Classic crime and mystery fiction

Book SynopsisRegarded as one of the great Carr/Dickson locked-room mysteries among Carr connoisseurs, one of the highest-rated authors of the genre. The Ten Teacups features one of his famous series detectives Henry Merrivale (previously appearing in The White Priory Murders & returning in The Judas Window in Autumn 2025). Set in Henry Merrivale's stomping ground of central London.

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Book SynopsisA brand-new Sherlock Holmes mystery from the author of Sherlock Holmes: The Vanishing Man. It is 1897, and Sherlock Holmes is investigating a murder that took place during a society ball. Holmes and Watson rush to the scene, but are shocked by the flippant attitude of the ball's hosts: the wealthy Ernest Moncrieff and his new wife Gwendolen. Suspicion naturally falls upon the party guests, but the Moncrieff family and their friends are more concerned with the inconvenience of the investigation than the fact that one of them may have committed murder. But behind the superficial facade, Holmes and Watson uncover family secrets going back decades, and a mysterious blackmailer pulling the strings...Trade Review"Sherlockians and Wildeans alike will embrace Purser-Hallard. " -Publishers Weekly Starred Review... "Amusing cross-over pastiche ...plot and dialogue are thoroughly appropriate. " -Sherlockians and Doyleans

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Book SynopsisInternational bestselling author Jean-Luc Bannalec's Commissaire Georges Dupin and his team head to Breton paradise in An Island of Suspects.An August heat wave has all of Brittany in its grasp, and the only chance to cool down for Commissaire Georges Dupin is his daily swim in the ocean. Until one morning his routine is interrupted because a body has been found in the harbor with clear signs of foul play. Patric Provost was from one of the long-established families on the island of Belle-Ile, Breton's biggest and most famous island. Provost owned and operated a company dealing in an island delicacy: the famous Belle-Ile-sheep. As Bretons say, the sheep season themselves while they're eating, grazing on salty, iodine-rich meadows, full of wild herbs, directly by the ocean. In Dupin's culinary ranking, this lamb comes right behind entrecote. And that's saying something.Dupin has barely stepped foot on the utopia-like island before it comes to light that

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Book SynopsisDark magic is unleashed on the streets of Istanbul . . .When a newborn baby is found drowned in the shallow waters of the Golden Horn, all-out warfare threatens to erupt between rival criminal gangs. Inspector Kerim Gürsel is assigned to the case and he must tread carefully when DNA tests reveal that the baby''s father is Görkan Pasahan, Istanbul''s most feared Mafia boss. But the identity of the infant''s mother is yet to be discovered . . .Meanwhile, Çetin Ikmen and Mehmet Süleyman attend the winter festival known as Bocuk Gecesi, held on the darkest night of the year, and witness a magic trick whereby a young man, Emir Kaya, disappears. While Ikmen investigates how the illusion took place, Süleyman conducts a tortuous hunt for Emir Kaya that exposes a harrowing tale of depravation, betrayal and corruption where the bloodline of a child is worth killing for and everything has its price . . .Praise for Barbara Nadel''s novels:''Complex and beguiling: a

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary... one of her finest novels' Guardian"If everybody in the world didn't keep watching to see what everybody else did, we'd all go berserk."Jenny believes that sighting an owl is a portent of death. When she spots a stranger looking in through her window one night, she believes that he is an omen too. But fate doesn't work in the way that either of them expect.This novel of suspense and paranoia draws on Highsmith's own experience of being a stalker.Trade ReviewPatricia Highsmith has an extraordinary talent for the sinister, and this is well revealed in The Cry of the Owl, one of her finest novels -- Robert Nye * Guardian *Patricia Highsmith is a craftsman who has made the suspense novel her own domain * The Times *The basic nightmare situation - to be accused of a crime you did not commit and be unable to prove your innocence- is the subject of The Cry of the Owl... It's Kafka with a vengeance... compulsive * Spectator *A rare talent, a remarkable novelist... her books are written in elegant and lucid prose -- John Mortimer

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1945, Loft's masterful storytelling manages to weave lighter comedic moments into this darker tale. A suspenseful thriller that will leave the reader guessing in the final pages, this mystery is a fantastic addition to the British Library Women Writers series, now featuring over 25 titles.

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Book SynopsisIt is 1895, and Sherlock Holmes's new client is a High Court judge, whose free-spirited daughter has disappeared without a trace. Holmes and Watson discover that the missing woman-Hannah Woolfson-was herself on the trail of a missing person, her close friend Sophia. Sophia was recruited to a group known as the Elysians, a quasi-religious sect obsessed with Ancient Greek myths and rituals, run by the charismatic Sir Philip Buchanan. Hannah has joined the Elysians under an assumed name, convinced that her friend has been murdered. Holmes agrees that she should continue as his agent within the secretive yet seemingly harmless cult, yet Watson is convinced Hannah is in terrible danger. For Sir Philip has dreams of improving humanity through classical ideals, and at any cost...

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Book SynopsisH. G. Wells skilfully combines tension, wit and terror in The Invisible Man, a masterpiece of science fiction. Complete & 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.A mysterious stranger arrives at a rural Sussex inn on a cold winter’s night with his face obscured by bandages and his body cloaked in a long, heavy coat. He locks himself in his room and spends his stay labouring over chemicals in intricate glass bottles. The villagers, bewildered by what lurks under the bandages, could never be prepared for the terrible truth: that the man is a scientist who has rendered himself invisible and is desperately struggling to find an antidote. He flees to the rugged, cliff-lined coast where, pursued by police and an angry mob, he is intent on murderous revenge.

