Classic crime and mystery fiction

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Book SynopsisFor fans of true crime and of classic crime fiction, The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey is a gripping thriller featuring detective Alan Grant and a masterful exposé of the powerful connections between media, the establishment and what people choose to believe. Based on a true story.Complete and unabridged. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is introduced by writer David Stuart Davies.Fifteen-year-old Betty Kane has never put a foot wrong. Naturally, everyone is shocked and horrified to hear her story – that she was kidnapped, tortured and held prisoner by Marion Sharpe and her elderly mother, owners of the mysterious old house, The Franchise. But are the two women really guilty of such a horrendous crime? Every page resonates with tension as the story unfolds – did they or didn’t they take a young girl prisoner? And whose story can you trust?Trade ReviewThe Franchise Affair is an ingenious book, a crime novel without a corpse, a detective story in which the victim is justice itself. -- Sarah Waters * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe perfect classic crime story to cosy up with this winter as Amateur sleuth Mrs Bradley investigates a puzzling Christmas mystery.'The equal of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie' IndependentIt is December and Mrs Bradley has left London behind for a relaxing visit to the Oxfordshire countryside.Then, on Christmas Eve, a local solicitor is found dead by the river. Everyone believes that he suffered a heart attack - but Mrs Bradley is suspicious and is soon investigating a series of disturbing clues.As the frost thaws and spring begins, the inimitable detective must work fast if she is to protect the people close to her from a resourceful killer...First published in 1936 as Dead Men's Morris.Trade ReviewMrs Bradley is an amateur sleuth to rival Miss Marple… A cackling, leering, hooting delight… Added to the interest of the murder itself, we can delight in the picture of society that the novels afford, in the way that a photograph of a long-gone street can fascinate and charm… I just let it all wash over me, soak up the atmosphere, and revel in the character of the detective. I am delighted to have made Mrs Bradley’s acquaintance -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *One of the ‘Big Three’ female mystery novelists, judged the equal of Dorothy L Sayers and Agatha Christie * Independent *If a relaxing diversion is of the essence for a good holiday, a Gladys Mitchell novel is a must * Daily Mail *

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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 Synopsis'The most interesting of the great female writers of the Golden Age. This disarmingly low-key tale of a mysterious disappearance is the perfect introduction to her world' VAL MCDERMID 'The definition of a classic, a real cut above. It hasn't aged a day' JOSEPH KNOX When Hollywood-star photographer Leslie Searle disappears from a remote English village, gifted inspector Alan Grant is called in to investigate. But what would bring such a successful individual to the village? And was his vanishing his own doing, or did something eerie occur at the hands of an unsuspected culprit?'Will leave you desperate to re-read' SARAH HILARY 'Worth reading for its ingenious denouement'TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENTTrade ReviewThe most interesting of the great female writers of the Golden Age. This disarmingly low-key tale of a mysterious disappearance is the perfect introduction to her world -- Val McDermidThe definition of a classic, a real cut above. It hasn't aged a day -- Joseph KnoxWill leave you desperate to re-read -- Sarah HilaryWorth reading for its ingenious denouement * Times Literary Supplement *One of the best mysteries of all time * New York Times *As interesting and enjoyable a book as they will meet in a month of Sundays * Observer *Nobody can beat Miss Tey at characterisation or elegance of style: this novel's a beauty * San Francisco Chronicle *First-rate mystery, ably plotted and beautifully written * Los Angeles Times *Suspense is achieved by unexpected twists and extremely competent storytelling . . . credible and convincing * Spectator *Tey's style and her knack for creating bizarre characters are among the best in the field * New Yorker *

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Book Synopsis'If you have never entered the curious world of Bryant and May, you're in for a treat.' THE TIMESIt was the kind of story that barely made the news.When 91-year-old Amelia Hoffman died in her top-floor flat on a busy London road, it's considered an example of what has gone wrong with modern society: she slipped through the cracks in a failing system.But detectives Arthur Bryant and John May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit have their doubts. Mrs Hoffman was once a government security expert, even though no one can quite remember her. When a link emerges between the old lady and a diplomat trying to flee the country, it seems that an impossible murder has been committed.Mrs Hoffman wasn't the only one at risk. Bryant is convinced that other forgotten women with hidden talents are also in danger. And, curiously, they all own models of London Bridge.With the help of some of their more certifiable informants, the detectives follow the strangest of clues in an investigation that will lead them through forgotten alleyways to the city's oldest bridge in search of a desperate killer.But just when the case appears to be solved, they discover that Mrs Hoffman was smarter than anyone imagined. There's a bigger game afoot that could have terrible consequences. It's time to celebrate Bryant and May's twentieth anniversary as their most lunatic case yet brings death and rebirth to London's most peculiar crimes unit.Trade ReviewOne of the glories of the modern crime fiction field? The deliriously eccentric books by Christopher Fowler . . . this exuberantly written entry is as entertaining as any of its predecessors -- Barry Forshaw * FINANCIAL TIMES *Clever, funny * THE SUN *As always, Fowler does a masterly job of balancing humour with an ingeniously crafted plot. Devoted fans will be more than satisfied. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review *Christopher Fowler's writing is exquisite. His deep reverence for - and knowledge of - the dark and lonely pathways trodden by centuries of Londoners is compelling . . . the dialogue sparkles and the jokes are laugh-out-loud.' * FULLY BOOKED 2017 *There is always room for comic crime capers on the bookshelves of discerning readers, with Christopher Fowler's books having long been on the forefront of the subgenre. Here's to many more tales of our intrepid heroes as they solve seemingly impossible crimes in the most entertaining fashion. * CRIMINAL ELEMENT *

