It's the mid-nineties and rebellion is in the air. Skylark is an activist, a raver, a tree-dweller, a world-changer. Handsome dependable Dan appears on the scene, offering her the security she has never had. When they fall in love, she shows him a new way to live; he will never be the same. But Dan has a secret, which Skylark must never know.

What an interesting book this was to read. A story about an undercover police officer who forms a relationship with the person they are meant to be watching.

Skylark is an activist. Dan joins them and quickly becomes accepted. Skylark is a free spirit. Dan and Skylark quickly become a couple and have a baby boy. We learn of the experiences of both protestors and the police. At first, I did not think I was going to enjoy this book but I ended up loving it.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #AliceOKeeffe for my ARC of #Skylark in exchange for an honest review.

This story of Skylark and her eco-warrior friends is based in true incidents which occurred in England, when Police undercover officers infiltrated their movement in order to spy and subvert the cause. Sadly many women were duped by these characters, and some had long term relationships and children with these spies.
This story of Sky and how she became involved with a new member of the group, is realistic and devastating in its outcome.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Having really enjoyed this author’s debut On The Up my expectations for Alice O’Keeffe’s latest novel were sky high. Skylark is based upon true events involving the infiltration of anti-road campaign groups by operatives of the SDS (Special Demonstration Squad) during the 1990’s. Some of their targets were women, who were manipulated and duped into relationships as a way of eliciting details of upcoming protests and subsequently derailing the group’s plans. In this novel it is the eco warrior world changing group led by The Rev whose aim to reclaim the streets via parties and raves, taking over motorways but in a peaceful if somewhat chaotic, colourful manner that is the subject of a covert operation. Childhood friend of The Rev, Skylark McCoy is a veteran of the group, a warrior queen who misses the squats and the camps of their former protesting days who upon meeting Daniel Greene otherwise known as UCO122 is immediately smitten. This is the story of their relationship from Skylark’s perspective, interspersed occasionally with conversations between UCO122 and his superior. It’s a tale of love, lies and betrayal, of subterfuge and lives built upon sand and it’s a piece of fiction that is immensely readable.

After a brief struggle to immerse myself in the lives of this bunch of idealistic well meaning individuals I then whizzed through the remainder of the book horrified as I bore witness to the duplicity at play. Alice O’Keeffe writes with passion and integrity, her personal connection to the subject matter adding another dimension to her storytelling, enabling you to fully appreciate the wretchedness of the situation Skylark eventually finds herself in. It’s clear from the outset that this is a book written from the heart. To me it felt as if Alice O’Keeffe has given up a piece of her soul in bringing this woman and those around her to life so that you view these characters as real individuals with real feelings rather than anonymous faceless figures featuring in newspaper articles. However emotive and serious the reimagining of this slice of history becomes the author brings her wonderful sardonic wit to the pages, juggling this particular political hot potato with both humour and candour.

I loved having a ringside seat at the group’s meetings in which ideas are bandied about, some more zanier and alternative than others but which are always well intentioned. These scenes whilst a source of amusement and laughter bathe these characters in a favourable light however subversive their behaviour. In my opinion this makes it all the more tragic that as time marches on the group dynamic radically changes with the arrival of all the Gazzes and the Jezzes, the anarchist Eds and the violent Angry Men. Sadly this just reflects the changing political climate the world over, the increased use of violence a byproduct of those hijacking groups like the ones led by The Rev who at heart is a peace loving gentle soul.

Aside from the politics, the tripping out and the laughter yoga this novel is all about relationships, including the evolving wonderful friendship between The Rev and Skylark and her gradual withdrawal from life as a protester, her focus and priorities shifting the deeper she becomes entangled with Daniel. Alice O’Keeffe embraces themes of love, betrayal and motherhood, themes which are the fabric of everyday life and which will resonate with many. She observes the dynamics of the relationship between Skylark and Daniel, who hail from completely opposite sides of the track, with acuity, leading you to ask the question of how well can you ever really know someone you love. The free spirited Skylark is already feeling hemmed in by the pressures of working and paying rent when she first encounters Daniel. As an outsider looking in you might wonder at Skylark’s naivety as their relationship develops until you realise this woman is a perfect example of how love changes everything. It makes Skylark blind to the obvious, tethering her and subconsciously forcing her to put down more roots, binding her to a way of life that she possibly never envisaged for herself, especially once she has more than her own needs to consider. Having escaped the stifling childhood confines of Henfield and Mother she has no desire to turn into a Tupperware loving woman concerned only by parking conditions and the progress of her dahlias! It’s these references peppered throughout the narrative that add levity to an otherwise thought provoking, eye opening and scandalous scenario. As with any relationship in which one side appears more invested than the other (for whatever reason) you really feel for Skylark whose doubts, uncertainties and suspicions build over time as Daniel continues to give off very mixed signals. Her hurt and confusion are palpable. You want Skylark to lift her head from the sand and shake off her unwillingness and inertia to seek the truth even though it’s all too late. I felt anger towards those responsible for her callous almost casual abandonment, left living with whys and what ifs, causing so much unnecessary pain, anguish and suffering. I felt slightly heartened by the fact The Rev, Bendy Aoife and Mother feature heavily in Skylark’s future.