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Book SynopsisIt's the height of summer. As the heat shimmers on the streets and ice cream melts onto sticky fingers, tempers begin to rise and old grudges surface. From Cornish beaches to the French Riviera, it's not just a holiday that's on people's minds ... it's murder. In these ten classic stories from writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Cyril Hare and Gladys Mitchell, you'll find mayhem and mysteries aplenty. So grab the suncream and head down to the beach - if you dare.Trade ReviewShort, clever and puzzling murder tales which test the brains of the most avid crime reader ... delectable * On Magazine *With Cecily Gayford in charge, we are on safe ground * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThirteen stories involving Sherlock Holmes, one of literature''s most beloved characters, are now available in an exclusive collector''s edition. Featuring beautiful cover art from artist Laci Fowler and decorative interior pages, this giftable book is ideal for fiction lovers and book collectors alike.Beloved by fans across the globe, this collection features thirteen riveting adventures, including an explanation of Holmes’s supposed murder at the hands of his nemesis Dr. Moriarty in Doyle’s 1893 short story The Final Problem. This time-honored classic is now available as an exclusive collector''s edition.Whether you''re buying it as a gift or for yourself, this remarkable edition features: A beautiful, high-end hardcover featuring Laci Fowler’s distinctive hand-painted art Embossed cover art and gold foiling? Decorative interior pages featuring pull quotes throughout Matching ribbon marker and gold

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Book SynopsisFind the truth. Solve the murder. Never reveal your secret.Twelve years ago, eight friends ran an exclusive group at university: The Murder Masquerade Society. The mysteries they solved may have been grisly, but they were always fictional - until their final Christmas Masquerade, when one of the group disappeared, never to be seen again.Now, the remaining members of the group receive an invitation to a reunion masquerade, to be held in a beautiful and remote country house in Scotland. When they arrive they are each assigned a new identity themed around the Twelve Days of Christmas - they become Lady Partridge or Mr Gold; Lord Leapworth or Doctor Swan. The game begins, and it feels just like old times.Until the next morning, when Lady Partridge is found hanging from a pear tree.

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Book SynopsisMurder, political intrigue, theft, secret identities, and deception—this Agatha Christie mystery has it all!In this fast-paced mystery from Agatha Christie—one of the masters of detective fiction—Prince Michael, heir to the throne of Herzoslovakia, is found murdered at the English countryside manor known as Chimneys. A plot full of political scheming, the theft of the famed Koh-i-Noor diamond, and layers of deception unfolds as Superintendent Battle from Scotland Yard investigates. Each clue weaves a new thread into a web of intrigue that mystery thriller fans will be hard-pressed to untangle!

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Book Synopsis This new mini hardback edition completes the series of collectable Miss Marple hardbacks – the first time all 14 Marple books have had their own uniform hardback series. Trade 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 SynopsisNgaio Marsh's classic Christmas murder mystery in a special 50th anniversary edition.Christmas time in an isolated country house and, following a flaming row in the kitchen, there's murder inside.When a much disliked visiting servant disappears without trace after playing Santa Claus, foul play is at once suspected and foul play it proves to be. Only suspicion falls not on the staff but on the guests, all so unimpeachably respectable that the very thought of murder in connection with any of them seems almost heresy.When Superintendent Roderick Alleyn returns unexpectedly from a trip to Australia, it is to find his beloved wife in the thick of an intriguing mysteryTrade Review‘So entertaining that I recommend it unreservedly.’Daily Telegraph ‘Agreeably effortless telling.’Guardian ‘One of her best and most baffling mysteries.’Daily Express

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Book SynopsisAn ingenious and highly atmospheric classic whodunit from Japan's master of crime. Amid the rubble of post-war Tokyo, inside the grand Tsubaki house, a once-noble family is in mourning. The old viscount Tsubaki, a brooding, troubled composer, has been found dead. When the family gather for a divination to conjure the spirit of their departed patriarch, death visits the house once more, and the brilliant Kosuke Kindaichi is called in to investigate. But before he can get to the truth Kindaichi must uncover the Tsubakis' most disturbing secrets, while the gruesome murders continue... PRAISE FOR SEISHI YOKOMIZO 'The diabolically twisted plotted is top-notch' New York Times Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis... Ingenious and compelling' Economist 'Plenty of golden age ingredients... with a truly ingenious solution' Guardian, Best New Crime NovelsTrade Review“Yokomizo at his absolute best... From the ominous opening through the brilliant final reveal, [he] ably blends suspense and fair-play detection... A classic of the genre.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review“Another fiendishly complex mystery from the master of locked room murders... Atmospheric, chilling, and structurally complex.” --CrimeReads

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Book SynopsisDr Nell Ward is an ecologist, not a detective. As the only person with any clues as to what happened, Nell soon finds herself in the middle of the investigation. Desperate to clear her name Nell, along with her colleague Adam, set out solving the murder using their skills as ecologists to uncover details no one else would notice.