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Book Synopsis'I am waiting for someone to kill me. Tonight would be a good night for it.' Agent Seventeen, the most infamous hitman in the world, has quit. But whoever wants to become Assassin Eighteen must track him down and kill him first. So when a bullet hits the glass inches from his face, he knows who fired it - doesn't he? But the sniper isn't the hardened killer he was expecting. It's Mireille - a mysterious, silent child, abandoned in the woods with instructions to pull the trigger. Reuniting with his spiky lover, Kat, Seventeen must protect Mireille, and discover who sent her to kill him, and why. But the road he must travel is littered with bodies. And the answer, when it comes, will blow apart everything Seventeen thought he knew.Trade ReviewPraise for AGENT SEVENTEEN -AGENT SEVENTEEN reinvents the hitman novel. It's a cinematic rollercoaster, full of authentic emotion and high-octane action. The tension explodes off the pages; John Brownlow is a master of suspense * Jeff Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of TRAITOR'S DANCE *A gripping debut thriller from a British-Canadian screenwriter and it keeps readers on the edge of their seats through a roller-coaster ride of high-octane action that builds to an explosive finale * Sunday Express *A slick, clever, edge-of-the-seat thriller * Crime Review *This is a fresh adrenaline-charged, and snarkily funny spy thriller with an explosive climax * The Peterborough Telegraph *This high-velocity thriller seems destined for the big screen... thanks to British-Canadian screenwriter-turned-novelist John Brownlow's vivid imagery, ultra-detailed action sequences and elaborate plotting. * National Post *Keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing with every turn of the page. A fantastic and thrilling new entry into the modern-day spy genre * Rawson Marshall Thurber, director of DODGEBALL, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, SKYSCRAPER and RED NOTICE *Exquisite writing... the dialogue is pitch perfect... a book club title that is different from the usual - grittier and very powerful * Book Reporter *The book takes off like a rocket . . . Brownlow is an accomplished screenwriter, and it shows * The Financial Times *The pace never falters a single inch in this high octane, breathless thriller. Lean, mean and thoroughly enjoyable * Crime Time *Fresh and entertaining . . . it is no surprise it has been snapped up by Hollywood * Daily Mail *This is probably the most action-packed spy thriller that fans of the genre will read this year, with short busy chapters where conspiracies unfold at the rate of a particularly sharp shooting pistol dispensing bullets * Irish Examiner *Praise for ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN -... the action is breathless and almost every single, short chapter ends with a cliff-hanger, and twists continuously pepper the narrative ... if ever a series is to emulate the James Bond one, Brownlow's ultra-propulsive prose, plots and characters could well be the one * Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time *ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN is a speeding bullet of a novel. It never lets up and never lets you go once you're in its grip. Highly explosive and bloody fun! * Tim Glister *ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN ... brings a profane wit and some emotional heft to the world of high-end international assassins. ... The sharp self-awareness, persistent humour and vivid characters help this enjoyable, lively novel stand out from the crowd. * Brian Cliff and Elizabeth Mannion for The Irish Times *

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Book Synopsis'I am waiting for someone to kill me. Tonight would be a good night for it.' Agent Seventeen, the most infamous hitman in the world, has quit. But whoever wants to become Assassin Eighteen must track him down and kill him first. So when a bullet hits the glass inches from his face, he knows who fired it - doesn't he? But the sniper isn't the hardened killer he was expecting. It's Mireille - a mysterious, silent child, abandoned in the woods with instructions to pull the trigger. Reuniting with his spiky lover, Kat, Seventeen must protect Mireille, and discover who sent her to kill him, and why. But the road he must travel is littered with bodies. And the answer, when it comes, will blow apart everything Seventeen thought he knew.Trade ReviewPraise for AGENT SEVENTEEN -AGENT SEVENTEEN reinvents the hitman novel. It's a cinematic rollercoaster, full of authentic emotion and high-octane action. The tension explodes off the pages; John Brownlow is a master of suspense * Jeff Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of TRAITOR'S DANCE *A gripping debut thriller from a British-Canadian screenwriter and it keeps readers on the edge of their seats through a roller-coaster ride of high-octane action that builds to an explosive finale * Sunday Express *A slick, clever, edge-of-the-seat thriller * Crime Review *This is a fresh adrenaline-charged, and snarkily funny spy thriller with an explosive climax * The Peterborough Telegraph *This high-velocity thriller seems destined for the big screen... thanks to British-Canadian screenwriter-turned-novelist John Brownlow's vivid imagery, ultra-detailed action sequences and elaborate plotting. * National Post *Keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing with every turn of the page. A fantastic and thrilling new entry into the modern-day spy genre * Rawson Marshall Thurber, director of DODGEBALL, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, SKYSCRAPER and RED NOTICE *Exquisite writing... the dialogue is pitch perfect... a book club title that is different from the usual - grittier and very powerful * Book Reporter *The book takes off like a rocket . . . Brownlow is an accomplished screenwriter, and it shows * The Financial Times *The pace never falters a single inch in this high octane, breathless thriller. Lean, mean and thoroughly enjoyable * Crime Time *Fresh and entertaining . . . it is no surprise it has been snapped up by Hollywood * Daily Mail *This is probably the most action-packed spy thriller that fans of the genre will read this year, with short busy chapters where conspiracies unfold at the rate of a particularly sharp shooting pistol dispensing bullets * Irish Examiner *Praise for ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN -... the action is breathless and almost every single, short chapter ends with a cliff-hanger, and twists continuously pepper the narrative ... if ever a series is to emulate the James Bond one, Brownlow's ultra-propulsive prose, plots and characters could well be the one * Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time *ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN is a speeding bullet of a novel. It never lets up and never lets you go once you're in its grip. Highly explosive and bloody fun! * Tim Glister *ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN ... brings a profane wit and some emotional heft to the world of high-end international assassins. ... The sharp self-awareness, persistent humour and vivid characters help this enjoyable, lively novel stand out from the crowd. * Brian Cliff and Elizabeth Mannion for The Irish Times *

