First published 2007
A young man leaves his village in Saudi Arabia with one purpose: to die as a martyr in England, taking innocent lives with him. He believes his death will bring honor and glory, securing his place with God. Meanwhile, David Banks works as an armed protection officer in London, tasked with stopping threats to the city's safety. Banks once saw his job in simple terms, but now he struggles with harder questions. The certainties that guided him have crumbled. He understands that one person's terrorist becomes another's freedom fighter, and this knowledge makes pulling the trigger more complicated than ever. On a spring morning, these two men will meet. Their separate journeys toward that moment will test everything they believe about their chosen paths. The bomber and the policeman will both face reasons to doubt their missions. When their confrontation arrives, neither man will emerge unchanged, regardless of who wins.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, moral-ambiguity
Setting: England, London, Saudi Arabia
Period: spring
416 pages · Hardcover · Bantam Press
Content warnings: violence