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The Anatomy of a Killing

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The Anatomy of a Killing

By: Ian Cobain
Narrated by: Patrick Moy
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About this listen

The untold story of an IRA unit and a killing that has echoed across the decade.

On the morning of Saturday 22nd April 1978, members of an Active Service Unit of the IRA hijacked a car and crossed the countryside to the town of Lisburn. Within an hour, they had killed an off-duty policeman in front of his young son.

In The Anatomy of a Killing, award-winning journalist Ian Cobain documents the hours leading up to the killing and the months and years of violence, attrition and rebellion surrounding it. Drawing on interviews with those most closely involved, as well as court files, police notes, military intelligence reports, IRA strategy papers, memoirs and government records, this is a unique perspective on the Troubles and a revelatory work of investigative journalism.

©2020 Ian Cobain (P)2020 W F Howes Europe Great Britain Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing

Critic reviews

“By homing in on one man's violent death, Ian Cobain tells a riveting and tragic story but, while doing that, he has also written a precise, compelling history of the Troubles. It's one of the best I've read.” (Roddy Doyle)

All stars
Most relevant
One incident is expanded into a 'Big-Picture' landscape and contracted down to insightful detail.

Engaging.....Even if you know your history!

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Thoroughly engaging and informative .Anatomy of a killing lives up to its title ..While it does not justify an act of horrendous cruelty it reveals the documented evidence that allows us to conceive how and why it occurred . It is well written and equally well narrated .

A Tapestry with no loose threads .

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An unbiased account of the events around the shooting of a policeman in Lisburn, and the wider events before and after. Fascinating account, well written and researched. Narration was very good.

Factual and fascinating.

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Thoughtful, multi-layered deconstruction, careful and sensitive writing; magnificent narration, without which I’d have found it hard to keep reading beyond chapter 2.

Excellent

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A wonderful mix of micro and macro. Greatly added to my understanding of the Troubles and made me wonder aloud, once again, at the staggering levels of hypocrisy of the English.

Outstanding

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