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Book Synopsis*THE JAPANESE CRIME CLASSIC - ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD*'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year' David PeaceTokyo, 1995. Five men meet at the racetrack every Sunday to bet on horses. They have little in common except a deep disaffection with their lives, but together they represent the social struggles and griefs of post-War Japan: a poorly socialized genius stuck working as a welder; a demoted detective with a chip on his shoulder; a Zainichi Korean banker sick of being ostracized for his ethnicity; a struggling single dad of a teenage girl with Down syndrome. The fifth man bringing them all together is an elderly drugstore owner grieving his grandson, who died in suspicious circumstances.Intent on revenge against a society that values corporate behemoths more than human life, the five conspirators decide to carry out a heist: kidnap the CEO of Japan's largest beer conglomerate and extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.Inspired by the unsolved true-crime kidnapping case perpetrated by "the Monster with 21 Faces," Lady Joker has become a cultural touchstone since its 1997 publication, acknowledged as the magnum opus by one of Japan's literary masters.'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts' Yoko Ogawa, author of The Memory Police'Takamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society' New York Times'Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire' NPRTrade ReviewHallelujah! Inspired by the real-life, still unsolved Glico-Morinaga kidnapping and extortion case which led to the nationwide hunt for "The Monster with Twenty-one Faces," Kaoru Takamura's Lady Joker is at last available in translation; epic in its scale and vision, yet gripping from first to last, this is one of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year -- David Peace, author of TOKYO YEAR ZEROA novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts -- Yoko Ogawa, author of THE MEMORY POLICETakamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society * New York Times *Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire . . . Lady Joker casts a page-turning spell * NPR *Like Ellroy's American Tabloid and Carr's The Alienist, the book uses crime as a prism to examine dynamic periods of social history . . . Takamura's blistering indictment of capitalism, corporate corruption and the alienation felt by characters on both sides of the law from institutions they once believed would protect them resonates surprisingly with American culture * Los Angeles Times *Excellent . . . Takamura shows why she's one of Japan's most prominent mystery novelists * Publishers Weekly *Takamura's challenging, genre-confounding epic offers a sweeping view of contemporary Japan in all its complexity * Kirkus Reviews *Sprawling, addictive, this X-Ray examination of a society where the have and the have nots (including the police) play a slow, inexorable dance towards catastrophe, turns into a fascinating piece of work and I look forward to its conclusion * Crime Time *A fascinating slow burn of a book, detailed, complex and immersive * Guardian *Meticulously plotted complexity * Times Literary Supplement *Ruminative and idiosyncratic, this slow-burner earns its page-count * Telegraph *Hallelujah! Inspired by the real-life, still unsolved Glico-Morinaga kidnapping and extortion case which led to the nationwide hunt for "The Monster with Twenty-one Faces," Kaoru Takamura's Lady Joker is at last available in translation; epic in its scale and vision, yet gripping from first to last, this is one of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year. * David Peace, author of Tokyo Year Zero *A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts -- Yoko Ogawa * author of The Memory Police *Takamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society * New York Times *Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire. . . Lady Joker casts a page-turning spell * NPR *Like Ellroy's American Tabloid and Carr's The Alienist, the book uses crime as a prism to examine dynamic periods of social history . . . Takamura's blistering indictment of capitalism, corporate corruption and the alienation felt by characters on both sides of the law from institutions they once believed would protect them resonates surprisingly with American culture * Los Angeles Times *Excellent . . . Takamura shows why she's one of Japan's most prominent mystery novelists * Publishers Weekly *Takamura's challenging, genre-confounding epic offers a sweeping view of contemporary Japan in all its complexity * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book Synopsis'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction' David Peace, author of Tokyo Year ZeroOne of Japan's great modern writers, this second half of Lady Joker brings Kaoru Takamura's breathtaking masterpiece to a gripping conclusion.Five men who meet at a Tokyo racetrack every week carry out a heist. They have kidnapped the CEO of Japan's largest beer company to extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.Known as Lady Joker, the men make their first attack on the beer company when their demands are not met. As the attacks escalate, the shady networks linking corporations to syndicates are exposed, the stakes rise, and bring into riveting focus the lives and motivations of the victims, the perpetrators, the heroes and the villains. Some will lose everything, even their lives.Inspired by the real-life Glico-Morinaga kidnapping, an unsolved case that terrorized Japan for two years, Lady Joker reimagines this watershed episode in modern Japanese history.'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts' Yoko Ogawa, author of The Memory PoliceTrade ReviewHallelujah! Inspired by the real-life, still unsolved Glico-Morinaga kidnapping and extortion case which led to the nationwide hunt for "The Monster with Twenty-one Faces," Kaoru Takamura's Lady Joker is at last available in translation; epic in its scale and vision, yet gripping from first to last, this is one of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year -- David Peace, author of TOKYO YEAR ZEROA novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts -- Yoko Ogawa, author of THE MEMORY POLICETakamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society * New York Times *Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire . . . Lady Joker casts a page-turning spell * NPR *Like Ellroy's American Tabloid and Carr's The Alienist, the book uses crime as a prism to examine dynamic periods of social history . . . Takamura's blistering indictment of capitalism, corporate corruption and the alienation felt by characters on both sides of the law from institutions they once believed would protect them resonates surprisingly with American culture * Los Angeles Times *Excellent . . . Takamura shows why she's one of Japan's most prominent mystery novelists * Publishers Weekly *Takamura's challenging, genre-confounding epic offers a sweeping view of contemporary Japan in all its complexity * Kirkus Reviews *Sprawling, addictive, this X-Ray examination of a society where the have and the have nots (including the police) play a slow, inexorable dance towards catastrophe, turns into a fascinating piece of work and I look forward to its conclusion * Crime Time *A fascinating slow burn of a book, detailed, complex and immersive * Guardian *Meticulously plotted complexity * Times Literary Supplement *By its sheer breadth, humanity, and the range of characters who walk across its pages, Lady Joker is comparable to the great 19th-century novels. It is a tremendous accomplishment * Chicago Review of Books *Lady Joker is a towering achievement -- Paul Tremblay, author of THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLDLike all literature, readers will take what they want from Takamura's critique of Japanese society, but at the heart of the epic novel is a gripping crime story where the actual crime itself is almost secondary to the psychological ripples it sends through the boardrooms, police stations, press offices and homes of anyone connected. This is much more of a whydunit than a whodunit - and one that was well worth the wait * The Japan Times *Takamura joins American writers James Ellroy, author of American Tabloid, and Don Winslow, author of several novels about the drug trade, to illuminate a society in which power and money matter far more than morality. All three write mysteries that also function as morality plays . . . Bravura * The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *Brilliantly dark * Ms. Magazine *A complex work of stunning breadth and depth by a master of the genre * Kirkus Reviews *Admirers of intricate crime fiction, which both engages the intellect and offers insights into the hidden parts of a society, will hope for further translations of this gifted author's work * Publishers Weekly *

