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John Barron/Nicholas Marten #3
The Hadrian Memorandum
"John Barron was once a top detective in the Los Angeles Police Department's elite 5-2 Squad. A deadly shootout with fellow officers changed his world forever. "
""
"Taking a new identity, he fled the country he loved and as Nicholas Marten became a landscape architect in the north of England determined to put a life of violence behind him forever. Then suddenly he found himself in Spain ensnared in a massive global conspiracy where he saved the life of John Henry Harris, the president of the United States. Not long afterward the president came calling again. "
""
Sent to the West African country of Equatorial Guinea to gain information on alleged collusion between a U.S. oil company and mercenaries hired to protect its workers, Marten is caught up in a bloody civil war between rebellious tribesmen and a merciless dictator. Soon he meets a priest who has clandestine photographs that show the mercenaries supplying arms to the rebels. In a blink the priest is captured by army troops and Marten flees for his life, determined to find the photographs and turn them over to the president before they are made public and ignite a global firestorm of protest and propaganda. But others are close on his heels. Among them; Conor White, a highly decorated former SAS commando turned elite killer; Sy Wirth, the arrogant president of the oil company; the alluring and dangerous oil company board member, Anne Tidrow; and, quietly, operatives of the CIA.
Murder, suspense, and deceit shadow Marten every inch of the way as his harrowing journey takes him to Berlin, to the Portuguese Riviera, and finally to the always-mysterious Lisbon. At stake is the struggle for control of an ocean of oil, and with it the constantly shifting line between good and evil, love and hate, law and politics. Its cost, thousands of human lives. Its cause, a top secret agreement called "The Hadrian Memorandum."
""
"Taking a new identity, he fled the country he loved and as Nicholas Marten became a landscape architect in the north of England determined to put a life of violence behind him forever. Then suddenly he found himself in Spain ensnared in a massive global conspiracy where he saved the life of John Henry Harris, the president of the United States. Not long afterward the president came calling again. "
""
Sent to the West African country of Equatorial Guinea to gain information on alleged collusion between a U.S. oil company and mercenaries hired to protect its workers, Marten is caught up in a bloody civil war between rebellious tribesmen and a merciless dictator. Soon he meets a priest who has clandestine photographs that show the mercenaries supplying arms to the rebels. In a blink the priest is captured by army troops and Marten flees for his life, determined to find the photographs and turn them over to the president before they are made public and ignite a global firestorm of protest and propaganda. But others are close on his heels. Among them; Conor White, a highly decorated former SAS commando turned elite killer; Sy Wirth, the arrogant president of the oil company; the alluring and dangerous oil company board member, Anne Tidrow; and, quietly, operatives of the CIA.
Murder, suspense, and deceit shadow Marten every inch of the way as his harrowing journey takes him to Berlin, to the Portuguese Riviera, and finally to the always-mysterious Lisbon. At stake is the struggle for control of an ocean of oil, and with it the constantly shifting line between good and evil, love and hate, law and politics. Its cost, thousands of human lives. Its cause, a top secret agreement called "The Hadrian Memorandum."
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Allan Folsom
11 books157 followersUntil the international success of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, Allan Folsom was a jobbing screen writer, contributing to such series as Hart to Hart. He lived in Santa Barbara with his wife, an artist, and their young daughter. Mr. Folsom died of complications of melanoma.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
January 21, 2018
The Hadrian Memorandum, excellent read. Everything stopped in my household as I read the continuation story of Nick Martin, aka John prior LAPD detective.
Nick has received a call from his friend, the President of the USA, to go to an African nation, undercover as a landscaper. Nick is a landscaper for a firm in Manchester, where he designs beautiful gardens, parks etc. His love, Lady C has married someone else and is off living in Japan. She always was a bit flaky.
Off Nick goes, only to be caught up in a civil war, the Priest he has gone to see shows him some very disturbing photo's, he notes the faces of the people and what they are doing. The Priest burns the photos and they return to the village, where Army personnel drive into the village attack two children and the Priest yells, run, and Nick does, while they kill the priest. Nick is chased into the jungle and he falls into the river, to be washed up miles away, and to be found by some medical students.
