A sequel to Between the Shadow and the Soul, this is the story of Seb, a financier. From an affluent background, Seb is angry, young, cynical, and coming to the attention of a private security firm, he’s recruited to infiltrate anti-capitalist groups. As part of his remit he befriends Nixie, an activist member of Grass Roots. Nixie knows nothing of his history or of his role as an undercover agent and tells him of Grass Roots’ plans to sabotage Dunwich Nuclear Power Station by crashing the computer systems. Seb agrees to help, knowing that he must keep his true identity hidden from her. But he is being watched and his actions monitored. Unsure of who it might be,...
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Following the publication of my first book Between The Shadow and The Soul, I was invited to write a piece for the Guardian newspaper about the link between my career and my writing. I have reproduced the opening of the article below, along with a link where you can read the rest of it. “I had to leave child protection, but wanted to write about how hard it is…” Child protection: the daily deprivations of poverty and the ever-present chaos of incipient violence. Experiences that burn into the brain. Watching cases pass back and forth between agencies, each conference registering neglect and violence. But no action is taken. No action can be taken. The...
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“I waited for ten minutes and then I closed in on him. I could see JF sitting at his desk under the window. His hand was on the touch pad of his computer and he was looking intently at the screen. I had to be fast. I stood on the pavement in the shadows, pulled on my mask, then keeping to the wall, slithered down the steps. I reached basement level. I stood watching him. He was oblivious to my presence and to the security light which snapped on. I tapped lightly on the window. He glanced up. I pressed my contorted rubber face against his window, dragging my hands down as if I was clawing my way in.” Urban, angry and quirky, Echo is a young woman who won’t...
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“She moved closer. She knelt down and looked into the crib so she could see him properly. She was so close she could feel his soft breath and hear the rhythm of his breathing. His breath was her breath. That’s how close she was. As if they were joined and were one. He was adorable. Innocent, helpless, vulnerable, totally dependent, he had thick, dark hair, and he’d fallen asleep on his back.” Flori is a successful, attractive young woman living and working in London when in the early hours of the morning, in a moment of madness, she steals a tiny baby. Assisted by her best friend, Rose, and her lover Matt, she flees with the baby to Jura, a remote Scottish...
Read MoreBook Launch:Between the Shadow and the Soul Friday October 17th between 6 and & 7.30 at Foyles Cabot Circus, Bristol. Readings by Charlie Lees-Massey. The author will be signing copies. A short video is available. Q&A session. All...
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Marguerite Valentine is a former child protection specialist now writing psychological thrillers. Her debut novel is 'Between The Shadow And The Soul'.