The Bell Ringers: A Novel - Softcover

Porter, Henry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802145264 ISBN 13: 9780802145260

Publisher: Grove Press, 2011

Synopsis

In Henry Porter's critically acclaimed novel The Bell Ringers, England in the near future is eerily familiar. There are concerns about terrorism, the press is feisty, and the prime minister is soon to call a general election. But quietly--largely unknown to the public or even most in government--things have become undeniably Orwellian. Cameras with license-plate recognition software record the movements of every car. A sophisticated top-secret data-mining system known as Deep Truth combs through personal records, identifying violators of minor laws as well as those disposed to "antigovernment" beliefs. In the interest of security, the divide between private and public has crumbled. Freedom has given way to control.

David Eyam was once the prime minister's head of intelligence. He was one of those who knew about Deep Truth, but he suffered a fall from grace. Then, while on vacation in Columbia, he was killed by a terrorist bomb. Now his former lover, Kate Lockhard, has been named as the benefactor of his estate. But Eyam has left her more than just wealth; Kate is also heir to his dangerous secrets.

Chilling, absorbing, and unsettlingly realistic, The Bell Ringers is a fearless work from a talented novelist at the top of his game.

About this title

About the Author:

Henry Porter is a novelist and political columnist for the Observer newspaper in London. His novels include A Spy's Life and Empire State.

From AudioFile:

This riveting thriller takes place in a British dystopia in the near future, where a seemingly benign system of government and corporate surveillance of computers, cell phones, bank records, etc., has made it possible for a corrupt prime minister to abridge civil liberties to a terrifying point without Parliament's awareness or any alarm in the general public. When people protest, they're, with terrible ease, made to seem like deranged conspiracy theorists--or else they meet with fatal accidents. The world Porter paints is familiar and convincing, his plotting and pacing are tight as a drum, and John Lee's performance is impeccable. He never overplays, he never distracts; he simply inhabits each character and makes you believe. This is a marvelous and frightening entertainment. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Grove Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0802145264
• ISBN 13: 9780802145260
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416