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A Cross for Two Graves
“A penetrating perspective on war’s psychological cost …” “Reveals more truths than would any mere historical record …” “Atmospheric …”
When a new book hints at a cover-up of events surrounding the deaths of soldiers and crew aboard a doomed military helicopter, veterans and others connected to that long-ago day are forced to make difficult choices. For some of them, the decisions they take will be life-changing …
Peter Willis, a businessman tortured by nightmares of a war that ended more than thirty years before, must confront his past and choose between continuing a life in denial or joining a quest into the African bush to find the remains of his brothers-in-arms – a search that he knows will force him to remember precisely that which he wants to forget …
Joe Webber, a disabled London derelict forgotten by many whom he fought to defend, must now choose between the alleys and dealers that help him bury all recollection of battle, and revealing what he knows …
Clare Baker, the woman who once loved both men, must face her own demons as her part in the search for war wreckage forces intense self-examination. Should she continue to seek atonement for the hurt she has caused, or turn her back and walk away forever …?
And the Colonel – Alistair Sutherland, former commander of Willis, Webber and the rest – Sutherland must watch over all even as he co-ordinates the quest. He must prevent any man from spiralling into the abyss of self-destruction …
A Cross for Two Graves is Alan Thrush’s gripping fictional account of one quest to find a crashed air force aircraft and the remains of those flying into battle aboard it. Yet in the telling of the tale, he delivers an absorbing and tantalising the complexities of post-traumatic stress and its impact on the individual. The result is a moving story of the long-lasting effects of modern warfare on soldiers – their eternal burden woven into a tapestry of love and war, lifelong friendships and debts of honour forged in battle.
As the narrative ratchets back and forth in time between the glass-and-steel skylines of present-day London and Johannesburg, and the harsh, unforgiving bush of the central African battleground, the unearthing of buried memories begins to claw at mental scar tissue carefully cultivated to mask personal pain, while the search itself threatens to reveal a dangerous truth. For aboard that helicopter on the day of its destruction was a captured guerrilla – a prisoner taken in combat and a man who survived it to become a leading figure on the playing fields of today’s politics. His ties to his former enemy must be protected … at all costs.
“Will resonate with many after recent events in Afghanistan.” – Amazon review
“A compelling thriller with a strong element of PTSD and how destructive it can be. Winner of the Red Ribbon and highly recommended.” – The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
“Penetrating perspectives on war’s psychological cost.” – Amazon review
“A magnetic combination of intrigue, mystery, and dark memory from a hard-fought war.” – book reviewer
‘Atmospheric. I could not put it down.’ James Mitchell – books editor and author of Tartan on the Veld
To read a sample, click on the book cover.
psychological novel; literary fiction; political & military fiction; war; mystery – Africa, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe
When a new book hints at a cover-up of events surrounding the deaths of soldiers and crew aboard a doomed military helicopter, veterans and others connected to that long-ago day are forced to make difficult choices. For some of them, the decisions they take will be life-changing …
Peter Willis, a businessman tortured by nightmares of a war that ended more than thirty years before, must confront his past and choose between continuing a life in denial or joining a quest into the African bush to find the remains of his brothers-in-arms – a search that he knows will force him to remember precisely that which he wants to forget …
Joe Webber, a disabled London derelict forgotten by many whom he fought to defend, must now choose between the alleys and dealers that help him bury all recollection of battle, and revealing what he knows …
Clare Baker, the woman who once loved both men, must face her own demons as her part in the search for war wreckage forces intense self-examination. Should she continue to seek atonement for the hurt she has caused, or turn her back and walk away forever …?
And the Colonel – Alistair Sutherland, former commander of Willis, Webber and the rest – Sutherland must watch over all even as he co-ordinates the quest. He must prevent any man from spiralling into the abyss of self-destruction …
A Cross for Two Graves is Alan Thrush’s gripping fictional account of one quest to find a crashed air force aircraft and the remains of those flying into battle aboard it. Yet in the telling of the tale, he delivers an absorbing and tantalising the complexities of post-traumatic stress and its impact on the individual. The result is a moving story of the long-lasting effects of modern warfare on soldiers – their eternal burden woven into a tapestry of love and war, lifelong friendships and debts of honour forged in battle.
As the narrative ratchets back and forth in time between the glass-and-steel skylines of present-day London and Johannesburg, and the harsh, unforgiving bush of the central African battleground, the unearthing of buried memories begins to claw at mental scar tissue carefully cultivated to mask personal pain, while the search itself threatens to reveal a dangerous truth. For aboard that helicopter on the day of its destruction was a captured guerrilla – a prisoner taken in combat and a man who survived it to become a leading figure on the playing fields of today’s politics. His ties to his former enemy must be protected … at all costs.
