Simon conway's fourth novel is named after a stretch of greenery in Washington, dc. A gripping, genre-bending fusion of police procedural and political thriller, it pulls the reader into a story of murder and betrayal amid a conspiracy to develop military bio-engineering. Mr Conway, whose previous book, "A Loyal Spy", was set in Afghanistan, writes with verve and an insider's confidence. A former British army officer and director of Landmine Action, he knows both the murky arms trade and the world of shadows. He takes a gamble by having two protagonists. Harriet "Harry" Armstrong is a British former police protection officer marooned in the American capital while her journalist husband roams the world. Michael Freeman is a black detective married to an ultra-aspi-rational political wannabe who is seduced by the city's power and glamour. Mr Conway maintains a fast pace, and the book's double point of view skilfully highlights the reach and power of the dark forces involved.
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