Fast forward... lots of action, escape, intrigue, betrayal with CIA, double agents, new friends, the plot is all about greed and oil. We get to meet our old Soviet friend who helped Nick in Russia, in book # 1, The Exile, will he be a life saver to Nick this time, or his enemy? Have to read. After lots of exciting twists and turns, and help from some of the Presidents friends in odd places Nick is able to return to the UK, with a quick visit from Lady C. Although she returns to her husband, the author leaves the reader wondering if the child she carries is Nicks. While Nick ponders on his own father and who is he. Leaving the reader hoping that there will be another story forthcoming.
Alas, this reader finds out that this brilliant author, unfortunately has died, and there will not be another Nick story in print. Unless a manuscript is found and someone completes the story. Thank you Allan Folsom for these books, now someone needs to make them into movies, they have got everything, Love, suspense, mystery, intrigue, politics, secret societies, double agents.
Nick has received a call from his friend, the President of the USA, to go to an African nation, undercover as a landscaper. Nick is a landscaper for a firm in Manchester, where he designs beautiful gardens, parks etc. His love, Lady C has married someone else and is off living in Japan. She always was a bit flaky.
Off Nick goes, only to be caught up in a civil war, the Priest he has gone to see shows him some very disturbing photo's, he notes the faces of the people and what they are doing. The Priest burns the photos and they return to the village, where Army personnel drive into the village attack two children and the Priest yells, run, and Nick does, while they kill the priest. Nick is chased into the jungle and he falls into the river, to be washed up miles away, and to be found by some medical students.
Fast forward... lots of action, escape, intrigue, betrayal with CIA, double agents, new friends, the plot is all about greed and oil. We get to meet our old Soviet friend who helped Nick in Russia, in book # 1, The Exile, will he be a life saver to Nick this time, or his enemy? Have to read. After lots of exciting twists and turns, and help from some of the Presidents friends in odd places Nick is able to return to the UK, with a quick visit from Lady C. Although she returns to her husband, the author leaves the reader wondering if the child she carries is Nicks. While Nick ponders on his own father and who is he. Leaving the reader hoping that there will be another story forthcoming.
Alas, this reader finds out that this brilliant author, unfortunately has died, and there will not be another Nick story in print. Unless a manuscript is found and someone completes the story. Thank you Allan Folsom for these books, now someone needs to make them into movies, they have got everything, Love, suspense, mystery, intrigue, politics, secret societies, double agents.
April 7, 2020
"L'esule" 2 anni fa mi aveva molto intrigato e adesso che ho appena finito di leggere quest'altro libro di Folsom, confermo la mia simpatia verso questo scrittore, l'apprezzamento per la sua abilità a tessere trame complicate ma convincenti, a creare personaggi credibili, scenari pieni di suspance. Tutto nelle sue pagine fila alla perfezione, senza cadute di tono e di tensione fino all'apprezzabile finale.
December 17, 2015
A great followup to The Machiavelli Covenant and The Exile. An enjoyable trilogy with lots of action without the feeling of trying to fit too much in. Folsom's novels flow easily and the characters are well defined. This was a complicated read, but the author very smartly refreshed vital points along the way to keep the reader from losing his way. Be sure to read The Exile first.
December 8, 2009
I stayed up way too late to finish it, which is definitely a good sign!
It's a good thriller, with a great slow build up to an exciting chase, the usual fun. Unfortunately, like most thrillers, I was disapointed with the ending, though that's not the author's fault - when a whole book is suspenseful and tense, the resolution is always a bit of a let down, since it's never as exciting as the build-up.
The only other thing that really stuck out is that it felt a little anachronistic - with the CIA and the Russians racing across Europe, it still had a bit of a cold-war-era vibe to it. I was surprised to read an international espionage thriller centered around oil, that barely touched on the interaction between the CIA and Middle Eastern oil-producing countries.
Overall, a fun read.
