Crime and mystery: hard-boiled crime, noir fiction

Book Synopsis“Crime writing this good just has to be read.” — NB Magazine International secret police operations, drug trafficking, prostitution, and identity theft set the stage for the eternal struggle between Good and Evil “A masterpiece.”— Mystery Tribune “An engrossing fable in which families and societies unravel and are refashioned.” — ForeWord Reviews Acclaimed as one of today’s best noir writers, Massimo Carlotto reaches new heights in the most complex Alligator novel to date, rich with biting humour, humanity, and psychological insight. Marco Buratti, a.k.a. the Alligator, and his partners have fallen into a trap laid by their worst enemy: Giorgio Pellegrini, a wanted man who has no intention of living as a fugitive and turns police informer. But something goes wrong: with Pellegrini’s wife and lover in the sights of a team of ruthless sicarios, the Alligator and co. are blackmailed and forced to investigate. But they've been framed. Even if they discover who's behind the crime, they'll rot in prison. To survive, some rules will have to be bent, and others broken. “Carlotto makes even minor characters three-dimensional, such as a woman whose face shows that “she’d expected more from life and couldn’t figure out why that hadn’t come to pass,” in this grim tale of violence and corruption. James Ellroy fans will be satisfied.” - Publishers WeeklyTrade Review“More than merely hardboiled, his novels are sexy, seedy, cynical and nihilistic, but with moments of idealism.” * London Review of Books *“Carlotto’s taut, broody Mediterranean noir is filled with blind corners and savage set pieces." * The New Yorker *“Amoral and unlikeable as he is, Pellegrini will stay in your head long after the book is closed. Carlotto’s Italy is a corrupt place far removed from that of any tourist brochure.” * EuroCrime *

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Book Synopsis‘An incredible debut’ MEL SHERRATTShe is wanted by the FBI.She is a stone-cold killer.She remembers nothing.She is told her name is Reeta Doe, and that she’s been in an accident. That she’s in Florida. That the FBI have been following her since Mississippi. That she has brutally murdered two women. College girls, who look just like her. Two more are missing, and one survived.Reeta recalls nothing. She cannot answer their questions; all the things they want her to explain are no more familiar to her than the prison she is taken to.Her only hope is a journalist named Carol, who can follow the trail of devastation Reeta left in her wake.All the way back to Pine Ranch, and the only family she ever knew.An astonishing debut crime novel, exploring identity and nature versus nurture, with an unforgettable character at its heart. Perfect for fans of Girl A and The Girls.Praise for After Everything You Did‘What an incredible debut. A story with characters that really got under my skin, told with compassion and intrigue. I was outraged, fascinated and heartbroken at the same time.’ Mel Sherratt, author of The Life She Wants‘Richly detailed and atmospheric, the carefully woven strands quickly pulled me into Reeta’s story, towards an ending that was both chilling and heart-breaking. An exciting debut, I can’t wait to read what Stephanie Sowden does next.’ Louisa Scarr, author of Last Place You Look‘Absorbing and horrifying – I was gripped from the first page’ Marion Todd, author of Next in Line‘A powerful psychological thriller debut… Sowden pulls off a great twist towards the end of the book to tie all the diverse strands together, which does come as a major but welcome surprise. A most assured debut that grips like a vice and bodes well for Sowden’s future.’ Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time‘This savage, harrowing read will keep you on the edge of your seat.’ Woman’s Own‘The perfect thriller. This book has an incredible story and the perfectly drawn main character makes it even better. I would highly recommend it, I really enjoyed the pacing and the ending.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A wonderful suspense debut novel! … I couldn’t put it down … Hugely gripping, shocking and incredibly tense! This book made me feel real chills! The twists are incredible, and it’s quite scary how realistic the book feels, how it could happen.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This was such a good read, it had me gripped right from the beginning and kept me compelled to read it the whole way through, I read it in one sitting. It was tense, fast and suspenseful and full of unpredictability and twists. I loved it.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘After Everything You Did is a gripping, emotional, powerful thriller. It is a book that I will continue to think about long after having finished it.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Stephanie has done an incredible job in delivering not only a complex plot and well-rounded characters but presenting such an unexpected ending that it will be a strong after-effect that lingers long after you have finished the book. A 5 star read! I cannot wait to read more from this author.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘After Everything You Did had me hooked on the very first page. I loved the premise and thought that the characters were well written… I am excited to see what she does next.’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book Synopsis‘5/5 Stars – I did not see that ending coming!...it’s a great thriller with some fun twists that will keep readers on their toes’ (e) Book NerdAll families have secrets... some are deadly.When D.I. Matthew Denning is called in to investigate a house fire in a North London street, he never anticipated the horrors that awaited him. As Denning and D.S. Molly Fisher search the wreckage, the bodies of the Galloway family – Brian and Ellie, son Simon, daughter Amber and 9-year-old grandson Caleb – are discovered in the smouldering house.All evidence points to a tragic accident… until Matthew and Molly discover that the family was dead before the fire, murdered in their home by a faceless psychopath. What started as a routine investigation swiftly turns into a murder investigation, with Denning and Fisher hunting a killer who has wiped out three generations with a shotgun.But as the case deepens, Denning and Fisher discover that the Galloways were no ordinary family. Like all families, they harbour secrets - but unlike others, their secrets were so deadly, someone is willing to spill blood to keep them hidden…An utterly gripping detective novel set in London, Blood Family will thrill fans of Angela Marsons, Mark Billingham and Robert Bryndza.Readers are hooked on Blood Family:‘fast paced and utterly gripping, with plenty to keep you guessing from start to finish. Thoroughly entertaining.’ The Bookwormery‘Well-paced, with a few clever twists, I was never quite sure I knew who the killer was. Graeme Hampton’s writing is fabulous.’ Jessica Belmont‘Denning and Fisher are a great team…I look forward to the next book’ (5 stars) Reader Review‘I took to this book very quickly - always a good sign... An excellent plot line with nothing too gory or upsetting which gives a very comfortable read. A truly brilliant, very entertaining read.’ (5 stars) Nicki’s Book Blog ‘full of tension and intrigue. There were lots of twists and turns and it was difficult to know who to trust. It's a well written, fast paced read that keeps you gripped.’ Reader Review‘my first introduction to D.I Denning and D.S Fisher and certainly won’t be my last. A gripping start that is steadily paced, picking up to a very satisfying conclusion. A must read for crime fans’ By The Letter Book Reviews‘This is a really enjoyable and solid read for crime fans and I would recommend it.’ Reader Review‘an interesting police procedural with several twists and a constant stream of developments. It held my attention throughout and I read it in one sitting.’ Reader Review‘lots of satisfying twists and turns…this was an easy and engrossing read.’ Reader ReviewPraise for Graeme Hampton: ‘This story starts with a bang and holds your attention throughout…fast paced and multi layered, each twist and turn drawing us further in.’ Book Bound‘an excellent debut novel, I was drawn in from the start…the twists are clever and I genuinely didn’t guess the ending’ Alex J Book Reviews‘This is a brilliant read…the story twists and turns to an exciting conclusion and leaves you wanting more’ Mac Reviews Books‘Wow, I really enjoyed this book… It is a complex, intriguing, grabbing book that you can sink your teeth into. I was hooked from beginning to end’ Reading Through the Pain‘The solving of the crime had me gripped…we’re never sure what is a red herring until the riveting climax’ Cara Merrol Loves Books

