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The Defector
the unmissable Cold War spy thriller from the author of THE APOLLO MURDERS
Series: The Apollo Murders Series
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 4,448 ratings, 468 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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See moreFrom the author of the international bestselling thriller The Apollo Murders comes the supersonic hunt for a shadowy Soviet defector known only as 'Grief'.
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Description
A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride!
Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series
Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters - what more could you want from a thriller?
Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 9th Man and the Cotton Malone series
Israel, late 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MIG fighter is racing at breakneck speed over the arid scrublands below . . . and promptly disappears.
NASA Flight Controller and former US Navy test pilot Kaz Zemeckis watches the scene from the ground - and is quickly pulled into a dizzying, high-stakes game of spies, lies and a possible high-level defection that plays out across three continents.
The prize is beyond value: the secrets of the Soviets' mythical 'Foxbat' MiG-25, the fastest, highest-flying fighter plane in the world and the key to Cold War air supremacy. But every defection is double-edged with risk, and Kaz must tread a careful line between trust and suspicion. Ultimately, he must invite the fox into the henhouse - bringing the defector into the heart of the United States' most secret test site - and hope that, with skill and cunning, the game plays out his way.
For Chris Hadfield's second heart-stopping thriller, we move from Space to another rich and exciting part of Chris's CV: his time as a top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and as an RCAF fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in North American airspace.
Full of insider detail, excitement and political intrigue drawn from real events, The Defector brings us the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat, as told by one of the world's best fighter pilots.
Praise for The Apollo Murders
A nail-biting Cold War thriller James Cameron
An exciting journey to an alternate past' Andy Weir
Not to be missed Frederick Forsyth
Explosive Gregg Hurwitz
Exciting, authentic Linwood Barclay
Series: The Apollo Murders Series
View all-
Final Orbit
1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz spacecraft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But a third power is rising, in the race to dominate Space. As NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, three of the six astronauts are...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Apollo Murders
The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller An exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race, by astronaut and New York Times bestselling author Chris Hadfield. 'An exciting journey to an alternate past' — Andy Weir, author of The Martian 'Nail-biting' — James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic 'Not to be missed' — Frederick Forsyth,...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Defector
'A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride!' Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series 'Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters - what more could you want from a thriller?' Steve Berry, New York...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Pre-orderFinal Orbit
Houston, 1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz craft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But as NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, a deadly accident changes everything. Meanwhile, from a remote location in east Asia, the first Chinese...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableOut 15 Dec 2026Pre-order -
The Defector
A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride! Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters - what more could you want from a thriller? Steve Berry, New York...PaperbackSold Out -
The Apollo Murders
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER An exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race, by astronaut and New York Times bestselling author Chris Hadfield 'An exciting journey to an alternate past' – Andy Weir, author of The Martian 'Nail-biting' – James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic 'Not to be missed' – Frederick Forsyth,...PaperbackSold Out
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
With a mix of Tom Clancy-style action and Chris Hadfield's real-life pilot experience, The Defector is praised for its thrilling narrative and high-octane aerial combat sequences. The reviews highlight Hadfield's ability to infuse the story with authentic detail and expert pacing, drawing comparisons to classic thrillers like Top Gun and works by Frederick Forsyth. Featuring nail-biting suspense and expertly crafted espionage, it is celebrated as an exciting and intelligent read, making Hadfield a notable figure in the techno-thriller genre.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781529423105
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 10 October 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Quercus Publishing
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 30.0mm
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 232.0mm
Weight: 460g
Pages: 368
About the Author
Colonel Chris Hadfield is one of the most seasoned and accomplished astronauts in the world. A multiple New York Times bestselling author, his books An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here and The Darkest Dark have sold over a million copies worldwide.
He was the top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and a Cold War fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in North American airspace. A veteran of three spaceflights, he crewed the US Space Shuttle twice, piloted the Russian Soyuz, helped build space station Mir, conducted two space walks, and served as Commander of the International Space Station. He was also NASA's Director of Operations in Russia. Chris is the co-creator and host of the BBC series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? and helped create and host, along with actor Will Smith, the National Geographic series One Strange Rock. His zero-gravity version of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' has received more than 50 million views, and his TED talk on fear over 10 million. He advises SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and other space companies, chairs the board of the Open Lunar Foundation, leads the CDL-Space international tech incubator, and teaches a MasterClass on space exploration.Also by Chris Hadfield
View all-
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
After returning to Earth following three remarkable spaceflights, Colonel Chris Hadfield shares his captivating memoir An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth. With almost 4,000 hours spent in space, Hadfield reveals not only extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut but also invaluable lessons on making the impossible a reality, all with a fresh afterword exclusive to this edition....Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Final Orbit
1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz spacecraft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But a third power is rising, in the race to dominate Space. As NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, three of the six astronauts are...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Apollo Murders
The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller An exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race, by astronaut and New York Times bestselling author Chris Hadfield. 'An exciting journey to an alternate past' — Andy Weir, author of The Martian 'Nail-biting' — James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic 'Not to be missed' — Frederick Forsyth,...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Defector
'A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride!' Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series 'Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters - what more could you want from a thriller?' Steve Berry, New York...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Pre-order
Final Orbit
Houston, 1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz craft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But as NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, a deadly accident changes everything. Meanwhile, from a remote location in east Asia, the first Chinese...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableOut 15 Dec 2026Pre-order -
The Darkest Dark
This updated picture book of The Darkest Dark by astronaut Chris Hadfield, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. "While I was growing up, the Moon helped light the path to my dreams. But it was on a hot July night that my dreamy thoughts became real. The brave astronauts of Apollo 11 travelled to that distant place...PaperbackSold Out -
The Apollo Murders
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER An exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race, by astronaut and New York Times bestselling author Chris Hadfield 'An exciting journey to an alternate past' – Andy Weir, author of The Martian 'Nail-biting' – James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic 'Not to be missed' – Frederick Forsyth,...PaperbackSold Out
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