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Sam Keddie Thriller #1
Disorder
When Cabinet Minister Charles Scott commits suicide, his psychotherapist, Sam Keddie, is consumed with guilt. But then a shadowy Government official visits, demanding details of his sessions with Scott. Bound by client confidentiality, Keddie refuses to help.
Guilt is soon the least of his problems.
Sam finds himself threatened – and forced on the run. Digging into the Minister’s death, he follows a trail from London to Marrakesh. There, hounded by relentless pursuers, he comes face to face with Scott’s dark secret – one with the power to topple a Government and ignite a volatile region.
With his enemy closing in, Keddie must expose the truth – before he’s silenced forever.
“A nerve twisting thriller that will delight any reader who enjoyed The Ghost by Robert Harris.”
“A rollicking conspiracy thriller”
“With all the essential components of a conspiracy thriller firmly in place, Disorder is an extremely assured debut, which would appeal strongly to fans of Robert Harris or Robert Ludlum.”
Guilt is soon the least of his problems.
Sam finds himself threatened – and forced on the run. Digging into the Minister’s death, he follows a trail from London to Marrakesh. There, hounded by relentless pursuers, he comes face to face with Scott’s dark secret – one with the power to topple a Government and ignite a volatile region.
With his enemy closing in, Keddie must expose the truth – before he’s silenced forever.
“A nerve twisting thriller that will delight any reader who enjoyed The Ghost by Robert Harris.”
“A rollicking conspiracy thriller”
“With all the essential components of a conspiracy thriller firmly in place, Disorder is an extremely assured debut, which would appeal strongly to fans of Robert Harris or Robert Ludlum.”
- GenresThriller
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2014
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Paddy Magrane
5 books10 followersPaddy Magrane was born in the Middle East and educated in England. A psychotherapist and journalist who’s written for the Guardian and Observer, he now lives in Devon.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 4, 2014
Disorder begins with cabinet minister Charles Scott visiting psychotherapist Sam Keddie. Scott is the Secretary of State for International Development, and he soon commits suicide in suspicious circumstances. Keddie is obviously very disturbed by this turn of events, and when a shadowy government operative calls demanding details of his one-to-one sessions with Scott, Keddie refuses to help, citing patient confidentiality.
His practice is soon broken into, and Keddie feels threatened so he enlists the help of Scott’s daughter, Eleanor, to get to the truth behind her father’s death. Both of these characters are extremely well-defined, combining the determination and sense of justice inherent in Keddie with the grieving but fixed resolve of Eleanor to discover just what her father was involved in. Thrown together and in fear of those who would seek to silence them, Magrane builds up a believable camaraderie between the two as they extricate themselves from various dangerous situations.
My only slight criticism would be the inclusion of Keddie’s own childhood trauma, which is sporadically referred to but which does not really fit into the overall cut and thrust of the well controlled yet breathless pace of this thriller. His character is defined strongly enough so this backstory is fairly superfluous, and interrupts what is overall an excellent plot.
As the plot progresses, an international conspiracy is revealed , fuelled by the higher echelons of the British government. Keddie and Eleanor have to go on the run from London to Marrakesh to evade their dogged pursuers, before Scott’s dark secret topples the government and further ignites an already volatile region. This fairly well worn pursuit angle is handled well by the author, and I particularly enjoyed the consternation experienced by Prime Minister Philip Stirling, as Keddie and Eleanor elude the clutches of his ex-Special Forces henchman, Frears. The latter is a terrific bad guy. He’s all out for himself, and exercises an unsettling amount of power over the mercurial but essentially weak Stirling.
The changes of setting are seamless and each place is vividly drawn, from the urgency and pace of London, to the desolate beauty of the Lake District, and on to the thrilling and violent denouement amongst the winding alleyways and historical splendour of Marrakesh. The Marrakesh passages are particularly vivid, and perhaps the author has taken some inspiration from his trips to Syria, transplanting the action, heat and danger to Morocco.
With all the essential components of a conspiracy thriller firmly in place, Disorder is an extremely assured debut, which would appeal strongly to fans of Robert Harris or Robert Ludlum. Despite the slightly clichéed past of main character Sam Keddie, Paddy Magrane has proved himself to be a writer to watch out for. I certainly will be.