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Book SynopsisA gripping psychological thriller by bestselling author J.A. Baker!Chamber Cottage holds many dark secrets...Struggling to overcome their marital problems, Alec and Peggy hoped their new life at Chamber cottage would be the retreat they both needed to recover. Both damaged by issues from their childhoods, they are trying to get on with their lives as best they can, but they can’t help feeling that they are being watched….Peggy, already paranoid because of the terrible scars that mark her face, becomes even more agoraphobic and retreat further into the stone walls of the cottage, hoping it will keep her safe.Then Peggy discovers that her estranged mother is stalking her and Alec, claiming she has a dark secret that is putting Peggy’s life in danger. And now Peggy doesn’t know who to trust…What caused the scars on Peggy’s face? Is Alec really the monster Peggy’s mother believes him to be? And what secrets does Chamber Cottage hold?J.A. Baker is the bestselling author of The Woman at Number 19 and Local Girl Missing. The Retreat is a gripping and twisty psychological thriller which will appeal to fans of authors like SE Lynes and K.L. Slater.Please note this is a re-issue of The Retreat by J.A. Baker

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Book SynopsisSix old friends … and a secret they’d all kill to protect.When Pete and his friends set sail on a private yacht in the Balearics to celebrate Fergus’ upcoming wedding, they’re all looking forward to sun, sea and copious quantities of alcohol.But there’s a reason they are still entwined in each other’s lives a decade after leaving university. A terrible event they’ve all been trying their hardest to forget.They say you can’t outrun the past … And these six friends are about to find that out the hard way.* *'A nightmare scenario with a killer on the loose on a stranded yacht, and dark secrets from the past slowly being revealed; I may never step onto a boat again after reading this, but I loved it!' Jackie Kabler, author of The Murder List'... plenty of booze, drama, and secret-sharing... who doesn't love a whodunit on a boat? ... An edge of your seat, heart pounding thriller that leaves you wondering who's going to get off the yacht alive.' Becca Day, author of The Girl Beyond the Gate'A thrill-a-minute page-turner full of suspense, twists and turns that kept me on tenterhooks until the nail-biting finale!' AA Chaudhuri, author of The Loyal Friend

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when the safety of your home is no longer safe?Every Friday night during lockdown, six friends meet onscreen to take part in a quiz.But when it's Barton Hinton’s turn to host the event, he introduces a set of personal questions that clearly aren’t random and which set off a fatal chain of events.When the police start to ask questions, the friends agree to hide the truth.Is it possible that one of the six guests killed a fellow member?Everyone has their secrets.Some are worth dying for.Some are worth killing for…Previously published as The Six Guests

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Book SynopsisJack Taylor has finally traded in his violent life in Galway for a quiet retirement in the country. But on a day trip back into the city, Jack is hit by a truck and left in a coma, mysteriously without a scratch on him. When he awakens weeks later, he finds Ireland in a frenzy over the so-called 'Miracle of Galway'. People have become convinced that the two children who tended to him are saintly, and the site of the accident sacred. The Catholic Church isn't so sure, and Jack is commissioned to help find the children – to verify the miracle or expose the stunt. But Jack isn't the only one looking for these children, and he'll need all the help he can get – and a stiff drink of Jameson – once he finds them. Praise for Ken Bruen: 'Bruen is an Emerald Noir maestro' – DUBLIN SUNDAY INDEPENDENT 'The best-kept literary secret in Ireland' – INDEPENDENT 'One of Ireland's most original voices in crime fiction' – IRISH INDEPENDENT 'Bruen's visceral writing and anger brings a fierce, almost surreal intensity to this mad story of a heretical book that turns up in Galway' – METROTrade ReviewIt is 20 years since Jack Taylor – the ex-Garda turned private eye – made his debut in The Guards. Like his creator, he has made a career out of being unlike anyone else... The welter of violence is punctuated with typographical tricks and quips' * The Times Crime Club *This is Irish noir to the core and Ken Bruen, with his unique poetic style, is at its dark beating heart * Shots Mag *The plot Bruen spins out is serviceable and offers the right complement of thrills and adventure, but many of us don't read him for rollercoaster storylines, but for the quirky, telegraphic style, the insights into bruised psyches and the often poetic insights and digressions into books, music and religion that make Bruen's bruised universe somewhat unique * Crime Time *Bruen is truly an original writer, wickedly entertaining, stylish and sardonic. A masterclass in how to write funny crime fiction like a shark bite * Crime Time *Gritty, violent at times and generously garnished with expletives that reflect the brutal world in which the detective lives and works. Taylor is a thought-provoking, sometimes infuriating and always entertaining maverick. The novel is a page-turner that can be read perfectly well as a stand-alone and recommended for all those who like a twist of Byron with their Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. I loved it * Promoting Crime Fiction *It sounds bizarre to say that the book is a pleasure to read, given how dark it is. But it really is! * Crime Review *Bruen, the master of Galway noir, once again takes us down the mean streets of the Claddagh * RTÉ *An enjoyable read, funny in parts and gripping – Jack is a character you'll continue to root for * Belfast Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisFoggy Moscowitz is shocked when ID found on a body in the bay suggests it''s his close Brooklyn friend, Pan Pan Washington, and the car involved belongs to one of their old associates, Sammy ''Icepick'' Franks. What message is Icepick trying to send Foggy, and why?The children who found the body were looking for their mother - one of twenty-seven women missing from John Horse''s Seminole tribe, and Foggy immediately takes the pair under his wing as they follow a disturbing trail. Is John right about there being a connection between the car in the bay and the missing women? Could Foggy''s old associates in New York be involved? Hit men, crooked police officers, and even oil-rich Oklahomans can''t stop Foggy on his mission to uncover the truth.

