ARMY Public Relations Reservist Major Tony Park has returned to the continent of his first novel, Far Horizon, Africa, for this story of love and betrayal.

Having served in Afghanistan on the first Special Air Service Regiment deployment in 2001, he brings an air of authenticity to the introduction, where American Special Forces operator Jed Banks meets a young Aussie journalist, Luke Scarborough, during the battles with the Taliban and al Q’aeda.

From there, it is a quick jump to east Africa, where hotel magnate Hassan bin Zayid finds out that his brother has been killed in Afghanistan fighting for al Qa’eda.

Jed and Hassan are linked by Jed’s daughter Miranda. She is working as a researcher on lion behaviour when she disappears.

Was she eaten by a lion? Did poachers or criminals do away with her?

This is a competent thriller which takes a while to join all the dots in a plot that keeps it simple.

It’s not Shakespeare or Tom Clancy, but is more akin to Wilbur Smith with its African setting and mixture of action, sex and revenge.

– David Sibley

FINALLY, a thriller which doesn’t have al Qa’eda, a former hard-bitten SAS soldier, and rogue right-wing Western intelligence services.

Instead, this is a combination of submarine action and biological terror in the Arctic.

First-time thriller writer Juris Jurjevics has crafted a workman-like thriller based in a scientific research base near the North Pole.

Four scientists die mysteriously while out on the frozen ice wastes near the base. Dr Jessica Hanley, an epidemiologist who specialises in investigating the outbreak of unknown diseases, is called in to investigate.

When Dr Hanley arrives at the polar base, she finds an interesting collection of possible suspects, plus a hunky Inuit who provides the local eye candy.

Meanwhile the Russian Navy is investigating why one of its submarines has not returned from a secret mission.

Don’t worry, there is a link but it takes some time getting there.

Although The Trudeau Vector isn’t great fiction, it will still kill a few hours on a long plane flight.

– David Sibley