His practice is soon broken into, and Keddie feels threatened so he enlists the help of Scott’s daughter, Eleanor, to get to the truth behind her father’s death. Both of these characters are extremely well-defined, combining the determination and sense of justice inherent in Keddie with the grieving but fixed resolve of Eleanor to discover just what her father was involved in. Thrown together and in fear of those who would seek to silence them, Magrane builds up a believable camaraderie between the two as they extricate themselves from various dangerous situations.
My only slight criticism would be the inclusion of Keddie’s own childhood trauma, which is sporadically referred to but which does not really fit into the overall cut and thrust of the well controlled yet breathless pace of this thriller. His character is defined strongly enough so this backstory is fairly superfluous, and interrupts what is overall an excellent plot.
As the plot progresses, an international conspiracy is revealed , fuelled by the higher echelons of the British government. Keddie and Eleanor have to go on the run from London to Marrakesh to evade their dogged pursuers, before Scott’s dark secret topples the government and further ignites an already volatile region. This fairly well worn pursuit angle is handled well by the author, and I particularly enjoyed the consternation experienced by Prime Minister Philip Stirling, as Keddie and Eleanor elude the clutches of his ex-Special Forces henchman, Frears. The latter is a terrific bad guy. He’s all out for himself, and exercises an unsettling amount of power over the mercurial but essentially weak Stirling.
The changes of setting are seamless and each place is vividly drawn, from the urgency and pace of London, to the desolate beauty of the Lake District, and on to the thrilling and violent denouement amongst the winding alleyways and historical splendour of Marrakesh. The Marrakesh passages are particularly vivid, and perhaps the author has taken some inspiration from his trips to Syria, transplanting the action, heat and danger to Morocco.
With all the essential components of a conspiracy thriller firmly in place, Disorder is an extremely assured debut, which would appeal strongly to fans of Robert Harris or Robert Ludlum. Despite the slightly clichéed past of main character Sam Keddie, Paddy Magrane has proved himself to be a writer to watch out for. I certainly will be.
May 10, 2015
A very enjoyable and 'easy to read' thriller that keeps you guessing at each and every turn. I look forward to the next book from Paddy!
Read
July 5, 2015Gripping. A page turner. Paddy has created a great narrative, the development of the central character is completely believable and promises future intrigue. I can't wait for the next one!
March 20, 2019
I loved this book so much. It is so well-written and the plot really draws you in, making for a very easy read.
The storyline centres around government corruption and conspiracy, and this all makes for a thriller of a plot. Although, I couldn’t help but feel the poignancy of this issue as it relates to current-day politics—I think the plot may be even more believable now than it was originally intended to be!
The book’s characters are so well defined—especially the main character, psychotherapist Sam Keddie, and his sidekick. Naturally, being a psychotherapist himself, Mr Magrane does a great job of letting us know what’s in (and on) Keddie’s mind and how his past infiltrates his present. And I have a feeling that this insight into Keddie may be a theme that evolves in future books in the series. Having the main character be a psychotherapist who’s successful and likeable, but not without issues, is also a nice reminder that we’re all human and we don’t have to be perfect (whatever that may be) to get on in life.
This fast-paced thriller will keep you on the move—from London to the Lake District to Morocco. And the great storytelling nicely sets all the different scenes, conjuring up vivid images of the locations involved. I’ve never been to Morocco, but the descriptions of Marrakech left me feeling as if I was seeing it first-hand.
What else? Well, there was even a random Beatles reference, which, given my hometown, made me smile. I also loved the “acknowledgements” section at the end. That was a fun read in its own right!
My only disappointment came in the form of Balfour. I’ll just leave that floating, don’t want to share any spoilers…
All in all, Disorder certainly lives up to its name, and I can’t wait to read book number 2, Denial!
December 9, 2025
Thriller featuring psychotherapist Sam Keddie. A clearly disturbed patient sends him on a hunt to solve a mystery with political ramifications.
July 31, 2015
There are some books that really do fall under the category that they are put in. With this book being under the Thriller section, it definitely fits the mould. I can honestly say that I could not put this book down. The story, which is engaging and keeps you guessing the whole way through, pulls you into the pages and you feel like you are following every single step of the characters.