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Book SynopsisThey’ll all be crow bait by the time I’m finished...Jail was hell for Davie McCall. Ten years down the line, freedom’s no picnic either. It’s 1990, there are new kings in the West of Scotland underworld, and Glasgow is awash with drugs. Davie can handle himself. What he can’t handle is the memory of his mother’s death at the hand of his sadistic father. Or the darkness his father implanted deep in his own psyche. Or the nightmares… Now his father is back in town and after blood, ready to waste anyone who stops him hacking out a piece of the action. There are people in his way. And Davie is one of them. PRAISE for Blood CityThe city’s dark underbelly complete with knives, razors, guns and gangs...DAILY MAILYou follow the plot like an eager dog, nose turning this way and that, not catching every single clue but quivering as you lunge towards a blood-splattered denouement. DAILY EXPRESSThe Glasgow of this period is a great, gritty setting for a crime story, and Skelton’s non-fiction work stands him in good stead… he’s taken well to fiction… the unexpected twists keep coming.THE HERALDTrade ReviewA gory and razor-sharp crime novel from the start, Douglas Skelton’s Crow Bait moves at breakneck speed like a getaway car on the dark streets of Glasgow, the city where this story takes place. - Tabatha Glancy, The Skinny

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Book SynopsisDetective Moralès becomes immersed in a chilling case set on the icy seas of Quebec’s remote Magdalen Islands, in the midst of a brutal seal hunt. A breathtaking, atmospheric, race-against-the-clock thriller… **Number One bestseller in Canada****Shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best French Crime Book** 'A shocking, exquisitely plotted mystery set in the brutal seas off Quebec. The writing is sublime … you can feel the sting of salt on your cheeks' Gill Paul ‘Detective fiction [with] a dreamily poetic cast’ Sunday Times 'Unique, stylish Canadian Noir … absolutely superb' Kjell Ola Dahl _________________________________________There’s only one thing more deadly than the storm… Fisheries officer Simone Lord is transferred to Quebec’s remote Magdalen Islands for the winter, and at the last minute ordered to go aboard a trawler braving a winter storm for the traditional grey seal hunt, while all of the other boats shelter onshore. Detective Sergeant Joaquin Moralès is on a cross-country boat trip down the St Lawrence River, accompanied by Nadine Lauzon, a forensic psychologist working on the case of a savagely beaten teenager with Moralès’ old team in Montreal. When it becomes clear that Simone is in grave danger aboard the trawler, the two cases converge, with startling, terrifying consequences for everyone involved… The award-winning author of The Coral Bride returns with an atmospheric, race-against-the-clock thriller set on the icy seas in the midst of a brutal seal hunt, where nothing is as it seems and absolutely no one can be trusted. For fans of Louise Penny, Ann Cleeves, Emma Stonex and Annie Proulx _________________________________________ ‘From the very beginning I had a feeling of tragic inevitability … the sense of isolation, both physical and emotional, pours from every page’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews ‘Beautiful prose, simple yet powerful, and a boatload of suspense … an absolute winner’ From Belgium with Booklove ‘Thrums with rhythm and tears at the heart … the best Detective Moralès yet’ Live & Deadly What Readers are saying…***** ‘Breathlessly gripping’ ‘Masterful storytelling’ ‘The suspense is palpable’ ‘If you like Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache series, you’ll LOVE this’ 'No one does atmospheric quite like Roxanne Bouchard' ‘Intricate, beautiful and compelling' ‘Gloriously shocking’ Praise for Roxanne Bouchard:**WINNER of the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best French Crime Book** **Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** 'A haunting murder mystery about how human nature is every bit as dangerous and inscrutable as the sea draws out its suspense to the very last moment' Foreword Reviews 'A police procedural like no other – marvel at the clever plotting' Crime Fiction Lover 'An absolute joy to read, with as much tension as there is poetry' Le Journal de Montréal 'With a cast of characters you'll engage with and love and a mystery that will have you on edge, Bouchard pulls you into her world wonderful' Michael J. Malone 'Roxanne Bouchard is reinventing the crime novel' Quebec TV ‘Lyrical and elegiac, full of quirks and twists' William Ryan 'Asks questions right from page one' Quentin Bates 'A tour de force of both writing and translation' Su Bristow

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Book SynopsisScarhaven Keep, by J. S. Fletcher, is a classic missing-person mystery. The plot revolves around a famous actor who disappears; the search leads dramatist Richard Copplestone to the seaside town of Scarhaven on the coastline of England. Each piece of information raises more questions than answers, and Copplestone uncovers a large number of dark secrets in Loop, many of which include the beautiful Audrey Greyle and her family. The Scarhaven suspects in Loop fascinate Copplestone more than anything else. In the story, if Copplestone doesn't find the truth soon, he endangers the lives of his friends that he has made in Scarhaven, including Audrey. What will happen to the actor? Will he discover the truth? with many more mysteries hidden in the book.

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Book SynopsisThe brand-new gripping thriller in Will Shindler's acclaimed DI Alex Finn series - available to pre-order now!Years ago someone got away with murder... But time's up. 2009 During a summer heatwave, teenagers are going missing. Junior officer Alex Finn takes the case and fears that the disappearances are linked. In a race against the clock to find and rescue the children alive, Finn and his team are only partially successful. Two of the children are saved, but they were too late for Oliver. And the killer got away. 2023 DI Alex Finn is still tormented by the cases of his youth - none more than so than the 2009 kidnappings. And it seems someone else has not forgotten either. They want answers after all this time, and with a gun in their pocket and their sights set on Alex, they'll do anything to get what they're after... Highly original and utterly compelling, THE COLD CASE is Will Shindler's biggest book yet and is perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Mick Herron.

