Matthew Hall

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The Black Art of Killing

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This intelligent thriller is his best work yet

This is an ideal piece of escapism. I heartily recommend it

A Bond-style thriller for the 21st century. . . Written with pace and great panache, it feels like a movie already

Hall probes how a real-life Jack Reacher figure might cope with years of taking lives for the greater good, and Black's inner conflict gives the firefights and betrayals erupting around him unusual depth

Matthew Hall has crafted an action thriller with more texture than most

An edge-of-the-seat thriller . . . should come with a health warning

Fasten your seatbelts for a quality thriller . . .

For twenty years Leo Black was in the SAS. 
Now he lectures on violence instead of committing it. 
Having put his soldiering days long behind him, Black pursues a respectful academic life. 
 
But when a former comrade in arms is killed trying to prevent a scientist's abduction, Black is faced with an unexpected choice. 
 
Be the upright citizen the university demands - or avenge the dead man to whom he owes his life . . .

THE ACTION-PACKED THRILLER THAT FUSES BRAWN AND BRAINS 
 
'A Bond-style thriller for the 21st century. . . Written with pace and great panache, it feels like a movie already' Daily Mail 
 
'Brilliant. Incredibly immersive' Tom Marcus 
_______ 
 
'People sleep peacefully only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf . . .' 
 
For twenty years Leo Black was in the SAS. Now he lectures on violence instead of committing it, putting his soldiering days behind him in pursuit of a respectful academic life. 
 
But when a former comrade in arms is killed trying to prevent a scientist's abduction, Black is faced with an unexpected choice. 
 
Be the upright citizen the university demands . . . 
 
Or avenge the dead man to whom he owes his life. 
_______ 
 
'This intelligent thriller is his best work yet' Sun 
 
'A fast-paced global thriller' Mail on Sunday 
 
'Matthew Hall has crafted an action thriller with more texture than most' The Times 
 
'Hall probes how a real-life Jack Reacher figure might cope with years of taking lives for the greater good, and Black's inner conflict gives the firefights and betrayals erupting around him unusual depth' The Times 
 
Praise for Matthew Hall 
 
'Breathlessly enjoyable' The Times 
 
'An edge-of-the-seat thriller . . . should come with a health warning' Irish Independent 
 
'Fasten your seatbelts for a quality thriller . . .' Independent on Sunday

Matthew Hall was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and graduated in Law from Worcester College, Oxford. He worked as a criminal barrister before getting his first screenwriting commission with the ITV hit series, Kavanagh QC starring John Thaw. He has since written over 60 hours of prime-time drama. In 2018 he won a BAFTA Cymru for his BBC series, Keeping Faith, which returns for a third and concluding season in 2020. He lives in Herefordshire with his wife Patricia Carswell. They have two sons.

The Black Art of Killing

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