First published 2008
Harry Jones faces the worst day of his life when terrorists strike during Britain's most ceremonial occasion. The State Opening of Parliament transforms from royal pageantry into a nightmare as gunmen take hostages in the House of Lords. The Queen sits trapped alongside her Cabinet and the nation's elite. Among the captives are two young men whose identities create an impossible dilemma: the sons of the British Prime Minister and the US President. Television cameras broadcast the crisis live to a horrified world. The two most powerful leaders on earth must choose between their duties as statesmen and their instincts as fathers. While governments scramble for solutions, Harry Jones finds himself caught in the chaos. The authorities appear helpless against the terrorists' demands. Harry realizes that only one approach might work: asking the right question. He must discover why these attackers chose this moment and this target. The answer could save lives or doom them all.
Genres: adventure, contemporary, action, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, high-stakes
Setting: Britain, House of Lords
Period: State Opening of Parliament
437 pages · Paperback · Headline
Content warnings: violence