Average Bufph Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Emmanuel Carrère
2001
'On the Saturday morning of January 9th 1993, while Jean Claude Romand was killing his wife and children, I was with mine in a parent-teacher meeting.'
Who could have imagined Romand as a murderer? He was, after all, a noted doctor at the World Health Organisation, a groundbreaking researcher with connections to international humanitarian figures, a financial wizard entrusted with his in-laws' life savings, and a loving son who called his parents every evening to say goodnight. In truth, Romand had no medical degree; no job; he knew no one of any influence; he had spent his in-laws' money. And when a relative went to break the terrible news of the murder of his wife and children to Romand's parents, they too were dead - murdered by the stranger who had been their son.
This book really took me on a wild ride through the murky world of political intrigue and violence. Byman's got a way of making you feel like you're right there in the thick of it with the operatives and the targets. It's a tale of survival, deception, and the raw power of ideology. I ain't much for political thrillers, but this one made me appreciate the sheer guts it takes to navigate such a dangerous landscape. It's a real eye-opener about the kind of courage it takes to fight for what you believe in.
