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No Way Out
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Expected 4 Jun 26A brand new espionage thriller series from Neil Lancaster, the author of the best-selling Max Craigie series. Pre-order now!For her latest mission, British Intelligence operative Josie Chapman lands in California. Beneath the sun-soaked boulevards and rolling hills lurks a sprawling network of organised crime.
Posing as a climbing instructor, Josie infiltrates the operation and uncovers the staggering extent of its power and corruption. At its core is Franco Tondino, ruthless crime boss known as ‘The Director’, whose influence snakes through every level of authority, from local police to high-ranking officials.
How much is Josie willing to sacrifice to outwit a criminal empire that stops at nothing to protect its secrets? While failure means certain ruin, success could come at a devastating cost…
Posing as a climbing instructor, Josie infiltrates the operation and uncovers the staggering extent of its power and corruption. At its core is Franco Tondino, ruthless crime boss known as ‘The Director’, whose influence snakes through every level of authority, from local police to high-ranking officials.
How much is Josie willing to sacrifice to outwit a criminal empire that stops at nothing to protect its secrets? While failure means certain ruin, success could come at a devastating cost…
Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4+
We first meet Josie Chapman when she and her late father‘s pals, especially Macca, perform an audacious plot to retrieve Frank Chapman‘s stolen military medals. This leads to her being recruited by a branch of British intelligence and an operation in the USA at the behest of the FBI in California. At the end of a days successful work, she decides to go out to eat, a decision she will live to regret as she realises she has been well and truly set up. Awareness dawns that a great deal of rottenness lies at the heart of Morro Bay– is there really no way out? Not if ruthless Franco Torndino has anything to do with it.
Max Connor a.k.a. Neil Lancaster always delivers fast paced, intriguing novels and this is certainly a page turner. Here, as Josie learns to her cost, the corruption goes very deep but her father has taught her well. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean she’ll walk away, quite the contrary. I really like her as a central protagonist. She’s brave, smart, cool headed (usually!), resourceful and intuitive. That being said, she can be impulsive if she thinks right is on her side but that’s what makes her so interesting. Macca is immensely likeable and the pages he features on are usually especially entertaining. New characters in Bas Marchbank, her recruiter, Maggie and Ollie at HQ in Cricklewood and Sergeant Orville Williams of San Luis Obispo PD are worthy new additions.
The plot is an exciting, intoxicating read with danger levels set high as the opponents are terrifying and have a long reach. It’s tense and suspenseful with plenty of highs and lows. It’s perhaps a tad far-fetched, but it’s so compelling, who cares? It’s a high octane, twisty, rollercoaster read with some great characters and maybe (?) a couple of stereotypical villains. I’m certain Josie will cause plenty of kerfuffles wherever the shenanigans take her next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
We first meet Josie Chapman when she and her late father‘s pals, especially Macca, perform an audacious plot to retrieve Frank Chapman‘s stolen military medals. This leads to her being recruited by a branch of British intelligence and an operation in the USA at the behest of the FBI in California. At the end of a days successful work, she decides to go out to eat, a decision she will live to regret as she realises she has been well and truly set up. Awareness dawns that a great deal of rottenness lies at the heart of Morro Bay– is there really no way out? Not if ruthless Franco Torndino has anything to do with it.
Max Connor a.k.a. Neil Lancaster always delivers fast paced, intriguing novels and this is certainly a page turner. Here, as Josie learns to her cost, the corruption goes very deep but her father has taught her well. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean she’ll walk away, quite the contrary. I really like her as a central protagonist. She’s brave, smart, cool headed (usually!), resourceful and intuitive. That being said, she can be impulsive if she thinks right is on her side but that’s what makes her so interesting. Macca is immensely likeable and the pages he features on are usually especially entertaining. New characters in Bas Marchbank, her recruiter, Maggie and Ollie at HQ in Cricklewood and Sergeant Orville Williams of San Luis Obispo PD are worthy new additions.
The plot is an exciting, intoxicating read with danger levels set high as the opponents are terrifying and have a long reach. It’s tense and suspenseful with plenty of highs and lows. It’s perhaps a tad far-fetched, but it’s so compelling, who cares? It’s a high octane, twisty, rollercoaster read with some great characters and maybe (?) a couple of stereotypical villains. I’m certain Josie will cause plenty of kerfuffles wherever the shenanigans take her next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Max/Neil and NetGalley for allowing me to read No Way out prior to the publication date.
This is the 2nd book in the Josie Chapman series but can be read as a standalone story.
It is an all action espionage thriller with Josie as a young female version of Jack Reacher.