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Book Synopsis'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction' David Peace, author of Tokyo Year ZeroOne of Japan's great modern writers, this second half of Lady Joker brings Kaoru Takamura's breathtaking masterpiece to a gripping conclusion.Five men who meet at a Tokyo racetrack every week carry out a heist. They have kidnapped the CEO of Japan's largest beer company to extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.Known as Lady Joker, the men make their first attack on the beer company when their demands are not met. As the attacks escalate, the shady networks linking corporations to syndicates are exposed, the stakes rise, and bring into riveting focus the lives and motivations of the victims, the perpetrators, the heroes and the villains. Some will lose everything, even their lives.Inspired by the real-life Glico-Morinaga kidnapping, an unsolved case that terrorized Japan for two years, Lady Joker reimagines this watershed episode in modern Japanese history.'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts' Yoko Ogawa, author of The Memory PoliceTrade ReviewHallelujah! Inspired by the real-life, still unsolved Glico-Morinaga kidnapping and extortion case which led to the nationwide hunt for "The Monster with Twenty-one Faces," Kaoru Takamura's Lady Joker is at last available in translation; epic in its scale and vision, yet gripping from first to last, this is one of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year -- David Peace, author of TOKYO YEAR ZEROA novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts -- Yoko Ogawa, author of THE MEMORY POLICETakamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society * New York Times *Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire . . . Lady Joker casts a page-turning spell * NPR *Like Ellroy's American Tabloid and Carr's The Alienist, the book uses crime as a prism to examine dynamic periods of social history . . . Takamura's blistering indictment of capitalism, corporate corruption and the alienation felt by characters on both sides of the law from institutions they once believed would protect them resonates surprisingly with American culture * Los Angeles Times *Excellent . . . Takamura shows why she's one of Japan's most prominent mystery novelists * Publishers Weekly *Takamura's challenging, genre-confounding epic offers a sweeping view of contemporary Japan in all its complexity * Kirkus Reviews *Sprawling, addictive, this X-Ray examination of a society where the have and the have nots (including the police) play a slow, inexorable dance towards catastrophe, turns into a fascinating piece of work and I look forward to its conclusion * Crime Time *A fascinating slow burn of a book, detailed, complex and immersive * Guardian *Meticulously plotted complexity * Times Literary Supplement *By its sheer breadth, humanity, and the range of characters who walk across its pages, Lady Joker is comparable to the great 19th-century novels. It is a tremendous accomplishment * Chicago Review of Books *Lady Joker is a towering achievement -- Paul Tremblay, author of THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLDLike all literature, readers will take what they want from Takamura's critique of Japanese society, but at the heart of the epic novel is a gripping crime story where the actual crime itself is almost secondary to the psychological ripples it sends through the boardrooms, police stations, press offices and homes of anyone connected. This is much more of a whydunit than a whodunit - and one that was well worth the wait * The Japan Times *Takamura joins American writers James Ellroy, author of American Tabloid, and Don Winslow, author of several novels about the drug trade, to illuminate a society in which power and money matter far more than morality. All three write mysteries that also function as morality plays . . . Bravura * The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *Brilliantly dark * Ms. Magazine *A complex work of stunning breadth and depth by a master of the genre * Kirkus Reviews *Admirers of intricate crime fiction, which both engages the intellect and offers insights into the hidden parts of a society, will hope for further translations of this gifted author's work * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisFrance's favourite country cop, Bruno, faces a dangerous threat to the town he polices and the people he protects. Loved by millions, the Dordogne Mysteries are the perfect combination of mystery and escapism.The event of the Périgord tourist season is to be the re-enactment of the liberation of the historic town of Sarlat from the English in 1370. But it all goes wrong when the man playing the part of the French general is almost killed in the heat of the action.The immediate question for chief of police Bruno Courrèges is was this an accident - or deliberate? The stakes rise when Bruno learns that the man, Kerquelin, was running Frenchelon, the secret French electronic intelligence base nearby, after being recruited from a brilliant Silicon Valley career. His old Silicon Valley colleagues have been invited to stay at the luxurious local chateau of Rouffillac as his guests to enjoy the Sarlat show.As he investigates, Bruno discovers that Kerquelin's wound was faked, that he is alive and well and secretly negotiating a massive deal to build a semi-conductor industry in France. But then a whole new and dangerous player emerges, determined to nip the deal in the bud.Trade ReviewFrench tourism should raise a glass to [Walker's] Dordogne Mysteries * Daily Mail *A captivating, ingenious slice of escapism * Woman's Own *A must-read, atmospheric and wonderfully complex whodunnit * Lancashire Evening Post *I'll be next in line for the next adventure in this absorbing series * Promoting Crime Fiction *

