Dark, twisty, suspenseful and compelling! A phenomenal psychological thriller!
What a book this was to start the new year off with! I’m not sure where to begin with telling you how amazing it is! If I could give more than five stars, I absolutely would.
To the outside world, Nina just seems like an ordinary woman. She works in a library, lives alone and doesn’t really have any friends, but nobody would imagine for a second that she kept her mother chained up in the attic!
For two years Maggie has got used to watching the world go by from the attic window. With many failed attempts at escaping she has almost become resigned to the fact that this is where she will spend her final days. She only ever wanted the best for her daughter Nina, she only ever did the things she did, to protect her. Nina doesn’t see it like that though and wants to punish her mother for everything that happened in the past.
The chapters flit between the past and the present, filling us in on the events that happened and what caused Nina to imprison her mother. Expertly written, this book does not disappoint. Even when you think you know where it’s going, something will happen that will blow your mind and leave you gobsmacked!
My opinions of Nina and Maggie changed many times. John has been so clever with how he has portrayed them both throughout this book. They are certainly characters that will stay with me for a very long time!
Captivated from start to finish, this creepy and suspenseful story ticks all the boxes for what makes an incredible psychological thriller! I hear it is going to be made into a film, which I cannot wait to see.
This was my first John Marrs book and I can assure you it will not be my last!
Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.
They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.
But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.
About the Author
John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. What Lies Between Us is his seventh book. Follow him at http://www.johnmarrsauthor.co.uk, on Twitter @johnmarrs1, on Instagram @johnmarrs.author and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor.
Well here we are, it’s the last day of the year and what a crazy year it’s been for us all! I really did try to choose just 10 books, but it was far too hard, as I’ve read so many amazing books this year. So here are 12 that I have picked to share with you, please note they are in no particular order as they’re all fabulous books. I also just want to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me and my blog in its first year, I’ve had a blast! Here’s to more book reviews and flash fiction stories from me in 2021! Happy New Year 🥂 Love Cathryn 🥂
Postscript by Cecelia Ahern
The long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller PS, I Love You.
The PS, I Love You Club.
These are the six words written on a card handed to Holly Kennedy. They’re words that are engraved on her heart – because PS, I Love You is how her husband, Gerry, signed his last letters to her, letters that mark a year she will never forget.
Now, the mysterious club wants something from her. And if Holly can find the courage meet them, she’ll learn what it really means to live life to the full.
Because every love story has one last thing to say…
This is not a typical love story, but it’s our love story.
Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever.
Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences.
Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide and time is running out…
Welcome to The Close – a beautiful street of mansions, where gorgeous Stella is the indisputable Queen Bee . . .
It is here that Laura, seeking peace and privacy after her marriage falls apart, rents a tiny studio. Unfortunately, her arrival upsets suspicious Stella – who fears Laura has designs on her fiancé, Al.
When Laura stumbles on the big secret Al is hiding, suddenly Stella’s perfectly controlled world, and Laura’s future, are threatened.
Taking a chance on beating Al at his own twisted game, these two former strangers are fast becoming friends. But has Laura forgotten that revenge always comes with a sting in the tail?
Orla and Kate have been best friends forever. Together they’ve faced it all – be it Orla’s struggles as a new mother or Kate’s messy divorce. And whatever else happens in their lives, they can always look forward to their annual weekend away.
This year, they’re off to Lisbon: the perfect flat, the perfect view, the perfect itinerary. And what better way to kick things off in style than with the perfect night out?
But when Orla wakes up the next morning, Kate is gone. Brushed off by the police and with only a fuzzy memory of the night’s events, Orla is her friend’s only hope. As she frantically retraces their steps, Orla makes a series of shattering discoveries that threaten everything she holds dear. Because while Lisbon holds the secret of what happened that night, the truth may lie closer to home…
Mara Sitwell was only eleven when she went missing.
Nineteen years later, she’s been found wandering through remote woodland, alone and confused.
She says she’s been kept in an underground cell for all these years – but refuses to reveal anything about the man who snatched her.
What does she have to hide? And who’s she protecting?
Her brother-in-law, Damian, certainly doubts she’s telling the whole truth and fears she might even be a danger to his young children, especially when his wife insists on moving Mara into their home.
To save his family, Damian will have to prove what really happened to Mara all those years ago.
