Too Much Time To Kill — Tom Mackinnon
Classification: Espionage and spy thriller, Crime and mystery fiction
Reviews
This is a gripping first novel from Tom Mackinnon, fast paced and exciting. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
As a seasoned reader and writer of Crime Thrillers, I was looking forward to Tom MacK’s book. He is another lover of Lee Child and Forsyth. I started by getting a good sun lounger (in Lanzarote) and a cappuccino. I love to read books written by people with life experience in what they write about and have been to the places their characters use or abuse. Tom has spent more than half a lifetime in or advising the military or governments on how to deal with ‘issues.’ Most of which we don’t know about or want to know about.
My problem with the book started almost immediately. I could not stop reading it. Far too compelling, interesting and slick. Far too easy to get through. A story you want to keep reading with characters who you can believe in. It makes you wonder whether you know the people you are with and what they are doing. Could my wife be a spy and me not know? What you see is not what you get in the Secret Service or government. The baddies were well drawn, there were good baddies and bad baddies and they did what I would expect them to do and some of it was sad – no protection for any of the characters. Then there were the goodies who were believable but not all likeable. Indeed one recurring narrative was that none of the characters knew who one of the main characters was. Neither did we the readers other than he was having a difficult time all through the book.
It took me way under two days of sunbathing to read the nearly 400 pages, a record for me, I could have done it faster but my wife wanted some attention and I had to eat. I understand that there are more of these books in the making. It did say; To be continued…but who knows where or how, there are so many options available. I don’t know Tom but he may well be the kind of guy you have dinner with and get thrown out at the end of the evening because they want to close the restaurant. Suggest you get your copy and keep an eye out for when The Endlessbookcase publishes the next instalment of these characters.
Nick Jones, January 2025.
Verified Purchase
A Story with its roots formly based in real world experiece.
Originally published as a book review in the Royal Marines regimental magazine.
There is nothing that a Royal Marine cannot turn his hand to – including writing gripping crime thrillers. This Royal Marine, Tom Mackinnon, has by necessity used a pseudonym and, when you read his book, you’ll understand why. But that doesn’t make it any less of a cracking good read. The hero, the mysterious Callum Bremner, is at the heart of a security services operation to break into an international criminal brotherhood. The plot starts with him being shot in jail - or was he? - in order to win the confidence of the senior brother. Thereafter the writer takes you on a roller coaster of a journey involving MI5 and MI6, special forces, hacking, counter-hacking, kidnapping, surveillance, terrorism and counter-terrorism. There is barely a peaceful moment and there are many surprises. We get a glimpse of how such operations are planned and executed, and an insight into a murky world which most us know very little about, and in reality, might prefer to keep it that way. But through the writing of Tom Mackinnon, we are privileged to glimpse it all vicariously and harmlessly.
The story rattles along and the writing is fluid and attractive. And the beauty is that this book is the first of a series, and there is more in the pipeline. Be prepared to be taken on an exciting, thrilling, fascinating, dangerous journey with Callum Bremner in this book and its sequels. And Well Done Royal!
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Description
Too Much Time to Kill
International crime thriller / espionage mystery novel — Book 1 in the Callum Bremner series
Immerse yourself in a gripping crime thriller novel that combines espionage, mystery and suspense in a high-stakes world of secrets, betrayal and international intrigue. Too Much Time to Kill by Tom Mackinnon is the first book in the Callum Bremner International Crime Thriller Series, perfect for fans of spy fiction, thriller books, action-packed suspense and fast-paced mystery novels.
About the Book:
On a sunny morning in the English county of Shropshire, agent Callum Bremner finds himself in a prison allotment — waiting to be shot as part of a daring and dangerous undercover mission. As he plunges deeper into a covert operation to infiltrate the highest echelons of the Albanian mafia, trust becomes a luxury and danger lurks at every turn. With shifting alliances, growing violence and life-and-death decisions, Bremner must navigate a world where nothing is as it seems.
Driven by sophisticated espionage tactics, criminal underworld machinations, gritty action scenes and intense character conflict, this is a novel that keeps readers turning pages until the very last twist.
