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Eva Hudson
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The Loyal Servant: A Very British Political Thriller (Angela Tate Investigations Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Eva Hudson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 2,152 ratings

Winner of the Lucy Cavendish Prize for fiction, The Loyal Servant is a fast-paced murder mystery and chart-topping political thriller.

"A brilliantly-paced thriller... Perfectly balanced between character and plot. Very gripping and suspenseful" - Sophie Hannah

Caroline Barber is a civil servant who is busy at work trying to avoid being laid off, and busy at home holding her noisy and demanding family together. Her dull daily routine is shattered when she discovers her boss – a senior politician – dead at his desk. Although the pills and whiskey bottle point to suicide, Caroline is certain he would never take his own life.

Unable to accept the official version of events, she sets out to uncover the real reason the minister had to die and quickly discovers a web of secrets and lies spun by some very powerful men. Enlisting the help of a ruthless newspaper reporter, Caroline continues to dig, taking greater and greater risks until she uncovers a conspiracy shocking enough to bring down the government.

Out of her depth and putting the safety of her family in jeopardy, will Caroline get the chance to expose the corruption? Or will she be silenced for good?

A murder mystery with a killer twist: everything that happens to Caroline could happen to you.
Anyone who's ever worked in an office should download this book now. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.

Praise for The Loyal Servant
"Deftly plotted, tightly paced and above all, very well written"
"Cracking fast paced crime thriller, with many twists and turns"
"A must read for any lover of thrillers, the fast pace and cliff hangers leave you unable to put it down"

EVA'S CRIME THRILLERS AND MYSTERIES IN ORDER
- The Loyal Servant
- The Senior Moment: A Highly Unconventional Heist Thriller
- The Deadly Silence

The Ingrid Skyberg Thrillers
- Fresh Doubt
- Kill Plan
- Deep Hurt
- Shoot First
- Below Zero
- Final Offer
- Flight Risk

ABOUT EVA HUDSON
After years of enjoying thrillers and police procedurals by authors like Lee Child and Michael Connelly, Eva was inspired to write thrillers herself. In 2011 she won the inaugural Lucy Cavendish fiction prize for her first novel, The Loyal Servant.

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  1. Part of series
    The Women Sleuths Collection
  2. Print length
    446 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 16, 2014
  5. File size
    1.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A brilliantly-paced thriller... Perfectly balanced between character and plot. Very gripping and suspenseful" - Sophie Hannah

From the Author

The Loyal Servant was inspired by my time as a civil servant in the Department for Education. I wanted to write a book that showed a regular, outwardly unremarkable, woman doing something truly brave, and becoming a hero. 
The ultimate appeal of this story, for me, is that there's nothing Caroline does that we couldn't all do. 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005ZTMJ2S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Two Pies Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 16, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 446 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ The Women Sleuths Collection
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 2,152 ratings

About the author

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Eva Hudson

Eva Hudson

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Eva Hudson was born and grew up on a south London council estate. Before she started writing full time, she worked as a local government officer, singer, dotcom entrepreneur, portrait artist, project manager, graphic designer, web designer and content editor.

In 2011, her first novel – The Loyal Servant – won the inaugural Lucy Cavendish fiction prize from Cambridge University. She published the first of her chart-topping Ingrid Skyberg Thrillers in 2013 and never looked back.

Join Eva's mailing list at evahudson.com and receive Run Girl, a prequel novella to the Ingrid Skyberg series for free!

Click the FOLLOW button and Amazon will let you know when a new Skyberg adventure is published.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
2,152 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this political thriller engaging and well-crafted, with unexpected plot twists and a powerful story of political corruption. The book's readability and pacing receive positive feedback, with one customer noting how the tension builds as secrets are revealed. Customers disagree on the writing style, with some finding it well thought out while others say it's hard to follow, and opinions vary on character development and pacing, with some finding it fast-paced while others say it starts slowly.

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110 customers mention "Readability"98 positive12 negative

Customers find the book engaging and entertaining, with one describing it as a compelling page-turner that makes readers think.

"...By the end it's a regular thrill ride...." Read more

"...Overall, a very good book with an interesting mystery...." Read more

"...Nevertheless, a good read." Read more

"...It's just a good read with a believable story and I really had a hard time putting it down until I was finished." Read more

95 customers mention "Plot twists"85 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the plot twists of the book, finding it very suspenseful with many unexpected turns throughout.

"...and Angela Tate, the journalist who wants the scoop, are both believable, well-drawn, and convincing characters...." Read more

"...Overall, a very good book with an interesting mystery...." Read more

"Writing is good; plot well-thought out, but some English phrases don't compute into American slang...." Read more

"...It's just a good read with a believable story and I really had a hard time putting it down until I was finished." Read more

17 customers mention "Pacing"12 positive5 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book well crafted, with one customer noting it kept them riveted and another mentioning it was engaging enough to keep them busy on the train.

"...This book was extremely well done and left me satisfied from beginning to end...." Read more

"I enjoyed the plot, it was strong enough to be credible, and I was interested enough to read this book fairly quickly...." Read more

"...Flaws are ok, but she just seemed incapable of doing anything right - she comes throught as helpless, clueless and an indifferent mother." Read more

"...It is well plotted, and held my interest to the end." Read more

7 customers mention "Political intrigue"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the political intrigue in the book, particularly its powerful portrayal of corruption, with one customer noting its relevance to today's issues in most democracies.

"...Excellent political intrigue with corruption as a backdrop...." Read more

"...for an American to understand, but this author weaves a tale of political corruption that is believable and frightening in any country...." Read more

"...Kept me guessing. The story is compelling, and relevant to today's issues for most democracies, with highlights of today's abuses of government...." Read more

"This is a good book about corruption at the highest level of government and deception. The ending is full of action." Read more

56 customers mention "Story quality"29 positive27 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality of the book, with some finding it well written and well thought out, while others describe it as hard to follow and dry.

"...Tate, the journalist who wants the scoop, are both believable, well-drawn, and convincing characters...." Read more

"...Novel is long and a bit over-written. Could use some editing. Words like "kerb" for American curb is jarring. Nevertheless, a good read." Read more

"...The book was well thought out - the author obviously started with a plot in mind - and well written...." Read more

"...This book is not your fast paced action/adventure, but rather an excellent drama which weaves it's tale and slowly draws you into it...." Read more

44 customers mention "Character development"29 positive15 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding them believable and appreciating the strong female characters, while others find them unlikable.

"...who wants the scoop, are both believable, well-drawn, and convincing characters...." Read more

"...That main character was not very sympathetic or like able, and the other main character was a shallow stereotype. I was glad when I finished but" Read more

"...Caroline's other children, are just sketched in but it is a good character sketch, if you know what I mean...." Read more

"...who come alive and this author certainly is able to develop her characters thoroughly...." Read more

31 customers mention "Pace"16 positive15 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others note it starts slowly and drags at times.

"...So just as the reader is about to expire from tedium, the novel starts to gather speed, slowly at first, but then with more and more force...." Read more

"It took a while to start moving as the set-up of this thriller involves several layers of "activity"...." Read more

"...I liked the pace of this story - as an Australian, I am used to the English way of writing - and can understand and enjoy the nuances contained in..." Read more

"...This is a fast-paced book, it does drag a little at times but the story depth makes up for that...." Read more

6 customers mention "Language"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the language of the book, with some finding it smart and engaging, while others describe it as extremely verbose and difficult to follow.

"...I originally liked the main character, she came off as strong and smart, but when it came to her kids, her interest in their problems seemed almost..." Read more

"...Makes the meaning difficult at times to determine. Novel is long and a bit over-written. Could use some editing...." Read more

"Being British I could understand the mentality . I found it more and more entertaining as it went along...." Read more

"...incapable of doing anything right - she comes throught as helpless, clueless and an indifferent mother." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mark McDonough
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Mysteries I've Read This Year
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I almost gave up on this book. As is often the case with mysteries, something bad happens right at the start, but then the reader spends about 1/4 of the book immersed in the workaday life of the protagonist. And it's a dull life indeed. She is a mid-level bureaucrat at the British Ministry of Education, and while her life is spinning out of control from the first page, it takes a while for that to become obvious. In the meantime, we trudge along with her through an eye-wateringly dull daily routine. Office, somewhat complicated home life, and a husband who seems tuned out - it's a portrait of someone who cares in the abstract and would like to care more, but has become a bit numb. Life gets a little harder every year, and the bad guys win most of the battles. If you live in the US or the UK and don't recognize the syndrome, you are fortunate indeed.

    So just as the reader is about to expire from tedium, the novel starts to gather speed, slowly at first, but then with more and more force. By the end it's a regular thrill ride. I abhor spoilers but action fans will not be disappointed - the only thing missing is gunplay, but it is modern Britain and thus there are almost no guns. By the end, you realize that the "dull" part at the beginning gives the book much of its impact - this is the story of a woman whose normal life suddenly goes completely mad, and without a portrait of that normal life, the reader wouldn't feel her growing sense of desperation and paranoia.

    So, aside from the thrill ride, what makes the book so enjoyable? Two strong female characters are one of the major attractions. Caroline Barber, the loyal (civil) servant, and Angela Tate, the journalist who wants the scoop, are both believable, well-drawn, and convincing characters. Women struggling to survive and succeed in what remains in large part a man's world, and certainly not a world belonging to middle-age women with battle scars and crow's feet. I really rooted for them to win, and also to come to understand each other.

    And there's also the plot - it really does keep you up late turning the virtual pages. If I have one mild criticism, it's that towards the end things do skate right along the edge of going over the top.

    As a final note, if you like your British mysteries *very* British, this one's for you. From brand names to idioms to drinking habits (like America in the early 1960s!) it's all here, and so are the subtleties of a culture that's really quite different from that in America.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Quality, Interesting Read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Right from the start, with poor Caroline trying to get a flirty security guard off her back and fleeing his attentions to the office of Martin, who just committed suicide (or did he?) I was engrossed.

    One of my favourite aspects of this mystery is that we are not quite sure what is happening or why at the start. Caroline does not believe Martin killed himself, but nobody seems to agree. But what did happen to Martin, and why? Caroline barely has time to think the matter over before peculiar things start happening and it starts to look like some kind of cover up is going on. But - by whom, and why?

    The other facet of this book that I enjoyed is Caroline's family. Seriously - am I the only person getting tired of protagonists who never have families? It's not like I am into family stories, but one could be forgiven for thinking no book could be written about a person with a family and still be interesting, given the way so many protagonists are either loners, or have one family member. This was, however, one area where I felt irritated by Caroline at times. As a mother she can be so ineffectual - specifically when it comes to her son Dan. She keeps making these half-hearted attempts to find out what is going on with him, but she has all the parental authority of a wet paper bag. And it is not as if this is essential to the plot - all the crucial plot elements could have been worked in without her being so weak as a mother.

    There are some points that seem to have been thrown in without being developed, almost as if the plot was changed at some point and some of the references to the initial plot were not removed. I think another review mentioned that the mention of creationism as the agenda of one of the suspects is pretty much irrelevant - it doesn't tie into the mystery itself and it is never developed.

    Other than that there are a few editing problems, primarily homonyms ("wait" for "weight", that sort of thing). It can be mildly annoying.

    Another review sad the "f" word was used too often. Either using it once is "too often" or the text was edited after that comment. I had to rack my brain, trying to remember if any characters swore. When characters swore they did so for very good reason as part of the natural dialogue. There was nothing remotely gratuitous about it so I have no idea what that other review was on about.

    Eventually Caroline - with the help of a journalist, Angela - unravels what is going on and why. The last part of the story becomes quite "actiony", which I did not expect. Not complaining, but the pace and tone of the story changed and I was not expecting it.

    Family members ring true. I particularly liked Jean, Caroline's mother. It is easy to see where Caroline got her strong sense of ethics. Peter, Caroline's husband, starts off as a bit of a cliche as the unhelpful husband who drinks too much but as the story develops so does he, as a character. The characterisations are a strong point - believable people with the occasional flaw. Caroline's son Dan is interesting (if extremely annoying at first) but he develops. Ben and Claire, Caroline's other children, are just sketched in but it is a good character sketch, if you know what I mean.

    Overall, a very good book with an interesting mystery. I have never heard of the award the book won, but if this book is typical of the award's winners then it is an award worth winning.

    Just my cup of tea.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Barbara j
    3.0 out of 5 stars Very English
    Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Writing is good; plot well-thought out, but some English phrases don't compute into American slang. Makes the meaning difficult at times to determine. Novel is long and a bit over-written. Could use some editing. Words like "kerb" for American curb is jarring. Nevertheless, a good read.
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  • Patg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    My usual genre is sci-fi but I really liked this book. It had a few typos/errors but not any more than a hard copy book. The book was well thought out - the author obviously started with a plot in mind - and well written. The main character and the newspaper reporter were both working women and I think a lot of woman can relate to both of them. The author seems to have a good feel for what a working mother goes through and how she can lose track of things - especially with 3 kids to take care of. The characters in the book are very well developed and you really get to know them. I really like books with characters who come alive and this author certainly is able to develop her characters thoroughly.

    This is not just a book for working women, though, so don't overlook it if you do not fall into either of these categories. It's just a good read with a believable story and I really had a hard time putting it down until I was finished.
    13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • mfh
    3.0 out of 5 stars Montse
    Reviewed in Spain on July 18, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    No resulta muy emocionante, pero es entretenida. Para pasar el rato, sin quedarte sin dormir porque no puedes dejar de leer.
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  • culture gap
    5.0 out of 5 stars A top quality read
    Reviewed in France on November 9, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This story is well told, exciting, cliff hanging: perfect. Just sufficient personal stuff, and not the trendy endless time wasting, boring packing, to spread the plot.

    I can't say it too often: a really good read.

    The Writer's Quarter, Culture Gap, [...])
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  • roya
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intense political thriller
    Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A well developed story with side twists which add to the tension. A very good read. There are political contents and characters which I usually have a hard time with, so for me, it was confusing at times. The strong relationship between the two women was rewarding to read. Intense book which I recommend.
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  • Katie85
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and full of twists and turns
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This was everything I could wish for in a thriller - it had an original yet interesting storyline, the main characters have more than one dimension to them, plenty of activity going on in each chapter and I was hooked from the first page to the last.

    Caroline Barber is a civil servant who is easy to relate to in some way - a working mum who is trying to keep hold of her job and keep her family in order. So when a senior politician and a close colleague of hers is found dead, she refuses to accept what she is told and tries to find out the truth. Political events and the thorough office cleaning process give Caroline cause for concern, so she enlists the help of journalist Angela Tate. When Caroline digs deeper, she finds herself trapped in a world of secrets, deceit, whistleblowing and danger. This is different from most of the thrillers out there, so I found it refreshing and appealing, yet it did manage to creep out at times as well (I'm sure that was the author's intention!) I was willing Caroline to uncover vital details and I could feel her panic whilst she was in the middle of trying to find key information - the writing style leads to a great way of building up tension and suspense.

    There's plenty of things happening so the story has a fast pace to it, although it is never confusing. In fact, it makes you want to carry on reading to find out what happened next. The chapters are somewhat short, so it is very easy to think "one more chapter..." and end up reading five chapters before you have to put the book down reluctantly.

    I thought there was a nice balance between action and character issues. Given how the story pans out, it was important to see how much Caroline's family mean to her, and that came across clearly in the family problems she experiences while she is trying to solve the mystery of what happened to her colleague. The leading characters are likeable and flawed, so they come across as real.

    A gripping read that was unpredictable, got my brain thinking and was only put down because I needed some sleep. I have downloaded 'The Third Estate' by the same author following journalist Angela Tate on another adventure. Eva Hudson is definitely an author whose books I will be keeping a look out for as I love the thriller genre and I liked the writing style and structure of this story. I got this when it was on the best-selling freebie list, but I would have taken the chance if it was on the paid-for list given the detailed product description and the other good reviews on here. I was certainly more than happy with what I have read.
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  • Mary Maynard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Eva Hudson is fab
    Reviewed in Australia on March 17, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    First Eva novel 😍 love it
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