But the truth is never easy to uncover when it’s been buried so deep. . .
Nick and Amber Miller are splitting up and selling their Devon family home. But despite the desirable location, the house isn’t moving. Not a single viewing so far.
When their estate agent suggests an open house event, Amber agrees, even as she worries about their gossiping neighbours attending and snooping around their home.
But Amber has more to worry about than nosy neighbours. Because thirteen people enter her house that afternoon, and only twelve leave.
Someone doesn’t want the house to sell, and is willing to do anything to stop it…
Everyone knows she killed Stuart Rees – why else would his dead body be found in her shed? So now Tabitha is in prison, awaiting trial.
Coming back to the remote coastal village where she grew up was a mistake. She didn’t fit in then, and she doesn’t fit in now.
That day is such a blur, she can’t remember clearly what happened. There is something she is missing, something important… She only knows one thing. She is not capable of murder.
And the only one she can trust to help her out of this situation is herself. So she must fight. Against the odds.
Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise – she’s just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems…
Just one more night. Then I’ll end it.
Alison drinks too much. She’s neglecting her family. And she’s having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle.
I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up.
Alison’s client doesn’t deny that she stabbed her husband – she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself.
I’m watching you. I know what you’re doing.
But someone knows Alison’s secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she’s done, and who won’t stop until she’s lost everything….
Tessa Markham returns home to find a child in her kitchen. He thinks she’s his mother. But Tessa doesn’t have any children.
Not anymore.
She doesn’t know who the little boy is or how he got there.
After contacting the police, Tessa is suspected of taking the mystery child. Her whole life is turned upside down. And then her husband reveals a secret of his own…
Tessa isn’t sure what to believe or who to trust. Because someone is lying. To find out who, she must confront her painful past. But is the truth more dangerous than Tessa realises?
Even the deepest-buried secrets can find their way to the surface…
Moments before she dies, Nicola’s grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden.
Nicola’s mother claims she was talking nonsense. However, when Nicola’s daughter finds a bone while playing in Betty’s garden, it’s clear that something sinister has taken place.
But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola’s family apart?
A dark and chilling thriller with as many twists as a corkscrew!
What a great debut this is! An eerie, atmospheric read, that at times will make you shiver from fear rather than cold!
The story is told from the perspective of Milla who had once been a professional snowboarder. That was until something terrible happened that led her to leave her career and her friends behind. Now ten years on she has been invited back to the French Alps for a reunion. It is an invitation she should probably ignore, but curiosity gets the better of her and the thought of seeing a certain someone again is enough for her to accept.
Milla is soon reunited with Curtis, Brent, Dale & Heather and it isn’t long before strange things start to happen. The friends quickly realise that someone has invited them here for a reason and doesn’t want them to leave the dark, deserted mountain.
The chapters flit perfectly between the present day at the reunion and ten years earlier when the friends competed fiercely on and off the snow!
The story is very well-plotted, and the descriptive writing makes it incredibly atmospheric. It is more of a slow burner to begin with, but this helps to set the scene and introduce the characters. Most are unreliable making it hard to know who to trust. I love the short chapters with mini cliff-hangers as this makes the book extremely hard to put down.
Allie clearly knows her stuff about snowboarding as the terminology used is spot on. It is not something I know anything about, but a quick google helped me learn all about cripplers and Mctwists 🤣. I found it a refreshing change to read a thriller with a difference!
A fantastic psychological thriller/ locked room mystery! I look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to Headline, Allie Reynolds & NetGalley for my early copy of this book.
They don’t know what I did. And I intend to keep it that way.
How far would you go to win? Hyper-competitive people, mind games and a dangerous natural environment combine to make the must-read thriller of the year. Fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell will be gripped by spectacular debut novel Shiver.
When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can’t seem to let go.
The five friends haven’t seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don’t know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.
In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.
About the Author
British-born Allie Reynolds is a former freestyle snowboarder who spent five winters in the mountains of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Canada. Her short fiction has been published in women’s magazines in the UK, Australia, Sweden, and South Africa. She lives by the beach in Queensland, Australia. Shiver is her debut novel.
A wonderful festive short story that will leave you wanting more!
I’m a big fan of Rebecca’s festive tales, so I was very excited to read A Winters Day, which is a heart-warming and uplifting story that you can devour in one sitting.
