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Heartbreaker
The outstanding thriller from the #1 bestselling author of BITE, Nick LouthVeteran BBC journalist Chris Wyrecliffe finds himself in the Middle East as the Arab Spring explodes into life. Back on the front line at last, he’s stumbled across the biggest story of his life.
But two women have a hold on him. One, a wealthy Saudi beauty he has loved since the first moment he saw her. The other, a feisty young Palestinian refugee loves him with a frightening intensity.
Wyrecliffe is caught between them in a dangerous game whose implications are as extreme as they are hidden…
For in the dark Al Qaeda underworld hides a man with the veteran journalist in his sights. The net is closing fast. With the clock ticking, Wyrecliffe could be the instrument of a terrorist plot astonishing in its ingenuity and daring…
An extraordinary thriller that grips like steel, Heartbreaker will keep you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Tom Bale, David Jackson and K.L. Slater.
What readers are saying about Nick Louth‘A fast-paced and explosive thriller about a subject that really matters.’
‘This was up there with the best thrillers I have ever read.’
‘Bite was a gripping, entertaining read which kept me enthralled right until the end!’
‘The whole book is an excellent, gripping read. Get one – you won't be disappointed!’
‘I absolutely loved this book, it is well written and keeps you on your toes all the way to the last chapter.’
‘It grips you from the first page to the last. Excellent book.’
‘Well constructed, good page turner, very well researched, excellent holiday read.’
‘Exciting, interesting and unpredictable. Highly recommended.’
‘Superb! Couldnt put the book down. Really was one of the best thrillers I've read in years.’
‘Had me hooked from the start! I would definitely recommend this book.’
‘Very exciting and enjoyable. Thoroughly recommended read for anyone who enjoys fast-paced books.’
But two women have a hold on him. One, a wealthy Saudi beauty he has loved since the first moment he saw her. The other, a feisty young Palestinian refugee loves him with a frightening intensity.
Wyrecliffe is caught between them in a dangerous game whose implications are as extreme as they are hidden…
For in the dark Al Qaeda underworld hides a man with the veteran journalist in his sights. The net is closing fast. With the clock ticking, Wyrecliffe could be the instrument of a terrorist plot astonishing in its ingenuity and daring…
An extraordinary thriller that grips like steel, Heartbreaker will keep you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Tom Bale, David Jackson and K.L. Slater.
What readers are saying about Nick Louth‘A fast-paced and explosive thriller about a subject that really matters.’
‘This was up there with the best thrillers I have ever read.’
‘Bite was a gripping, entertaining read which kept me enthralled right until the end!’
‘The whole book is an excellent, gripping read. Get one – you won't be disappointed!’
‘I absolutely loved this book, it is well written and keeps you on your toes all the way to the last chapter.’
‘It grips you from the first page to the last. Excellent book.’
‘Well constructed, good page turner, very well researched, excellent holiday read.’
‘Exciting, interesting and unpredictable. Highly recommended.’
‘Superb! Couldnt put the book down. Really was one of the best thrillers I've read in years.’
‘Had me hooked from the start! I would definitely recommend this book.’
‘Very exciting and enjoyable. Thoroughly recommended read for anyone who enjoys fast-paced books.’
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
80 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Nick Louth
41 books294 followersNick Louth is a freelance journalist and author, based in Lincolnshire UK.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 4, 2014
I read this book because of the fantastic Nick Louth book BITE,this book has everything war,religion,politics,romance,revenge and a mix of great characters excellent stories over a twenty year period absolute page turner highly recommended
January 28, 2023
Wow! The book started slow but gathered pace and was incredibly tense at the end. The level of detail was mind blowing. It's a scary insite into terrorism activities. A fantastic educational enjoyable read.
July 11, 2018
Louth is that most rare author - he can actually write. Highly recommend all his books. This one rang true with me, after living in the Middle East.
September 8, 2014
I was slightly concerned about reading this book so soon after reading Nick Louth's previous book, Bite, as I rated that book highly and didn't want to be disappointed. I needn't have been.
It took me a little to get into it but perhaps because I'd read Bite so close to it and I was comparing. Once I got into it however, I was absolutely well and truly hooked and couldn't wait to pick it up and find out what was going to happen.
Definitely worth reading and I'm just gutted I read it so quickly!
It took me a little to get into it but perhaps because I'd read Bite so close to it and I was comparing. Once I got into it however, I was absolutely well and truly hooked and couldn't wait to pick it up and find out what was going to happen.
Definitely worth reading and I'm just gutted I read it so quickly!
August 23, 2014
I loved this book - from the love stories to war stories. And the thriller element. Just brilliant!!
