A surprisingly sensitive and compassionate thriller where the lurking suspense surges forward and delivers blasts of turbulence and ferocity. This is subtle clever writing, you’re encouraged to fully invest in the characters before the tension really starts to increase. Layers upon layers of intrigue are laid at your feet, it is easy to sympathise with Marilyn as she attempts to understand the enigmatic Jay and how his past in Yugoslavia is holding his emotions to ransom. Interspersed through the main story, are vivid jolts of reality from a past conflict and the tales Jay tells for a living; the fascinating blend helps to keep you a little unbalanced but is entirely captivating. This is much more than just a thriller, at it’s heart it is a story about friendship, responsibility, remorse and how the past can incarcerate and command everyday lives. ~ Liz Robinson
A 'Piece of Passion' from the publisher...
'Who can forget the tragic scenes transmitted from the Balkans when the state of Yugoslavia began to split at the seams? Debut novelist Alison Layland’s Someone Else’s Conflict brought it all back in Technicolor the moment I picked up the manuscript. This is a tense and insightful book which looks at how we process tragedy and come to terms with the idealistic actions of our youth. At the same time it’s a gripping mystery with a haunting secret. A psychological thriller for armchair historians, lovers and freedom fighters alike…' - Caroline Oakley, Editor, Honno Ltd
The boy looks up and sees the foreigner's rifle aimed at him. Why is this man here? This is not his conflict, it is not the boy's... it is hell. Jay has been home for a long time, but the ghosts of Yugoslavia are still with him as he busks his way round the country. Marilyn is fresh out of a controlling relationship and desperate to reassert her independence. The last thing she needs is to fall for an itinerant storyteller who has a strange relationship with the truth. And then the police call on her. When the past catches up with the present and stories become reality, Jay and Marilyn must decide who to believe and who to betray. "e;A real page-turner about the need for love, and the search for redemption... If you like a fast-paced thriller but want more - then buy this book"e; Martine Bailey, author of An Appetite for Violets "e;Snatches my interest and my emotions and never lets go..."e; Thorne Moore, author of A Time for Silence Someone Else's Conflict is a compelling narrative of trust and betrayal, love, duty and honour from a talented debut novelist.