Thank you Penguin/Putnam and Netgalley for providing this nonfiction ARC. An excellent, thoroughly researched retelling of an IRA bombing in the UK at the height of The Troubles. The autho did an excellent job of providing background context to many of the issues, but without taking away from the goal of telling a history of one particular event. Highly recommended for history buffs and anyone interested in the history of Ireland.

A compelling, impeccably researched, and superbly written account of the 1984 Brighton bombing and attempted assassination of Margaret Thatcher by the IRA.

Books about the Troubles always read as highly ambitious to me, because of how extensive and complicated a political conflict it proved to be; indeed, I must admit that there were several moments when I first started reading this where I worried if Rory Carroll was casting his critical-authorial net too far and wide, worried if the book would be overwhelmed by the full-scale, unrelenting intensity of the subject. Boy, was I wrong! The connections and links that Carroll draws between seemingly unrelated events paints an incredibly well-rounded, multi-faceted, and, yes, overwhelming (but in the best way!) picture of this decades-long 'war'--its gains and its costs, its deadly effects on ordinary people, and the price of political power.

Add Carroll's name to that hypothetical list of nonfiction writers who are able to encase significant, highly-charged historical events in a palatable, easy-to-read, novel-like narrative structure, that will appeal to both academic and amateur historians alike.

There were moments where I had to remind myself that this book was non-fiction, that it really happened. Such is Rory Carroll's mastery at conveying important, historical moments in a readable, approachable way. I was particularly fascinated by the idea of how close we often come to living in different worlds, if an event were changed by minutes or inches. This is a book that will appeal to both the professional historian, as well as other history "nerds" like myself. Highly recommend it and great thanks is given to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC!

I received this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

I knew the larger arcs of the Troubles but somehow didn't know about this?! Incredibly well researched and reported book about the Brighton Hotel bombing. Also provided lots of fodder for Thatcher-hate!

Well researched and written. Rory Carroll really makes you feel as if you are there when the explosion takes place. The law enforcement search will have you on the edge of your seat.

So many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this. This was such a treat. So well written. Remaining neutral about a highly emotional event (the Brighton Bombing) must have been difficult but the author nailed it. This was very hard to put down (but I had to go to work!). I knew much about this but learned so much more and the telling of the story was very entertaining. Highly recommended. This bombing was so close having achieved its goal that it is scary.

A well-researched and interesting book on a single operation during the Troubles. An engaging read that would appeal to both professional historians as well as history fans.

If you want to truly test yourself as an author, an excellent prompt is, "Try to write a book about the Troubles without taking a side." Rory Carroll's There Will Be Fire is proof that it can be done and done very well at that.

The book follows the story of the Brighton bombing in England in 1984. The bombing was executed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in their campaign to unite all of Ireland and very nearly killed Margaret Thatcher. Most of the book follows the bomber and then the police attempts to identify and arrest him. This is the very short version of an extremely long story.

The Troubles of Northern Ireland are a quagmire of politics, grudges, and justice (or lack thereof). Carroll makes it clear his book will not tackle everything about the IRA and the Troubles. He also states he is not biased. While I think I can decipher precisely what he thinks if we were sharing a few drinks, it does not in any way hinder the narrative of the book. Carroll explains the finer points someone needs to know but sticks to the story of the bomber and the subsequent pursuit. It is one of the few times where saying a piece of history, "reads like a novel," is 100% earned.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam. The full review will be posted to HistoryNerdsUnited.com on 4/4/2023.)