Hidden Persuaders is a great little story that adds another layer to Kaldor City. With enough twists and turns to keep you entertained, this serial is a return to form for the series as a whole, and it moves the overall plot forward.

The acting is still top-notch. The sound design is another aspect that deserves some praise.

What he called progressive always struck me as having absolutely no refinement.

So... whoever told me that I needed to read Corpse Marker beforehand, just to let you know I hate you for that. Considering the fact that the characters Padil, Diss Pitter, and Cailio Techlan are promptly killed off in the opening minutes. But yeah, it was no wonder I was told to read that novel anyway, as it provided a little bit more context to the more expansive world of Kaldor.

Terrorism is on the increase and — amidst a media frenzy — hostages are being taken. The Church of Taren Capel are fighting back, and nobody in Kaldor City is safe. Who is behind the cult's remarkable success, and what is their next target? Most importantly, when it comes to politics, who really has the most to gain?

Hidden Persuaders further ramps up the ongoing thriller with a fantastic tale of corruption and media manipulation featuring some absolutely amazing writing from Jim Smith and Fiona Moore. It annoys me that they haven't written anything more outside of this range. The cast is, as always, superb, with a couple of great cameos from voices of old, including the late great Nicholas Courtney. This is a series that just keeps on giving and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.

Overall, despite the slower pace than the previous two stories, Hidden Persuaders is just a story that keeps on giving and ramps up both the tension and stakes of the series with no sign of slowing down in the slightest.

You'd shoot an orphan in the face to win a game of musical chairs at a children's tea party.