Hawthorn’s Hill
By Denis Redmond

Published by Mereo on 7 April 2015

Intelligently written, sharp and cleverly conceived, the follies of diplomacy, tribal conflict and the foibles of race and sex are all ingredients in this topical novel about modern Africa.

Set in a fictitious central African country, tension mounts as tribal leaders lock horns in a bid to seize control. Zawanda is in trouble. The country’s economy is kaput and its people are unable to give up their age-old tribal enmities. Britain is to cut off the country’s foreign aid and it looks like the whole nation is on the cusp of imploding. But Frederick Zawutu, the intelligent, Cambridge and Sandhurst-educated new president, hits on a daring scheme: Zawanda is going to make the West believe that this penniless Central African nation has somehow acquired a nuclear bomb. But Zawutu has underestimated the English arms dealer he has set up to unwittingly play the part of the ‘supplier’ and once again the future becomes incredibly fragile…

Drawing on his own experience of serving in the Army, Denis Redmond’s debut novel has a terrific plot at its heart, one that grips and maintains its hold throughout. Combined with a savvy instinct for pace, as well as sharp humour, well-drawn characters and authentic dialogue, the result is a refreshing and remarkably adept novel that is, with foreign aid is seldom out of the spotlight in the run up to the election, bang on topical trend.

Vicky Edwards

Published: 7 April 2015 ISBN: 978-1-86151-304-5 Price: £12.99 RRP Format: Paperback www.mereobooks.com MEREO books are available through: Amazon.co.uk & other internet booksellers and all good bookshops (Also available as an ebook)