Life and death are the bookends of existence. Death is inevitable, yet its arrival is often random. On February 6, 1958, members of the Manchester United Football Club are intent on flying home after a match in Yugoslavia. After a brief stop in Munich, their British European Airways flight is set to take off. Despite two aborted attempts, the pilot tries a third time. This decision proves fateful and tragic as the plane soon skids on the runway, crashing through a fence and clipping a house before breaking off.

Goalkeeper Harry Gregg wakes up to chaos but doesn’t let injury or panic set in. Instinct and humanity move him to aid passengers and help extricate them from the fiery debris. As Harry and teammate Bill Foulkes selflessly search the plane for those who are injured, they see the faces of players who didn’t make it. The grim reality has yet to take hold, but Harry and Bill know that nothing will be the same again.

"Grief, trauma, survivor’s guilt and the ability to overcome insurmountable adversity are the dominant themes of MUNICHS. David Peace is a composer of literary symphonies that are powerfully evocative."

The news first reaches the management of Manchester United, followed by family members of the players. Wives, mothers and fathers await with bated breath for word about the fate of their loved ones. The details come in spurts, but eventually the death toll of 20 passengers is disclosed along with the survivors who have been hospitalized. Jimmy Murphy is the caretaker of the club who had remained in Manchester. Upon learning of the calamity, he is expeditious in his response. It isn’t long before he is in Munich providing comfort to Harry, Bill and others.

While Harry and Bill’s injuries are minor, manager Matt Busby is in critical condition. The hospitalization of other teammates and journalists might be lengthy. Harry and Bill are pressed with inquiries by the prying and occasionally predatory press. Jimmy is the mediator who allays their anger and suggests that they calmly talk to the reporters. Harry and Bill depart the hospital for a local hotel, but their thoughts remain with those left behind.

The task ahead of Jimmy and the Manchester United hierarchy is daunting as the season is ongoing. The team roster has to be revamped to account for the dead and the infirm. Murphy will need to assume Matt’s role in reviving the club. The games will go on despite the lingering uncertainty in Munich, and the soccer world awaits their return to the pitch.

David Peace has the remarkable ability to dig into the darkest moments of the past and compose dramatic work that is both provocative and fulfilling. This arresting novel is no exception. The narrative’s timeline evolves over a period of three months, yet Peace utilizes his prowess to highlight the emotions and actions of various players and journalists at the center of the crisis, along with their significant others. His appreciation of soccer and its renowned figures is evident in books such as THE DAMNED UTD and RED OR DEAD, and it is further manifested here.

Grief, trauma, survivor’s guilt and the ability to overcome insurmountable adversity are the dominant themes of MUNICHS. David Peace is a composer of literary symphonies that are powerfully evocative.