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Book SynopsisThe stunning new spy thriller that blows the world of James Bond wide open!Six days. A bomb goes off at the BBC. The country is in chaos, but this is just the start. A global terrorist organisation is plotting a series of deadly attacks. MI6 has just six days' warning for when the next one will strike.Three agents. With James Bond missing, three of MI6's toughest Double O agents race across the world to stop the attacks. From Venice to Australia to Dubai, they soon uncover a vast network of terror.One chance to find James Bond.As the Double Os close in, they find themselves unexpectedly inching closer to 007. Now the race is on to stop the terrorists and save Britain's finest spy.What readers are saying about A Spy Like MeReading A Spy Like Me is just like being immersed in the world of Bond, with travel, gadgets and glamour galore'I gasped aloud at the ending be prepared for a thunderbolt!!'Wow! What a fantastic, gripping read this was. Pure Bond from start to finish. I'm blown away

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Book SynopsisThere's a queue of people at her door, and not all of them are living . . .When Tanz, the accidental medium, is asked to help in the search for a missing woman, she finds herself at the Cross Bones Graveyard in London's Southwark. From the outset it's obvious there is unrest among the spirits who call this place their home, and now Tanz is right in the middle of it. What's more, she now finds her so-called gift' is even stronger than it was and the dead really want to talk! Couple this with performing a play that could wreck her acting career for good, and a growing attraction to a police officer who happens to be a lot younger than her, and life is very complicated. But when the dead become restless Tanz can't ignore them, and a mystery needs solving. So is she strong enough to come out the other side?Cross Bones is the third book in a hilarious series featuring Tanz, the accidental medium who, with the help of the dead, has become an unwilling crime-solver.

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING RACHEL WEISZ AND SAM CLAFIN 'Du Maurier is a storyteller whose sole aim is to bewitch and beguile' NEW YORK TIMES'Du Maurier has no equal' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH' One of her best novels, ingeniously contrived as to plot, successfully realized as to characters' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'I threw the piece of paper on the fire. She saw it burn . . . 'Orphaned at an early age, Philip Ashley is raised by his benevolent cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single, Ambrose delights in making Philip his heir, knowing he will treasure his beautiful Cornish estate. But Philip's world is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence. There he falls in love and marries. Then he suddenly dies in suspicious circumstances. In almost no time at all, the new widow - Philip's cousin Rachel - turns up in England. Despite himself, Philip is drawn to this beautiful, sophisticated, mysterious woman like a moth to the flame. And yet . . . might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death?Trade ReviewShe wrote exciting plots, she was highly skilled at arousing suspense, and she was, too, a writer of fearless originality * Guardian *Du Maurier has no equal * Sunday Telegraph *This comes closer to Rebecca than anything Miss du Maurier has done and is, I think, one of her best novels, ingeniously contrived as to plot, successfully realized as to characters * Kirkus Reviews *From the first page . . . the reader is back in the moody, brooding atmosphere of Rebecca * New York Times Book Review *No other popular writer has so triumphantly defied classification . . . She satisfied all the questionable criteria of popular fiction, and yet satisfied the exacting requirements of "real literature", something very few novelists ever doIn the same category as REBECCA, but an even more consummate piece of storytelling * GUARDIAN 'From the first page . . . the reader is back in the moody, brooding atmosphere of Rebecca’ *NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

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Book SynopsisFrom his Baker Street apartment, Sherlock Holmes wields his powers of deduction in pursuit of justice and truth, venturing out into foggy Victorian London accompanied by his faithful sidekick Dr Watson. This classic collection of Holmes tales includes many of the detective’s most-loved exploits: Holmes is confronted by a venomous snake in ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’, mystified by a missing thumb in ‘The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb’ and beguiled by a beautiful opera singer in ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’, never once losing his famous cool. First appearing separately in the Strand Magazine, these stories were published together in 1892 in a volume that rapidly became one of the most popular Sherlock Holmes collections. Showcasing Arthur Conan Doyle’s inimitable genius for mystery and storytelling, these tales are proof that the famous detective remains one of the greatest crime fighters ever created.Table of ContentsA Scandal in BohemiaThe Red-headed LeagueA Case of IdentityThe Boscombe Valley MysteryThe Five Orange PipsThe Man with the Twisted LipThe Adventure of the Blue CarbuncleThe Adventrure of the Speckled BandThe Adventure of the Engineer's ThumbThe Adventure of the Noble BachelorThe Adventure of the Beryl CoronetThe Adventure of the Copper Beeches

