Trigger Point

Gabriel Wolfe #1

by Andy Maslen

When ex-SAS captain Gabriel Wolfe is hired by billionaire Sir Toby Maitland to help him win political office, he discovers that his boss’s ambitions go way beyond Parliament. Now, with Maitland’s juggernaut gathering pace and a violent showdown with the current prime minister imminent, Gabriel must use every ounce of his strength, skills and training to save the country from dictatorship.

Helping Gabriel is an old flame from Swedish Special Forces. Britta Falskog is one tough cookie, with sniper skills and a devil-may-care attitude to the English language. Gabriel and Britta have to face down some seriously evil opponents. Drug-dealing, shotgun-wielding Hells Angels, including their fearsome, one-eyed chapter president, Davis Meeks. An ex-South African secret policeman called Bart Venter with a new career selling illicit arms to anyone with enough cash. And a group of British skinheads, one of whom holds a personal grudge against Gabriel.

But Gabriel Wolfe has more than external threats to defeat. He’s also suffering from PTSD, the result of his last, botched mission for the SAS, deep in the forests of Mozambique. His fallen comrade, Trooper Mickey “Smudge” Smith, haunts his sleeping and waking hours.

Fans of Andy McNab, Chris Ryan, Lee Child and Daniel Silva are saluting Maslen as an author to watch.

If you like your heroes flawed as well as resourceful, you’ll love Gabriel Wolfe. He’s been called “deadlier than Bond”, and “more human than Reacher”.

Praise for Andy Maslen’s Gabriel Wolfe books

>>> Trigger Point

“Action, double-crosses, villains galore… a rattling good thriller! Early Bond meets Jack Reacher - a thrilling debut outing for a new action hero.”
Damien Seaman, author of The Killing of Emma Gross, on Trigger Point.

“A pacy and entertaining read, with plenty of action, genuine suspense and good snappy dialogue. Gabriel Wolfe is a great new addition to the world of thriller heroes.”
bookworm51 | Verified Purchase

>>> Blind Impact

“… continues to develop its rugged hero.”
Kirkus Reviews

“There's so much energy in this story, you're hooked from the start and can't help but race through it. I'd love to see this series made into a film franchise!”
VR | Verified Purchase


>>> Condor

“Oh! I love this series. Gabriel's latest excursion dealing with terrorism and a religious cult is thrilling from the very first chapter until the last. Andy Maslen has created a gem of a character and I hope it won't be too long before I get the chance to continue reading about him. I love out of nowhere how the plot develops and surprises. No spoilers from me. Just go ahead and read for yourself. You won't regret it!”
Paul Smith | Verified Purchase

“The pace of the narrative is fantastic and draws you right on to the next chapter. I really like the way Andy Maslen creates his locations. Whether the hero is in Oxford Street or in the jungle or the English countryside, he somehow manages to conjure up all the sights, sounds and smells to convince you it's real. If you love a good action thriller, I can totally recommend Condor.”
HV Sherborne | Verified Purchase

>>> First Casualty

"I regularly read books of this action/adventure genre and I recently discovered Andy Maslen and his character Gabriel Wolfe.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Military Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adventure

319 pages, ebook

First published October 14, 2015

About the author

MILLION COPY BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR KINDLE STORYTELLER AWARD

Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time.

Readers praise Andy's novels for their relatable characters, realistic dialogue, sense of place and kinetic action sequences, and for his meticulous research into police procedure around the world.

He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Kat Ballantyne, Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories.

Andy was born in Nottingham, England. After leaving university with a degree in psychology, he worked in business for thirty years as a copywriter. In his spare time, he plays the guitar. He lives in Wiltshire.

Reviews

[Sean Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Wolfe. Ex-SAS and haunted by the ghosts of his fallen comrades. He left the army with a chest full of medals and PTSD. Now he faces the toughest challenge of his life. Preventing a hostile coup in the UK. He's recruited by Britta Falskog, a former member of Swedish Special Forces now working for MI5. There used to be something between them, but it's all business now.

Now Sir Toby Maitland claims to be standing for Parliament. But his ultra-nationalist rhetoric is more than just a vote-grabber. Set up by MI5, he hires Gabriel as a spokesman/enforcer. Working undercover, Gabriel travels to the US with Maitland. His brief, discover Maitland's plan and then stop him. With deadly force. He gets embroiled in a drugs-for-cash deal with Hells Angels. Then must convince Maitland where his loyalties lie, on a farm in Michigan run as an arms depot by an ex-South African security service operator. With the Prime Minister due to overfly Maitland’s estate en route to a military conference, and a paramilitary force gathered in preparation for a coup, time is running out for Wolfe.

