Classic crime and mystery fiction

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Book SynopsisVanessa Walters was born and raised in London. She has a background in international journalism and playwriting and is a Tin House and Millay Arts resident. She is the author of two previous YA books and The Lagos Wife. She currently lives in Brooklyn. Film rights for The Lagos Wife have been optioned by HBO.

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Book SynopsisNorthern Monkeys is the gritty, unfiltered story of working-class lads in Bradford, looking at football firms, addiction, loyalty and identity.

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Book SynopsisTHE THIRD IN THE ORIGINAL LAIDLAW TRILOGYTHE DARK REMAINS, Laidlaw's first case, out 2 September 2021. PRE-ORDER NOW!'The Laidlaw books are not just great crime novels, they are important ones' Mark Billingham'It's doubtful I would be a crime writer without the influence of McIlvanney's Laidlaw' Ian RankinWhen his brother dies stepping out in front of a car, Jack Laidlaw is determined to find out what really happened. Laidlaw begins an emotional quest through Glasgow's underworld, and into the past. He discovers as much about himself as about the brother he has lost, in a search that leads to a shattering climax.Acclaimed for its corrosive wit, dark themes and original maverick detective, the Laidlaw trilogy has earned the status of classic crime fiction.Trade ReviewIt's doubtful I would be a crime writer without the influence of McIlvanney's Laidlaw -- IAN RANKINHis Laidlaw is an enduring hero with the dry wit and insight to make other literary detectives seem two-dimensional -- GORDON FERRISThe Laidlaw books are not just great crime novels, they are important ones -- MARK BILLINGHAMTransfixing * * Sunday Times * *He kicked the door open so the likes of Ian Rankin, Denise Mina and me could sneak through behind him -- VAL McDERMIDThe pure distilled essence of Scottish crime writing -- PETER MAYA crime trilogy so searing it will burn forever into your memory. McIlvanney is the original Scottish criminal mastermind -- CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYREThe good news is that Laidlaw is back * * Observer * *In a class of his own * * Guardian * *Reads like a breathless scalpel cut through the bloody heart of a city -- DENISE MINA

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Book SynopsisThis beautiful hardback collection features the world's most famous detective in his most classic adventures. We begin with A Study in Scarlet, the novel that introduces the most famous characters in literature - Sherlock Holmes and Dr. watson. Then, in The Sign of Four we delve into the East India Company and a pact between four convicts. Finally, in The Hound of Baskerville, we follow Sherlock and Watson as they investigate murder with a legendary twist on the Dartmoor Moors.

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Book SynopsisRaymond Chandler’s first three novels, published here in one volume, established his reputation as an unsurpassed master of hard-boiled detective fiction. The Big Sleep, Chandler’s first novel, introduces Philip Marlowe, a private detective inhabiting the seamy side of Los Angeles in the 1930s, as he takes on a case involving a paralysed California millionaire, two psychotic daughters, blackmail and murder. In Farewell, My Lovely, Marlowe deals with the gambling circuit, a murder he stumbles upon, and three very beautiful but potentially deadly women. In The High Window, Marlowe searches the California underworld for a priceless gold coin and finds himself deep in the tangled affairs of a dead coin collector. In all three novels, Chandler’s hard-edged prose, colourful characters, vivid vernacular, and, above all, his enigmatic loner of a hero, establish his enduring claim to the heights of his chosen genre.

