Quotes
“As hard as nails, fast-paced, and precise.” Playboy (Germany)
“Suspenseful…A fascinating plot and arresting characters keep the reader thoroughly engrossed.” Publishers Weekly
“The tension builds wonderfully, aided by nice descriptive touches…and a quirky way of building atmosphere and character through smell.” Booklist
“A brutal, hard-edged story with ingenious plot twists.” Süddeutsche Zeitung (Munich)
“With hairpin plot twists and sharp prose, The Truth Itself grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Roger Smith, writing as James Rayburn, has a gift for creating real people caught in impossible circumstances instead of the usual paper targets. Anyone who wants a thriller that actually thrills needs to pick up this book.” Christopher Farnsworth, author of Flashmob and Blood Oath
“The Truth Itself is a stunner; an intimate story that plays out against an international canvas with characters caught up in events bigger than themselves, their lives intertwining and colliding like a mortar shell in a market, leaving the reader breathless with fear and hope. An intense, fast-paced, complicated thriller, The Truth Itself will challenge readers’ minds and hearts. Highly recommended!” Karen Dionne, internationally bestselling author of The Marsh King’s Daughter
“James Rayburn has written one of those rare thrillers that combines a breakneck pace and unforgettable characters with searing political commentary. He ditches the usual clichés of espionage novels and constructs a truly jarring and inventive plot. From the harrowing opening scene of a school shooting in rural Vermont to the final twist that I never saw coming, this is an unputdownable novel that I can’t recommend enough.” Jon Bassoff, author of Corrosion, nominated for the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière
“Graham Greene would have appreciated The Truth Itself. There is a complex moral and political vision at the heart of this novel. James Rayburn knows how to make readers turn the pages, except for the times they pause to savor the quality of the prose. This is one finely calibrated thriller.” Lynn Kostoff, author of Words to Die For and The Long Fall
“Rayburn…writes with great wit, assurance, precision, and flair, capturing readers from the very first sentences of this extraordinary thriller. Every character is a standout, each with a unique voice and intricate backstory.” Mystery Scene magazine
“Rayburn sets up the book as a race against time, Kate and her team versus Benway and his. The highly effective page-turning speaks to Rayburn’s earlier career as a South African filmmaker…The force of character that Kate Swift provides gives a new notion of what a woman can accomplish as an agent—and a mom…Often violent but not particularly gruesome, The Truth Itself is a classic-style spy and escape adventure. It’s a good read, with engaging characters, and the final scene hints at a possible sequel in the works. That would be excellent news.” New York Journal of Books
