An explosive, fast-paced espionage thriller for fans of Frank Gardner and Mick Herron.
‘Dark and twisted, A Time to Lie is a tense and timely novel’ Adam Hamdy
A pulse-pounding thrill-ride’ Chris Whitaker
A LONG-BURIED BODY. On the morning of the Tory Party conference, the bones of a young woman’s hand are discovered in a London building site.
A DIVISIVE PRIME MINISTER. Prime Minister Robin Sandford is accused of killer her. With his career on the brink of ruin, he enlists the unofficial help of MI5. A decision which leads him into a new world of espionage, mass executions and murder.
A PLOT TO BRING HIM DOWN… The deeper he goes, the more treacherous the game becomes. And if he fails to expose the truth, the whole country will pay the price…
‘A pulse-pounding thrill-ride’ Chris Whitaker
‘Dark and twisted, a tense and timely novel’ Adam Hamdy
‘Masterful … I was completely absorbed’ Daily Record
Simon Berthon writes a exciting and dark political espionage thriller that is set in London, within the heart of the British government and the Tory Prime Minister, Robin Sands. The Tories are a divided party after a Brexit referendum, won in 2016 with the Leave Campaign led by the arch right winger and populist Quentin Deschevaux. Sands states his intent to make the arms industry act move in a more moral direction and clean up its act, a move popular with the electorate but viewed with alarm by large parts of his party and the industry. Earlier in his career, Sandford had shared a flat with banker Mikey Miller, and Special Advisor (SPAD), Jed Fowkes, currently working for the Chancellor, Henry Morland-Cross. It was a time of wild parties and women, but a period in which Sandford suffered from numerous blackouts, a past that has now come back to haunt him.
A human hand has been unearthed that is to wreck the PM's life, Fowkes re-enters his life after a long absence, claiming the hand belongs to a young Hungarian woman that Sandford had killed, and Fowkes had covered up for him. Sandford has no memory of this, but is reluctant to take Fowkes word for this, he is not a violent man and this seems an unlikely act for him to have committed. However, doubts fester in his mind, and driven by his need to know the truth, he turns to disgraced ex-journalist Joseph Quine, a man he trusts and is close to. Quine has lived as a recluse, writing a book of the events that left him penniless and which destroyed his career after the collapse of a court case in which his informant had retracted his testimony after being got at by an opaque organisation, International Personnel and Resource Management, operating in conflict ridden parts of the world.
Quine finds himself in grave danger as under the guise of writing a biography of Sandford, he investigates Sandford's past and key figures from it, getting help below the radar from the intelligence services. Berthon writes a fast paced and well plotted espionage thriller, with great characters, that includes murder at the highest levels, a story of ruthless and powerful forces determined to thwart democracy, treachery, political chicanery and manipulation. This is a great read which reflects many of our contemporary political realities, tense, full of suspense, with a PM fighting for his political career, with twist after twist. Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
A Time to Lie is a sinister political espionage thriller, set at the heart of British government in Westminster, Central London, at a time when Robin ”Robbie” Sandford was the most influential and powerful man in the country—the Tory Prime Minister. A workman on a stretch of bankside wasteland is excavating an old service road when he discovers what appears to be a crudely dismembered human hand, belonging to a female, buried in the ditch and wrapped in a piece of old shower curtain. It dates back more than thirty years. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Special Advisor to the Treasury (spAd) and long-time friend of the PM, Jed Fowkes, having been flatmates, along with banker Mikey Miller, during their university days, reminds Robbie of the past and the stuff they got up to in their younger, wilder years. Fowkes claims that the hand belongs to a Hungarian woman that Sandford had killed, with Jed then deciding to cover for him. Robbie has no recollection of this at all, and although he did use to suffer from blackouts and panic attacks, which impacted his memory, he isn't sure whether to believe Jed or whether he possibly has a motive behind coming back into his life and telling immediately telling him this disturbing story. Sandford is troubled enough by it, and the major effect it could have on his political career, that he enlists the help of disgraced former journalist, Joseph ”Joe” Quine, whom he trusts.
Under the guise of penning the PM’s memoirs, Joe finds himself in peril as he dredges up the past, as instructed by Sandford, and looks into prominent figures from his formative years. He even gains some intelligence through MI5. Meanwhile, Sandford attempts to stabilise himself and focus on the day to day political tasks. He had vowed to be a leader governed by morality and nowhere was this more evident than in new policy created to ban arms sales to sketchy regimes. As would always be the case, this was welcomed by the British electorate but sowed the seeds of discontent within the Conservative Party itself. One such dissenter, had he been told about the move, was Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Henry Morland-Cross. Has Sandford’s past come back to haunt him or is this all an elaborate hoax with a yet unidentified endgame? This is such a riveting and compulsive thriller; it's well written and moves at breakneck speed in some parts and slows to give extra attention to detail in others, which makes for a thoroughly immersive and engrossing read. It's a highly topical tale about power and its ability to corrupt and includes illegal trafficking, murder, intrigue, treason, treachery and a complex, convoluted web of deceit. All of this is set against an authentic backdrop, with a plethora of exciting twists, explosive reveals and a palpable sense of tension throughout. Highly recommended.
