Dishonoured - Jem Tugwell

 

Oh! The audacity of the man! How could he do this to me? There was I, an innocent reader, thinking I had yet another psychological thriller, thinking I would figure it out by the end of chapter one, chapter three tops as I cut my way through the swathes of red herrings in reader-quick time. For I’ve read hundreds in this genre. I’m experienced!! Then Jem Tugwell goes and does this. What does he do? Oh, no, I’m not telling. But he takes this storyline, runs with it and then when you are least expecting it he turns the whole damn thing on its head and you just sit there open mouthed in disbelief.

But, I hear you ask, are you referring to the Jem Tugwell of iMe fame? Proximity and No Signal? Yes, dear reader, I am. But he’s left the dystopian nightmares behind and returned to a contemporary setting of diverse worlds, socially speaking, and he has genre-switched with alacrity and let rip with a novel that you might not want to put down.

Now, I won’t lie, I felt a twinge of disappointment when I received this book and realised it wasn’t an iMe story because I love Clive and Zoe. But I kind of wonder if the author anticipated that because there’s a nice little touch in the book and I’m saying no more! But here’s the blurb.

‘WE'RE ALL ONE MISTAKE FROM RUIN... Dan has worked hard for the perfect life. He has a loving wife, beautiful kids, a fabulous home and is a successful businessman. But one afternoon he steps onto a train with a stranger. It was a simple mistake... Four stops later, Dan is a criminal who has lost everything. Someone hates him enough to destroy him. Through a web of lies and deceit Dan battles to win his life back. Dishonoured is a compelling psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages. It's a new take on the familiar psychological thriller with a male protagonist and a cast of characters that will keep the reader guessing right to the very end. Perfect for readers of Lisa Jewell, Teresa Driscoll and Erin Kelly.’

So you begin with an interesting juxtaposition, riches to rags, that allows for some interesting character exposition. There is a dual narrative with some first person dialogue from the protagonist and third person from other characters. It’s a device that works particularly well in this genre because you know that the flawed narrator is almost requisite in a psychological thriller. But can you spot any flaws? There’s some social comment about perceptions and how we treat people. Windows into two different worlds, rich and poor. But as the author says in the afterword it’s a book about how one event can destroy the dynamic of a life, irrevocably. Sliding door moments. It’s a well paced narrative that carries the reader along. The characters are developed but enigmatic enough to keep your curiosity piqued. A tight plot that will have you racing to read on to the end.  And you just won’t believe the twist!

It’s a perfect book to envelop you on a winter’s evening as you let yourself accompany Dan as he spirals downward from his affluent, ostensibly secure existence, into a world of suspicion and dead ends. My favourite character? Has to be Anomaly. Anyone with a name like that and skills like hers gets my vote! It got me wondering about her future? Who is she? What does she do? Oh no, you still won’t get me! Read the book! But I will say this, with computer skills like hers surely there’s a place in the iMe world! ;-)

I always think it’s a brave move when a writer switches genres. But I also like it. I like to see a writer show diversity. For me it cements their place as an author to be reckoned with. And if this book doesn’t garner Jem Tugwell a whole legion of new fans I’ll be very surprised.

My thanks to Raquel Elias of Serpentine Books for my gifted proof.