Lauren is a single mum who is sadly unlucky in love! Stuck at home in a snowstorm with a poorly daughter, she decides to use her time to get things ready for Christmas.
Will Christmas be as magical as Lauren wants it to be? It seems not when things start to go a bit wrong for her. It’s a shame Lauren doesn’t have a man to share the burden of her problems, could things be about to change when hunky Helier the local farmer delivers the Christmas tree?
What a lovely short story this is, it certainly gives you that Christmassy feel and whilst it tugged at my heartstrings at times, it left me smiling come the end. I think after the year we’ve had we all need a Rebecca Boxall story in our lives.
Set on the Channel Islands during a snowy winter, the beautifully descriptive writing brings this book to life, making you feel like you are right there in the cosy cottage with Lauren and her daughter. With likeable characters who you will take to your heart straight away, there is nothing you won’t like about this story. The only downside is that you’ll be left wanting more! I would love to read more about these characters in a future book!
Light the fire, curl up by the tree and lose yourself in this beautiful story this Christmas.
After nine bad dates in nine years, single mum Lauren has given up on finding love. Anyway, she has plenty on her plate with her job as an author and the anti-bullying campaign she started on behalf of her daughter Silvana, who has dwarfism.
So when local farmer, Helier, brings a dinner invitation as well as a Christmas tree to their cottage one winter’s day, Lauren turns him down. Besides, doesn’t Helier have a wife? And what about Silvana’s wishes?
In this festive short story, Lauren, Silvana and Helier discover that one day can change everything – and that you should never underestimate the power of a Christmas wish.
About the Author
Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her husband, three children and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before training as a lawyer and also studied Creative Writing with The Writer’s Bureau. She was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. Rebecca’s novels have become bestsellers, two of them reaching the No. 1 spot on the UK Kindle charts, proving popular with readers interested in seasonal novels that are feel-good but touch on some serious issues too. For more information please like Rebecca’s Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/christmasatthevicarage or visit her website – http://www.rebeccaboxall.co.uk.
An addictive page-turner! Psychological suspense at its best!
Wow, what a great book this is. It is the third book I have read by Sam Carrington and this is definitely my favourite so far.
This story is told from the POV of Amber and her ex-mother in law Barb. Amber has been separated from Barb’s son Nick for a while now and has decided to relocate to Kent with her two children and her boyfriend Richard. Leaving Devon will mean Barb will see much less of her beloved grandsons and the house she once owned, will no longer be kept in the family, as Amber and Nick are selling up!
Frustrated that there hasn’t been any interest in the house, Amber agrees to have an open house. It is at this event that it seems one person who entered didn’t actually leave! Who were they and where did they go? It is from here strange things start to happen and Amber soon realises someone really doesn’t want this house to sell!
Perfectly paced, gripping and tense, this story had my attention from start to finish. The short chapters, which end with little cliff-hangers, make it very hard to put this book down! I actually ended up leaving a little late to collect my son from school as I just had to finish it! At times this story also had a creepy edge to it, which I absolutely loved, it definitely had me questioning little noises in the house a bit more than I normally would!
The characters in this book all give you a reason to feel suspicious of them, I went round in circles with my theories and whilst I was right on a couple of bits, I would never have guessed the ending, which is full of spectacular twists and turns.
I love that this book was based in Devon, which is where I live. Whilst some areas are fictional, there is still the odd place name that is real and I know well, which helped me imagine the setting perfectly.
An enthralling and spine-tingling read full of palpable suspense. Don’t miss out on The Open House, out on December 10th.
Thank you to Sam Carrington, Avon Books and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.
Nick and Amber Miller are splitting up and selling their Devon family home. But despite the desirable location, the house isn’t moving. Not a single viewing so far.
When their estate agent suggests an open house event, Amber agrees, even as she worries about their gossiping neighbours attending and snooping around their home.
But Amber has more to worry about than nosy neighbours. Because thirteen people enter her house that afternoon, and only twelve leave.