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF 2020!''You should read ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay as soon as possible. It''s one hell of a suspense novel'' STEPHEN KINGMoves as fast as a falling elevator and hits with just as much force. Linwood Barclay is a stone cold pro. ELEVATOR PITCH is a shameless good time' JOE HILLWHEN THE DOORS CLOSE, HE'S GOT YOUIt begins on a Monday, when four people board an elevator in Manhattan. Each presses the button for their floor, but the elevator climbs, non-stop, to the top where it pauses for a few seconds, before dropping.Right to the bottom of the shaft.It appears to be a horrific, random tragedy. But then, on Tuesday, it happens again. And when Wednesday brings yet another catastrophe, New York, one of the most vertical cities in the world is plunged into chaos.Clearly, this is anything but random. This is a cold, calculated bid to terrorize the city. And it's working. But what do these deadly acts of sabotage have to do with the fingerless body found Trade Review PRAISE FOR ELEVATOR PITCH: 'You should read ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay as soon as possible. It's one hell of a suspense novel' STEPHEN KING ‘This novel moves as fast as a falling elevator and hits with just as much force. Linwood Barclay is a stone cold pro and ELEVATOR PITCH is a shameless good time’ JOE HILL ‘A great cast of characters, tension, humour and a thrilling ending; this book takes Linwood to new heights!’ MARK EDWARDS ‘Linwood Barclay presses all the right buttons. Rush out and buy this book, but make sure you take the stairs’ MICHAEL ROBOTHAM ‘One of the finest thriller writers in the world at the very top of his game. You will not put this book down. You will not want to sleep. And you will certainly not want to get in a lift again’ MARK BILLINGHAM ‘Best known for noirish suburban tales, Barclay manages the switch here to metropolitan mayhem with aplomb, juggling venal big-city politics, far-right terrorism, hubristic architecture and the co-option of the media with the same confidence he brings to orchestrating his sizeable ensemble … it has all the makings of a superior disaster movie’ SUNDAY TIMES, Thriller of the Month ‘Ought to be sponsored by the Department of Health as it will make most readers take the stairs instead of the lift … As always, Linwood Barclay tells his story with an appealing combination of darkness and warmth’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘Linwood Barclay’s new-found sardonicism brings out the humour that always lies within horror … the twists keep coming – but it is the unexpected comedy that keeps you reading’ THE TIMES ‘The plot is crammed with even more narrative twists than Barclay usually serves up … it is delivered with considerable acumen’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘Genius … but terrifying’ THE SUN ‘A superior thriller’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Grabbed me from the very first page. Riveting and heart-pounding’ MICHELE CAMPBELL

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Book SynopsisThe first novel in the acclaimed VAN DER VALK series - now a major new ITV series starring Marc Warren''Masterful'' SUNDAY TIMES''Freeling''s Inspector Van der Valk is less rugged than Rebus, less parsonical than Dalgliesh, more Morse than Frost, and more Maigret than any of them. Marvellous'' - Anita Brookner''Freeling is a joy to read'' TLS''You''re in for a treat'' COSMOPOLITANA woman, Elsa, is brutally murdered in her Amsterdam apartment. Her ex-lover, Martin, is seen outside the building around the time of the crime. The witness who saw him? A policeman.It looks like a straightforward case - but police inspector Van der Valk is not convinced. Despite all the evidence - and the fact that Martin originally denied he was at the apartment - he believes Martin is not guilty of murder. Instead of charging him, Van der Valk takes him on a tour: a tour of the investigation; a tour of Martin''s own past; Trade ReviewA slim, intense story of sexual obsession. It changed my ideas about the possibilities of crime fiction -- Ann Cleeves, author of the bestselling VERA novelsFreeling is the only British novelist of consequence to have tackled modern Europe * DAILY TELEGRAPH *There can be no doubt Mr Freeling is a genuinely masterful novelist * SUNDAY TIMES *Elegant style and continually interesting narrative which give his novels their special flavourHe was the most thoroughly European of British crime writers * GUARDIAN *Freeling's Inspector Van der Valk is less rugged than Rebus, less parsonical than Dalgliesh, more Morse than Frost, and more Maigret than any of them. MarvellousFreeling is a joy to read * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Freeling writes like no one else * LA TIMES *If you've never heard of Nicolas Freeling you're in for a treat. Read one and you'll want to get all the Freelings * COSMOPOLITAN *No one writing in the field can equal Freeling's depth and variety * NEW YORK NEWSDAY *The air of civilised urbanity that runs through Freeling's books is to most detective novels what Henry James is to Zane Grey * NEW YORK TIMES *

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Book SynopsisThe definitive companion to the MISS MARPLE novels, short stories, films and TV appearances, now revised and updated.Trade Review‘A great treat for Agatha Christie addicts.’DAILY MAIL ‘Elegantly arranged and presented.’DAILY TELEGRAPH ‘A fine feat of detection.’DAILY EXPRESS

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Book SynopsisA classic British crime novel from the Golden Age perhaps the first ever psychological crime novel by the founder of the Detection Club, marking 50 years since the death of the author.Mrs Bentley has been arrested for murder. The evidence is overwhelming: arsenic she extracted from fly papers was in her husband's medicine, his food and his lemonade, and her crimes are being plastered across the newspapers. Even her lawyers believe she is guilty. But Roger Sheringham, the brilliant but outspoken young novelist, is convinced that there is too much evidence' against Mrs Bentley and sets out to prove her innocence.Credited as the book that first introduced psychology to the detective novel, The Wychford Poisoning Case was based on a notorious real-life murder inquiry. Written by Anthony Berkeley, a founder of the celebrated Detection Club who also found fame under the pen-name Francis Iles', the story saw the return of Roger Sheringham, the Golden Age's breeziest and booziest detectiveTrade Review‘Detection and crime at its wittiest – all Berkeley’s stories are amusing, intriguing and he is a master of the final twist.’Agatha Christie ‘Anthony Berkeley is the supreme master not of the “twist” but of the “double-twist”.’ Milward Kennedy in the Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MARTIN CRUZ SMITH, COMING 2025! ‘Martin Cruz Smith does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable’ MICK HERRON, author of Slow Horses ARKADY RENKO IS BACK . . .   Confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way, Arkady Renko is more disillusioned with the general state of Russia than ever. But, despite everything, he has hope. People want change, and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it.   Tasked by a father with finding his missing daughter, a staunch Lebedev supporter and member of the Forum, Renko is thrown into the heart of a dangerous conspiracy when another member of the Forum is found murdered – Alex, a close friend of his own son.   The night before his murder, Alex sent Arkady a cryptic message, simply containing three pictures of Russian writers.