“Will resonate with many after recent events in Afghanistan.” – Amazon review
“A compelling thriller with a strong element of PTSD and how destructive it can be. Winner of the Red Ribbon and highly recommended.” – The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
“Penetrating perspectives on war’s psychological cost.” – Amazon review
“A magnetic combination of intrigue, mystery, and dark memory from a hard-fought war.” – book reviewer
‘Atmospheric. I could not put it down.’ James Mitchell – books editor and author of Tartan on the Veld
To read a sample, click on the book cover.
psychological novel; literary fiction; political & military fiction; war; mystery – Africa, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe
263 pages, Paperback
Published February 13, 2021
9 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Alan R.M. Thrush
4 books4 followersOne-time soldier, father to a London architect and a Johannesburg businesswoman, marketing consultant and educator – Alan’s wide experience of life and human nature comes through clearly in his writing. In particular, his years as an officer (decorated) with the soldiers of a black paratroop battalion in the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian conflict placed him in a unique position to pen 'Of Land and Spirits', widely recognised as the defining novel of the Southern African Bush War.
Keen observation of the after-effects of battle on former combatants led to a follow-up novel, 'A Cross for Two Graves', set in present-day Europe and Africa.
His third novel, 'A Salient in Flanders', takes readers to a different era and the trenches of WW1. It has been acclaimed as one of the most believable accounts of the Great War.
Alan's latest book, the standalone sequel to 'Salient', has just been published.
Keen observation of the after-effects of battle on former combatants led to a follow-up novel, 'A Cross for Two Graves', set in present-day Europe and Africa.
His third novel, 'A Salient in Flanders', takes readers to a different era and the trenches of WW1. It has been acclaimed as one of the most believable accounts of the Great War.
Alan's latest book, the standalone sequel to 'Salient', has just been published.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 26, 2022
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: A Cross for Two Graves
Author: Alan R. M. Thrush
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 16 readers:
12 would read another book by this author.
9 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
10 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
12 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“This novel looks at post-traumatic stress and how difficult it can be to go from war to life in a community. I very much enjoyed the author´s insights.” Male reader, aged 54
“Although there is an interesting plot, it is the characters who mostly stand out. The author works hard to help the reader to understand how war can destroy men´s souls, making it almost impossible for them to carry on when they return home. The author is a good writer and, although the pacing is a little uneven, this is a captivating read. I think many old soldiers will relate to this story. Although, in a way, it would be better for younger readers to try it as there´s a strong message in here on how destructive war can be.” Female reader, aged 51
“Part thriller, part analysis of PTSD, this novel is possibly trying to do too much. But it is well-written, and I think most readers will enjoy the depth of the characterisation. The grimness of the settings is also put across successfully. I would try another book by this author.” Male reader. Aged 48
To Sum It Up:
‘A compelling thriller with a strong element of PTSD and how destructive it can be. A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: A Cross for Two Graves
Author: Alan R. M. Thrush
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 16 readers:
12 would read another book by this author.
9 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
10 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
12 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“This novel looks at post-traumatic stress and how difficult it can be to go from war to life in a community. I very much enjoyed the author´s insights.” Male reader, aged 54
“Although there is an interesting plot, it is the characters who mostly stand out. The author works hard to help the reader to understand how war can destroy men´s souls, making it almost impossible for them to carry on when they return home. The author is a good writer and, although the pacing is a little uneven, this is a captivating read. I think many old soldiers will relate to this story. Although, in a way, it would be better for younger readers to try it as there´s a strong message in here on how destructive war can be.” Female reader, aged 51
“Part thriller, part analysis of PTSD, this novel is possibly trying to do too much. But it is well-written, and I think most readers will enjoy the depth of the characterisation. The grimness of the settings is also put across successfully. I would try another book by this author.” Male reader. Aged 48
To Sum It Up:
‘A compelling thriller with a strong element of PTSD and how destructive it can be. A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
September 24, 2021
An excellent novel
I loved this book, just like I loved Of Land and Spirits. I really hope this author writes. For reader interested in the Rhodesian bush war or anyone interested in PTSD this is a great well written book. I feel like this will resonate with a lot folks out there, especially after recent events in Afghanistan
I loved this book, just like I loved Of Land and Spirits. I really hope this author writes. For reader interested in the Rhodesian bush war or anyone interested in PTSD this is a great well written book. I feel like this will resonate with a lot folks out there, especially after recent events in Afghanistan
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews