I'm *beyond excited* to have received an ARC from those lovely people at John Murray (thank you!) but it also leaves me in a quandary as I don't want to say anything that will give even the slightest spoilers for the delights between the covers... so I'm just going to say that if you're not a Herron fan, do yourself a favour and start this series from the beginning; and if you are, you'll need no urging from me to get your hands on this as soon as you possibly can. Just get ready for a jaw-dropping development at the start - and a poignant ending.

As much as the political intelligence, the leap-off-the-page characters and the unpredictable plotting, I love these books for their finger-on-the-pulse of contemporary UK politics in all its horror (Brexit is 'You-Know-What') and this book is especially attentive to the narcissistic self-interest of PJ who just happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to our revered PM...

So rather that a review, this is a whet your appetite sneaky preview of top lines:

'If you're going to tell a lie, tell a big one. Stick it on the side of a bus.'"

"' The paths to power of current world leaders - paths including conspiracy, knee-jerk racism, indeterminate fecundity and cheating at golf - were so askew from the traditional routes that only an idiot would have dared forecast future developments.'" (a line especially pertinent today November 7 2020 as the US election is finally called for Joe Biden).

"'There were those who'd said of Peter Judd, during his years as a contender for the highest office in the land, that his clowning masked a laser-like focus on his own best interests'"

Sharp, smart, hilarious, scathing, acute, and *that ending* - unmissable!