Launch Code is a gripping thriller by Michael Ridpath that kept me hooked from start to finish. The main character is Bill Guth a retired US submariner who worked on nuclear submarines. During the time Bill was serving on a submarine in the early 1980s there was an erroneous message received to launch the nuclear missiles which led to the death of one of the crew. An historian arrives at Bill's home in Norfolk in the UK to discuss these events however Bill is still constrained by the Official Secrets Act and can only give him very limited information. Someone clearly feels the historian is getting too close to the truth as he is mudrered that night in his room at the local inn. There are many suspects along the way as well as the slow unravelling of what did happen on the submarine. Michael Ridpath is an established best-selling author and Launch Code will only increase his well-earned reputation.