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SmokeSmoke

Santiago Dargallo Nieto

  • Literary/Contemporary

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Why I wrote this book

I wrote the book because I felt I had a book inside me. The smoking ban and my somewhat warped perception of things prompted me to write it.

This book is fictional but it it reflects some realities of the current world status quo. (China IS fast becoming a world super power).  It should appeal to people who take an interest in current affairs and enjoy reflecting on what they read.

Synopsis

Edward Faulkner is the embattled new prime minister of Great Britain. Elected in a surprise snap election he leads a minority government. Shortly after taking post, his DTI secretary, Helen Steele, discovers a secret plan by the Chinese to take control of the British aeronautical industry. Aided by John Stokes the Foreign Office Secretary, they try to second-guess Ma Tsien-Zu, the enigmatic and astute Premier of the People’s Republic of China. He too is trying to assert his hold on power by using his country’s newly developed economic muscle.

Matters become complicated when Norman Sewell, the editor of the rabidly republican Daily Herald, gets wind of the situation. He is trying to steer a clear course between good journalism and the wishes of his megalomaniacal and greedy boss, Jock Robertson.

Negotiations between China and Britain seem to be progressing smoothly and it looks like an agreement will be reached when the jokers in the pack start to interfere: Barry Smith, an undercover reporter from the Daily Herald at Buckingham Palace is unleashed and Francine Weekes, the increasingly unbalanced Health Secretary, choose this of all moments to plant herself centre stage insisting the implementation of the smoking ban is upheld.

The chances of a good treaty look doomed until help comes from the most unexpected of sources.

About the Author

I am a GP working in Northampton. I was born and raised in Spain where I graduated from medical school back in 1992. I travelled extensively throughout England and Scotland wherever the training posts became available, as far South as Weymouth and as far North as the Outer Hebrides.

I am married to Samantha who has phenomenal patience and common sense. She encouraged my writing. We have a daughter Carmen and I also have two children, Laura and Felix, from a previous relationship.

I have always had a reasonably vivid imagination and always wondered about almost surreal case scenarios. This novel started on such a basis: what would happen if a foreign dignitary smoked in Buckingham Palace after the smoking ban started?

Book info

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Genres
Format

Paperback
272 pages pages

Author

Santiago Dargallo Nieto

Publisher

Matador

Publication date

21st September 2008

ISBN

9781906510961