The Other Side Of Night by Adam Hamdy
The Other Side of Night begins with a man named David Asha writing about his biggest regret: his sudden separation from his son, Elliot. In his grief, David tells a story.
Next, we step into the life of Harriet Kealty, a police officer trying to clear her name after a lapse of judgment. She discovers a curious inscription in a secondhand book—a plea: Help me, he’s trying to kill me. Who wrote this note? Who is “he”?
This note leads Harri to David Asha, who was last seen stepping off a cliff. Police suspect he couldn’t cope after his wife’s sudden death. Still, why would this man jump and leave behind his young son? Quickly, Harri’s attention zeroes in on a person she knows all too well.
Ben Elmys: once the love of her life. A surrogate father to Elliot Asha and trusted friend to the Ashas.
Ben may also be a murderer.
My Review
I won’t say I went into this blind, but apart from the brief synopsis above, I didn’t read any reviews or any other information before I started. Therefore it was all a surprise.
When Elliot Asha’s mother Beth dies of cancer, his father David is distraught. So much so that he is last seen stepping off a cliff, his body never recovered. But why would he leave his beloved young son to cope on his own? It doesn’t make sense.
Harriett Kealty, sacked from the police force, doesn’t believe it either. But there is nothing she can do apart from go out on her own and investigate. And the first person she questions is the former love of her life – Ben Elmys. They met online, had two wonderful dates – it was love at first sight – and then on the third date, he ended the relationship. Harri was devastated. Ben also happens to be Elliot’s guardian and was best friends with the Ashas.
And that’s as far as I can go. Because everything else is too important to the story to reveal. There are secrets and twists that many people will adore; though many will find it all a bit far-fetched. But the one thing that is irrefutable is that it is a beautifully written tale of love and sacrifice that will have you in tears, both of joy and of sadness. Because for every choice there is a price to pay.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
About the Author
British author and screenwriter Adam Hamdy works with studios and production companies on both sides of the Atlantic. As well as creating the Scott Pearce series, which comprises of Black 13 and Red Wolves, he is the author of the Pendulum trilogy, an epic series of conspiracy thriller novels. James Patterson described Pendulum as ‘one of the best thrillers of the year’, and the novel was a finalist for the Glass Bell Award for contemporary fiction. Pendulum was chosen as book of the month by Goldsboro Books and was selected for the BBC’s Radio 2 Book Club. Prior to embarking on his writing career, Adam was a strategy consultant and advised global businesses in the medical systems, robotics, technology and financial services sectors.
