Plotters

Longlisted for the Neave Book Prize

An eye-opening account of the British terror attacks you’ve never heard of—because the perpetrators were caught in time.

Since 2017, the UK has seen eighteen terrible terrorist attacks. But the atrocities on our evening news are the tip of a vast iceberg. Security services are striving to contain a staggering 3,000 jihadists, far-right extremists and other potential threats. We are in a new age of terror, with self-radicalising, hard-to-categorise individuals planning violence—but each one caught by the British state tells us something about British society.

Since the Westminster Bridge attack that changed everything, more than 40 terror plots have been foiled. Some were thwarted by nerve-wracking undercover operations; others were narrowly averted by heroic citizens, or ruined by the absurd mistakes of would-be attackers. Invariably, the all-too-human stories of these failed terrorists reveal the true picture of UK extremism.

Through interviews with senior counter-terror figures and astonishing court testimony, Plotters unpacks how and why British terror attacks happen—and don’t. From dating websites and prison cells to Telegram networks and Tesco knives, Lizzie Dearden’s deep dive offers one disturbing certainty: the plotters will keep coming. To confront them, we need to understand them.

‘Plotters gives a useful overview of the demographic and ideological composition of the current terrorist threat… This is, of course, a serious book, but it is also darkly funny.’ — The Guardian

‘[Plotters] unravels the story behind the terrifying—and sometimes Four Lions-style comically bizarre—British terror attacks that have fortunately failed since 2017. Dearden … offers a disturbing, powerful account of the changing profile of the terrorist.’ — The Independent

‘A meticulously researched and extremely readable deep dive into the motivations and methods of our growing population of thwarted violent extremists.’ — CapX

‘A well-researched and compelling book that sheds insight into the thinking and techniques of both terrorists and counter-terror operatives.’ — Morning Star

‘A deeply fascinating, highly informative and entertaining account of an overlooked subject. This brilliant book offers unique insights into the stories of would-be terrorists and foiled plots that could have changed the course of Britain’s recent history.’ — Julia Ebner, author of Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists

‘A gripping, vivid and important book. By expertly analysing foiled and failed terrorist plots, Dearden presents highly original insight into the complex phenomenon of modern terrorism.’ — Richard English, author of Does Terrorism Work? A History

‘Terrorists try to present themselves as ruthless and calculating; Plotters shows that most of them are sad, lonely and inept. Yet these stories also reveal the enormous challenges facing the security services trying to keep us safe. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about terrorism, beyond the headlines.’ — Brendan Cox, anti-terror campaigner