Aaron Thornton

In a city scarred by conflict, secrets can kill and trust is a dangerous gamble.

Psychologist Aaron Thornton is riddled with self-doubt after failing to stop a tragic incident at the American prison where he works. When his wife, Claire, receives a job offer in her native Belfast, Northern Ireland, he sees a chance to start over by treating hardened criminals in Northern Ireland’s judicial system.

Thornton’s work soon entangles him in the aftermath of ‘The Troubles,’ a brutal conflict that rocked Belfast for over thirty years. While overseeing the release of the Irish Republican Army’s deadliest assassin, Thornton unintentionally reignites smoldering feuds that threaten to consume him and his family in the flames of political violence.

Alongside a broad cast of morally complex characters who reflect the many facets and shifting allegiances of The Troubles—an attorney torn between loyalty and justice; a troubled, vengeful orphan; and an unscrupulous spy—Thornton fights to heal long-standing hatred and prevent another tragedy. But in a city where suspicion and betrayal run deep, can he save himself?

With ‘Born of Bombs and Bullets,’ writer David A. Dummer has created an everyman hero for our time and a gripping suspense thriller that sticks with you long after the dust settles.

Buy now and discover why listeners are calling this the best thriller of 2025!