Dark Arena

A high-stakes thriller that could be ripped from today's headlines from the bestselling author of The Frenchman.


THE FRENCHMAN RETURNS


Alec de Payns, espionage operative of the Y Division of the DGSE, France's famed foreign intelligence service, is tasked with tracking down an agent of influence sending highly classified material against the Kremlin to embassies all over Europe.


A deadly conspiracy is aligning the West against Russia. But who is behind it? And to what end?


The clues lead to a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists and mercenaries on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, which de Payns must infiltrate. What he discovers sets off a Europe-wide manhunt in a desperate scramble to prevent an international catastrophe.


Former DGSE spy Jack Beaumont's Dark Arena is another chillingly plausible thriller delivering all the taut plotting, superb action and authentic spycraft that made The Frenchman a critically acclaimed bestseller.


'If it wasn't for my background, I would have said that this was fiction, but knowing what I know, Dark Arena is as real and as deeply disturbing as a world I once knew.' - Ant Middleton, former UK Special Forces


'A rollicking good read. Espionage skills abound in each fast-paced chapter. Lovers of spy novels are in for a treat another exciting glimpse into contemporary yet fictional intelligence work.' - Paul Symon AO, former Director-General, Australian Secret Intelligence Service


'A sophisticated espionage tale from an author who knows whereof he speaks.' - Kirkus Reviews 


'French spy turned author Jack Beaumont provides a gripping sequel to his debut, The Frenchman. Containing amazing authenticity and an elaborate plot, Dark Arena is an exceptional and highly addictive piece of spy fiction.' - Canberra Daily


'Dark Arena is the first bona fide top flight thriller of the year. Jack Beaumont secured his place in the pantheon of espionage page turners with his first book, The Frenchman. With Dark Arena he cements that place.' - Sydney Arts Guide


'Jack Beaumont provides an outstanding follow up to his epic debut with Dark Arena. Once again featuring his ultra-authentic take on spies and international espionage, Dark Arena has a captivating and realistic plot that takes his excellent and complex characters into the heart of a recent history. Intense, addictive, and so damn intricate, Dark Arena was an exceptional read from a rising star in the spy thriller game.' - The Unseen Library


PRAISE FOR THE FRENCHMAN BY JACK BEAUMONT


'A richly detailed cloak-and-dagger thriller reminiscent of the novels of John le Carre I hope Jack Beaumont, whoever he is, writes a follow-up.' - The Australian


'There's authenticity on every page.' - Herald Sun


'A superior thriller.' - Courier-Mail


'Taut and terrific.' - Gold Coast Bulletin


'Beaumont reveals a world of international espionage that's at once exhilarating, morally repugnant, and deadly . . . An action-packed spy thriller with an authentic feel.' - Kirkus Reviews


'A spy thriller that only an insider could have written.' - The Blurb


'One of the finest examples of the spy genre in recent memory. ' - Nic Pizzolatto, creator and writer of HBO's True Detective