Stag Hunt by
Anthony McGowan
pbk out January 05
(Coronet)
at £6.99
Drifter Matthew Moriarty is pressurised into spending an unpromising stag weekend
with his acquaintance Dom and several of Dom's old public school chums. The
location for the jaunt is a stately pile in remotest Cornwall where not even mobile
phones work. Faced with the huntin', shootin' and old school tie brigade, and as the
only outsider, Moriarty becomes defensive and takes on the role of token pleb. He
quickly forms the impression that there are old rivalries among the friends. As the
reader we know that one of the group is harbouring a grudge, his life devastated by
the actions of his former schoolmates. He intends to seek bloody vengeance, assured
that the isolated setting will work in his favour. Moriarty himself has guilty secrets
and the events of the weekend force him to confront his own shame and cowardice.
This is a first novel from McGowan, who was born in Manchester and studied at the
university here. Articulate on the friction of class, the bonds of friendship and the
power of hatred. The suspense is tantalising and the situation marries the gothic
quality of a haunted house story with revenge tragedy and the peculiar ambience of
British boarding-schooled males at play. An accomplished and thoughtful debut.
Manchester Evening News 27.3.04
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
Stag Hunt by
Anthony McGowan
