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False Friends

The unmissable action thriller from the legendary Sunday Times bestseller

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About this listen

 ✨ PRE-ORDER LAST CHANCE, THE NEW SPIDER SHEPHERD THRILLER, OUT 31 JULY 2025 ✨

READERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE SPIDER SHEPHERD SERIES

'A terrific tale of terrorism' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Stephen Leather always delivers the goods' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'All too real, and simply unputdownable' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Spider is the new James Bond!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'My three favourite authors: Stephen Leather, David Baldacci and Michael Connelly' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Five stars are simply not enough' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The most wanted man in the world is dead...

When Navy Seals track down and kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, it's obvious there was a traitor on the inside.

After the false friends are revealed to be two British students, Malik and Chaudhry - former Islamic fundamentalists recruited by MI5 - they become targets themselves.

Dan 'Spider' Shepherd must teach the pair how to survive undercover with al-Qaeda closing in. But with the line between mentor and friend beginning to blur, and a terrorist plot putting thousands of lives at stake, can he protect everyone before it's too late?

...now those loyal to him seek revenge.

From legendary, bestselling author Stephen Leather, a truly gripping thriller with its finger on the pulse of geopolitics. ©2012 Stephen Leather Action & Adventure Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Spies & Politics Suspense Terrorism Thriller & Suspense Espionage Military Middle East Thriller War

Critic reviews

Let Spider draw you into his web, you won't regret it.
As tough as British thrillers get ... gripping.
Explores complex contemporary issues while keeping the action fast and bloody.
All stars
Most relevant
Love this series of Stephen Leathers books of Spiders trials and covert works.

I found this series after reading / listening to all of Andy McNabs books about Stone and his undercover work.
These were also superb but its actually the excellent narration by Paul Thornley that made me look for and find Stephen Leathers series of Spider books.
Tried listening to other narrators of the McNab Stone series but they are just not believable when read by the other option of narrators.

Please keep up the great and incredibly in-depth writing Mr. Leather - superb

Another superb book of Spiders trials

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Absolutely brilliant story. The characters, plot and story are brilliant. As always, the narrator is excellent bringing the story and characters alive.

Fantastic

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If, like me you have listened to the previous instalments of ‘spider shepherd’ you will understand. Although I cannot takeaway from the entertainment value of this series and will listen to the rest.

Spider is a hypocrite 😣

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Great story, great narration, 5 Star performance all round don’t miss out on this one.

Nail biting.

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Dan Shepherd, omg an amazing fast action packed story, as ever. Love this story line and all those involved, Paul Thornley even managers to make Charlie Button sound sassy 👍🏻

Awesome, as ever!

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