Switching between two timeframes and two sides of Paris — from a circle of wealthy elites to its gritty backstreets — Megan Davis’ The Messenger is a top-notch page-turner of the kind that’ll ignite your mind as it quickens your pulse.
Some seven years ago, Alex found freedom from his hard-drinking, womanising journalist father when he befriended Sami on the city’s streets, a world away from the elite gatherings he’d gone to with his dad. As a result, he developed a thirst for rebellion, which escalates to the fateful night his father was killed. Though Alex and Sami were convicted for his murder, Alex knows the truth. His dad was still alive when they fled his apartment, so who killed him? After being released from prison, Alex has one mission — to find out who really murdered his father.
It’s not long before Alex uncovers a web of Cold War conspiracies when he discovers his dad was investigating the “agents of influence” journalists who planted and spread misinformation and propaganda. Add to that personal scandals, and terrorist attacks that see Paris under siege, and The Messenger amounts to a novel that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, and on your toes — the truths that emerge are nothing but unexpected, and monumental.
Rosamund Lupton meets Lupinin this accomplished debut from an eclectic, cut-throat new voice in thriller writing.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE CRIMEFEST SPECSAVERS AWARD FOR DEBUT CRIME NOVEL
**DON'T MISS MEGAN DAVIS' NEXT THRILLER, BAY OF THIEVES. AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW**
'A sleek, sinister debut'WOMAN'S OWN 'A strong, twisting, literary journey of revelation and redemption. Five stars' JANICE HALLETT 'An intelligent, gripping and stylish literary thriller - I couldn't put it down. Megan Davis is a major new talent' SOPHIE HANNAH 'A sharply written, clever and classy thrill-ride through the streets of Paris' CHRIS WHITAKER
A crime he didn't commit. A truth he must deliver.
Wealthy and privileged, Alex has an easy path to success in the Parisian elite his father mingles with. But the two have never seen eye to eye. Desperate to escape the increasingly suffocating atmosphere of their apartment, Alex seeks freedom on the streets of Paris where his new-found friend Sami teaches him how to survive. But everything has a price - and one night of rebellion changes their lives forever.
A simple plan to steal money takes a sinister turn when Alex's father is found dead. Despite protesting their innocence, both boys are imprisoned for murder. Seven years later Alex is released from prison with a single purpose: to discover who really killed his father. Yet as he searches for answers and atones for the sins of his past, Alex uncovers a disturbing truth with far-reaching consequences.
Playing out against a backdrop of corruption, fake news and civil unrest, The Messenger exposes the gritty reality of a changing city through one son's journey to redemption and the truth.
'Megan Davis's electric, suspenseful and stunning evocation of contemporary Paris is unforgettable' ELIZABETH MACNEAL
'A well-written, intriguing novel with an excellent sense of place' KAMILA SHAMSIE
'Compelling ... A deft blend of murder mystery, political intrigue and family secrets' DOMINIC NOLAN