October 7, 2015
Good story, written with pace. It ensures that I want to read more of this author
January 22, 2022
Read this after being caught up on the addictive DCI Craig Gillard series. While that series excels in the detective-work-and-personal-life story arc, Heartbreaker falls in a different genre. While there are detectives and lawyers in the cast later in the book, the main characters are journalists - plus some terrorists.
Compared to the DCI Gillard series, this book is much more cinematic, to the point of working in multiple countdown timer type scenes ("spoiler:" the day is saved, with seconds to spare!) This is where it veers into action movie script territory, quite different from DCI Gillard. Also, the Really Bad Guys sure are ... Really Bad.
In fairness, Louth does build a compelling back story for Wyrecliffe, with his buried secrets gradually unfolding as the story develops. DCI Gillard's past is developed more gradually over many titles in the series, and isn't a central plot point in the crimes he is solving, instead forming a parallel thread running through the series to add dimensionality and interiority.
In Heartbreaker, cellphone coverage issues are recurring plot devices, and there's a troubling amount of "I need to see you in person, can't talk about this on the phone" -- when the reader knows the caller is the only one with vital information, leaving us REALLY wishing they would have just blurted it out.
Good reflections on who counts as "believable" when telling a pretty hard-to-believe story.
Also very interesting imagining of life within a jihadist group, and how a British Muslim might be drawn into one.
Compared to the DCI Gillard series, this book is much more cinematic, to the point of working in multiple countdown timer type scenes ("spoiler:" the day is saved, with seconds to spare!) This is where it veers into action movie script territory, quite different from DCI Gillard. Also, the Really Bad Guys sure are ... Really Bad.
In fairness, Louth does build a compelling back story for Wyrecliffe, with his buried secrets gradually unfolding as the story develops. DCI Gillard's past is developed more gradually over many titles in the series, and isn't a central plot point in the crimes he is solving, instead forming a parallel thread running through the series to add dimensionality and interiority.
In Heartbreaker, cellphone coverage issues are recurring plot devices, and there's a troubling amount of "I need to see you in person, can't talk about this on the phone" -- when the reader knows the caller is the only one with vital information, leaving us REALLY wishing they would have just blurted it out.
Good reflections on who counts as "believable" when telling a pretty hard-to-believe story.
Also very interesting imagining of life within a jihadist group, and how a British Muslim might be drawn into one.
April 9, 2023
This is my first non DCI Gillard book by Nick Louth and it's not bad. I considered dnf'ing it at one point but then it grew on me. Spoilers ahead:
The main thing I didn't like about it was the several POVs. I usually don't like books with several POVs because the plot line loses focus as it goes from story to story within the book. And that was the case here. Up to about 3/4 in, the book was just going from story to story and it just wasn't interesting but towards the end, it started to focus on one part and it got more intense.
Chris is a BBC reporter who specializes in the Middle East. Even though he's married, at some point he meets the love of his life (a Saudi reporter). They have a child (not known to him) and he grows up radicalized and hates his parents for what they did.
Meanwhile, during an assignment, Chris' Palestinian translator is killed. He visits his family in a refugee camp and notices that his young daughter has a twisted (club?) foot that prevents her from walking normally. He eventually creates a foundation in the name of his translator who brings Palestinian youth to Britain to study. He also pays (or the foundation pays) to fix the girl's foot.
Fast forward many years, the young girl is now studying in Britain and his son has grown up. He joins a terrorist cell in order to kill his father and to attack the west.
Overall a good read with a good look into radicals inside the UK.
The main thing I didn't like about it was the several POVs. I usually don't like books with several POVs because the plot line loses focus as it goes from story to story within the book. And that was the case here. Up to about 3/4 in, the book was just going from story to story and it just wasn't interesting but towards the end, it started to focus on one part and it got more intense.
Chris is a BBC reporter who specializes in the Middle East. Even though he's married, at some point he meets the love of his life (a Saudi reporter). They have a child (not known to him) and he grows up radicalized and hates his parents for what they did.
Meanwhile, during an assignment, Chris' Palestinian translator is killed. He visits his family in a refugee camp and notices that his young daughter has a twisted (club?) foot that prevents her from walking normally. He eventually creates a foundation in the name of his translator who brings Palestinian youth to Britain to study. He also pays (or the foundation pays) to fix the girl's foot.
Fast forward many years, the young girl is now studying in Britain and his son has grown up. He joins a terrorist cell in order to kill his father and to attack the west.
Overall a good read with a good look into radicals inside the UK.
