The Feathers of Death

When Lieutenant Alastair Lynch shoots young Drummer Malcolm Harley in the back for desertion in the face of an enemy attack, his action seems to be clearly justified by military precedent. But after a court martial is convened to examine the facts of the case, a different story emerges. A tale of passionate love, possessiveness, and jealousy between the two men, a brazen and scandalous relationship that ended in Harley’s violent death. The tension builds as the truth about the two men’s liaison and Lynch’s decision to pull the trigger gradually emerges, leading to a shocking finale.


Simon Raven’s classic first novel The Feathers of Death (1959) is a gripping thriller told in the clever, witty, and compulsively readable style for which Raven is known. This edition features a new introduction by Gregory Woods.


“One of the finest novelists of the post-war years . . . the most entertaining of writers . . . a novelist of supreme merit.” – Charles Spencer, The Telegraph


“Extraordinary . . . entertaining, gripping and in fact memorable.” – Sunday Times


“An exceptional gift for storytelling . . . told with a narrative verve so rare . . . those with the stomach for a tough and ugly tale will find it enthralling.” – The Times (London)