What do you think?
Rate this book
Nick Stone #10
Crossfire
Body Guarding a TV crew on the streets of war-torn Basra, ex-deniable operator Nick Stone seems certain to die when insurgent gunmen attack. Only the reporter's swift action saves his life.
When the reporter vanishes within hours, presumed kidnapped, Stone is asked by the Intelligence Service to find him. The trail leads from Iraq to London, Dublin, and ultimately Kabul - the dark and brutal city where governments, terrorism and big business inexorably collide. Caught in the crossfire, Stone's nightmare is only just beginning - for the hunter has suddenly become the hunted, in a heart-stopping race against time. . .
Unrelentingly violent, harrowing and chillingly graphic as it hurtles us towards a truly shocking climax, Nick Stone's tenth adventure is high-voltage, pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred McNab - prose so testosterone-drenched, action so blisteringly paced, it could only have been penned by the master thriller writer at his electrifying, unputdownable best.
When the reporter vanishes within hours, presumed kidnapped, Stone is asked by the Intelligence Service to find him. The trail leads from Iraq to London, Dublin, and ultimately Kabul - the dark and brutal city where governments, terrorism and big business inexorably collide. Caught in the crossfire, Stone's nightmare is only just beginning - for the hunter has suddenly become the hunted, in a heart-stopping race against time. . .
Unrelentingly violent, harrowing and chillingly graphic as it hurtles us towards a truly shocking climax, Nick Stone's tenth adventure is high-voltage, pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred McNab - prose so testosterone-drenched, action so blisteringly paced, it could only have been penned by the master thriller writer at his electrifying, unputdownable best.
3 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2007
119 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
About the author
Andy McNab
204 books1,151 followersAndy McNab joined the infantry in 1976 as a boy soldier. In 1984 he was badged as a member of 22 SAS Regiment. He served in B Squadron 22 SAS for ten years and worked on both covert and overt special operations worldwide, including anti-terrorist and anti-drug operations in the Middle and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland.
Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations. In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.
McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.
Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero (1993) and Immediate Action (1995). Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK. To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages. The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc. The BBC's film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.
Immediate Action, McNab's autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex-parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995. To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.
McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers. Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK. McNab's subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well. The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex-SAS operative working as a 'K' on deniable operations for British Intelligence.
McNab's fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering. He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.
Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations. In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.
McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.
Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero (1993) and Immediate Action (1995). Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK. To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages. The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc. The BBC's film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.
Immediate Action, McNab's autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex-parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995. To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.
McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers. Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK. McNab's subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well. The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex-SAS operative working as a 'K' on deniable operations for British Intelligence.
McNab's fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering. He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 24, 2010
Its a brilliant book!!! The main character is called Nick Stone and has to look after a TV crew in Iraq. The filmer is called Pete and the reporter is called Dom (Drac). Nick gets shot in a battle in a city after being shot in the arm. When he gets out of hospital he finds out that Pete had died and Dom has gone missing. Nick goes back to London and is sent by the MI6 to find Dom. He goes to Petes wife to find information and then to Dublin to talk to Doms wife. Later he knows that Doms wife is lieing about something and sneaks into her house to find information. Then he finds out Dom was last seen in Kabul, Afganistan. He goes there and meets a friend. He goes round Kabul to find more information and then is told by the some one from the MI6 known as Yes man that Dom is a hostage by some terrorist (not the taliban). Nick goes to a pub to buy a cheap gun and later finds out were thier house is. He sneaks in and kills the terrorists and saves Dom. But then the MI6 betray him. Nick Stone is tortered by Yes man but manages to escape and get Dom out again. They sneak out and find out that Doms son is hostage by the MI6 and they go to save him and Dom drives away after to escape to were the goverment dont know where they are. Then Nick kills Yes man.THE END
March 31, 2021
Nick Stone going to save a journalist
Journalists Pete and Dom are doing war stories.