It's a good thriller, with a great slow build up to an exciting chase, the usual fun. Unfortunately, like most thrillers, I was disapointed with the ending, though that's not the author's fault - when a whole book is suspenseful and tense, the resolution is always a bit of a let down, since it's never as exciting as the build-up.
The only other thing that really stuck out is that it felt a little anachronistic - with the CIA and the Russians racing across Europe, it still had a bit of a cold-war-era vibe to it. I was surprised to read an international espionage thriller centered around oil, that barely touched on the interaction between the CIA and Middle Eastern oil-producing countries.
Overall, a fun read.
February 7, 2010
This overwritten, overlong thriller is nothing else if not cleverly plotted. The problem comes when the author keeps invading the mind of his characters with meaningless soliloquizing. "If I do that, he will do that etc.." This becomes tedious and breaks the rhythm of the story which is a good one.I found myself skimming pages to get to the next event in the story. Although the characters are not believable, especially Conor White, the story is carried by the twists and turns of an interesting plot. I gather it would have been best to have read the Exile and another Folsom book before this one as they form a kind of trilogy around the main character. Nevertheless, this is a page turner as long as you turn some of the pages very fast.
May 28, 2013
Nicholas Marten, a landscape architect with a hidden past as an L.A. Police Detective, becomes involved in a misadventure in Equatorial Guinea that throws him headlong into tribal rebellion as well as murder and intrigue involving global oil interests, and possible international conflict, embroiling both the CIA and Russian espionage as well as various free-lance agents. Of course there is also a beautiful and mysterious woman but his major problem is that he has no idea who he can trust and wisely enough he trusts no one. This is a better than average spy thriller with many twists and turns and it's well plotted, if you can buy into the premise. After a slow beginning as they trek across Europe the pace picks up and it then becomes a fast read and a page turner.
May 9, 2012
A very complex and well written thriller. With as many twists and turns that this one takes it will serve the reader well to pay close attention to all of the action and who is playing for what team. The main character is actually Nicholas Marten of whom two books have been written previously. Strangely enough this one does not fall into that series even though Marten will make several references to his past that occurred in those books. That kind of cranked me off as I thought this was actually written as a stand alone novel. All that aside this book does carry itself along quite well with plenty of action.
January 17, 2010
Wow. I have never read a book with a format like this (the story being told hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute) and if I can find more that are anything like the Hadrian Memorandum it will not be my last. This really was a book that I had a hard time putting down. At one point I just wanted it to end so that I could know the conclusion, but then I realized that was just my own impatience. The characters were likeable, and the action was suspenseful. I thought that this book was great and I have already got a friend hooked as well!
February 5, 2013
This is the third Allan Folsum book that I have read. I really enjoyed the Day after Tomorrow (4.5 stars) and liked Day of Confession (4 stars). As I was reading this book, I wondered what had happened - was this written by the same author? I was thinking that this was a 2 star book. Thankfully, the last third picked up sufficiently to raise my rating to 3 stars overall.
I found this book to be too slow with less than stellar characters. It is an average mystery/intrigue novel.
I found this book to be too slow with less than stellar characters. It is an average mystery/intrigue novel.
January 25, 2024
This could have been so much better in my opinion. The excessive language was over the top at times and was worse as the book went. I should have cut my loses after 100 or so pages but I kept going. The storyline was okay, the ending plausible and overall good. I won’t read this author again.
June 7, 2018
Nicholas Marten, a landscape architect from Manchester, England, starts the book meeting a priest who reluctantly gives him information revealing that an oil corporation is arming rebels in Equatorial Guinea. Before they can return to the priest's village, they are intercepted by the Army, and Marten heeds the last words from the priest, "Run for your life!" This starts a trip to give that information to someone who can possibly use it to bring a resolution to a civil war in Equatorial Guinea. Many parties don't want that information released, some more bloodthirsty than others to prevent it. But Marten has some secrets in his past that will make catching him more difficult than his pursuers know.
I enjoyed the globe-hopping travel descriptions, and it was quickly paced. Kept me entertained while reading, but will fade shortly. Will file in my brain candy category.