A very clever and complex political espionage novel!
What more could you want than a Tory prime minister who finds himself in a possible blackmail scenario over a long-buried body. And as it seems with all politicians nowadays, this is a plot that could end his reign.
Lies, deception, skullduggery, manipulation, treachery and backstabbing! Secrets always come with a price, as do lies. Jed Fowkes, Special Adviser at the Treasury, confronts Prime Minister Robin Sandford with a terrible accusation which leads him to fight for his career. Sanford enlists the help of a long-time friend and ostracised journalist Quine. The plot takes the reader on a journey to the world of espionage, illegal trafficking and murder.
Treacherous games, political maneuvering, international deception and dark secrets form the basis of this intriguing read!
When a body or part of a body is uncovered someone starts to panic about the consequences. At the same time it is just the right leverage to get powerful people to do exactly what others want.
Set to the backdrop of a fictional Britain changed and jaded by the political grandstanding, false promises and ramifications of privileged men, the current Prime Minister has reason to be worried about an old friend popping up accusing him of the worst crime. He is eager to keep his nose and name clean and not to go under with the dregs of society.
Quine is hired to give the PM a nice little PR job in the form of a biography in order to make him shine brighter than the full moon. Not an easy task when there are ruthless powers willing to destroy the very basis of democracy to achieve their goal. But then perhaps the PM isn't as squeaky clean as everyone thinks he is.
I have to say the underlying political story is very much an accurate description of the last few years. Berthon is right on the mark and as sharp as a knife. A political commentary and plot that reflects the manipulation, idiocy and grandstanding, which has and will change the landscape and fragile peace forged by and with the blood of others.
In combination with political power games and a possible career changing crime Berthon gives readers a sharp-tongued read with plenty of machinations and betrayals. *I received a courtesy copy*
Well paced interesting read. Good political espionage type feel. Fun name drops of recent politicians. Not sure I know how I wanted it to end but not sure I was fully satisfied with it either.
This was an interesting read, which on the whole I enjoyed. It gave me some insight into politics, and the secrets within, which I found rather fascinating. The start of the book drew me in quickly but then took a while to go back to it and develop that side of the plot. So as a thriller storyline, I would have preferred this to be continued sooner The ending wasn't unexpected but still satisfactory.
A Time to Lie is a clever and eerily prescient book. Eerie because there are echoes of what is happening here and now, where fiction and fact intertwine. This sense of déjà-vu can make the spine tingle and is the sign of a writer on top of his genre.
Set in a post-Brexit Britain, newly-elected PM Robin Sandford is confronted by an incident from his past – but one that he has no recollection of. His former university friend and flat-mate, Jed Fowkes, is now a SPAD (special political advisor) to the Deputy PM and Chancellor of the exchequer, Henry Morland-Cross. M-C is diametrically opposed, both politically and personally to Sandford, who is a Cameron-style Conservative - ‘light blue verging to pink’ - a happily married and devoted husband and father. M-C is an old Etonian roué, round of girth, who is a champion of austerity politics, the armed forces and a hard Brexit. Who does this remind you of?
Fowkes bears an uncanny resemblance to a notorious SPAD of recent times: a brilliant brain, thoroughly unlikeable and utterly ruthless. Sandford, rocked by the allegations that have to be kept secret at all costs, hires an honest journalist, who has been discredited and bankrupted by the dark forces at play in contemporary Britain, in order to save his skin.
Berthon’s grip of the ins and outs of Westminster, how government works, and how big business – or what we now call the chumocracy – calls the shots is totally believable, riveting and expertly told. The short chapter structure adds to the suspense and the reader’s wish to find out who is lying and who is telling the truth.
A Time To Lie by Simon Berthon is a gripping contemporary political thriller that had me intrigued from the start. The reader enters the echelons of power as we follow the characters through Downing Street. Secrets from the past threaten to topple those in power. The plotline is well thought out, complex and engrossing. We travel from London to Cornwall and overseas as the action from thirty years ago intrudes on present day. There are espionage, the iron curtain, court cases and double dealings. As the action twists this way and that we wonder just who is telling the truth. Whom can we trust? Simon Berthon is a new author to me, writing in a genre that I am unfamiliar with but what a thrilling, gripping read A Time To Lie was. I cannot wait for more from Simon Berthon. I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
This is the first time that I have read a book by Simon Berthon. I really liked this book, I found the plethora of fictional characters to be well crafted. The author has managed to provide just enough references to real politicians to add credibility to the storyline.