The story moved from an exciting journalists protection duty to a rescue mission.
Now who has Dom and what they want with him?
As the story progress, drug dealers were involved and asked for ransom. So Nice tried to do is right, finding the kidnapped journalist.
The action is okay. Story is a bit on the weird side, like too many sick macho guys in the war zone. Still a good read.
Reading this as the Book task for Door 7 completed.
Journalists Pete and Dom are doing war stories.
The story moved from an exciting journalists protection duty to a rescue mission.
Now who has Dom and what they want with him?
As the story progress, drug dealers were involved and asked for ransom. So Nice tried to do is right, finding the kidnapped journalist.
The action is okay. Story is a bit on the weird side, like too many sick macho guys in the war zone. Still a good read.
Reading this as the Book task for Door 7 completed.
May 9, 2013
Ini adalah ulasan buku dwi-bahasa/This is a bilingual book review
Nick Stone ditugaskan untuk melindungi Dom,seorang wartawan berita TV dan jurukameranya,yang bernama Pete di Basra,Iraq. Di dalam suatu peristiwa,Nick terhutang budi dengan Pete yang menyelamatkan nyawanya. Namun,dia terkejut apabila mendapat tahu bahawa Pete telah mati dibunuh. Tambah merumitkan keadaan,Dom telah menghilangkan diri.
Nick berazam untuk menjejaki Dom untuk mengetahui punca sebenar kematian Pete. Secara kebetulan, Yes Man,seorang lelaki yang bertugas di MI6 (sebuah badan perisikan British) juga mempunyai tujuan yang sama dan mengarahkan Nick untuk mencari Dom. Pencarian Nick membawanya ke bumi Afghanistan yang bergolak. Misinya sangat berbahaya kerana adanya pihak yang tidak mahu Dom diselamatkan dan membongkar apa yang berlaku di sebalik kesemua perkara yang berlaku.
Ini merupakan kali pertama saya membaca novel tulisan Andy McNab. Namun demikian,ini bukanlah kali pertama saya membaca buku tulisannya sebelum ini. Bravo Two Zero dan Seven Troop merupakan dua buah buku memoir mengenai kerjaya tenteranya sebelum berhenti dan menjadi seorang novelis terkenal. Pengalaman pertama kali membaca novelnya ini adalah tidak mengecewakan. Beliau seorang pencerita yang baik. Membaca novel tulisannya tidak membosankan saya. Pada bab-bab awal,memang sedikit membosankan. Namun,selepas itu,rentak pembacaan saya semakin rancak. Dari beberapa segi,Andy McNab lebih bagus berbanding Chris Ryan dari aspek penceritaan! Sudah tentu,saya akan terus mencari novel-novelnya yang lain.
Novel ini merupakan sebuah novel bersiri (yang ke-10) mengenai Nick Stone,selaku watak utama. Perspektif orang pertama digunakan di dalam novel ini. Dari segi bahasa,terdapat banyak penggunaan perkataan kasar dan lucah digunakan. Malah,bahasa Inggeris yang digunakan agak sukar difahami kerana terdapatnya loghat dan slanga yang digunakan di dalam novel agak sukar difahami. Perlu ada sebuah glosari khusus di bahagian akhir novel ini untuk rujukan pembaca.
Not bad,not bad at all! This is a first time I read a novel written by a renowned ex-SAS-turned-novelist,Andy McNab,and I love it! Maybe,due to first perspective-style of narrative,made the actions described in the novel,enable me to appreciate the storyline better. Early on the novel,is quite boring and dragging. But,after that,the story gained its momentum. Recommended to all who liked action novel.
Nick Stone ditugaskan untuk melindungi Dom,seorang wartawan berita TV dan jurukameranya,yang bernama Pete di Basra,Iraq. Di dalam suatu peristiwa,Nick terhutang budi dengan Pete yang menyelamatkan nyawanya. Namun,dia terkejut apabila mendapat tahu bahawa Pete telah mati dibunuh. Tambah merumitkan keadaan,Dom telah menghilangkan diri.