By no means excusing the actions of these undercover operatives the author does force you to consider the opposition’s perspective. The pressure placed upon Daniel from those higher up in the chain of command is keenly felt in the snippets of conversation between the officers, a pressure that only intensifies the deeper UCO122 becomes embroiled in the group’s activities. He is a man feeling the immense strain of keeping his true identity a secret, facing an impossible task of preventing his professional life from overlapping with his personal one the minute he takes the decision to embark on a relationship with Skylark. But ultimately it’s his conscious choice to blur the boundaries and although he too is a victim of sorts it’s unforgivable that his actions result in a multitude of casualties, and innocent victims at that.

Alice O’ Keeffe is an incredibly talented writer. I love that you can’t pigeonhole this novel into any one genre either which is so refreshing. Emotive, immersive and eye opening this is a novel that will linger in your thoughts. Although initially I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this novel I ended up loving it. Skylark’s story touched me deeply. I just hope I don’t have to wait another two years before this author dazzles me with her brilliance again!

I extend my heartfelt thanks to the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Skylark is based on real events which took place in the 90's in the UK. Police were operating undercover and infiltrating protest groups with the aim of disrupting their activities.

Skylark is a free spirit who glides through life alongside her eclectic friends until she meets Dan, the undercover policeofficer. They begin a life together, despite his existing family, which results in the birth of a baby boy. Dan then vanishes.

This is a beautifully written novel which really captures the atmosphere of the time. It's an honest exploration of the experiences of both the protesters and the police. Whilst my sympathy is with Sky I had some empathy with Dan who is just following orders but became far too human.

The way in which the story develops is cleverly told. The interviews between Dan and his handler are very illuminating. The research which went into creating this book is impressive. I would definitely recommend Skylark.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow not exactly what I expected. Finished it in only two days. Makes you think about people in general, the possibilities they've got and the responsibilities of choices related to that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

I read the reviews of this book, thought it wasn't my kind of book and was prepared to ditch it. I was kindly given a copy of this by NetGalley so I felt I should at the very least read it and give an honest opinion. I'm so glad I did as it was a superb read, very human, raw, sad and eye opening.
It's a must read, an interesting story without being overly dramatic.
#Skylark #NetGalley

I have to say this one was a pleasant surprise as I’m not sure I would’ve picked this one up to read. There’s some content in here (and potential spoilers) that some readers might want to be aware of - so check at the end for more information.

Inspired by real events, this one had me gripped as you follow Skylark (Sky) as a free spirit and activist as she embarks on a relationship with her new boyfriend Dan. The only problem is - he’s got a huge secret.

You learn about Dan’s secret pretty much from the start and I’ll admit it’s not something I was aware or informed of. But it has been in the news recently - so very timely. I loved how you watch the story of Dan’s secret play out during his secret life compared to his life with Sky. And it was great seeing how not only did Sky change him, he changed her.

There were some moments in their relationship that made me want to throttle Dan because of the choices he made in their relationship, but you also see the impact of the secret on his own health and wellbeing, his loved ones and of course Sky.

Thanks to NetGalley, the team at Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the opportunity to read this advance copy!
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⚠️Content warning/potential spoilers: there’s drug use, domestic abuse and mental health. ⚠️

The story of an undercover policeman infiltrating a protest group in the 90s and the complications it entails as he falls in love and has a child while all the time working undercover.

Based on true events, this book potters along without any real peaks or surprises. It’s tells the story from both sides but there’s nothing really here that surprising or revealing.

It’s a decent enough read but there’s something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe the story itself which kind of just meanders on without a lot happening.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

I found this book really interesting. I had vaguely read about undercover officers forming relationships but this book went into more detail about what that would actually entail.

