[Bookworm_Girl]

I’ve finished but didn’t want to post too many spoilers since there are plot twists along the way. I am planning to post my thoughts this weekend. I liked it and plan to read more books by Brian Moore. Therefore the topic accomplished its objective for me by shining the light on a new author.

I was not aware of the use of hostages for proxy activities. There was a very interesting article about it on Wikipedia with several examples from Northern Ireland. When the book was published this concern was a relevant one for people. I suppose that would have made the book even more suspenseful at the time it was published, even though the questions posed are still interesting now in historical retrospect.

Spoiler:

I was surprised that his work colleagues (once they find out) were sympathetic and forgiving. I guess that is from the standpoint that it could have been any innocent bystander to the conflict targeted. I was even more surprised that his hotel chain was willing to relocate him to a fancy hotel in England after his name is in the news since you’d think that would make him a target for retaliation. As we know from history, the actions of the groups spilled into England and weren’t just isolated to Northen Ireland.