I enjoyed the globe-hopping travel descriptions, and it was quickly paced. Kept me entertained while reading, but will fade shortly. Will file in my brain candy category.
April 1, 2021
I have been known to mock Airport Books, but then again, Ive also read quite a few of them. Any port in a storm I guess.
I was buying cat food at the dollar store and saw the rack of crap near the checkout. Just as a joke I thumbed through some of them, trying to find the least worst.
I saw this, paid three dollars and went home and read it.
It was, believe it or not, pretty good.
It does hit every cliche you can think of: bad guys hunting for the hero's microfilm, corrupt spies, corrupt cops, corrupt Russians, corrupt Russian cops, etc.
But the guy can write. And Im a sucker for a good action story. Its not Dostoyevsky, but it will do in a pinch.
I was buying cat food at the dollar store and saw the rack of crap near the checkout. Just as a joke I thumbed through some of them, trying to find the least worst.
I saw this, paid three dollars and went home and read it.
It was, believe it or not, pretty good.
It does hit every cliche you can think of: bad guys hunting for the hero's microfilm, corrupt spies, corrupt cops, corrupt Russians, corrupt Russian cops, etc.
But the guy can write. And Im a sucker for a good action story. Its not Dostoyevsky, but it will do in a pinch.
February 15, 2017
This is a book full of action and intrigue. It follows the exploits of Nicholas Marten, who is supposed to be a landscape architect, but has a background in law enforcement to East New Guinea to investigate what is going on there. He of course discovers some nasty things that lead to him being chased all over. Anyway it is an interesting follow up to his prior work the Exile.
March 21, 2025
Action filled
Liked the detailed descriptions of the main characters feelings towards all others in the book. As the reader I felt like I was in the story and understood his reactions to the fast paced story. Running through swamps, hiding in underground tunnels, avoiding police and being chased by possible CIA or hired killers...never a dull moment in this action filled book.
Liked the detailed descriptions of the main characters feelings towards all others in the book. As the reader I felt like I was in the story and understood his reactions to the fast paced story. Running through swamps, hiding in underground tunnels, avoiding police and being chased by possible CIA or hired killers...never a dull moment in this action filled book.
December 20, 2021
If you've read the trilogy you'll realize the action scenes are amazingly written very suspenseful, but it's simply just all over the place, and by the end of it all, a lot of things are never answered and or never explained.
January 30, 2022
Very Good; Continuing character: Nick Marten; as a favor to the president, Marten travels to Africa and finds himself in the center of a conspiracy involving oil, private security companies, and warring factions
March 1, 2023
Deadly Mission carried out for the US president by his cousin Marten. Quick moving, multi- nation. Too much killing without flinching and in public areas by CIA and mercenaries, but creates the tension. Suspend belief and just enjoy the action unfold.
August 23, 2023
I felt like reading a road movie script (have you seen Thelma & Louise?) with our main character escaping across Europe.
Plot is little complicated due to geo-political background and all cross-interests there...but you cannot give it up looking for the next situation
Plot is little complicated due to geo-political background and all cross-interests there...but you cannot give it up looking for the next situation
September 9, 2017
Enjoyed the intrigue; not elegant in prose; hated gross profanity even if it is "realistic" -
December 26, 2017
Not at all at the same level as his previous books.
May 8, 2018
het boek begon spannend maar op het bleef niet echt spannend. het was ook niet wat ik er van verwachte. maar zeker wel de moeite van het lezen waard.
January 20, 2020
A real page turner. Took a bit to get going but wow. Fun suspense.
July 24, 2021
An entertaining read and complex plot.
November 8, 2021
The Hadrian Memorandum
I enjoyed reading this book, good plot with plenty of twists and turns, I did find it tedious and long winded in parts, could have been 20 chapters shorter✍️
I enjoyed reading this book, good plot with plenty of twists and turns, I did find it tedious and long winded in parts, could have been 20 chapters shorter✍️
June 6, 2024
No me parece tan bueno como cualquiera de los dos primeros. Además tiene aspectos de la trama que se me hacen bastante poco creíbles.
