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Tim Stevens
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Ratcatcher (John Purkiss Thriller Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Tim Stevens (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 6,708 ratings

AN AMAZON TOP 10 TECHNOTHRILLER

BOOK ONE IN THE JOHN PURKISS SERIES


***** "Superb spy thriller...The prose is so vivid you can almost feel the action as it takes place..." - Jeremy Duns, author of The Dark Chronicles

***** "A high octane, fast-paced spy thriller... superb and captivating story... a great, heart pounding read!" James Masters, Goodreads reviewer

*****"[J]oins Lee Child, David Baldacci and John D. MacDonald on my list of great spinners of thrillers." Edward F. Corbin, Amazon reviewer

The police have Internal Affairs departments. British Intelligence has John Purkiss, the Ratcatcher.

Purkiss's job is straightforward. Track down agents of the intelligence services who are taking kickbacks, committing crimes, or otherwise abusing their positions. And bring them to justice.

Straightforward doesn't mean easy...

After a renegade British former spymaster, Fallon, is sighted in the Baltic city of Tallinn on the eve of a historic summit meeting between the Russian and Estonian presidents, Purkiss is despatched to investigate, and uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to tear Europe, and the world, apart.

But Purkiss has personal reasons for going after Fallon. Four years ago, Fallon was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Purkiss's fiancée, a murder Purkiss himself witnessed.

Now, in an atmosphere of treachery and sudden violence, as the countdown begins to a potentially catastrophic conflict between Russia and the West, Purkiss must keep his desire for revenge under control for the sake of the world's - and his own - survival.

Described in Amazon reviews as a "cracker of a spy thriller" with "superbly choreographed action scenes" that "leave you feeling almost dizzy", RATCATCHER is both an adrenaline-fuelled action adventure novel and a hardboiled mystery story which exposes the world of the spy, in which few motives and actions are purely black or white.

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  1. Book 1 of 7
    John Purkiss Thriller
  2. Print length
    419 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    31 Dec. 2013
  6. File size
    468 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Shop this series

 See full series
There are 7 books in this series.

Product description

About the Author

Tim Stevens was born in London and grew up in Johannesburg. He lives in west Essex, England, with his wife and daughters, and works as a doctor in the National Health Service. His debut novel is the acclaimed thriller Ratcatcher, and his espionage novella Reunion and novelette Snout are also available. Delivering Caliban, the sequel to Ratcatcher, will be published in November 2012.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007Y7L3EO
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 31 Dec. 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 468 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 419 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 7 ‏ : ‎ John Purkiss Thriller
  • Customer reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 6,708 ratings

About the author

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Tim Stevens

Tim Stevens

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Tim Stevens was born in England and grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. He lives near London with his wife and daughters, and works as a doctor in the NHS.

His debut novel is the acclaimed thriller RATCATCHER, featuring the hunter of rogue spies John Purkiss. Five further Purkiss thrillers, DELIVERING CALIBAN, JOKERMAN, TUNDRA, CRONOS RISING and NEMESIS, are also available. Another series, with former assassin Martin Calvary, began with SEVERANCE KILL and continues with ANNIHILATION MYTHS.

Tim is the author of the Joe Venn American crime thrillers OMEGA DOG, DELTA GHOST, ALPHA KILL, SIGMA CURSE, EPSILON CREED and GAMMA BLADE, as well as the short espionage novel REUNION.

To sign up to Tim Stevens's mailing list and get two free novels, DELIVERING CALIBAN and DELTA GHOST, as well as a free John Purkiss short story, SPIKED, exclusive to subscribers, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://eepurl.com/zph89.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
6,708 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book an exciting read with a well-plotted story full of twists and turns, featuring believable characters and clear research. The writing is well-executed, particularly in action scenes, and customers describe it as a page-turner that holds interest throughout. While customers appreciate that it's available for free, some mention it starts off complex and can be hard to follow at times.

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260 customers mention ‘Readability’251 positive9 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as an exciting and satisfying read that they thoroughly enjoyed from the start.

