Bear in the Woods

by Robin Duval

Set in Britain and America during a Presidential election year in the very near future, Bear in the Woods explores some of the darker and more dangerous connections within our two societies.

A group of London friends find themselves at the epicentre of a murderous struggle reaching to the highest seats of power. It starts when one of their number, Bryn, begins to suspect that someone, inexplicably, may be trying to kill him. Two attempts on his life, however, are dismissed by his friends as near-miss accidents. When he goes on a winter trip to the USA to fan the embers of an old flame, a professional assassin pursues him from Chicago to Detroit, to Salt Lake City and across the snow-laden mountains of Utah. He escapes and returns to England, but finds he is no longer the target.

Months pass and it seems that the threat – conceivably the result of mistaken identity or a terrible misunderstanding – has passed. But when Bryn travels once again to America, the nightmare starts all over again, this time in New York.

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Selected Reviews of BEAR IN THE WOODS...

BRILLIANT THRILLER
This is a cleverly crafted thriller which I found difficult to put down. Set mainly in the USA during a presidential election campaign, the writer's knowledge and understanding both of that country's geography and history - particularly of the Civil War battlefields - is impressive and help to keep the reader forever wondering what on earth is coming next. The essence of a good page-turner, which this most certainly is. The writer understands human psychology and the fears and pressures brought on by events seemingly outside one's control. There is an eerie fascination in trying to divine why exactly all this is happening to our hero, which is not resolved until the final pages. A brilliant debut novel.
David Burton Evans

HUGELY ENJOYABLE
Hugely enjoyable, the plot led me a merry dance. Lots to think about in the characters and what they had to say about life. I also learnt a lot about american history in the process of reading the book and decided that I am not going to take any short cuts when driving through the States.
p.s. Are there really recorder groups and, if so, are they really like this?
Clare Sayers

HUGELY IMPRESSED
A new author to salute... A likeable English academic's tale of a lecture visit to Chicago, inexplicably threatened by persons unknown, turning into a frightful nightmare and much derring-do. The theme picks up as religious, sexual, political and personal complexities intrude, all nicely marshalled and neatly resolved. Along the way, enjoy gently sardonic views on the American way of life, and informed writing on food, music and notably the Civil War battlefields. A remarkable debut.
M.T.

http://www.robinduval.co.uk

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About the Author

Robin Duval

Robin Duval was born in Liverpool and educated at King Edward's School Birmingham, University College London and the University of Michigan as a Fulbright Scholar. The greater part of his career has been spent in the film and television industry as a writer, producer, executive and regulator. From 1999 to 2004 he was Director of the British Board of Film Classification, for which he received a CBE. He lives and writes in West London.