A Time to Lie

An explosive, fast-paced espionage thriller for fans of Frank Gardner and Mick Herron.

‘Dark and twisted, A Time to Lie is a tense and timely novel’ Adam Hamdy

A pulse-pounding thrill-ride’ Chris Whitaker

A LONG-BURIED BODY.
On the morning of the Tory Party conference, the bones of a young woman’s hand are discovered in a London building site.

A DIVISIVE PRIME MINISTER.
Prime Minister Robin Sandford is accused of killer her. With his career on the brink of ruin, he enlists the unofficial help of MI5. A decision which leads him into a new world of espionage, mass executions and murder.

A PLOT TO BRING HIM DOWN…
The deeper he goes, the more treacherous the game becomes. And if he fails to expose the truth, the whole country will pay the price…

‘A pulse-pounding thrill-ride’ Chris Whitaker

‘Dark and twisted, a tense and timely novel’ Adam Hamdy

‘Masterful … I was completely absorbed’ Daily Record

‘Brims with tension’ Sunday Post

“'A Prime Minister with a murky past, a gruesome discovery and dark intrigue make A Time to Lie a topical read. Simon Berthon takes readers on an insightful journey through corridors of power walked by those with terrible secrets. Dark and twisted, A Time to Lie is a tense and timely novel' Adam Hamdy 'A pulse-pounding thrill-ride that hooked me from the chilling opening, A Time To Lie delivers on every, explosive level' Chris Whitaker 'Utterly gripping from the first chapter to the unexpected ending; full of the backstabbing and deception of political life in which no one - even long-term friends - can truly be trusted. A thriller with more twists and turns than a mountain climb on the Tour de France' Gavin Esler Praise for Simon Berthon 'Fast-paced, thrilling and uncomfortably credible' Ross Armstrong, author of The Girls Beneath 'Highly enjoyable. Edge of the seat stuff!' Simon Booker, author of Kill Me Twice 'An excellent first book by a writer who knows his stuff. I won't write any spoilers but this is a tense and exciting thriller with a massive twist at the end. Highly recommended' Greville W (Netgalley) 'A stunning debut novel ... It could not be more timely' Gavin Esler”

‘Classy novel. Simon Berthon is a deft guide to the darker recesses of a fictional British state. A well-crafted, informed thriller’ Financial Times

‘For those seeking a light break from real political intrigue, I recommend new political thriller A Time to Lie by distinguished TV producer Simon Berthon. A light summer read, it’s an amusingly accurate portrayal of modern politics and journalism’ Michael Crick

‘Entertaining and shocking. Full of good characters and interesting relationships, this is not only a clever thriller but also an indictment of the way the UK’s political system works’ Literary Review

‘A pleasantly thrilling read … the scene setting and tension building is masterful … I was completely absorbed’ Daily Record

‘With deception at every turn, Berthon delivers masterful character development amid a tangle of sub-plots that both disguise and enrich the main story arc. Cleverly paced and meticulously planned, A Time To Lie will have you racing toward the ending, where politics and journalism collide in a bid to uncover the truth’ Press Association

‘Brims with tension . . . Masterful characterisation and a maze of sub-plots enrich this cleverly paced thriller’ Sunday Post

"A brilliant book . . . wonderful, indulgent, devilishly entertaining . . . there’s a truthfulness, an authenticity . . . a rip-roaring read, it’s going to cause much sleep deprivation” Mark Dolan, Talk Radio.

‘One of five big releases … A political thriller about a corrupt prime minister embroiled in a murder scandal’ Independent

‘An insightful journey through corridors of power walked by those with terrible secrets. Dark and twisted, A Time to Lie is a tense and timely novel’ Adam Hamdy

‘A pulse-pounding thrill-ride that hooked me from the chilling opening, A Time To Lie delivers on every, explosive level’ Chris Whitaker

‘Utterly gripping from the first chapter to the unexpected ending’ Gavin Esler

Simon Berthon has won awards for his work on World in Action for which he was deputy editor. He has produced documentaries for Secret History and Dispatches.

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