Nick berazam untuk menjejaki Dom untuk mengetahui punca sebenar kematian Pete. Secara kebetulan, Yes Man,seorang lelaki yang bertugas di MI6 (sebuah badan perisikan British) juga mempunyai tujuan yang sama dan mengarahkan Nick untuk mencari Dom. Pencarian Nick membawanya ke bumi Afghanistan yang bergolak. Misinya sangat berbahaya kerana adanya pihak yang tidak mahu Dom diselamatkan dan membongkar apa yang berlaku di sebalik kesemua perkara yang berlaku.
Ini merupakan kali pertama saya membaca novel tulisan Andy McNab. Namun demikian,ini bukanlah kali pertama saya membaca buku tulisannya sebelum ini. Bravo Two Zero dan Seven Troop merupakan dua buah buku memoir mengenai kerjaya tenteranya sebelum berhenti dan menjadi seorang novelis terkenal. Pengalaman pertama kali membaca novelnya ini adalah tidak mengecewakan. Beliau seorang pencerita yang baik. Membaca novel tulisannya tidak membosankan saya. Pada bab-bab awal,memang sedikit membosankan. Namun,selepas itu,rentak pembacaan saya semakin rancak. Dari beberapa segi,Andy McNab lebih bagus berbanding Chris Ryan dari aspek penceritaan! Sudah tentu,saya akan terus mencari novel-novelnya yang lain.
Novel ini merupakan sebuah novel bersiri (yang ke-10) mengenai Nick Stone,selaku watak utama. Perspektif orang pertama digunakan di dalam novel ini. Dari segi bahasa,terdapat banyak penggunaan perkataan kasar dan lucah digunakan. Malah,bahasa Inggeris yang digunakan agak sukar difahami kerana terdapatnya loghat dan slanga yang digunakan di dalam novel agak sukar difahami. Perlu ada sebuah glosari khusus di bahagian akhir novel ini untuk rujukan pembaca.
Not bad,not bad at all! This is a first time I read a novel written by a renowned ex-SAS-turned-novelist,Andy McNab,and I love it! Maybe,due to first perspective-style of narrative,made the actions described in the novel,enable me to appreciate the storyline better. Early on the novel,is quite boring and dragging. But,after that,the story gained its momentum. Recommended to all who liked action novel.
July 25, 2012
Wow! I feel as though I've just spent the last few hours rummaging around in the hot and dusty backstreets of Kabul with Nick Stone rescuing a renowned TV presenter who got himself involved with some rather shady characters.
McNab's first hand military experience has certainly paid off to bring his very different literary world to life to avid readers around the world. I think I've read 300 pages in a couple of hours forgetting dinner, the bright sunny weather and numerous phone calls and am completely and utterly exhausted from the realism and tension that I've taken in.
You can feel the blood, sweat, tears and more blood come to life amongst the gritty and lawless backdrops of modern day Kabul, the restless and tense atmosphere of Basra and the hidden but still very hostile backstreets of Dublin.
Brilliant stuff.
McNab's first hand military experience has certainly paid off to bring his very different literary world to life to avid readers around the world. I think I've read 300 pages in a couple of hours forgetting dinner, the bright sunny weather and numerous phone calls and am completely and utterly exhausted from the realism and tension that I've taken in.
You can feel the blood, sweat, tears and more blood come to life amongst the gritty and lawless backdrops of modern day Kabul, the restless and tense atmosphere of Basra and the hidden but still very hostile backstreets of Dublin.
Brilliant stuff.
December 20, 2011
The author being a former operator himself; this is as close as it gets to the real thing. Somehow I have a strong feeling this book is a fictionalized account of something that really took place and the author replaced the names for anonymity. A real good read with a healthy dose of sarcastic British humour.
