of Blood, A Line In The Sand and The Waiting Time.
The son of two literary figures, he was educated at Kelly College at Tavistock in Devon and took a BA Hons degree in Modern History at University College London. Initially a journalist, he joined ITN in 1963, covering such topics as the Great Train Robbery, Vietnam, Ireland, the Munich Olympics massacre, Germany's Red Army, Italy's Red Brigades and Palestinian militant groups. His first book, Harry's Game, was published in 1975, and Seymour then became a full-time novelist, living in the West Country. In 1999, he featured in the Oscar-winning television film, One Day in September, which portrayed the Munich Olympics massacre.
Television adaptations have been made of his books Harry's Game, The Glory Boys, The Contract, Red Fox, Field Of Blood, A Line In The Sand and The Waiting Time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 29, 2014
This interesting fictional story is about a beautiful young woman who is determined to live the life she desires within an oppressive society, where torture and death is meted out for non compliance. The major part of the book is concerned with the exploits of an unusual team sent to bring the girl out.
The narrative throws light on how Islamic fundamentalism adversely affects the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly this innocent woman who got caught up in the murky business of international intelligence gathering. While external nations used a honey trap to extradite a specific member of the establishment to obtain useful intelligence, extreme counter measures show that both sides exhibit a total lack of morality in achieving their questionable aims.
Previously a reporter for ITN, the author has insight into many past terrorist events and writes in a very knowledgeable manner on both the cultures involved and the geography covered in the story.
The narrative throws light on how Islamic fundamentalism adversely affects the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly this innocent woman who got caught up in the murky business of international intelligence gathering. While external nations used a honey trap to extradite a specific member of the establishment to obtain useful intelligence, extreme counter measures show that both sides exhibit a total lack of morality in achieving their questionable aims.
Previously a reporter for ITN, the author has insight into many past terrorist events and writes in a very knowledgeable manner on both the cultures involved and the geography covered in the story.
June 1, 2014
This novel was a bit slow and I wanted to turn the pages quickly, not because it was a page turner, but because I wanted to get to the end and finish the book. For me, it was a bit slow with not too much happening. It improved over the last 100 pages.
September 22, 2013
Another excellent suspense novel from Geral Seymour. Once more, a pursuit is central to the plot. Seymour's sense of pace and plot is excellent and his ability to describe places shows ample depth of research. He is also adept at characterisation, and at creating and describing inter-personal conflicts, especially of people bound together by mortal threat.
This is a real page-turner - hard to put down.
This is a real page-turner - hard to put down.
June 17, 2024
It was only an average read from the latest Seymour novel. But, having read many over the years from this great writer, this reader though that he missed the mark on this occasion. It had a full array of characters that included, but weren't limited to at least some of the following: Mehrak and Farideh; Zach Bennett and his three 'friends'- Mickey, Ralph and Wally; PK (Petroc Kenning) and Father William, Auntie and Nobby as well as Duncan (Dunc). Then there was Mandy, Joey and Beth and also Tadeuz. There was a few others, but ultimately, Mr. Seymour didn't really need to use all the characters to tell the story and that was a problem. Mr. Seymour built up the story in the first half of the book with all these characters, yet they didn't necessarily add any extra to the storyline. Yes, it had a good story with a brutal ending, but Mr. Seymour spoilt it with too many characters.
He got bogged down, particularly in the middle of the book, with too much chatter between the intelligence agencies which didn't really enhance the story. It really only had the effect of slowing the story down and becoming somewhat distracting to the main plot line. There seemed to be endless sequences where there was pointless chatter that did little to enhance the story flow . Also, the British authorities showed almost utter contempt for some the main characters in the story and then acted almost completely out of character by helping them at the end. This reader would have liked to have given more for this effort by Mr. Seymour, but it only gets two stars on this occasion.
He did an excellent story with 'Home Run' where he had two main stories that clashed 'head on' into each other with devastating consequences. All the characters had an effect on the story, for good or for worse, and best of all, there weren't too many of them! It would have to be one of his best in amongst many other good novels written by Mr. Seymour. In this one, however, there were too many characters, too much idle chatter between the Intelligence agencies and and a woeful ending. It's a bit below par by his lofty standards. I would like to give the story two and half stars, but the ranking only allows two or three. Oh my lord, only two stars for Mr. Seymour this time around! After having read many of his books over the years, I suppose it's possible that one day it would happen. Still, I'm glad to have read it. 2 Stars.
