Pensby Library
ISBN: 978 0 7553 2686 0
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 338p
Found by Serendipity
Rating: ***** ****
What led you to pick up this book?
It was on the new books shelf in Pensby Library and I liked the look of the cover and the sound of the blurb on the book. (Even if the front did proclaim it to be the 'most unique' {ugh!} thriller!!).
Describe the plot without giving anything away.
The Queen, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the judges, the bishops, leaders spiritual and temporal, assemble in the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament. On this day the gathering is still more impressive, for sitting beside his mother is the heir to the throne and up in the galleries are the sons of both the US President and the British Prime Minister. Then terrorists take control.... Their agenda seems simple but that of the other characters involved is always more complex as power hungry politicians, terrified victims, police, armed forces and simple folk all play their part.
What did you think of the characters?
Apart from the slightly James Bondish nature of the principal hero the characters are all to (I mean two, oops too) believable.
What did you think about the style?
The tension builds brilliantly at the start of the book and never fades.
What did you like most about the book?
The skill with which the plot is woven and the fact that each next step is unguessable. The events inside and outside the House are vividly portrayed.
Thoughts on the book jacket / cover.
Smart, simple and appropriate.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. Any thriller addict will love it.
Totally irrelevant side note:
This is the second successive book that has given me a headache! The Gift and The Lord’s Day were both so good that I read them each in one go. Not something I would recommend – both kept me up late and gave me a headache., But they were worth it.
MICHAEL DOBBS was born in 1948 on the same day as Prince Charles, He became Chief of Staff and later Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, advising both Margaret Thatcher and John Major. In his restless search for a proper job, Michael has also been Deputy Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, he presented the BBC TV current affairs programme Despatch Box and was a columnist for The Mail on Sunday. His books include the bestselling trilogy 'House of Cards' and a series of historical novels about Winston Churchill. He lives in Wiltshire.
This is getting more like "A Book Every Six Hours£. "Apart from the slightly James Bondish nature of the principal hero the characters are all to believable." Oops.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so easy isn't it? The " on my NZ wireless keyboard shows as £ and that's just one of the anomalies.
ReplyDelete