February 19, 2014
I picked this book up in a charity shop, thinking how I had enjoyed the series Strike Back on TV, I am so glad I did. I have no idea how authentic the details are, but I really enjoyed the story. I was gripped pretty early on and enjoyed the ride that much, it was over before I knew it. Will definitely be looking to read more...
August 28, 2009
This was my first Andy McNab book. I loved the way he paired fiction and fact, with a lot of action and excitement included. One of my favourite books I have ever read, exciting and completely different from any of his other Nick Stone books. Brilliant!
January 5, 2012
This book is excellent - from a gritty uncomplicated lead who is well rounded and extremely well written to a multinational setting the story veers wildly from twist to turn.
It may be thriller by numbers, but it's written so well it's head and shoulders above the rest.
September 20, 2014
McNab is an excellent writer whose efforts to deliverance enjoyable product are most appreciated, particularly impressive is his attention to detail along with a sense of reality tied to a work of fiction.
March 14, 2011
Crossfire is a very entertaining book which shows how a group of solders are being changed from active duty to semi active duty by protecting a camera crew in a very hostile world.
July 29, 2011
This is one of the better ones in the Nick Stone series, a really good read.
February 1, 2013
Another great read in the Nick Stone series. Couldn't put it down. Andy McNab always seems to be at his best and never disappoints.
March 8, 2015
For me this is the best book of the Nick Stone series. Constant action so much detail I felt like I was right there!
December 11, 2016
As far as Nick Stone books go I found this one on the disappointing side.
The first few chapters in Basra really dragged, with almost impenetrable amounts of army jargon and acronyms, and ultimately no real bearing on the story. Only one thing happened necessary to set up the rest of the book and that could have been handled in a prologue of a couple of pages not several chapters. Although this sounds terrible to say it felt a bit like they were only there to justify the book's dedication to real-life British army casualties from Basra.
Once the plot proper got going it was better, but still not the best Stone I've read, seeming a little less compelling in plot and amusing in banter/tone. Not terrible in either department by any means but not as good as some others.
Skimming other people's reviews I've discovered a reason for this which is that apparently this book concludes running storylines (I'm guessing the Yes Man?) from earlier books which I haven't read. So in a way that's "my fault" for reading books out of order, although I would argue it's really the publisher's fault for not making it plain this is one of a series that should be read in order.
The first few chapters in Basra really dragged, with almost impenetrable amounts of army jargon and acronyms, and ultimately no real bearing on the story. Only one thing happened necessary to set up the rest of the book and that could have been handled in a prologue of a couple of pages not several chapters. Although this sounds terrible to say it felt a bit like they were only there to justify the book's dedication to real-life British army casualties from Basra.
Once the plot proper got going it was better, but still not the best Stone I've read, seeming a little less compelling in plot and amusing in banter/tone. Not terrible in either department by any means but not as good as some others.
Skimming other people's reviews I've discovered a reason for this which is that apparently this book concludes running storylines (I'm guessing the Yes Man?) from earlier books which I haven't read. So in a way that's "my fault" for reading books out of order, although I would argue it's really the publisher's fault for not making it plain this is one of a series that should be read in order.
February 2, 2020
Cross fire. Andy McNab
Nick Stone is hired to protect a reporter and his photographer in Basra. A job much easier then some of his past assignments. Nick is a deniable operator. No one will come to his rescue if the need arises. The well known reporter is fixated on the drug trade in the middle east. He wants to expose it. He has been warned to back off. He doesn't and his best friend Pete the photographer is murdered in front of him. Then he is taken prisoner. Nick will get him back whatever the cost. The problem is who can he trust? Extremely fast paced action thriller. Enjoyed immensely!
Nick Stone is hired to protect a reporter and his photographer in Basra. A job much easier then some of his past assignments. Nick is a deniable operator. No one will come to his rescue if the need arises. The well known reporter is fixated on the drug trade in the middle east. He wants to expose it. He has been warned to back off. He doesn't and his best friend Pete the photographer is murdered in front of him. Then he is taken prisoner. Nick will get him back whatever the cost. The problem is who can he trust? Extremely fast paced action thriller. Enjoyed immensely!
