I am delighted to share my review today of Death of Union by Andrew Wood. This book is a mix of past and present, fact and fiction and one that I really enjoyed.
My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my copy of this book from Palamedes PR.
“Death of a Union” is a gripping geopolitical thriller set against the tumultuous backdrop of the UK’s infamous 1984 miners’ strike. George McDonald is a union leader, on the verge of exposing staggering corruption within Arthur Scargill’s National Union of Miners, where millions have vanished. However, sinister forces, including a shadowy KGB agent and fellow union leaders, conspire against him, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown. Fast forward four decades and Scotland is on the verge of becoming an independent nation under dynamic new leadership, transforming the SNP from a joke into a powerhouse of positive change. But this new direction leads Scotland into uncharted territory, forming unconventional alliances, particularly with China. These alliances draw the ire of Whitehall and Washington, triggering alarms on both sides of the Atlantic. As the political landscape intensifies, MI5 reopens the Pandora’s box of George McDonald’s corruption case. The echoes of the past resonate in the present, thrusting Scotland’s First Minister into a web of intrigue and peril. Amidst political manoeuvring, covert operations, and the weight of untold secrets, “Death of a Union” becomes a riveting tale of power, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
MY REVIEW
I can remember seeing things on the news in 1984/5 about the miner’s strikes, I can remember watching some of the battles between the miners and the police. But, I was only a teen at the time so I didn’t really understand what this was completely about. Since then I have picked up things and read things. This book fills in some more blanks and the author has mixed fact with fiction to make an interesting and well-paced story.
The book is set over two timelines. That of the miner’s strikes in 84/85 and also a present-day setting in Scotland. The 80s is focused on George Macdonald, his role starts in the mines but then he gradually finds himself as a union man and on the committee. He rubs shoulders with Arthur Scargill and other influential figures. He doesn’t understand how those further up in the union have flash cars and homes, yet he is just about keeping his own battered car on the road. The miners who are striking are not coping well, some are literally starving or unable to pay the rent, they either have to lose everything or go back to work.
The present-day timeline is of a widow who is taking on her dead husband’s mantle, Maggie McGowan may be new in the political ring, but she has a good business head on her shoulders. She is not going to be spoken down to, she will hold her own as she steps into the arena. She has to hold her nerve and show that she is for the people of Scotland, this will take some doing as she is considered to be very wealthy, and most people do not have the money. But, she does have a background that shows how she was brought up and raised.
I really liked this tale of two parts, the majority of my attention was more on the miner’s strike as this is something I wanted to know more about. The present-day setting is good, but it took e a while to understand the relevance of it. This section was good and it was more current and interesting to read, it did provide the link and also a chance for things to move forward further.
The tensions between the strikers, the union leaders and the police were well put. The struggles that the miners went through and also the decisions of those to go back to work were interesting and with the corruption added in made for a thrilling read.
This is a good book and one that I really enjoyed, it is a mix of two stories and each is linked, but they also show how the politics of the day can shape decision-making. Anything political is going to leave me thinking of corruption and conspiracy and this book is another one that backs those thoughts up.
If you want a book that is a thriller, historical fiction, or political thriller that reaches around the globe and brings in foreign powers, then this is a good book to have on your list. I would happily recommend this one.
Check out the stops on the Blog tour…
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