Books/Six Hard Days in Andalusia
Six Hard Days in Andalusia
An Action thriller
- Thriller
Six days. One massacre. A dead gangster. A daughter who thought she no longer cared.
Mary Lawson used to serve her country.
Now she serves whoever pays.
A former MI6 field officer turned private contractor to the criminal underworld, Mary is sent to Málaga after a British gangster and his crew are slaughtered in a bloody shoot-out on the Costa del Sol.
To most people, it is just another gangland killing.
To Mary, it becomes something far more personal.
The dead man was her father — the man who walked out on her when she was a child.
In the heat, glamour, corruption, and violence of southern Spain, Mary must follow a trail through dangerous criminals, bent loyalties, buried family secrets, and one very unlucky British tourist caught in the wrong place at the worst possible time.
The Costa del Sol may look like paradise.
But Mary Lawson has come to work.
Six Hard Days in Andalusia is a fast, darkly comic action thriller set on Spain’s Costa del Crime — perfect for readers who like their crime fiction sun-baked, sharp-edged, and morally messy.
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Reader reviews
Fabulous Fast Paced Thriller!
Amazon customer
I took this excellent book on holiday to read and just couldn't put it down. I loved the way the story built and was totally gripped. Damian writes expertly and made me laugh out loud (and squirm) at times. I will never look at the Costas in the same way again. Please write book number 2 Damian!
Brilliant
Amazon customer
I couldn't put it down. A real page turner. I loved all the characters especially Carla and poor Jack but he got his girl in end. I can't wait to read the next one set in Spain.
A great read...
Amazon customer
A refreshing read. I really loved the characters in this novel. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.. I am looking forward to reading Damien's earlier books now.
Enjoyable crime caper.
Mr P Catling
So, after many years of not being interested in reading fiction (after all, it’s just a story isn’t it?), I decided to have a change and go for a crime novel. Having recently spent a few holidays bumbling around the Andalusian coast and hinterland, this novel grabbed my attention. Good job it did too, as I thoroughly enjoyed my first crime caper in 15 years. An enjoyable weekend read, with plenty of twists and turns, surprises, corruption and back stabbing, all set against the seemingly innocent backdrop that we might have all seen on our holidays in the sun. Highly recommended.
Much more riveting and original than a lot of action drama novels
RTheJ
Pacy thriller from an author who clearly has some insight into the subject matter. Generally not a big fan of true crime thrillers but this one drew me in after the first few pages - and after that it was hard to put down. Much more riveting and original than a lot of action drama novels - people like Patterson can crack out the formulaic novels but takes a lot more skill and insight to produce a book with intense suspense, attention to detail and random bouts of (often dark) comedy - all present here in abundance. Recommended!
Superb debut novel
Amazon customer
This book took me about 3 days to read on and off and was a thoroughly good read. Someone said it's a bit like a Dan brown book, but it isn't imo. It's a bit more like a Tarantino film with plenty of action/violence and larger than life characters. What's really impressive is how the author has managed to get so many back stories and sub plots woven into the story without it being overly complicated to follow. There are several plot lines running through which all are very nicely tidied up in the last few chapters. Really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more.
Thoroughly enjoyable read!
Amazon customer
Enjoyable trip into the various aspects of the Costa del Sol, meeting some of its decidedly dubious characters. Had a few laughs at the predicaments in which Jack, the innocent tourist, finds himself. As a regular visitor to Spain and, having read this during Corona lockdown, I was filled with anticipation at the thought of sitting at a chiringuito sipping a cool drink and dipping into some tapas - hopefully a more reputable establishment that the one featured in the book! Looking forward to reading the next novel of Damian Vargas.
A Real Page Turner
Amazon customer
thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down with its twists and turns. You never quite knew what would befall our hapless tourist next. The story, despite being convoluted, was easy to follow - I often lose track of stories like this because the character names become confusing - this book made the main players identifiable and 'real'. Having said all that, I can see some readers getting a third of the way through and thinking 'this is just plain silly!' - but stick with it, it's worth getting over the first few hurdles to enjoy the whole ride. I'll be looking to get more by this author.
