One can't help but wonder at the stupidity of putting all of a country's intelligence chiefs into one aircraft - not exactly tactical genius on display, and very surprising. The other surprise was that he was able to keep up the pretence to Jack Holland of being a hearing aid salesman for all those years! This is a very interesting book, of particular interest to people from NI, Ireland (the 6 counties/the North of Ireland &c, &c), or people from the UK with an interest in politics or history.

I am sure that policing is a lot duller and less fun without Detective Superintendant Ian Phoenix.


Real and touches the reality of the real heros   July 5, 2000
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This book is not only believable, but it is loveable. Phoenix was certainly a unique man, who made friends easily and despatched the enemies with compassion and thought. Lets hope Susan Phoenix and Jack Holland write a sequel, I am sure there is more to tell.


The shadowy war against terrorism in Northern Ireland   January 31, 1999
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

this book is written from the diaries of Ian Phoenix, a high ranking R.U.C. officer, the head of the counter-survellance unit, who was killed in the chinook helicopter crash in the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. Detective superintendant Phoenix had 25 years of assorted police / military experiance in Northern Ireland the vast majority of this involving the fight against terrorism. The book details how he rose through the ranks of the R.U.C. to be involved in the shadowy war against terrorism and of the restrictions, dangers, stresses and strain that this put on both himself, family, friends and colleages