A brilliant mystery thriller with interesting characters and historical events. I really enjoyed Robert's book The Art of Invisible Detection and I look forward to reading more of his work.

Robert Goddard is a thriller writer with a particular skill at writing mysteries where the past remains entangled with today. ‘This is the Night They Come for You’ features Algerian police Superintendent Mouloud Taleb; believable, likeable, he’s the type of character you instantly root for.
The story starts today in Algiers as Taleb, sweating in his dingy un-air-conditioned office, considers approaching retirement. But when Wassim Zarbi, a former agent convicted of corruption, is released from prison and then disappears, it is feared he is reuniting with old colleague Nadir Laloul. Events in Paris in 1961 come alive again and Taleb is pulled into the dangerous search for Laloul, Zarbi and the truth of a cold case murder.The history and peoples of Algeria and France are entwined and Goddard puts at the heart of his story a shadowy organisation in Algeria named ‘hizb franca’, the ‘party of France’, dedicated to undermining the success of the fledgling Algerian republic. A small practical note, it would have been helpful to have the Glossary at the front of the Kindle edition rather than at the back. And, for a novice at Algerian politics as I am, a short historical context would also be useful. As a character in the book says, ‘No one learns anything from history in Algeria. They just keep repeating it in ever more exaggerated forms.’
There are two strands to the story and I admit to temporary confusion about who is who, on which side, in the first half of the book. But Goddard portrays a situation and politics disrupted, with truths sewn together by deception. I trusted Goddard to make it all clear, and he does. The various allegiances become aligned as the story progresses, until the twists occur.
Taleb finds himself assigned to work with Souad Hidouchi, an agent from the Algerian secret service. Neither trusts the other, unsure of their unstated objectives. It is a delight to watch the development of their relationship, their suspicions, the small details of friendship, the willingness to take a risk on placing trust. In comparison, the second strand featuring Stephen Gray and Suzette Fontaine, is less dynamic. Stephen has dedicated his life to uncovering the truth about his sister Harriet who disappeared in Paris in 1961. Suzette meanwhile has received a strange call from a Swiss solicitor. A document, claimed to be a memoir written in Algeria by her bookseller father, Nigel Dalby, tells the truth of what happened in Paris in 1961.
As Goddard alternates the viewpoints with excerpts from Dalby’s typewritten manuscript, at times the reader knows more than the characters. But the characters are not all telling the truth, motivations and secrets are hidden, and Goddard juggles the tensions and unveilings like a master.
A thoroughly enjoyable historical thriller. Knowing little of Algerian politics, it’s so good to read fiction that makes me turn the pages while teaching me something new. A small design note, I hated the cover which trivialises the subject matter of the novel and is befitting a young adult title.
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I have read one other book by the author and was not impressed by his portrayal of a Japanese widow who ends up playing detective. Here, the story was set in Algiers with a prominent focus on the political unrest and the main narration being split between an Englishman and an Algerian Detective.
I found yet another piece of recent history that I was unaware of when I picked this up. Even if you disregard the central plot and the mystery, the background and the horrific details that go with it made me aware of yet another piece of the world's political situation.
Algiers has a turbulent history. One of the detectives left from an older time is being tasked with finding an old man who has escaped police custody. I am not sure how accurate most of the information or behaviour of the locals was, but even if it was partly true, the entire story sent shivers through me. It paints a very uncomfortable picture for the average individual. No peace of mind or stability exists in any but the highest in power.
A long time ago, two men were convicted by the then ruling party and sentenced. Only one served his time before being let out to die in peace. This man has absconded from heavy police supervision, leaving many with multiple feelings, ranging from suspicion to embarrassment. Then begins an unlikely partnership which forms a pretty solid foundation to carry the rest of the story. On the other side, the Englishman has a tenuous connection to the country and has suspicions about what happened to his sister all those years ago. He is approached by a woman to talk about certain pieces of information that have come to her. It is then that we delve properly into the past and learn what the political complications were and, on the fictional side, where these facts aligned with our plot.
It does not have the kind of ending I usually appreciate, but in this case, it is hard to see anything else make sense.
I enjoyed the book because of the new situations that I read about and about all those grey characters that provide a significant amount of tension to an already strained situation. It was also a pleasant surprise to like a book and the writing of an author I had previously not liked a book of!
I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction with adventure and secrets in it.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is based on my own reading experience.

This is the Night They Come For You by Robert Goddard is set in Algeria, France and England.

Algerian police are starting to look into a crime that takes the police involved back to a troubled time, and looking for a former agent of the Algerian secret service.