A cracker of a novel
Amazon customer
Interesting characters. Humerous. The seedier side of Spain. Fast paced action with a convoluted story line which is surprisingly easy to get your head round. You can just imagine the characters being played out in a Tarantino film. Really enjoyed it. Have bought this authors other novels.
Very violent, very silly, a right rollicking gangster romp!
Amazon customer
If you're looking for a page-turning gangster romp with a heart, this is it. A thoroughly enjoyable read. A niggle - the domestic abuse in the background of one of the characters feels slightly glossed over/excused and probably should have been cut. But overall, it's fun, cleverly plotted and the characters are drawn with empathy and understanding. Recommend to anyone who's a fan of the genre and anyone holidaying in southern Spain - watch out for those gangsters!
From Jack Reacher to Jack Dennett without missing a beat
Amazon customer
Was recommended this by a friend so bought it then put it to one side. A few weeks later having just finished Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher novel I found myself casting around to keep the fast pace thriller action going....I flipped open Six Hard Days in Andalusia not knowing what to expect and was delighted that the pace didn't miss a beat. Six Days is fast, furious and funny, the characters are flawed and so very human which makes the plot unpredictable and exciting. The Andalusian setting is well drawn by someone who clearly knows and loves the region. Vargas has a touch of the Hiassen and Brookmyre about his writing. Overall a tremendously fun read, I can't wait for his next offering.
Dapper Dons and wicked cons.
Lagoon
f you associate Marbella and the surrounding area with drunken sunburnt tourists, lousy English breakfasts, African hawkers and criminals on the run, this book will do nothing to dissuade you of those notions. Featuring a wonderful cast of diverse characters and a solid storyline, Six hard days in Andalusia takes you on a big bus tour of Southern Spain but, be warned, this is more of an editor’s cut tour, where you see the sagging underbelly of this much maligned part of the world. With a large nod to the criminal activity that takes place as a necessary part of day to day life as well as some absurd episodes that will, for many, bring back some of your worst holiday nightmares, the author manages to combine tales of ruthlessness with some preposterous shenanigans. Many books are touted as an ideal holiday read. Few manage to achieve that whilst still being engaging, hard boiled and consistently entertaining.
Rollicking good fun with surprising depth.
Amazon customer
Six Hard Days in Andalusia surprised me immensely. It’s incredibly well plotted and quite extraordinary for a 1st book. Fans of Carl Hiaasen will find a lot to love here. Yes there’s a couple of well known character tropes, but overall the characterisation seemed authentic and interesting, as did descriptions of life on the Costas. Violent yet amusing, exciting with a warm heart. Thought provoking too, and as close to unputdownable as real life allows. Perfect holiday reading that goes down just as well at home in the cold and wet UK! Enjoyed this more than I thought I would! I shall keep an eye out for future offerings from an interesting new author with obvious talent.
These six days fly by like a week on the Costa Del Sol!
Amazon customer
This is a great novel, that moves quickly, surprises, entertains and is equally violent, humorous and tragic with several story lines intertwining. With a host of key characters it's hard to know who to root for, the fisherman? The old man? The Accountant? The tourist? The electrician? Carla? Or the mayor? (no, not he mayor) It is hard to believe this is the first novel from Mr Vargas, I look forward to reading his next one. I've holidayed a fair bit on the Costa Del Sol and the writer clearly has first hand knowledge of the area. His descriptions of places, the local people and places are spot on. The events that take place are so well written that the reader is lead to believe Damian Vargas might well have first hand experience of the scenarios he writes about! An ideal read for your beach holiday, though if you're in Andalusia when you read it, it might change your outlook on what you're seeing. What are those vendors you call looky looky men really up to? Why is that restaurant a bit run down and unwelcoming? Who would call a boat Kevin?
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