Bravo Two Zero was the first war book I ever read and I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed Andy McNab's way of writing, and was amazed by the events that unfolded. Following reading that, I have since read nearly all of his books, the only exceptions being his Boy Soldier series.

Crossfire is the latest in his series of books centred around the Character Nick Stone, a former soldier in the SAS turned free lancer turned deniable opertive (or k) as they are apparently known. Over the course of the previous books in the series (which I shall review as I get time) we have followed Nick through various missions and situations which he has some how managed to get through, despite at times having to over come numerous set backs.

This book starts with Nick Stone working alongside a new crew in Basra, Iraq, he is protecting them and keeping them clear of danger as they are embedded with an operational army unit fighting the war against the insurgent forces. During one manouveer, whilst protecting the reporter and camera man, Nick get shot and goes down. With the insurgents very keen on kidnapping or killing westerners, especially those involved in the media, it looks like Nick is in trouble as an insurgent seems intent on killing him. To his rescue comes the camera man who he is
supposed to be protecting.

Whilst recovering in the hospital, and heavily dosed up on pain killers, The reporter visits Nick and is clearly in quite a state, He leaves Nick with the cryptic message, "I didn't do it, it wasn't me"

When Nick has recovered enough to leave the hospital unit, he finds out that the camera man who saved him has been killed and the reporter has disappeared.

Upon his return to Britain, Nick is called in by the head of the government agency he has worked for in the past. He is told that the reporter has been kidnapped and his wife is being asked for money. He is told that the reporter is important and must be rescued. Nick must find him and rescue him before his captors kill him. This is a race against time.

As with the other Nick Stone books, McNab's writing is in the first person, as though he is recounting the story as it happened to him. His knowledge of modern day soldiering, weapons, tactics etc etc come through in the writing and little details about the things Nick Stone is doing really fill the story with great realism and atmosphere, you can feel the tension, the methodical planning of the character, the fear, the confidence of a well trained soldier.

As ever his research and descriptions of the locations and nature of the situations is wonderful and with every page you feel more and more like you are there alongside Nick Stone, holding your breath when he does, wishing him luck and hoping that everything goes to plan.

Again the storyline of this book twists and turns in such a way that you really are unsure as to what will happen next, when the action kicks off it grips you and compels you to keep turning the pages.I generally read just before I go to sleep and when I got near to the end of this book, I just couldn't put it down, I ended up having a very late night as I had to finish it, it was much to exciting to put down!

I have tried reading other simialr types of book but I have yet to find anyone else who writes in quite the same way and who is able to tell the story as well as McNab does. I am a huge fan of his work and always keep an eye out for the next Nick Stone book.

If you are a fan of action thrillers, I would heartily recommend this book, it's a great read, though I would advise you to start at the beginning of the Nick Stone series so you can work your way through the different stories as the character really has developed a long way since the first book and as you read through more of them you really begin to feel for the character and become attached in such a way that the books become even more griping as you really want him to survive.