As the action swings from the English countryside to Chicago, upstate Michigan and back again, expect plenty of kinetic action in calibres from 5.56mm up to the mighty "fifty cal". Plus martial arts, knife-fights and car chases. Wolfe may be learning the ways of spooks, but his military skills are still razor-sharp. As he gathers intel along the way he teams up with an ex-Delta Force operator, Shaun Cunningham. The two men bond over shared experiences in service until a horrifying development smashes the partnership. It all starts here Trigger Point is the first novel in this series

So a first in the series, and also a first in the series, I am finding this book hard to review/score.

I find this book a little far fetched, over the top with an over the top villain, but enjoyed the main character, found the book, especially the American part very slow and over the top, but I found I did like the main character.

Overall a three star book, some good bits, but a few weak bits, a character and author that I am sure gets better.

[Barry who enjoys well-written thrillers, mysteries , & espionage & loathes romance, horror & supernat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have put off writing this review because of my low opinion of the book and the author and the fact that it was recommended to me by a GR friend for whom I have great regard.

The plot, at least 50% of the way through, seemed unrealistic. The characters ranged from reasonable and engaging to silly and unrealistic. The quality of the writing wasn't too bad.

The research, if you could call it that, the author did in preparation for his writing was utterly and completely inadequate resulting in absurd mistakes, particularly the portions that took place in the Midwest of the United States. In fact, I have visited all of the locations mentioned including, believe it or not, Roscommon, Michigan, since I lived for more than 40 years in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.

I'll mention a few of the many errors, so I don't beat this dead horse too badly. One does not drive on a country road when traveling from Chicago to Glencoe. In fact, this is a rather wealthy and heavily populated area with numbers of country clubs and estates and no farms whatever. It takes closer to four hours to drive from Glencoe to Lansing, MI rather than the two mentioned by the author although, as a very drunk college in the '60s.....well, never mind. It is not 6000 miles from London to Chicago bur rather closer to four.

As for non-linear mistakes, the high pitched sound that some motorcycles make has little to do with their tuning but rather it is characteristic of two stroke engines as opposed to the throaty roar of four stokes, like Harleys. The knife favored by the US military is a Ka-Bar not a Kar-Bar. C-4 cannot be detonated by a fuse or gunshot as it is exceptionally stable and a detonator is required. Lastly, the key fob on a Shelby Cobra has a cobra on it rather than the Ford logo.

The thing is that such inaccuracies drive me crazy - yeah, yeah I know, it's just a short putt. Then I am so distracted by them that I actually look for them and the book is lost to me. What I do remember from the book itself is not to be praised in any way, although I did like Gabriel Wolfe, the protagonist, would probably enjoy having a few beers with him.

Avoid this book.

The End

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally found the time to try Andy Maslen and the series about Gabriel Wolfe, Trigger Point is the first book and it tells some of the story why Gabriel no longer is a member of SAS. The main story however is about a local businessman who plans a coup to take over England. It was a fast and easy read with some great action and also humor, I look forward to continue reading this series.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trigger done died....too much of a reach for me, but ok when YT is footing the dime.

[Aiden Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to Andy Maslen’s series because of the excellent covers, suggesting a similar read to what you might expect if you picked up Rob Sinclair, Mark Dawson or Andrew Warren novel. The blurb even promises the same, a former SAS soldier working undercover to take down a right-wing billionaire perverting British democracy and brining dictatorial rule to the land.

Trigger Point is well written, Andy Maslen is a natural writer and his scenes are always well described, engaging and paced. Gabriel Wolfe, the tough guy protagonist is suitably efficient in matters of action yet sufficiently flawed to be interesting.

Early on in the story, Wolfe finds himself unwittingly undercover helping narcistic politician Sir Toby Maitland stage a coup while reporting his findings to M15. Maitland and Wolfe travel to the United States to secure illegal weapons but not before dealing with corrupt arms dealers and psychotic biker gangs. There are plenty of expense cars flashing around the countryside, James Bond style.

Maitland is a well-rounded character and should remind reader of the worst bosses that the corporate world likes to throw up every now and then in the real world. He’s a nasty piece of work and deluded, which was a nice take for a villainous adversary.

Andy Maslen writes really well. This could be the start of a great series.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read this book because it was loaded on my Nook and I was out of a book on vacation. I disliked the villain intensely and his racist rants were totally off-putting and skewed the whole book. I know villains are meant to be evil, but this guy was beyond the pale. Frankly, I only finished it as I had nothing else to read and I am waiting for an eBook to become available any day/minute.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. This book kept my attention throughout and made you realise this could actually happen.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started off surprisingly good. I normally don't read a lot of action thrillers, but this one makes me feel like I should up that number.

Gabriel Wolfe's the kind of guy I would have hypothetically wanted to settle down with if I hadn't already been taken. He's kind, intelligent, funny, a dog lover, a great cook, and, pardon my French/look away now kids: fit as fuck!

Now, Sir Toby Maitland is one of the most despicable creatures I've come across in literature...I love it! Seriously, I don't know what it is with these pompous sack of shit type of guys, but I find myself gobbling it all up while giggling like a schoolgirl.

You can tell this has been written by a Brit (Englishman in this case I believe). The dry tongue in cheek type of humour could be found all throughout the book. I'm not saying it would've been less funny if it was written by an American, just a different kind of funny. A few examples I highlighted:

"Five minutes passed. Not long if you're cruising along an interstate, or watching a TV show: an eternity if you're sitting with your feet up on a suitcase full of cocaine in a Hells Angels hideout fitted out like some latter-day Hole in the Wall."

"Yes, well, let's not waste time debating the rights and wrongs of detonating corpses versus feeding them to pigs. We have bigger issues to deal with now."

This kind of stuff tends to crack me up. And makes the grand scheme of Sir Toby Maitland something to take less serious as a reader. In fact, I'm not even sure if you could call this a thriller at all. I was certainly glued to the edge of my seat during the action scenes often enough, but I never really felt like I should be scared or anxious. Which, to be clear, doesn't affect my judgement of the book at all. I'd rather have a good laugh than nibble on my fingernails in distress. And mine aren't even painted so elegantly like the ones of most of the women in this book.

Speaking of elegant women, I'm definitely not a girly-girl, but the amount of information on weapons and cars was a bit too much for me personally. I even admit to skimming through those kind of parts a couple of times. Which I could do without missing anything important in the storyline. You can see it as a bit of a bonus for people who are interested in the mechanics of an M15, yet it doesn't truly interfere with the story for people who aren't.

Something I wondered about throughout the last two-thirds of the book was: the dog. I'm trying not to make a spoiler out of this, yet why? Why oh why?! And what did it add to the story? Was the dog just in there to add a sensitive layer to Gabriel's personality?

"Even when men he fought alongside, or commanded, had been killed in front of him, he'd never cried. Now, 6,000 miles away from his dog, grief overtook in him a rush."

That's the only thing that would explain it to me.

Trigger Point was definitely very entertaining; I went through it in no time! There's plenty of action, the characters are well-developed and Andy Maslen just really knows how to fucking write. I'm giving it 3.5 brownies and recommending it to people who are already into this genre, but also to everyone who likes a bit of fast-paced action infused with dry humour. Book 2 of the Gabriel Wolfe-series will be coming out next month and I'm very curious to see what this next adventure will be about!

One last thing: do Americans still refer to their government as Uncle Sam? I honestly have no idea!

A big thank you to Andy Maslen for proving me with a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, and very well written. I love finding a new Author that can capture my attention like Andy Maslen has done with this fabulous Action Thriller. This story has everything I look for in a good novel, an Interesting and entertaining plot, an excellent group of characters, and a good ending. Gabriel’s new job as a freelance negotiator was a world away from his days in the SAS. Dealing with Politicians and high net worth clients in the UK, wasn’t anything like his days in Iraq and Mozambique as a solider. Being offered some work by Sir Toby Maitland didn’t initially interest him, however a friend of his suggested that there was a certain government department that appreciate it if he did. Sir Toby may have been a billionaire business man, but the government knew he had some shady dealings with local and overseas interests. They needed Gabriel to find out what he was up to and report back to them. Gabriel certainly had to be on his guard after some of the things he witnessed Sir Toby get up to, and his is positive his employer is completely crazy. I really did enjoy this book from the first page, right through to the last page. It’s definitely worth adding to your reading list.

[Rich Redman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got 12% through this book and quit. The author uses what I assume is a peculiarly British form of Orientalism to make his protagonist special, then demonstrates his blind spot further by having a Chinese friend of the family magically turn a wild kid into a responsible person. Gabriel Wolfe learns karate from the family friend because apparently all Asian cultures are interchangeable.I

I could put those down to things dealt with in flashbacks or later books, but two more things threw me out of the story. First Sir Toby clearly establishes himself as a fascist in his first conversation with Wolfe, and Wolfe has no reaction to it. In fact, a few minutes later, he expresses disbelief when an old friend says as much, despite having seen men performing paramilitary training on Sir Toby's property.

Second, the author says Sir Toby has his staff introduce themselves, and then the author has each character introduce themself. One of the other, please.

There are six books in the series and two short stories. I won't read any more of them because there are better written, less racist first books out there.

[Yemic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 *
This book reminds me of Chris Ryan's masters of War, Danny Black, Similar yet very very far apart. The plot had potential, Gabriel is a likable character but the ending was anticlimactic I was expecting way more than what we got, but oh well. The villain was better off in a Bond movie.
I had to issues with the book, firstly, what time was the book set in? Although I like that it was set in the UK :), Salisbury has been on the news recently.
The second issue, If Maitland had that much resources he should have found out Gabriel since and what kind of Spy handler sends plane messages to their agent's phone in the field. Also, the supervillain never thought to check the phone or laptop incrimination info.
I was really starting to like Shawn, said to see him murdered
I hope book two is better.

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent political/action thriller from a British author.

Trigger point is every bit as exciting as something written by Alex Berenson (John Wells) or the late Vince Flynn (Mitch Rapp). Maslen intersperses the action portions of the book with some back story and some just plain story telling. Keeps the adrenaline level manageable.

Interesting to read about ego maniacs from a British author and not just CNN or some of our other infotainment media outlets.

[Donnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a very interesting story that I haven’t seen before, it is incredibly unique. I loved the little cliff hangers after some chapters and the plot twists that were made. I have to say I didn’t expect any of them ! Incredibly well written will definitely be buying the second book in the series.

I must say however, as a fellow author, I love long descriptions on the scene and what’s going on etc, but I feel at times this was a little over done, making parts feel too long then they could be. Parts of the story building up to the attempted coup suffered due to this. However after the barn showdown I must say my interest peaked once again.

After the barn shootout the story really picked up its pace and it was amazing hearing of all the characters and their story’s, they were never boring to hear. My only complaint was there was some real interesting story telling there and I wish it was fleshed out a little more (The American body guard for example). Hope to see more of this character development in the second instalment.

The ending I feel could have been more detailed then it was, however it was a welcome ending and I loved seeing the betrayal in it from Maitland. Especially considering he just saved your life. Again the plot twists in this book are well made.

Overall this is definitely a must have, sure some parts aren’t as interesting as others but the over all story is beautifully written and I loved the adjectives and metaphors used throughout. 4/5 from me! Will definitely pick up the second instalment soon !

[Lauren Szy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phewieee. Disconcerting to discover this book was written in 2015, before the B-word we no longer discuss happened in the UK. Even more so that the so-called "radicalised ideology" of the book's lunatic seems to be shared by more folk than we realise lol. Here's hoping for a similar ending to the book, for our new reality.. Well with less gore and action. Good read, well written.

[J.D. Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

A good story and good start to the series. I’ll be reading more. Number two is on order and I’m ready to read.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Wonderful action and great characters are in this book. I don’t write reviews well but you people have to get this book and read it.

[Will Decker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been struggling to reach the end of this story for several weeks while reading other stories to stay entertained. This has to be one of the most stereotyped stories about right wing conservatives that is so long winded with all kinds of extraneous garbage thrown in for filler that the high moments are lost in the chaff. And there were a few good moments in the story. Unfortunately, all the boring filler buried them. Biggest disbelief I had was how the three 'heroes' could meet up at Wolfe's place on a regular basis and the villain's minions never soused them out. Plus, after fighting my way to the end it was very anti-climatic. The villain's daughter had so much more potential in future stories. On a high note that kept this from being a one star review, the editing is good.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another action thriller finished the same day I started reading it! Our hero, Gabriel Wolfe, goes undercover in the service of a megalomaniac billionaire who wants to stage a coup and take over the UK government. A preposterous concept, but an entertaining yarn. The characters are all either 100% good or 100% bad, so it's easy to choose who to root for. I will likely read more in this series, even though they are likely to be highly unrealistic, also.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear! Tasteless mistaken rewrite of james bond

Get transparently over impressive man dog cars girls in early sequence of corn dialogue with amateurish intent to impress dumb readers. Plasticate the process and thats saved you reading the first 20 pages of drivel. You want more? I didnt. The reviews that led me to buy have got yo be faked. Noones that naive.

[Graham Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

New read

After reading a review of the author I decided to give his first book a read. How glad I was. It's great to read something different. I was extremely pleased that I bought this book. I can only say that I will be reading all Andy Maslen's books in the future. Great read and main character. Love Gabriel Wolfe and the way he works.

[tom mckernan · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like your fiction woke, Andy Maslen is for you. Reverse racism and inverted snobbery in spades (oops!). If the same distain he shows for white privileged and powerful people (especially with fair hair and blue eyes) was expressed for those less white hued, he'd certainly be cancelled.
But virtue signalling rules. And Mr Maslen is a master virtue signaller.

