First published 2016
Maggie Rayburn works as a secretary at a munitions plant, living a comfortable life with her family. Everything changes when she discovers proof of a major cover-up on her boss's desk. She takes the documents on impulse, setting off a chain of events that transforms her quiet existence. Driven by conscience and a new appetite for risk, Maggie begins collecting evidence of wrongdoing wherever she finds it. Her actions turn her community against her as she faces the question of how much she will sacrifice for justice. Across the world in Iraq, Captain Penn Sinclair makes a rushed decision that leads to tragedy. Seeking redemption, he connects with three survivors to reveal the truth about their war experiences. The novel weaves together these stories of moral awakening, exploring how individual choices ripple outward and the price people pay when they choose to act on their convictions.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-awakening, redemption
Setting: Iraq
Period: Contemporary
448 pages · Paperback · Virago Press Ltd
Content warnings: violence