A Whispered Name

'To keep quiet about something so important...well, it's almost a lie, wouldn't you say?'

When Father Anselm meets Kate Seymour in the cemetery at Larkwood, he is dismayed to hear her allegation. Herbert Moore had been one of the founding fathers of the Priory, revered by all who met him, a man who'd shaped Anselm's own vocation. The idea that someone could look on his grave and speak of a lie is inconceivable. But Anselm soon learns that Herbert did indeed have secrets in his past that he kept hidden all his life.

In 1917, during the terrible slaughter of the Passchendaele campaign, a soldier faced a court martial for desertion. Herbert, charged with a responsibility that would change the course of his life, sat upon the panel that judged him. In coming to understand the court martial, Anselm discovers its true significance: a secret victory that transformed the young Captain Moore and shone a light upon the horror of war.

Winner of CWA Gold Dagger for Fiction 2009 (UK)

“The novel is part detective story, part literary evocation of the horrors of trench warfare, interwoven with questions of morality and spirituality a compelling read. - Courier MailA dazzling, brilliant work, and engrossing read, surely one of the novels of the year There is so much to delight in this marvellous book The elegance of the writing matches the grandeur of the story Here then is a perfectly crafted story - Canberra TimesThis absolutely wonderful novel is written by William Brodrick, a former Augustinian friar who gave up his vocation to train and work as a barrister before turning to writing Flanagan's story is recounted in elegant prose and with a depth of emotional engagement, historical accuracy and philosophical questioning reminiscent of Sebastian Faulks' masterpiece, Birdsong - Weekend Australian”

The novel is part detective story, part literary evocation of the horrors of trench warfare, interwoven with questions of morality and spirituality a compelling read. - Courier Mail

A dazzling, brilliant work, and engrossing read, surely one of the novels of the year There is so much to delight in this marvellous book The elegance of the writing matches the grandeur of the story Here then is a perfectly crafted story - Canberra Times

This absolutely wonderful novel is written by William Brodrick, a former Augustinian friar who gave up his vocation to train and work as a barrister before turning to writing Flanagan's story is recounted in elegant prose and with a depth of emotional engagement, historical accuracy and philosophical questioning reminiscent of Sebastian Faulks' masterpiece, Birdsong - Weekend Australian

Bill Brodrick was a Franciscan friar before leaving the order to become a practising barrister.

'To keep quiet about something so important...well, it's almost a lie, wouldn't you say?'When Father Anselm meets Kate Seymour in the cemetery at Larkwood, he is dismayed to hear her allegation. Herbert Moore had been one of the founding fathers of the Priory, revered by all who met him, a man who'd shaped Anselm's own vocation. The idea that someone could look on his grave and speak of a lie is inconceivable. But Anselm soon learns that Herbert did indeed have secrets in his past that he kept hidden all his life.In 1917, during the terrible slaughter of the Passchendaele campaign, a soldier faced a court martial for desertion. Herbert, charged with a responsibility that would change the course of his life, sat upon the panel that judged him. In coming to understand the court martial, Anselm discovers its true significance: a secret victory that transformed the young Captain Moore and shone a light upon the horror of war.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.