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Book SynopsisIt won’t be much longer now. Keep your head and hold your tongue.” In Shadows Before, events from the past are the catalyst for murder. In hope of a fresh start after being acquitted of the murder of his sister-in-law, Matthew Weir has moved his family to Spanwater, a remote manor in the Cotswolds. But his heiress wife Catherine is traumatised by her sister’s death and Matthew’s trial, and has retreated into childhood memories, believing she is living in the Welsh border cottage of her childhood. Hired to keep Catherine safe in her wanderings, companion Aurelia Brett is fleeing poverty and hunger in London, Matthew’s brother Augustus is trying to elude past debts. His nephew is haunted by the death of his father. Then Catherine dies suddenly, and arsenic is found in her home-made tea. Evidence suggests someone in the house, but Chief Inspector Pardoe finds conflicting clues and suspicious behaviour among Spanwater’s neighbours too. When a second death occurs, Pardoe – and the reader – must decide which shadows points to the perpetrator and why. Dorothy Bowers (1902 – 1948) was a champion of “fair play” mysteries, in which all the clues are cunningly displayed within the context of the story.Trade Review“Dorothy Bowers’ second novel fully lives up to the promise of her first, to which it is a sequel only in the sense that it employs the same cool, reasonable Inspector Pardoe. But the murder that he has to investigate in “Shadows Before” is a sequel; it was because Matthew Weir was accused (though acquitted) of his sister-in-law’s murder that he moved to the Cotswold country that his wife’s mental state grew peculiar enough to lead to the engagement of a companion for her. It was a natural sequel too that, when Mrs Weir died of arsenic, Scotland Yard was instantly called in; and it was natural to find the shadows of the past lying across the characters involved by the second crime. There are other shadows too. Though this is not one of those chess-board problems that set all the pieces on the board from the start, there is plenty of material evidence to occupy the reader’s attention; indeed, the reader is more generously treated than Pardoe. But the author (fairly enough, and principally by the high quality of her writing) diverts the attention to the realm of character, and so successfully that the absence of adequate motive for Mrs Weir’s murder (and for others that follow) seems a negligible factor. But when the truth is revealed, the motive is unquestionable; and for all the melodrama we have a picture of a dreadful but far from incredible killer. At certain points the construction is deliberately obscure: I think this is a mistake, but not so serious a one as to detract from the book’s outstanding merit.” -- Milward Kennedy * The Sunday Times *It is often said that not a first book but the second that is the true test of a young author's ability. If this is so the test is one Miss Dorothy Bowers passes with distinction in "Shadows Before," which improves even upon the promise of her earlier effort. The story tells of the death by poisoning of the wife of Matthew Weir, already tried and acquitted of the murder of his sister-in-law. The investigation is in the hands of Chief Inspector Pardoe, and even after he has begun his inquiry the murderer strikes again and again. Then, too, a friend of the dead woman has mysteriously disappeared, and there is an heiress to a great fortune of whom nothing can be heard. Characterisation and writing are both excellent, though possibly the narrative might be more effective if Miss Bowers were a trifle less addicted to the oblique approach. It is often an impressive and successful method, but one Miss Bowers is inclined to overwork. -- E.R. Punshon * The Manchester Guardian *Miss Dorothy Bowers is going to be a good writer of detective stories. She can tell her story, make her people real, cast her "Shadows Before", so that her readers feel intheir bones that something terrible is going to happen. -- William Blunt * The Observer *Table of ContentsIntroduction PROLOGUE Shadows PART I Coming Events I Situation Vacant II Arrivals III Encounter IV Steeple Cloudy to the World PART II Herb Tea V The Weir Case VI Scotland Yard to Steeple Cloudy VII The Husband VIII The Servants IX The Companion X The Doctor XI Somewhat Bellicose XII Friends and Relations XIII Design for an Accident XIV Titt's Cote PART III Light XV Cloudy Sabbath XVI Again Poison XVII Pie Wood XVIII The Truth XIX The Whole Truth EPILOGUE Nothing But The Truth

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Book SynopsisLeo Moran - connoisseur, private investigator, seer of visions - sets out from the splendid isolation of his Glasgow apartment for Biggnarbriggs Hall in Kirkcudbrightshire. He soon finds himself haunted by visions after a local girl mysteriously disappears.

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Book SynopsisSet amidst the urban fantasia of Hong Kong, William Marshall's Yellowthread Street novels raise crime fiction to a high art form. Surrealistic and suspenseful, vivid in their procedural details and brilliant in their scope, they are the work of a uniquely gifted writer. "As an inspired poet of the bizarre, [Marshall] orchestrates underlying insanity into an apocalyptic vision of the future." - New York Times Book Review "Marshall's novels feature seemingly supernatural events that turn out to have logical, if not precisely rational, origins. He has savage fun with police procedure." - TIME The first in Marshall's unforgettable, classic series of police procedurals – suspenseful and hilarious in equal measure. Yellowthread Street is the sort of place that breeds more crime than any cops can handle. Among the gangsters and the goldsmiths of Hong Bay, Chief Inspector Feiffer and his police department had their hands full ... tourist troubles, a US sailor turned stick-up artist, and the jealous Chinese who solved his marital difficulties with an axe. Then the Mongolian with a kukri brought an extra touch of terror to the district ... Yellowthread Street brings to vivid life a seamy world where people called Osaka Oniki the Disemboweller, Shotgun Sen and The Chopper feel at home, a world of surreal possibility recorded with unique humour and a poignant sense of humanity.

