Breathe

a killer lurks in the worst fog London has ever known

By: Dominick Donald

Narrated by: Martyn Ellis

London, 1952. Dick Bourton is not like the other probationer policemen in Notting Hill. He's older, having fought in Europe and then Korea. And he's no Londoner, being from Cotswold farming stock. Then there's Anna, the exotically beautiful White Russian fiancée he has brought back to these drab streets and empty bombsites. She may as well come from a different planet.

The new copper also has a mind of his own. After an older colleague is shot by a small-time gangster they are chasing in a pea-souper fog, something nags at Bourton's memory. He begins to make connections which his superiors don't want to see, linking a whole series of deaths and the fogs that stop the city in its tracks.

Desperate to prove himself and his theories, Bourton fails to notice the fear which his mysterious bride is doing her best to conceal - and overcome.

Soon both Anna and Bourton are taking dangerous paths into the worst fog London has ever known...

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd©2018 Dominick Donald

Critic reviews

An outstanding debut . . . Donald combines historical events and fictional characters to superb effect, in a novel that deserves to win prizes.

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. (Andrew Taylor, author of Ashes of London)

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' (Alison Flood)

Dominick Donald's portrayal of the difficulties and dangers faced by Londoners is superb . . . Breathe is a hugely impressive debut.

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. (Rennie Airth)

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. (Tom Harper)

Atmospheric and intriguing

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

Dominick Donald sustains the tension beautifully over the course of this long book, depicting his smoggy setting so well that your eyes sting while your pulse races.

Gripping

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.

Dominick Donald's novel is a remarkably convincing re-creation of a London that, although well within living memory, has vanished forever. Rich in detail and dialogue that successfully resurrect the period, it's a thriller that holds the reader's attention (Nick Rennison)

An interesting book with an insight into post war

An interesting book with an insight into post war London through the life of an ex soldier who is now a probationary policeman. Dick Bourton's ability to recognise and solve crimes far exceed those of his peers and most of his superiors. If Dominick Donald writes a follow up to this one I'd be interested in trying it. Narrator Martyn Ellis did well and should be considered for any further books like this.