‘Private Eye meets Agatha Christie’
– Not In My Name
Not In My Name by Michael Coolwood will be published tomorrow March 20th with Claret Press. Described as ‘witty, political and provocative’, it is a new adult mystery and is based on real events.
I have an extract to share with you all which I do hope you enjoy.
[ About the Book ]
What if the British people had been given a vote about invading Iraq in 2003. And the referendum split the nation with a 52% to 48% yes vote.
A young activist is beaten to death after an anti-war demonstration. The police say her murder was random. It wasn’t. More activists will be murdered.
The activists only trust each other. Maybe that trust has already been betrayed.
[ Extract ]
Five days ago, my country had lost its senses. Five days ago, on the 24th of June 2003, the referendum result had been announced. 52% of the voting public had answered the question ‘Should the UK intervene in Iraq due to Saddam Hussein’s refusal to disarm?’ with a ‘yes’. 48% had answered ‘no’. The referendum question and its campaign had made it all sound painless and easy. Not a single mention of bombing villages, schools or hospitals.
We had been promised that the vote would be meaningful – the UK wouldn’t intervene if the public voted ‘no’ – but the Americans hadn’t wanted to wait. The US military had begun Operation Iraqi Freedom nearly two months before the vote, on the 2nd of April, bringing troops, armour and warplanes to Iraqi soil. As far as the ‘yes’ campaign – the pro-war campaign – was concerned, Saddam Hussein hadn’t been found and neither had the weapons of mass destruction. So the job wasn’t done, and we needed to wade in even deeper.
The big three political parties in the UK were all split. Only the smaller parties like the Greens and the SNP were able to maintain their coherence. The Labour Party was so split on the issue of war that it couldn’t risk a vote in the House of Commons. The referendum was simply a mechanism for the government to get what it wanted. It was never about taking it to the people. The ‘yes’ side was aided by an incompetent opposition and the press, who cared about helping their allies in the ‘yes’ camp, or staying doggedly neutral in the face of this looming catastrophe. This wasn’t how our democracy was supposed to work…
Purchase Link ~ Not In My Name
[ Bio ]
Michael Coolwood writes feminist cosy mysteries. His work is deeply political and his characters are driven by a desire to make the world a better place. This is partly due to a respect for passionate, caring people, and partly because cuts to the health service in the UK have ensured he can barely leave the house due to his swamp of health problems.
Website – coolwoodbooks.com
