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Octagon
  • Published: 28 May 2026
  • ISBN: 9781405988667
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $32.00

Octagon

Formats & editions
Tr. Paperback
25 Aug 2026
Hardback
28 June 2026
EBook
28 May 2026
Audiobook
28 May 2026
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A whip-smart and whiplash-inducing commercial action novel about two ex-intelligence outsiders racing to stop a murderous plot before time runs out

A deadly weapon

A human sacrifice

A prophecy of mass murder…

… One woman can unravel the conspiracy,

And one man must keep her alive.

Disgraced former MI6 officer Stella McRae runs her own private intelligence agency in London, determined to prove herself against the competition of the ‘old boy’ network. When Stella’s former MI6 mentor dies after giving her a warning about impending mass murder by a mysterious network, Stella sets out to investigate, despite the risks.


Called on to protect her, Tommy Kane is an ex-Special Forces soldier now living on the private security circuit to support his family. Struggling with deep-rooted demons, he refuses to seek help and keeps his vulnerability hidden.


With their intimate shared history and new mutual identity as outsiders from the government system, the two must work together fast, their mission taking them to Sweden, Denmark, Munich and Bosnia.


But the roots of the operation go deeper than either of them could have anticipated, and with this many people connected globally - who can they trust to prevent one of the deadliest crimes in UK history?
  • Published: 28 May 2026
  • ISBN: 9781405988667
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $32.00
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About the author

C. J. Merritt

C. J. Merritt served as a British diplomat in Iraq and Jerusalem. Pursuing his interest in the psychological impact of armed conflict, he then retrained as a Clinical Psychologist and worked for the National Health Service in London, where he focused on treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. During this time, he began writing fiction, and his debut novel was published in 2018. Since then, he has authored several more thrillers (as Chris Merritt). Now, alongside his writing, he analyses espionage and insider risk for a cybersecurity consultancy. He lives in London.
C.

Praise for Octagon

Espionage, action, terrorism, cage fights, motorcycles, mystery and mayhem, C.J. Merritt delivers the goods and then some! Octagon bleeds authenticity from the first page to the last. Read it today!

JACK CARR, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cry Havoc

An espionage novel that moves fast and hits hard. Stella and Tommy are wonderfully drawn protagonists, damaged but fiercely loyal to each other and to their country, and the plot is current and very scary. Highly recommended.

M.W. Craven

I hate this book, for keeping me up all night. Psychological insights, authentic tradecraft, sharply-drawn characters and a compelling plot grab the reader with a grip as tight as Tommy Kane’s. Well-observed prose engages them with all the charismatic poise of Stella McRae. Bourne meets Smiley, with exquisite balance.

Julian Fisher, author of Think Like a Spy

Octagon blends high-stakes, high-octane spy fiction with cryptic clue intrigue and a side order of globetrotting action adventure. A blistering thrill ride!

VASEEM KHAN, author of QUANTUM OF MENACE

A smart, slick, adrenaline-fuelled adventure for today's fans of Ludlum and Fleming.

CHARLES CUMMING

A gritty, well-paced, page-turner.

The Critic

A classic ticking-clock thriller ... fast-moving, full of surprises and very hard to put down.

James Wolff, author of Spies and Other Gods

A timely tale of the dangers of extremism lying just beneath the surface, of the dark web and cults of personality, Octagon will enthrall, grip, and spook you in equal measure. Will have you turning pages at breakneck speed. A top-shelf spy thriller from someone who knows his stuff.

I.S. Berry, author of The Peacock and the Sparrow

OCTAGON plunges the reader into a nightmarish nuclear conspiracy that spans the European continent, from the darkest woods of Scandinavia to the Adriatic coast. Short on options, time and resources, the protagonists of this breakneck espionage thriller untangle a web of threats, opportunities and uneasy alliances that left my head spinning. An authentic and compelling spy novel that hooked me from the opening scene.

DAVID GOODMAN

Here you have everything you look for in a spy thriller: action, suspense, drama, deft plotting and gritty realism. Buy now.

ALAN JUDD