"...It is pure entertainment from the start and the main character, Purkiss, is an unabashed alpha male fantasy figure...." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book and can see it would make a good film ...." Read more

"...It could make a great film in which the likes of Daniel Craig would be thoroughly at home...." Read more

"I expected more given the hype and reviews. It started well but dipped significantly in my opinion as the story unfolded." Read more

197 customers mention ‘Plot’179 positive18 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, appreciating its twists and turns and how the story moves at a steady pace.

"...the gadgets may be very much based in the real world, the action is pure fantasy...." Read more

"...The action sequences keep you on the edge of your seat and the story is taut, thought provoking and believable...." Read more

"...Not to detract from a well written and enjoyable story, but the suffering and survival aspect spoilt what was up until then a very good book...." Read more

"...of the " with bound he was free " scenario but the plot is interesting and , although I guessed who the baddy was early on , the writer..." Read more

64 customers mention ‘Writing quality’60 positive4 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well-crafted and readable, with one customer specifically noting the effective action scenes.

"...It's well written, the early part of the book with the cat and mouse between operatives is magnetic...." Read more

"...Not to detract from a well written and enjoyable story, but the suffering and survival aspect spoilt what was up until then a very good book...." Read more

"...although I guessed who the baddy was early on , the writer maintains your interest throughout .The plot does have some gaping holes - I will not..." Read more

"...frequent breathless action sequences and, on occasion, a taut writing style (with the occasional flourish) and a little appropriate gallows humour...." Read more

38 customers mention ‘Character development’33 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them very believable, with one customer noting the hero's tough guy persona.

"...from the start and the main character, Purkiss, is an unabashed alpha male fantasy figure...." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book. Well written, good plot with interesting characters but so very disappointing when an ex...." Read more

"...His hero John Purkiss is a formidable opponent, though he still has his human side, and the flaws and foibles of his fellow-operatives (and enemies)..." Read more

"...And what believable characters they are! The action is punchy and relentless and pulls you through some edge of the seat experiences...." Read more

24 customers mention ‘Interest’24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, describing it as a page-turner that holds their interest throughout.

"...Ran at a fast pace and kept the interest throughout. A number of improbable scenarios but what is fiction all about...." Read more

"Yep, certainly a good buy this, keeps going all the way through, this is the first of this genre I have read, and liked it a lot...." Read more

"Just finished the book, it held my interest from start to finish. An interesting story that keeps you thinking. Looking forward to the next one." Read more

"...from the start to the finish,I am an avid reader,and this kept me going for some time trying to figure out who the buddy was,recommend it to any one..." Read more

18 customers mention ‘Believable’13 positive5 negative

Customers find the book believable and well-researched, with one customer noting its thought-provoking nature.

"...the edge of your seat and the story is taut, thought provoking and believable...." Read more

"Believable and plausible until the black hawk appeared on the scene, an old huey would have been more convincing given the lack of background about..." Read more

"I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK LIKE THIS ONE BEFORE IT WAS SO MISLEADING AND TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BOOKS I HAVE READ BEFORE." Read more

"...'s medical background adds realism to the story and is more believable than a James Bond film...." Read more

14 customers mention ‘Value for money’14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well worth their time and money, with several mentioning it was available for free.

"...Ratcatcher is well worth your time." Read more

"...As for the story itself it is reasonable enough with twists and turns along the way to keep up ones interest...." Read more

"...The book was free so that was a plus...." Read more

"Yep, certainly a good buy this, keeps going all the way through, this is the first of this genre I have read, and liked it a lot...." Read more

27 customers mention ‘Difficulty to follow’4 positive23 negative

Customers find the book complex and difficult to follow, taking some time to get into.

