Hantuuu!

Title: The Ghost Writer
Author: Robert Harris
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2010

Summary:

A writer was appointed to replace a deceased writer, Mike McAra in writing a biography of Britain’s ex-prime minister, Adam Lang. His ancestor was found dead and it was believed that he committed suicide.

Continuing on the unfinished works, Mike’s predecessor found something more than he should. In the meantime, Adam Lang was accused of war crimes and on the brink of a trial in the international tribunal. The writer’s kept on investigating until he found out that Adam Lang was not telling him the truth. He suspected that his client was keeping something from him.

When he found about Prof. Emmett and Arcadia, he decided to betray the trust given by his client and reveal the information he had to Adam Lang nemesis, a former Foreign Secretary during Adam’s reign, Rycart because he believed that Adam was involved in a war crime.

Indeed, Adam was involved. However, it was not his decision alone. It was revealed that CIA was involved in British government policy making during Adam’s reign. However, it was not Adam they recruited. It was Ruth, his wife. Prof. Emmett was the one who recruited her.

It was a tragic end to Adam as he was killed in a suicide bombing incident. Ruth was appointed as a Senator in the House of Lords so much so to ensure that the Americans continue to be the invisible hand inside British government. The fate of the ghost writer remained unknown. Most probably he received the same fate as his ancestor.

Comment:

It is about ghosting. Ghosting means writing a book for somebody (usually biography) and the real writer’s identity is unanimous. Interestingly, the name of the main character was not mentioned at all. A real ghost.

I can’t stop flipping the pages towards the end of the story. Unexpected ending. A scary one too. A very dark novel indeed. This is also the first time I read a story based on a first person view. It is like reading someone’s diary. I can’t stop asking myself the same question; ‘What happened next?’ while reading this novel. In the end, one question still remains; ‘Is the ghost writer still alive?’. This question itself has a ghostly whisper into my ear. It is not a horror story. It is a thriller.

As I was looking for inspiration to blossom my dream to become a writer, I think I had found one. Thank you Robert Harris!