[Otter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok for free

[Bruce Humbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok

[Iah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not Finnish got to the alt right wing nutter speech and knew I don't want to read about more of this kind of glorifying Nazis.

[steven hopkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not impressed

Implausable character's and plot. Pale imitation of Andy McNab or Chris Ryan . Found it mostly predictable and unexciting. Wish I hadn't bothered.

[Mike Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Andy Maslen has created an entirely unique character in the thriller genre in Gabriel Wolfe. He's not indestructible. Nor is he so tactically brilliant that he has analyzed every outcome of his actions. He's just a man who spent a part of his life with the British Special Air Service, the elite group nobody wants on his tail. Wolfe has gone successfully into private practice, helping clients solve security issues. I first read of Maslen's novels on Facebook as I mindlessly scrolled through gibberish on the political issues of the day. I totally appreciated the break and read the text. I'm a big Lee Child fan, but I've read all his novels and have moved on to various others in genre. While I'm fully loving what I've come across as I don't read stuff I don't like, nothing has the nuance of Reacher. And that's not a requirement. What I found with Maslen is a subtle approach to story telling. Wolfe's approach is straightforward in a you've-got-to-read-it-to-understand style. What Maslen does is create in his antagonists a depth that unfolds throughout the process. They mature, often in diabolical ways. And not like Dick Dastardly and Muttley of Hanna Barbera fame. Still gnawing at my memory is billionaire Toby Maitland, who considered nothing but himself as he plotted to assume the seat of the UK's highest office. So, in essence, I delved again into politics. But this time I brought along a man who figured out how to infiltrate an organization and with very little help avoided global calamity. I have yet to pick up the next in the series. But I will. Just for me, this isn't an author to consume in rapid succession. This Maslen guy got into my head. The four stars is just because I disliked Maitland so much. Of course thinking about it that way makes me want to make it five.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel Wolf is an ex military SAS officer who is self employed as a negotiator when he is offered a job by billionaire Sir Toby Maitland to be his assistant with public relations, speeches and position papers.
Before taking the job he is approached by a member of the intelligence community and asked to take the job and informed that his curriculum vitae had been amended to make him more attractive to Sir Toby who the intelligence community is very interested in because of his activities and they are looking to get enough information to bring charges. Gabriel takes the job and soon discovers that his duties also include use of his military knowledge and that Sir Toby is a dangerous "white nationalist " who is intent on putting himself at the head of the British Government. Various escapades ensue as Sir Toby prepares for his Coup. I was well pleased with this first appearance of Gabriel Wolf and am looking forward to reading more of his adventures.

[Susan Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Trigger Point’ is very well written by a talented author, Andy Maslen. Upon reading his bio I was somewhat surprised to find he had not been part of the British Elite Special Air Service because Gabriel Wolfe, his main character is such an accomplished retired soldier of the SAS. Of course anyone can research their character and he has done his homework but sometimes it takes a more hands on approach to write with the authority Mr. Maslen commands on his special forces main character. The only objection I have to his writing style is the same I have with most Hollywood entertainment, it seems his political views have seeped into his writing style and he comes across a little too judgmental & ‘preach-y’ if you will. When I read, I read to escape the black & white judgements of the world of politics & its foibles not be preached to, so that’s the issue I have with this book.

[Pamela HildebrandtCloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excitement and intriguing

A different read for me. Let me express the ways I was aware of most. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM,
JUST A NOTE AS TO A DIFFERENCE IN THE STYLE OF MY NORMAL READING MATERIAL. I LIKED IT!
Written much more from the male perspective, more militaristic in terminology,
More gruesome in his mental imagery, no American profanity he is a British subject.

Constant action, hated to ever take a break from it. The author keeps the plot simple does not over load it with superficial characters or subplots.

If you are wanting to take a break from your regular reads, or "cleanse your palate" with a nice clean read . I know you will like this new military mystery. Not the same old thing, and that's good!!
Good job , and Well Done Andy!! I will be back !!

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this on a whim, hoping to find another long-running series I could really sink my teeth into. And I cannot say how EXCITED I AM to have nailed it! This first Gabriel Wolfe story is right up my alley ~ I'm loving every minute ~ from drooling over the cars to weapons envy to giggling at his quirky relationships to (vicariously) enjoying his food preparation and music to the more 'real' side of hoping he'll be taking his little PTSD episodes seriously! I mean, really?!?!? This is so much FUN! And then there's a pretty awesome plot line?? This is the real deal ~ whole package ~ I'm hooked and can't WAIT to begin #2! (Hee, hee!! The remaining books should keep me busy for a week or two! YAY!!!)