<b>A high-stakes thriller that could be ripped from today's headlines - from the bestselling author of <i>The Frenchman</i>.</b><br/><br/><b>THE FRENCHMAN RETURNS</b><br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>A deadly conspiracy is aligning the West against Russia. But who is behind it? And to what end?<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>Former DGSE spy Jack Beaumont's <i>Dark Arena</i> is another chillingly plausible thriller delivering all the taut plotting, superb action and authentic spycraft that made <i>The Frenchman</i> a critically acclaimed bestseller.<br/><br/>'If it wasn't for my background, I would have said that this was fiction, but knowing what I know, <i>Dark Arena</i> is as real and as deeply disturbing as a world I once knew.' <b>- Ant Middleton, former UK Special Forces</b><br/><br/>'A rollicking good read. Espionage skills abound in each fast-paced chapter. Lovers of spy novels are in for a treat - another exciting glimpse into contemporary yet fictional intelligence work.' <b>- Paul Symon AO, former Director-General, Australian Secret Intelligence Service</b><br/><br/><b>Praise for <i>The Frenchman</i> by Jack Beaumont:</b><br/><br/>'It's a richly detailed cloak-and-dagger thriller reminiscent of the novels of John le Carre … I hope Jack Beaumont, whoever he is, writes a follow-up.' - Stephen Romei, <i>The Australian</i><br/><br/>'Subterfuge, secrets, betrayal, torture, traitors, elaborate set ups, extraordinary secret agents … There's authenticity on every page.' - <i>Herald Sun</i><br/><br/>'A superior thriller.' - <i>Courier-Mail</i><br/><br/>'Taut and terrific.' - <i>Gold Coast Bulletin</i><br/><br/>'A gripping thriller with an extremely authentic feel … highly recommended.' - <i>Canberra Weekly</i><br/><br/>'Beaumont reveals a world of international espionage that's at once exhilarating, morally repugnant, and deadly … An action-packed spy thriller with an authentic feel.' - <i>Kirkus Reviews</i><br/><br/>'<i>The Frenchman</i> is, in the way of many thrillers, a disturbing reminder of how fragile our modern world is and how easy it might be [to] upend the world order. It is a spy thriller that only an insider could have written.' - <i>The Blurb</i><br/><br/>'<i>The Frenchman</i> is one of the finest examples of the spy genre in recent memory. Suspenseful, masterfully plotted, and completely riveting. But what truly sets it apart from others in the field is its matchless authenticity, and the book's keen interest in its characters and the human cost of the worlds they inhabit.' - Nic Pizzolatto, author of <i>Galveston </i>and creator and writer of HBO's <i>True Detective</i>