The Savage Day

Written by Jack Higgins

Narrated by Andrew Dickson

Action and blood-thirsty suspense from the master of the game.

Simon Vaughan knows what it's like to fight a dirty war, he's had first-hand experience in Korea. Now he languishes in a Greek jail.

When it comes to firearms and gun-running nobody does it better, but those days are behind him, until the British army propose a deal. His freedom for his help against the IRA in Belfast.

He doesn't haven't any choice, if he wants his freedom back he'll have to conquer a new battlegroung…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9780008361228

Jack Higgins

Jack Higgins lived in Belfast till the age of twelve. Leaving school at fifteen, he spent three years with the Royal Horse Guards, and was later a teacher and university lecturer. His thirty-sixth novel, The Eagle Has Landed (1975), turned him into an international bestselling author, and his novels have since sold over 250 million copies and been translated into sixty languages. Many have been made into successful films. He died in 2022, at his home in Jersey, surrounded by his family.

Reviews for The Savage Day

[ozzie65-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jack Higgins is like reading comfort food. It is well written, action packed with a variety of interesting characters. This is one of a series (do I detect a pattern in some of my reading?) with Simon Vaughan as the main character. This is set during “The Troubles” in Northern Island. Simon was busted as an arms trafficker in Greece and now the British army has recruited him to act as an arms trafficker for the IRA.His mission is to recover stolen gold bullion that the IRA is using to finance its terrorism operations. This will not be a simple matter. The IRA is highly factional and Simon is caught between two factions. Both hold an interest in the bullion and both will ruthlessly kill to get it.The story is set in Belfast and outlying areas in Northern Ireland. The story is a bit dated given that troubles have subsided in recent years but it is still an interesting read.This is not a long book, nor is it a literary masterpiece. It is just a damn good story from a damn good storyteller.

[bridgey_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Savage Day - Jack Higgins *****Simon Vaughn's first outing. The story follows much the same as many other Jack Higgins, and anyone famiar with the Sean Dillon series will have read most of it before.However that doesn't mean that it's not an excellent book. Vaughn has been captured and is sat in a Greek jail looking at a 15 year sentence. Unexpectedly help comes in the form og the British Government who offer release in return for a favour. Unfortunatley for Vaughn the 'favour' means the infiltration of the IRA in order to deliver 'The Small Man' and help stop further bloodshed.Things in ireland are not as they seem with splinter groups forming and differing ideals causing internal conflicts and rivalry.Accompanied by the small man's neice (Norah) and her body guard (Binnie) Vaughn must remain undiscovered until mission is complete. A problem arises in the guise of Frank Barry, a ruthless man who will stop at nothing. He is after a shipment of gold hidden years previously by the Small Man. He see's Vaughn as tool to be able to get to the treasure, always turning up when least wanted.Higgins has created a well rounded novel full of action and thought provoking scenarios. He manages to compare the loyal IRA fighters who believe in a cause with others who are in it for personal gain.I have read this is Higgin's favourite novel - and I can see why.