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Book SynopsisA superb novel of possessive love.Laura Franklin bitterly resented the arrival of her younger sister Shirley, an enchanting baby loved by all the family. But Laura''s emotions towards her sister changed dramatically one night, when she vowed to protect her with all her strength and love. While Shirley longs for freedom and romance, Laura has to learn that loving can never be a one-sided affair, and the burden of her love for her sister has a dramatic effect on both their lives. A story of consequences when love turns to obsessionFamous for her ingenious crime books and plays, Agatha Christie also wrote about crimes of the heart, six bittersweet and very personal novels, as compelling and memorable as the best of her work.Trade Review‘Sometimes you haven’t the right currency. And then someone else has to pay…’ Agatha Christie ‘The art of story-telling that would be at home in the woman’s magazine.’ Times Literary Supplement

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The Scots Magazine Book of the Month May 2023‘Tartan Noir at its nail-biting, brutal, bloody best’ Helen Fields, author of The InstitutionCan DI Clare Mackay unravel a dead man’s secrets?Harry Richards, a local solicitor, is found in his car, throat slit.DI Clare Mackay is on the case. She soon learns that Harry was not the upstanding man he seemed to be. Finding the killer should be easy.Then the wife of one of Harry’s colleagues is discovered dead in her car, and Clare realises there is something more sinister at play…Can she find out who’s behind the murders before they turn their attention to her?An utterly gripping addition to the bestselling crime series by much-loved Scottish author, Marion Todd. Perfect for fans of Alex Gray, Caro Ramsay and the Karen Pirie series.Praise for A Blind Eye ‘Grips you from the start and never lets you go. Todd sparkles in what could be her best tartan noir yet.’ The Sun‘Marion Todd masterfully weaves mystery and intrigue through every page. Top tier Scottish crime fiction.’ JD Kirk, author of the DCI Logan Crime Thrillers‘The central characters feel like being in the company of old friends while the brisk plot and the immediacy of the writing really draw the reader along. An enthralling and engaging read.’ Caro Ramsay, author of the Detectives Anderson and Costello Mystery series‘Clever and intriguing, with a cast of characters to root for – a brilliant St Andrews set mystery!’ Susi Holliday, author of The Hike‘A smart plot, wonderful St Andrews setting, and a main character who feels real and engaging all make for a hugely enjoyable read.’ Lisa Gray, author of Lonely Hearts‘A deeply absorbing mystery, brimming with complex characters, sinister secrets and ingenious reveals. One of the best crime novels I’ve read this year.’ B.P. Walter, author of The Dinner Guest‘If you’re looking for a fabulous, fast-paced murder mystery, don’t miss this absolute gem!’ Carla Kovach, author of Her Deadly Promise‘Like a literary Michelin star chef, Marion serves up a tale full of surprise and delight: a recipe of murder and deception that gets more delicious with each page.’ Morgan Cry, author of Six Wounds‘Marion Todd goes from strength to strength... Every bit as cunning, twisty and satisfying as I would expect from such a talented writer.’ Alison Belsham, author of Her Last Breath‘Pacy and enthralling, keeps you turning the pages at great speed... reminds me of the brilliant crime drama Unforgotten.’ The Scots Magazine‘I love this series so much! Marion’s writing is brilliant and I look forward to each instalment with anticipation. The story was gripping and I couldn’t stop reading!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘Once again, Marion has written a gripping story full of plot twists and turns. The threads of the plot are woven skillfully and the story is fast paced.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘An engaging, fluid and well thought out pacy police procedural with a solid mystery at heart, a deftly crafted cast of wholly credible characters, a firm sense of place and a compelling plot. The series shows no signs of flagging whatsoever.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

