Thursday 16 August 2012

THE EMERALD CANCER: David Hulme


When Siobhan Corrigan's beloved father is murdered by Protestant para-military forces in Northern Ireland, her father's right-hand man takes her alter ego, Sandra, and installs her with an English family to live the life of an English rose. Her role: to become a sleeper in the Terrorist Surveillance Unit run by one Michael Forsythe and report back to Drago, the head of the Northern wing of the IRA.
After the Harrods bombing in central London and a terrible personal tragedy, Patrick Rutherford also sets out on a path of revenge; his recruitment to TSU, the only conclusion. When the infiltration of TSU becomes apparent to Forsythe, he engineers a risky plan using the outsourced asset, Patrick Rutherford, to infiltrate the Northern Wing of the IRA.
Patrick Rutherford and Siobhan Corrigan were created by circumstances beyond their control, manipulated by British Intelligence and the Northern wing of the IRA. Twisted and full of hate, they are brother and sister on opposite sides of the fence. Under certain circumstances each might kill the other but in most situations the invisible thread that binds them would prevent it. When they eventually meet, the chemistry between the two of them is explosive with devastating, inexplicable consequences.

This is an exceptional book. The characters are superbly built and we are taken inside their minds with a skill that is second to none. Dramatic scenes are vividly portrayed and pull the reader's imagination skilfully into action. The author successfully transports us from one character's world into another, telling us of their beginnings with an expertise and ease that is overwhelmingly wonderful. This is truly a first class story written by a man who can most certainly tell a tale but—and I hate to say it but I must, seeing as it is something I bleat on about—it needs the final 'polish'.
This first release is tarnished by a light dusting of grammatical and formatting errors that could so easily have been addressed before its release. Normally, I'd not tolerate it so for a book to survive that flaw and for me to finish it... well, it must be good. Indeed, the book survives solely due to Mr Hulme's superb writing and storytelling skills and thus I pray for a sequel whilst also hoping that Mr Hulme will release a second edition of this novel with these flaws addressed. With that little bit of extra polish, this book could sit with pride, nestled among the offerings from any of the bestselling authors. Yes, it really is that good.

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