Description

A high octane thriller, capturing the extraordinary capacity of humans to retain compassion in extreme circumstances

Sam is a war photographer, famous for her hauntingly beautiful pictures of the dead. After a particularly gruelling assignment she checks into a luxury hotel, hoping to unwind with a few days of solitude.

Abhi, the hotel manager, never wanted to be a hero; he just wants to avoid disappointing his father and brother any more than he has already. But when gun-wielding terrorists run amok through the hotel, and his five-year-old Billy is found alive under the bodies of his parents, Abhi and Sam are forced to work together to protect him from the mounting violence.

As the threat of danger moves closer, the bond between this unlikely trio grows ever stronger. If they make it out alive, none of them will ever be the same.

Publisher Review

‘Powerful and absorbing… Singh’s novel is not only a page-turning thriller. It is far more than that.’ Independent ‘Over and over again I came across passages that were so true that I was punching the air… Sunny Singh’s Hotel Arcadia is the ultimate nail-biting thriller, as well as a work of literary art worthy of a Booker Prize shortlist.’ Edward Wilson, author of The Midnight Swimmer ‘Macabre, gripping, fantastically well-written and brave.’ Isabel Wolff, author of Ghostwritten ‘The excellence of this novel is its canny synthesis of elements: the essential thriller plot (at times reminiscent of the most powerful writing of Graham Greene; no mean feat in itself) and the careful accretion of character detail in which the principals force us to decide that our initial impressions of them may not be the ones we’re finally left with.’ Barry Forshaw, Crimetime UK ‘Elegantly plotted, psychologically subtle and almost unbearably exciting.’ Book of the Week, The Tablet ‘This is an outstanding read, the juxtaposition of war zone and luxury hotel creates such powerful images. I loved the tension that Sunny Singh generated each time Sam left the safety of her room it had me frantically flicking the pages urging her to get her back to safety… A gripping, thoughtful read and one that will remain long in my memory.’ Grab this Book ‘An evocative and very intense thriller, Hotel Arcadia is heavily character driven and beautifully written. One of those books that completely consumes you during the reading of it, this is one that will stay with me…’ Lizlovesbooks.com ‘Evocative and powerful. The reader feels the heat, smells the fear, experiences the beauty which remains despite the gruesome scars that war cuts through lives… It is rare for any book to move me to tears. That this one did so, in the best possible way, highlights the power of the story and the quality of the writing throughout. The plot is fast moving and compelling. It shows that the hardest battles are those we fight with ourselves.’ Neverimitate blog ‘A powerful literary piece which is well-researched, engaging and emotional. This is edge of your seat stuff and is difficult to put down.’ Wordsofcolour.co.uk ‘Reminiscent of Graham Greene, the careful accretion of character detail enhances a very persuasive novel.’ Financial Times