August 5, 2024
Spannend tot het eind
Read
May 17, 20252012
July 25, 2025
Alright yall here go my review of The Hadrian Memorandum by Allan Folsom I read this one a while back ago and I am just now catchin up on reviews I ain't about all them fancy words and all I write all my reviews in a notebook with a pen like the Good Lord intended then I come here and leave em when I got a minute
So this one right here got this fella named John Barron he used to be some hot shot cop over in Los Angeles part of that elite squad then somethin went plum sideways bunch of other cops got killed and it messed him up bad so he run off and started goin by Nicholas Marten and he out there plantin bushes or somethin up in England tryna forget all that mess
But you know how it goes trouble dont stay away long and next thing you know he in Spain wrapped up in some big world wide mess ends up savin the dang President hisself John Henry Harris and I was like well alright then go big or go home
Then the President comes knockin again and sends him to some place over yonder in Guinea or something in which I aint even heard of before and let me tell you it gets wild over there folks fightin dictators shootin uprisin rebels and oil companies tryin to play both sides like a snake in tall grass
Marten finds out some dirty stuff with this Priest and some pictures that could light the whole world on fire if they got out and next thing you know the Priest gone the Army comin and Marten runnin for his dang life from all kinda folks like hitmen oil tycoons crazy board members and secret agents lurkin in the dark
He be bouncin all over the world Berlin Portugal Lisbon and all that just tryin to do the right thing and not get hisself kilt meanwhile folks lyin murderin backstabbin and actin a fool all over some oil and a paper called The Hadrian Memorandum that got folks stirred up like hornets in a soda can
This book got action it got chase scenes it got some real tense parts had me holdin my breath like I was underwater and the bad guys aint all black and white either some of em you kinda feel for and some of em you just wanna slap
Now I aint sayin it was perfect it got a little long in the middle like it was draggin its feet a bit and sometimes I had to go back and reread cause I got confused who was who but once it picked back up it was full throttle all the way
I give it 4 outta 5 Catfish
Cause it had guts and grit and a good story behind it and I dang sure was entertained just needed a little trim in places and it woulda been perfect
So this one right here got this fella named John Barron he used to be some hot shot cop over in Los Angeles part of that elite squad then somethin went plum sideways bunch of other cops got killed and it messed him up bad so he run off and started goin by Nicholas Marten and he out there plantin bushes or somethin up in England tryna forget all that mess
But you know how it goes trouble dont stay away long and next thing you know he in Spain wrapped up in some big world wide mess ends up savin the dang President hisself John Henry Harris and I was like well alright then go big or go home
Then the President comes knockin again and sends him to some place over yonder in Guinea or something in which I aint even heard of before and let me tell you it gets wild over there folks fightin dictators shootin uprisin rebels and oil companies tryin to play both sides like a snake in tall grass
Marten finds out some dirty stuff with this Priest and some pictures that could light the whole world on fire if they got out and next thing you know the Priest gone the Army comin and Marten runnin for his dang life from all kinda folks like hitmen oil tycoons crazy board members and secret agents lurkin in the dark
He be bouncin all over the world Berlin Portugal Lisbon and all that just tryin to do the right thing and not get hisself kilt meanwhile folks lyin murderin backstabbin and actin a fool all over some oil and a paper called The Hadrian Memorandum that got folks stirred up like hornets in a soda can
This book got action it got chase scenes it got some real tense parts had me holdin my breath like I was underwater and the bad guys aint all black and white either some of em you kinda feel for and some of em you just wanna slap
Now I aint sayin it was perfect it got a little long in the middle like it was draggin its feet a bit and sometimes I had to go back and reread cause I got confused who was who but once it picked back up it was full throttle all the way
I give it 4 outta 5 Catfish
Cause it had guts and grit and a good story behind it and I dang sure was entertained just needed a little trim in places and it woulda been perfect
March 25, 2013
This is the second Allan Folsom's book I read and both has been very satisfying and highly entertaining for me.
I'll start the review with negative things I didn't like about the book then what I like because they are more.
