The Unsaid

The traumatised war correspondent J.R. Deo is being held at an institute for forensic observation to assess whether he is accountable for a vicious attack on fellow journalists at a bar. Initially, he spends a lot of time writing in his cell, taking stock of horrors, past and present. He regularly meets with a psychologist with whom he agrees to share his writing. But things gradually begin to unravel. Sinister figures Deo has encountered in the past take control of his pen and begin dictating their violent confessions.

Much like a dossier, The Unsaid consists of various components: Deo’s reflections on the horrors he has seen; his conversations with Eugene, his psychologist; Eugene’s reports on Deo’s behaviour; the confessions of the figures who populate Deo’s memory; and Deo’s reports on his interaction with fellow inmates. Together, these elements not only recount a fascinating story, but also question the way modern society deals with psychopathy, crime, punishment and rehabilitation.

The Unsaid is the last in the trilogy that began with De Nooy’s acclaimed novels Six Fang Marks & a Tetanus Shot (2007) and The Big Stick (2011). The books can be read separately and in any order.