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Book SynopsisFrom the Collins Crime Club archive, the first Inspector French novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, once dubbed The King of Detective Story Writers'.THE FIRST INSPECTOR FRENCH MYSTERYAt the offices of the Hatton Garden diamond merchant Duke and Peabody, the body of old Mr Gething is discovered beside a now-empty safe. With multiple suspects, the robbery and murder is clearly the work of a master criminal, and requires a master detective to solve it. Meticulous as ever, Inspector Joseph French of Scotland Yard embarks on an investigation that takes him from the streets of London to Holland, France and Spain, and finally to a ship bound for South America . . .Trade Review‘Because he is so austerely realistic, Freeman Wills Croft is deservedly a first favourite with all who want a real puzzle.’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT “If there is a better writer of detective stories alive, I would like to know his name.”GLASGOW CITIZEN

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Book SynopsisThe 25-year-old case of a missing girl sees Varg Veum dig deep into the past to find her kidnapper, as the secrets and lies of a tiny community threaten everything … Gunnar Staalesen’s award-winning, international bestselling Varg Veum series continues in this chilling Nordic Noir thriller. ***WINNER of the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** 'Mature and captivating’ Herald Scotland ‘One of the finest Nordic novelists – in the tradition of Henning Mankell’ Barry Forshaw, Independent ‘Masterful pacing’ Publishers Weekly _________________ September 1977. Mette Misvær, a three-year-old girl disappears without trace from the sandpit outside her home. Her tiny, close middle-class community in the tranquil suburb of Nordas is devastated, but their enquiries and the police produce nothing. Curtains twitch, suspicions are raised, but Mette is never found. Almost 25 years later, as the expiry date for the statute of limitations draws near, Mette’s mother approaches PI Varg Veum, in a last, desperate attempt to find out what happened to her daughter. As Veum starts to dig, he uncovers an intricate web of secrets, lies and shocking events that have been methodically concealed. When another brutal incident takes place, a pattern begins to emerge… Shocking, unsettling and full of extraordinary twists and turns, Where Roses Never Die reaffirms Gunnar Staalesen as one of the world’s foremost thriller writers. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple … deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters’ lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books Magazine ‘An upmarket Philip Marlowe’ Maxim Jakubowski, The Bookseller ‘Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest’ Quentin BatesTrade Review'Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means "wolf'" in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth' Ian Rankin * 'Not many books hook you in the first chapter - this one did, and never let go!' Mari Hannah * 'One of Norway's most skilful storytellers' Johan Theorin * 'Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest' Quentin Bates

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Book SynopsisCelebrating Ray Bradbury''s centenary, this collection commemorates his finest crime stories tales as strange and wonderful as his signature fantasy.Time travellersdark carnivalsliving automataand detectives? Honouring the 100th birthday of Ray Bradbury, renowned author of Fahrenheit 451, this new, definitive collection of the master''s less well-known crime fiction features classic stories and rare gems, a number of which became episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Ray Bradbury Theater, including the tale Bradbury called one of the best stories in any field that I have ever written'.Is it murder to destroy a robot if it looks and speaks and thinks and feels like a human being? Can a ventriloquist be incriminated by the testimony of his own dummy? Can a time traveller prevent his younger self from killing the woman they both loved? And can the survivor of a pair of Siamese twins investigate his own brother''s murder? No other writer has ever rivalled the imagination and narraTrade Review‘As influenced by George Bernard Shaw and William Shakespeare as he was by Jules Verne and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Bradbury was an expert of the taut tale, the last-sentence twist. And he was more celebrated for short fiction than his longer works.’–Los Angeles Times ‘Ray Bradbury was the 20th-century American short-story writer par excellence.’–Guardian

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Book SynopsisA brand new bumper omnibus gathering together over 50 classic Agatha Christie stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, Harley Quin, Parker Pyne and Hercule Poirot, plus her rare Christmas Stories not available in any other volume.This new compendium of over 50 stories is the first time all the stories featuring Agatha Christie's detectives have been collected together. Here you will meet -PARKER PYNE - a consulting detective whose practice is to solve less murderous enigmas and restore happiness to his clients;HARLEY QUIN - a tall, dark, mysterious young man who takes a more surreptitious approach to solving crime;TOMMY AND TUPPENCE BERESFORD - a newly married pair of self-styled Young Adventurers' who are prepared to do anything in the name of justice.And in addition to presenting the complete oeuvre for these detectives, this volume includes as a bonus four rare short stories featuring that grand master of detection, Monsieur HERCULE POIROT, plus Agatha Christie's little-knownTrade Review‘The plots are so good that one marvels … most of them would have made a full length thriller.’ Daily Mirror