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Book SynopsisHill is an instinctive and complete novelist who is blessed with a spontaneous storytelling gift' Frances Fyfield, Mail on SundayFifteen years ago they moved everyone out of Dendale. They needed a new reservoir and an old community seemed a cheap price to pay. But four inhabitants of the valley could not be moved, for nobody knew where they were: three little girls who had gone missing, and the prime suspect in their disappearance, Benny Lightfoot.This was Andy Dalziel's worst case and now he looks set to relive it. Another child goes missing in the next valley, and old fears arise as someone sprays the deadly message on Danby bridge: BENNY'S BACK!Trade Review‘On Beulah Height must rank as his best yet… Reginald Hill’s novels are really dances to the music of time’Ian Rankin, Scotland on Sunday ‘Few writers in the genre today have Hill’s gifts: formidable intelligence, quick humour, compassion and a prose style that blends elegance and grace’Donna Leon, Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisFor DCI Gillard, sometimes old sins cast long shadows…Under a motorway flyover lies the body of a young man. Days earlier, he had been involved in an altercation with DCI Craig Gillard’s pregnant partner Sam. Now he’s dead…Meanwhile, something is brewing in the criminal underworld. Whispers of a big job have reached the Met’s Flying Squad. Something is going to be stolen, and soon. Something worth £500m.But what? And where? And how does it relate to the body under the overpass? It should be a simple case: stop the burglary, crack the gang, find the murderer – but for Gillard, once again it’s personal…Fast-paced and utterly unputdownable, the next instalment of the DCI Gillard series is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Stuart Macbride and Faith Martin.

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Book SynopsisThe next incredible instalment in the case books of Ms Tree, private detective, from famed Hard Case Crime author Max Allan Collins! From the minds of author Max Allen Collins and artist Terry Beatty, comes the fourth collection of 5 classic Ms Tree stories. Join Michael Tree, the 6ft, 9mm carrying private detective on her thrilling adventures. No case is too small, no violence too extreme, just as long as it gets the job done. Fans of hard-boiled detective and crime fiction will get a thrill from these tales! Featuring the stories: "Deadline" "Skin Deep" "Runaway" "Runaway II" "Death, Danger and Diamonds"Trade Review"For those who prefer their comics a little harder, a little faster, and a whole lot pulpier, Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty's Ms. Tree will hit the bullseye ¾ and blow it to pieces." - Mystery Scene "A saga rife with treachery, violence, and intrigue... a 'must-read' for mystery graphic novel connoisseurs." - Midwest Book Review"As you’d expect from Max Allan Collins, this is another great read ... a classic noir style" - The Borg“Well crafted crime tales, with snappy dialogue and a good share of action and violence” - Graphic Novel Resources"A compelling read for those of us who love the character and a great, thoroughly accessible introduction for new readers" - First Comics News

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Book Synopsis'No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity' - Richard III, Act 1, Scene 2 An angry and mercilessly suspenseful novel about an ex-con's attempt to negotiate the "straight world" and his swan dive back into the paradoxical security of crime. It is airtight in its construction, almost photorealistic in its portrayal of L.A. lowlife and utterly knowledgeable about the terrors of liberty, the high of the quick score and the rage that makes the finger tighten on the trigger of the gun. No Beast So Fierce was Eddie Bunker's debut novel and has the searing intensity of a novel based precisely on experience, with Bunker having spent most of his early life in maximum security penitentiaries for a variety of offences including armed robbery. It has been suggested that Tarantino draws on No Beast So Fierce for the botched robbery in Reservoir Dogs, a film in which Bunker plays the character of Mr Blue.Trade ReviewA gripping and harrowing read * Daily Mail *The most compelling quality of No Beast So Fierce is that, solidly rooted in his own experiences, it explores the nature of the criminal mind with almost blinding authenticity. Bunker is obviously a man of unusual gifts honed under circumstances that would destroy most men * Los Angeles Times *The most compelling quality of No Beast So Fierce is that, solidly rooted in his own experiences, it explores the nature of the criminal mind with almost blinding authenticity. Bunker is obviously a man of unusual gifts honed under circumstances that would destroy most men * Los Angeles Times *Quite simply, one of the great crime novels of the past 30 years -- James EllroyThe best first person crime novel I have ever read -- Quentin Tarantino

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Book Synopsis•The first in a series of novels by Olguín starring the journalist Veronica Rosenthal. It is set in Buenos-Aires and has been made into a TV series currently showing in Argentina. •Veronica is a successful young journalist, beautiful, unmarried, with a healthy appetite for bourbon and men. She is a fascinating and complicated heroine, driven by a sense of justice but also by lust and ambition. •Sensual and terse, the novel is also fiercely critical of a system that tolerates the powerful and wealthy of Buenos Aires putting the lives of young boys at risk for their entertainment. When she hears about the suicide of a local train driver who has jumped off the roof of a block of flats, leaving a suicide note confessing to four mortal `accidents’ on the train tracks, she decides to investigate. For the police the case is closed (suicide is suicide), for Veronica it is the beginning of a journey that takes her into an unfamiliar world of grinding poverty, junkie infested neighborhoods, and train drivers on commuter lines haunted by the memory of bodies hit at speed by their locomotives in the middle of the night. Aided by a train driver informant, a junkie in rehab and two street kids willing to risk everything for a can of Coke, she uncovers a group of men involved in betting on working-class youngsters convinced to play Russian roulette by standing in front of fast-coming trains to see who endures the longest. With bodies of children crushed under tons of steel, those of adults yielding to relentless desire, the resolution of the investigation reveals the deep bonds which unite desire and death.

