Books › Floodgate
Floodgate
First published 1984 · 518 pages
A tense, high-stakes race against time where a hard-edged operative must navigate criminal underworlds to prevent a watery catastrophe.
What it feels like
Reading this classic thriller feels like watching a ticking clock over a rising tide. The mood is steeped in high-stakes dread and gritty subterfuge, pulling the reader into a tense, watery catastrophe where entire nations hang in the balance. The narrative moves with propulsive urgency, driven by the desperate actions of a hard-edged undercover operative navigating the murky waters of criminal gangs and ruthless terrorism. The prose is sharp and action-oriented, prioritizing suspense and the sheer scale of the impending disaster over quiet introspection. It is a perfect fit for readers who devour old-school, nail-biting espionage tales where the threat of mass destruction looms large and the moral lines of the heroes are blurred by necessity.
- Mood
- high-stakes
- dread-soaked
- dangerous
- claustrophobic
- Tone
- tense
- urgent
- gritty
- suspenseful
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- high-stakes blackmail · undercover subterfuge · ticking-clock disaster · national security
- The writing
- Action-oriented and suspense-driven, delivering urgent stakes with sharp, hard-edged efficiency.
- The arc
- Begins with a shocking, large-scale catastrophe and builds relentless tension as a desperate race against mass destruction unfolds.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave classic, high-stakes espionage thrillers featuring catastrophic threats and gritty undercover operatives.
Content notes
- terrorism
- mass destruction
- blackmail
- criminal underworlds
About the book
Reissue of the tense tale of a deadly terrorist plot set Holland, from the acclaimed master of action and suspenseAMSTERDAM AIRPORT HAS DISAPPEAREDBLACKMAILThe mass of water in its place is the work of the FFF - an Irish terrorist group who want to force Britain's hand.SUBTERFUGEThe Dutch call in Detective Lieutenant van Effen - feared interrogator and undercover intimate of the criminal Krakers gang - to sabotage the FFF's plan.DISASTERIf van Effen fails and the FFF get control of the vital dyke, either Holland will sink beneath the sea or Britain will be awash with blood.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Floodgate
See why they match
Fear is the KeyAlistair MacLeanA tense, aquatic thriller fueled by grief and a relentless drive for vengeance against ruthless criminals.
High CitadelDesmond BagleyA freezing, white-knuckle test of human endurance and ingenuity against both unforgiving nature and armed mercenaries.
The Eagle has LandedJack HigginsA cinematic, ticking-clock military thriller that makes you hold your breath as history hangs in the balance.
Extreme measuresVince FlynnA relentless, ticking-clock adrenaline rush that plunges you into the morally gray, high-stakes world of counterterrorism.
The blackhousePeter MayA bleak, windswept descent into an isolated island community where the landscape is as unforgiving as the past.
The fourth protocolFrederick ForsythA spine-chilling race against time where quiet country towns hide devastating international secrets.