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Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MARTIN CRUZ SMITH, COMING 2025!‘The later Renko novels are stark, spare and beautiful, like trees in winter. Martin Cruz Smith does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable’ MICK HERRON ARKADY RENKO IS BACK . . .   Renko has been confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way. Although he’s more disillusioned with policing and the general state of Russia than ever, he feels an odd sense of hope. A rebellion is bubbling in the country, with new values butting heads against old-school regimes. People want change and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it.   When Karina, a staunch supporter of Lebedev and member of the Forum, goes missing, Renko is asked by her father to find her. Soon after his investigation begins, Alex, a close friend of Arkady’s son, is found dead. He was aTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: ‘Martin Cruz Smith writes with an immediacy, depth and lightness of touch that is rare in its combination, and impossible to resist. With characters you know instantly and care deeply about – never more than now – he creates a world that is both brilliantly contemporary in its understanding of world politics, and timeless in its grasp of people and human nature. Independence Square is no exception, and further crystallises Cruz Smith as one of the finest writers of our age. I loved it’ Charlotte Philby ‘Arkady Renko, one of the most iconic detective creations of the last half century is back in another nail biting, hotly topical adventure, that once more cements Cruz Smith’s place as the undisputed master of the political crime thriller’ Abir Mukherjee ‘Renko, never far from trouble, is enmeshed in the cesspit of Russian politics and corruption and Putin’s bellicose intentions toward Ukraine. Lured by his compulsion for the truth behind a disappearance and an assassination, Renko steps directly into the firing line. This is Renko’s most zeitgeisty investigation and definitely Cruz Smith’s most powerful and engaging novel since Gorky Park’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM ‘Martin Cruz Smith makes tension rise through the page like a shark's fin’ Independent ‘Smith not only constructs grittily realistic plots, he also has a gift for characterisation of which most thriller writers can only dream’ Mail on Sunday ‘Brilliantly worked, marvellously written . . . an imaginative triumph’ Sunday Times ‘Drips with atmosphere and authenticity – a literary triumph’ David Young ‘Forty years ago, Gorky Park established a new high-water mark for the thriller. It has yet to be surpassed’ Mick Herron ‘When first published Gorky Park was an instant classic; and its reputation has only grown since 1981’ Adrian McKinty

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Book SynopsisA stressed, middle-aged man picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime, unaware that a homeless man – her only real friend – will do anything to find her. A shocking, race-against-the-clock, standalone thriller from the Queen of New Zealand Crime.‘Astonishingly good … compelling, horrifying, intriguing and entertaining. One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year’ Liz Nugent'New Zealand's modern Queen of Crime' Val McDermid'Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon' Red Magazine–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Worn down by a job he hates, and a stressful family life, middle-aged, middle-class Bradley picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime. Now she’s tied up in his warehouse, and he doesn’t know what to do.Max is homeless, eating from rubbish bins, sleeping rough and barely existing – known for cadging a cigarette from anyone passing, and occasionally even the footpath. Nobody really sees Max, but he has one friend, and she’s gone missing.In order to find her, Max is going to have to call on some people from his past, and reopen wounds that have remained unhealed for a very long time, and the clock is ticking…Hard-hitting, fast-paced and immensely thought-provoking, Faceless – the startling new standalone thriller from New Zealand’s ‘Queen of Crime’ – will leave you breathless.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘Powerful and brilliant writing that transported me to the other side of the world … a wonderful storyteller’ Helen FitzGerald‘Edgy, thrilling and terrifyingly realistic’ Lisa Hall‘All the thrills of a brilliantly plotted crime novel with some interesting moral questions woven between the words. Fast, furious and intense' Helen Fields‘A portrait of the underbelly of society, this is a deeply involving novel and a damn good thriller’ Paul Burke, NB Magazine'Completely gripping … a poignant study of how our society shapes unlikely saints and monsters' Eve Smith‘Faceless is tauter and tougher than Symon’s delightful Dunedin procedurals … superb’ The Times‘Intense, dark and twisted, this is a fast and pulse-raising read that absolutely gripped me’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘I read the last couple of chapters with bated breath, heart in my throat, eyes brimming. I was completely and utterly invested’ From Belgium with BooklovePraise for the Sam Shephard series‘New Zealand's answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times'Fast-moving New Zealand procedural ... the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly' Ian Rankin'A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading' Kate Mosse'If you like taut, pacey thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you' Liam McIlvanney'Vanda Symon's work resembles Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice' The Times'Atmospheric, emotional and gripping' Foreword Reviews'A plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go' Sunday Times'It is Symon's copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer's real achievement' Guardian'Reads like the polished effort of a genre veteran. More, please' Booklist For fans of Liz Nugent, Gillian McAllister, Trevor Wood and Sarah Hilary