Gerald Seymour has been writing thrillers for more than thirty five years. Here are a few ranked accordingly:
5 Stars ~ ‘A Line in the Sand’ and ‘Home Run’.
4 Stars ~ ‘The Waiting Time’, ‘Holding the Zero’, ‘The Dealer and the Dead’, ‘’No Mortal Thing’, The Outsiders’, ‘A Deniable Death’, ‘A Damn Serious Business’, ‘Archangel’, ‘No Mortal Thing’, ‘The Collaborator’ and ‘Killing Ground’ ,’ The Journeyman Tailor’, ‘Field of Blood’, 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and ‘Harry’s Game’.
3 Stars ~ ‘A Song in the Morning', 'In Honour Bound’ & ‘The Untouchable’
2 Stars ~ ‘The Corporals Wife’ & 'The Unknown Soldier’.
Other similar authors that this person has read include: John le Carre, Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Alan Furst, Mick Herron, Ted Allbeury and Robert Ludlum who focused on spy novels, conflicts or on espionage.
He got bogged down, particularly in the middle of the book, with too much chatter between the intelligence agencies which didn't really enhance the story. It really only had the effect of slowing the story down and becoming somewhat distracting to the main plot line. There seemed to be endless sequences where there was pointless chatter that did little to enhance the story flow . Also, the British authorities showed almost utter contempt for some the main characters in the story and then acted almost completely out of character by helping them at the end. This reader would have liked to have given more for this effort by Mr. Seymour, but it only gets two stars on this occasion.
He did an excellent story with 'Home Run' where he had two main stories that clashed 'head on' into each other with devastating consequences. All the characters had an effect on the story, for good or for worse, and best of all, there weren't too many of them! It would have to be one of his best in amongst many other good novels written by Mr. Seymour. In this one, however, there were too many characters, too much idle chatter between the Intelligence agencies and and a woeful ending. It's a bit below par by his lofty standards. I would like to give the story two and half stars, but the ranking only allows two or three. Oh my lord, only two stars for Mr. Seymour this time around! After having read many of his books over the years, I suppose it's possible that one day it would happen. Still, I'm glad to have read it. 2 Stars.
Gerald Seymour has been writing thrillers for more than thirty five years. Here are a few ranked accordingly:
5 Stars ~ ‘A Line in the Sand’ and ‘Home Run’.
4 Stars ~ ‘The Waiting Time’, ‘Holding the Zero’, ‘The Dealer and the Dead’, ‘’No Mortal Thing’, The Outsiders’, ‘A Deniable Death’, ‘A Damn Serious Business’, ‘Archangel’, ‘No Mortal Thing’, ‘The Collaborator’ and ‘Killing Ground’ ,’ The Journeyman Tailor’, ‘Field of Blood’, 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and ‘Harry’s Game’.
3 Stars ~ ‘A Song in the Morning', 'In Honour Bound’ & ‘The Untouchable’
2 Stars ~ ‘The Corporals Wife’ & 'The Unknown Soldier’.
Other similar authors that this person has read include: John le Carre, Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Alan Furst, Mick Herron, Ted Allbeury and Robert Ludlum who focused on spy novels, conflicts or on espionage.
January 30, 2025
3.6 ⭐️
I borrowed this book from a neighbor, and it’s not something I would have chosen to read myself. However, it surprised me, and I ended up enjoying it more than expected, despite a few flaws.
The story centers around terrorism, drug smuggling, and espionage. It follows a corporal who works as a driver for an important brigadier. The corporal is secretly filmed with a prostitute and kidnapped and taken to a safe house in a neutral country. There, he’s blackmailed, the footage will be released unless he agrees to provide sensitive information about his employer, the brigadier, including the meetings he attends and classified details about his country. The corporal complies but demands the kidnappers bring his wife to him safely before he shares more.
The plot shifts to a mission involving three hired shooters and a translator tasked with smuggling the corporal’s wife out of her country. Each member of the team has a backstory as to why they accepted despite knowing the possibility of death, one was discharged, one is drowning in debt, and another is terminally ill. The mission is high stakes, as the wife is under constant surveillance by her country, which views her husband as a traitor. The authorities suspect she may be aiding him, and they’re determined to stop anyone from helping her escape. The majority of the book focuses on the team’s dangerous journey, traveling in stolen vehicles, a campervan and a builder’s van, while evading capture.
