Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil

Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil

Melina Marchetta

Mulholland Books (2016)

Rating: ★★★★★

Tags: Mystery & Detective, General, Fiction

Mystery & Detectivettt Generalttt Fictionttt

Melina Marchetta's gripping new novel Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil is a cracking fusion of suspense and heart-rending drama. Chief Inspector Bish Ortley of the London Met, divorced and still grieving the death of his son, has been drowning his anger in Scotch. Something has to give, and he's no sooner suspended from the force than a busload of British students is subject to a deadly bomb attack across the Channel. Bish's daughter is one of those on board.Also on the bus is Violette LeBrac. Raised in Australia, Violette has a troubled background. Thirteen years ago her grandfather bombed a London supermarket, killing dozens of people. Her mother, Noor, is serving a life sentence in connection with the incident. But before Violette's part in the French tragedy can be established she disappears.Bish, who was involved in Noor LeBrac's arrest, is now compelled to question everything that happened back then. And the more he delves into the lives of the family he helped put away, the more he realises that truth wears many colours.With its cast of unforgettable characters, social insight and wry wit, Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil is an irresistible novel about human identity, lost children and the nature of real love.'A novel of great scope, of past and present, and above all, the Marchetta trademark of a fierce and loving heart.' Marcus Zusak 'Emotionally complex characters complement an intricate plot rife with dizzying twists and devastating reveals. This visceral read manages to capture the emotional aftermath of a mass tragedy while sustaining tension and delivering a scathing indictment of racial profiling, vigilante justice, and the 24-hour news cycle.' Publishers Weekly 'This is a cracking read that's also timely and intelligent . . . Everything works together in this book . . . It's a big, juicy story filled with many characters and Marchetta is a master storyteller. On occasion, even cynical reviewers stay up long past bedtime, nodding and turning pages. Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil deserves to be on the bedside table of every crime fan.' The Saturday Paper 'An electrifying contemporary detective thriller.' Fiona Hardy, Books & Publishing'Marchetta is a wonderful storyteller, with every interaction important, thrilling, enjoyable, or all of the above, and every character gifted with such an honest, gloriously vivid life of their own that reading the whole thing in a searing rush of pages in one sitting is irresistible.' Readings Monthly'A stunning marriage of global anguish and personal pain . . . often heartbreaking, sometimes heart-stopping, and definitely unforgettable.' Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street'Heart-pounding (and heartbreaking) . . . Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go until I'd read the last word - and shed the last tear.' Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay and Leave Me

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chief Inspector Bish Ortley of the London Met, divorced and still grieving the death of his son, has been drowning his anger in Scotch. Something has to give, and he’s no sooner suspended from the force than a busload of British students is subject to a deadly bomb attack across the Channel. Bish’s daughter is one of those on board.

Also on the bus is Violette LeBrac. Raised in Australia, Violette has a troubled background. Thirteen years ago her grandfather bombed a London supermarket, killing dozens of people. Her mother, Noor, is serving a life sentence in connection with the incident. But before Violette’s part in the French tragedy can be established she disappears.

Bish, who was involved in Noor LeBrac’s arrest, is now compelled to question everything that happened back then. And the more he delves into the lives of the family he helped put away, the more he realises that truth wears many colours.

Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil
is an irresistible novel about human identity, lost children and the nature of real love. With a cast of unforgettable characters and Melina Marchetta’s trademark social insight and wry wit, it’s a cracking fusion of suspense and heart-rending drama.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SEVEN

TWENTY-EIGHT

TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-TWO

THIRTY-THREE

THIRTY-FOUR

THIRTY-FIVE

THIRTY-SIX

THIRTY-SEVEN

THIRTY-EIGHT

THIRTY-NINE

FORTY

FORTY-ONE

FORTY-TWO

FORTY-THREE

FORTY-FOUR

FORTY-FIVE

FORTY-SIX

FORTY-SEVEN

FORTY-EIGHT

FORTY-NINE

FIFTY

FIFTY-ONE

FIFTY-TWO

FIFTY-THREE

FIFTY-FOUR

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ALSO BY MELINA MARCHETTA

FOR BIANCA

They call him Scouser Jimmy on the construction site. Everyone has a nickname, so Jimmy takes it in his stride.

‘You remind me of another Jimmy,’ the boss says one day when they’re standing on a plank, high above Brackenham Street. ‘Both of you have the heart of a lion.’

Jimmy read in the
Daily Mail
months ago that Man United had signed up a Brackenham council estate kid, same age as him. Word on the street is that the other Jimmy has given it his best, all his life. Scouser Jimmy’s becoming a fan, although he’ll be hammered back in Liverpool for admitting it.

He misses home. More than anything he misses his ma and da, sitting with them after dinner in front of the telly, talking about everything and a whole lot of rubbish really. But Jimmy wants to see the world, so he’s in London now, holding down three jobs. Working on construction sites during the week, doing pub work at night, and shucking out the stables at Richmond Park on weekends. If he puts his head down, he’ll have enough to take off within a year. It’s been his dream ever since his parents bought him that atlas with his confirmation money. Jimmy’s ma says that when Da was his age and old enough to sign the papers, he applied for a passport, but he never got to use it.

‘Why don’t you meet me someplace?’ Jimmy asks when he rings one night, just to hear their voices. ‘Maybe Australia?’ Because it was Da who once showed him the images of the red earth there.

Da doesn’t say much, just mumbles a ‘maybe’.

So Jimmy makes a detour and walks down Brackenham Street to St Christopher’s on the corner. He’ll light a candle and make a vow. He’s going to find a way to get Da’s passport stamped. If it’s the last thing he ever does.