the-rain-soaked-brideBy Guy Adams

Del Rey, out now

Section 37 investigates the unusual deaths of three members of the diplomatic service…

Starting with an action-packed sequence which wouldn’t be out of place as the pre-credits of a 007 movie (and indeed contains a couple of nice nods to one of the more recent, as well as one of the oldest in the series), The Rain-Soaked Bride continues the adventures of Section 37 of British Intelligence – aka the Clown Service, the guys who deal with the more outré and unusual attacks on the British nation.

Although it obviously would help to have read the first book, you can pretty much gather the set up from the information given in the opening chapters, in particular the lack of high regard in which the Clown Service is held by other parts of the intelligence scene. That gives Toby Greene and his boss August Shining another front on which to fight, as well as dealing with the bad guys (and the dubious assistance of August’s sister, April) as they try to protect a conference from a preternatural attack.

The plot of this novel isn’t as convoluted as The Clown Service, which gives us a chance to get to know the characters a bit more, as well as allowing Adams to sow some seeds for future problems for the team. There are some great additions to the cast of eccentrics who Shining can call on, and the occasional laugh aloud moment, all combining to make a fast-paced fun read.

Verdict: The spirit of The Avengers remains alive and well – bring on the next adventure soon! 8/10

Paul Simpson

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