The Irish Times called The Undiscovered Country a “smart and pacy debut that throws light on a historical period worthy of further exploration.”

The Sunday Times Crime Book Club complained a bit about its bad language.

More importantly though is what you all thought about it, all the folk who have supported this project from the its earliest days.

Marty Sandler, American National Treasure (yes that’s the same category that applies to Michelle Obama and The Rock), praised the “mordant wit and fierce intelligence” of The Undiscovered Country.

Martin Brodetsky, legendary author of Oxford United: The Complete Record, called it “some sort of f*cking brilliance right there and what the cheaper reviews might term a real page turner.”

Endurance swimmer and county Down hero, David Burke, “loved it”, gentleman Tom McAleavey, “felt I was actually there”, former Oxfam colleague Karin de Jonge said she felt “honoured that your strong ideas about irrelevant Dutch beer bottle caps made their way into the story”, and Claire Hanna, national hero (it’s her job), called it, “a cracker read about morality and ethics in a time of conflict (with a tour of the Classics thrown in for good measure!)… a really accessible way of getting into complex stuff on nation-building and justice.”

My Auntie Margaret said reading it was just like listening to my Da talking, which may be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my work.

I am gratified beyond measure that folk seem to be enjoying it. As those of you who have read it will know, most of the book is conversations, which is appropriate as I hoped that the book itself might start a few conversations.

Under normal circumstances I’d invite you all for a beer or a coffee. But these are not normal circumstances. So instead I have set up a zoom call for any of you who want to meet virtually to have a chat about it (with spoilers). It will be on Thur 15 Oct 2020 at 1800 hrs (Irish/UK time).

I’ve set up an Eventbrite for this. So if you follow this link - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-undiscovered-country-fireside-chat-tickets-123641203167 - you can register for the event and you’ll be emailed the Zoom link for the chat.

I hope to see at least some of you there.

And, until we can properly meet again, keep safe

Aidan