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Book SynopsisSir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) started to write as a doctor, whilst waiting for patients to arrive. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in A Study in Scarlet (1887). The Holmes stories soon attracted such a following that Conan Doyle felt the character overshadowed his other work. In The Final Problem (1893) Conan Doyle killed him off, but was obliged by public demand to restore the detective to life.Trade ReviewHolmes [is] still discussed, revered and cherished across the world * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe Woman in White famously opens with Walter Hartright's eerie encounter on a moonlit London road. Engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie, Walter is drawn into the sinister intrigues of Sir Percival Glyde and his charming friend Count Fosco, who has a taste for white mice, vanilla bonbons and poison. Pursuing questions of identity and insanity along the paths and corridors of English country houses and the madhouse, The Woman in White is the first and most influential of the Victorian genre that combined Gothic horror with psychological realism.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distTrade Review“Collins was a master craftsman, whom many modern mystery-mongers might imitate to their profit.” —Dorothy L. Sayers

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Book SynopsisGribble's unique mystery, featuring the actual Arsenal squad of 1939, sends Inspector Anthony Slade into the world of professional football to investigate a case of deadly foul play on and off the pitch.

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Book Synopsis'An ingenious book' SARAH WATERS'Permanent classics in the detective field . . . no superlatives are adequate' THE NEW YORK TIMESMarion Shape and her mother are quiet and ordinary villagers, enjoying a peaceful life in their country home, the Franchise. Everything changes when a local schoolgirl accuses them of kidnap and abuse, describing the attic room of the house as her prison. Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant is called to solve the mystery of the Franchise, but will he fall right in the middle of nightmarish affair that will change a town, and its locals' lives, forever?'Josephine Tey enjoys a category to herself' NEW STATESMANTrade ReviewThe Franchise Affair is an ingenious book ... The essential mystery is wonderfully established; the claustrophobic building-up of the apparently seamless case against the Sharpes is impeccably done -- Sarah WatersPermanent classics in the detective field . . . no superlatives are adequate * The New York Times *A detective story with a very considerable difference. Ingenious, stimulating and very enjoyable * Sunday Times *As interesting and enjoyable a book as they will meet in a month of Sundays * Observer *Suspense is achieved by unexpected twists and extremely competent storytelling . . . credible and convincing * Spectator *Really first class . . . a continual delight * Times Literary Supplement *Tey's style and her knack for creating bizarre characters are among the best in the field * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisAn omnibus comprising Raymond Chandler''s three Philip Marlowe novels, THE LADY IN THE LAKE, THE HIGH WINDOW and THE LITTLE SISTER.

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Book SynopsisThis atmospheric mystery set against the backdrop of 1945 blackout London sees Lorac's CID man MacDonald pit his considerable wits against a host of characterful suspects. Also includes the Lorac short story, 'Permanent Policeman'.

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Book SynopsisThe Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories contained four of these perfectly formed stories, and this companion volume contains a further six, published here together for the first time.As the six murderous tales unfold, the dark motive of revenge is revealed at the heart of each.

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Book Synopsis'Classy and ingenious new thriller' BA PARIS ‘Millionaires, marriage and murder make for a potent cocktail in this compelling tale set among the super-rich of New York’s elite’ TM LOGAN ‘Instantly compelling and filled with ingenious twists and brilliant characters. This is sublime thriller writing’ BP WALTERTHE RULES    1. Listen carefully    2. Do your research    3. Trust no one    4. Run for your life   Harriet Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir to an extremely powerful American family. When Edward’s father hands her a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen. But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t a novel. It’s a confession to murder. Feeling isolated

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Book SynopsisLoved it, loved it, loved it. This book has such a powerful storyline, you could really imagine it being real.' NetGalley Reviewer, ?????THREE MURDERS. ONE MISSING BOY. THE GAME IS JUST BEGINNINGWhen a body is found at the edge of Chellow Dene reservoir Detective Nikki Parekh and DC Sajid Malik are quick to arrive.This is the third murder in the space of a few weeks. Each murder has a completely different MO, but there is one common theme all the victims are teenagers. The dead boy reminds Nikki of her nephew, and she feels more helpless than ever.But then another boy goes missing. And this time his parents have been sent a threatening package too. The pattern is different again is the killer just playing a game?Can Nikki find the strength to uncover the shocking truth before the killer strikes again?From the Queen of Northern Noir, comes another absolutely nail-biting crime thriller! Fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney and Elly Griffiths will love this rip-roaring read!Readers LO

