The ultimate race against the clock is on to protect the London Olympics from an impending terrorist attack in this dangerous and exhilarating thriller. During the spring of 2012, against the backdrop of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and in the build-up to the London Olympics, a group of idealistic young men are being prepared to form an Islamist terrorist cell in Manchester. Second generation immigrants living in the UK, the men are ‘ordinary guys’ who become manipulated by their mentor, Ibrahim, an immigrant cleric from Baghdad, with a penchant for militancy, and his bodyguard Hussein, a callous man from a small village in Afghanistan.
Ibrahim and Hussein have many reasons to hate Western society, but they cannot abide the actions of another group of Asian men who have been grooming under-age girls in a Manchester takeaway. Led by Hussein, they attack the abusers in order to avenge their victims; having caused injury and even death Hussein and his group are forced to flee to a safe house in London. The Sword of Allah has been unleashed. Their planning disrupted, they must now wait in the capital for further instructions.
Meanwhile, a mysterious man of great intelligence known only as The Gent, is on a short break to London. Following a plea for help from an attractive blonde female, The Gent, against his will, becomes embroiled in a full-scale terrorist plot. Now a major asset to the Greater Manchester Police, MI5 and MI6, he becomes involved in a frantic search across London to prevent disaster on an incomprehensible scale. But the search is abound with complexities, not least with the schisms within Islam, Sunni and Shia, The Arab Spring and the numerous uprisings in the Middle East, but also with the suspicious death of the head of security at Harrods, which leaves The Gent framed for murder.
Countdown to Terror is the debut thriller from Trevor Burton. The story follows the fateful journey of a group of impressionable young men, and their volatile leaders, alongside that of the enigmatic detective who attempts to analyse the motives of those behind a plot that could lead to unimaginable fatalities. Extensively researched, Burton draws on his own experiences of visiting Iraq and living in Saudi Arabia. The book deftly explores the radicalisation of the young and vulnerable by manipulative authority figures within the Muslim community and is a thought-provoking read. Based primarily in and around London and Manchester, cities the author knows well, this gripping modern-day thriller is rooted in a tangible landscape that serves to heighten the suspense. An engaging first novel, Countdown to Terror shows that religion is rarely as simple as it may seem. About the author: Trevor Burton was born in Manchester and now divides his time between Cheshire and the Algarve, Portugal. Since writing Countdown to Terror, and following a lengthy career in finance, he now plans to start writing the sequel early next year. When not busy writing or blogging Trevor enjoys spending time with his large family and is a keen traveler and sportsman. Countdown to Terror by Trevor Burton (ebook by Kindle Direct Publishing RRP £2.62, paperback by CreateSpace RRP £7.37) is available now from all major online retailers including Amazon.
For more information go to: http://trevorburt.wordpress.com
For a review copy or interview request, please contact: Katy Garland at Authoright / katy@authoright.com
