Next of Kin

by John Boyne

Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ASIN can be found here.

1936: London is abuzz with gossip about the affair between Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson. But the king is not the only member of the aristocracy with a hard decision to make. Owen Montignac, the handsome and charismatic descendent of a wealthy land-owning family, is anxiously awaiting the reading of his late uncle's will. For Owen has run up huge gambling debts and casino boss Nicholas Delfy has given him a choice: find £50,000 by Christmas - or find yourself six feet under.

So when Owen discovers that he has been cut out of the will in favour of his beautiful cousin Stella, it is time to prove just how cunning he can be... And Owen is nothing if not inventive - even a royal crisis can provide the means for profit. And for murder...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, British Literature, Crime, Family

632 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

I was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by UEA.

I’ve published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide.

Among my most popular books are The Heart’s Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky and My Brother’s Name is Jessica.

I’m also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times.

In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I’ve also won 4 Irish Book Awards, and many international literary awards, including the Que Leer Award for Novel of the Year in Spain and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize in Germany. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.

My novels are published in 58 languages.

My 14th adult novel, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, a sequel and companion novel to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, will be published in the UK on September 15th 2022, in the US and Canada on November 29th, and in many foreign language editions in late 2022 and 2023.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A 2006 Oldie, but Goodie from John Boyne!

London 1936

An engaging start with a funeral and a much anticipated reading of a lucrative will for a member of one family, and A big verdict due in a controversial court case with life altering results for another.

A slow burn thru the first half getting to know all the characters, but then things heat-up good into a complex tangled web of secrets...lies...threats...bribes...blackmail...and ruthless murder(s).

Lots going on in this storyline......

Next of Kin even adds a bit of history into the mix of interweaving family torment with the Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson scandal...one key dignitary stirring the pot.

There is some predictability to the story and an (intended?) plot hole, but a good read nonetheless as a sneaky, but handsome vainglorious man takes advantage of the naive and seeks vengeance against the (deceitful) arrogant to save his own skin from an evil underground operative.

Not the outcome I expected, but....I like that! More than one villain here!

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my grandfather cut off my father and mother he left us with nothing. The irony of it is that the entire inheritance was not his to decide upon. He'd just come into it like everyone else, it wasn't as if he'd earned it. (PG 239)

What would you, as a parent, do if your twenty-something year old son committed a horrendous crime? I would tattle and make him suffer the consequences but what if it isn't what it seems, like the strings are being pulled by something bigger than yourself?

This was juicy 1930s London, full of scandal and gossip. The monarchy is being jeopardized by the double divorced Mrs. Simpson from America. Everyone is on their toes; will Edward VIII marry this horrid lady to make her the queen or will he give up the throne?

And what does the monarchy's choice have to do with aristocrat Owen Montignac? Well he's in massive debt after gambling. Fifty-thousand pounds but he's optimistic his uncle will leave everything to him upon his death, as male heir, and he'll be fine except that's not what happens.

This book has it all. An art heist, making of a serial killer, the monarchy, the lazy upper class. How far would you go to save your own life?

'I've sentenced three young men to death during my time on the bench, Jane,' he said quietly. 'Three sons and mothers and fathers like you and me. And I never thought twice about it. Even when pressure was put on me to commute it I stood my ground and protected my integrity. And look how easily it was for sale.' (PG 351)

Johnny Boy here is a master story teller and I recommend this story 100%. Horrible people sprinkled with a touch of goodness. Makes me a little scared.

[B the BookAddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next of Kin by John Boyne was published in 2006 and, as usual in his books, has a subject matter unlike any other novel by the author.

Set in 1936, the protagonist, Owen Montignac, good-looking and charismatic, has run up a huge debt to casino boss Nicholas Delfy and it seems he has no hope of paying it off. At the same time, in Buckingham Palace, Edward VII seems intent on ruling England with the twice divorced American Wallis Simpson. He has received stiff opposition from his government ministers but so far, is standing his ground. A small group of judges, the KC and advisor to the Prime Minister have convened to discuss the problem.