This is a story that looks at the politics and issues between Algeria and France, whilst also being a thriller.  It has flashbacks to 1960s and also current times.  It was an enjoyable read, and one that kept me guessing.

This is the Night They Come For You was published on 24th March 2022, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

I'm afraid I couldn't find any links for you to follow Robert Goddard!

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House.

An enjoyable thriller, but no more than I would expect from the pen of Mr Goddard.

A superbly plotted tale and the relationship between Taleb and his secret service partner Hidouchi is one of the major highlights. The history lesson received about the Algerian independence struggle is fascinating and left me interested into researching the subject further.

My only criticism is it took pretty much the first half of the book to get going, but the 2nd half makes up for it if you are persistent. The ending is well worth the wait!

Worth reading although definitely not my favourite Robert Goddard novel of all.

Stephen Gray has always wanted to discover the truth behind his sister’s disappearance more than fifty years before. So when he receives a visitor from Algeria, who claims to have information that might help him, he sets off on a journey that will put not only his life at risk. Will the truth be worth the devastation he causes?

In typical Robert Goddard fashion, This is the Night They Come For You is a complicated plot, with many different strands, both now and back in 60s Algeria. Somehow he manages to weave all the pieces together by the end, without any major holes, which is quite an achievement. Stephen isn’t necessarily the easiest character to empathise with, as his single-minded pursuit for the truth causes problems for those around him.

The historical aspects of the book, telling the story of the horrific massacre of Algerian protestors in Paris in 1963, and the War of Independence that followed in the 90s, bring the tale to life in a dramatic way. My knowledge of Algeria prior to this is the Day of the Jackal, and Robert Goddard adds far more gritty reality to the situation.

Enjoyable read, as usual.

Incredible to learn that one of the key incidents in this engaging novel is based on a shocking incident in France the 1960’s. Double agents, triple agents, subterfuge and trickery. This has it all. Robert Goddard is back on form and this hugely enjoyable book proves it.

I am a huge fan of Robert Goddard and again he uses his gift of storytelling to weave a complicated tale of political intrigue, blackmail, murder set against the backdrop of Algerias fight for independence from France. Well researched and fast paced, the novel did not disappoint.

I love fictional books that use historic facts and this is an excellent example.

Intense and well researched with brilliant characters who make unlikely relationships this book was very enjoyable.

Well researched, well written and nicely plotted - this was the first book by the author that I've read but will be seeking out more. I appreciated the gentle humour around the characters but this is every bit an enjoyable read.

For Superintendent Taleb, life is just about getting through to retirement. His time in the Algerian police has been busy but corruption means that he no longer really fits in. Then he is asked to partner with an agent from the feared secret service to look into the disappearance of a recently released prisoner. Suddenly Taleb is thrown back into a complex plot dating from the days of Algerian Independence. Meanwhile Suzette has been sent a document purporting to be a confession her father has made about his involvement in the death of a French politician and a missing british woman. All are set on a collision course.
I loved Goddard's last book but the quirky nature of that story was definitely missing here. This is more of a straightforward thriller and is incredibly complex to follow. However I did really like the setting and learning about the Algerian war of independence and the behaviour of the French which still has repercussions today.

Having enjoyed The Fine Art of Invisible Detection I was looking forward to settling down with a glass of wine and immersing myself in this latest Goddard novel. The first section reinforced this sense of anticipated enjoyment but, sad to say, I found the going after the carefully crafted beginning something of a disappointment. It could be the subject matter - having lived through the period when France and Algeria were convulsed by the consequences of the violence inflicted on both sides during the struggle for independence it’s not a happy reminder. Equally, it could be the author’s unusual reliance on extended dialogue to carry the narrative. For whatever reason, however, this just wasn’t the book for me. This isn’t to say that there are inherent problems with the storytelling; the narrative methods didn’t suit this reader, but are perfectly within the conventional expectations for a novel that weaves disparate times, characters and settings together. The beautifully crafted descriptions that are a feature of Godard’s writing are also present and welcome to the reader. For those unfamiliar with the events of the period it will be a useful lesson in recent history that is already slipping from memory.

Robert Goddard is on top form as he weaves an intricate tale linking the independence of Algeria in 1962 with events in the 1990s and the present day.
He really gets into the history of events and the effect they had on the characters in this book.
Taleb is a likeable hero and this is one of Goddard's best novels. No mean feat as he is a consistently good writer of page turning thrillers.

Not a part of history I know anything about, so as well as a fairly good read, this was an education. Not completely my cup of tea, but a worthwhile read. Very much plot based but with some memorable characters. Superintendent Taleb for one. Some moments of humour especially with Abderrahmane and the parrot. #netgalley #thisisthenighttheycomeforyou

Robert Goddard's latest historical novel based in Algeria and France from the 1960’s is a superb read. Fans of his books will not be disappointed.