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Book SynopsisOnce again the eminent detective is presented with a series of seemingly impenetrable cases: an anonymous but illustrious client employs him to rescue the daughter of a famous personage from the clutches of a roguish aristocrat and suspected murderer; a retired art-supply dealer asks him to investigate the suspicious disappearance of his wife with a neighbour and a stash of money; a veteran of the Boer War appeals to him to track down a missing friend; a man has become convinced that his wife has been sucking their baby son’s blood. Will the most famous of sleuths be persuaded to offer his services and set off in pursuit of the criminals? The final collection of Holmes adventures, containing twelve brilliant, unpredictable stories, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes is a fitting conclusion to its protagonist’s long career and a powerful send-off for Conan Doyle’s greatest creation.

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Book SynopsisA classic crime novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, The King of Detective Story Writers', featuring Inspector French, coming soon to television.Moneylender Albert Reeve has added blackmail to his activities. When his cottage burns down and he perishes within the flames, his death comes as a shock to one of his victims and Tony Meadows finds himself accused of murder. Luckily for him, his sister remembers Inspector French and asks him to help. French fears a miscarriage of justice and agrees to commence one of his most challenging investigations.Trade Review“A detective novel by Mr. Wills Crofts is always an event to those who know… Mr. Crofts is among the few muscular writers of detective fiction. He has never let me down.”HAROLD NICHOLSON, DAILY EXPRESS

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Book SynopsisChristmas is a season of overindulgence. For most of us, that means an extra mince pie, a second helping of turkey, or perhaps a third glass of mulled wine. But for some, the festive season is a time to settle old scores, dispatch new enemies and indulge ... in murder. Here, ten masters of the genre serve up mystery and mayhem aplenty. From a dowager's missing jewels to a festive dinner gone horribly wrong, these classic crime stories will delight, puzzle and satisfy long after the last strands of tinsel have been cleared away.Trade ReviewWith Cecily Gayford in charge, we are on safe ground * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Collins Crime Club archive, the seminal first novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, once dubbed The King of Detective Story Writers' and recognised as one of the big four' Golden Age crime authors.The unloading of a consignment of French wine from the steamship Bullfinch is interrupted by a gruesome discovery in a broken cask leaking sawdust and gold sovereigns. But when the shipping clerk returns with the police, the cask and its macabre contents have gone. Following the clues to Paris, Inspector Burnley of Scotland Yard enlists the help of the genial French detective M. Lefarge to check motives and alibis in their hunt for evidence of a particularly fiendish murder.This Detective Story Club classic is introduced by Freeman Wills Crofts himself in a unique preface from 1946 about The Cask's origins.Trade Review‘The soundest builder of them all.’ Raymond Chandler 'Deservedly a first favourite with all who want a real puzzle.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Probably unsurpassed in ingenuity.’ The Queen

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Book SynopsisA timely, gripping and morally complex thriller'MAIL ON SUNDAYTwo women are found dead.Both had a secret.Both had a choice.Artemis leaves her home in Greece to start a shiny new life with her wealthy husband, Clive Witherall, in 1990s London. Finally she has escaped the ghosts of her past. Until she is discovered hanging from the stairs of their beautiful family home.Two decades later, the apparent suicide of heiress Anna Witherall uncannily mirrors Artemis' mysterious death.What is the web of deceit that binds these two women? And what deadly secrets were they hiding?Philby is a skilled and evocative writer'FINANCIAL TIMESSeriously stylish' LUCY FOLEYI'm addicted to the deadly glamour of Charlotte Philby's novels' ERIN KELLYGripping' CRIME MONTHLYA page-turning thriller Philby has created a new sort of spy novel approaching this world of skulduggery and intrigue from an entirely unique perspective. This is a clever, gripping, unsettling and thoroughly entertaining read' HOLLY WATTHeTrade Review‘I’m addicted to the deadly glamour of Charlotte Philby’s novels’ ERIN KELLY ‘A timely, gripping and morally complex thriller’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Each of Charlotte Philby’s novels bring a thought-provoking new angle to her characters – with old favourites and new intrigues emerging. The Second Woman is a page-turning thriller, but again, Philby has created a new sort of spy novel – approaching this world of skulduggery and intrigue from an entirely unique perspective. This is a clever, gripping, unsettling and thoroughly entertaining read’ HOLLY WATT ‘Following on from Part of the Family and A Double Life, this finely worked novel concludes Charlotte Philby’s triptych about the choices women might make when under pressure’ THE TIMES ‘Brilliant’ BELLA MAGAZINE ‘Gripping’ CRIME MONTHLY