Owen, who has recently been cut out of his uncle’s will as heir, is offered a part in a shady deal of art theft; a way out which will involve a murder that implicates the son of one of the King’s advisors. The outcome of the murder trial will directly affect whether Edward will rule with Wallis as his queen or shock his nation by abdicating.

John Boyne links his fictional story to a time in England’s history which had that country holding it’s breath. His attention to detail regarding the English throne in 1936 is faultless. The portrayal of Owen as the disinherited heir is undeniably good. While I am not normally a reader of murder mysteries, this novel totally captured my attention. 4★

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Boyne has a flair for incorporating true historical events into a story in a way that the reader learns something about them, whilst being enthralled by the main plot that he expertly weaves.

I have been unwell, and I really missed this story while I was unable to listen to it! However...at least it meant it lasted longer!

Loved it.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love John Boyne’s writing and have enjoyed reading many of his books this year but it fair to say this was probably the least enjoyable to date. The book is well written with some good characters but the plot never really hooked me.

The story is set in 1936, and everyone is talking about the affair between Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson. But other people have their own decisions to make. Owen Montignac who has accumulated high gambling debts is eagerly awaiting the reading of his wealthy late uncle’s will. Owen owes casino boss Nicholas Delfy who has given him a warning that if Owen doesn’t pay £50,000 by Christmas he will lose his life. When Owen discovers that he has been cut out of the will in favour of his cousin Stella, he finds that even a royal crisis can provide the means for profit, and for murder.

Like I said the book didn’t absorb me and at times seemed to drag but it is nicely written but could have been so much better. Not my favourite read by this author but an author well worth reading.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favourite of the Boyne books I've read so far - I have loved his last three novels and very much liked the three prior to that, but I think his writing has improved vastly since he wrote this one. It's not that it's bad, it's just that having read his more recent works (in particular A Ladder to the Sky, because some of the character types in this recur in that one), this was an interesting read: his voice has become more defined, his confidence is clearer, the writing is tighter, the characterisation better, the pacing improved. I still gave this book three stars though, and had it been my first Boyne read, I'd have probably given it more.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment this book was. John Boyne is touted as the most "venturesome of young Irish novelists"- but I beg to differ. The plot was quite good- but it took until halfway through the book for things to actually start happening- although there were hints being dropped all over the place. The really disappointing thing was the characterisation. The characters were inconsistent and not really credible. Jane Bently is simultaneously a ditzy blond and an aristocratic schemer. The Machiavellian character of Owen Montignac oscillates between being vicious and caring for no one but himself, to philosophising on the meaning of life and whether things would have been different if his father hadn't been disinherited many years before. I had similar feelings about the characters of Boy in Striped Pajamas, but I made excuses because it was aimed at a younger audience and told through the eyes of a child.

[Mark Gaulding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am publisher and editor of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor Quarterly. I wrote the following review for our most recent issue (2-2009):

NEXT OF KIN by John Boyne is a literary thriller set in London in 1936 amidst the unfolding crisis over King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson. This is a first rate novel that kept me in suspense every single moment and had me enthralled with its use of the abdication as its central story.

Society members who enjoy reading fiction will love this book which is a very clever story within several stories, with the abdication crisis at the center of a fascinating drama with very interesting and fully developed cast of characters. The Windsors themselves appear only once in a very brief cameo appearance.

The book's wrapper notes gives us a hint:

It is 1936, and London is abuzz with gossip about the affair between King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson. Owen Montignac, the handsome and charismatic scion of a wealthy family, is anxiously awaiting the reading of his late uncle’s will. He must pay £50,000 worth of gambling debts by Christmas or he’ll soon find himself six feet under. In his desperation, he discovers that the royal scandal could provide the means for profit…and for murder.

What Boyne accomplishes, and quite impressively I might add, is to interweave various thematic messages or allegories among the various plotlines throughout the novel.

