Political thriller Ridgeway published by Chiselbury

London, 21 November 2022. Chiselbury is pleased to announce the publication of Ridgeway, by Nick Watts. It is a political thriller set with a background of the run-up to a UK General Election with a web of scheming, treachery and death. It is long-time political consultant Nick Watts’ first novel.

In the period before the 2010 General Election, the sitting MP in the very safe seat of Ridgeway appears to commit suicide.  Why would he do this? Tom Scobie is first on the scene at what looks like a road accident. He recognises the car involved as that of the local MP.

A vacancy in a safe seat will be a shoo-in for the chosen candidate, and is much sought after. But who will this be? Tom discovers that there are dark forces at play, and he is drawn into a web of intrigue, conspiracy and murder, as he tries to understand the story behind the story.

As he delves further into the mystery, Tom becomes the target for dark forces who hope to manipulate the vacancy and install their preferred candidate, to suit their purposes. He needs to draw on all of his resourcefulness, and the help of a few friends, to try to overcome their schemes. He discovers unexpected allies, but who can he trust?

As election day approaches, the stakes get higher, as life becomes more perilous for Tom and his family. Can he get to the bottom of the conspiracy, and unmask the puppet master, who is trying to influence the result?

Ridgeway takes the reader into a world that is largely unexamined by the wider public – who are the people we send to Westminster? How are they chosen? Do we really care?

Nick Watts has worked in and around Westminster for 30 years. He has worked for an MP, been a policy adviser, a consultant, and has run an all-party parliamentary group. During this time he has seen the travails of the Major government, the arrival of New Labour, Brexit and the subsequent political convulsion.

He has worked with MP and Peers from all of the main political parties, and has seen them at work. He has also been involved in taking parliamentarians on overseas visits. As a result, he has a good understanding of the kind of people who become politicians, and the pressures they have to deal with.

‘Ridgeway” is available for purchase here, from all good bookshops and worldwide from Amazon. ISBNs 978-1-908291-94-3 (Hardback) and 978-1-908291-89-9 (Paperback). It is also available as a Kindle edition. If you would like a review copy please email info@chiselbury.co.uk.

Its cover illustration is by cartoonist Jeremy Leasor.