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Book SynopsisFrom the foggy back streets of London to the heat and dust of Agra, this second novel of the sleuthing duo focuses on stolen Indian treasure, presents the darker side of Sherlock Holmes, and introduces the future Mrs Watson.Trade ReviewThere are few characters from the Victorian era that can possibly have the same resonance today than a certain Sherlock Holmes who, along with his able assistant Dr Watson, and an assorted cast of inept policemen and nefarious villains still regularly seeps into modern life and parlance. The concept of any amateur detective these days being ‘Sherlockian’, the famous deerstalker, violin, pipe and casual drug use, and oft-misquoted lines and ‘catchphrases’ are among the many legacies that show how much Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation will forever be ingrained in the psyche of the nation. And so it was with huge interest that I heard about a new collection of the complete works, released by Baker Street Press. No matter how many times I’ve read the canon, it still fascinates me to this day and demonstrates what a truly remarkable character Conan Doyle created, despite his somewhat hit and miss results outside of the Holmes stories. This collection of nine hardback books is just utterly beautiful to behold. There’s something special, perhaps even more so in this day and age, about holding a quality version of one of your favourite books and simply immersing yourself in it. And this new release delivers more than any that I’ve ever had my hands on. Each of the nine books features the original cover illustrations from the 1920s, which more than makes up for the fact that there are no illustrations inside. Each of the four standalone novels and five collections of short stories are here, acting as the perfect retro antidote to the most recent recreation of the stories, the really quite awful series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, for which I appreciate I’m in a large minority for taking a serious dislike to. The collection begins with A Study in Scarlet, which I have to say isn’t a favourite of mine, neither is The Sign of Four that followed, and for me it’s when the short stories kick in that I find Holmes at his mercurial best, and his frustrating worst, as Conan Doyle struggled to satisfy the insatiable demand at the time for the monster that he had created. Despite ‘killing off’ a character who had become the bane of his life, Conan Doyle thankfully brought Holmes back to life after his seeming demise at the Reichenbach Falls, and the stories have seldom been far from the public’s mind, especially through the films of Basil Rathbone and the peerless depiction by Jeremy Brett in the 1980s and 1990s. I really cannot recommend this new set highly enough to those with even a passing interest in the original stories, through to those who already have several copies of the Sherlock Holmes stories on their bookshelves. If you think you have the definitive version of the books, then think again, as Baker Street Press have outdone themselves with this release. -- https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/book-review/crime/sherlock-holmes-deluxe-classic-series/

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Book SynopsisThe world's most beloved detective, Hercule Poirot the legendary star of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and currently The Haunting in Venice returns in a stylish, diabolically clever mystery set in 1930's London.Murder! Me? How dare you!'Hercule Poirot's tranquil afternoon is ruined when an angry woman accosts him outside his front door. She threatens to report the famous detective to Scotland Yard for falsely accusing her of murder. Seeking sanctuary inside, Poirot is startled to find that he has a visitor another stranger claiming to have received a letter from Poirot accusing him of killing the same man.How many more innocent people have been sent letters? If Poirot didn't send them, who did? And who is Barnabas Pandy, the alleged victim is he dead or alive? Poirot has answers to find, and quickly, or more lives may be put in dangerTrade Review‘What Sophie and Agatha have in common is a rare talent for fiendish unpredictability. They make you see how the impossible might be possible after all.’SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ‘A literary marriage made in heaven!’THE TIMES ‘Sophie does justice to the Belgian brainiac, both in terms of bringing his character to life and giving him a mystery to solve that is worthy of his talents. It’s her best Poirot novel so far.’SUNDAY EXPRESS

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Book SynopsisThe very first case for Oxford-based sleuth Gervase Fen, one of the last of the great Golden Age detectives. As inventive as Agatha Christie, as hilarious as P.G. Wodehouse, this is the perfect entry point to discover the delightful detective stories of Edmund Crispin crime fiction at its quirkiest and best.A pretty but spiteful young actress with a talent for destroying men's lives is found dead in a college room just yards from the office of the unconventional Oxford don Gervase Fen. Anyone who knew the girl would gladly have shot her, but can Fen discover who did shoot her, and why?Published during the Second World War, The Case of the Gilded Fly introduced English professor and would-be detective Gervase Fen, one of crime fiction's most irrepressible and popular sleuths. A classic locked-room mystery filled with witty literary allusions, it was the debut of a new writer who calls himself Edmund Crispin' (in reality the choral and film composer Bruce Montgomery), later described byTrade Review‘The Case of the Gilded Fly couldn't be more British if it came packaged with fish and chips’ New York Sun ‘One of the last exponents of the classical English detective story … elegant, literate, and funny’ The Times ‘A classic detective story and a ludicrous literary farce’ Guardian ‘Beneath a formidable exterior he had unsuspected depths of frivolity’ Philip Larkin

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Book SynopsisAll set around Christmas and all expertly planned, written and executed!' 5* reader review'Perfect for a dark wintry evening.' 5* reader review'Very entertaining, and I loved it.' 5* reader review