What Boyne also does quite effectively, and Society Members will be pleasantly surprised, is portray the abdication crisis and all of the various facets of public and private opinion of all classes of British Society. Mr. Boyne has obviously read some informative books about King Edward VIII. Even though this is a work of fiction, I think that Mr. Boyne has accurately reflected the history of the abdication in a balanced and thoughtful way. Unlike other recent thrillers which featured a leather-wearing, whip-snapping Mrs. Simpson as a dominatrix,

NEXT OF KIN portrays both the King and Mrs. Simpson, and a few of the key government officials in an historically accurate way.
The novel involves a committee of select expert lawyers who are brought together to develop recommendations for Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin regarding handling of the abdication. Through this committee, as well as various characters in the book, we see a full spectrum of what people thought at the time about the King's affair with Mrs. Simpson. This is historical fiction, I remind you. That genre (and several non-fiction books, in my opinion, that were written as biographies of the Windsors should be classified as historical fiction) is a very difficult category to work in and not many writers effectively manage to find the right balance of historical fact within their artistic license with fiction. Fortunately, John Boyne gives an excellent example of historical fiction at its very best.

Many of the main characters, who are in their twenties, and the conflicts they endure represent the shift in British society from the old ways of the Edwardian and Victorian eras. That theme is very much a part of this book, the divergence from the old ways and the conflicts involved. And, of course, we know that Edward, Prince of Wales, was a chief instigator of change. Boyne’s novel even suggests that this is essentially the reason for Edward’s abdication, not his infamous mistress, Mrs. Simpson. 1936 was, after all, the year of three kings. In the book (as in reality), King Edward VIII seems to represent everything about a new generation and a beginning in a shift of collective consciousness. One of the book’s characters who is on the abdication committee, Lord Keaton, says:

‘Personally I couldn’t care less if the king wanted to marry a donkey. It doesn’t make a blind bit of difference to me. But the man has a way about him that has to be stopped. All this business with the miners in the North-East. The little visits he makes. This nonsense of ‘something has to be done.’ He thinks the monarchy is there to be shared with the people. He understands nothing about our ways. It’s as simple as that. But Baldwin….now he understands. He can see the damage the man is doing.’

The following discussion in the novel also illuminates a number of interesting issues/concepts especially related to the abdication of Edward VIII. One of our members recently pointed out that the morganatic marriage option is essentially what Edward finally ended up with, only crownless. (Ironically, it is also essentially what his successor, Prince Charles, was allowed to do in taking his second wife, the divorced Camilla Parker Bowles, and who was not required to sacrifice his crown.)

'The king proposes that he and Mrs. Simpson marry but that their marriage be a morganatic one—…A morganatic marriage,’ repeated Monckton. ‘Whereby the issue of the marriage would not be in line for the throne.’

'Good God,’ said Keaton. ‘She’s not pregnant, is she?’

'No she’s not,’ said Monckton quickly and angrily. ‘And let us remember that we are discussing the king here and that some level of decorum needs to be maintained. As I was saying, the issue, should there be any,’ he added loudly, ‘would not be in line for the throne. After the king’s death, the throne would pass to the Duke of York or, should he predecease him, to the Princess Elizabeth.’

'He can’t be serious,’ said Altringham.

'He’s perfectly serious,’ said Monckton, sitting back. ‘And it seems a perfectly fair proposal if you ask me.’

'It would satisfy both sides of the debate,’ said Roderick, nodding his head. ‘And Mrs. Simpson. What title would she expect?’

'She would be willing to reject the title of queen, instead she could use the consort equivalent of one of the king’s other titles. The Duchess of Cornwall is the preferred option.’

I was fascinated with the main characters of the book. They all exhibit some sort of serious flaws as humans but I was still sympathetic to them, even perhaps the most flawed of them all, the protagonist Owen Montignac. The characters often do rather horrible things to each other and yet you somehow understand what motivated them or how they found themselves doing the things they were doing.
The cameo appearance by King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson, both central characters to the central plotline in NEXT OF KIN, occurs about two-thirds of the way through the book. It is an intimate meeting between Owen Montignac and the King and Mrs. Simpson at a gambling bar in London the night before the abdication:
The guests laughed and Montignac watches as Mrs. Simpson laid a hand gently on the king’s arm, an affectionate gesture, entirely truthful and unpossessive, and the manner in which he used his other hand to tap hers affectionately while she did it. He observed them in their intimacy and envied them.

