Lost In Juarez

by Douglas Lindsay

From the creator of the cult Barney Thomson crime series, comes a darker and more sinister novel. The government is watching. 4 million names on the DNA database and counting; CCTV cameras on every street corner; telephone records available to any agency which requests them; restrictions on movements around Westminster; ID cards and spy satellites. All in the name of freedom. When his latest book is shelved due to government interference, Lake Weston -- international best-selling, Bob Dylan-addicted children's author -- decides that it is time to stand up for personal rights. He writes and anonymously publishes a scathing Animal Farm-esque diatribe against a government which seeks to restrict civil liberties under the guise of protecting democracy. The book quickly achieves notoriety and within a month is banned under an obscure paragraph of anti-terror legislation. The media is animatedly curious about the author of the book; the government, however, already knows. As the security services close in, Weston finds his name dragged through the gutter press, and suddenly he must run for his life, not knowing who he can trust and with nothing in his pocket except a few pounds and an iPod loaded with 1256 Bob Dylan tracks.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2008

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining story of a disillusioned children's author caught up in a tangle of politics, espionage, terrorism, anti-terrorism, media influence and Bob Dylan.

[Katie Grainger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost in Juarez Really enjoyed this book, it was dark, and the plot was full of twists and turns. The book is set in present and follows the events of the British Government in the wake of terrorist threats. Almost under the radar the Government have begun to change laws and freedoms have been lost. Lake Weston popular childrens author becomes one of their victims when he writes the book Axis of Evil, a protest when one of his popular childrens books is axed because the state will not allow it to be printed.

When the book goes public Lake is forced to go on the run as the security forces begin to close in on him. This novel was a great thriller, well written with a plot that kept the reader guessing.

[Karin Montin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've become a big Douglas Lindsay fan thanks to his Barney Thompson and Hutton serial killer capers. This one is something else entirely, being billed as a government conspiracy thriller. Writer Lake Weston, pigeon-holed as a children's author, pseudonymously publishes an exposé of repressive government laws and practices. (A lot of them are real and many of them seem like the next logical step.) His publisher, his former editor his ex-wife and a helpful stranger all suffer horribly, but although he is persecuted, he's not immediately eliminated. That's the main thing that doesn't make sense. Of course it would have been a much shorter book if he had been. Lindsay can really write and obviously doesn't like to be pigeon-holed himself. I just prefer his crime fiction.

[Martin Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

unlike Douglas Lindsay's Barney Thompson books this is a black political thriller following the life of a children's author who has his latest book spiked by the Government as they consider it a threat to public order. It takes a few chapters to get going but once it does you have to finish it. As a consequence of the snub of his latest book our hero writes a book which will highlight the failings of the current Government and get himself involved in the darker side of politics. On the run from the Police/MI5 etc and in fear of his life he works to get his name cleared and bring down the corrupt PM and his Government with a little help from Bob Dlyan.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had downloaded this book for free and was not sure what to expect. It was a fast read but held my interest. The main character seemed so clueless as people were dying around him all because of a book about the government. I could easily see this as a movie.

[Mark Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. A riveting and at times humorous thriller that paints an all too believable picture of the near future and abuse of anti-terror laws. Will definitely be looking out for more by this author.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satire which seemed all too realistic. Scary, and fun!