“With its sporty cars, luxe hotels, and beautiful backdrops all across Europe, this might be a classic spy yarn from Ludlum or le Carré…A sophisticated espionage tale from an author who knows whereof he speaks.” Kirkus Reviews
Description
A high-stakes thriller that could be ripped from today’s headlines—from the bestselling author of The Frenchman.
Alec de Payns, espionage operative of the Y Division of the DGSE, France’s famed foreign intelligence service, is tasked with tracking down an agent of influence sending highly classified material against the Kremlin to embassies all over Europe.
A deadly conspiracy is aligning the West against Russia. But who is behind it? And to what end?
The clues lead to a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists, and mercenaries on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, which de Payns must infiltrate. What he discovers sets off a Europe-wide manhunt in a desperate scramble to prevent an international catastrophe.
Former DGSE spy Jack Beaumont’s Dark Arena is another chillingly plausible thriller delivering all the taut plotting, superb action, and authentic spycraft that made The Frenchman a critically acclaimed bestseller.
Praise
“With its sporty cars, luxe hotels, and beautiful backdrops all across Europe, this might be a classic spy yarn from Ludlum or le Carré…A sophisticated espionage tale from an author who knows whereof he speaks.” Kirkus Reviews
“Dark Arena has a captivating and realistic plot that takes his excellent and complex characters into the heart of a recent history. Intense, addictive, and so damn intricate, Dark Arena was an exceptional read from a rising star in the spy thriller game.” The Unseen Library
“Dark Arena is an intricate [novel] that provides an interesting new perspective on events in Europe in early 2022…Beaumont’s characters are also well-crafted, and are not the one-dimensional, gun-toting superheroes to be found in some fiction.” Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Feb 26, 2024 |
| Release Date | February 27, 2024 |
| Number in Series | 2 |
| Series Display String | The Frenchman Series |
| Release Date Machine | 1708992000 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Literature & Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, World Literature, International Crime & Mystery, Crime Thrillers, New Releases, New in Paperback |
Author Bio
Jack Beaumont joined the French Air Force in his late teens, trained as a fighter pilot on Mirage 2000-5 single seaters for air-to-air combat, and was deployed in various conflicts. After being injured in a flying accident, he subsequently flew clandestine missions for French special forces and intelligence services before joining the DGSE, where he carried out clandestine operations in the field under false identities. He has since retired from the DGSE and is married with children.
Narrator Bio
Victor Bevine, Earphones Award–winning narrator, has worked for over thirty years as an actor, screenwriter, narrator, director, and more. A graduate of Yale University, his acting credits include many prestigious roles onstage as well as roles in the film version of A Separate Peace and countless television shows. He has written several screenplays, including Certainty, which was chosen for two prestigious writers’ conferences and which served as the basis for his first novel. His thirty-minute short film Desert Cross, which he wrote and directed, won accolades at the Athens International Film Festival. He serves as CEO of the World Freerunning Parkour Federation, of which he is cofounder.
Overview
A high-stakes thriller that could be ripped from today’s headlines—from the bestselling author of The Frenchman.
Alec de Payns, espionage operative of the Y Division of the DGSE, France’s famed foreign intelligence service, is tasked with tracking down an agent of influence sending highly classified material against the Kremlin to embassies all over Europe.
A deadly conspiracy is aligning the West against Russia. But who is behind it? And to what end?
The clues lead to a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists, and mercenaries on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, which de Payns must infiltrate. What he discovers sets off a Europe-wide manhunt in a desperate scramble to prevent an international catastrophe.
Former DGSE spy Jack Beaumont’s Dark Arena is another chillingly plausible thriller delivering all the taut plotting, superb action, and authentic spycraft that made The Frenchman a critically acclaimed bestseller.