Ink

by John Preston

1989 was a bad year for Fleet Street, with only a few papers left in journalism's most famous street. When Hugh Byrne, a journalist on one of these papers, is sent to cover the story of a drowned man who has been found in the Thames, he welcomes it as a diversion from his writer's block. But when Byrne is unaccountably banished to the bowels of the building to update the Queen Mother's obituary, he finds himself in the bizarre lair of the mysterious Green- Carders, a despised army of journalists who are the only ones who know how the paper actually works. And as the paper prepares for a move along the river, Byrne realises that the mystery of the drowned man has a lot of mileage: is it possible for someone to die twice? Preston's grasp of the seedy world of journalism is utterly convincing, with every touch of atmospheric detail rendered with perfect felicity. When the reader has lost track of the plot at times (which does happen), it matters not in the least, such is the fascination of the world we're shown. And Preston never allows us to complain not another sat-upon journalist hero! Byrne is as fully rounded a figure as any in modern fiction, and this is a truly splendid read. Perhaps his last novel, Ghosting, had more brash assurance, but this is probably a better book, playing down the fireworks in favour of a steady, compelling narrative. --Barry Forshaw

Genres: Fiction

432 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1999

About the author

John Preston is the arts editor and television critic of the Sunday Telegraph. He is the author of three highly acclaimed novels, including Kings of the Roundhouse (2005), and a travel book, Touching the Moon. He lives in London.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Anne Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow-burning mystery with a wonderfully quirky 'hero', Hugh, this was a book to savour. Yes, some of the descriptions might have been a tad too long for my taste, but I can't fault the scene setting and the way people really are at work. The subtle romance is superbly done and the ending is perfect. Another classic from John Preston.

[Jonathan Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasantly amusing little mystery story, set in the last days of old Fleet Street.