Ad Lib lands Johnson's 'deeply moving' account of a search for justice

Ad Lib has landed an "extraordinary" book by Matt Johnson about police officer John Murray’s investigation into the murder of fellow officer Yvonne Fletcher, who was fatally wounded by a shot fired from the Libyan embassy in 1984, resulting in an 11-day siege of the embassy.

Editorial director Duncan Proudfoot acquired world all language rights to No Ordinary Day from Broo Doherty at the DHH Agency. The book will be published on 8th June 2023 in paperback. 

Johnson said: "As WPC Yvonne Fletcher lay dying, her close friend John Murray cradled her in his arms. As she breathed her last, he promised her he would not rest until those responsible had been brought to justice. Researching and writing the story of what happened that day was an incredible challenge. The truth about what happened outside the Libyan People’s London Bureau in 1984 is multifaceted, shocking and revealing. A series of seemingly unconnected threads gradually built to a point where all the inter-related elements of politics, commerce, secret service missions and 1980s policing fell into place to create a coherent picture that reveals what is, perhaps, the underlying cause behind the demise of modern-day British policing. For some, this will be an uncomfortable read. For many, it will confirm what they may have already suspected. For me, it was an honour to describe John Murray’s incredible 37-year investigation to you and to reveal the truth." 

Proudfoot added: "Matt’s book is not only a deeply moving account of one man’s dogged, decades-long fight for justice for a murdered friend, but also an extraordinary political thriller. It lays bare government collusion with Colonel Gadaffi’s Libya as part of attempts to undermine the miners’ strike and gives startling insights into how decisions taken by our politicians and intelligence agencies, supposedly in our best interests, may be anything but. Equally significantly, it is a compelling account of the growing political control of policing, which began longer ago than many might suppose and has been every bit as damaging as is increasingly evident."