Act of Oblivion
The Sunday Times Bestseller
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4.2 • 196 Ratings
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
***PRE-ORDER THE SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF PRECIPICE, THE THRILLING NEW NOVEL FROM ROBERT HARRIS, NOW. PUBLISHING AUGUST 2024, AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE STOCK LASTS AND EXCLUSIVE TO THE FIRST PRINT RUN***
A SUNDAY TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023
'A belter of a thriller' THE TIMES
'A master storyteller . . . an important book for our particular historical moment' OBSERVER
'His best since Fatherland' SUNDAY TIMES
'From what is it they flee?'
He took a while to reply. By the time he spoke the men had gone inside. He said quietly, 'They killed the King.'
1660. Colonel Edward Whalley and his son-in-law, Colonel William Goffe, cross the Atlantic. Having been found guilty of high treason for the murder of Charles the I, they are wanted and on the run. A reward hangs over their heads - for their capture, dead or alive.
In London, Richard Nayler, secretary of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is tasked with tracking down the fugitives. He'll stop at nothing until the two men are brought to justice.
Act of Oblivion is an epic journey across continents, and a chase like no other.
'A ripping page-turner' FINANCIAL TIMES
'You could not do better than this' DAILY TELEGRAPH
Sunday Times bestseller, June 2023
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Harris (Munich) again turns a historical event into a canny page-turner. Following the restoration of the Stuart Dynasty to the throne of England, King Charles II and his court seek revenge for the execution of the monarch's father, Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649. The task of identifying and locating those involved falls to Richard Nayler, "one of those shadows who move, anonymous, along the private passages and through the council chambers of every nation in every age." Nayler has a personal grudge against his quarry; his wife died giving birth to their stillborn son after Cromwell's soldiers arrested him for participating in an illegal prayer service. After Nayler tracks down the death warrant ordering Charles I's beheading, he devotes himself to finding the 13 signatories still at large. The bulk of the narrative focuses on his Javert-like search for Edward Whalley and his son-in-law William Goffe. The fugitives live desperate lives in New England, constantly fearful of betrayal even from those who shelter them. Harris humanizes the hunter and the hunted, and brings to life an obscure chapter in colonial American history. This further burnishes Harris's reputation as a talented author of historical suspense.
Customer Reviews
Good story, well researched
I really enjoyed learning more about the fascinating history of the period from this book. The story of the protagonists is good but I did find it a bit slow in places. Overall though, this book is an enjoyable read.
Historical thriller at its best
Robert Harris never ceases to deliver. Act of Oblivion is a well written roller coaster of historical thriller; accurate, full of facts and sufficient informed speculation to fill in the odd gap. Outstanding.