Key Features & Highlights:
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International crime thriller & espionage mystery with suspense and intrigue
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High-stakes undercover action set against a backdrop of organised crime and secret operations
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Rich international thriller setting and geopolitical tension
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Multiple perspectives, complex characters and unpredictable plot twists
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Perfect for fans of spy novels, action thrillers, mystery suspense and crime fiction
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Book 1 in the Callum Bremner International Crime Thriller Series — ideal for binge reading and series lovers
Who Will Love This Book:
If you love crime thrillers with espionage, undercover operations, gangland conflict, political intrigue, suspenseful mysteries or characters walking the razor’s edge between life and death, Too Much Time to Kill delivers a powerful, immersive reading experience. Great for readers who enjoy authors like Lee Child, Frederick Forsyth, and other fast-paced thriller writers.
Add Too Much Time to Kill to your bookshelf today and embark on a pulse-pounding journey through danger, deception and thrilling action!
Further details
381 pages
Book One of the Callum Bremner International Crime Thriller Series
We also publish on Amazon in their proprietary Kindle format.
Reviews
This is a gripping first novel from Tom Mackinnon, fast paced and exciting. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
As a seasoned reader and writer of Crime Thrillers, I was looking forward to Tom MacK’s book. He is another lover of Lee Child and Forsyth. I started by getting a good sun lounger (in Lanzarote) and a cappuccino. I love to read books written by people with life experience in what they write about and have been to the places their characters use or abuse. Tom has spent more than half a lifetime in or advising the military or governments on how to deal with ‘issues.’ Most of which we don’t know about or want to know about.
My problem with the book started almost immediately. I could not stop reading it. Far too compelling, interesting and slick. Far too easy to get through. A story you want to keep reading with characters who you can believe in. It makes you wonder whether you know the people you are with and what they are doing. Could my wife be a spy and me not know? What you see is not what you get in the Secret Service or government. The baddies were well drawn, there were good baddies and bad baddies and they did what I would expect them to do and some of it was sad – no protection for any of the characters. Then there were the goodies who were believable but not all likeable. Indeed one recurring narrative was that none of the characters knew who one of the main characters was. Neither did we the readers other than he was having a difficult time all through the book.
It took me way under two days of sunbathing to read the nearly 400 pages, a record for me, I could have done it faster but my wife wanted some attention and I had to eat. I understand that there are more of these books in the making. It did say; To be continued…but who knows where or how, there are so many options available. I don’t know Tom but he may well be the kind of guy you have dinner with and get thrown out at the end of the evening because they want to close the restaurant. Suggest you get your copy and keep an eye out for when The Endlessbookcase publishes the next instalment of these characters.
Nick Jones, January 2025.
Verified Purchase
A Story with its roots formly based in real world experiece.
Originally published as a book review in the Royal Marines regimental magazine.
There is nothing that a Royal Marine cannot turn his hand to – including writing gripping crime thrillers. This Royal Marine, Tom Mackinnon, has by necessity used a pseudonym and, when you read his book, you’ll understand why. But that doesn’t make it any less of a cracking good read. The hero, the mysterious Callum Bremner, is at the heart of a security services operation to break into an international criminal brotherhood. The plot starts with him being shot in jail - or was he? - in order to win the confidence of the senior brother. Thereafter the writer takes you on a roller coaster of a journey involving MI5 and MI6, special forces, hacking, counter-hacking, kidnapping, surveillance, terrorism and counter-terrorism. There is barely a peaceful moment and there are many surprises. We get a glimpse of how such operations are planned and executed, and an insight into a murky world which most us know very little about, and in reality, might prefer to keep it that way. But through the writing of Tom Mackinnon, we are privileged to glimpse it all vicariously and harmlessly.
The story rattles along and the writing is fluid and attractive. And the beauty is that this book is the first of a series, and there is more in the pipeline. Be prepared to be taken on an exciting, thrilling, fascinating, dangerous journey with Callum Bremner in this book and its sequels. And Well Done Royal!