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Book SynopsisBestselling phenomenon Simon McCleave is back with another gripping, atmospheric new crime thriller series set on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales.An intriguing crime thriller' The SunFull of twists and with plenty of atmosphere.' Million-copy bestseller Faith MartinSome secrets should stay buried for everTwo months since ex-Police Negotiator Laura Hart was forced back into action after her son's kidnap, she has re-joined the force as a DI. On her first day, an anonymous tip-off leads to the discovery of a skeleton in a crumbling castle ruin near the seaside town of Beaumaris, Anglesey.Laura can't wait to prove herself by solving the case and when the investigation leads her to MI5 and the Real IRA, she knows she's on the trail of something truly explosive.But some people will do anything to stop their secrets coming out as the rising body count shows. With the threat drawing in and her family yet again in danger, this time, is Laura in too deep?A pulse-pounding, atmospheric crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for fans of L.J. Ross, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths and Val McDermid .Readers love Simon McCleave!The fact that I''ve already pre-ordered the next book in this series says it all really.' ?????If you''ve never read Simon's books, take the chance and find yourself a new go-to writer.' ?????Good action with unpredictable twists and turns to keep you from putting down the book.' ?????Thanks, Simon, for another great book- please keep em coming!!!' ?????Not enjoyed a book more for years! A real page-turner.' ?????Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE ANGLESEY SERIES: ‘McCleave weaves an ingenious backstory from the troubles in Ireland with a modern murder in Anglesey. Fantastic tension with a deftly written plot.’ – TIM SULLIVAN ‘Action-packed! A great thriller in a gorgeous location.’ – international bestselling author LISA GARDNER 'A harrowing story set against a stunning backdrop. Anglesey becomes McCleave's newest brutal playground.’ MORGAN GREENE ‘The tension keeps you gripped until the last page.’ RACHEL MCLEAN

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Book SynopsisA strange houseA ghost from the pastAs soon as she moves into Hillside, Gwenda knows there's something strange about this house.A sealed room. A hidden door. The apparition of a young woman being strangled.But strangest of all this all seems quite familiar.As her friend Jane Marple investigates, the answer seems to lie in a crime committed nearly twenty years ago.The killer may have gotten away with murder. But Miss Marple is never far behind.Never underestimate Miss MarpleReading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.'Tana FrenchMiss Marple is spry, shrewd and compassionate.'Sunday TelegraphTrade Review‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson ‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis ‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci ‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French

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Book SynopsisA shocking crimeA mansion filled with suspectsRuth Van Rydock can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen to her sister at Stonygates house.Her old school friend Jane Marple decides it's time to pay a visit.But this grand Victorian mansion isn't just a family home it's also a correctional facility for wayward young men.And when something terrible does indeed happen, Miss Marple must face her most eccentric cast of suspects yet.Never underestimate Miss MarpleIf a genius is someone who leaves the field they work in totally different from how they found it, then we should certainly remember Agatha Christie as a genius.'Stephen FryNo one on either side of the Atlantic does it better.'New York TimesTrade Review‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson ‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis ‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci ‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French

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Book SynopsisAuthor of over fifty books, Georgette Heyer is the best-known and best-loved of all historical novelists, making the Regency period her own. Her first novel, The Black Moth, published in 1921, was written at the age of fifteen to amuse her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. She wrote twelve detective stories, which earned her much critical acclaim and the title 'Queen of Crime.' Georgette Heyer died in 1974 at the age of seventy-one.

