Lee James Connor is a disaffected young man, still haunted by the death of his mother, who exists in a twilight world of the internet and skunk cannabis, cut off from society. Lee researches and makes detailed plans to take hostages. He’s run through the plans so many times in his head, he done visualisation exercises and even a dry run. He’s convinced nothing can go wrong. Despite all his planning there is one thing he didn’t bargain for, the effects of personal interactions during the evening. Lee tries to keep himself apart, but negotiator Alex is determined to talk him out of the siege and hostage Grace tries to befriend him on a human level and make him question his motives. This is a tight and tense novel concentrating on the psychological effects of close confinement in a hostage situation on the hostages, the hostage taker and those in law enforcement who battle to contain the situation and resolve it. As a police procedural it is convincingly put together, as one would expect from an author writing from experience. The plot is straightforward, a hostage situation covered from the start to the finish with no deviation, so it remains focussed throughout. The pacing is steady as befits a real-life situation, only taking on a degree of urgency as matters come to a head. The dialogue itself is on the whole low key as befits people trying to control a situation, though there are some standout exchanges between Grace and Lee which cut the heart of the matter. Concentrating on three main characters keeps the storyline tight and allows for a detailed inspection of their motivations. We see how Lee is radicalised online, becomes consumed with hate, mainly directed at immigrants, but also the deep-seated catalyst for this. Alex has just returned from a negotiation that didn’t work out how he wanted, the hostage taker resorting to ‘suicide by cop’ at the end. Although not fault of Alex he carries the burden of this heavily. The most interesting character of all is that of Grace who became widowed at a young age and is battling with loneliness. In trying to understand and empathise with people, even Lee the hostage taker, we can see how she finds her inner strength and fortitude in adversity. The central theme is not allowing hate to triumph over good. It is easy to fall into a default mode of hate rather than taking time to understand people and situations. We see this as Grace tries to reach Lee using the words of Martin Luther King, expressing that if she was to meet Lee’s hatred for her with more hate then they would get nowhere. We also have the warning of online radicalisation and that it is just as likely to affect disaffected white youths as Muslim religious extremists. There is also the issue of super strong cannabis which can damage the psyche of users. This is considerably different to the cannabis establishment members may have dabbled with in their youth, much more potent and dangerous. The Siege is a tightly plotted intense read that also demonstrates people have the capacity for great compassion.

Definitely a standout read and not one that really stands out as a debut work of fiction, the quaity of the story telling is high as is the quality of the writing, a book that grabs your attention from the opening pages The Siege is a dramatically intense read, which grips you from the opening pages, interestingly you meet the main characters from the beginning from there on the story is mainly written and narrated from their viewpoints, this cleverly enhances the whole feel of the book, in someways you are getting three story lines and this makes for a quality read One thing which makes the book a fascinating and interesting read is the short time frame in which the book is set, this only enhances the suspense keeping the reader invested and building the drama, it is fair to say that the author has constructed a plot full of intrigue and then interestingly worked the characters around this to dramatic effect The characters standout within the book and in such a short space of time you can see the way the author draws out and adds real depth to each, as you read on you can see the character development enhance in each, each with differing reasons, but each with fear, each knowing the cost of failure, crucially though each enhancing the story and moving it along. You can feel the emotion and in someways the conflict that the author imposes on the characters. With the book being set over a short time frame you don’t have the luxury of scene setting, you are straight into the plot, though here the author uses each character to set the scene and build a picture within your minds eye. Alex appears to be a man fighting his own inner demons due to a past situation, knowing that one wrong word could have devastating consequences. Lee a man troubled by hate and prejudice a man who wants to be recognised, prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice, then for me the standout character Grace a single mother again with a past but someone prepared to see the good in everyone, she has a real desire to do the right thing, with a calmness that belies her situation and fear. Throughout the book the author drip feeds some of their past life and as you read, these start to inform the reader and challenges your own preconceived ideas and makes you understand how and why the siege is taking place to some degree they make the outcome of the book have a different feel. The author really brings each character to life showing their human side and frailties. The character development as the book progresses really is a standout feature this all due to the authors writing. The plot in someways is straightforward, however the way it is constructed and told through the characters eyes makes it anything but, you have a story where the tension can be cut by a knife and the suspense keeps on rising, you are never sure in which direction the author is going to take the story, one thing you do know is that you need to keep on reading, you need to know how this will end, however as to ending find out for yourself The author is clearly drawing on his own expiriences and this gives the book that real edge and feel, that yes this is real life, but then combining that with a quality of writing that puts the reader in the characters head and lets the action unfold from within. A masterly piece of storytelling that has all the elements required to hook the reader in. A standout read which will appeal to all who enjoy a thriller, a pulsating 5* read, highly recommend

That was a HIGH TENSION ride from start to finish - I may need to go for a lie down now! I have now read all three of John's crime fiction books - The Siege / The Fallen / The Castle - which only means one thing... I need the 4th please. Each one of these books is superb. Read in any order you like - I managed to read book 2, then 3 and then 1. At no point have I wanted to put any of them down for any reason. John is an EXCELLENT author and he deserves to be read by ALL crime thriller fans. So if you haven't yet read them - wriggle on. If you know a crime reader - tell them about his books! Highly recommended. Did I mention I need book 4?

I did not want to put this book down for a second. It is told from the points of view of Lee James Connor - a supporter of far-right organisation Home Front which is led by Nicholas Farmer, Grace Wheatley - widow and mum to a teenage boy, Isaiah, and Superintendent Alex Lewis who is also a hostage negotiator. The pace of this book is absolutely perfect. We learn just enough about each characters backstory before their stories tie in together. Following Nicholas Farmer's arrest, Lee James Connor finds a church hall with 'Refugees Welcome' above the door - the perfect place to carry out his plan. Grace is in attendance alongside some regular attendees, a Syrian mother with her two sons and the reverend. Lee threatens to kill them all unless the police release Farmer. Time ticks on and Alex Connor tries to "talk him down" whilst Grace is doing the same inside. This is such a well-written novel and it is obvious that Sutherland has both taken from his own experience but also done a lot of research as well. I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it is. We understand just how easy it is for someone who is a bit of a loner to become radicalised. I absolutely loved Grace's character, how big her heart is and her thoughts on hatred. A fantastic read.

I felt engaged with this story from the first page - Lee James Connor is a complicated character who obviously has his demons. We follow him in his preparation and his journey to the church where he will begin his siege. Next we meet Grace Wheatley who is a hostage in the siege. She is frightened, worries for her son, feels responsible for the other hostages and plays a large part in the action. Finally, we meet Alex who is a hostage negotiator who takes his responsibilities very much to heart. Learning that the author is a serving police officer and hostage negotiator explains why this story is so engaging and believable. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.