Atom Bomb Angel by Peter James.

This is Peter's second novel that was published in 1982 and was reissued in 2015 featuring a brand new foreword by the author. Atom Bomb Angel is a thriller about terrorists who plan to sabotage Britain's nuclear power stations. Can Max Flynn of MI5 stop their plan?

So what can a book written over 30 years ago offer readers today? Very little, I am afraid. I have enjoyed Peter's other books but I found Atom Bomb Angel to be a big let down. Okay, early on in this novel it is quite cute reading about how things used to be, for example...

In one corner of the state room was a twenty-six-inch Bang and Olufsen colour television set, and next to it was a matching B & O stereo.

The only stitch of clothing on her entire body was a minute bikini bottom, either side of the front of which sprouted thick black tufts of hair.

I caught up with Ethel, the back-marker of the cars, going around Swiss Cottage; Ethel was a brown Morris Ital. I overtook Ethel and sat behind Mavis, a mustard Chrysler Horizon. That's one thing about the security services - they always buy British cars. Anyone worried about being tailed by MI5 can relax if he sees foreign cars behind him. We headed onto the M1, and the traffic was thin. About half a mile ahead, I could see Sheila, a navy Ford Escort.

... But the writing does not shine as it does in Peter's later novels. The plot is poor and dated, more like an old television police drama called The Sweeney. Character development is slim and Max Flynn is a poor man's James Bond. The idealism of the terrorists is not fully explored. Yes, there is action but it is rather comic book and lacks bite. There is nothing clever about this novel and it lacks a WOW! factor. I found it a drag to read. It lacked realism and was frustrating how people popped up in all the right places to help Max Flynn in his quest. What was more puzzling was, bearing in mind how different book publishing was in the 1980's - how did this POOR novel gain a publishing deal?

I was really disappointed with Atom Bomb Angel and was surprised that Pan Books reissued it. Sorry but this POOR read only gets 2 stars from me. There was however one dark, thought provoking idea put forward. What if a radioactive discharge took place and the public was never told?

Atom Bomb Angel has been republished in 2015 and has 323 pages.