Bookmunch review

‘The story itself moves at the frenetic pace of a New York cab ride’ – Exiled by Shireen Jilla.

If you’ve ever spent time in New York, then you will recognise that Shireen Jilla has done an excellent job of capturing the character of the place and the people. The story itself moves at the frenetic pace of a New York cab ride. Jilla throws you almost straight into the plot, and draws you into Anna’s crisis from an early stage. The cliched term ‘page-turner’ is very appropriate here, and the speed with which events spiral to their climax pulls you further into the book, adding to your sense of sympathy for Anna.

The final twist in the plot is totally unexpected and a very clever touch from Jilla. While you’ve watched the machinations of Anna’s manipulative step-mother in law, and seen the change in her husband Jessie from idealistic diplomat to controlled, money-obsessed corporate clone, you develop a sense that this is in some way a polemic from Shireen Jilla over the corrupting influence of the US obsession with money. I was starting to feel that Shireen Jilla was in some way bitter about her time in New York….

Approaching Exiled at the outset, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it – and I was suspicious of a glowing review from Boris Johnson given Shireen Jilla’s political connections to the Mayor of London. However, it turned out to be one of the best and most enthralling psychological thrillers I’ve read for some time…Any Cop?: Exiled is an excellent, highly-polished novel from start to finish, debut or otherwise. It’s an excellent, roller-coaster read and I highly recommend it.

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