"...(a particular bugbear of mine) and I found some of the fight scenes overly descriptive, but none of this takes away from the overall fun you’ll have..." Read more

"...Without going into too much detail I found the story line a little difficult to follow at times and the Russian characters, with names difficult to..." Read more

"...forward to an English spy thriller, but found the early part of the book quite laborious...." Read more

"...In addition, the storyline was very involved. But having said that, it ran at a cracking pace and I finished it in a few days...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Mr Dylan S Hearn
    4.0 out of 5 stars If you’ve read every Bond and are looking for a modern replacement, Ratcatcher is the book for you.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 September 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sent to Tallinn to hunt the man who killed his fiancée, John Purkiss finds himself ensnared in a post-Soviet terrorist plot which if successful, could start another world war. But what can one man do? Quite a lot it turns out, if the man’s name is Purkiss.

    As spy thrillers go, Ratcatcher is less Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and follows very much in the tradition of James Bond. It is pure entertainment from the start and the main character, Purkiss, is an unabashed alpha male fantasy figure. When faced with an easy or hard option, Purkiss will always take the one with most danger, and while the gadgets may be very much based in the real world, the action is pure fantasy. However Stevens while some suspension of disbelief is required, Stevens manages to introduce enough realism for each situation to maintain its plausibility.

    The only criticisms I have with the book is that Stevens uses passive voice a lot (a particular bugbear of mine) and I found some of the fight scenes overly descriptive, but none of this takes away from the overall fun you’ll have reading this book. If you’ve read every Bond and are looking for a modern replacement, Ratcatcher is the book for you. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mr. Peter Franklin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Reader Catcher!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2013
    Verified Purchase
    There's already a fair few reviews on this work, so I'll try not to duplicate except to say that I agree with the majority of them.

    I'd really forgotten how good spy stories could be and this was the vehicle to remind me of that with interest. It's well written, the early part of the book with the cat and mouse between operatives is magnetic. The action sequences keep you on the edge of your seat and the story is taut, thought provoking and believable. As with all such good stories, there are aspects that keep you guessing until the end, an end that you really can't foresee. It's easy to imagine this being taken up by film makers as it would make a very good movie, something along the lines of the Bourne adaptions, where thought provoking storylines blend with action. I think I'm right in saying this is the author's debut novel. Impressive!

    As an NHS doctor I'm not sure where Tim Stevens finds the time for his writing, but I, for one, am glad he does. If you like thrillers, spy novels or just a good story, I'd prescribe this book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • GLENNIS-WILDDOG Spain
    3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD BOOK SPOILT BY UNBELIEVABLE SURVIVAL POSSIBILITIES OF A HUMAN BEING!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 October 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this book. Well written, good plot with interesting characters but so very disappointing when an ex. MI5 Agent continually survives the un-survivable! he would have to be superhuman with a touch of Jack Reacher thrown in to be believable. Shame that more thought was not given to making his survival capabilities less silly and more realistic. Not to detract from a well written and enjoyable story, but the suffering and survival aspect spoilt what was up until then a very good book. Sorry Mr. Stevens, would read another of your books with a bit more attention to human capabilies.
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  • R. K. Cripps
    4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but not that believeable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 September 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this book and can see it would make a good film . It does feature a number of scenes of the " with bound he was free " scenario but the plot is interesting and , although I guessed who the baddy was early on , the writer maintains your interest throughout .The plot does have some gaping holes - I will not spoil your enjoyment of the plot by mentioning them - but you will see what I mean from about one third onwards in the book .
    Highly recommended to film producers looking for a book to develop into a film .
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  • Free Range Editor
    5.0 out of 5 stars An heir to Fleming
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2015
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    Tim Stevens makes a powerful claim with this book as an heir to Fleming and other great names in the annals of the spy thriller. His hero John Purkiss is a formidable opponent, though he still has his human side, and the flaws and foibles of his fellow-operatives (and enemies) invite comparison with the inhabitants of George Smiley's world. This book has everything you could ask of a spy thriller - strong characters with colourful back stories, a suitably labyrinthine plot that takes all kinds of unexpected turns and threatens international peace, an interesting setting (Estonia), a rattling pace, tension, mystery, frequent breathless action sequences and, on occasion, a taut writing style (with the occasional flourish) and a little appropriate gallows humour. It could make a great film in which the likes of Daniel Craig would be thoroughly at home. At any rate, it's a perfect beginning to a series of thrillers that I fancy will have any reader of the genre absolutely hooked.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • JohnnyK
    2.0 out of 5 stars Not the read others thought
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I expected more given the hype and reviews. It started well but dipped significantly in my opinion as the story unfolded.
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  • John
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Introduction to John Purkiss – the Ratcatcher
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 March 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first in a series starring John Purkiss, the intelligence services answer to Internal Affairs. Every organisation has it’s bad apples, and Purkiss finds them.
    It is the early 2010s, and a former agent, supposedly to be in prison, is spotted in Tallinn, and Purkiss is assigned to find him. The pair have history. A few years earlier, Fallon murdered Purkiss’s fiancé. Days before a summit between the Russian and Estonian president, Purkiss stumbles across a conspiracy to disrupt the event and throw the world into chaos.
    This is very much an action-focused thriller. Purkiss is full of tricks and tradecraft, and is apparently made of granite. However, he is not the typical lone-wolf (Reacher, Bourne etc.) and relies on allies and a small team in this story. Things moves along at pace, and the story is compressed into a few days of thrills and spills as you would expect from the genre. Although this over a decade old, I just discovered it on an old episode of a podcast I listen to and will be looking to get the next in the series.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Pierre Bougie
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great action story!
    Reviewed in Canada on 19 August 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I happened upon this E-book soon after becoming an adept of electronic books. I probably would never have seen the title in my previous book shopping habits.

    I really enjoyed reading this action packed story, because there is always something happening that keeps you wanting to read on! This would be a great scenario for a special effects movie (à la James Bond style...)

    I recommend this book if you like to be captivated by the plot and characters involved in perpetual sudden revival.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fast Action, Counter spy activites. Good story line
    Reviewed in Australia on 16 April 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Fast moving action from start to finish. Set in Europe, SS agent Purkiss makes this intriguing spy thriller believable. Purkiss manages to turn impossible situations around into his favour with amazing intelligence and feats of incredible physical ability. Enjoyed the action. Hard to put down.
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  • Sharad Sakorkar
    4.0 out of 5 stars A well executed plot with non-stop action and good suspense
    Reviewed in India on 14 September 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I decided to read this book on recommendation from someone. I have been reading more of John le Carre, William Boyd, and Charles Cumming - books which could be easily termed as literary espionage variety. When I started reading Ratcatcher, I got thrown years back to the era when I used to love reading action packed books in the same genre written by Robert Ludlum and others of the same ilk. It was indeed a pleasant change for me.

    The hero John Purkiss leaves the British secret service and starts working for a person who dedicates himself to bring to the book rogue agents. The story takes him to Estonian capital which is where the tale is set. The book explodes from the word go and the reader is thrown into a vortex of well conceived action. The author tells the story in a lucidly constructed plot which keeps reader’s interest alive through out. Technology is very cleverly used in the tradecraft. The suspense is well crafted and the author does deliver a few surprises in the end. The hero is almost invincible. He exhibits extraordinary presence of mind and is knowledgeable – la Bond style - about almost everything from handling medical emergencies to missile technology.

    I just went with the flow and enjoyed the yarn with its regular dose of action. I appreciate the author’s ability to tell a good story.
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  • culture gap
    4.0 out of 5 stars a true spy book
    Reviewed in France on 30 March 2015
    Verified Purchase
    When the USSR folded the arch villans KGB etc. were at a loose end, and subsequently their oppos! This book is in the finest tradition of a proper spy book, almost if it was written by Len Deighton. It gets straight to the point, with no packing and endless boring child/adolescent histories. I would have given it 5 stars, if it wasn't for the careless punctuation. I read at least 5 such books a week, and it was great to find this one. Vincent flannery, editor, producer, Culture Gap Programme, radio liberté, Dordogne, france.
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  • Cliente de Kindle
    3.0 out of 5 stars It's one of those books you don't have to keep checking back on to see who is who.
    Reviewed in Spain on 29 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Just like a Sunday afternoon film, one that you watch all the way through, just to see what it was all about!!
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