This book deserves all the good reviews it has received.
I was expecting a psychological thriller about random strangers held hostage in a London cafe by a mentally unbalanced youth but this book delivered so much more. We learn about the lives of the three main hostages - Mutesi, a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda; Neil, an ex school teacher who became addicted to gambling and ended up homeless and living on the streets; Abi, a lawyer whose 4th round of IVF has just failed. But mainly we learn about Sam and what led him to kill Robert the cafe owner. I loved the way the author manages to manipulate the reader, hostages and negotiators into empathising with Sam and routing for a good outcome. Just as the reader breathes a sigh of relief that a happy ending is in sight, the ground shifts under our feet. But perhaps this is a happy ending after all? Great plot, sensitively written. I loved it.
I was expecting a psychological thriller about random strangers held hostage in a London cafe by a mentally unbalanced youth but this book delivered so much more. We learn about the lives of the three main hostages - Mutesi, a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda; Neil, an ex school teacher who became addicted to gambling and ended up homeless and living on the streets; Abi, a lawyer whose 4th round of IVF has just failed. But mainly we learn about Sam and what led him to kill Robert the cafe owner. I loved the way the author manages to manipulate the reader, hostages and negotiators into empathising with Sam and routing for a good outcome. Just as the reader breathes a sigh of relief that a happy ending is in sight, the ground shifts under our feet. But perhaps this is a happy ending after all? Great plot, sensitively written. I loved it.