'You know you're in the presence of an expert when you read The Siege. A gripping debut novel.' Jeffrey Archer

Nine hostages. Ten hours. One chance to save them all.

Lee James Connor has found his purpose in life: to follow the teachings of far-right extremist leader, Nicholas Farmer. So when his idol is jailed, he comes up with the perfect plan: take a local immigrant support group hostage until Farmer is released.

Grace Wheatley is no stranger to loneliness having weathered the passing of her husband, whilst being left to raise her son alone. The local support group is her only source of comfort. Until the day Lee James Connor walks in and threatens the existence of everything she's ever known.

Superintendent Alex Lewis may be one of the most experienced hostage negotiators on the force, but there's no such thing as a perfect record. Still haunted by his last case, can he connect with Connor - and save his nine hostages - before it's too late?

'A masterly, gripping tale of a siege, written with a true voice of authority.' - Peter James

About the Author
JOHN SUTHERLAND is a father of three who lives with his wife and children in south London. For more than twenty-five years he served as an officer in the Metropolitan Police, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent before his retirement on medical grounds in 2018. John is a sought after public speaker and commentator on a broad range of issues, who regularly appears on TV and radio and writes for major newspapers. His first book, BLUE, written and published while he was still serving in the Met, was a Sunday Times bestseller. It tells the remarkable stories of his policing life and describes his long road to recovery following the serious nervous breakdown that ended his operational policing career.

Reviews
You know you're in the presence of an expert when you read The Siege. A gripping debut novel. * Jeffrey Archer *
A masterly, gripping tale of a siege, written with a true voice of authority. * Peter James *
A compelling insight into the mind of a real police negotiator. * Kate London *
This is like no other thriller you'll ever read. Sutherland immerses you into a nightmare where life or death hangs on his main character's every word. Before you know it you are not only empathising with a hostage and cop but the kidnapper too. Few can write drama and characters as skilfully as this. * Graham Bartlett *
Gritty, authentic and unputdownable. * Bear Grylls *
I barely stopped to breathe - what a stellar start to this new series. * Clare Mackintosh *
A searingly gripping page-turner told with real verve and with the unmistakable authenticity someone who's been there, seen it and done it for real. * Neil Lancaster *
Packed with expert knowledge and a shrewd eye for human frailty... the tension never flags * DAILY MAIL *
Conveys with compassion and understanding the unvarnished reality of police work today * THE TIMES *
[Sutherland has] poured all of his experience into the story, showcasing an engaging and gripping ability to keep the tension high while pushing the story forward * ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS *
A full-on, dynamic debut thriller featuring a hostage situation, it quite simply smacks of authenticity * LOVEREADING *



Book Information
ISBN 9781398707566
Author John Sutherland
Format Hardback
Page Count 368
Imprint Orion
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 580g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 162mm * 34mm