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Book Synopsis The darkest truths should never surface . . . A twisty and atmospheric Wiltshire-set crime novel from a brilliant new voice in the genre. Stay Buried will keep you guessing until the end.'Your next must-read' LUCY FOLEY 'Absolutely brilliant plotting' ANN CLEEVESDetective Inspector Matt Lockyer has been side-lined to working cold cases, following a bad decision he made in a recent investigation in order to support a friend. Lockyer isn't too bothered though, as it gives him the chance to review some of the cases that keep him up at night and to look into his own brother's senseless killing which still remains unsolved.On a quiet afternoon Lockyer receives a phone call from prisoner Hedy Lambert - a woman he put inside for murder fourteen years ago. She informs him that the man she was originally accused of killing has turned up alive and well. She begs him to reopen her case.All those years ago, Lockyer had been the one to pin down Hedy's motive, but deep down he'd never wanted to believe she was guilty. The thought that he might have sent an innocent woman down for life doesn't sit well with him and he agrees to reopen the investigation. But has it become too personal and is he being manipulated? Perhaps there are some cases that should just stay buried.Praise for Stay Buried'Gloriously atmospheric' ELLY GRIFFITHS'The twists were terrific' GYTHA LODGE'A well-written deftly plotted whodunnit' GUARDIAN'Remarkably assured' LITERARY REVIEW'Accomplished, twisty' WOMAN AND HOMETrade ReviewA stunning new voice in crime fiction: glorious writing, fantastic atmosphere and such clever plotting. Kate Webb is your next must-read. More please! * LUCY FOLEY author of The Paris Apartment *A wonderful addition to contemporary crime: clear, assured story-telling, insightful, engaging characters, and absolutely brilliant plotting * ANN CLEEVES, author of the Vera Stanhope series *I LOVED the book! It was such a brilliantly engaging, emotionally compelling read. I loved the complex relationship between Hedy Lambert and DI Lockyer, and the twists were terrific * GYTHA LODGE, author of She Lies in Wait *An intriguing plot and a gloriously atmospheric setting. DI Matt Lockyer is a complicated yet hugely appealing protagonist. I'd love to read more about him! * ELLY GRIFFITHS, author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries *This is quality stuff: a well-written, deftly plotted whodunnit as well as a moving tale of guilt, grief, isolation and the lengths to which we will got to protect our families. More, please * Guardian *Stay Buried is remarkably assured for a first crime novel . . . Webb takes the reader backwards and forwards between the past and the present, offering subplots and misdirection of all kinds, as well as some memorable characters and astute social commentary * Literary Review *There's nothing like devouring a new book and then discovering it's the first in a series, with more stories to come. I loved Kate Webb's Stay Buried, which is as astutely observed as it's elegantly written * KATE RIORDAN, author of Summer Fever *Kate Webb has had me completely hooked with her page-turning plot, incredible characterisation, and beautiful, atmospheric writing. An utterly gripping story brilliantly told. I can't wait for Kate's next one! * JENNY ASHCROFT, author of Under the Golden Sun *An accomplished, twisty, character-led novel * Woman and Home *