Skylark is an activist with an eclectic groups of friends. Dan joins them, offering the use of his van, and soon becomes completely accepted and ingrained. We know all along that Dan is not who he says and this makes some of the decisions he makes really puzzling eg not using contraception. That really didn’t make Sense to me at all!

I enjoyed finding out more of how this scenario worked and found Sky a very likeable character. Dan, less so. I felt the book was nicely written and it was well paced. It’s a solid 4 stars in my opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

The scandal of undercover police infiltrating groups, forming relationships and having children with their targets has been around for a few years now. It is undoubtedly a horrendous situation for all involved, one that you would be right in shouting 'What were they thinking?'. This book tries to explain the situation from the side of the target, the undercover officer and the police force. I am not sure that there is any great revelation apart from it was a mess and no one shouted stop as the boundaries kept being pushed so that no one could remember where the line was anymore.

It is a readable book, I was invested in the characters and I whipped through it. However it is missing something, perhaps a little bit of soul - it read too much like a school project where you have to research a topic and then write how you would if you were involved.

Kevin Howe
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Skylark by Alice O'Keeffe
Skylark
by Alice O'Keeffe
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Read in October 2021
My worry for this book, and other books based on real life events, is that they will end up being overly dramatic and exaggerate events for the sake of entertainment and making a book more exciting.

This was definitely not the case here. Not that I am saying the book wasn't exciting - it was - but it was more in an understated way. The story was told subtly and was clearly well researched and a topic which the author was passionate about.

The story follows Skylark (Sky) who is a campaigner in a political group aiming to change the world. A new member joins the group (Dan) who builds a relationship and life with Sky however Dan is actually an undercover police officer aiming to give the police a head start in dealing with the political protests.

It's a brilliant story and gives a realistic perspective not only for Sky but also Dan and the struggles he went through. Whilst it is difficult to sympathise with Dan given what he does through the novel, I couldn't also help but empathise with an incredibly difficult position he was placed in and the impact it had upon him.

Would definitely recommend to everyone with an interest in this topic or who is familiar with the real life story.

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton, Coronet as well as Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Hodder, and Stoughton, for a copy Skylark by Alice O’Keefe.
Based on actual events the story centres around The Special Demonstration squad. Police Officers who went undercover and infiltrated protesters in the 1990’s.
Don’t get me wrong this is a well written story and its not a bad book. But I am not the targeted audience for this book and it wouldn’t be fair to give a proper review so I DNF’d this book at 37%.

4.5

This novel is inspired by real historical events with the names of those involved changed. In the mid 90’s The Special Demonstration Squad, a group of undercover metropolitan police officers infiltrated certain groups with some devastating consequences especially for some women. Daniel is UCO122, his task is to infiltrate a group run by ‘Rev’ which includes his close friend Skylark. They are a group of idealists and environmental protestors who want to change the world in their own unique way via raves, street parties and so on. Rev beliefs changing the world should be engaging and fun. The first encounter between Dan and warrior queen Skylark fizzes with an electrical charge between them and soon they are a couple. This is an acutely observed and beautifully written story of lies and betrayal.

I really like the way that Alice O’Keefe writes, she has a seemingly effortless way of pulling you into the storytelling and keeping you glued to pages. In this one you go through a whole journey of emotions and experience different moods along the way. In places it’s quite funny or wry with characters such as Sky’s marvellous mum making you smile. However, as the plot progresses things change and the tone becomes much darker which is seen clearly via some characters especially Dan and as Rev’s group becomes subsumed by extreme and more militant groups which mirrors exactly what happens in environmental activism. The impact of all the change on Sk’s relationship with Dan makes you feel sad, some anger as you keenly sense her confusion, fear and grief as her world tumbles as a house of cards. One can only imagine her turmoil once the operation is closed down. The stress and mental strain of undercover work is conveyed well too. All the characters involved are keenly observed, even minor players are deftly crafted. The writing throughout is vivid and often very colourful especially at the beginning as you see meetings, encounters or events happening as if in front of your very eyes. I love how the author uses capital letters to Reinforce Important Points (often with dry humour) and similarly with joining up words to suggestanidea!

Overall, the concept of the novel is excellent and you finish reading with an understanding of the impact of undercover operations on all lives involved. It’s depicts rapidly changing times both in the national and international environmental movement but also politically in the UK. It’s a very thought provoking, well researched and compelling book of worlds colliding and lives which will never be the same.

