" Provocative, striking, skillfully evoked and deeply thoughtful... a most timely novel for a disturbed and disturbing decade. " The Warsaw Voice (Poland).

‘Brilliantly examines the psychology behind terrorism, the human traits that trigger it… and even a solution or two for reducing it.’
Dorota Marut, Nasza Bialolka (Poland)

‘A wonderfully realized and engrossing novel.’
Mary Elizabeth Parker, Chair, The DANA Awards (USA)

‘Vivid, compelling and tense.’
The FCCJ Novel Competition (USA)

‘A work of considerable merit.’
T. Jackson, Pan Macmillan Publishing (UK)

‘Provocative, striking, skillfully evoked and deeply thoughtful… A most timely novel for a disturbed and disturbing world. Scott, as usual, provides maximum effect from minimum description. The wealth and detail gleaned from his meticulous research is fascinating, adding to the strength of the novel’s characters and the human individual as a whole.’
Eva Hancock, The Warsaw Voice

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Journalist Nick Hillyer is asked to write about a friend found in a ditch in the Philippines with the back of his head blown off. Ther is much at stake. The deceased was a hero of unprecedented magnitude and his fall from grace was epochal. Desperate for work and wracked by guilt, Nick knows that by accepting the assignment he will be forced to reassess his behind-the-scenes involvement in a story that shook the globe and altered the lives of millions. Thrust back into a kaleidoscope of horror that continues to snowball out of all proportion, he will re-enter a world where violence, apathy and terror are seen as the only salvation.
Why do people do terrible things? Where do the boundaries of deceit and desperation lie? The answers are rooted in the beliefs that hold us captive.