Sean Dillon
Encyclopedia
Sean Dillon is a fictional Irish
character who is the hero of certain Jack Higgins
novels. He is described in the stories as a short man and fair-haired. An aspiring actor
at the age of 19, Dillon takes up being an IRA
member, seeking revenge after his father is killed in Belfast
in the crossfire between the British
and the IRA. He is a protégé of Liam Devlin
.
He is taught several things by Devlin, including the 'eerie dog-whistle'. An excellent gunman and a good actor
, he very soon earns the nickname "The Man of 1000 Faces" from the British, who dread him. He is noted for his part in the Downing Street
bomb blast, which fails to kill or injure anyone. His disapproval of the IRA's indiscriminate bombings of innocent civilians prompts him to abandon the cause and offer himself out as a mercenary for hire, working indiscriminately for the PLO and the Israelis, the Red Brigade, and even the KGB
. Although the British are desperate to catch him, he has never been to jail. For more than 20 years the elusive and resourceful Dillon—who shunned the publicity favoured by other terrorists—slipped through the fingers of the authorities on every continent. Ironically, he is finally caught by the Serbs
while running medicine for children into Bosnia
.
It is revealed that the shipment contained Stinger missiles
without his knowledge, and he is sentenced to death. Dillon is plucked out of prison by Brigadier
Charles Ferguson of the elite British Security Service antiterrorist unit Group 4, who offers him a clean slate in exchange for his services. Soon after joining Group 4 it is revealed that Dillon capture by the Serbs was actually set up by Brigadier Charles Ferguson.
Dillon — an expert pilot
and scuba diver as well as a master of disguise
and languages — subsequently becomes Ferguson's most effective agent, at one point even foiling an assassination
attempt upon the Prime Minister
and President of the United States
. Dillon soon meets Ferguson's right-hand woman Hannah Bernstein, and is slightly romantically inclined towards her. He also befriends the US
President
's right-hand man, Blake Johnson, and famous London
gangsters Harry Salter and his nephew Billy Salter.
Dillon's favourite handgun is a Walther PPK with Carswell silencer and his favourite rifle is an AK-47. His preferred explosive is Semtex. His favorite 'hide-out' gun is a 25 Colt strapped to his ankle.
Dillon's drink of choice is Non-vintage Krug Champagne, due to the grape mix, and his second drink of choice is Bushmills Irish whiskey.
Sean Dillon appears in the following books:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
character who is the hero of certain Jack Higgins
Jack Higgins
Jack Higgins is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Patterson is the author of more than 60 novels. As Higgins, most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers...
novels. He is described in the stories as a short man and fair-haired. An aspiring actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
at the age of 19, Dillon takes up being an IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member, seeking revenge after his father is killed in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in the crossfire between the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the IRA. He is a protégé of Liam Devlin
Liam Devlin
Liam Devlin is a protagonist and recurring character in the novels of Jack Higgins. "Liam Devlin" is a pseudonym and his real name is never revealed.-Background:...
.
He is taught several things by Devlin, including the 'eerie dog-whistle'. An excellent gunman and a good actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, he very soon earns the nickname "The Man of 1000 Faces" from the British, who dread him. He is noted for his part in the Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
bomb blast, which fails to kill or injure anyone. His disapproval of the IRA's indiscriminate bombings of innocent civilians prompts him to abandon the cause and offer himself out as a mercenary for hire, working indiscriminately for the PLO and the Israelis, the Red Brigade, and even the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
. Although the British are desperate to catch him, he has never been to jail. For more than 20 years the elusive and resourceful Dillon—who shunned the publicity favoured by other terrorists—slipped through the fingers of the authorities on every continent. Ironically, he is finally caught by the Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
while running medicine for children into Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
.
It is revealed that the shipment contained Stinger missiles
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
without his knowledge, and he is sentenced to death. Dillon is plucked out of prison by Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Charles Ferguson of the elite British Security Service antiterrorist unit Group 4, who offers him a clean slate in exchange for his services. Soon after joining Group 4 it is revealed that Dillon capture by the Serbs was actually set up by Brigadier Charles Ferguson.
Dillon — an expert pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and scuba diver as well as a master of disguise
Disguise
A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, costume or other ways. Camouflage is one type of disguise for people, animals and objects...
and languages — subsequently becomes Ferguson's most effective agent, at one point even foiling an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempt upon the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Dillon soon meets Ferguson's right-hand woman Hannah Bernstein, and is slightly romantically inclined towards her. He also befriends the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
's right-hand man, Blake Johnson, and famous London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
gangsters Harry Salter and his nephew Billy Salter.
Dillon's favourite handgun is a Walther PPK with Carswell silencer and his favourite rifle is an AK-47. His preferred explosive is Semtex. His favorite 'hide-out' gun is a 25 Colt strapped to his ankle.
Dillon's drink of choice is Non-vintage Krug Champagne, due to the grape mix, and his second drink of choice is Bushmills Irish whiskey.
Sean Dillon appears in the following books:
- Eye of the Storm (1992)
- ThunderpointThunderpointThunder Point is a novel in the Sean Dillon series by Jack Higgins, published in 1993."1945. The day before Hitler commits suicide, he arranges for Nazi leader Martin Bormann to flee to South America in a German U-boat."...
(1993) - On Dangerous Ground (1994)
- Angel of DeathAngel of Death (novel)Angel of Death is a novel by Jack Higgins written in 1995. It tells the story of a famous actress who joins a bloody terrorist movement named after Bloody Sunday's date, 30 January...
(1995) - Drink with the Devil (1996)
- The President's Daughter (1997)
- The White House Connection (1999)
- Day of Reckoning (2000)
- Edge of Danger (2001)
- Midnight RunnerMidnight RunnerMidnight Runner is a novel by Jack Higgins published in 2002. It is his tenth Sean Dillon novel.-Reviews:*"MIDNIGHT RUNNER ." Kirkus Reviews 70.2 : 65. Abstract: Reviews the book 'Midnight Runner,' by Jack Higgins....
(2002) - Bad Company (2003)
- Dark Justice (2004)
- Without Mercy (2005)
- The Killing GroundThe Killing Ground (novel)-Reception:Kirkus Reviews said "can any other thrillmeister equal the Higgins corpse-per-page count?". Publishers Weekly said that "the proceedings are complicated; it helps if the reader is a veteran of this long-running series...
(2007) - Rough JusticeRough Justice (novel)Rough Justice is a novel written by Jack Higgins in 2008. It appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list in September 2008, debuting at number 15....
(2008) - A Darker Place (2009)
- Wolf at the Door (2009)
- The Judas Gate (2010)