Most of the characters in the book are despicable.
Josie is the daughter of the late Frank Chapman, a highly decorated former Regimental Sergeant.
Her mother, Macey, who is living with advanced dementia, is now in a care home.
Josie is not in a good place as she grieves for her father whilst watching her mother slip away, day by day.
She accepts the offer of a role with a covert intelligence agency.
Her first assignment is to assist the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force within the FBI.
With the assignment complete Josie is preparing to return to the UK when she sess a young man being attacked. For a split second, she considers her exfiltration instructions versus one of her father’s many mantras of “do what is right”. Then Josie is bringing the attacker down. The local police arrive and arrest Josie on trumped up charges of drug possession.
In the hours that follow, she realises that there is a lot of corruption in the state.
Out of country and without authority, can she expose the people responsible?
The task will take all of her training to survive.
This is the 2nd book in the Josie Chapman series but can be read as a standalone story.
It is an all action espionage thriller with Josie as a young female version of Jack Reacher.
Most of the characters in the book are despicable.
Josie is the daughter of the late Frank Chapman, a highly decorated former Regimental Sergeant.
Her mother, Macey, who is living with advanced dementia, is now in a care home.
Josie is not in a good place as she grieves for her father whilst watching her mother slip away, day by day.
She accepts the offer of a role with a covert intelligence agency.
Her first assignment is to assist the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force within the FBI.
With the assignment complete Josie is preparing to return to the UK when she sess a young man being attacked. For a split second, she considers her exfiltration instructions versus one of her father’s many mantras of “do what is right”. Then Josie is bringing the attacker down. The local police arrive and arrest Josie on trumped up charges of drug possession.
In the hours that follow, she realises that there is a lot of corruption in the state.
Out of country and without authority, can she expose the people responsible?
The task will take all of her training to survive.
March 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of No Way Out by Max Connor
This was my first book by Max Connor and it certainly won’t be my last. A tightly plotted, high-stakes thriller with organised crime and espionage at its core, it gripped me from the outset and never let up.
Josie Chapman is a superb lead beingstrong, intelligent and refreshingly capable without ever feeling invincible. As the investigation escalates and loyalties blur, she’s forced to navigate a web of danger where nothing is quite as it seems. The tension builds steadily, the twists are well judged and the stakes feel genuinely high throughout.
The supporting characters add depth and nuance, but it’s Josie who anchors the story. I loved her determination and moral clarity under pressure, she’s exactly the sort of protagonist you want to follow into a series.
The audiobook narration is excellent: well paced, clear and emotionally attuned to the shifts in tension. It enhances the drama without ever overpowering it, making this an immersive and compelling listen.
A sharp, addictive thriller and an easy five stars. I can’t wait for the next one.
This was my first book by Max Connor and it certainly won’t be my last. A tightly plotted, high-stakes thriller with organised crime and espionage at its core, it gripped me from the outset and never let up.
Josie Chapman is a superb lead beingstrong, intelligent and refreshingly capable without ever feeling invincible. As the investigation escalates and loyalties blur, she’s forced to navigate a web of danger where nothing is quite as it seems. The tension builds steadily, the twists are well judged and the stakes feel genuinely high throughout.
The supporting characters add depth and nuance, but it’s Josie who anchors the story. I loved her determination and moral clarity under pressure, she’s exactly the sort of protagonist you want to follow into a series.
The audiobook narration is excellent: well paced, clear and emotionally attuned to the shifts in tension. It enhances the drama without ever overpowering it, making this an immersive and compelling listen.
A sharp, addictive thriller and an easy five stars. I can’t wait for the next one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
‘No Way Out’, by Max Connor ; Neil Lancaster is Book 2 in the Josie Chapman series.
As this series and character was completely new to me I was intrigued to find out how well this might pan out.There was simply no chance to have any doubts,as right away I felt fully immersed in the storyline and sympathetic to Josie’s struggles as a new covert operator tasked with completing her assignment or doing the right thing as her conscience dictated her.
This action thriller contains a mix of totally memorable heroes and villains to match the very best espionage tales.While the members of Josie's team and associates are instantly very likeable with all their individual qualities,the members of the Organised Crime Gang herein are truly horrible and worthy of Josie's best efforts to take them down.
There might not be room for many grey areas in the depiction of these characters yet the narrative makes for a fully enjoyable and entertaining read.I look forward to going back to book one and any future stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ at HarperCollins for an Advanced Readers copy for review.