It is in this scene that I encountered the only instance (that I could find) of the author’s artistic license at hand with the actual circumstances that occurred. As Society Members know, Mrs. Simpson was sequestered in France for many days leading up to the abdication. This scene has Mrs. Simpson in London the night prior to the abdication. But that is the fun of historical fiction…the writer has the ability to create scenes which could not have occurred. In this case, Boyne does so and provides us with a wonderful sympathetic portrayal of the King and Mrs. Simpson.

Boyne’s book is just so very clever and I was constantly in awe of the author’s ability to continue to weave recurring themes into so many different plotlines (e.g., birthright, definition of a family). My copy of NEXT OF KIN looks like some college textbook with dogeared edges and highlighted paragraphs on so many pages.

I strongly recommend this book. It is a very intelligent and exciting read, whether you are a Windsor-phile or not. But for those of you that are, I’ll leave you with this final excerpt of why you’ll be thrilled to read this book (for so many reasons) and you won’t want to miss NEXT OF KIN:

In Buckingham Palace, King Edward VIII slept alone but lay awake now, his mind torn by the twin tortures of duty and love. He didn’t know why he wasn’t simply allowed to do as he pleased—no one had ever denied him anything before—and he thought of his late father’s prophetic words that after he was gone, his heir would destroy himself within a twelve-month. But he knew what he wanted and he knew who he could not live without. And if that meant giving up the throne, his own birthright, then so be it. But he would wait no longer to be married. They had plagued him for so many years to take a wife and now that he had chosen one, they claimed that she was unacceptable. The whole thing was a ridiculous irony.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in 1930s England, when Owen Montignac is cut out of his family's inheritance he must find another way to pay off his large gambling debts. What extent will he go to to accomplish this? And how far will his actions reach?

I was never able to establish much connection with the characters in this book. I found almost all of them repulsive, selfish and superficial. Their characterizations were often confusing. Owen was a pure psychotic; he killed multiple times with seemingly no affect, yet he felt some remorse for setting up Gareth? Gareth was supposively a highly intelligent young man but seemed to have absolutely no sense. And Stella, she wanted to marry a man she didn't love because she didn't want to experience love again (due to the pain), yet in the end she claims to have quickly gotten over Owen ten years earlier.

I also felt there were elements of the plot just left hanging. I can't see a sequel to this book, so I don't understand why those elements were even introduced if they were just going to be left up in the air. And the main point I was waiting for an explanation on, why Peter cut Owen out of the will, was never revealed. The parts of the plot that did have resolution were fairly predictable.

I really didn't find anything that made this book stand out.

[Daniil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, John Boyne is still to disappoint I guess.. All his books that I have read to date have ability to instantly captivate and hold you captive in that story until you see that last page. The plots, the characters, the dialogues - always believable, always carefully chiseled to period and locale. The Next of Kin, set in 1936 England, is no exception - an aristocratic family drama with a whirlwind of events driven by envy, greed, love. It is smartly linked to the real event of the King’s abdication from British throne, creating an alternative (John Boyne’s own) bold version of “behind the scenes” of abdication drama. Somewhat predictable, The Next of Kin provided a great entertainment in best style of an incredible Irish storyteller. Recommend!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book set in 1936 Britain very much. The increasingly creepy main character, Owen Montignac, is hard to forget, and Boyne is excellent at sketching in some of the relevant issues of 1936, especially the story of the King and Mrs. Simpson. A good behind the scenes look at politics, law, and wealth (or lack thereof). Recommended to historical fiction fans who like a darker read.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - It was really good.

John Boyne is one of my favorite authors and this one, as expected, did not disappoint. It was the slowest to build however, as I did not feel engaged until around 20% through. I enjoyed the historical backdrop of King Edward’s abdication from the throne, and the MC was creepy enough to not soon be forgotten.
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Favorite Quote: Oftentimes, gossip has a way of becoming fact.

First Sentence: Many years earlier, when he was a lieutenant in the army stationed just outside Paris, Charles Richards had come across a young recruit, a boy of about eighteen years of age, sitting alone on his bunk in the mess with his head held in his hands, weeping silently.

[João Sá Nogueira Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Não pensei que fosse gostar tanto do livro...confesso que a certa altura pensei até que as estrelas seriam menos quando escrevesse a avaliação do livro (aqui) no Goodreads, porque existem umas quantas situações no livro que são bastante previsíveis... E o certo é que realmente existem umas quantas situações bastante previsíveis (talvez seja um defeito por ler tantos policiais),mas também é certo que o livro consegue ser cativante e surpreendente e com personagens extraordinárias, principalmente uma delas!O "vilão"... extraordinário!!! Também a ideia base do livro (abdicação do Rei Eduardo VIII a favor do irmão por cauda da relação com a Wallis Simpson) acaba por ser um fio condutor e completamente necessária para a história do livro!Muito bom mesmo!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As others have already noted, this is not John Boyce’s best, but is still quite impressive. I find his characters fully developed and loved the story line I this one.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should really be a TV series! Perhaps that’s partly down to the fact that I read this quite episodically - a few pages per day while I was reading other things - but I can imagine this being a hit TV show very very easily. Its simultaneously slow-paced and plot-driven storytelling, combined with the fantastically memorable ensemble of characters, would lend themselves beautifully to a TV adaptation.

Expert characterisation, gripping plot, subtle storytelling, the ending to tie up loose ends, readable and eloquent writing style - everything that makes novels great - all exemplary in John Boyne’s Next of Kin. Why this doesn’t receive 5 stars I don’t know...consider it 4.75.

Bravo to acclaimed author of the fantastic Boy in the Striped Pyjamas! This did not disappoint.

[Sibylle Blomme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love John Boyne's books! Have enjoyed this one too : well written, captivating, good plot... Onto the next one!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Look, it’s John Boyne. You know it’s going to be an amazing, page-turning story. Having read The House of Special Purpose and The Absolutist, I already knew Boyne could do period drama, and this was further proof. Set against the tense backdrop of 1930s Britain and the Edward VIII abdication crisis, this novel is noteworthy for its morally complex characters, particularly Owen Montignac, whose charm and ruthlessness make him both fascinating and unpredictable. Boyne expertly builds tension, and the pacing of the novel is one of its strongest aspects—each chapter unravels just enough to keep you turning pages, as it flips between different sub-plots and character perspectives.

One of the novel's most captivating elements is the way Boyne balances personal ambition, financial ruin, and political intrigue within the richly atmospheric setting of pre-war London. The high society scandal and complex family dynamics keep the stakes high, while Owen’s desperation to regain his lost fortune adds a layer of psychological depth that makes the story truly compelling.

If I had one criticism, it’s that some of the twists—though satisfying—are hinted at a little too heavily in the early chapters. Boyne lays down the groundwork for these reveals in a way that can feel a bit heavy-handed at times, making certain plot developments less surprising than they might have been. Later in his career, Boyne has become more adept at weaving in these narrative surprises with a lighter touch, keeping readers on their toes without giving too much away too early.

Still, this was 630 pages (ish?) that I read in a little over a day, so you know that’s a damn good read!

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

So great, as always.

[Kathy Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 It was odd to feel at times that the book was moving a little slowly, but still anxious to get back to it as soon as I could. Reliably excellent story-telling from Boyne.

[Sabine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant.

So enamored am I with Boyne's writing, I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms as I approach the point of having read everything Boyne has written.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author...he can write a villain like no other.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favourite by John Boyne but it's still a great book. Very easy to pick up and read. Solid 4 stars.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another home run by John Boyne. A masterful storyteller.

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an older book by one of my fav authors and it did not disappoint. All of his books are so well written, and so different from each other but all wonderful.

[gardienne_du_feu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owen Montignac ist nach dem Tod seiner Eltern bei seinem Onkel in England aufgewachsen. Inzwischen ist er ein charmanter junger Mann, der allerdings eine ganz große Schwäche hat: das Glücksspiel. Er hat nicht nur einen ordentlichen Schuldenberg an der Backe, sondern auch noch einen unerbittlichen Gläubiger, denn natürlich hat er sich das Geld nicht bei der Bank geliehen.

Also hofft er nach dem Tod seines Onkels im Jahr 1936 auf dessen reiches Erbe, mit dem er fein heraus wäre und sich ein für allemal freikaufen könnte. Doch bei der Testamentseröffnung platzt die Bombe: Alleinerbin ist Owens Cousine Stella, Owen selbst bekommt keinen roten Heller. Und dann erfährt Owen auch noch, dass Stella ihren langweiligen Verlobten heiraten will, ausgerechnet einen Landschaftsgärtner. Gar nicht standesgemäß.

Als Owen die Beteiligung an einem spektakulären Kunstraub angetragen wird, braucht er gar nicht lange zu überlegen - und setzt damit eine Kette von Ereignissen in Gang, ohne Rücksicht auf all die Menschen zu nehmen, denen er damit schaden könnte.

Die 500 Seiten des Spannungsromans fliegen blitzschnell dahin, während man ungläubig zuschaut, wie Owen kaltblütig seinen eigenen Zwecken den Vorrang vor allem anderen einräumt und seinen Charme gnadenlos zu seinem Vorteil einsetzt. Mich hat er damit allerdings nicht um den Finger gewickelt. Was sich hinter dem attraktiven Äußeren verbirgt, wird recht früh im Buch klar, und ich fand Owen ziemlich schnell ziemlich unsympathisch - aber trotzdem habe ich teilweise mitgefiebert, ob es ihm gelingt, den Kopf aus der Schlinge zu ziehen.

Mehr gefesselt haben mich aber andere Teile der Handlung, etwa die gemeinsame Vergangenheit von Stella und Owen (wobei ich einiges da recht vorhersehbar fand) oder die Geschichte eines unbescholtenen, idealistischen Richters am Londoner "Old Bailey", der für Schlagzeilen gesorgt hat, indem er einem entfernten Verwandten der Royals die volle Härte des Gesetzes zuteil werden ließ, und dessen Sohn nun in den Dunstkreis von Owen Montignac geraten ist, während hinter den Kulissen beraten wird, wie mit der Mesalliance zwischen König Edward VIII. und Wallis Simpson umzugehen sei. Diese politischen Ränkespielchen fand ich wirklich spannend.

Insgesamt ein unterhaltsamer und flott lesbarer Roman aus einer bewegten Zeit, der mich aber nicht vollkommen überzeugen konnte, weil er mir stellenweise zu konstruiert erschien und mir Owen so zuwider war.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is apparently a popular title as there are at least ten books by the same name. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would have rated it higher but for the end which felt tacked on and phony. Still it's a good story set in England during the time in which King Edward the VIII was trying to decide if he should give up the crown or his girlfriend. Underlying this real life event was a fictional story about scruples and courts and gambling and inheritances, all of which was quite good and gossipy. It really brought home the lesson that all of us, even the most principled would give up their principles if their children's lives were at steak. So it's no good saying you have strict standards if it's just a question of the price of your standards, because as Hemingway once famously said, "When you have a child, the world has a hostage."

[talia]

DNF @ p.150ish

I adore Boyne’s writing style and I find the plot intriguing, but there’s something about the way the events fit together in this novel that’s making me anxious! I’ll probably pick it back up when I’m feeling calmer/more willing to stress out!

[Immie Charnley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely loathsome main character with a predictable ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in 1930s society, set across the backdrop of Edward VIII's abdication and Owen's journey to claim his inheritance. V similar to A Ladder to the Sky but not quite as well executed.

[AngelaC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a complex novel that begins rather slowly. Gradually, though, the threads are woven into a dense plot, the fabric of which good thrillers are made.
The writing is, of course, excellent and the ending is very clever. The reader knows something that the main character does not, something that may yet bring the apparent success of his evil schemes crashing down around his ears.
I would definitely recommend this book.