However, the wife’s character complicates matters. She despises her husband, having had two lovers during their brief marriage, both of whom were killed and carried small pictures of her. A third man has tried to pursue her romantically but, so far, she has rejected him. When she loses her job due to accusations of treason, the man becomes paranoid, fearing he too will be targeted. Despite being married with an eight-month pregnant wife and a son with serious health issues, he blames the corporal’s wife for his infatuation, revealing that his unwillingness to move his family to a healthier environment was more about staying close to her than his work. To complicate things further, the translator on the mission also falls in love with her.
The book is fast-paced and filled with action, especially during the team’s attempts to smuggle the wife out of the country. However, I found certain aspects lacking. Some scenes were unclear, leaving me guessing at what had happened, and the ending was especially confusing, I had to re-read it to figure out which characters had died. The ending involving the brigadier still confused me after re-reading.
Another issue was the overabundance of characters, particularly the numerous leaders and officials from different countries who were willing to sacrifice innocent lives to obtain information. While this highlighted the immorality of their actions, many of these characters felt unnecessary and cluttered the story. Additionally, the narrative structure was a bit jumbled. Instead of separating subplots and the main plot into distinct chapters, the book frequently combined them, which made it harder to follow.
Overall, while this isn’t my usual genre, I did enjoy the story. The action and suspense were gripping, and the themes of betrayal, morality, and desperation were thought-provoking. However, the confusing storytelling, unnecessary characters, and occasional lack of clarity held it back from being a truly great read.
I borrowed this book from a neighbor, and it’s not something I would have chosen to read myself. However, it surprised me, and I ended up enjoying it more than expected, despite a few flaws.
The story centers around terrorism, drug smuggling, and espionage. It follows a corporal who works as a driver for an important brigadier. The corporal is secretly filmed with a prostitute and kidnapped and taken to a safe house in a neutral country. There, he’s blackmailed, the footage will be released unless he agrees to provide sensitive information about his employer, the brigadier, including the meetings he attends and classified details about his country. The corporal complies but demands the kidnappers bring his wife to him safely before he shares more.
The plot shifts to a mission involving three hired shooters and a translator tasked with smuggling the corporal’s wife out of her country. Each member of the team has a backstory as to why they accepted despite knowing the possibility of death, one was discharged, one is drowning in debt, and another is terminally ill. The mission is high stakes, as the wife is under constant surveillance by her country, which views her husband as a traitor. The authorities suspect she may be aiding him, and they’re determined to stop anyone from helping her escape. The majority of the book focuses on the team’s dangerous journey, traveling in stolen vehicles, a campervan and a builder’s van, while evading capture.
However, the wife’s character complicates matters. She despises her husband, having had two lovers during their brief marriage, both of whom were killed and carried small pictures of her. A third man has tried to pursue her romantically but, so far, she has rejected him. When she loses her job due to accusations of treason, the man becomes paranoid, fearing he too will be targeted. Despite being married with an eight-month pregnant wife and a son with serious health issues, he blames the corporal’s wife for his infatuation, revealing that his unwillingness to move his family to a healthier environment was more about staying close to her than his work. To complicate things further, the translator on the mission also falls in love with her.
The book is fast-paced and filled with action, especially during the team’s attempts to smuggle the wife out of the country. However, I found certain aspects lacking. Some scenes were unclear, leaving me guessing at what had happened, and the ending was especially confusing, I had to re-read it to figure out which characters had died. The ending involving the brigadier still confused me after re-reading.
Another issue was the overabundance of characters, particularly the numerous leaders and officials from different countries who were willing to sacrifice innocent lives to obtain information. While this highlighted the immorality of their actions, many of these characters felt unnecessary and cluttered the story. Additionally, the narrative structure was a bit jumbled. Instead of separating subplots and the main plot into distinct chapters, the book frequently combined them, which made it harder to follow.
Overall, while this isn’t my usual genre, I did enjoy the story. The action and suspense were gripping, and the themes of betrayal, morality, and desperation were thought-provoking. However, the confusing storytelling, unnecessary characters, and occasional lack of clarity held it back from being a truly great read.
October 19, 2017
I was really intrigued by the idea of The Corporal’s Wife. A team of four men, three professionals and one civilian are sent into Iran to extract a woman named Farideh, the wife of a defector. Mehrak, her husband is in the arms of the British, and is refusing to cooperate further until he is reunited with the wife who loathes him. So the team find themselves in a race against time to reach the Iranian border and get themselves to safety.
Not knowing much about the world of espionage, I always find the politics in these books both interesting and confusing. That said I really enjoyed being steeped into the culture of Iran, especially as it is a country that I know very little about.
Sometimes I felt like there were too many characters, or too many things happening at once, and this would often lead to me missing things. Take for instance, the final dash to the border when the flags are in sight. I knew the Iranians had positioned people there, but the action was moving so fast that I actually had no idea until the recap in the final chapter who had lived or died.
I’d still recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fast paced thriller.
Not knowing much about the world of espionage, I always find the politics in these books both interesting and confusing. That said I really enjoyed being steeped into the culture of Iran, especially as it is a country that I know very little about.
Sometimes I felt like there were too many characters, or too many things happening at once, and this would often lead to me missing things. Take for instance, the final dash to the border when the flags are in sight. I knew the Iranians had positioned people there, but the action was moving so fast that I actually had no idea until the recap in the final chapter who had lived or died.
I’d still recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fast paced thriller.
February 25, 2016
This is not the usual type of book I read but I found it excellent. It is set in modern times and shows the wheeling and dealing and undercover infiltration necessary to obtain and extract information from within Iran. It is well written but it does have a host of different characters within different groups, who need to be filed in the reader's mind early on to be able to clearly follow the development of the story. The writer records the involvement and progression of the characters by jumping from one to another quite often but, once you are familiar with this, it enables you to monitor everyone involved. Ironically the Western sources fraternise with each other in a combined effort for a successful mission but at the end of the day a deal can always be made with the people you are trying to outwit.
October 31, 2017
I picked this up after just finishing another Seymour book, but perhaps it was too soon as I couldn't really start it, let alone finish it. As another reviewer noted, I wanted to turn the pages - not because it was a page-turner but because it took so long for something to happen. As is often the case, the blurb on the back of the book is very important in setting expectations. I don't want the whole story on the back cover, then have to wade through early pages when I already know what happens.
March 30, 2018
Received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am really torn by this book. It could have been really good. There were interesting characters and a fascinating plot but I just didn't get into the book. I really struggled with the book.
I think it was because of the narrative style. Too jumpy and constantly changing the focus of the narrative and the narrator's voice. I never really felt like I got into the story and I am not sure the author wanted me to.
It was readable but disappointing
I am really torn by this book. It could have been really good. There were interesting characters and a fascinating plot but I just didn't get into the book. I really struggled with the book.
I think it was because of the narrative style. Too jumpy and constantly changing the focus of the narrative and the narrator's voice. I never really felt like I got into the story and I am not sure the author wanted me to.
It was readable but disappointing
September 1, 2016
A truly first class spy and undercover novel a masterclass in writing by GS agonising in the build up and the journeys of the main subjects is sometimes is nail bitingly brilliant. A story of the modern times.
May 10, 2018
A suspenseful and thrilling novel about a small British team sent into Iran to smuggle out a feisty, independent young woman named Farideh. If they are caught, they will all be executed by the fundamentalist government - the Brits because they are effectively spies and Farideh because her husband is regarded as a traitor and she has a dangerous mind of her own.
Farideh's husband is a corporal in the Revolutionary Guard, entrapped by MI6 and held in a safe house in Austria for interrogation. His lowly position would not normally make him a target, but his job as a driver to a top general means that he knows the location of secret nuclear sites and has overheard many unguarded conversations.
But he won't talk unless they will bring out Farideh. The SAS say it's too dangerous, but the director of the operation doesn't want to lose his prize. He assembles a little team of three ex-soldiers and one student drop-out who knows the language and smuggles them into Tehran.
The journey out is an epic of drama and suspense, culminating in a never-to-be-forgotten run for the border. Along the way, we meet many characters, both British and Iranian, who display courage, cowardice, hatred, and love
Farideh's husband is a corporal in the Revolutionary Guard, entrapped by MI6 and held in a safe house in Austria for interrogation. His lowly position would not normally make him a target, but his job as a driver to a top general means that he knows the location of secret nuclear sites and has overheard many unguarded conversations.
But he won't talk unless they will bring out Farideh. The SAS say it's too dangerous, but the director of the operation doesn't want to lose his prize. He assembles a little team of three ex-soldiers and one student drop-out who knows the language and smuggles them into Tehran.
The journey out is an epic of drama and suspense, culminating in a never-to-be-forgotten run for the border. Along the way, we meet many characters, both British and Iranian, who display courage, cowardice, hatred, and love
April 7, 2018
this fictional piece of writing by seymour is worth reading if u have an appetite for thriller . this story revolves around a girl named farideh who happens to be a wife of a iranian defector who has been caught by British intelligence agency MI-6. the whole read was like a roller coaster journey with ups and down and suspence increasing with every page you turn . taking this girl out from iran , crew of 4 person ,stuck in a different land ,
a mission to be accomplished has been put in suxh a manner that no one other can do .
a mission to be accomplished has been put in suxh a manner that no one other can do .
April 28, 2020
this fictional piece of writing by seymour is worth reading if u have an appetite for thriller . this story revolves around a girl named farideh who happens to be a wife of a iranian defector who has been caught by British intelligence agency MI-6. the whole read was like a roller coaster journey with ups and down and suspence increasing with every page you turn . taking this girl out from iran , crew of 4 person ,stuck in a different land ,
a mission to be accomplished has been put in suxh a manner that no one other can do .
a mission to be accomplished has been put in suxh a manner that no one other can do .
October 3, 2020
I'd probably hav said 3.5, 3* feels a bit mean but it wasn't a 4* read either.
Positives: Good characters, interesting insight into Iran and espionage, wasn't predictable
Negatives: Was drawn out, I was listening to it and found how it jumps to different scenes with no warning in every chapter difficult to follow and a lot of characters who had a role but I think some of it could have been streamlined.
I wouldn't mind trying another of the authors books.
Positives: Good characters, interesting insight into Iran and espionage, wasn't predictable
Negatives: Was drawn out, I was listening to it and found how it jumps to different scenes with no warning in every chapter difficult to follow and a lot of characters who had a role but I think some of it could have been streamlined.
I wouldn't mind trying another of the authors books.
December 31, 2023
An unusual book for me to have picked up. The plot was absorbing and I learned quite a lot about Iran and politics of the "spycraft".
There was something terribly annoying, however, about the writing style. Each short chapter or section would start with "He....." and the reader is left to figure out which character is being talked about. So frustrating. Often I'd read on presuming the section was of a different character. Totally unnecessary confusion.
There was something terribly annoying, however, about the writing style. Each short chapter or section would start with "He....." and the reader is left to figure out which character is being talked about. So frustrating. Often I'd read on presuming the section was of a different character. Totally unnecessary confusion.
September 13, 2019
Slow to start, and at times difficult to follow. But, once the characters had all been developed and the story line followed it was very difficult to put the book down.
Such a pleasant read compared to American based Spy\Agent stories that cram as much killing as they can into 400 pages.
A very good ending.
Such a pleasant read compared to American based Spy\Agent stories that cram as much killing as they can into 400 pages.
A very good ending.
January 18, 2020
Really mixed feelings about this one. The main storyline was action filled and exciting and of course Iran is in the news at the moment, But I find the other thread following those waiting for the escape really boring and eventually gave up reading these sections. A Damned Serious Business was very similar to this format. I have read a lot of Seymour novels before and they were fine.
February 10, 2021
Seymour has this great skill of gently leading you along and whilst you stroll through the ongoing plot you don’t even realise how tense it is until the frantic denouement where breath is held and reality has a habit of presenting itself!
February 11, 2018
Didn’t finish fin8sh. Got too complicated.
September 21, 2018
Not for me.
November 1, 2019
Gerald Seymour is a storyteller , skilled in providing the right amount of detail and at a pace that keeps you reading. Really enjoyed this book.
September 1, 2020
Oh how I wished this book was as good as its cover. For me it was hard to read.
October 13, 2021
Too many subplots and jumped about on the same page frequently . However it was a very good story to be fair .
July 28, 2022
An engaging spy story with a long cast of characters. The description of the journey out of Iran was tense and compelling.
September 5, 2022
Entrapment that perhaps doesn’t go perfectly, I certainly wouldn’t want to get someone out of Iran.
December 13, 2022
Nearly...
...
...
March 29, 2024
It was really well written but quite complicated and difficult to follow
November 21, 2024
Didn't finish
December 2, 2024
very good! Sad as always... Le Carre style!
May 20, 2025
Not my favorite read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews