Author:James Buckler
A young woman is dead.
Her family are convinced she was murdered, and they know who did it.
The case is about to be closed.
Everyone else says the evidence speaks for itself: this is nothing more than a tragic case of suicide.
Only you can uncover what really happened.
But the truth is never that simple, and this case could cost you your life...
Everyone is talking about The Simple Truth!
'A British take on John Grisham's The Firm' The Times
'Fast-paced and suspenseful.' Woman & Home
'Pacy and clever, The Simple Truth is a multi-layered mystery, brimming with action and intrigue.' Andrea Mara
'James Buckler delivers a lightning-paced thriller.' Woman's Own
'A fast-paced thriller in which no one can be trusted.' Prima Magazine
'A British take on John Grisham's The Firm ... the interlocking circles of the plot are well oiled and the narrative of greed and corruption timely.'
—— The Times'A fast-paced and suspenseful legal thriller.'
—— Woman & Home'James Buckler delivers a lightning-paced thriller'
—— Woman's Own'A fast-paced and suspenseful legal thriller - and an unwavering crusade to discover the truth.'
—— Woman Magazine'Pacy and clever, The Simple Truth is a multi-layered mystery, brimming with action and intrigue, all woven perfectly together in the expertly crafted plot.'
—— Andrea Mara'Immersive from the start ... Full of interesting twists and turns, this is a fast-paced thriller in which no one can be trusted.'
—— Prima MagazineA pacy thriller with heart-stopping twists
—— That's Life Magazine'A web of intrigue in the hands of a master storyteller ... A deceptively simple premise that deepens and darkens with every page. I may have forgotten to breathe at the end.'
—— Marion ToddPraise for James Buckler
—— :A fine debut - fast-paced and bleak, with a vivid setting and gut-wrenching twists
—— Mick HerronA vivid and noirish tale of an Englishman abroad discovering that you can run from everything but yourself. James Buckler is one to watch.
—— Simon BeckettThe vivid setting and skilfully plotted story is compelling and hard to put down.
—— Daily Express[An] impressive first thriller . . . the action is fast, copious and often unexpected.
—— The TimesAct Of Oblivion offers a resonant history of both England and America as they struggle to forge a myth of nationhood out of opposing ideologies
—— Daily MailThe joy is in the vivid re-creation of 17th Century England and America and in the sly parallels with today that Harris teases out
—— Mail on SundayHe has taken a truly extraordinary factual tale and turned it into a fun fictional version, with pace throughout, and a crowd-pleasing finale
—— The OldieA masterclass in storytelling, so enthralling that if you'd disembowelled me whilst I was reading this book I doubt I'd have noticed!
—— Daily ExpressA tale that grips from start to finish. It's a remarkable achievement
—— MetroMaster storyteller Robert Harris has forged history anew, melding fact and fiction
—— RTÉHarris spins an exciting tale which I hope will leave you hungry for more
—— Inside History MagazineIf you like your page-turning popular fiction at the more intelligent end of the spectrum, you could not do better than this.
—— Daily TelegraphA gripping thriller
—— Press AssociationA gripping revenger's tale... This is by far Harris's best book since An Officer and a Spy, which dealt with another great national division: the Dreyfus case. He has produced a ripping page-turner that breathes all the complexities and moral nuances of the Civil War period
—— Financial TimesLucid and full of suspense
—— SpectatorA thrilling page-turner based on real events . . . packed with rich and fascinating historical detail
—— The ScotsmanIn his new thriller, Robert Harris wrests [a] fascinating period back from its unjust oblivion, showing how closely its complex landscape of constitutional crises and Puritan politics played out in new unregulated media resonates with us today
—— The CriticHarris, deft as ever, weaves a hefty amount of historical fact into the narrative, politics, religion, colonial life, family ties - as well as themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. Underneath it all though is the remorseless and building propulsion of hunter and prey
—— New StatesmanA drama so involving and nerve-wracking, you can barely turn the pages fast enough. Historic!
—— Saga MagazineAnother fantastic piece of historical fiction from Robert Harris, immaculately researched and utterly believable
—— IPU ReviewA gripping thriller and a timely reminder of the dangers of a deeply divided and intolerant society
—— The Shropshire MagazineThe book excels in its stunning recreation of the landscape of America... Harris proves himself to be masterful at this and it gives the book a vibrant memorability
—— New StatesmanFew writers combine history, politics and excitement of a thriller as enthrallingly as Robert Harris does.
—— Sunday TimesWhat Harris does here is nothing short of masterful.
—— Irish TimesHarris displays an impressive grasp of the historical context without taxing his readers by showing his 'workings'.
—— Church TimesBased on real and fascinating history, this is Robert Harris's best since An Officer and a Spy
—— The TimesPacy and tense, and the pungently evoked past offers up some shrewd present-day parallels
—— Mail on SundayAn absolutely stunning historical novel and a ripping crime thriller at the same time. I've been recommending it far and wide and buying it for people for Christmas!
—— Dead GoodThe best historical fiction combines a gripping plot with meticulous research - leaving the reader inspired to learn more about the real-life protagonists. And the latest release from Robert Harris once more proves his mastery of the genre
—— SoldierI loved Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris, which achieves the astonishing feat of taking 17th-century events and people and telling their stories in 21st-century language without a single seam showing
—— Ben Macintyre , The TimesThrilling
—— Gregory Doran , The TimesThis is a novel that asks big historical questions. You could read it as a pure thriller, and it is one of Harris's most compellingly paced to date. You could read it as a piece of intelligent historical immersion. I think it is more; I think it is his best novel since Fatherland.
—— Sunday TimesIt's a belter.
—— The TimesIf only all historical thrillers could be this entertaining.
—— ObserverIn this tense and beautifully written account of the ensuing manhunt, Harris brings sympathy to characters on either side of the civil war that divided a nation.
—— Daily MailA brainy, compulsive page-turner.
—— Daily TelegraphA violent, gripping, globetrotting chase thriller
—— Daily MirrorHe’s my go-to person that I know will keep me entertained
—— Jane Garvey[A] rich, propulsive novel
—— Sunday Times