Negative points:
- The pace drops somewhere after the first third of the book. If you are reading a thriller you would like the pace to stay up as much as possible. I guess every book has that part where things are slow and a bit boring so we can excuse this book but this is what I felt while reading.
- Some small details don't add up. Nothing that would affect the plot but some small details that you get to think about because reading unlike watching a movie gives you enough time to stop and think/judge every detail.
*SPOILER*
1- why trouble all of that? just send the pictures by mail or email to the final destination.
2- Wirth will text his contact saying "ok" once he knows the location, then his contact will tip the police about that location! how would his contact know the location if the text is just "ok", you know.. those kind of details.
END SPOILERS.
Positive points:
- The story is strong. Folsom is gifted and talented in a way he can write a conspiracy theory that you feel big and deep all details are taken care of. Twisted complicated and full of turns and changes. comparing to other thrillers I read, he's quite unique.
- You get close to the characters. Martin, White, Anne even those who had few lines to play in the story were described very well. Something makes you feel the story has characters you meet in your life. Moreover, even those who are professional land assassins have life, feeling, dreams and empathy. Well,, some of them anyway.
- For a thriller, it did a decent job. at some point I could my heart racing so I think this is the point!
- He's not afraid to take characters and events to an end you may not like. I think this is courageous for a writer because it may affect how you feel about the book. it's risky but I liked it.
To wrap it up, I really recommend this book. You will have to be forgiving for small goofs every now and then and keep the faith in the book and it will pay off.
I'll start the review with negative things I didn't like about the book then what I like because they are more.
Negative points:
- The pace drops somewhere after the first third of the book. If you are reading a thriller you would like the pace to stay up as much as possible. I guess every book has that part where things are slow and a bit boring so we can excuse this book but this is what I felt while reading.
- Some small details don't add up. Nothing that would affect the plot but some small details that you get to think about because reading unlike watching a movie gives you enough time to stop and think/judge every detail.
*SPOILER*
1- why trouble all of that? just send the pictures by mail or email to the final destination.
2- Wirth will text his contact saying "ok" once he knows the location, then his contact will tip the police about that location! how would his contact know the location if the text is just "ok", you know.. those kind of details.
END SPOILERS.
Positive points:
- The story is strong. Folsom is gifted and talented in a way he can write a conspiracy theory that you feel big and deep all details are taken care of. Twisted complicated and full of turns and changes. comparing to other thrillers I read, he's quite unique.
- You get close to the characters. Martin, White, Anne even those who had few lines to play in the story were described very well. Something makes you feel the story has characters you meet in your life. Moreover, even those who are professional land assassins have life, feeling, dreams and empathy. Well,, some of them anyway.
- For a thriller, it did a decent job. at some point I could my heart racing so I think this is the point!
- He's not afraid to take characters and events to an end you may not like. I think this is courageous for a writer because it may affect how you feel about the book. it's risky but I liked it.
To wrap it up, I really recommend this book. You will have to be forgiving for small goofs every now and then and keep the faith in the book and it will pay off.
November 20, 2011
Without a doubt my least favourite Folsom novel this far. Folsoms books have always been very fast paced, action packed and with an intriguing story which usually contains some historical clandestine groups who are trying to obtain even more power. There have been plotholes some times(especially in the Machivielli covenant) the size of an oilplatform but the books have always been very entertaining. And Folsom usually have a great plot twist to stir things up a bit(see the day after tomorrow. But as you probably have guessed, The Hadrian Memorandum doesnt have much of any of this. It is slow paced and very "talky", for a Folsom thriller anyway. The passages with Whites inner monolouges just got on my nerves and didnt add much to the story.
But the biggest issue I have with the book is that the story isnt good enough. The Oil company/CIA does evil things in the name of profit and power has been done much better before. And the characters, villains and heroes felt tired and uninspiring. Read Folsoms first three books instead and decide for yourselves if you want to continue reading him after that.
But the biggest issue I have with the book is that the story isnt good enough. The Oil company/CIA does evil things in the name of profit and power has been done much better before. And the characters, villains and heroes felt tired and uninspiring. Read Folsoms first three books instead and decide for yourselves if you want to continue reading him after that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews