The Trap | Ava Glass
REVIEWED BY LINDA HILL
With a week to go before the fiftieth G7 summit in Edinburgh, intelligence agent Emma Makepeace is under pressure to find out just what the Russians have planned in their deadly threat to world leaders. But getting to the truth isn’t straightforward.
The Trap: book review & synopsis
The Trap is a cracking thriller. The third book in a series, there’s absolutely no need to have read Alias Emma and The Traitor first, as important details are skillfully incorporated here. Any reader can plunge right in. And my goodness, there’s action to dive into!
It’s so hard not to spoil the plot, but there are disguises, private jets, car chases, fights, intrigue, betrayal, gun battles and all manner of action in a story that races along. However, there are also more contemplative, quieter moments, providing intelligent contrast and balance. This makes the story feel mature and considered as well as action packed.
The title is quite perfect. There’s a trap for world leaders. Emma is often in a situation that can trap her. Others are lured into actual, psychological and emotional traps, all combining into a gripping thriller that works on many levels.
The settings are varied too, adding interest, glamour and grit. From office blocks in Edinburgh to glamorous hotels in Rome, descriptions place the reader at the heart of the action. Seeing events and places through Emma’s eyes makes it feel as if you’re right alongside her, taking part in the action.
A strong female protagonist
With so many books presenting women as victims, it’s brilliant to have such a strong female protagonist. Emma is more than able to look after herself against much bigger, often armed, assailants, but she also has an underlying vulnerability that makes the reader care what happens to her. She’s fiercely loyal, intelligent and skilled, but there are moments when a softer side appears, making her a multifaceted individual. It feels as if the reader is getting to know her in the same way other characters do.
What makes The Trap so engaging and scarily plausible are the references to global events and politics that we all have some knowledge of. Emma Makepeace’s world might be one of James Bond-type gadgetry and pulse-elevating excitement far beyond most readers’ usual environment, but it still rings with authenticity and a very real threat to peace. Reading this unmissable thriller makes you consider just what might be happening close to home.
The Trap by Ava Glass is out now (Penguin, PB, £9.99) and available from Amazon.
Read more fiction reviews by Linda Hill including Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman, I Died On a Tuesday by Jane Corry, Redemption by Jack Jordan, Our Holiday by Louise Candlish, The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling by Katherine Blake and My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes.
