December Ultimatum

Veteran reporter Matt Franklin liked the thought of a trip to a warm climate in early December – he could escape the northern winter, reassess his marriage, and get the big story that would restore his byline to the front page of The New York Times. But it wouldn’t have seemed such an attractive idea if he’d known he was to be drawn back into active service for the CIA and caught in the middle of a revolution.

Set in the Middle East, the United States of America and the rough snowbound terrain of England’s Lake District, Michael Nicholson’s powerful new novel takes place over just four days.

But they are four dangerous days in which the balance of world power wavers unsteadily as opposing factions battle for control of Riyadh and Saudi Arabia’s oilwells, Whitehall wonders what to do, and an abrasive new US President strives to retain control over the oil his country depends on.

Meanwhile, Franklin finds himself on the dangerous trail of a notorious and beautiful terrorist...

Michael Nicholson’s extensive experience as a foreign correspondent ensures authentic backgrounds to the tautly-woven plot of this, his third novel, while the heady mix of sex, intrigue and power politics makes it a compelling read.