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To Kill the Truth

(Maggie Costello #4)

Sam Bourne

3.79 · Rating details · 775 ratings · 75 reviews

Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history's greatest crimes.

Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs, lost for ever.

Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of ki ...more

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Kindle Edition, 464 pages

Published February 21st 2019 by Quercus

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Apr 06, 2019 Matt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It is always a pleasure to get my hands on a Sam Bourne novel, particularly when he is adding to his popular Maggie Costello thriller series. After leaving the White House, Maggie can only hope for a quieter life, but that is soon derailed when she receives a call by the Governor of Virginia. A prominent historian has been found dead in his office and something looks sinister. Some of the academic’s views on American history had been causing waves across campus, leading Maggie to surmise that it It is always a pleasure to get my hands on a Sam Bourne novel, particularly when he is adding to his popular Maggie Costello thriller series. After leaving the White House, Maggie can only hope for a quieter life, but that is soon derailed when she receives a call by the Governor of Virginia. A prominent historian has been found dead in his office and something looks sinister. Some of the academic’s views on American history had been causing waves across campus, leading Maggie to surmise that it might be a targeted attack. However, there is something even more concerning when other academics in the field turn up dead, their views on slavery and the like equally as controversial. While Maggie is certain there is someone seeking to make a statement, she is stopped in her tracks when fires and explosions begin destroying some of the major libraries of the world, those housing original documents that make up the building blocks of the world’s history. It would seem as though someone is seeking to erase history and force a reboot of all that is known. While all this is taking place, a trial unfolds in Virginia, one where a controversial historian is arguing that events like American slavery is but a cobbled together group of misnomers, spun into a history that never took place. Could those memories of former slaves only be implanted memories or even shards of memory and suggestion? As things heat up and more libraries burn to the ground, a manifesto appears from someone calling themselves Bookburner, demanding that the world take notice and turn away from the past. By forgetting what has happened and starting fresh, peace is possible and without documents to purport specific views, everyone begins on a level playing field. Just as Maggie begins to make headway, she becomes the target of a smear campaign, one that is so nuanced as to convince large portions of the population that she is vindictive and that her views are not to be trusted. While trying to defend herself, Maggie knows that she cannot stop uncovering this mystery, as there is a Friday deadline to agree to terms. As the trial heats up and Bookburner continues rampaging valuable documents, it will be up to Maggie and a handful of others to save the world’s rich history, or watch a ‘factory reset’ decimate things in the blink of an eye. Bourne does a masterful job keeping the reader on the edge of their seat as they ponder the ramifications of this idea. Recommended to those who enjoy thrillers with a political leaning, as well as readers who have enjoyed Sam Bourne’s writing before.

Sam Bourne is never one to rest on his laurels, even when he makes fans wait years between publications. The themes embedded in his novels are rarely mainstream or readily found elsewhere, which makes these books all the more interesting. Maggie Costello is a wonderful protagonist, having seen much of the world in the series. Her past working inside the White House and on peace initiatives helps to explore some of her political capabilities, but she is also a stellar investigator. Hailing from Ireland, she has a history embedded in her genetics to always seek justice, but also not accept anything at face value. Her past emerges throughout this piece, including interactions with her family and a former lover, all of which enrich this already powerful story. Others in the book offer interesting angles and flavouring as the story explores the depths to which history is based on recounted tales and how strongly documentation serves to prop up a belief system. Bourne has done well to develop a vast array of individuals whose views create a narrative that will keep the reader questioning their beliefs. With a story that is both jarring and entertaining, Bourne succeeds at questioning all the reader may hold as self-evident. Posing queries about the reliability of texts and verbal accounts, Bourne pushes the reader to evaluate history as a weapon rather than a useful tool. In a thriller that offers countless opportunities to inject action, Bourne keeps the reader guessing what is to come and how a resolution will be possible without a complete reset. Bourne wants the reader to be an active participant in the game and develop their own narrative as they follow Maggie Costello and Bookburner through this timely game of cat and mouse. Brilliant work and a great novel to open the mind of the attentive reader.

Kudos, Mr. Bourne, on another wonderful addition to your collection. I am so pleased to see you pushing the limits in everything you write.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

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Feb 18, 2019 Lou rated it liked it · review of another edition

To Kill the Truth, the forth espionage thriller in the Maggie Costello series, is, unfortunately, a bit of a dud compared to the gripping third instalment, To Kill the President. I am aware that in general when you read an all-action, high-octane novel such as this you usually get the intense thrills, but the plot-driven nature of it means character development is put on the back-burner. The pace is as frenetic as ever, the premise intriguing and thought-provoking, if lacking in believability, a ...more

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Feb 20, 2019 Eva rated it really liked it · review of another edition

To Kill The Truth presents the reader with a frightening and incredibly thought-provoking premise. Someone is trying to re-write history by destroying evidence of the world’s greatest crimes. History professors and Holocaust survivors are found murdered and the greatest libraries in the world are on fire. If there is no written proof of something, then surely it didn’t happen. Just let that sink in for a minute. No proof of slavery, no proof of the Holocaust, no proof of ethnic cleansing. To nam To Kill The Truth presents the reader with a frightening and incredibly thought-provoking premise. Someone is trying to re-write history by destroying evidence of the world’s greatest crimes. History professors and Holocaust survivors are found murdered and the greatest libraries in the world are on fire. If there is no written proof of something, then surely it didn’t happen. Just let that sink in for a minute. No proof of slavery, no proof of the Holocaust, no proof of ethnic cleansing. To name a few.

Enter Maggie Costello. As a former White House operative, she has completely sworn off politics. She enrolled at university, desperately wanting to get away from all things Washington, DC. But then the governor of Virginia asks for her help and Maggie realises something far more sinister is going on. Who is behind these events? Who stands to gain? But more importantly, can they be stopped before it’s too late?

To Kill The Truth is the fourth instalment in the Maggie Costello series, which I wasn’t aware of when I picked this one up. A mere few pages in though, I was already wondering how Sam Bourne had evaded my radar. With jumping into an established series like this, I was slightly worried but luckily I never felt lost or confused by references to Maggie’s experiences in the previous books. Actually, it left me intrigued and determined to catch up on the other books in this series. And if you’ve not read any of these, then I definitely recommend starting at the beginning.

This is a really tense and exciting thriller. One of those books you can easily imagine being turned into a film. It’s well-paced, brilliantly plotted and makes you think. Obviously it’s politically charged and depending on which side of the fence you fall, you’ll either nod in agreement or shake your fist in anger. Because while the author never mentions any names, it’s quite obvious who he’s talking about.

A topical thriller then, one I found extremely compelling and despite it being well over 400 pages, I absolutely devoured it. Sam Bourne will not be evading my radar any longer. I can’t wait to catch up with the rest of the Maggie Costello series and very much look forward to what the author comes up with next. ...more

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Dec 25, 2018 Julie Garner rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-thriller, arc

I received an advanced reading copy of this book.
Interesting read. Started off with a slow burn that quickly caught alight and kept you turning the pages.
Historians are dying and the 12 libraries that protect all of our historical documents and records are burning. Is it just coincidence or is there something bigger at play?
Maggie is tasked with hunting down the truth which gets harder and harder as her life is suddenly tipped upside down.
This is a good read for someone who likes a face paced re ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2019

I read The Last Testament the first Maggie Costello book several years ago. However, I've not read the previous two books after The Last Testament. Also, I hardly remember the story in the first book. Nevertheless, I found this book to be easy and engaging to read. The concept of destroying museums and libraries to destroy proof of atrocities is both frightening and thought-provoking. The idea of starting over with a clean slate sounds good. However, I can't say I found the part of the book when ...more

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Mar 22, 2019 Pooja Singh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, fiction, read-2019, owned, review-copies

Sam Bourne's latest in the series of former White house operative Maggie Costello's encounters with a dire threat, "To Kill the truth", opens up with a Professor of History dead, libraries around the world that house evidence of the history of important events like slavery and holocaust are getting burnt, digital records are being wiped out, and someone is trying to destroy all documentation of the greatest crimes committed, in a bid to rewrite history.
🔥
Can you imagine how frightening a world li ...more

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Jan 10, 2019 Gram rated it liked it · review of another edition

A frenetically paced thriller which, sadly, falls prey to political ranting in places. The story centres on a breathtaking plot to destroy the world's most important libraries - those containing vital historic documents such as original literary works and religious texts along with others such as the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence.
Meanwhile, at a Virginia courthouse, a university professor is suing a writer who called him a slavery denier. Outside, Black Lives Matter protestors A frenetically paced thriller which, sadly, falls prey to political ranting in places. The story centres on a breathtaking plot to destroy the world's most important libraries - those containing vital historic documents such as original literary works and religious texts along with others such as the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence.
Meanwhile, at a Virginia courthouse, a university professor is suing a writer who called him a slavery denier. Outside, Black Lives Matter protestors clash with right wingers and violence seems set to escalate.
A historian studying aspects of slavery is murdered at his desk and there are reports of other academics and Holocaust survivors dying in mysterious circumstances. Former White House adviser, Maggie Costello, is asked by the Governor of Virginia to investigate the historian's death, but she soon uncovers a conspiracy which threatens to destroy the history of the world.
High tech computers are being used to set libraries on fire and destroy digital copies of the vital historical documents they contain.
As Maggie battles to discover the truth, she is subject to online attacks which lead to her be sidelined from the FBI investigation into the destruction of buildings such as The Bodleian Library and Yad Vashem - The World Holocaust Remembrance Center.
Then, she discovers a link between the professor currently fighting the libel case in Virginia and some of his students from the 1980's, one of whom is a disgraced political adviser to the current President of the United States. In a lengthy rant, the latter explains to Maggie why a large number of Americans and, indeed, people throughout the World wouldn't care if these repositories of human knowledge were to vanish.
Aided by a handful of friends, Maggie struggles to stop the seemingly relentless computer generated attacks, but time is running out.
This story stretches the bounds of credulity throughout, but as a pacy thriller with some interesting information about major libraries and their contents and how computers can be used to do almost anything, it's worth a read. The author Sam Bourne gives both sides a chance to put their arguments, though it's clear which side he's on. ...more

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Feb 06, 2019 SueKich rated it it was ok

What’s the opposite of a page-turner?

Fast-paced but vapid potboiler about an ex-White House operative asked to get to the bottom of a conspiracy to erase history: a wave of murder and destruction that annihilates priceless historical documents from national libraries and wipes the records from all digital archives.

The premise itself - though ludicrously far-fetched - is an interesting one. But there is something about the narrative flow with its clunky detours, leaden dialogue and wafer-thin ch ...more

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Mar 13, 2019 Paul rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crime-thrillers

To Kill The Truth – A Thriller For Our Times

To Kill The Truth is the latest thriller from the writer Sam Bourne/Jonathan Freedland, and his latest book reflects back in our faces the America of now. This really is a thriller for our times, considering the ‘false news’ narrative that runs large at the moment. As a historian there is a chilling narrative of denial of the facts, such as Holocaust denial, around today, and this kind of narrative runs throughout the book.

Maggie Costello is trying to To Kill The Truth – A Thriller For Our Times

To Kill The Truth is the latest thriller from the writer Sam Bourne/Jonathan Freedland, and his latest book reflects back in our faces the America of now. This really is a thriller for our times, considering the ‘false news’ narrative that runs large at the moment. As a historian there is a chilling narrative of denial of the facts, such as Holocaust denial, around today, and this kind of narrative runs throughout the book.

Maggie Costello is trying to keep a low profile, having recently left her position at the White House, as a trouble shooter for the President. She just wants to unwind, relax and attempt to move on. But her friend and former colleague, now the Governor of Virginia needs her help.

The is a civil action taking place in a court room in Richmond, Virginia, where the charismatic William Keane, historian and becoming a hero to the new alt-right was suing the African-American Susan Liston for libel. He was arguing that a paragraph accusing him of being a slavery denier. His argument was that he could not be denier as people had never been slaves in the United States.

There are some hackers on Melia Island in the middle of Montana hacking systems collecting and filing data. While somewhere in the world fire systems are being hacked and some of the great repositories of historical documents are burning. The Great libraries around the world were on fire and the documents they provided was being reduced to ash. Of course, this work had been backed up digitally, but some how this too has disappeared.

Maggie Costello working alongside the FBI are racing against time to find who is trying to destroy history before their very eyes. While at the same time Maggie is being attacked herself, more so the closer she gets to the truth. Maggie has remembered the old saying follow the money, and she hopes that this will reveal the truth.

A fantastic thriller with a nod to what is happening today around the world especially with false news and more. An excellent reminder that we should not take history for granted.
...more

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Jun 17, 2019 Mridu aka Storypals rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I got so bored.

Maybe Crime novels are not my thing.

Maybe politics is not.

It just didn't stick and I had to give it up in order to read something that I might actually enjoy.

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Feb 06, 2019 Elite Group rated it liked it · review of another edition

Can you really destroy history?

Someone is destroying museums and libraries around the world, hoping to destroy and re-write history.

Maggie Costello is charged with finding out who would do such a thing, she is hindered by political and civil unrest but she can not let these things stop her from finding the truth and stop these heinous crimes.

These people are trying to deny slavery and the Holocaust ever happened, but you cannot wipe people’s minds and experiences.

The story is very well written b ...more

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Mar 28, 2019 Pavitra (For The Love of Fictional Worlds) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, 2019-read, adult-fiction, arc, mystery

Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds

Disclaimer: A physical copy was provided via Hachette India as part of the Instagram Readalong. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.

To Kill The truth is an addictive thriller with a thought provoking plot – one that would force the reader to think about far – reaching consequences of our reality; long after you are done with the book.

“Either you get a reckoning for the past, or you can have hope for the future.”

To Kill the Truth opens up to one of America’s most contentious trials in recent times – where in a petitioner, William Keane, has bought forth a defamation case against an author by claiming the era of “slavery” never even existed in the first place. At the same time, History Professors, Survivors of genocides, specifically Holocaust , are being murdered and the greatest libraries all around the world are being destroyed one by one and no one understands is able to connect these events to understand why they are destroying the history of the human race, systematically.

Maggie Castello is a former White House operative; though now she has finally sworn off politics (Disclaimer: This is the fourth Maggie Castello book; but can be read as standalone. I read it is one!). But when the Governor of Virginia asks for her expertise in solving this mystery; a mystery that could potentially turn into another civil war – it doesn’t take her long to realize that something far more sinister is under play.

“It’s like killing those people all over again. It’s enslaving them all over again. You put a person in chains, you’re saying: you’re an animal. Your life is worth nothing. Your life means nothing. And the, years later, you say it didn’t happen? You pretend it didn’t happen? You’re saying the same thing to them all over again: your life has so little value, we’ll destroy all the proof you ever existed. We’ll forget you were ever here.”

It didn’t take me more than a few pages to understand that this book would be a binge – read worthy book for me – the plot, told in multiple POVs – but it’s a nail biting thriller with plot twists that have the ability to shock and awe you. But more than that, the author has done a brilliant job of actually putting forward both side of the debate in clear and concise terms – that as a reader, it also had me in a dilemma – I understood bothsides of the debate; and even then had me confused about which side of the fence I would fall in.

The climax of the book shows the intelligence and talent of the author as well – not only does he seamlessly weaves in all the lose threads together; he also leaves us with the enough to think over. To Kill The Truth is the perfect read for the mystery aficionados – who just need the nail biting plot to get invested in a book!

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Apr 03, 2019 Vidhya Thakkar rated it really liked it · review of another edition

To Kill the Truth by Sam Bourne is a wonderful book that talks about politics and history. Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history's greatest crimes. Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs lost forever.

The plot of the story is interesting full of Twists and turns. Divided into 35 chapters the book revolves around the political drama and mystery. The narration of the story is crisp an ...more

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Apr 21, 2019 Jo rated it liked it

To Kill The Truth
By Sam Bourne

Full disclosure - its taken me a long time to finally rediscover Sam Bourne's writing. Maggie Costello is a very polarizing character shes like Michael Connolly's character Harry Borsch but her investigations usually are based around politics. This time Maggie has stepped away from her old job and is enjoying just being a university student.

Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of killing ...more

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Feb 18, 2019 Laura Spira rated it liked it

Another fast paced thriller from Sam Bourne. What sets it apart from thousands of other thrillers is the theme that - like his earlier To Kill the President - taps into current concerns in an interesting way. The notion of a twisted ideology which promotes the destruction of all historical records is very pertinent at a time when fake news is a major concern and Bourne rather cleverly articulates the arguments which motivate the evil protagonists of the story, in a way that makes the reader thin ...more

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Apr 25, 2019 MRIDULA rated it really liked it

Book 4 of the Maggie Costello series presents to us a murdered historian and a tragic fire that destroys billions of manuscripts containing evidence of some key events that shaped our history and documents that mentioned the greatest of crimes committed throughout history. Now, the seriousness of the situation can be found throughout the book through dialogues, unless you already know what a scary situation it is.

Maggie Costello, a former White House operative is called into investigating this m ...more

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Jul 01, 2019 David Meldrum rated it really liked it

Shelves: novels, thriller

A blisteringly enjoyable thriller, which in one sense tells a wildly implausible story - a plot to destroy all the knowledge held in libraries and the like - but is also chillingly contemporary. Building on the very thinly disguised Trumpian context of To Kill The President, this is a page-turner for the fake news era, and trumpets the need to keep telling the true stories of the past to inform the present. Despite its implausibility, this only becomes a problem in the epilogue, which is a bit t ...more

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Jan 23, 2020 Cliff rated it did not like it

I started this book in view of a number of glowing reviews. However, while I know false news is a mantra trotted out daily by people of all political persuasions, I found the premise of this book quite ludicrous. An apparent world wide conspiracy to destroy museums relating to slavery and the holocaust while, at the same time, bumping off academics who specialise in the fields. Really? I can't be bothered to read more. I do seem to be picky these days but as my late wife used to say, life is too ...more

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Mar 16, 2019 David S Williams rated it it was ok

Disappointing

A worthwhile storyline about the sinister threat we face from people trying to rewrite history for their own ends but sorry, the book is badly executed, the personalities cardboard stereotypes and the gratuitous use of big, bad swear words inappropriate and jarring. I wanted to like this book but I didn't.

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Mar 31, 2019 Anukriti Malik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, 4-star, review-copy-2019, book-i-own

What if you wake up one day and find out that all museums, libraries and any place that documented the past are in flames? What if someone is trying to rewrite the past that has no records of slavery and holocaust?

To Kill The Truth by Sam Bourne is the 4th book of the Maggie Costello series. The book opens up with Professor Russell Aikman lost in thoughts at his office when he hears some noise that draws him back to the reality. He looks around but finds nothing. He goes back to his desk when he What if you wake up one day and find out that all museums, libraries and any place that documented the past are in flames? What if someone is trying to rewrite the past that has no records of slavery and holocaust?

To Kill The Truth by Sam Bourne is the 4th book of the Maggie Costello series. The book opens up with Professor Russell Aikman lost in thoughts at his office when he hears some noise that draws him back to the reality. He looks around but finds nothing. He goes back to his desk when he hears human footsteps thump on the ground. Seconds later, he is dead.

Maggie Costello, former White House operative is in the middle of something when she receives a message from her friend, Donna Morrison, Governor of Virginia “A man is dead, Maggie. I need you.” She is called in to find out the mystery behind this where she meets Uri, a former lover and they both head to find out the mysterious death. They’re inching closer in their investigation when they see that the university library, The Special Collection that houses over thirteen million manuscripts, three hundred and twenty five thousand rare books, as well as approximately five thousand maps, all about the American history and literature with a focus on Virginia and especially African-American history is on FIRE . Someone is trying to rewrite the history, burning everything that has the reference of slavery and holocaust.

Right now, while we speak, books are burning! Old books, rare books, books on parchment and books on goat skin. Books as old as this country. Books of science, books of geography, books of poetry and history. And they’re all burning, stack after stack of them. By morning they’ll be gone!

The book is politically charged, focusing on the history of slavery and holocaust in America and the conditions of black in the current scenario. The writing is absolutely gripping and makes you flip pages. It is bound to make the reader think what will the world be if there are no references to the historical events involving slavery and will it be a good world or bad, it is for the readers to think.

I felt a little lost on Maggie’s previous encounters since this is the fourth installment but eventually, I came through that. A lot goes on in the book, with different point of views sometimes it was hard to keep a track of what happened but after a while, you’ll find the trail back.

A perfect read for the ones who enjoy political dramas, definitely enjoyed it!

Recommended. ...more

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Mar 03, 2020 James rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: modern-fiction

Unfamiliar with his particular brand of writing, I wasn't sure what to expect from Friedland, but this was an above-average take on the genre. It had a good mystery to solve rather than relying on action sequences, and I found it a refreshing change that there were fewer just-in-time physical feats.

Instead the problem is finding out who is responsible for the destruction of valuable texts and their back-up copies, as an unidentified baddie destroys written history. Along the way we meet not-Stev ...more

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Feb 28, 2019 gemsbooknook Geramie Kate Barker rated it really liked it

‘Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history’s greatest crimes.
Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs, lost for ever.
Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of killings, she knows that this is bigger than any political game.
As Black Lives Matter protestors clash with slavery deniers, A ‘Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history’s greatest crimes.
Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs, lost for ever.
Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of killings, she knows that this is bigger than any political game.
As Black Lives Matter protestors clash with slavery deniers, America is on a knife-edge and time is running out. This deadly conspiracy could ignite a new Civil War – but who stands to gain most from the chaos?’
This book was fantastic.
I usually try to avoid books about politics; I get enough of that on the TV, I don’t want it over taking my reading time too. After reading this book, I may need to rethink my avoidance of fictionalised politics.
I found myself completely captivated by this book. It was fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
Even though this book was fictional, I covered current political issues and movements. The addition of these current issues made it easy to see where each character was coming from in their beliefs.
The characters in this book covered a wide array of beliefs and ideals. There really was a character for everyone in this book.
Sam Bourne has done an amazing job with the writing in this book. The pacing was absolutely perfect. It really guided the reader and added the necessary suspense as the story unfolded.
One of my favourite things about this book was that I didn’t see anything coming. There were so many twists and turns in this book that it was virtually impossible to preempt where the story was going and who the responsible parties were.
I am so glad I picked this book up, I will definitely be adding some more of Sam Bourne’s works to my TBR.
To Kill The Truth by Sam Bourne is a must read in this current political climate.

Geramie Kate Barker
gemsbooknook.wordpress.com ...more

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May 29, 2019 dw marshall rated it really liked it

A thriller for our time.

I read some bad reviews of this book that accused it of being too cerebral, too philosophical. They actually are the reason I found it so good. It moved along a reasonable pace but without the usual stream of frantic action sequences, and it was its slower, wordier moments that made it a real treat. There is one particular chapter that is considerably longer than the rest featuring a long dialogue between a disillusioned nihilist ex-politico and the hero(ine) Maggie Coste ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 Abantika(hiltonjenkin) rated it it was amazing

Someone is trying to rewrite history by burning libraries and museums. Holocaust survivors and professors are murdered. Digital records erased. Slavery, holocaust and more starts being undocumented.

Enter Maggie Costello, former White House operative, to the rescue.

I am a huge political thriller fan and I utterly enjoyed To Kill The Truth by Sam Bourne. It is a realistic fiction and the narrative makes strong connections with today's political scenario that makes you ponder.

To Kill The Truth is a ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 Alyssa Grace rated it really liked it

Shelves: thriller, political, science-fiction

I'm glad I gave this series a second chance. To Kill the Truth came out a better book than To Kill the President in just about every way. Amidst a riveting blend of politics and techno-thriller, Maggie became a protagonist I could really root for.

But don't discount the grim scenarios imagined here, any rational person's worst nightmare. To Kill the Truth is outright bleak at times, and victory for the good guys has to be Pyrrhic. The author can't resist making Maggie a martyr yet again, turning ...more

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Dec 15, 2018 Greville Waterman rated it liked it

Writing under his real name of Jonathan Freedland the author wrote a wonderfully moving and evocative family memoir called Jacob's gift which lived with me for any months. Under his pen name Sam Bourne he was written a series of thrillers that I am sure have sold thousands more than Jacob's gift and they are well thought through and tense but not of the same literary merit.

I enjoyed this one, the first that I have read but the premise was highly unlikely and the characterisations weak.

I sped thr ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 Jay Dwight rated it liked it

3.5 Stars from me.

Haven't read any of the previous Sam Bourne / Maggie Costello works, but this worked well enough for me as a stand alone.

A thriller where Maggie Costello is called in by the Governor of Virginia to help track down the person responsible for killing historians. But the story soon becomes much bigger, with not only murders of historians and holocaust survivors, but also the destruction of libraries containing significant historical documents. Someone or some group is trying to e ...more

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Sep 22, 2019 Jo rated it liked it

Thriller. Interesting hypothesis, is suppressing the truth better than knowing it? Does the truth lead to hate and bloodshed?

Someone is rewriting history . . . One death at a time.

Historians and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning across the world. Digital records and irreplaceable proof, lost for ever.

Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when a newly-elected Governor seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of k ...more

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Apr 07, 2020 Fara rated it it was amazing

I finished this last night, because they come from across the pond, I get behind reading this author who is one of my very favorites!! OMG OMG OMG

I should absolutely have read it the minute it came out and have his next arriving in the next few days. How timely it is. Written with an eye for the political temperature of the times and the skill to make it impossible for me to put down, I can't believe how much I love reading everything that is written.

I have brought back books myself because of ...more

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Mar 25, 2019 Aditi ~ A Thousand Words A Million Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, unique-plotline, 2019, adult

I'm not a huge thriller fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed Sam Bourne's latest novel.

Burning history? - what a novel concept. The first thing I thought was, "How can you do that? Especially when digital archives, human memory, and the internet are some of your biggest opponents - GLOBALLY," which is precisely what made the book so interesting.

At some point, I began questioning whether it was RIGHT to erase history or not. I wish the ending was a little more flushed out which is why I'm not rating t ...more

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About Sam Bourne

Sam Bourne

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Sam Bourne is the literary pseudonym of Jonathan Freedland, an award-winning British journalist and broadcaster. He has written a weekly column for The Guardian since 1997, having previously served as the paper's Washington correspondent. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The New Republic, and The J ...more