For a short story, Four Cornered delivers plenty. It’s set a decade or so ago, and we join ex-soldier JJ Stoner shortly after he’s been seconded to one of those shadowy government agencies which provide no paperwork but probably have black helicopters on standby. If you’ve read any of the author’s other stories or novels then many of the characters will be familiar – but it doesn’t matter if this is your first encounter with Stoner and his crew. All is explained… if not exactly obvious.

Taking its cues from real-life incidents, Four Cornered involves an urban stake-out which turns into a live-fire incident, and an almost surreally sinister encounter in rural middle England. In between, Stoner lets off steam with some satisfyingly mindful violence which demonstrates not only that his temper’s on a short fuse, and that his official ID carries some weight with the constabulary, but that he’s perfectly happy to do unto others before they get a chance to even think about upping the ante.

What else? Snappy dialogue, ribald moments of risqué entertainment, stylish writing, bone-snapping fight sequences, and an astonishing final set piece – one brave enough to undermine all those Hollywood impossibilities in which the hero can hit anything from 500 yards while being impervious to a blizzard of fire from the bad guys.

That’s maybe the secret to why the Stoner stories are so good. They’re pure fiction, but the core of the man and his misadventures is compellingly true to life.
8/10 ( )