This is the Night They Come For You: A TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR

Product Information

The 'Harriet' referred to by Nigel Dalby is Stephen Gray's sister. Harriet disappeared in Paris during that time and Stephen has spent his life trying to find out what happened to her.

This is the Night They Come For You (Hardback) - Waterstones This is the Night They Come For You (Hardback) - Waterstones

On a hot and clammy afternoon in Algiers, veteran Police Superintendent Mouloud Taleb—on the verge of retirement after close to five decades of service—is handed what is probably the biggest, and most perilous, case of his career. He is to join Souad Hidouchi, a young female agent of the Algerian Secret Service on the hunt for Wassim Zarbi, who himself was a mighty intelligence operative for a long time until being thrown in prison for corruption twenty years ago. Zarbi is absconding from his house—where he was kept due to old age—and is presumably in pursuit of his former partner Nadir Laloul who had abandoned him all those years ago, skipping the country with the entire ill-gotten wealth. Really enjoyed my first Robert Goddard about the sad and horrific lead up to and hellish descent thereafter of Algerian Independence but won’t be putting into bookclub. Serious sag about halfway through in need of some assertive editing With a sprinkle of humour and satire added to the mix, this is brilliantly crafted and beautifully written stuff, it’s very intelligent, it’s gritty, tense and I was completely engrossed with a set of characters so well drawn. Meanwhile, in rural Hampshire, Stephen Gray is approached by someone from the past who appears to have information about the disappearance of Stephen’s sister in Paris over fifty years ago. Stephen becomes caught up in an investigation of his own: he wants to know the truth.Robert Goddard has a stellar reputation for delivering well-researched, intricately plotted thrillers set in a variety of locations and his latest offering bolsters this repute. In This is the Night They Come for You, Goddard masterfully blends historical fact with ingenious fiction to present a narrative that is both authentic and absorbing. The primary strength of this novel lies in the brilliantly etched characters; they are utterly realistic and command the reader’s attention and sympathy. Particularly fascinating is the starkly contrasted characterisation of Taleb and Hidouchi—mismatched on almost every count and acting under conflicting instructions from their superiors—and the subtle growth of their relationship from the bumpy beginning. The plot builds up slowly and steadily in intensity, with several compelling twists along the way, towards the exhilarating, highly satisfying finish. For readers with no knowledge about Algeria—myself included—This is the Night They Come for You offers considerable insight into the country’s troubled recent history including its subjugation by the French, and the continuing exploitation even after decades of independence.

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Others will describe the plot. If you get past the first quarter, you will end up thinking what an engrossing and devilish cunning book. With alternating timelines between past & present, we’re taken on a thrilling ride of how a film assistant goes missing in France, the lifelong search her brother will go on to find answers to her disappearance, to how it ties in with the murder of a powerful presidential aide. The Algerians were extremely angry and wanted revenge. The Algerians (Laloul and Zarbi) targetted one of de Gaulle’s cronies (Guy Tournier) who was instrumental in organising the murders. I think this is where fact meets fiction! Nigel Dalby and girlfriend Harriet Gray move from London to Paris to join a film crew. On the film set, they meet Zarbi and consequently Nigel and Zarbi strike up a relationship. Nigel was a witness to the Algerian massacre in Paris and Zarbi believes he can use Nigel to further his aims. Laloul and Zarbi recruit Nigel Dalby to meet Guy Tournier in a bar, and they return to his flat allowing Laloul and Zarbi entrance to Guy’s flat, and there they assassinate Guy. Nigel is persuaded (!) to live in Algeria and opens a bookshop but Harriet mysteriously disappears – perhaps she knew too much? Nigel dies in Algiers in mysterious circumstances. Meanwhile, Stephen Gray in Hampshire, England receives an unexpected visitor from the remote past, with a strange request. Suzette, the daughter of an Englishman named Nigel Dalby—resident of Algiers since the 1960s until his death in the 1990s—wants Gray to read the copy of a document supposedly typed by her father and verify its authenticity, based on certain events described in it involving Gray.In this case, the story centres around the events during and after the War for Algerian Independence from France.. My sincere gratitude to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for sharing with me a digital Advance Reader Copy of This is the Night They Come for You through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. All of the characters felt likeable (or unlikeable if you were meant to) and they all felt incredibly real. I enjoyed the blossoming relationship between the hardened Taleb and the newcomer Hidouchi: occasionally I didn’t enjoy their banter, but it was only ever occasional. Some of the secondary characters could even steal the show at times and their timely interventions were always welcome and never jarred the narrative.

This Is The Night They Come For You - The Reading House This Is The Night They Come For You - The Reading House

My very first Robert Goddard novel and it certainly will not be the last, This Is the Night They Come For You is a fictionalised political thriller based on real-life events in Algiers and Paris, with an almost retired Superintendent and a hot-shot Agent tasked with hunting down a former agent. The naive young man is is persuaded to help 2 algerians whose actions result in the disappearance of his girlfriend in the murder of a french government adviser . Not having read anything by this author before, I can tell you now, on finishing This is the Night They Come for You, that the above description is scarily on point. Goddard proves himself a master of suspense once again in this taut, atmospheric mystery. The characters are realistically drawn and the plot is fast-paced and tension-filled. This Is the Night They Come for You is another winner from one of my favorite authors.”This Is the Night They Come for You is perfect for fans of thrillers and mysteries. With its twisting plot and chilling suspense, it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Pros : This Is the Night They Come For You by Robert Goddard is released 24 March from @penguinrandomhouse @penguinukbooks. This is an intriguing story, enveloped in politics, inter-agency distrust, betrayal and murder. I absolutely loved Taleb and his dry sense of humour, his self-deprecating manner, and his and Hidouchi's rather entertaining interactions. Definitely a recommended read and Goddard remains an interesting writer. People who like this book and his style should be encouraged to dip into his earlier work.

This is the Night They Come For You: A TIMES THRILLER OF THE This is the Night They Come For You: A TIMES THRILLER OF THE

Robert Goddard has a stellar reputation for delivering well-researched, intricately plotted thrillers set in a variety of locations and his latest offering bolsters this repute. In This is the Night They Come for You, Goddard masterfully blends historical fact with ingenious fiction to present a narrative that is both authentic and absorbing. The primary strength of this novel lies in the brilliantly etched characters; they are utterly realistic and command the reader’s attention and sympathy. Particularly fascinating is the starkly contrasted characterisation of Taleb and Hidouchi—mismatched on almost every count—and the subtle growth of their relationship from the bumpy beginning. The plot builds up slowly and steadily in intensity, with several compelling twists along the way, towards the exhilarating, highly satisfying finish. For readers with no knowledge about Algeria—myself included—This is the Night They Come for You offers considerable insight into the country’s troubled recent history including its subjugation by the French, and the continuing exploitation even after decades of independence. With all the double dealing and betrayal rife at the time, perhaps a little understandably, I had difficulty in following some parts as much as I would have liked.This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. It’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and spine chilling. Goddard is a master at creating suspenseful stories with unexpected twists and turns.” Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was a fantastic & rewarding read and I’d recommend it if you love crime & thrillers with heavy historical & political influences.