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“Well-paced thriller that kept me wondering how things would turn out. It is clearly well researched and the ultimate resolution took me by surprise. Nicely written and a very recommendable thriller debut. I hope there may be more to come.” — Goodreads
Michael Hollinghurst is a successful corporate lawyer living a comfortable, suburban life in leafy North West London. But on 7 July 2005, his life is transformed when he steps on a London underground train targeted by Islamist suicide bombers. While most passengers in his carriage are killed, Michael survives the explosion but is confined to a wheelchair as a result.
Coming to terms with his predicament and controlling his own feelings of guilt as a survivor conspire to push him in a direction that is out of character and a tad reckless. In a quest to seek retribution, he resorts to embracing the internet and posing as a radical Islamist in order to snare potential perpetrators.
Much to his surprise, his shambolic scheme yields results and is brought to the attention of both GCHQ and a terrorist cell. But before long, dark forces begin to gather and close in on him. There is seemingly no way out for Michael Hollinghurst. He has become, quite literally, a sitting target.
“Just like with Line of Duty, I love it when you start getting the back story to a character, then immediately think that they are a key part of the plot.
“Alex does this with pretty much every person in the book, leading you down several character deadends and that was a great part of the tale. Just when you think you have cracked someone’s role, something crops up to shatter that idea. I would love to know how Alex conducted some of his story research, particularly on aspects such as the terrorist cells, but it’s probably best not to ask too much…” — Simon Pinell, Forward Magazine
“The nearest I ever got to a “terrorist incident” was in East London, when I heard the IRA bomb go off in Docklands in 1996. I cannot predict my reaction were I to be caught up personally in such events, but I hope I would not go the same way as Michael Hollinghurst, the central figure in this entertaining and elaborately plotted novel. It is a gripping thriller that repays careful and close reading (and I will certainly read it again).” — Graham Smith
“Michael Hollinghurst is caught up in the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London. He survives but is left paralysed and in a wheelchair, but this doesn’t stop him from seeking revenge against those responsible. And it’s amazing what he can accomplish with a computer and a dog. The melding of real and fictional events is something I do in my books and I love seeing it in others. What really sells this story is the meticulous attention to detail, both in researching the facts of that fateful day and how terrorist cells operate, but Alex Pearl also goes into incredible detail when he’s making stuff up, and that’s why it can sometimes be hard to tell where fact ends and fiction begins, and I loved that! The short, sometimes VERY short, chapters keep the book moving along at a cracking pace without ever sacrificing detail, and much like reading Dan Brown, those short chapters constantly convince you that you always have time for one more. It’s a great, original thriller with just a sprinkling of Le Carre, Tom Clancy and Ian Fleming’s famous double-O.” — Philip Henry, author of the North Coast Bloodlines series
“It is difficult to do this brilliant book justice in a short review. Anyone interested in reflections upon modern society and the impact of terror attacks, as well as those who simply enjoy a good book, will find this an engaging and involved read. The ending will also surprise them because it is certainly not anticipated.” — T. R. Robinson
THE CHAIR MAN HAS BEEN NAMED ‘A FINALIST’ IN THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
