Shadow of the Rock

A humid summer night in Gibraltar. Lawyer Spike Sanguinetti arrives home to find an old friend, Solomon Hassan, waiting on his doorstep.

Solomon is on the run. A Spanish girl has been found with her throat cut on a beach in Tangiers and he is accused of her murder. He has managed to skip across the Straits but the Moroccan authorities want him back.

Spike travels to Tangiers to try to delay Solomon's extradition, and there meets a beautiful Bedouin girl. Zahra is investigating the disappearance of her father, a trail which leads mysteriously back to Solomon. Questioning how well he really knows his friend, Spike finds himself drawn into a dangerous game of secrets, corruption and murderous lies.

“[An] excellent thriller … by [a] rising star ... Exciting and assured – with a hero wonderfully called Spike Sanguinetti ... popular fiction at its best” – Susan Hill,Spectator, Books of the Year

“Very original ... and brilliantly rendered ... a rare and enviable talent” – William Boyd

“Makes ideal, if rather disturbing, reading if you're holidaying in Morocco ... Evocative, engrossing and entertaining” – The Times

“I loved Shadow of the Rock. Mogford’s sharp prose drew me in from the first page and his intriguingly flawed hero Spike stands out in the memory” – Sadie Jones

“If you want a terrific first thriller to enjoy, try Shadow of the Rock by Thomas Mogford - it's ace - original, pacy, great writing debut” – Susan Hill on Twitter

“Don't miss ... A good start to a promised series featuring Spike Sanguinetti, a Gibraltan lawyer” – Literary Review

“This couldn't have been any better ... an engrossing tale that captures the reader's heart. I look forward to the new adventures of Mr. Spike Sanguinetti” – CriminalElement.com