“A joy to read”

“A remarkable contemporary thriller – with shades of Graham Greene and Le Carré about it – but also a profound and compelling investigation of a hugely complex human predicament. Brilliantly observed, captivatingly written, grippingly narrated – a triumph”

“Wonderfully well written… old school in the best possible way, with an insidious escalation of menace, and paranoia that fairly shimmers off the pages”

“Robert Harris once wrote that writing a book which was both a thriller and a literary novel is ‘a difficult trick but in my book the greatest to bring off.’ It was something Graham Greene managed at least half-a-dozen times, and Nicholas Shakespeare now does it with The Sandpit. There are echoes of Greene, also of Conrad and Le Carré. Yet these influences have been absorbed as good writers always absorb the influence of their predecessors and go beyond it to make something that is wholly their own, striking an individual note… One good test of a novel is: does it re-read? Well, I’ve now read The Sandpit twice, and I’m pretty sure I shall read it again in a few months’ time”

“Quite simply excellent. If you're looking for something exciting and sinewy to read, this is it. There's no mistaking quality when it appears in book form"

“Exceptionally well written”

“A beautifully considered, subtle exploration of Englishness, of betrayal, of social change and character – elegantly and engagingly wrapped in a classic spy novel”

“A grimly absorbing literary thriller with shades of John le Carré... opens a window onto the murky world of international nuclear policy and espionage amorality”

"The best novel of its kind I have read since the turn of the century"

“Shakespeare sets up the myriad pressures on his protagonist with consummate skill, keeping the reader guessing about the motives of everybody Dyer encounters. There are more than a few hints of Graham Greene and John le Carré here... In its exploration of how individual actions can have huge and unexpected ramifications, The Sandpit is an enthralling read... the theme of how ordinary individuals negotiate the pressures brought down on them by extraordinary events generates superb drama”

“Gripping stuff, deftly told. Yet within this nail-biting novel of suspense is another, more contemplative novel… that invites comparison to Graham Greene. Here is a fine writer, spinning suspense with the ease, patience and control of a fly-fisherman"

“A paranoia-filled page turner”