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Book SynopsisAnthony Horowitz is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK's most loved and successful TV series, including Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War. He is the author of the teen spy series, Alex Rider, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide.He has been widely praised for his murder mysteries which began with two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels and continued with the bestselling Hawthorne series in which he appears as the former detective's hapless sidekick. In January 2022 he was awarded a CBE for his services to literature.His novel, Magpie Murders, was made into a BBC drama starring Lesley Manville as editor Susan Ryeland. The sequel, Moonflower Murders, also starring Lesley Manville, was a BBC drama in 2024. Marble Hall Murders continues the story

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Book SynopsisBritain is at war—but the greatest threat to the Crown might be within the Palace walls. London, 1941: Major Edgar Brampton is found shot dead in his office in Buckingham Palace. All signs point towards a self-inflicted tragedy, but when Palace authorities hurry his body away and order staff to stay silent, fellow courtier Guy Harford’s suspicions are raised. While the outside world faces the onslaught of war, within the Palace walls a curious mystery unfolds. Rumours swirl about Brampton’s relationship with the Queen, and there’s talk of other plots involving those closest to the King. To get to the bottom of what really happened, Guy joins forces with some unlikely allies—Rodie Carr, a beautiful East End burglar, and Rupert Hardacre, a postman with a past—but time may be running out…for him, for the King, and for Britain. Someone has their eye on the crown, and they’ll do anything to get it. Can Guy solve the case before more blood is spilled on the royal carpets? Or will he be the next victim?

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Book SynopsisEven as war rages, there are deep secrets lurking in the heart of Buckingham Palace… Windsor, 1942. War rages through Great Britain. Anna Duckworth, former lover of Prince George, Duke of Kent, is found dead after an enemy bomb blast at her country home. When courtier Guy Harford is called to dispose of incriminating love letters between Anna and the Duke, it becomes clear that there’s more to the story than anyone is prepared to reveal. As the court begins to whisper of a lone gunshot heard in the house that day, another gruesome death befalls the royal circle. With the bodies stacking up, Guy rejoins his old accomplices, East End burglar Rodie Carr and undercover agent Rupert Hardacre, to unmask the dangerous secrets lurking beneath the glittering Crown. But with tensions rippling from London to Tangier as the Allied Forces prepare to invade North Africa, and Guy’s reputation in the Palace hanging in the balance, can he solve the mystery before more heads roll?

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Book SynopsisIntrigue and scandal threaten to rock the monarchy in wartime Britain… Windsor, 1943. Britain is in the grip of war and treachery is afoot. The body of controversial former courtier Lord Blackwater is found in the abandoned Fort Belvedere, once the country bolthole of the King’s wayward brother. And all signs point to murder. Royal confidant Guy Harford is called in to solve the mystery quickly and quietly, before any hint of scandal reaches the public. Investigating with the help of Rodie, his roguish burglar girlfriend, his enquiries lead him into the world of the Royal Ballet, where on-stage glamour hides an undercurrent of off-stage deceit. And when the ballet company’s newest recruit turns up dead, it’s clear there’s more to this murder than meets the eye. Meanwhile, news reaches the Palace that the King’s brother—already under strict orders to stay out of trouble—is threatening to undermine both Crown and country by taking US citizenship. Harford must do his royal duty. It’s up to him to catch the killer and save the monarchy from crisis in wartime. Before any more heads roll…

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Book SynopsisAs the inscription on his tombstone reveals, Wilkie Collins wanted to be remembered as the "author of The Woman in White," for it was this novel that secured his reputation during his lifetime. The novel begins with a drawing teacher's eerie late-night encounter with a mysterious woman in white, and then follows his love for Laura Fairlie, a young woman who is falsely incarcerated in an asylum by her husband, Sir Percival Glyde, and his sinister accomplice, Count Fosco.This edition returns to the original text that galvanized England when it was published in serial form in All the Year Round magazine in 1860. Three different prefaces Collins wrote for the novel, as well as two of his essays on the book's composition, are reprinted, along with nine illustrations. The appendices include contemporary reviews, along with essays on lunacy, asylums, mesmerism, and the rights of women.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent edition of The Woman in White. It has been prepared with great thoroughness by two editors well versed in Collins studies and give the earliest published version of Collins's text. It provides a lengthy introduction covering most of the important issues raised by the novel. The annotations have been carefully researched and the various appendices succeed in furnishing the reader with exactly the right sort of contextual and background matter to give a better understanding of the story." - Andrew Gasson, Chairman, Wilkie Collins Society"To convey the sensationalism of The Woman in White, Bachman and Cox wisely choose the original, serialized version as their copy text. A thoughtful introduction places the novel in context, explaining its importance to sensation fiction, outlining its concern with the problem of identity and with constructions of madness, and discussing its narrative structure as well as its later stage adaptation. The appendices are especially useful, with their material on Victorian gender ideologies and Victorian psychology, including letters, articles, and reports illuminating the 'panic' over false incarceration for insanity." - Lillian Nayder, Bates CollegeTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction William Wilkie Collins: A Brief Chronology A Note on the TextThe Woman in WhiteAppendix A: Prefaces to the Novel Preface, 1860, Sampson Low, Son & Co., Three-volume Edition Preface to the Present Edition, 1861, Sampson Low, Son & Co., One-volume Edition Preface. La Femme en Blanc, 1861, trans. E.D. Forgues, J. Hetzel (Paris) Appendix B: Sample Page from All the Year RoundAppendix C: Commentary and Reviews of The Woman in White The Opinions of Charles Dickens Unsigned Review, Saturday Review (25 August 1860) Unsigned Review [E.S. Dallas], The Times (30 October 1860) “Awful Apparition,” Punch (6 April 1861) Unsigned Review [Mrs. Oliphant], Blackwood’s Magazine (May 1862) Edmund Yates, “Mr. Wilkie Collins in Gloucester Place,” in Celebrities at Home (1879) Wilkie Collins, “How I Write My Books: Related in a Letter to a Friend,” The Globe (26 November 1887) F.W. Waddy, “He Wrote ‘The Woman in White,’” Once a Week (24 February 1872) Appendix D: The Woman Question From William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765–69) From Sarah Stickney Ellis, The Women of England,Their Social Duties, and Domestic Habits (1839) From John Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies, 1865 (1907) From Caroline Norton, A Letter to the Queen (1855) Appendix E: The Lunacy Panic of 1858 and the Mesmeric Mania of 1851 “Lady Bulwer Lytton,” The Times (19 July 1858) “Commission of Lunacy,” The Times (27 July 1858) [Editorial], The Times (28 July 1858) “The Tragedy of Acomb House,” The Sunday Times (1 August 1858) “The Mad-House System,” The Sunday Times (15 August 1858) “Lunatic Asylums and the Lunacy Laws (By a Physician),” The Times (19 August 1858) “Commission in Lunacy,” The Sunday Times (29 August 1858) “Law and Lunacy,” Punch (25 January 1862) “Mesmerism; Its Dangers and Curiosities,” Punch (24 February 1844) Anonymous, “Electro-biology,” Westminster Review (1851) Wilkie Collins, “Magnetic Evenings At Home” (Letter I), The Leader (17 January 1852) Select Bibliography

