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Burial

By Neil Cross

About The Book
*** SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES ***
From the highly acclaimed writer of Luther and Hard Sun, Burial is a novel about guilt, secrets and trying to stay alive.
'Stunning' Peter James

What do you do when a secret comes back to haunt you, threatening to destroy every aspect of your life?

Nathan has never been able to forget the worst night of his life: the party that led to the sudden, shocking death of a young woman. Only he and Bob, an untrustworthy old acquaintance, know what really happened and they have resolved to keep it that way.

But one rainy night, years later, Bob appears at Nathan's door with terrifying news, and old wounds are suddenly reopened, threatening to tear Nathan's whole world apart. Because Nathan has his own secrets now. And Bob doesn't realise just how far Nathan will go to protect them…

A gripping contemporary thriller, Burial is both chilling and utterly compelling, and is being developed for television with the title Because the Night.

Praise for Burial:

'His most terrifying... scariest and most satisfying yet' Time Out

'Burial is a terrifically scary and all too believable tale. It's brilliantly written in taut, humorous prose, while being exceptionally well observed and paced. Quite brilliant' Daily Mirror

'Burial is not only a page-turner, but also a sensitive and atmospheric portrayal of a man at the end of his tether... Creepy, unsettling, and subtle' Guardian

'This compulsive page-turner is a thrilling read and you can see why Neil Cross is the lead scriptwriter for the incredibly successful Spooks' The Sun

'An intelligent, tightly written page-turner’ Daily Mail

'A skillfully-told and macabre story for fans of Hitchcock… Cross marries literary values to the page-turning crime narrative' Independent

Reading Group Guide
Some questions to discuss with your Reading Group.

  • Guilt is a central theme of Burial. In what way does guilt manifest itself in the novel? What is the author saying about the nature of guilt and what it does to a person? How is guilt overcome?

  • Another prominent theme is the question of the existence of ghosts – metaphorically and spiritually. What types of ghost haunt the novel? How do the characters seek to ‘exorcise’ them?

  • ‘There stood Bob; hunched over, grinning in the darkness and rain. Saying: “Hello, mate.”’ (p1) From the beginning, we are introduced to Bob as an untrustworthy character. How does Nathan and Bob’s relationship change over the course of the novel? In what ways do Bob’s actions lead to Nathan getting the life he has always wanted?

  • The middle section of the story deals with Nathan’s return to the ‘real world’ and specifically the world of work. Is his occupation symbolic? What about his relationships with his colleagues (particularly Justin and Amarita)?

  • In what ways is the Nathan that meets Elise different to the Nathan that meets Holly? Why do you think he decides to find Holly?

  • ‘He said, “Holly, you don’t have to feel guilty for laughing.” Her long silence intensified. “Why do you say that?” “I don’t know.” She kept looking at him, as if suspecting they knew each other from way back, from long ago.’ (p116) Does the knowledge Nathan holds about Elise’s death change your perception of him? How moral a character is he? Is Burial a book with a strong moral viewpoint?

  • In the final act, external forces compromise Nathan’s new life. He risks everything to stop them. In what ways has Nathan changed over the course of the entire book? Would you agree that he moves from a passive character (for example, in his relationship with Sara) to an active one (in his final confrontation with Bob)?

  • In Chapter 39, the conversation between Jacki and Nathan is deceptively multi-layered. What is Jacki actually saying to Nathan? How much does she know? Would you agree that she is covering for him? Why?

  • At the end of the novel, how does the truth about Bob’s motivations alter your perception of him?

  • Should Holly have forgiven Nathan?

    • About The Author
    Neil Cross

    Neil Cross is a novelist, screenwriter and show-runner best known as the creator and sole writer of the multi-award-winning crime thriller Luther, starring Idris Elba, for which he has twice been nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing. Other screen credits include the international hit horror movie Mama, the acclaimed BBC spy drama Spooks, Doctor Who, Hard Sun, Mosquito Coast for Apple TV+ and The Sister for ITV and Hulu, as well as the 2023 feature film Luther: The Fallen Sun for Netflix. Neil is the author of eight novels including Always the Sun, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and Luther: The Calling, winner of the Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel Award. His bestselling memoir Heartland was shortlisted for the PEN/Ackerley Prize.

    Product Details
    • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (January 5, 2009)
    • Length: 304 pages
    • ISBN13: 9781847376336

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    By Neil Cross

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