False Friends

THE TOP FIVE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER: the ninth Spider Shepherd thriller from Stephen Leather, known for his heart-pounding, page-turning, topical action.

✨ 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.