Icelight (Peter Cotton) - Hardcover

Monroe, Aly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848544839 ISBN 13: 9781848544833

Publisher: John Murray, 2011

Synopsis

1947 England is haggard by the scarcities of war and the blight of a harsh winter. In this cold, corrupt, and bankrupt world, Peter Cotton, a Colonial Intelligence officer, continues his adventurous series as Harold Watkins (homosexual previously convicted for "gross indecency") is found dead in his hotel room, suspected of committing suicide by means of a poisoned apple. Cotton's quest for truth envelopes a world of theatrical grandiosity, political hostilities, and a myriad of dark secrets, as he closes off possibilities till he reaches a final conclusion.

About this title

About the Author:

Aly Monroe is the author of The Maze of Cadiz and Washington Shadow, which are both Peter Cotton novels—a series that begins during World War II and follows the process of decolonization and the aftermath of Empire.

Review:

'Confirms Aly Monroe's genius for creating such tension that, while nothing much happens, you don't want things to stop not happening. She's commercial writing's rarest beast - a gloriously defiant individualist' Daily Telegraph 'Monroe is terrific at evoking this world' Guardian 'Monroe conjures up an atmosphere as thick as the fog in grim, austere post-war London' Mail on Sunday 'Monroe creates the atmosphere of the time brilliantly ... an original novel and its people and places are so well described that I was gripped from start to finish' Literary Review 'A wonderfully atmospheric book' Euro Crime 'Once again, Monroe's research is spot on and she paints her supporting cast with so many shades of grey that it makes a John Le Carre novel look positively straightforward. This is wonderfully atmospheric' Shots Magazine 'Dodgy underhand dealings, political manipulations as well as a labyrinth of twists and turns... Definitely an author to watch' Falcata Times 'Riveting stuff' The Times 'The stately pace and avuncular tone belie Monroe's capacity to generate tension and momentum from the most innocuous of incidents, and the political context deliberately foreshadows more famous incidents in the cold-war years ahead, as former allies - Britain, Russia and the US - jockey for position in the post-war years' Irish Times 'MI5 is in the grip of civil war; MI6 is riddled with traitors ... Monroe conjures up a world of murder and double dealing' Good Book Guide 'The Peter Cotton series is getting better and better, and in Icelight the internecine squabbling of the security services is a prequel to the real-life problems during the Cold War. I'm really looking forward to the next book' Crime Scraps 'This spy novel is set in London in 1947. The atmosphere of that time is superbly evoked so that the hardships that the British lived through then are clearly described and almost tangible ... absolutely fascinating' Mystery People 'The Peter Cotton series by Aly Monroe is proving to be absolutely unmissable' Good Book Guide Praise for the Peter Cotton series: 'Splendid ... enlightening and engaging' The Times 'Clever and fascinating ... Reminded me of Graham Greene' Guardian 'Impressive ... The next can't come too soon' Financial Times 'A natural storyteller ... a cracking atmosphere' Mail on Sunday 'A cracking political thriller ... a rattling good read' Historical Novels Review 'Monroe conjures up a world of murder and double-dealing' Good Book Guide

About this edition

• Publisher: John Murray
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1848544839
• ISBN 13: 9781848544833
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 448