A Cursed Place

A page-turning thriller of the dark world of cyber surveillance

By: Peter Hanington

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Reporter William Carver comes up against Big Tech's manipulation and suppression of truth from the mines of Chile to the turbulent streets of Hong Kong.

Knowledge is power. And they know everything.

The tech company Public Square believes in 'doing well by doing good'. It's built a multi-billion dollar business on this philosophy and by getting to know what people want. They know a lot. But who else can access all that information and what are they planning to do with it?

Reporter William Carver is an analogue man in a digital world. He isn't the most tech-savvy reporter, he's definitely old school, but he needs to learn fast - the people he cares most about are in harm's way.

From the Chilean mines where they dig for raw materials that enable the tech revolution, to the streets of Hong Kong where anti-government protesters are fighting against the Chinese State, to the shiny research laboratories of Silicon Valley where personal data is being mined everyday - A Cursed Place is a gripping thriller set against the global forces that shape our times.

(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton©2021 Peter Hanington

Critic reviews

*Praise for A Cursed Place*

A panoramic thriller that shuttles with aplomb between four continents... chockful of vivid characters (JOHN DUGDALE)

Whether in rioting Hong Kong, or a doomed Chilean mining town, or a sinister data-mining outfit in Silicon Valley, or the shabbiness of London's Elephant & Castle, Peter Hanington sustains a narrative drive that catapults you from first word to last. Just make sure you don't miss the scenery on the way - seeing from the inside how the BBC works and how news is made leaves you feeling that W1A may not be entirely caricature. A good, pacy, sinister and timely read. (ALAN JUDD)

Peter Hanington draws you into the dark world of private cyber-surveillance, and the menace of the world he conjures - the world we all now live in - crackles off the page. His characters are beautifully drawn and so convincing that I found myself shouting "Get out of there now!" The writing is taut - not a wasted word - and the story is fast-paced, moving and twisting and quickening to a conclusion that is full of jeopardy and suspense. And when it ends, it doesn't end: it leaves you wanting the next chapter. (ALLAN LITTLE)

A Cursed Place is an exhilarating and beautiful novel that answers the most pressing question of our time: how to reconcile new technology with timeless human needs. It is written with such verve and precision, and its plot emerges with such terrifying force, that I enjoyed it even when the message it conveyed terrified me. Its characters will, I think, become literary legends. I have gotten to know William Carver quite well. He feels achingly familiar from my newspaper days. I don't always like him. But I do always admire him: especially that itchy yearning to hold mighty powers to account, and to discover the truth behind their dissembling. Peter Hanington's remarkable achievement is to have told a story which is as important as it is unputdownable. Anyone vaguely interested in the survival of our species ought to read this book - and will be thrilled they did so. (AMOL RAJAN)

Hanington's third thriller featuring veteran BBC reporter, William Carver, is a true page-turner, combining the author's insights and expertise as a distinguished foreign correspondent with a pace that keeps the reader guessing and embroiled in a plot that sweeps us from Peckham, via Hong Kong and Chile, to the Big Tech citadels of Silicon Valley...highly recommended.

Another page-turner from a writer who can take you into gripping worlds, real and virtual. (MISHAL HUSAIN)

An intriguing, timely and unsettling new thriller. (SAM BOURNE (JONATHAN FREEDLAND))

The best book I’ve listened to in ages👌

I was recommended to Peter Hanington’s Debue novel about a week ago and have now listened to all 3 books since.
Each one has got progressively better with ‘A Cursed Place’ being a real ‘Page Turner’
This series is a Winner and I can’t wait for the next in the series.
Jonathan Keeble is one of my favorite narrators and delivers a masterful performance.

Great Stuff!

This is the third Peter Hanington I’ve listened to on Audible. All three are terrific. The writing is wonderful. You care about all his characters, and the descriptions are well written. His plots are timely and believable. The action unfolds slowly and builds relentlessly. I love his novels!