Once again I’m finding another new to me author to stay in with me on Linda’s Book Bag. Today A. K. Amherst, traveller and writer, has agreed to tell me about one of her books.

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me to tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with A. K. Amherst

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Andrea. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Thank you for having me. I’m always excited to talk about my favourite topics: books.

(One of mine too – along with travel and chocolate!)

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Well I brought my one and only: Belfast Central. It tells the story of Ryan Goodwin, whose family made a fortune with their company in the ammunition industry. But Ryan turns down the ‘traditional family career’ and becomes a paramedic instead. He wants to help people, not arm them.

When he gets shot on duty, he suffers a major life crisis. He knows the only way to move on, to find closure, is by investigating why the shooting at Belfast Central took place – an investigation the police is not very eager to do.

So he sets off on his own, starting by searching for the stranger that saved his life. The deeper Ryan digs into this stranger’s past the clearer it becomes: There is a fatal feud going on between opposing paramilitaries and stopping them might force Ryan to let go of some of his deepest values.

(I understand Belfast Central will be published on 10th April, exactly 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Congratulations!)

What can we expect from an evening in with Belfast Central?

Well it is a thriller so you can definitely expect suspense and unforeseen plot twists. It’s also a story about friendship, about bridging differences. Because you know, sometimes water just is thicker than blood.

Belfast Central also integrates certain true events of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. So for readers interested in contemporary history this book has a lot to offer. My two main characters live in Belfast at different times – one in 1993 and the other in the 1930s. Belfast Central tells the story of those two lives that inevitable collide at the Belfast Central Station.

The story is very authentic and well researched with a lot of details that add up to its unique charm. So yeah, readers who love thrillers and/or are interested in history will definitely find a gem in Belfast Central.

(I imagine doing that research was a totally absorbing experience. I love reading about recent history.)

What else have you brought along and why?

I brought a Belfast Bap – the best regional food I ever ate. The bun is a speciality of Belfast and it goes with everything – eggs, bacon, sausage … simply delicious.

(Ooo. I hope you’re not expecting me to share that. I could do that justice very easily right away!)

You know with all the research I did about Belfast beforehand I really didn’t expect to come across something I never heard of before. But there I was, on my first day in Belfast, stepping off the train and stumbling across this local speciality at the market.

It’s more than just food to me, for me the Belfast Bap is a symbol for how important it is that a writer does his homework and researches to the fullest. And if your tummy is full by the end of the day as well … how could life get any better?

How indeed? Thanks so much for staying in with me Andrea to tell me all about Belfast Central. I think it looks a cracker of a thriller. 

Belfast Central

Belfast 1993: A nocturnal ambulance service at the Belfast Central Station almost turns deadly for the young paramedic Ryan. In the crosshairs of the IRA, he is badly wounded and wakes up in the hospital with muddled memories. The police close the case fast, leaving too many burning questions unanswered. Most importantly, who was that old man who appeared at the scene out of nowhere and saved Ryan’s life?

Not fully recovered yet, Ryan begins searching for the mysterious man, only to get dragged into a feud between opposing paramilitaries – with fatal consequences…

A thrilling story about fates in 20th century Northern Ireland.

Belfast Central is available for preorder in paperback here and the e-book is available for pre-order on Amazon.

About A.K. Amherst

Born and raised in Austria Andrea travelled the world from a young age. Besides travelling she loves to try new and unusual hobbies, always looking for the next great story to tell.

You can follow Andrea on Twitter @amherst_ak, find her on Facebook or visit her website for more information.