Magrane, who is a psychotherapist, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his main character, the increasingly likable Sam Keddie. What I thoroughly loved was that Keddie is not an action hero. He doesn't race into fist fights, nor walk away from explosions. The character is very grounded and more importantly, very real. He experiences what normal people would in the situation: confusion, terror and anger. He really holds the book together and with his blossoming and chemistry filled relationship with Eleanor Scott, he becomes a quite brilliant protagonist.
The story itself is shrouded in mystery that takes you from London, to Morocco and back in no time at all, all the while you get the impending sense of the walls closing in. A cabinet minister is found dead a few days after visiting Magrane and suddenly, he is in the governments cross hairs. I won't go into any more detail, however if you like a page turning thriller, then this really is the book for you.
Written with extreme confidence and knowledge, splashed with some witty one liners and a compelling conclusion, this is the first in what I personally hope will be an ongoing series for the plucky Sam Keddie. Readers of thrillers, if you haven't read Disorder, then you really need to make it happen....and quick!
Magrane, who is a psychotherapist, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his main character, the increasingly likable Sam Keddie. What I thoroughly loved was that Keddie is not an action hero. He doesn't race into fist fights, nor walk away from explosions. The character is very grounded and more importantly, very real. He experiences what normal people would in the situation: confusion, terror and anger. He really holds the book together and with his blossoming and chemistry filled relationship with Eleanor Scott, he becomes a quite brilliant protagonist.
The story itself is shrouded in mystery that takes you from London, to Morocco and back in no time at all, all the while you get the impending sense of the walls closing in. A cabinet minister is found dead a few days after visiting Magrane and suddenly, he is in the governments cross hairs. I won't go into any more detail, however if you like a page turning thriller, then this really is the book for you.
Written with extreme confidence and knowledge, splashed with some witty one liners and a compelling conclusion, this is the first in what I personally hope will be an ongoing series for the plucky Sam Keddie. Readers of thrillers, if you haven't read Disorder, then you really need to make it happen....and quick!
March 15, 2016
Disorder is an elegant, fast-paced, and a powerful launch to welcome new series of thrillers.
Protagonist Keddie is a satisfyingly screwed-up psychotherapist who knows too much about the ways people think and feel, and about the emotional turbulence he tries and fails to smother within himself.
When a patient Keddie may or may not have done enough for commits suicide, Keddie is in mortal danger and on the run.
To save himself, Keddie must uncover the dark secret that drove his patient over the edge and that very powerful people will do anything to protect.
I look forward to reading Magrane's next installment and spending more quality time with Sam Keddie.
Protagonist Keddie is a satisfyingly screwed-up psychotherapist who knows too much about the ways people think and feel, and about the emotional turbulence he tries and fails to smother within himself.
When a patient Keddie may or may not have done enough for commits suicide, Keddie is in mortal danger and on the run.
To save himself, Keddie must uncover the dark secret that drove his patient over the edge and that very powerful people will do anything to protect.
I look forward to reading Magrane's next installment and spending more quality time with Sam Keddie.
January 14, 2015
This is a great book which I really enjoyed; it’s a real page turner that I read pretty much in one go. It has ‘believable’ characters and I found myself very keen to know what would happen to the ‘heroes’ next.
The main political character, Phillip Stirling, seemed to illustrate very well the corrupting influence of power and the belief that one ‘can get away with anything’ including, in this book, murder.
It’s a really good read and I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
The main political character, Phillip Stirling, seemed to illustrate very well the corrupting influence of power and the belief that one ‘can get away with anything’ including, in this book, murder.
It’s a really good read and I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
January 8, 2015
The book really went along at a good pace and kept you guessing I was never quite sure who was a baddie and who was a goodie - some were both. Looking forward to the next book when the Sam Keddie character can develop even more.
November 8, 2015
I really enjoyed the book. It's a fast paced psychological thriller- great story, really strong characters and plenty of twists and turns right till the end! Absolutely loved the book and can't wait for the next one.
April 28, 2016
Being generous with a 3. This book was all 4 and 5 stars on Amazon; I definitely didnt feel the love. The idea was good, the writing less so. Sentence structure was odd and plodding with many typos. I didnt connect with any of the characters and really wasnt bothered by their experiences.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews