Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2016
400 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Virtuoso storyteller Helen Dunmore returns with a thrilling Cold War espionage tale in which the closest ties are called into question and nobody is quite who they seem.
It's London, 1960. The Cold War is at its height, and a spy may be a friend or neighbor, colleague or lover. Two colleagues, Giles Holloway and Simon Callington, face a terrible dilemma over a missing top-secret file. At the end of a suburban garden, in the pouring rain, Simon's wife, Lily, buries a briefcase containing the file deep in the earth. She believes that in doing so she is protecting her family. What she will learn is that no one is immune from betrayal or the devastating consequences of exposure.
"Starred Review. This subtle, off-kilter foray into John le Carré territory - a chilling, thoughtful, deeply romantic drama about the collateral damage suffered by those on the periphery of world events - displays Dunmore's gifts as one of today's most elegant and versatile storytellers." - Kirkus
"Dunmore deftly creates a noir atmosphere, revealing layers of complexity in personal relationships darkened by non-battlefield conflict and blending psychological observations reminiscent of Henry James with le Carré–esque betrayals." - Publishers Weekly
"This book is a triumph - a marvelous piece of seamless storytelling." - Penelope Lively
"Dunmore so cleverly interweaves each of the character's stories that as the tale unfolds it has the chilling ring of absolute authenticity...I was totally caught up in the story which is paced perfectly. Her best book yet." - Mavis Cheek
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Helen Dunmore was born in Yorkshire, England in 1952. In a career spanning three decades she published fifteen novels, three short story collections, prize-winning children's fiction and twelve collections of poetry. Her final novel, Birdcage Walk, was published in 2017, as was her last poetry collection, Inside the Wave. Dunmore died on June 5, 2017, aged 64.
Of her many novels, most are works of historical fiction, ranging in time and setting from ancient Rome in Counting the Stars (2008) to the Cold War world of espionage in Exposure (2016). Her debut, Zennor in Darkness (1993) was set in World War I. Twentieth century conflicts, and their effects on individuals and families are subjects she returned to frequently. Many of her books also center on themes of secrecy and ...
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