Novel published by Collective Ink - RoundFire Books - June 30th 2026
Ron Eldon answers a call telling him one of his agents is dead, jumped from Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. Ron is a semi-retired MI5 agent, the news hits hard, because this time the agent was his daughter. How his daughter died is somehow wrapped up in a meeting Ron had with a Russian agent twenty years ago. Who hated her enough to kill her, or did her investigations lead her to a tragic end?
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A retired secret service agent hunts for his daughter's killer. Taking on the role of detective, in a case that everyone says is a suicide, Ron Eldon, aided by ex-colleague, Yolanda Reddy, are confronted by official obstruction, plagued by red herrings, confounded by false information, and tricked by a Russian spy who has history with Eldon during the Cold War.
Leaving a string of dead bodies and a minefield of revelations, Eldon is battered, beaten, captured, escapes to continue his crusade, ranging across London, Bristol, Cornwall and Yorkshire. This spy thriller story delves into British colonial past, present day slavery and Russian dirty tricks, uncovering truths that dare not speak their name, ending with a shocking twist that reframes the whole story in a new and defining light.
REVIEWS
Daniel David Gothard | Author of The Quietist In Jove, Jack Davies has created a singular protagonist in Eldon, the grieving father and ex-MI5 man. Eldon has given everything for his country, completely devoted to duty. Davies does a brilliant job depicting grief, paternal love, loyalty, lies and vengeance. Jove grips the reader from the first page. The pace and intrigue is relentless and beautifully crafted all the way through, right to the thrilling end. A true page turner, highly relevant in our current world and reminiscent of John Le Carre.
Yoav Avni | Author of Time Clocks Jack Davies gives us a tense, atmospheric thriller in which personal loss opens onto a far more dangerous world of covert loyalties and hidden agendas. It is a sharp and absorbing novel, with real emotional depth and a strong sense of menace. Jove is a gripping and intelligent spy thriller, shaped by grief, secrecy, and the long afterlife of betrayal. Jack Davies brings real emotional weight to a dark and compelling story of espionage, family, and the truths that refuse to stay buried.
Salman Shaheen | Author of Freebourne It begins with a phone call no father wants to hear. Where it ends, you won't believe. There is far more to Jove than meets the eye, its twists and turns revealing the true human cost of secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Gary Phillips | Author of The Haul Perceptively written with imagination and heart, Jove is also a sly take on the spy genre. The story will draw you in and keep you turning the pages, wanting more at the end.
Elisabeth Elo | Author of Finding Katarina M. and North of Boston Jack Davies has created an iconic hero in Ron Eldon, a retired MI5 agent well-versed in varieties of evil and burdened by secrets he cannot divulge. In precise and lyrical language, Davies takes the reader on a startling journey that criss-crosses England and travels back in time to the double deceits of Cold War espionage and the brutal buried crimes of the British Colonial past. Like the best of the classic spy novels, Jove never loses touch with its subtle moral center, even as the world it depicts veers frighteningly out of control. Stirring, tense, and finely crafted. Highly recommend.
Anthony Philosophos | Netgalley This is a spy novel that will keep you guessing until the last page. I was shocked at all the twists and turns of the plot. I enjoyed the book. Leanne Hague | Netgalley Jove is a gripping blend of espionage, grief, and relentless determination. Jack Davies delivers a story that feels both classic and contemporary—a retired MI5 agent stepping into the role of detective, driven not by duty but by the raw, personal need to uncover the truth behind his daughter’s death.
Ron Eldon is a fascinating protagonist: bruised by life, shaped by decades of secrets, and utterly unwilling to accept the easy answer of “suicide.” His pursuit of the truth takes him through layers of obstruction, misinformation, and old Cold War ghosts, and the result is a thriller that moves with purpose and tension. The dynamic with Yolanda Reddy adds a grounded, human counterbalance to Eldon’s single‑mindedness.
What really stands out is the atmosphere. The novel moves across London, Bristol, Cornwall, and Yorkshire with a sense of grit and momentum, leaving behind a trail of bodies and revelations that steadily raise the stakes. The Russian spy thread adds a classic espionage flavour without ever feeling derivative, and the political undercurrents—Britain’s colonial past, modern‑day slavery, and covert operations—give the story a deeper resonance.
The twist at the end is genuinely bold, reframing everything that came before in a way that feels earned rather than gimmicky.
A smart, emotionally charged spy thriller that will appeal to fans of John le Carré‑style intrigue with a modern edge. Dark, compelling, and surprisingly moving.
@tays_bookcorner | Netgalley Wow! What a read! I generally find these kinds of espionage thrillers to be quite mundane and repetitive however Jove really blew my socks off! The pacing hit the mark, it was fast enough for me to stay captivated yet not too fast that I felt I was missing crucial information about the plot of the characters. The story line was so descriptive that at one point I found myself second guessing the integrity of every character and their story/part to play and something that stood out the most to me was the role the grief had to play in the plot, it was so rich and added a new depth to espionage thriller that I haven't experienced before. All in all I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I would highly recommend this book.
Melissa @bookdragonbibliophilia | Netgalley Wow! This is a gripping mystery thriller full of espionage, grief, and determination.
As a medium paced story, things progress fast enough to keep your interest but not so fast that you miss key details. It's a perfectly paced spy thriller, which is rare.
You will end up questioning the motive and integrity of every single character. You will probably also end up questioning your own sanity and understanding of events that take place throughout the book. Then, the ending brings everything together in a way that makes so much sense.
4 out of 5 stars
Camille | Netgalley With its slow, meditative pace reminiscent of 90s spy novels, its strong sense of place fed by moody descriptions of British seaside landscapes, and a quiet emotionality, JOVE was a rare novel in the modern thriller landscape.
The plot focuses on retired secret agent Ron Eldon investigating the mysterious death of his beloved daughter. His inquiry takes him on a chase throughout England, after Russian spies, white nationalists, and the past decisions that still haunt him.
The result is a novel that elegantly explores themes such as fatherhood, Britain's colonial history, and what it means to 'do the right thing'. It never gets saccharine or didactic. While it can get a bit meandering at times, but we do get flashes of action at times: a few shootouts, a few car chases, and even a daring escape from a container ship. And anyway, the meandering is part of the charm.
4 out of 5 stars
David Muscat | Blog It's been a long time since I read an espionage novel, but I settled into Jove almost instantly. This was thanks to Eldon, who also serves as the story's narrator, and his chatty tone which permeates throughout the book. The narrator blends a combination of longer and shorter sentences that often bleed into one another to establish a friendly rapport between core protagonist and reader. It was as if a talkative Eldon was reciting his investigation to me at the pub, over a beverage or two. This immediately built connection and eased me into the story.
The book is set in Bristol and adjoining counties, and with its description of local monuments, buildings and roadways, feels quintessentially British. It's a captivating espionage romp through English townships that is almost cosy, inspite of its spy thriller premise. I say almost, as the plot does delve into darker topics such as colonialism, slavery and other sins of the past that form the foundations of the present.
In short, Jove is a no-nonsense thriller that doesn't let up, with impeccable pacing. It's part explosive spy story, part cosy detective page-turner, with more than a few juicy, multi-layered twists by tale's end. I enjoyed my time with Jove, as it kept things brisk, simple and most importantly, fun.