#19 Lies of Silence, by Brian Moore

 


Booker Prize:   Shortlisted 1990

Plot Time and Place: Northern Ireland, during the Troubles

Opening sentence:  "At a quarter to nine, just before going off work, Dillon went down to reception to check the staff roster for tomorrow".

Plot summary:  An ordinary man trying to get on with his life, Michael Dillon now finds himself suddenly on the edge, faced with a moral choice which leaves him nowhere to turn, in a nightmare maze of dead ends.

Review:  Very interesting premise to start with (would you choose to save your wife's life or avert a tragedy causing many deaths?) and a good glimpse of life in Northern Ireland. Although not much really happens, you can't stop reading, it's very gripping. 

Rating:  4/5




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