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Book SynopsisPure pleasure.' Evening StandardAn absolute treat . . . wittily and slyly written.' Euro CrimeAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYWhen the corpse of the shady industrialist who owns the local football team is found both shot and stabbed, Inspector Aurelio Zen is called to Bologna to oversee the investigation. Recovering slowly from surgery, and fleeing an equally painful crisis in his personal life, Zen is only too happy to take on what at first appears to be a routine and relatively undemanding assignment. But soon a world-famous university professor is shot with the same gun, and the case threatens to spin out of control . . .The best of the Zen series. Exceptionally clever and witty.' 5* reader reviewA very entertaining romp with Zen.' 5* reader reviewVery funny and perceptive on Italian society. Michael Dibdin's Zen books are the top of the pile in detective fiction.' 5* reader review

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Book SynopsisThe seventh book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham.THE MESSAGEDI Tom Thorne has seen plenty of dead bodies in his time. But when he starts receiving sick photos of murder victims on his mobile phone, he soon realises that the next body could be his.THE KILLERAnd even when the man who has been sending the photos is tracked down, the deadly threat remains, For some, the case is all but closed, but Thorne''s nightmare is just beginning. THE TWISTBecause someone else is masterminding the death messages. The most vicious psychopath Thorne has ever faced is able to manipulate others even behind bars, and time has only deepened the deadly grudge he has against the policeman who put him away...________________The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!Trade ReviewMurder and mystery do not come better than this What's on in London Brisk, racy read The Times Assured and shocking thriller The Guardian A cunning variation on the serial-murder theme Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisUnputdownable.' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHA complete inversion of the standard detective genre.' GUARDIANAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERY Inspector Zen is back, but nobody''s supposed to know it.After months in hospital recovering from a car-bomb attack, he is lying low under a false name at a beach resort on the Tuscan coast, waiting to testify in an imminent anti-Mafia trial. Zen has clear instructions: to sit back and enjoy the classic Italian beach holiday. But when an alarming number of people start dropping dead around him, it seems just a matter of time before the Mafia manages to find their target.A top quality thriller.' 5* reader reviewA very entertaining read, sometimes funny sometimes thought provoking and always with a slightly cynical dig at the Italian establishment!' 5* reader reviewMy favourite book, bar none.' 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SE

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of John le Carré, a gripping and suspenseful spy thriller from the master of the modern spy thriller' (Mail on Sunday)Mark and Benjamin Keen have not seen their father, Christopher, for more than twenty years.Hoping for a reconciliation, Christopher reappears, but he has only just begun to shed light on his life in the secret service when he is murdered in cold blood by an unidentified assassin.Was his death connected to his MI6 past? Did Christopher uncover a dangerous conspiracy involving his elder son? And what were his links to Moscow, Afghanistan and the Russian mafia in London?To discover the truth and avenge their father's death the brothers are drawn into the legacy of his life as a spy.And inheritance can be deadlyTrade ReviewPraise for The Hidden Man: ‘confirms that Cumming is a man put on earth to perpetuate the spy thriller’ Daily Telegraph ‘Cumming's depiction of contemporary intelligence work rings painfully true. Disquieting, brutal, riveting. I hardly dared put the book down’ Literary Review ‘The dialogue is bitingly sharp, the characterisation first-class’ Sunday Telegraph ‘A must read’ Tatler Praise for A Foreign Country: ‘We are in Smiley country, but with extra 21st century nuance … Cumming has an exquisite touch and we should treasure him’ Daily Mail ‘A thriller that has everything you could ask for – a twisty, sexy plot, topical themes, memorable characters and plentiful spy lore’ Sunday Times, Books of the Year ‘Refreshing, plausible and effective … Best of all is the sheer pace of the narrative’ Spectator ‘You are likely to be up for most of the night to find out how this novel ends. It grips from the first page … A fast-moving treat’ The Scotsman

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Book SynopsisCorruption, murder, beauty and innocence . . . ''Great crime fiction started with Hammett'' James Ellroy''Not just the first of the tough school of crime-writing but the best'' THE TIMESNed Beaumont is a tall, thin, moustache-wearing, TB-ridden, drinking, gambling, hanger-on to the political boss of a corrupt Eastern city.Nevertheless, like every Hammett hero (and like Hammett himself), he has an unbreakable, if idiosyncratic, moral code. Ned''s boss wants to better himself with a thoroughbred senator''s daughter; but does he want it badly enough to commit murder? If he''s innocent, who wants him in the frame? Beaumont must find out.Trade ReviewNot just the first of the tough school of crime-writing but the best * THE TIMES *Great crime fiction started with Hammett -- James EllroyHe is master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer * BOSTON GLOBE *He put these people down on paper as they are, and he made them talk and think in the language they customarily used -- Raymond ChandlerHis name remains one of the most important and recognisable in the crime fiction genre. Hammett set the standard for much of the work that would follow * INDEPENDENT *The dean of the school of hard-boiled fiction * NEW YORK TIMES *One of the foremost practitioners of the hard-boiled detective story * SCOTSMAN *

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Book SynopsisHamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley travels to Scotland to face the demons of her past, as Hamburg is hit by a major arson attack. Queen of Krimi, Simone Buchholz, returns with the emotive fifth instalment in the electrifying Chastity Riley series … ‘A modern classic’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime ‘Written in crackling prose and with searing insight, this is a deeply heartfelt slice of existential noir – utterly unique’ Doug Johnstone ‘Deftly captures the beating heart of Glasgow’ Herald Scotland ‘A beautifully crafted exploration of grief and redemption, wrapped in a love letter to Glasgow … Glorious writing’ Will Carver ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet –––––––––––– Mired in grief after tragic recent events, state prosecutor Chastity Riley escapes to Scotland, lured to the birthplace of her great-great-grandfather by a mysterious letter suggesting she has inherited a house. In Glasgow, she meets Tom, the ex-lover of Chastity’s great aunt, who holds the keys to her own family secrets – painful stories of unexpected cruelty and loss that she’s never dared to confront. In Hamburg, Stepanovic and Calabretta investigate a major arson attack, while a group of property investors kicks off an explosion of violence that threatens everyone. As events in these two countries collide, Chastity prepares to face the inevitable, battling the ghosts of her past and the lost souls that could be her future and, perhaps, finally finding redemption for them all. Breathtakingly emotive, River Clyde is an electrifying, poignant and powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival. ––––––––––––— ‘Every word is a heartbeat, loaded with pain and anguish and self-discovery. This is Harbour Noir. This is a bravura literary performance, and a fitting swan song’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM ‘In just a few words – a light brushstroke – Simone paints such a vivid picture. Unlike any crime novel I’ve read. I loved it’ Michael J. Malone ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Independent Praise for the Chastity Riley series ‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland ‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly ‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute ‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisJesse Stone is an ex LA cop who has taken the job of police chief in Paradise, Massachusetts...and things are getting strange in Paradise. Stone is called to the junior high school when reports of lewd conduct by the school's principal, Betsy Ingersoll, filter into the station. Ingersoll claims she was protecting the propriety of her students when she inspected each girl's undergarments in the locker room. Jesse would like nothing more than to see Ingersoll punished, but her high-powered attorney husband stands in the way. At the same time, the women of Paradise are faced with a threat to their sense of security with the emergence of a tormented voyeur, dubbed "The Night Hawk." Initially, he's content to peer through windows, but as times goes on, he becomes more reckless, forcing his victims to strip at gunpoint...And according to the notes he's sending to Jesse, he's not satisfied to stop there. It's up to Jesse to catch the Night Hawk, before it's too late.

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Book SynopsisWhen murder comes to a secluded island, the ghosts of the past will resurface… As a young boy, Fredrik Fröding survived one of Europe’s worst ferry disasters. The tragedy haunts him, and decades later Fredrik refuses to give up hope that his brother Niklas also lived. It’s become an obsession that cost him a career in the police, and his relentless quest for answers leads him from Stockholm to the island of Ulvön. In the remote north on Sweden’s High Coast, the island community is tiny, but bolstered by a bustling tourist industry. It’s where Detective Sofia Hjortén retreated to after her personal life fell apart. When a man is murdered at the local hotel, she gathers evidence, and is shocked to see Fredrik in the area: his departure from police training also signalled the end of their brief intimacy. Sofia’s work leads her to unravel secrets from forty years ago. What does a summer camp have to do with the dead man? It’s this mystery Sofia must solve – a job made harder when the key suspect in the crime turns out to be Fredrik. Has his fragile mental state led to violence, or is there someone else out there whose demons have led to bloodshed?A compulsive Scandinavian crime thriller with a vivid and atmospheric setting. Perfect for police procedural fans who love the novels of Maria Adolfsson, Anders de la Motte and Håkan Nesser.Praise for Death in Summer‘A brilliant Scandinavian crime noir thriller…very difficult to put down.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I really enjoyed this read… it was well written with a riveting storyline, well developed characters and a setting that added an extra layer to the atmosphere of the book. Twisty and unpredictable.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A joy to read. Twists and turns throughout and a shocking ending.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisWhen a celebrated government official is found dead after his surprise birthday party, a young police officer uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives. Icelandic politician Katrín Júlíusdóttir's award-winning debut – first in a breathtaking series… **Winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut** ‘A breathtaking political thriller from one of Iceland’s most exciting new voices’ Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ‘Katrín Júlíusdóttir skilfully weaves together intense family dynamics, dark pasts and criminal endeavours in this masterful narrative’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir ____________________ A murder is just the beginning… When Óttar Karlsson, a wealthy and respected government official and businessman, is found murdered, after failing to turn up at his own surprise birthday party, the police are at a loss. It isn't until young police officer Sigurdís finds a well-hidden safe in his impersonal luxury apartment that clues start emerging. As Óttar's shady business dealings become clear, a second, unexpected line of enquiry emerges, when Sigurdís finds a US phone number in the safe, along with papers showing regular money transfers to an American account. Following the trail to Minnesota, trauma rooted in Sigurdís's own childhood threatens to resurface and the investigation strikes chillingly close to home… Atmospheric, deeply unsettling and full of breakneck twists and turns, Dead Sweet is a startling debut thriller that uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives, and kicks off an addictive, mind-blowing new series. ______________________ ‘Exceptional and realistic characters … Dead Sweet hooks you in from the very first page and keeps you there until the unexpected ending’ Blackbird Award judges: Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Ragnar Jónasson and Bjarni Þorsteinsson ‘An excellent debut thriller with a highly original storyline’ Sæunn Gísladóttir, The Reading Room What readers are saying… ***** ‘Dark, chilling and twisty … I couldn’t put it down’ ‘Breathtakingly unnerving’ ‘What an ending!’ ‘So atmospheric, so clever’ ‘Sigurdís is a brilliant character’ ‘The tension is almost unbearable … I loved it!’

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Book SynopsisLetty Davenport is back, and this time she’s taking no prisoners. The new incredible thriller from the #1 global bestseller.Letty Davenport’s days working a desk job are behind her. Her previous actions at a gunfight in Texas – and her incredible skills with firearms – draw the attention of several branches of the US government, and make her a perfect fit for even more dangerous work.The Department of Homeland Security tasks her with infiltrating a hacker group that is intent on wreaking havoc nationwide. Letty and her reluctant partner from the NSA pose as free-spirited programmers for hire and embark on a cross country road trip to the group’s California headquarters.But soon they begin to suspect that the hackers are not their only enemy. Someone within their own circle may have betrayed them, and has ulterior motives that place their mission – and their lives – in grave danger. From one of the world’s greatest living mystery writers, Dark Angel is an absolute must read for any thriller lover.

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Book Synopsis'A fantastic read. Mind bending, gut wrenchingly tense and one of the most original stories I’ve read in years. It was an absolute treat' – John Marrs, author of The VacationA New York Times Best Thriller Pick for 2022Bestselling author Adam Hamdy returns with The Other Side of Night, an utterly unforgettable tale of love, loss and redemption.When disgraced former police officer Harriet Kealty discovers a plea for help in the margins of a second-hand book, she sets out to unravel a mystery that quickly leads her to confront some uncomfortable ties to her own life, including her ex-lover Ben.Following the deaths of his close friends, Ben became an adoptive father to their orphaned son Elliot. But Harriet suspects that Ben knows more about these deaths than he’s willing to say . . .What starts as a simple investigation becomes something entirely different in this moving story that will open hearts and minds as it answers the question: what would you do for one more moment with someone that you love?What authors are saying:‘A big-hearted, big-brain, novel that you'll finish in three days and think about for the rest of the year. Wonderful.’ – Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle‘The pages almost turn themselves and when I was finished I couldn’t stop thinking about the story’s incredible twists, turns, and surprises’ – James Patterson, author of the Alex Cross and Private series'Remarkable'– Anthony Horowitz, author of The Twist of a Knife‘A strange, compelling, and ultimately moving head-spinner of a novel’ – John Connolly, author of The Furies'Absolutely brilliant. I was blown away' – Manda Scott, author of the Boudica series‘Mind-bending! This intriguing and thought-provoking thriller is a profound exploration of how far some are willing to go in the name of love. A fantastic twist you’ll never see coming’ – Liv Constantine, author of The First Shot'A brilliant meta-thriller with huge ideas and even greater heart' – Steve Cavanagh, author of The Accomplice'An utterly satisfying read' - Ryan GattisWhat readers are saying:'I'm still reeling from it. Read it!' ***** – Amazon Reviewer'It has 100% made onto my list of favourite reads of 2022' ***** – Amazon reviewer'A 5 star read ?????….( but that’s not enough! )' – Amazon reviewerA mind-blowing, soul-searing, totally immersive reading experience' ***** – Netgalley reviewer'My mind is blown!!! Wow, what a twist.....' ***** – Netgalley reviewer'Go into this book blind. I could not put this book down' ***** – Goodreads reviewer'BRAVO!!!!! This was the best book I've read all year, bar none, hands down, no question!' ***** – Goodreads reviewerTrade ReviewA big-hearted, big-brain, novel that you'll finish in three days and think about for the rest of the year. Wonderful. -- Stuart TurtonRemarkable. Adam Hamdy may have created a completely new crime genre. -- Anthony HorowitzThe Other Side of Night is like no crime novel I’ve ever read. The pages almost turn themselves and when I was finished I couldn’t stop thinking about the story’s incredible twists, turns, and surprises. -- James PattersonA strange, compelling, and ultimately moving head-spinner of a novel -- John ConnollyThe Other Side of Night is a surprising and cleverly constructed rollercoaster read. -- Karin Slaughter, New York Times and International bestselling authorA genre-bending page-turner—existential, emotional, and packing a twisty, gut-punch of an ending. -- Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas BookstoreMind-bending! This intriguing and thought-provoking thriller is a profound exploration of how far some are willing to go in the name of love. A fantastic twist you’ll never see coming. -- Liv Constantine, internationally bestselling author of The Stranger in The MirrorAbsolutely brilliant. Weaving themes of the nature of time, love, loss and regret with elements of neuro-science into a genuinely wonderful plot line, Adam Hamdy's The Other Side of Night has taken his writing to another level. With a thriller-level sense of foreboding and tension, this is a genre-busting novel full of big ideas. I was blown away. -- Manda ScottThe Other Side of Night is a mind-bending mystery that, by the time it reaches its extraordinary end, leaves no twist unexplained, no thread untied. An utterly satisfying read. -- Ryan GattisPoignant and exquisitely written, The Other Side of Night kept me gripped from the first page to the last, and beyond. An intriguing tale of grief and enduring love, it’s extraordinary. -- Eve SeymourEmotional, heart-warming and thought provoking, The Other Side of Night is one of those rare books that you’ll still be thinking about long after the last page -- Jenny Blackhurst, the internationally bestselling author of How I Lost YouHold onto your sanity. This psychological thriller will keep you wondering which strange details are real and which emerge from the minds of the characters. The lonely boy, the disgraced police officer, the bizarre scientist--each has a dark secret, and a dark problem to solve. The Other Side of Night is imaginative and thought-provoking, fiction at its best’ -- Mike and Kathleen GearThe Other Side of Night is a mesmerizing tale of love, loss, and the human condition, certain to transport readers while simultaneously transforming their imaginations. It will captivate and challenge perception while raising the question, what is reality vs grand illusion? It’s guaranteed to be amongst the classics you’ll read time and time again’ -- Eric BishopIn this inventive and intriguing novel, Hamdy mixes in just the right amount of mystery, uncertainty and relational tension and brings them all simmering to delicious effect. Stunningly good writing. Don’t let this one slip you by -- Steven James, bestselling author of Every Wicked ManWhat can I say about The Other Side of Night that won't be a spoiler? Ingenious, constantly surprising, and deeply moving. Put yourself in the hands of a master storyteller, and strap in for a mind-bending ride. -- Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on FireA real brain bender of a book, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the extraordinary ending. Just mesmerising- bravo Mr Hamdy! -- Victoria SelmanWow! It takes a special kind of writer to pull off a story like this. Adam Hamdy’s brave, intriguing, thought-provoking book will leave readers breathless. -- Mari HannahAn elegantly-written and compelling genre-bender of a story, which left me thinking about it long after I'd read the last page. It is destined for the big screen!'Congratulations Adam! -- Marnie Riches Inventive, clever, and completely original, Hamdy’s latest effort is simply terrific. Don’t miss it. -- J.T. EllisonA fantastic read. Mind bending, gut wrenchingly tense and one of the most original stories I’ve read in years. It was an absolute treat. -- John Marrs, author of The One[An] intriguing, fascinating, maddening tale from... If many thrillers suffer from a tendency to hurtle toward inevitable conclusions, this book is just the opposite — completely unpredictable. * New York Times *This is one of the best books of the year -- Red Carpet CrashAn intricate, exhilarating mystery that makes it feel as though the ground is shifting beneath your feet. * Crime Reads *This is, without question, one of the best books I’ve read probably EVER, and is a storyline I am still thinking about every single day * Magnolia Reads *There’s been a lot of hype around this book since it was announced, and normally, when there’s that level of excitement, it’s hard for a book to live up to the expectations. In this case, Hamdy lives up to the hype and then some with this riveting, unputdownable thriller. * Real Book Spy *

