SIMON LARREN

Full Name:	Simon Larren
Nationality:	British
Organization:	British Counter-Espionage
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Robert Charles
Time Span:	1963 - 1969

ABOUT THE SERIES

       Simon Larren is a killer for the British Counter-Intelligence Agency.
       He had been a killer before, trained in numerous ways of dispatch and highly experienced at it during the Second World War. He didn't kill in anger or for pleasure. He did it methodically, coldly, and efficiently. Working behind the lines with the Resistance, he killed often with a ruthless that unnerved even his teammates. When given an assignment, his superiors knew that Larren would carry it out, whatever it took.
       Then the war ended and Larren, after a time, was released from the military. The days of violence were over and he had to put away his skills to find a normal job in a normal world. He did so, getting an office position that neither excited him nor bored him too much. Most importantly, he met a woman and fell in love. They married and life was as it should be.
       That lasted several years until he and his wife, entering a pub for a nightcap, ran into an old war buddy. That friend was nervous and edgy but genuinely glad to see Larren after all the past years. A drink or two was had and they all left together. Then the ambush set for the friend took place. The friend was gunned down. So was Larren's wife.
       Suddenly, the killer was back in full force. The organization for which the friend had worked offered Larren a chance to complete the mission and get his revenge. He took it and never looked back. Even after the mission was over, there was work to be done, killing work. And Larren was a killer.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	9
First Appearance:	1963
Last Appearance:	1969


1			Nothing To Lose Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1963 An agent named Carter runs into Simon Larren and his wife one evening. Minutes after they share a drink, Carter and Larren's wife are shot down in the street. Heartbroken and wanting revenge, Larren agrees to take up Carter's mission but he also has his own agenda.

2			Dark Vendetta Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1964 Simon Larren is sent along with others on a mission to discover why a British submarine was sunk in Chinese waters but his reasons for going also include a chance to settle an old score.

3			Mission Of Murder Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1965 A blackmailer holds the antidote to a tranquilizer drug that had terrible side-effects. Simon Larren heads to Greece to get it no matter what it takes.

4			Arctic Assignment Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1966 There is something going on the supposedly empty Russian Barren Island in the Arctic. The first agent sent to find what it is disappeared. Knowing that the next would face similar danger, the department chose to send a trained killer, Simon Larren.

5			The Fourth Shadow Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1967 The task of keeping a visiting dignitary alive during a trip to a British colony was far from easy considering the communist rebels who wanted him dead and the personal bodyguard who seemed to want the same thing.

6			Stamboul Intrigue Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1968 The fighting in Cyprus is escalating and evidence shows it is being fueled to create a schism in NATO. Simon Larren must travel to the Mediterrean island and to Turkey to find out who is egging things on.

7			Assassins For Peace Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1967 When the Prime Minister is assassinated, Simon Larren to assigned to a routine task to free up another agent to join the hunt for the killers. Larren just happens to get a jump on everyone.

8			Strikefast Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1969 Sent to rescue a double-agent held in a Soviet mental hospital on the border with Afghanistan, Simon Larren senses danger from all sides as the agent has switched sides too often to be trusted.

9			The Big Fish Written by Robert Charles Copyright: 1969 If the police cannot reach those behind the latest outbreak in crime as their power is too high up, perhaps a trained assassin working for Whitehall can. And besides, Simon Larren is quite expendable.

MY COMMENTS

Larren is supposed to be a cold-blooded killer and he is often close to that but he is not quite the murderous automaton that the blurbs on the books would indicate. He certainly does not take any pleasure from killing. He comes across a fair number of people who he knows deserve a good killing and, when pushed, accommodates them but he does so when under orders or when threatened.
As a series, he is fun to read. The stories move very quickly and the action is never far away. The writing style is easy and captivating at the same time, a testament to the experience of the author.

GRADE

My Grade: B+

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