I Saw A Man

Michael Turner enters the house of his London friends Josh and Samantha Nelson while they are away. He wanders from room to room, his attention drawn to family photos. But a noise interrupts his strange examination : he discovers the lifeless body of the couple's little girl. Doubts arise : is he a mere witness or a frightening manipulator of the truth? For Michael is a puzzling character, having left New York after his journalist wife Caroline was killed in Pakistan.

He behaves like the perfect friend, most considerate. Nearly too much. What do his smooth manners conceal? Is this his way of dealing with sorrow. Another mystery arises : recently, Michael has been receiving letters signed by a certain Daniel McCullen who claims to be responsible for Caroline's death. What does he want and why does he feel the need to confess? 'I saw a man' is a novel written with surprising mastery, maintaining the reader's suspense until the very last page. Hearkening to mind Ian McEwan or Paul Auster, Owen Sheers manages to address issues combining the private side of life and a larger consideration of our globalized society.
Stéphanie, Decitre Bellecour