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Book SynopsisArthur Conan Doyle’s second Sherlock Holmes novel is both a detective story and an imperial romance. Ostensibly the story of Mary Morstan, a beautiful young woman enlisting the help of Holmes to find her vanished father and solve the mystery of her receipt of a perfect pearl on the same date each year, it gradually uncovers a tale of treachery and human greed. The action audaciously ranges from penal settlements on the Andaman Islands to the suburban comfort of South London, and from the opium-fuelled violence of Agra Fort during the Indian ‘Mutiny’ to the cocaine-induced contemplation of Holmes’ own Baker Street.This Broadview Edition places Doyle’s tale in the cultural, political, and social contexts of late nineteenth-century colonialism and imperialism. The appendices provide a wealth of relevant extracts from hard-to-find sources, including official reports, memoirs, newspaper editorials, and anthropological studies.Trade Review“In this erudite and provocative edition, Shafquat Towheed offers fans of both Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle an intricate account of the intertextual histories at the heart of The Sign of Four. Arguing for the inextricability of its colonial plots with its work as detective fiction, Towheed builds a persuasive case for The Sign of Four as Mutiny fiction, positioning it as pivotal to the imperial career of ‘British’ fiction per se. Readers of this edition will be gripped by the colonial pathways Towheed reveals, the politics of citation he uncovers, and the entanglement of home and empire he tracks in the making of the novel. This is postcolonial interpretation at its very best.” — Antoinette Burton, University of Illinois, Urbana-ChampaignTable of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Arthur Conan Doyle: A Brief Chronology A Note on the Text The Sign of Four Appendix A: Domestic Context Appendix B: Colonial Contexts: Accounts of the Indian “Mutiny,” 1857–58 Appendix C: Colonial Contexts: The First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars Appendix D: Colonial Contexts: The Andaman Islands Appendix E: Contemporary Reviews Select Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ahead of Conan Doyle, this is the first-ever reprint of John Babbington Williams' seminal detective story. Twenty years before Sherlock Holmes, a fictional New York private investigator was being celebrated for his ability to solve crimes based on observation and deductive reasoning - the principles that would later become Holmes' hallmark.Originally published in 1864 and never before reprinted, "Leaves from the Note-Book of a New York Detective" features 29 cases from the first American detective hero to appear in fiction, James Brampton. In case after enthralling and mysterious case, Brampton uses his powers of observation and reasoning to prove the innocence of the wrongly accused and unveil the identity of the true criminal. This first modern edition of this hugely important and influential work now reclaims its place alongside Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle as one of the greats of detective fiction.

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Book SynopsisThe first Sherlock Holmes adventure appeared in 1888, but today the detective is more popular than ever-witness the upcoming release of "Sherlock Holmes", starring Robert Downey Jr. as the legendary Victorian sleuth and Jude Law as his faithful chronicler, Dr. John H. Watson. For readers who dream of solving crimes in turn-of-the-century London, "The Sherlock Holmes Handbook" features skills that every would-be sleuth should know: How to Use Deductive Reasoning, How to Analyze Fingerprints - Without Computers, How to Master a Dozen Disguises, How to Survive a Plunge over a Waterfall, and How to Fake Your Own Death. Readers will also discover a host of information about Holmes and his universe: How was the real Scotland Yard organized? Could people really buy cocaine over-the-counter back then? And why were the British so terrified of Australia? Packed with fascinating trivia, evocative illustrations, and a classic Victorian design, "The Sherlock Holmes Handbook" will appeal to 'Baker Street Irregulars' of all ages.