Someone doesn’t want the house to sell, and is willing to do anything to stop it…
About the author
Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband, two border terriers and a cat. She has three adult children and a new grandson! She worked for the NHS for fifteen years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist. SAVING SOPHIE, her debut psychological thriller, published in September 2016. It became a Kindle eBook bestseller, with the paperback hitting The Bookseller Heatseeker chart at #8. Sam was named an Amazon Rising Star of 2016. Her second psychological thriller, BAD SISTER, published in 2017 followed by ONE LITTLE LIE in July 2018. THE MISSING WIFE published in June 2019 and her fifth, I DARE YOU published on 12th December. Sam’s sixth psychological thriller THE OPEN HOUSE will be publishing in December 2020. You can find out about Sam’s novels, upcoming events and book news at http://www.samcarringtonauthor.com
A gripping read from start to finish with some great twists along the way!
This story is told from the perspective of Josh, who is at work one day when he receives a panicked call from his neighbour, telling him he must come home immediately. Feeling worried, Josh heads straight to the house he shares with his partner Grace. Sadly, upon arrival, he discovers she has tragically died after slipping on some icy steps outside.
Unsure how he’ll be able to carry on without her, Josh has to quickly pull himself together for the sake of Grace’s 7-year-old son Logan. Josh isn’t Logan’s biological father, but he loves him like he was his own and has helped raise him since he was 2. Josh is annoyed that they never got round to making him Logan’s legal guardian but decides he will do what he can now to rectify that.
Not being able to find Logan’s birth certificate is the first stumbling point and Josh soon starts to uncover secrets that Grace had clearly wanted to take to the grave! Imagine discovering the person you loved was not who you thought they were, this is exactly what happened to Josh! We follow him through the chapters, as he makes it his mission to find out what Grace was hiding from him and why!
This is the second book I’ve read by Hannah Mary McKinnon and just like the first I thoroughly enjoyed it and will certainly be adding her to my list of ‘go-to’ authors. This book draws you in immediately with plenty of drama in the first chapter. The rest of the story is perfectly paced and has plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader hooked.
I liked all the characters, even the ones I found myself feeling suspicious of. My heart went out to some of them too, especially Josh. Whilst this book is a thriller, it also has an emotional side to it. I found the storyline unique; I don’t think I’ve read one like it before.
Cleverly plotted, with a brilliant and unexpected ending, I highly recommend this book to any lovers of thrillers/family dramas.
Thank you to Hannah Mary McKinnon, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for my copy of this book.
WOULD YOU STILL WANT THE TRUTH IF IT COST YOU EVERYTHING?
When Josh’s partner, Grace, dies in a tragic accident, he is left with full custody of her seven-year-old son.
Josh has always acted like a father to Logan, and so he doesn’t hesitate to become his legal guardian. But when Josh can’t find any paperwork associated with Logan’s birth, his memories of Grace putting off making their family official begins to trouble him.
The further Josh searches into Grace’s past, the darker the secrets are that he uncovers. It’s not long before he starts to question who the woman he loved really was, and where her ‘son’ really came from.
If Josh’s fractured family has only been held together by lies, will the truth destroy it?
About the author
I was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a long and successful career in recruitment, I quit the corporate world in favor of writing. My first novel, TIME AFTER TIME (a lighthearted rom-com) was published in June 2016 after which I moved over to the dark side of suspense. THE NEIGHBORS arrived March 2018, HER SECRET SON in May 2019, SISTER DEAR in May 2020, and my fifth book, YOU WILL REMEMBER ME is slated for May 25, 2021. I live in Oakville, Ontario, with my husband and three sons, and I’m delighted by my twenty second commute. Find me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/hannahmarymckinnon, Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon, and on Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon. For even more, visit my website http://www.hannahmarymckinnon.com.
Sibling Rivalry just got taken to a whole new level! An intriguing read with a shocker of an ending!
Samantha Downing is the queen of surprise, she takes things where not many others do, making her books far from predictable.
Beth is heading off on a road trip with her siblings, Eddie and Portia. However, this is no ordinary road trip, nor is it the first time they’ve taken this exact road trip. As children their grandfather took them away for a while, visiting many states and many strange locations. He has now passed away and a condition of his will is for his grandchildren to re-take the very same journey that they all went on many years ago, in order to inherit his millions.
Joining them for the ride this time is Eddie’s partner Krista and Beth’s partner, Felix. Both bemused by the places they visit during the road trip, they go along with it, because just like the other three, their eyes are set firmly on the money that their partners stand to receive.
Secrets from the past are unearthed and strange things start to happen on this road trip to hell. Is someone trying to stop them from reaching the end goal? Read this book to find out who really started it?!
This book is a slow-burning, intriguing read, with a sucker punch of an ending! Samantha has cleverly crafted this story by dropping enough bits of information in to each chapter to keep you interested and to keep you turning those pages. The twists are totally unexpected, which I love, and each character has a dark side, making it hard for you to know whether you can actually trust any of them.
I had many scenarios in my head for which path this story would take and how it would end. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
A devilishly dark, totally original, twisty read.
I can’t finish my review without mentioning Samantha’s debut novel from last year. My Lovely Wife is one of the best books I’ve ever read. If you’ve not read it yet, then you must! You won’t be disappointed.
Sure, you haven’t always been best friends. But if it seemed as though someone was after you, that you might be in danger, then you’d be on each other’s side . . .
Right?
So gripping you won’t stop reading.
So twisty that you won’t know who to trust.
And so dark that you’ll realise something truly chilling:
No-one is more dangerous than the ones who know you best.
About the Author
Samantha Downing was born in the Bay Area, and currently lives in New Orleans, where she is furiously typing away on her next psychological thriller. Her debut novel, My Lovely Wife, was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and a Sunday Times bestseller, and has been published in twenty-three languages.
Outside, the streetlights stand tall, casting an artificial glow; the pavements lie hidden under a thick blanket of white.
A sob escapes me, as I think about what could’ve been. Rob and I curled up by the fire, watching Christmas movies, Baileys in hand. I loved him and I thought he loved me.
Sudden memories of last night enter my mind. Screaming, shouting, a broken glass. Then silence! The once silver knife, stained red. Rob’s body, motionless on the floor.
I compose myself, determined not to waste any more tears on that man.
If I can’t have him, nobody can!
I’m back!!! I feel like I’ve not written anything for so long! I absolutely love joining in with the Friday Fictioneers, so here’s my latest attempt. For those who don’t know, the idea is to write a story in no more than 100 words using the photo prompt provided. Thank you to Rochelle for running FF and thank you to Dale Rogerson for the photo prompt.
I’mso pleased to be having another go at doing what I love. This year has been challenging for us all and after spending October poorly with the dreaded virus, I felt like I’d lost my imagination a bit. Thankfully I think it has returned!
I’ve been looking at the photo prompt for a couple of days now, and it was on a walk this morning that my idea came to me. Sorry if anyone washoping for a nice story with a happy ending 😂 I’m currently on a Crime & Thriller writers course, so I couldn’t possibly write a happy story!
As always I’d love any feedback. Good or constructive. I’m always grateful for any tips that could help me improve my writing.
A nail-biting and heart-stopping read with more twists than a turkey twizzler!
This book contains every mother’s worst nightmare! What an emotional rollercoaster ride it takes you on. I felt the fear and the heartbreak and didn’t want to put it down until I knew the outcome.
Izzy has always been very over-protective with her son and not without reason! Poor Nick has been the victim of bullies in the past and has never really had true friends. So, when his new best friend Adrian invites him for a sleepover Izzy is anxious and initially says no, not wanting to let Nick out of her sight for such a long period of time. At the last minute, she decides that maybe it will be good for him and she is thrilled he has made some nice new friends, so she lets him go.
After an unsettled night, Izzy can’t wait to collect Nick and hopes he’s had lots of fun, she heads over to collect him and it is upon arriving at Adrian’s house, that she discovers Nick is not there! Everyone claims he was there when they all went to sleep, and Adrian’s mum Beth swears that she would have heard him leave. Has Nick runaway or has someone taken him?
I guarantee you will race through this book to find out what happened! I suspected everyone and didn’t trust a single character. With twists aplenty, this story will certainly keep you on your toes! At times I felt frustrated with Izzy with certain things she does and says but overall my heart went out to her, as a mother I put myself in her shoes and they are shoes I really wouldn’t want to be in!
A pacey and tense read with plenty happening to hold your interest. At one point I was worried the ending would be predictable, but it wasn’t at all. I’m just not sure how I feel about my children going on sleepovers now!
Izzy is thrilled when her shy, 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has spent years being isolated and picked on; he deserves a night of fun and friendship.
But Izzy is also nervous: it’s a year to the day since bullies put Nick in hospital. She drops him off at his new best friend’s house with mixed feelings. Arriving to collect him the following morning, her worst fears come true . . .
Nick isn’t there.
Who has taken her son?
And will she ever get him back?
About the author
Samantha King is a former editor and also a qualified psychotherapist. After her childhood in the south-west of England, teenage years spent in the north-east and student days somewhere in between, she finally settled in west London where she enjoyed a career publishing other people’s books, before going freelance and surrendering to a long-time urge to write her own. She lives with her husband and two young children, who inspired her to write THE CHOICE, her debut novel.
An English graduate and lifelong bookworm, Samantha is always fascinated to hear readers’ opinions. You can share yours with her at:
Hello everyone. I’m delighted to have my first guest post on my blog today. So I’d like to give a big warm welcome to Neil McDonald, who is going to tell you below about what inspired him to write his new book The Tears of Boabdil.
Understanding the mind of a “spycop”
Guest post from Neil MacDonald
One of fiction’s jobs is to explore answers to questions we can never know by more scientific means. Most obviously, what does it feel like to be someone else? Through a novel, we can experience living inside another person’s head. We can also travel to distant galaxies, or back in time.
Sometimes, too, fiction can pose questions the world refuses to answer. This was the trigger for my novel, The Tears of Boabdil. The black London teenager, Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993 by racist youths. In 2014, the revelation broke that one of those surrounding the grieving family was a police spy. The scandal of “spycops” sleeping with their targets first emerged in 2010 following the discovery that Mark Kennedy, masquerading as eco-activist ‘Mark Stone’ had sexual relationships with several women in environmental groups he was reporting on. But it was the surveillance of the Lawrence family led then Home Secretary, Theresa May, to set up the Under Cover Policing Inquiry(UCPI). The enquiry will hold its first hearings this November.
The “spycop” witnesses have been granted anonymity. Victims’ groups have withdrawn their support. The enquiry will probably never tell us who did these things or why they did them. My book asks and explores the question “What kind of person would do this?”, and also examine what the consequences are for that person.
The protagonist, Vince is an undercover policeman – a “spycop”. He is tasked with penetrating a jihadi cell. Vince is not a good man. He is weak and self-justifying, even self-deluded. Yet, because the story is told from his (unreliable) point of view, the reader has some sympathy for him. We know we shouldn’t. He even warns us in the first chapter that he’s a professional liar. Yet, still, we sort of like him. The book traces the magic and tragedy of a lie.
We first see him trying on his cover identity of Zami, a convert to Islam. Zami is strong and fearless. He has what Vince lacks. Vince doesn’t just assume the identity of Zami. Like an actor, he becomes Zami and is released from his own personal doubt and pain by the persona he takes on.
The border between truth and lies isn’t clear to Vince. He believes the truth of a thing is the story we tell about it: almost everything we think we know, including ourselves is a narrative. And so, he tricks himself into believing that it’s okay to sleep with Ayesha, the sister of his principal targets. Not only must he hide the relationship from the brothers, he must also do so from his handler, the hated Tommy.
There is, of course, a cost to be paid. For Vince, that price is his grip on reality, his sanity. For Ayesha, his victim, it is much higher. As pressures grow on Vince, his stories start to unravel and merge.
Early in the book, Vince begins to tell Ayesha stories of Don Vincent, a troubadour in 15th century Spain. Don Vincent meets and woos a Muslim washerwoman, Ayesha, in Granada, last redoubt in Europe of the Moorish civilisation under its caliph Boabdil. In the real world the noose tightens on Vince. In the story world, the Spanish Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, lay siege to Granada and threaten Boabdil, putting pressure on Don Vincent’s loyalties. Vince and Don Vincent begin to change places.
Mythological creatures from the Middle East’s Sumerian past begin to assail Vince as his sanity fractures. Boabdil is driven from Granada and into exile. At a hilltop, he turns and looks at the city he has lost, and sheds a tear. Hence the title of the novel.
One reviewer wrote:
“MacDonald’s prose is haunting, sensual, and incisive at once. Like the tales of Scheherazade, his multiple fictive strands, contemporary and mythic, weave a story to be savored.”
The psychological cost may not have been as high to those real police agents who infiltrated the Stephen Lawrence’s family, who spied on trade unions and protest groups. But the inability to tell truth from fiction, right from wrong, must have been as high as they were for Vince.
Life’s a Book 📖 