“A modern masterpiece.” — BookPage Finalist for the CWA Gold Dagger Award, “Best Crime Novel of the Year” “As daring in execution as imagination, this adventure tale crackles with heart, charm and dark honesty.” — Shelf Awareness “Not to be missed, this is a compelling combination of literate storytelling and action-packed thriller laced with humor.” — Library Journal, starred review 1991. … with humor.” — Library Journal, starred review
1991. One hundred miles from the Kuwaiti border, Thomas Benton meets Arwood Hobbes. Benton is a British journalist who is starting an ambitious career reporting from war zones, resulting in the estrangement of his wife and daughter; Arwood is a naive small-town American private bored out of his skull waiting for something—anything—to happen. Desert Storm is over, peace has been declared, but as they argue about whether it makes sense to cross the nearest border in search of an ice cream, they become embroiled in a horrific attack in which a young local girl in a green dress is killed as they are trying to protect her. The two men walk away into their respective lives. But something has cracked for them both.
Twenty-two years later, in another place, in another war, they meet again as changed men. Time, politics, or maybe fate is now offering an unlikely opportunity to redeem themselves when that same girl in green is found alive and in need of salvation. Or is she?
“Written with Miller’s incisive wit, intelligence, compassion and authenticity, this is a novel from a writer fast becoming a master of his craft.” — Evening Post (UK)
“Swift, gripping, and mined with surprises.” — David Shafer, author of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
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I would like to start that this book made my heart sad. It is a perfect book for Book Clubs! There is so much to discuss. The story begins with a bored American soldier, Arwood Hobbes on watch at Checkpoint Zulu outside of Emphrates Valley. While on watch he meets Thomas Benton from Cornwell journalist. Benton convinces Hobbes that he really wants an ice-cream and that it is fine for him to journey into Samawah with the Shiite flag flying. Suddenly the helicopters come and start bombing Samawah. Benton races into the city to save Benton who grabs hold of a “Girl in Green” to bring her across the American line. The race to the American line and what comes next is the start of a story of war (even if it is not called war), civilians, military decisions, redemption and most of all conscience. It is also about love and hope in a time of stress and miscommunication. Excellent book and writing that will leave you discussing it for months to come.
What a powerful book. Tragedy bracketed by sly humor. What an eye opener regarding western civilization’s clueslessness of the middle eastern culture. And what a culture. And what a tragic waste.
I am just finishing this, and have been lured into not wanting to put it down. The narrator did an awesome job with taking the reality of this piece, and opening the heart of the reader. She took a horendous piece of history and opened many eyes, I am sure. Beautiful writing and thank you for the memory.
I think anyone who has a Gulf War (1 or 2) vet in their life needs to read this. It’s fiction, sure, but sheds a great light on the inner workings of someone with PTSD.
Iraq 1991.
A scrappy young Arwood Hobbes is tending his post when British journalist, Thomas Benton saunters by. They talk. Benton is older. Wiser. But Hobbes is blessed with raw intelligence and the clear understanding that the sanctity of human life trumps the policies of war. A simple trip into the nearby town results in haunting tragedy. Twenty years later, Hobbes and Benton return to the desert. Hobbes to revenge the ghost of his past—to save a life he lost—and Benton to escape a bad marriage that he hasn’t the guts to face.
But this it the Middle East. And the lawless land and warring tribes do not wish to understand the West, and the West does not understand them. Arwood and Benton get kidnapped, and friends, whom they first met 20 years ago, led by Marta, a Swedish peace ambassador, attempt to rescue them.
Miller, who has worked on international peace for the United Nations, participated in diplomatic missions, and who did his doctorate dissertation in the Iraq civil war, has penned a fun and witty romp through the dark hole of America’s involvement in the Sand Wars, that perhaps, he alone, is qualified to tell. His characters are multidimensional yet well defined. A modern day MASH, The Girl in Green is as much about the lost cause of war as it is about lost characters. All set against the chaotic backdrop of America’s endless war.