The Moment Before Drowning

"Brydon's provocative and unsettling first novel...is a remarkably assured debut by a gifted new writer."
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED reivew

"An exploration of political oppression wrapped in a carefully constructed mystery. In Brydon's auspicious debut...the characters are alive and the mystery is mostly satisfying. An erudite and entertaining addition to the shelf."
—Kirkus Reviews

"From the Battle of Algiers, to the austere abutments of the Brittany coast, The Moment Before Drowning is a carefully weighted novel that strips the glamour from what people can do without ever simplifying the reasons why they do it. An engrossing and expansive tale."
—Luke McCallin, author of The Ashes of Berlin

"This book haunted me—the protagonist's moral conflict is so poignant, the writing is luminescent, and the postwar French and Algerian landscapes are immaculately drawn. Take a bit of Albert Camus, mix in some Nobel...