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Book SynopsisCreator of the famous Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler elevated the American hard-boiled detective genre to an art form. His last four novels, published here in one volume, offer ample opportunity to savour the unique and compelling fictional world that made his works modern classics.The Lady in the Lake moves Marlowe out of his usual habitat of city streets and into the mountains outside Los Angeles in his strange search for a missing woman.The Little Sister takes Marlowe to Hollywood, where he tries to find a sweet young thing’s missing brother, uncovering on the way a little blackmail, a lot of drugs, and more than enough murder. In The Long Goodbye, a case involving a war-scarred drunk and his nymphomaniac wife has Marlowe constantly on the move: a psychotic gangster’s on his trail, he’s in trouble with the cops, and more and more corpses keep turning up.Playback features a well-endowed redhead who leads Marlowe to the California coast to solve a tale of big money and, of course, murder. Throughout these masterpieces, Marlowe’s wry humour and existential sense of his job prove yet again why he has become one of the most recognized and imitated characters in fiction.

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Book SynopsisCommemorating 75 years since the Empress of Crime's first book, the third volume in a set of omnibus editions presenting the complete run of 32 Inspector Alleyn mysteries.DEATH IN A WHITE TIEThe season has begun. Débutantes and chaperones are planning their gala dinners - and the blackmailer is planning strategies to stalk his next victim. But Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn knows that something is up and has already planted his friend Lord Gospell at the dinner. But someone else has got there firstOVERTURE TO DEATHIt was planned as an act of charity: a new piano for the parish hall, and an amusing evening''s entertainment to finance the gift. But all is doomed when Miss Campanula sits down to play. A chord is struck, a shot rings out, and Miss Campanula is dead.it seems to be a case of sinister infatuation for Roderick AlleynDEATH AT THE BARA midsummer evening - darts night at The Plume of Feathers, a traditional Devonshire public house. A distinguished painter, a celebrated

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Book SynopsisDetective Kubu’s world is shattered when his father is violently murdered. Defying orders, he sets off on the killers’ trail … with shocking consequences… ‘This fifth mystery featuring Detective Kubu is another fast-moving procedural notable for its warm characterizations and vivid sense of place. A natural for fans of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency' Booklist ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James 'Impossible to put down. Kubu’s painstaking detecting skills make him a sort of Hercule Poirot of the desert … This series can be recommended to a wide gamut of readers’ Library Journal _______________ 'There's no easy way to say this, Kubu. Your father's dead. I'm afraid he's been murdered.’ Faced with the violent death of his own father, even Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu, Botswana CID's keenest mind, is baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? The picture becomes even murkier with the apparent suicide of a government official. Are Chinese mine-owners involved? And what role does the US Embassy have to play? When grief-stricken Kubu defies orders and sets out on the killers’ trail, startling and chilling links emerge, spanning the globe and setting a sequence of shocking events in motion. Will Kubu catch the killers in time … and find justice for his father? Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, A Death in the Family is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption and greed, as a complex series of murders present the opera-loving, wine connoisseur detective with his most challenging – and personal – case yet. _______________ ‘The perfect combination of “I don’t want it to end” and “I can’t put it down”. Great African crime fiction’ Deon Meyer ‘My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written...’ New York Journal of Books ‘Richly atmospheric … a gritty depiction of corruption and deception’ Publishers Weekly ‘Under the African sun, Michael Stanley’s Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will – a must read’ Yrsa SigurðardóttirTrade Review'A wonderful, original voice - McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly' Peter James * 'Under the African sun, Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will - a must read' Yrsa Sigurdardottir * 'Detective David "Kubu" Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written ...' New York Journal of Books * 'Kubu returns with a vengeance - but what is prowling in the darkness of Botswana is more dangerous than the four-legged predators. Then there are the Chinese who just may be the most dangerous of all ... I love it!' Charles Todd, award-winning author of the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford mysteries

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Book SynopsisHercule Poirot returns in another brilliant murder mystery that can only be solved by the eponymous Belgian detective and his little grey cells'.What I intend to say to you will come as a shock . . .'Lady Athelinda Playford has planned a house party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork, but it is no ordinary gathering. As guests arrive, Lady Playford summons her lawyer to make an urgent change to her will one she intends to announce at dinner that night. She has decided to cut off her two children without a penny and leave her fortune to someone who has only weeks to live . . .Among Lady Playford's guests are two men she has never met the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited . . . until Poirot starts to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murderer to strike. But why does she seem so determined to provoke, in the presence of a possible killer?When the crime is committed in spite of Poirot's Trade Review‘Sparkling second outing for Hannah's reimagined Poirot. The setting (posh Irish country house), the characters (country lawyers, creepy male secretary, stroppy flapper, etc) and the period vocabulary are all spot on, but it's the utter fiendish unpredictability of the plot that makes Sophie the new Agatha’ Sunday Times ‘An ingenious solution to the mystery of Closed Casket represents another satisfying addition to the Agatha Christie canon’ Irish Times ‘Top-class entertainment’ Woman & Home ‘Closed Casket is deviously plotted, deeply satisfying and does the grande dame of crime proud’ Good Housekeeping ‘A brand new (and fiendishly puzzling) case for Hercule Poirot – seriously, what could be more blissful?’ Saga Magazine ‘This mystery is enormously compulsive – keep ‘em coming! 5 stars’ Heat ‘Christie’s boots as a crime writer are hard to fill, but Hannah achieves it quietly and intelligently with Poirot-sized steps once again in Closed Casket… The whole book will not only delight Agatha Christie devotees but anyone who loves a good, well written murder mystery’ Devon Life ‘A brand new (and fiendishly puzzling) case for Hercule Poirot – seriously, what could be more blissful? … Gorgeous’ SAGA ‘This cunningly executed Christie tribute taps into the current vogue for Golden Age crime with its vintage plot, numerous possible motives and neatly contained setting’ METRO 'a literary marriage made in heaven!’ THE TIMES ‘a novel fizzing with ideas and spikey dialogue’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘an absolute gem for murder mystery fans’ CLOSER