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Book Synopsis"Hercule Poirot meets Fox Mulder . . . gruesomely effective. "—Kirkus Reviews22 collected tales of Jules de Grandin, the supernatural detective made famous in the classic pulp magazine Weird Tales.Today the names of H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, August Derleth, and Clark Ashton Smith, all regular contributors to the pulp magazine Weird Tales during the first half of the twentieth century, are recognizable even to casual readers of the bizarre and fantastic. And yet despite being more popular than them all during the golden era of genre pulp fiction, there is another author whose name and work have fallen into obscurity: Seabury Quinn.Quinn’s short stories were featured in well over half of Weird Tales’s original publication run. His most famous character, the French supernatural detective Dr. Jules de Grandin, investigated cases involving monsters, devil worshippers, serial killers, and spirits from beyond the grave, often set in the small town of Harrisonville, New Jersey. In de Grandin there are familiar shades of both Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, and alongside his assistant, Dr. Samuel Trowbridge, de Grandin’s knack for solving mysteries—and his outbursts of peculiar French-isms (Grand Dieu!)—captivated readers for nearly three decades.Available for the first time in trade editions, The Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin series collects all ninety-three published works featuring the supernatural detective. Presented in chronological order over five volumes, this is the definitive collection of an iconic pulp hero.The fifth volume, Black Moon, includes all the stories from “Suicide Chapel” (1938) to “The Ring of Bastet” (1951), as well as an introduction by George Vanderburgh and Robert Weinberg and a foreword by Stephen Jones.Trade ReviewPraise for the Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin "Hercule Poirot meets Fox Mulder . . . gruesomely effective, and purists who object to detective stories with paranormal elements will find that the moment each story crosses the border to the supernatural raises genuine shivers."—Kirkus Reviews “Connoisseurs of pulp adventure . . . will be delighted.”—Publishers Weekly "A collection of wonderfully fun mashups. Seabury Quinn's stories are bloody and action-packed, with the sort of shameless, disreputable charm that characterizes the best of the pulps. Even if there's little that's truly original in his work, his clever assortment of monsters and occult menaces make for tremendously entertaining stories. His admirers have every reason to be thrilled with these comprehensive new collections, and the writer will find new fans among those who enjoy truly weird horror."—Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog "A fun, spooky trip back to the golden age of weird . . . De Grandin, 'his little blond mustache twitching like the whiskers of an excited cat,' is an exuberant, delightful creation."—Publishers Weekly “A true 'time lost literary treasure' brought back into print for the benefit of a new generation of appreciative readers, "The Dark Angel" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from cover to cover . . . unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.”—Midwest Book Review “Read this and you will get a blast of the past...It's nice to see the old stories gathered up and being shared again. Stories never die as long as there's still one storyteller left.”—Book Faerie "Many of these stories have been unavailable for years. I applaud Night Shade Books for bringing these wonderful stories back into print. I can't wait for Volume Two! GRADE: A"—GeorgeKelley.orgPraise for the Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin "Hercule Poirot meets Fox Mulder . . . gruesomely effective, and purists who object to detective stories with paranormal elements will find that the moment each story crosses the border to the supernatural raises genuine shivers."—Kirkus Reviews “Connoisseurs of pulp adventure . . . will be delighted.”—Publishers Weekly "A collection of wonderfully fun mashups. Seabury Quinn's stories are bloody and action-packed, with the sort of shameless, disreputable charm that characterizes the best of the pulps. Even if there's little that's truly original in his work, his clever assortment of monsters and occult menaces make for tremendously entertaining stories. His admirers have every reason to be thrilled with these comprehensive new collections, and the writer will find new fans among those who enjoy truly weird horror."—Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog "A fun, spooky trip back to the golden age of weird . . . De Grandin, 'his little blond mustache twitching like the whiskers of an excited cat,' is an exuberant, delightful creation."—Publishers Weekly “A true 'time lost literary treasure' brought back into print for the benefit of a new generation of appreciative readers, "The Dark Angel" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from cover to cover . . . unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.”—Midwest Book Review “Read this and you will get a blast of the past...It's nice to see the old stories gathered up and being shared again. Stories never die as long as there's still one storyteller left.”—Book Faerie "Many of these stories have been unavailable for years. I applaud Night Shade Books for bringing these wonderful stories back into print. I can't wait for Volume Two! GRADE: A"—GeorgeKelley.org

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Book SynopsisThe Kent State University Press is excited to reissue these classic true crime detective stories by Allan Pinkerton, the Scottish American detective and spy who founded the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in 1850. His agency was the largest private law enforcement organization in the world at the height of its power, and its well-known logo of a large, unblinking eye actually served as inspiration for the term "private eye."In Bank Robbers and the Detectives, Pinkerton receives a telegram that reads, "First National Bank robbed, please come, or send at once" from Thomas Locke in Somerset, Michigan. He sets off to investigate the crime. After journeying to the quaint town in a blizzard, the detective learns that $65,000 of treasury bonds, notes, and cash had disappeared from the bank's vault overnight. Only one man knew the combination: the bank's cashier, Mr. Norton. When Pinkerton's subsequent examination of the crime scene reveals no signs of forced entry, it starts to look like Mr. Norton committed the crime.But if Pinkerton has learned anything during his three decades of detective work, it is that initial appearances are often deceiving, and he narrows the investigation down to three suspects close to the cashier. However, he soon discovers that the promise of exorbitant wealth can tempt even the most honorable man to commit treacherous crimes.

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