October 27, 2017
Another gripping action yarn
Another gripping action yarn, much in the vein of a modern, grittier, Alistair MacLean. While this has some continuity with his other Nick Stone novels, you can pick up enough from context to start here.
With the recent trend towards action novels like the Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp series getting big-screen treatments, it would be interesting to see this series of novels developed into a series on HBO, Netflix, or amazon prime.
Another gripping action yarn, much in the vein of a modern, grittier, Alistair MacLean. While this has some continuity with his other Nick Stone novels, you can pick up enough from context to start here.
With the recent trend towards action novels like the Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp series getting big-screen treatments, it would be interesting to see this series of novels developed into a series on HBO, Netflix, or amazon prime.
December 3, 2020
I may be a bit late to the Andy McNab band wagon, but thanks to a mate I finally hopped on.
Dear goodness the is an action packed epic. Fast paced, punchy writing, short chapters and the story is continuously moving, so even if you only pick it up for 30 min, you feel you've made good progress. Fight sequences are brilliant, plenty of gore, and a fair share of suspense. Fantastic 1st person action novel and an always welcome homage to Northern Ireland!
Dear goodness the is an action packed epic. Fast paced, punchy writing, short chapters and the story is continuously moving, so even if you only pick it up for 30 min, you feel you've made good progress. Fight sequences are brilliant, plenty of gore, and a fair share of suspense. Fantastic 1st person action novel and an always welcome homage to Northern Ireland!
January 3, 2017
I did not enjoy this book as much as others by McNab. Don't get me wrong it is a good advanture tale with lots of action and adventure, plus a strong dose of background information about Afghanistan, the military and such like. All the realistic details you could hope for. However, the story line was, I think, a bit weak and contrived. Nevertheless, a good undemanding read.
November 20, 2018
The book has ebbs and flows. There's a lot of tension, drawing you from Dublin to the Middle East. I did find some of the characterizations a bit shallow and stereotypical at times. You can take the script and make it a movie but the conspiracy angle thrown in there truly pulls the book down as well as its shallow facade.
July 29, 2021
Whilst guarding a reporter and cameraman on assignment, Nick gets wounded.
When in the hospital recovering the cameraman gets shot dead and the reporter disappears.
The hunt for the reporter brings Nick into different countries as he crosses paths with some old 'friends'.
When in the hospital recovering the cameraman gets shot dead and the reporter disappears.
The hunt for the reporter brings Nick into different countries as he crosses paths with some old 'friends'.
October 14, 2021
Amazing read. The first Andy McNab book I have read. Needless to say, my collection is now growing. Currently reading Bravo Two Zero but plan to start the Nick Stone Collection from the start straight after.
December 2, 2017
You can always count on old dependable Nick Stone!
January 1, 2018
Action but less on details and characterisation. Afghan war situation well described. Keeps you reading
March 9, 2018
Another good read.
If you like the series so far, then you will like this.
Well, now I've just finished it.... Onto the next. 👍
If you like the series so far, then you will like this.
Well, now I've just finished it.... Onto the next. 👍
May 2, 2018
As others have said, this starts slowly and ends dynamically. Like all the Nick Stone thrillers, it's heavy on gritty realism. Has enough plot twists and action to keep one interested.
December 17, 2018
Finally some closure.
March 22, 2019
I enjoyed this book but did find all the characters confusing.
June 25, 2020
twists and turns, someone is always getting screwed, the body count grows
terrorism in Ireland, Afghanistan, England, action packed
terrorism in Ireland, Afghanistan, England, action packed
July 4, 2020
I almost gave up after the first few chapters, suffocating in an avalanche of military acronyms and jargon. When the story finally starts it rips along nicely.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews