Nicholas Searle's debut novel The Good Liar was a bestseller, so the bar has been set pretty high for his follow-up thriller. An ex-intelligence operative, Searle brings an insider's knowledge of a shadowy world to the story of family, loyalty and betrayal, set over the years of peace-making in Northern Ireland, from 1989 to 2005. Francis O'Neill, an IRA gunman, embodied the attractive rebel in his youth, unbowed by the treacherous world of republican terrorism in which he operated. Bridget, now his wife, was raised to be genteel, and fell for the bad boy from whom she cannot separate. Her life has become one of secrets and violence, of sullen silences and frequent loneliness, despite the protection which Francis's connections offers. Searle splits the story into nine sections, much like a report written to detail the activities of an array of characters. Ultimately, whatever the political developments, petty family and idealistic disputes lead to the downfall of many characters, and few escape unharmed.
