First Casualty: The battlefield leaves more than scars

Can Wolfe survive his bullet-wound?

‘Britta! I'm hit!' Ex-SAS covert ops agent Gabriel Wolfe and his partner, Britta Falskog are in the middle of a firefight in Mozambique. They are under attack by bloodthirsty militia fighters commanded by the terrifying Mama Chissano. Gabriel flew to Mozambique in search of the mortal remains of his friend and former comrade Mickey “Smudge” Smith.

As he begins to uncover the truth about Smudge's death, Gabriel sees that his adversaries have spun a web of betrayal that stretches right back to his last, fateful mission in the SAS.

Corrupt politicians and arms executives want Wolfe dead

Gabriel has marched headlong into the heart of a corrupt web of land deals, blood diamonds and the global arms trade.

At the centre of the web sits someone Gabriel can hardly believe is guilty. Someone he’ll need every ounce of his skills and resolve to defeat.

Compared to this woman, the warlords are pussycats

Standing between him and the truth are tooled-up mercenaries, a local warlord and his machete-wielding ‘Rock and Roll Boys’ and a mysterious female assassin who anticipates his every move.

As Wolfe closes in on the answers to the mystery of his friend’s death, the assassin detonates a bomb while Gabriel is tracking her to a law firm’s offices. Amid the debris, the pair meet in a crowded bar.

Readers’ opinions

“Andy Maslen's stories get better and better with each book. It is often quite hard to put the books down. This adventure is no exception.” Paul Smith

“Another fantastic page turner in the series, so many twists and turns you'd almost get dizzy, but so worth the ride!” Sue Beatson

“What a roller coaster ride it was, from the first page to the last. Gabriel Wolfe is definitely my new favourite hero. I can't wait for the next book and recommend reading the whole series.” Lorna UK

A hero like no other

Readers have compared Wolfe to other familiar action heroes. Jack Reacher. John Milton. Ben Hope. Spider Shepherd. Mitch Rapp. But in truth he is his own man.

He's no super-soldier or indestructible man-mountain. If he's shot, he bleeds ... and he hurts. His PTSD, which he battles along with his country’s enemies, gives his missions a sharper edge.

But make no mistake. Wolfe is a good man to have on your side in a tight spot. And he always finds time to help those in trouble, whether or not they are paying for his services.

© 2026 Simon Maverick UK (Lydbog): 9781398570177

Udgivelsesdato

Lydbog: 1. oktober 2026