Book Excerpt
Gransha
Hospital, in whose secure unit her father had been placed, sat on the outskirts
of Derry city, alongside the River Foyle, nestled in the shadow of the Foyle
Bridge. The bridge, a kilometer-long structure, had been designed with an arch
high enough over the river to allow access for ships to pass under in order to
reach the city docks. However, soon after completion, the docks were then moved
north of the bridge, and the majestic arch’s function became purely aesthetic.
The height
of the bridge made it a frequent spot for suicide attempts in the city. In the
previous decades, over five hundred people had already lost their lives to the
river, more than ninety from the Foyle Bridge alone. If there was a body in the
water so close to the bridge, Lucy felt fairly certain that it was as a result
of a suicide jump.
She went
with the orderly, down from the block in which her father was being held,
cutting across the grounds, onto the field running down to the train tracks
along the river’s edge. She pulled out her mobile and called the sighting in to
the Strand Road station as she ran. Doing so would not only alert the Police
Service of Northern Ireland, but, more importantly, also Foyle Search and
Rescue, a charity group in the city, made up of volunteers who patrolled the
river and assisted in recovery operations. That the city needed such an
organization was a reflection of the frequency with which people went in the
river.
As they
approached the river’s edge, she could see a group had already gathered, most
dressed in either blue or white scrubs, suggesting that they were staff from
the hospital. The air was heavy with the stench from the water, the odor of the
exposed sediment banks along the river’s edge having built all day, ballooning
in the intense heat. Even now, despite the fact it was past nine, the evening
was still humid enough that the effort of jogging down through the field had
caused Lucy to sweat.
The orderly
led her through, pushing those gathered aside, announcing that she was “the
police.”
Lucy
scanned the water, the glare of the evening light shattering on its surface,
forcing her to shield her eyes with her hand.
“There,”
the orderly said, pointing up to her left.
She followed
the line of his arm and finally saw the arm and head of a man breaching the
river.
“Hello. Can
you hear me?” she called, but there was no response save the rhythmic rise and
fall of the man’s arm on the water, as if the river itself were drawing breath.
About the Book
Title: Forgotten Ones
Author: Brian McGilloway
Genre: Mystery
From the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling
author of LITTLE GIRL LOST comes a brand-new thriller featuring Lucy
Black – a twisting, gripping story of secrets and lies, perfect for fans
of LOUISE PENNY and TANA FRENCH.
The body of an elderly man is hauled out
of the rushing water of the River Foyle, cold dead. Detective Lucy
Black is called in to investigate when it becomes evident that this was
not a suicide: the man’s body was embalmed before it ever entered the
water.
Confounded and exhausted, Lucy heads
home to review the case in quiet; but there will be no rest for her
tonight. She’s barely in the front door when a neighbor knocks because
his wife’s sister has been attacked and they need her help.
As a string of strange crimes is
unspooled throughout the city, Lucy is pulled in countless different
directions… until she realizes there may be something dark and dangerous
connecting everything.
Soulful and suspenseful, featuring one
of the most appealing characters in suspense fiction, THE FORGOTTEN ONES
is a novel to take your breath away.
Author Bio
Brian McGilloway was born in Derry,
Northern Ireland. After studying English at Queen’s University, Belfast,
he took up a teaching position in St Columb’s College in Derry, where
he was Head of English. His first novel, Borderlands, published by Macmillan New Writing, was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2007 and was hailed by The Times as “one of (2007’s) most impressive debuts.” The second novel in the series, Gallows Lane, was shortlisted for the 2009 Irish Book Awards/Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year. The third Devlin, Bleed a River Deep, was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of their Best Books of 2010. He is the author of the New York Times
bestselling Lucy Black series, all to be published by Witness. Brian
lives near the Irish borderlands with his wife and their four children.
Links
HarperCollins: HarperCollins
Amazon: Amazon
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