As this series and character was completely new to me I was intrigued to find out how well this might pan out.There was simply no chance to have any doubts,as right away I felt fully immersed in the storyline and sympathetic to Josie’s struggles as a new covert operator tasked with completing her assignment or doing the right thing as her conscience dictated her.
This action thriller contains a mix of totally memorable heroes and villains to match the very best espionage tales.While the members of Josie's team and associates are instantly very likeable with all their individual qualities,the members of the Organised Crime Gang herein are truly horrible and worthy of Josie's best efforts to take them down.
There might not be room for many grey areas in the depiction of these characters yet the narrative makes for a fully enjoyable and entertaining read.I look forward to going back to book one and any future stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ at HarperCollins for an Advanced Readers copy for review.
January 30, 2026
No Way Out is another rollercoaster of thrills and action involving Josie Chapman.
Josie has been recruited by British Intelligence on the recommendation of Macca her deceased father’s special forces comrade who has known Josie all her life and was involved in her last mission to ensure her father’s murderers were brought to justice.
After all her training she is sent to California to assist the FBI to gather information and find evidence of people smuggling. This she does but when she comes to the aid of a man being beaten up she herself is arrested. This leads to her finding a nest of police corruption which against the FBI orders she is determined to uncover. This leads to Macca joining forces to support her.
With many horrific discoveries and a cast of truly dreadful evil individuals
this story is the very definition off a page turner with heartstopping moments and action that has you holding your breath.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
Josie has been recruited by British Intelligence on the recommendation of Macca her deceased father’s special forces comrade who has known Josie all her life and was involved in her last mission to ensure her father’s murderers were brought to justice.
After all her training she is sent to California to assist the FBI to gather information and find evidence of people smuggling. This she does but when she comes to the aid of a man being beaten up she herself is arrested. This leads to her finding a nest of police corruption which against the FBI orders she is determined to uncover. This leads to Macca joining forces to support her.
With many horrific discoveries and a cast of truly dreadful evil individuals
this story is the very definition off a page turner with heartstopping moments and action that has you holding your breath.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
No Way Out is a fast paced action thriller delving deep into the underbelly of human trafficking and corruption. Behind the scenes is a crime boss with far reaching contacts and a deadly team of thugs to do his bidding.
Following on from the events in 'No Mercy', the first in this series Josie Chapman has a new identity and a new career with intelligence services. With a lot to prove she hits the ground running in this tense, action packed novel.
A great mix of intrigue, action and adventure with a sprinkling of humour, a well plotted storyline and great characters, this was the perfect novel for a wet weekend.
Was it believable? Not really. Was it a great read? Most definitely. Could it be read as a standalone? Easily
My thanks to HQ and the author for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own
Following on from the events in 'No Mercy', the first in this series Josie Chapman has a new identity and a new career with intelligence services. With a lot to prove she hits the ground running in this tense, action packed novel.
A great mix of intrigue, action and adventure with a sprinkling of humour, a well plotted storyline and great characters, this was the perfect novel for a wet weekend.
Was it believable? Not really. Was it a great read? Most definitely. Could it be read as a standalone? Easily
My thanks to HQ and the author for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Josie is back after being recruited to join a small apparently nondescript team of the secret service.
She has done green cap endurance physical training, is generally a very fit person and is taking part in her first mission. This is in the US where she is tasked with a specific job.
As in the first book it seems that Josie is incapable of following orders and thinks she knows best. This is the most frustrating part of the book as she puts so much at risk. I liked the others in the team and Macker who is supporting her.
The narration was excellent, perfect choice for the book.. I really enjoy this author and his other pen name having listened to all of his books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC
She has done green cap endurance physical training, is generally a very fit person and is taking part in her first mission. This is in the US where she is tasked with a specific job.
As in the first book it seems that Josie is incapable of following orders and thinks she knows best. This is the most frustrating part of the book as she puts so much at risk. I liked the others in the team and Macker who is supporting her.
The narration was excellent, perfect choice for the book.. I really enjoy this author and his other pen name having listened to all of his books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars, action filled mystery thriller audiobook. A female Jack Reacher type feel, but with its own vibe too. Josie is pulled into the world of British intelligence. Initiative is a strong skill point. But she just can’t follow orders and let things go when she feels things are really wrong. A human trafficking ring in a town in very corrupt California town gets her back up, and Josie goes off piste. Baddies and baddies boss beware!
0.5 of a star off - Josie has such a strong skill set and so much strength of character yet at times she just seems to lack any confidence. Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
0.5 of a star off - Josie has such a strong skill set and so much strength of character yet at times she just seems to lack any confidence. Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️ 5 ⭐️
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews