Blog Tour: The Outer Circle by Ian Ridley

THE OUTER CIRCLE 

by IAN RIDLEY 

"An outstanding debut novel - storytelling at its finest" - Stephen Leather 

It's the morning after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in London. The city is relaxed as rarely before, delighted with itself at how spectacularly it has hosted the uplifting event. The capital, however, will be rudely and brutally awoken from its self-congratulation by a shocking atrocity committed upon innocent Muslims at the London Central Mosque in Regent's Park. 

How could it happen? Why did it happen? Is this a terrorist attack? Is it political? Or is it personal? 

This is an exceptionally well crafted, thoughtful and thought provoking novel which captures the current fears and concerns of society. 

The Outer Circle is a very timely novel and this makes it even more readable and intriguing. Authors have always used fiction to address the current concerns, fears and anxieties within their society and here Ridley delivers a story which explores several topical issues of which we are all trying to seek an understanding.

The book is divided into five sections, one for each day of the week, which intensifies the urgency and atmosphere of the novel. It makes it feel real, and creates further authenticity as the story plays out. 

Within each section, the story is divided into chapters, focussing on five different characters who are caught up in this tragic event. As the novel unfolds, we watch the effect events have on their characters as they navigate their way through the aftermath of such a traumatic event. I enjoyed this structure and think Ridley used it very effectively to create an engaging and powerful narrative. This also creates further layers, interweaving storylines and depth to the novel which makes it engaging and absorbing. The characters are very well crafted, completely three dimensional and the reader can engage with them and their particular situation. 

Ridley has an outstanding reputation as a sports journalist and is the author of several non fiction books. This experience is obvious in his polished and accomplished writing style, his ability to depict location, scenes and dialogue, and his flawless narrative structure. His writing is fluent and carries the reader through a story that is ambitious but very well handled. Ridley also strikes a great balance between writing a novel that is politically and socially important but also gripping and engaging. The pace is well judged; characters are very clearly established and well developed without losing tension or detracting from the action. 

This is a great premise for a novel. The blurb is compelling as it picks a moment that almost every reader  will feel they can relate to. We all probably have some point of reference from our own memories of the Olympics, and we are all far too aware of the threat of terrorism, which makes this a novel hard to ignore. Once you pick this book up and start reading, you'll become absorbed in a complex, multi layered story with a fascinating cast of characters. Ridley's writing is impressive, he effortlessly creates an effective sense of time and place, with attention to detail and thoughtfully created characters. It is an engaging and absorbing read and a novel that deserves to do well.

The Outer Circle is published by Unbound.

*My thanks to Anne Cater, Ian Ridley and Unbound for the advance copy of the book and the opportunity to be part of the Blog Tour*

Don't miss the other stops on the tour! 

IAN RIDLEY 

Ian is an award-winning football writer and the author of 10 books. A former chairman of Weymouth and St Albans City, he has been writing about football for over 30 years, having worked for various newspapers including the Daily Telegraph, The Independent on Sunday and The Observer.