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A Cross for Two Graves
A buried secret. Dark memory from a hard-fought war. Psychological trauma …
In 2011, four men and one woman undertake a reluctant search for wreckage of a downed military helicopter and what may have been aboard it. Nobody can be sure of what they will find.
Now, expertly weaving re-creation of factual historical events into a deceptively simple fictional account of one quest to find a crashed air force aircraft and the remains of the men flying into battle aboard it, author Alan Thrush delivers a tantalising subtext: the complexities of post-traumatic stress and its impact on those who suffer it. The result is a an oft-times moving account of the long-lasting effects of modern warfare on soldiers – a narrative of burden woven into a tapestry of love and war, lifelong friendships and debts of honour forged within the furnace of battle.
As the story 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 the protagonists’ 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 capture – 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 …
In 2011, four men and one woman undertake a reluctant search for wreckage of a downed military helicopter and what may have been aboard it. Nobody can be sure of what they will find.
Now, expertly weaving re-creation of factual historical events into a deceptively simple fictional account of one quest to find a crashed air force aircraft and the remains of the men flying into battle aboard it, author Alan Thrush delivers a tantalising subtext: the complexities of post-traumatic stress and its impact on those who suffer it. The result is a an oft-times moving account of the long-lasting effects of modern warfare on soldiers – a narrative of burden woven into a tapestry of love and war, lifelong friendships and debts of honour forged within the furnace of battle.
As the story 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 the protagonists’ 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 capture – 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 …
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2022
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