False Friends

The unmissable action thriller from the legendary Sunday Times bestseller

By: Stephen Leather

Narrated by: Paul Thornley

✨ 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

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.

Leather does it again...

Fun book. I've really grown to love the Spider series and this book was among my favorites.