If you are interested to know more about the Special Demonstration Squad there are a number of good articles online such as The Guardian Newspaper and the BBC news website.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton/Coronet for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A stunning read a book that drew me in.a book where life,passion betrayal collides.So well written characters that come alive moments that shock.Will be recommending this unique gripping novel.#netgalley #hodderstoughton

Skylark, The new novel from the author of ON THE UP, Alice O'Keeffe

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction (Adult)

I LOVED this story. I'm old enough to remember many of the events the fictional ones here were based on, remember the scandal when the story of the SDS came out, and even recognise the character I think Suze is based on.
Its a story about what happens when ideals meet reality in a way.
Sky and Rev start off just wanting folk to be happy, to share that and their early successes get taken over by the more radical minded side. The Jez/Gaz type – those who are so sure that only They know whats best, that the Sky/Rev people are well meaning but not visionary enough to see the changes the Jez/Gazs feel are needed.
Some of the groups drift aside when things change, some more radical types join and slowly the aims change. I've been involved in groups, belong to a few campaigning groups, and it makes me wonder if my innocent wanting to change things for the better could be misinterpreted this way?
Suze and folk like her just want to make life better for kids and their families, especially those with special needs, but get caught up when centres become taken up as a “cause” - where people, companies, gov depts donate products, money, for the publicity they get, and then the cause becomes secondary to the Business its become.
Again, I remember all sorts of questions from the time about some of the events, how what was a non violent action got hijacked by so called members, and became very violent. I could feel Rev and Sky's confusion, sadness, disillusion when that happened, could see how Suze got caught up in business, lost sight of the original cause.

From my viewpoint I've always wondered why the people who set this up a) tacitly allowed folk to be duped into fake relationships, with an expiry date they had no idea about b) knowing human frailty that there were bound to be children born who would lose fathers once time was up c) didn't take into account the families – children – of the cops involved. They had to be married to become members of SDS. How on earth did their wives feel? Did they know what was going on, that their husbands were having relationships with other women, or were they just thinking they were working away on some hush job and never knew much about what actually happened? And the men, the cops who took part – didn't they think about what the effect on others was? And of course why were such minor groups targeted, they weren't all big organised groups out to cause mass destruction.

And this book made me look again at some of that. I'd read bits before once events were disclosed, and of course more recently when FOI act allowed publications ( heavily redacted) to be opened.
I'm still really angry of course, those poor families, used as experiments really, but I feel less judgmental about the cops involved. Well, the ones like Dan. There are of course some, that comes clear in the articles abut the time, that are totally unrepentant, convinced the ends justified the means. Those I do judge!
What made me feel differently about Dan was that he truly seemed to believe that what he was doing was essential – it made me wonder if perhaps the activists actions and aims had been exaggerated to get these guys onside? Then as he sees whats going on we can feel his views getting confused, that its not so much a bunch of organised cold-hearted terrorists, more that a few idealistic folk trying to encourage changes. Maybe if his marriage was more secure – but then who goes into work knowing they're going to cheat on their wife if they are really in love?
I really liked the conversations between Dan and his superior, could see how possibly his warnings, rather than treated as such could have been used to make the police point as they wanted, convince the funding guys they were needed etc.
Then the conversations with the psychologist at the end, made me understand Dan more.
Its a shameful period in British history that I suspect even now will never be fully opened out, and I'm not convinced that it wouldn't/couldn't happen again :-( So may lives destroyed – the folk who just wanted peaceful protest, the ladies who were duped, the kids and mothers who were left stranded, never knowing what happened the the partners/dads they loved, the men who had sen another side to the world, got confused, struggled with what they were doing and the poor wives and kids who had no idea what was really going on. So many people who lives were unutterably altered, the futures they should have had, the families and security they may have found, destroyed because a small group pf men decided they were disposable. I am so angry.
Its an amazing read, made me sad, angry, made me cry. There is no happy ending for those people affected, their lives were irredeemably changed because of a few men who were certain they had that right – in the name of The Greater Good of course – at least that's how they seemed to sell it. I know at some point I'll reread, because it was so very interesting. A cautionary tale of what can happen when a state department is not made accountable.

Stars: five, an amazing story, that really made me think, made me angry, moved me to tears.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

SKYLARK plunges the reader headfirst into a vivid, heady world where passion and betrayal collide. It's set in a moment and a movement that hasn't been explored enough in fiction - the idealistic protestors of the mid 90s, and the police officers who infiltrated them with devastating results. Beautifully-written, immersive and ultimately enraging, it’s a must-read for anyone who has ever wanted to change the world.