This was a very detailed story about the atrocities perpetrated against the Algerian people by the French during the time of De Gaulle. There is a lot of espionage and counter espionage by both the French and Algerians. A very sad period of history which is not completely resolved. Fascinating story.

This is my first Robert Goddard book, so I didn’t really know what to expect. From the cartoon-like cover and a very brief read of the blurb, I sort of thought it might be a cosy police procedural set in Algeria, but I was wrong.

In fact, This is the Night They Come For You is a tense, pacy political thriller which kept me hooked while I learned about the bloody history of Algerian independence from France. Very enjoyable with a satisfying conclusion. I’ve now gone and bought a number of books from Goddard’s backlist to keep me entertained this summer.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This is a complex but fascinating thriller spanning the decades, as well as Algiers, France and England.

At first, the storylines seem numerous, but they soon start to come together as one character after another starts to piece the truth together...

It begins on a hot day in Algiers, with Superintendent Taleb - looking forward to retirement - being called to work on a case that's effectively a poisoned chalice. He's wearied by the thought of working with secret service agent Agent Hidouchi but also intrigued by the mystery - a chance to find a criminal who fled the country years before.

When I picked it up, it wasn't a page-turner at first. It took me a while to embed myself into the history and the storylines (there are multiple POVs). But towards the end, I just couldn't stop reading and had to stay up late to see it through. When will I learn I'm an adult who needs sleep when I have responsibilities the next day? Not when I'm reading a Goddard, that's for sure.

Robert Goddard has done it again! A complex, plot, with colourful characters to drive his latest clever thriller.
We have several timelines to follow and jump back and forth from chapter to chapter, requiring focus from the reader. But this is not a hardship with such an enjoyable novel.
The story commences with two simultaneous events; in Tangiers, Superintendent Taleb is assigned to investigate the disappearance of one Wassim Zarbi, a former prisoner and embezzler. Meanwhile in Hampshire, Suzette Fontaine contains Stephen Gray, for the first time in several decades. Suzette is seeking his help to verify the veracity of a diary said to belong to her father. And if true, the diary not only explains the disappearance of Stephen's sister but several high-profile murders.
The two cases prove to be linked and the resulting events are far more dangerous and explosive than Taleb could have imagined.
Pacey, unexpected twists with fascinating glimpses into French and Algerian history, turn off your phone, sit down and enjoy this book.

This is a superb and well researched thriller from Robert Goddard, a blend of fact and fiction, that immerses the reader in the horrors and blood soaked history between France and Algeria. Nigel Dalby is a witness to the 17 October 1961 Paris torture and massacre of protesting Algerians by an out of control police force, throwing huge numbers into the River Seine, a blood bath that later leads to him being caught up in a nightmare scenario that results in him having to move to Algeria and running the Chelifere bookshop. After his death, his daughter, Suzette is asked to verify that a 'confession' apparently left behind by him is false, for which she will receive a small financial reward. Wanting to know more about her father, she seeks to determine the truth of the matter, going to Hampshire to meet Stephen Gray, the brother of Harriet who went missing in Paris in the 1960s, he has devoted his life to trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance.

Superintendent Mouloud Taleb is facing retirement, when he finds himself tasked with locating the escaped elderly Wassim Zarbi, freed from a long prison sentence for his part in the embezzlement, the Sonatrach fraud, his partner in crime, Nadir Laloul, managing to take the money and get out of the country. However, Taleb must work with the feared security services in the shape of the young ambitious agent, Souad Hidouchi, an surprising friendship and trust builds between them. It is an investigation where ignorance is dangerous, but knowledge even more dangerous, into a past in which there are powerful vested interests in Algeria, where the rules of life are that the absolute truth is a suicide note, and France, that will do everything to ensure the truth remains buried, including what lay behind the carnage and terror of the internecine strife that plagued Algeria in the 1990s.

Goddard provides a harrowing and insightful look at the complex past and present with a France that could not accept that its colonial rule in Algeria came to an end with independence, intent on punitive and destabilisation strategies whilst continuing to profit from the oil and gas production in the Sahara. This is a powerful, spellbinding and riveting read, both informative and educational in documenting a history that few are aware of, illustrated, for example, by Souad's shock on discovering Algeria's traumatic history with France, the bone deep murderous corruption, where the only difference between convicted criminals and unconvicted ones are that the unconvicted run the country. A stellar thriller that I recommend highly. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.