This was the one book I read last year that I allowed to disturb my sleep.
I was that naughty child under the covers with a torch hoping I would not wake my husband as I wanted to reach the next chapter.
I am Pilgrim was first published in 2013 and although I was aware of it, I was never a big fan of books with main themes of espionage and counter terrorism, so I resisted for 10 years!
The the peer pressure began.
It was recommended to my husband who then went on to recommend it to practically every person who walked through the door.
It outsold all the best sellers and new releases,so I gave in and here we are.
This is a gripping thriller that weaves a complex narative around a former intelligence operative tasked with stopping a deadly terrorist plot.
It is masterfully written as Hayes, who has written many screen plays including Mad Max, blends suspense, espionage and intricate plot twists.
Hayes crafts a compelling protagonist and keeps the readers on the edge with his meticulous storytelling.
The novel features a breakneck race against time and an implacable enemy.
An anonymous young woman murdered in a run-down hotel, all identifying characteristics dissolved by acid.
A father publicly beheaded in the blistering heat of a Saudi Arabian public square.
A notorious Syrian biotech expert found eyeless in a Damascus junkyard.
Smoldering human remains on a remote mountainside in Afghanistan.
A flawless plot to commit an appalling crime against humanity.
One path links all the elements and only one man can make the journey – Pilgrim.
Sometimes one gets really lucky.
You start to read a book thinking it might be an average read, then you complete five or six chapters and come to the realisation you’ve stumbled across one of the top five reads of your life.
Here are some of my favourite quotes that make this a truly memorable book.
“To find the light, we must first navigate through the darkness.”
“If you want to be free, all you have to do is let go.”
“The world doesn’t change in front of your eyes; it changes behind your back.”
I can’t really give you authors of the same ilk as this is truly unique.
Julie Chessman – The Bookshop Umina