The book picks up where the cold war left off and the new threat from international terrorism and Islamic extremists. My book, ‘ The Upper Hand,’ is a completed work of 143,000 words The honour killing of a young Englishman by his Muslim girlfriend's irate father leads to a manhunt. The police are conscious of their need to be politically correct at all times whilst seeking to bring the killer to justice amongst the ethnic minorities. This results in a trial at the Old Bailey with repercussions not only for the police but also the country. The new Middle East country of Qarrini, a rogue state forged with blood, strikes at the vulnerable and militarily weakened United Kingdom with nuclear and biological weapons resulting in its capitulation and take-over by Qarrini forces after it is abandonment by its allies. The country is then ruled as a satellite of Qarrini with its role being to supply food and water to Qarrini. The population are treated as slaves. In the second half of the book, Jack is a commune worker, ambitious to improve himself and rise in the bureaucracy, hoping to be married when marriage is forbidden. He meets Tarasyn on a training course but their love is thwarted by the Peace Zealots who look to prevent relationships, stamp out racism and male chauvinism who are led by Magda, a very beautiful black woman who is ruthless and dangerous to know. A CIA aircraft which is dropping weapons to the insurgents is brought down and Jack hides Curtis, one of the survivors in the commune. They escape knowing that if they are caught by the occupying forces death will await them.

Terrorim comes to the UK after a nuclear attack. What will save the people who are now enslaved? Will it be the USA?

I am a former miner and retired police sergeant and local councillor. I got the idea for the book when I was studying for an Open University course on Third World Studies. The subject was China and the lecturer thought it was OK for the peasants to work form dawn till dusk every day to meet targets set by the State. What, I thought would happen if that occurred here in the UK as the result of terrorism?