This is a book where political intrigue meets journalism and the security services. I won't go into detail about the plot out of fear of spoiling the story. However there are plenty of twists and turns in the narrative to keep things interesting.
I found Simon Berthon's writing style easy to read and the pacey nature of the story, coupled with a few red herrings made for a novel which was enjoyable to read.
On the strength of this book I will certainly look out for future novels by Simon Berthon. I give my thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for this review.
This is a political thriller set in contemporary times with relatable characters and believable events. There is a fusion of genres here, as the main protagonists are all essentially unreliable, producing elements of psychological suspense.
Flashbacks to the 1990s evoke interesting historical social and political events adding authenticity. The short chapters and fast-pace keep the reader guessing. There are many twists, people who are not what they seem to make this an absorbing read. The ending is impactful and leaves the reader with a final disturbing twist.
I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
When I received A Time To Lie and read the synopsis I thought I had it all figured out - it will be a fast-paced, James Bond-esque thriller about another deadly threat to the United Kingdom and brave, silent spies protecting their country and the queen.
I was wrong.
After 20-30 pages, I figured out that it is a relatively deep political (fictional) thriller. While it still contains a tiny bit of spying, murder and even drugs, it mostly talks about real political parties, government institutions and posts. Also, it is full of mind games, backstabbing and royal speeches. As someone who has very little interest in modern politics, I initially felt a bit of disappointment. Still, it was quickly replaced with actual interest in the story and characters. 📚 The story is fast-paced, characters are quite vivid and engaging, and overall it reads really well. The author uses fictional characters while keeping institutions, political events and parties real. I even managed to pick up a few things about how the government works, what institutions there are, and what goes behind the closed doors in the country's top posts. 📚 After finishing the book, I must say that I'm delighted I got a chance to read it. Because of my initial misunderstanding what it was about, I gave myself a chance to try the whole new genre! And while it is not my new favourite, I no longer think that books about politics are dull and snobbish! 📚 Would recommend if political thrillers are your cup of tea.
𝘼 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙞𝙚 is a 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘺 political thriller. When I say 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘺, I mean that it has all the aspects that most of us, thriller- lovers, enjoy: 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙨, 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨. Now take all of this and place it in contemporary London with Prime Minister in the middle. What will you get? 𝘼 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩- 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙. 5 stars easily!
I am so happy with this book. I love when a book leaves me guessing. 𝑊ℎ𝑜 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑔𝑢𝑦? When I am left shocked and surprised. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔? 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧!
This book is so fast paced I felt like I was on a runaway train. A real political twister it’s just an excellent read. Is the PM really hiding a dirty past or is he being set up? I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know. Espionage is the name of the game in this book and everyone involved is out for themselves. Who’s going to triumph? Will the secrets of 30 years ago remain just that or will they be hung out for all to see? Fabulous 5 star read.
This was a thrilling, political/ spy thriller. Lots of innuendo. twist and turns, truth and lies. A fascinating storyline with really good characterisation and believable actions. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
good characters, good story. good dialogue good plot it was really slow moving and then got better and better. I enjoyed it .. but it's not a fast moving story very intellectual no suspense
I listened to the audiobook version of this book purely for the wonderful voice of UK theatre actor John Hopkins. The story was engaging, intriguing and kept me hooked till the end.
This combination of political thriller and spy drama was part of a crime and mystery book subscription that I recently ordered. When I read the blurb, I had very low expectations. The story starts with the prime minister being implicated in the disappearance of the woman whose hand was found on a building site. Even though I thought that this premise was ludicrously far-fetched, I got hooked after a few chapters. The high pace of the action and a few plot twists keep the narrative engaging all the way through. The book is thoroughly entertaining and great to get the mind of more serious matters for a few hours - just don’t expect anything more from it.
The writing was awful, really inconsistent characters and unrealistic dialogue. Not for me at all.
Plot for my memory - man elected prime minister, someone comes out of the woodwork to say he’d had a part in killing a girl and he couldn’t remember because he used to get blackout drunk. PM hires a PI to look into it. Lots of political stuff happens. Turns out he didn’t kill her but he got her pregnant and she killed herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a fast paced, page-turner of a thriller. The chapters were short and sharp, leaving you wanting more which really fits with the frantic mood of the characters in the book. There are many twists, turns and head-scratchers which keeps you gripped from start to finish. I really enjoyed this title and would like to read more by Simon Berthon. Thank you to @hqstories and @harpercollinsuk for letting me be part of this book tour.