Short Synopsis
Absorbing, eerie, and unsettlingly realistic, The Bell Ringers is a fearless Orwellian thriller from a talented novelist at the top of his game.

Full Synopsis
In The Bell Ringers, England in the near future appears largely unchanged. There are concerns over the threat of terrorism, the press is feisty, and the prime minister is soon to call a general election. But quietly—and largely unknown to the public or even most in government—things have become undeniably Orwellian: cameras with license plate recognition software record every car's movements, and a sophisticated, top-secret data-mining system known as Deep Truth combs through personal records, identifying violators of minor laws as well as those disposed to "antigovernment" beliefs. In the interest of security, the divide between private and public has crumbled. Freedom has given way to control.

David Eyam was once the prime minister's head of intelligence. He was one of those who knew about Deep Truth, but he suffered a fall from grace and then died in a terrorist bombing. Now his former lover, Kate Lockhart, has been named as the benefactor of his estate. But Eyam has left her more than just his wealth; Kate is also the heir to his dangerous secrets and unfinished business.

The full power of the out-of-control, security-obsessed state comes down on Kate, but with the help of the secret resistance known as the Bell Ringers, hope for freedom is not lost.

"[Lee] reads with the appropriate degree of intensity. A worthy selection recommended for...those liking Michael Crichton's State of Fear or Daniel Suarez's Daemon." ---Library Journal Audio Review

"[An] outstanding near-future thriller.... Shaken U.S. [listeners] will wonder how much of the fiction might soon become fact on this side of the Atlantic." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"The Bell Ringers is a wonderful novel.... It's way too good to be called a thriller." ---Richard Ford, author of the Pulitzer Prize winner Independence Day

"A chilling political thriller that is all the more frightening when one realizes that Orwell's dystopia has quietly become current reality." ---Library Journal Starred Review

"A page-turning political thriller and a grimly believable warning against a burgeoning surveillance state." ---Booklist Starred Review

"Gripping and chillingly realistic." ---Kirkus

"The Bell Ringers is a novel with a purpose from a man born to make mischief. Hell, I wish I'd written it." ---John Lawton, author of the Inspector Troy series

"For those who like political thrillers, this is one of the season's best: scary, informative, and, alas, eminently believable." ---The Economist

AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

AudioFile Bestseller

Publishers Weekly Review

Library Journal Review

Booklist Review