Thriller Novel Receives Acclaim for Tackling the Chilling Reality of Returning ISIS Brides, Drawing Parallels to Shamima Begum's Story

1 year ago

Louise Burfitt-Dons’s The Killing of the Cherrywood MP hits bookshelves in hardback next month, following its successful release as an ebook in 2020. The novel offers a gripping reflection on the fate of returning Jihadi brides to the UK, and the underage girls who were seduced by the Islamic State when it was in ascendancy.

“The Killing of the Cherrywood MP” tells the story of Jihadi brides returning from Syria, terrorists being released from prison, and the subsequent rise of extremist right-wing groups across Europe. When the Labour MP for Cherrywood is found murdered, police look for a lone wolf with a personal vendetta against ISIS. However, Detective Karen Andersen believes it’s not that simple, and embarks on a thrilling quest for the truth, from the roulette tables of the Ritz to the respectable suburbs of Mainz.

“In my first book, a white convert and recruiter, Zinah al-Rashid, lands herself in prison after a failed terror attempt on the British PM. Readers wanted more of this strong character, and so her deradicalisation is the starting point in this story,” explains the author, who was born in Kuwait and exposed to the clash between political and religious ideologies from a young age. “While the book may be fiction, it’s really a mirror to the story of Shamima Begum. Had she had her appeal for British citizenship granted, most likely reality shows would have signed her up in a heartbeat.”

“The Killing of the Cherrywood MP”, published by New Century (ISBN 9781739337209) is a counter-terrorism thriller with action taking place in Syria, Turkey, Frankfurt, Mainz, St. Tropez, London, and ‘Cherrywood’ in the Midlands. Themes of the book include the public’s approach to former supporters of ISIS, the role of social media in facilitating blackmail and inciting murder, and the deselection of MPs by their constituents. Highly topical today.

Notes to Editors

On Shamima Begum:
Shamima Begum is a British citizen who made headlines in 2015 when she left the UK with two friends to join the terrorist group ISIS in Syria. She was only 15 years old at the time. Begum married an ISIS fighter and had three children, all of whom have since died. She was discovered in a Syrian refugee camp by a journalist in 2019 and expressed her desire to return to the UK. However, her British citizenship was revoked by the government on the grounds that she posed a security risk.

The case of Shamima Begum has sparked a significant amount of controversy and debate. Some argue that she made a mistake as a vulnerable teenager and deserves a second chance, while others believe that she should be held accountable for her actions and not allowed to return to the UK. There are also concerns about the treatment of British citizens who joined ISIS and whether or not they should face trial in the UK or in the country where they committed their crimes.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that Begum is currently stateless, having been stripped of her British citizenship. This has raised questions about the legality of such actions and whether or not it is ethical to leave someone without a nationality.

Overall, the case of Shamima Begum is a complex and emotionally charged issue that raises important questions about citizenship, responsibility, and justice in the context of terrorism.


To request review copies of The Killing of the Cherrywood MP please email louise@louiseburfittdons.com

Attached Media

About Louise Burfitt-Dons

Writer

Press Contacts

Louise Burfitt-Dons

info@louiseburfittdons.com