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Book SynopsisLaurence is a young ex-sailor who can''t resist the lure of the good life, and when he finds a job as chauffeur to the wealthy Mr and Mrs Bannister, his occasional work leaves him free to indulge. Bannister himself is bitter - his twisted leg keeps him on the sidelines while his ravishingly beautiful wife endures his moods with saintly patience. Or does she? It''s the Bannisters'' closest friend, Grisby, who starts stirring, getting Laurence to agree to a crazy plot. It will net him thousands, no strings attached. But is it all too easy?Trade ReviewBeautifully written and shocking. The suspense throughout is terrific. Will leave you considerably shaken * New Yorker *Not since The Postman Always Rings Twice has there been such breathless suspense * Philadelphia Ledger *Plot: clever. Style: swift, spare * Time *

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Book SynopsisPrivate detective Lew Archer has better things to do than take on an investigation for Alex Kincaid, a young man claiming that his new bride, Dolly, has gone missing. Snapped by a hotel photographer on the day of their wedding, the beautiful girl vanished only hours after and Alex has heard nothing since. But when Archer begins digging, he finds evidence that links Dolly to brutal murders that span two decades, and a terrible secret. In this byzantine and compelling tale, Ross Macdonald explores the darkest experiences that can bind a family together - and tear it apart.Ross Macdonald''s Lew Archer mysteries rewrote the conventions of the detective novel with their credible, humane hero, and with Macdonald''s insight and moral complexity won new literary respectability for the hardboiled genre previously pioneered by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. They have also received praise from such celebrated writers as William Goldman, Jonathan Kellerman, Eudora Welty Trade ReviewA master of structure and story... a writer of immense grace, sensitivity and insight -- Jonathan KellermanA more serious and complex writer than Chandler and Hammett ever were -- Eudora WeltyAmerica's greatest crime writer -- Elmore LeonardRoss MacDonald is very important to me. I love the Lew Archer books -- James EllroyThe finest series of detective novels ever written by an American -- William Goldman

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Book SynopsisTaking us into a 1930s London of grimy back streets, smoky cafes and shabby rooms, Plain Murder, C. S. Forester''s second crime novel, is a brilliantly atmospheric and gripping portrayal of the dark heart of a killer, published in Penguin Modern Classics.''They''ll get you for certain,'' said Oldroyd. ''Then they''ll hang you.''At the Universal Advertising Agency on the Strand, London, a murder is being planned. Three men have been discovered taking bribes and face the grim prospect of the dole queue, unless they can get rid of the person who caught them. Their ringleader, thick-set and vicious Mr Morris, soon discovers that killing is far easier than he thought - and that he even has a talent for it. He might, he feels, be superhuman. But as he will discover, there is no such thing as the perfect crime, and no deed goes unpunished.Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (1899-1966), better known by his pen name Cecil Scott Forester, was an English novelist who roTrade ReviewA terrible and striking piece of work * Observer *C. S. Forester is a splendid storyteller * Guardian *I recommend Forester to every literate I know -- Ernest HemingwayThe unsung godfather of English noir -- Andrew Taylor

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Book SynopsisSir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Edinburgh where he qualified as a doctor, but it was his writing which brought him fame, with the creation of Sherlock Holmes, the first scientific detective. He was also a convert to spiritualism and a social reformer who used his investigative skills to prove the innocence of individuals.

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Book SynopsisSir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Edinburgh where he qualified as a doctor, but it was his writing which brought him fame, with the creation of Sherlock Holmes, the first scientific detective. He was also a convert to spiritualism and a social reformer who used his investigative skills to prove the innocence of individuals.

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Book Synopsis“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The GuardianWhile on holiday, Inspector Maigret is drawn into the murder of a teenage girl and subsequent disappearance of her brother and must confront an evil that is hidden in plain sight   During their holidays in Sables-d’Olonne, Maigret’s wife is hospitalized with appendicitis and Maigret receives a strange note instructing him to visit a patient in another ward. To solve the mysterious case that has left a young woman dead and her brother missing, Maigret must give one of his best performances yet in a story laced with mood, class tension, and in the end, of course, justice.Trade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray ''The palm trees around the railway station were motionless, fixed in a Saharan sun . . . It really felt as if they were stepping into another world, and they were embarrassed to be entering it in the dark clothes that had been suited to the rainy streets of Paris the evening before.''An officer from Scotland Yard is studying Maigret''s methods when a call from an island off the Côte d''Azure sends the two men off to an isolated community to investigate its eccentric inhabitants.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn especially irresistible psychological thriller . . . so tightly wound that there's no natural place to put it down -- Amanda Whiting * Independent *One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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