February 19, 2021
This novel has Nick Louth's characteristic fast paced action. It is, however, so different from the DCI Craig Gillard series that it felt to me that as if it had a different author. For one thing the mainly Middle Eastern settings are much different from those in his British novels (apart from the Albania scenes in one of them.) I found the novel very exciting once I got over the differences and could nmot put it down as I approached the final scenes. I do have to add, however, that I feel it is rather Islamophobic.
May 13, 2025
I love Nick Louth’s writing. He is a fantastic author, and his books are easy to read. I started reading “Heartbreaker” and it was a wonderful story with believable characters who are well described. I couldn’t finish the book, unfortunately, as I was depressed about reading about the Palestinian troubles. I have read so much about these wars in the news, and it saddens me, and makes me despise Hamas and their sponsors.
Accordingly, I cannot recommend this book, but I will entice people to read any other books written by Nick Louth.
Accordingly, I cannot recommend this book, but I will entice people to read any other books written by Nick Louth.
June 25, 2025
I hadn’t read any Nick Louth books before and my daughter had purchased this book for me. Having glimpsed some of the reviews I wasn’t sure but having started it I didn’t want to put it down and finished it in a matter of days.
It speeds through events and keeps you wanting more right until the end. A well written book which maintains the interest- at least for me - throughout the story until the last chapter. I’ll now have to look up some of his other novels.
It speeds through events and keeps you wanting more right until the end. A well written book which maintains the interest- at least for me - throughout the story until the last chapter. I’ll now have to look up some of his other novels.
June 23, 2024
It took me a while to get into this book, as it wasn’t as captivating as I would have hoped. The characters are all well linked but the tidiness of those character meetings was a little hard to believe. The politics was very well thought out and based closely on past events. All in all not a bad book but it didn’t blow my mind.
April 12, 2018
A good read
A complex tale of fanatical extremists with an ingenious, but deadly agenda to sabotage Middle East peace talks.
A tribute to a friend, hero worship abused & a love story marred by the product of that love.
A complex tale of fanatical extremists with an ingenious, but deadly agenda to sabotage Middle East peace talks.
A tribute to a friend, hero worship abused & a love story marred by the product of that love.
June 17, 2021
Received through box of stories.
Very exciting ending!
I didn’t care much for Chris’ perspective in the first chapters but got really into the story in book 2 once Cantara and Rifat took over.
Exhilarating conclusion, couldn’t put it down.
Very exciting ending!
I didn’t care much for Chris’ perspective in the first chapters but got really into the story in book 2 once Cantara and Rifat took over.
Exhilarating conclusion, couldn’t put it down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2025
I didn’t finish this book. There is very little to like about most of the characters and the protagonist rapes his partner during her first sexual experience. I can’t imagine it gets better from there. I have enjoyed the DCI Craig Dillard books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2018
excellent story, kept me hooked all the way through.
August 6, 2020
Great plot full of twists. Kept me enthralled.
October 4, 2021
An exciting read - perhaps a few too many stereotypes
January 15, 2025
I couldn’t put the book down.
April 5, 2025
4.5⭐️
August 18, 2016
This book is crazy addictive - personally, I was immediately involved in the characters and highly invested in their stories. I’m not generally an adrenaline junky but I found myself loving the tension.
Heartbreaker was clearly researched to the minutia. It left me wondering how much of this fiction could be - or already is - reality. *Shivers*
If you’ve read other books by Nick Louth, you probably already know that his words are a delight. Antimacassar? Redoubt? Reithian values? It’s an etymological adventure as well as a thriller.
The violence in this story is more removed than in Nick Louth’s bestseller Bite, which may be more comfortable for any squeamish readers out there (like me!). Don’t get me wrong though, this is no Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s intense.
Potential spoiler alert here - this book is a fascinating exploration of terrorism sans consent. I highly recommend it.
Heartbreaker was clearly researched to the minutia. It left me wondering how much of this fiction could be - or already is - reality. *Shivers*
If you’ve read other books by Nick Louth, you probably already know that his words are a delight. Antimacassar? Redoubt? Reithian values? It’s an etymological adventure as well as a thriller.
The violence in this story is more removed than in Nick Louth’s bestseller Bite, which may be more comfortable for any squeamish readers out there (like me!). Don’t get me wrong though, this is no Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s intense.
Potential spoiler alert here - this book is a fascinating exploration of terrorism sans consent. I highly recommend it.
October 18, 2021
It was OK - didn't feel much empathy for any of the characters. It should have been an easy read, but it wasn't! (Oh, and I was reading the print paperback version, which had tiny print, just as a note for anyone else who will be reading it!)
(Gave to charity - not worth a reread)
#ABoS
(Gave to charity - not worth a reread)
#ABoS
January 4, 2015
I though this book was fantastic. Topical, exciting, moving, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews