Unveiling Truth in Fiction
When a book claims to be fictional yet teases reality, intrigue is inevitable. Aidan O’Dwyer’s Appropriate Action delivers precisely that—an enthralling blend of suspense, intrigue, and chilling possibilities. It’s the kind of narrative that grips readers by subtly hinting: this could’ve really happened.
A Story Too Real to Ignore
Appropriate Action centers around Lee Morgan, an ordinary hobbyist inventor whose life spirals out of control after devising a contraption that openly defies accepted scientific theories. It’s 2022, and Lee quickly discovers innovation isn’t always celebrated—it can attract perilous attention. Following a suspicious death, Lee’s life becomes a maze of confusion, intimidation, and danger. Anonymous threats urge him to remain silent, while glaring contradictions from authorities push him further into doubt. He can’t turn away, even as he’s tempted by simpler, safer truths.
Enter Magdalena “Mags” Felenak, an ambitious and youthful journalist fresh out of university, and Aidan O’Dwyer, seasoned yet disillusioned by his career. Thrust unexpectedly together after a shocking event, they find themselves reluctantly aligned—driven by shared curiosity and a determination to reveal hidden truths. Their journey isn’t straightforward, and their conflicting personalities ignite tensions, but the mission bonds them deeply. Who’s pulling the strings, orchestrating the threats, and why? These burning questions form the heart of their compelling pursuit.
Blurring Fiction and Reality
O’Dwyer employs an unusual strategy: he’s openly fictionalized real events, or at least claims he has. The book’s characters—including “Aidan O’Dwyer” himself—bear pseudonyms to shield identities. O’Dwyer acknowledges upfront that this narrative draws from genuine experiences, presented under the veil of fiction. His goal? Simple. To bring hidden truths into public awareness without insisting on their veracity. Readers can interpret it as pure fiction or chilling reality—the ambiguity itself adding to the allure.
The authenticity of the writing undoubtedly benefits from O’Dwyer’s professional background. Once renowned as an investigative journalist covering harrowing stories of child abuse, his career dramatically pivoted after a devastating personal failure. Haunted by guilt from dismissing a student’s claims of abuse—only for tragedy to follow—he retreated from investigative journalism into science features, an ironic twist given the scientific controversies explored in Appropriate Action.
Now freelancing, O’Dwyer spends his time crafting obituaries for celebrities, writing novels, and helping manage Sophia’s bustling Italian restaurant. This shift might seem tranquil, but the shadows of his past still loom large—shadows clearly infused within the pages of his chilling narrative.
England’s Shadows, Global Consequences
The novel primarily unfolds across London and southeast England, between December 27, 2021, and March 31, 2023. This setting isn’t merely geographical convenience. A wide range of familiar settings, across urban, suburban and rural landscapes; including a typical London office, a dreary multi-storey car park and a wind-swept coastal promenade, provide a fittingly atmospheric backdrop for the conspiracies and complexities O’Dwyer lays bare. This familiarity, juxtaposed with unsettling events, amplifies the sinister tension. It’s easy to imagine such events quietly unfolding just beneath our notice. Scenes are further brought to life by the regular interaction of recognisable incidental characters that add to the mix, providing the protagonists with invaluable evidence or gentle amusement during their investigation.
At its core, Appropriate Action is a powerful exploration of trust, deception, and consequences. Lee’s invention sets off a chain reaction, spotlighting how easily innovation can threaten entrenched interests. Yet, beneath the espionage and intrigue lies a deeply personal story of guilt and redemption—mirroring the author’s own unresolved inner turmoil. O’Dwyer, both the character and author, confronts past mistakes while seeking truths that might redeem him.
More than a Thriller
Ultimately, Appropriate Action transcends the thriller genre. It’s a provocative narrative that forces readers to question authority, consider hidden powers at play, and reflect upon the vulnerabilities within truth and trust. Aidan O’Dwyer’s novel resonates because it dares to blur lines between fact and fiction, compelling readers to confront unsettling possibilities.
Whether readers choose to believe O’Dwyer’s account as reality or fiction doesn’t matter. His priority is engagement and enjoyment—and on that front, he indisputably succeeds. Appropriate Action isn’t just another thriller—it’s a haunting experience that lingers long after the final page.
We had the privilege of interviewing Aidan O’Dwyer—the elusive narrator of Appropriate Action—who speaks to us not as the author, but as the man who lived through the chaos, loss, and revelations chronicled in the story. Here are excerpts from the interview.
Hi Aidan, please share about yourself with our readers.
Hi, for the purpose of the book and this interview, I go by the name of Aidan O’Dwyer. I’m going to have to be somewhat choosy in what I share in this interview, as I don’t want to slip in any spoilers for those that have yet to read the novel. Let’s just say that I help out my partner at her popular Italian restaurant some evenings, as well as doing a little freelance journalism and putting this book together.
Please tell us about your book.
The book chronicles a period of my life from the end of 2022 to March 2023. Since the dramatic end of that mad March, I have been working to write the book, collaborating with others involved in the events to gain their personal perspective and knowledge of what went on. Some of the scenes had to be imagined, but those close to the story agree that my takes form a realistic filler within the narrative. The novel includes my own personal demons, as well as those brought by others, and has turned out to be, I guess, a therapeutic endeavour of sorts. I have written things about myself that, before the book, I would never have shared with a therapist or counsellor in a million years.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
A chief strategy was to keep myself hooked to the why. Why I needed to write the book? Why the story needed to be told? I’ve never had an ambition to be a writer—you think that would be standard for a journalist, but it certainly wasn’t in my case. In fact, even now, I prefer to consider myself as a storyteller as opposed to a writer. Without wishing to sound too much like a recipient of an award standing at a podium, I really could not have written the book without the love, support, and understanding of my partner, Sophia. There, said and done. Best not to stifle the truth, however cliché.
Any message for our readers?
Appropriate Action details a story that is tied to a fanciful notion, so if you prefer a book that keeps you firmly well grounded, you may do better looking elsewhere. But if you are drawn to classic Hitchcock films like The 39 Steps or North by Northwest, this novel is likely to be right up your street, although it does touch on darker demons along the way. My final point is best made by simply extracting a quote from the book’s Preface: “Whether you accept it as fact-based or pure fiction is down to you. The key thing is that you are entertained.“
Thank you so much, Aidan, for giving us your precious time!
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