No Ordinary Day

On the 17th of April 1984 shots were fired from within the Libyan Embassy in London at demonstrators outside hitting,amongst others WPC Yvonne Fletcher who was monitoring the crowd in the friendly and efficient manner that she was known for. Colleague PC John Murray rushed to her aid despite the danger to himself and accompanied her in the ambulance to the hospital where she tragically passed away. Before she did Murray promised her that he'd bring the culprits to justice, the beginning of a labyrinthine 37 year journey that a lesser man would have given up on out of frustration very quickly. Confused by the decisions of people in power who showed no genuine interest in finding WPC Fletcher's killer,or killers, to the point of obstruction Murray doggedly continued his search at no little risk to his own wellbeing and mental health.
Murray agreed to let author Matt Johnson,himself an ex policeman, write the story of his search and what Johnson's research uncovered is truly mind-blowing, not to mention disturbing and ,yes,I'd go as far as to say disgusting. I was left open-mouthed at what PC Murray was put through on that fateful day by those who should have known better, angry at the machinations and illegality of 2 Prime Ministers that bordered on treason.
While this is a non-fiction book I won't say too much as there are as many twists,turns, shady deals and hidden agendas as in any of John Le Carre's books, most of them I strongly suspect that will be news to most readers................and quite shocking.
This is a powerful book that will make many readers think twice about what they know about this country, those still believing that politicians act in the interests of the people of this country and that our Intelligence services are "the good guys" are in for an education. I never thought I could have more contempt for Thatcher and Blair, I was wrong, I was under the impression that MI5's remit was to protect the people of this country from terrorists, it seems that not only in Northern Ireland that came with the caveat,"when it suits".
I'm guessing,I'm hoping.that this book will cause a storm,there are people still in politics today whose behaviour should be questioned at the very least,we all know by now that them being held to account won't happen but they at least deserve the embarrassment.
An excellent book, impeccably researched. John Murray is a truly exceptional man, Matt Johnson clearly and concisely stitches together a very complex story.

RIP WPC Yvonne Fletcher.

No Ordinary Day tells the tragic yet fascinating story of the death of PC Yvonne Fletcher at the hands of a lone Libyan terrorist gunman on 17 April 1984 and dissects the myriad people involved in bringing about the incident who for a long time were both faceless and nameless. It shows just how nefarious politicians, the elite and those that hold some sort of power can be and how self-interest and agendas are more important to many than the lives of others. The first chapter introduces "Fletch", as she was affectionately known by her colleagues, her route into the police force, what type of person she was and what those who worked with her thought about her.

The second chapter is when the incident is recalled and the book begins to read like a thriller except sadly this is real life with real consequences for everyone present that day. From then on, the action and investigation never let up, with it taking you through the unspeakable tragedy leading up to that day, the incident and its aftermath as those involved or impacted by the shooting attempt to not only come to terms with what happened to them but also seek answers. It is one of those books for readers who like to learn the truth behind the headlines; to discover the deeply rooted corruption and malevolent agendas lurking just under the surface of the "official" news and press/police/political statements both at the time and since.

The research included is impeccably undertaken informing every single page and the rich true-to-life description is another aspect that makes this highly readable. You will have to remind yourself repeatedly that the dark undertones throughout the story are based on complete fact. It very much embodies the adage "truth is stranger than fiction". Thrilling, compulsive and engrossing from beginning to end, I would recommend this to those who enjoy stories with plenty of thrills, mystery, suspense, espionage and political intrigue as well as those who read nonfiction and/or true crime.