Gripping Iraq War thriller 'Closer to Paradise' by Scott Leigh published by Chiselbury

A stunning first novel by a former SAS officer

Chiselbury, the independent publisher, is delighted to announce the publication of an explosive, compelling, searingly authentic thriller about the Iraq War, 'Closer to Paradise'. It is a stunning first novel by Scott Leigh, a former SAS officer.

Good Friday 2004, and a US logistics convoy sets out to carry a precious cargo on the long journey from Baghdad to Kuwait. Several hundred kilometres to the south, a covert SAS patrol is on the lookout for weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile the Mahdi Army prepares to launch its ultra-violent insurgency against the Occupying Allies that very day.

Convoy, patrol and insurgents all collide with terrifying consequences. With the veneer of civilisation stripped away, young men and women are forced to fight a brutal battle for survival, reliant only on themselves and their closest comrades. The only rule is there are no rules, and civilisation is whittled down to survival of the fittest.

And in the ruthless reality of twenty-first century warfare, it’s not just about who fights and who survives. It’s about trust and betrayal… and some very tempting treasure…

"This is a good old-fashioned edge-of-the-seat, sit-up-all-night-to finish thriller - 'Where Eagles Dare' for the 'Call of Duty' age," commented publisher Stuart Leasor, founder of Chiselbury. "Set over a few days in 2004, this novel encapsulates all that was good and bad in that conflict. The author understands how his characters think and speak, the scene is authentic, the dialogue exactly as it was. And he understands the random tragedy of war. "

It is available from Chiselbury directly, Amazon and all decent bookshops. ISBN: 978-1-916556-31-7 (hardback) priced at £22, ISBN: 978-1-916556-32-4 (paperback), priced at £9.99. It also available in Kindle/epub. Contact Chiselbury for review copies.