Breathe

Remarkably accomplished … the most appealing, original protagonist I’ve read for some time … Donald’s depiction of the city’s thickening gloom is splendidly evocative … A very impressive debut’ - Observer

A brilliant book, an extraordinary mix of fiction and fact so real it will make your skin crawl. The sights, sounds, grit and desperation of postwar London hang over every step into the poisonous mysteries of the fog. Close the windows, pull up the duvet and keep the light on.

Dominick Donald is an exceptional writer. His depiction of post-war London is beautifully detailed, as are his descriptions of the lethal fogs that left the city gasping for breath. On top of that he has peopled his nail-biting story with a rich variety of characters, many of them coppers, who might easily have stepped out of a Dickens novel. Gripping to the last page, it’s a mystery unlike any other I’ve read.

Dominick Donald’s portrayal of the difficulties and dangers faced by Londoners is superb … Breathe is a hugely impressive debut. - The Times

An outstanding debut … Donald combines historical events and fictional characters to superb effect, in a novel that deserves to win prizes. - The Sunday Times, Crime Book of the Month

This subtly woven mixture of fiction and fact, which partly draws on the notorious case of 10 Rillington Place and the serial killer Reg Christie, casts a magical spell, and even includes a moving love story. It is a stunning debut from a former academic, security expert and journalist. You can smell the fog and feel the breath being sucked out of your body as you struggle to understand what is happening in the darkness - Daily Mail

This debut will keep you absorbed for nights on end … Dominick Donald combines tangy depiction of ration-era London with a strong historical context, featuring among many vividly realised scenes, a chase through the Underground that will haunt your commute for weeks. - Metro

The combination of thriller plot with pervasive moral uncertainty reminded me at times of le Carre. Historically fascinating, too. All in all, this is one of the finest debuts I’ve read for a while.