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Book SynopsisA young drifter finds more than he bargained for when he agrees to deliver a parcel to an English country houseLittle did Anthony Cade suspect that a simple errand on behalf of a friend would make him the centrepiece of a murderous international conspiracy. Someone would stop at nothing to prevent the monarchy being restored in faraway Herzoslovakia.The combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than go in circles until the final murder at Chimneys, the great country estate that yields up an amazing secretTrade Review‘One of the best of Agatha Christie’s early thrillers.’ Charles Osborne ‘A thick fog of mystery, cross purposes, and romance, which leads up to a most unexpected and highly satisfactory ending.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Here’s another capital detective story by Miss Christie, which will keep the reader guessing until the very end, not only as to the identity of the arch villain – the murderer – but also that of the hero, Anthony Cade.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisMystery and suspense surround a seance in a snowbound house on the edge of Dartmoor, where the prediction of a grisly murder is only the precursor to an ingenious deadly crime and one of Agatha Christie’s most gripping thrillers…Trade Review“The Empress of the crime novel.”Sunday Express “An excellent book to take away for a weekend reading.” New York Times “You can’t go wrong with this one, certainly the best of the always high-grade Christie items in quite some time.” Books

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Book SynopsisAgatha Christie's ingenious murder mystery thriller, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.Luke Fitzwilliam could not believe Miss Pinkerton's wild allegation that a multiple murderer was at work in the quiet English village of Wychwood or her speculation that the local doctor was next in line.But within hours, Miss Pinkerton had been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Mere coincidence? Luke was inclined to think so until he read in The Times of the unexpected demise of Dr HumblebyTrade Review‘Suspense, mystery, romance and an agreeable touch of the macabre.’Guardian ‘Contains some clever plotting and enough casting of suspicion to keep you guessing like mad.'Books 'One of Agatha Christie's best mystery novels, a story fascinating in its plot, clever and lively in its characters and brilliant in its technique.'New York Times

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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 GuardianMaigret’s past comes to life in this evocative novel, set in the Inspector’s hometown“Maigret savoured the sensations of his youth again: the cold, stinging eyes, frozen fingertips, an aftertaste of coffee. Then, stepping inside the church, a blast of heat, soft light; the smell of candles and incense.”The last time Maigret went home to the village of his birth was for his father’s funeral. Now, an anonymous note predicting a crime during All Souls’ Day mass draws him back there, where troubling memories resurface and hidden vices are revealed.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"She looked so irresistibly beautiful as she said those brave words that no man alive could have steeled his heart against her." In love with the beautiful heiress Laura Fairlie, the impoverished art teacher Walter Hartright finds his romantic desires thwarted by her previous engagement to Sir Percival Glyde. But all is not as it seems with Sir Percival, as becomes clear when he arrives with his eccentric friend Count Fosco. The mystery and intrigue are further deepened by the ghostly appearances of a woman in white, apparently harbouring a secret that concerns Sir Percival’s past. A tale of love, madness, deceit and redemption, boasting sublime Gothic settings and pulse-quickening suspense, The Woman in White was the first best-selling Victorian sensation novel, sparking off a huge trend in the fiction of the time with its compulsive, fascinating narrative.Trade ReviewFor sheer plotting genius, Collins had no rival. If you’ve never read this, I can promise you one of the most gripping stories of all time. -- Philip Pullman

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Book SynopsisDorian Gray is having his picture painted by Basil Hallward, who is charmed by his looks. But when Sir Henry Wotton visits and seduces Dorian into the worship of youthful beauty with an intoxicating speech, Dorian makes a wish he will live to regret: that all the marks of age will now be reflected in the portrait rather than on Dorian's own face. The stage is now set for a masterful tale about appearance, reality, art, life, truth, fiction and the burden of conscience. Oscar Wilde's only full-length novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a lasting gem of sophisticated wit and playfulness, which brings together all the best elements of his talent in a reinterpretation of the Faustian myth.Trade ReviewReading and rereading Wilde throughout the years, I noticed something that his panegyrists had not, it seems, suspected: namely the verifiable, elementary fact that Wilde was virtually always right. -- Jorge Luis Borges Wilde stood for art. He stood for nothing less all his life... He is still enormously underestimated as an artist and thinker... Wilde was a great writer and a great man. -- Stephen Fry Every line that Wilde ever wrote affected me so enormously. -- Morrissey I think The Picture of Dorian Gray stands as high as it ever has. -- Will Self A heady late-Victorian tale of double-living, in which Dorian's fatal, corruptive influence over women and men alike is left suggestively indistinct. -- Sarah Waters

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