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Book Synopsis When a middle-aged couple downsizes to the countryside for an easier life, their two daughters become isolated, argumentative and violent … A chilling, vicious and darkly funny psychological thriller from bestselling author Helen FitzGerald. ‘Sharp, shocking and savagely funny. Helen Fitzgerald is a wonderfully original storyteller’ Chris Whitaker ‘A new novel from Helen Fitzgerald is always a major event … magnificent’ Mark Billingham ‘I devoured Keep Her Sweet … shite parenting and a dysfunctional sister relationship goes to fatal extremes’ Erin Kelly–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Desperate to enjoy their empty nest, Penny and Andeep downsize to the countryside, to forage, upcycle and fall in love again, only to be joined by their two twenty-something daughters, Asha and Camille.Living on top of each other in a tiny house, with no way to make money, tensions simmer, and as Penny and Andeep focus increasingly on themselves, the girls become isolated, argumentative and violent.When Asha injures Camille, a family therapist is called in, but she shrugs off the escalating violence between the sisters as a classic case of sibling rivalry … and the stress of the family move. But this is not sibling rivalry. The sisters are in far too deep for that.This is a murder, just waiting to happen…Chilling, vicious and darkly funny, Keep Her Sweet is not just a tense, sinister psychological thriller, but a startling look at sister relationships and they bonds they share … or shatter. –––––––––––––––––––––––––‘A wonderful book about a toxic family … funny, shocking and full of heart. FitzGerald at her coruscating best' Doug Johnstone ‘Definitely one for those who love deadly dysfunctional families, whip-smart writing, and their stories dark, dark, deliciously dark’ Amanda Jennings ‘A novel rippling with power and intensity. A true page-turner’ Michael Wood ‘Wickedly funny, breath-stealingly tense and utterly chilling … a book you’ll want to talk about’ Miranda Dickinson ‘Helen Fitzgerald has an uncanny ability to balance savagery and hilarity … an absolute banger of a book’ Matt Wesolowski 'A crazy but addictive, dark and funny, read’ Louise Beech ‘Dark humour sings from the pages’ Russel McLean ‘A fascinating and original tale of a family in rapid decline’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘You will canter through this psychological thriller’ Café Thinking Praise for Helen FitzGerald*Worst Case Scenario was Guardian, Telegraph, Herald Scotland AND The Week BOOK OF THE YEAR**Sunday Times TOP 40 Crime Novels in the Last 5 Years**Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2020* ‘The main character is one of the most extraordinary you’ll meet between the pages of a book’ Ian Rankin‘Sublime’ Guardian ‘This darkly, funny, shocking and surprisingly emotional thriller is unlike anything you’ve ever read before’ Fabulous ‘A dark, comic masterpiece which manages to be both excruciatingly tense and laugh out loud funny at the same time’ Mark Edwards ‘Urgent, angry, absolutely terrifying, yet suffused with the humanity and humour you expect from a Helen Fitzgerald novel’ Erin Kelly‘Tantalisingly powerful’ The Times‘Ash Mountain is the author at her masterly best … I loved it!’ Louise Candlish‘The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist’ Heat‘FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth’ Daily Telegraph‘Domestic life is rarely served up quite so dark as this – but that only makes you hungry for more’ The Sun

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Book SynopsisThe hitman hero of the acclaimed series Quarry on Cinemax returns for his final fight. By Quarry's creator, the award-wining author of Road to Perdition! At the very end of his bloody, clandestine career, the professional hitman known as Quarry - star of the Cinemax TV miniseries of the same name - receives a visit from a beautiful young woman who seems to have uncovered all his carefully hidden secrets. But what does she want? To expose him? To blackmail him? To get him to come out of retirement to kill someone for her? This brand new installment in Hard Case Crime's longest-running series -- the final installment in the chronology, taking place even after THE LAST QUARRY - will give readers a thrilling look at the last act of Quarry's professional life.Trade Review“[Quarry] still operates at a more ruthless clip than almost anyone he encounters. This is a sure-footed ending to a series that marinated in the excesses of pure pulp.”—New York Times"Smoothly written and fast paced"—Deadly Pleasures"Any fan of paperback-spinner noir, with plenty of blood spatter seasoned with a little interpersonal complexity, will have no trouble getting acclimated." - Booklist"Easy listening for readers whose preferred soundtrack is muffled gunfire." - Kirkus Reviews"A gripping fast-paced epilogue and so much fun ... This is one of the best Quarry books ever." - Pulp Fiction Review"A nostalgia fix and incredibly fresh and up-to-date, catching up with Quarry pushing 70 in a post-COVID existence ...a serving of more of that gritty tone and realism Collins fans will be accustomed to reading, with doses of violence and sleaze and sex typical of the series." - Borg

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Book SynopsisAfter 16 years on the run, would Nolan bury the hatchet with the mob...or would they bury him first? They don't come tougher than Nolan - but even a hardened professional thief can't fight off the entire Chicago mafia. So when an old friend offers to broker a truce, Nolan accepts the terms. All he has to do is pull off one last heist - and trust the Mob not to double cross him. Fortunately, Nolan has a couple of things going for him: an uncanny knack for survival and an unmatched hunger for revenge...

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Book SynopsisA collection of noir tales from a line-up of top comic talent.

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Book SynopsisAnnibale Canessa was a legend: the most notorious cop during Italy's brutal Years of Lead, he hunted down terrorist suspects with unmatched ferocity. But then the fighting stopped, and suddenly Canessa was a soldier without a war. 30 years later and he's settled into a life of calm by the sea - until some shattering news pulls him back in. His estranged brother has been found dead; lying beside him, the body of an ex-terrorist, a man Canessa himself caught. Returning to Milan, Canessa finds the rules of the game have changed: alliances have shifted and brute force won't cut it anymore. Trusting no-one, he launches an investigation into dense networks of corruption that will bring him right back to his own past.Trade Review"Cutting deep into the dark underbelly of sunny Milan, Perrone’s pacy and intelligent novel charts the ordeals of an ex Carabiniere pulled back into the world of terrorism, deception and corruption by his estranged brother’s murder." -- Waterstones "[A] choice Italian noir, set in the Mafia wars and the Red Brigades in the Seventies and Eighties." -- Evening Standard"The best noir yet on the years of terror in Italy." -- Corriere della Serra "So rich in tones that I'd love to read it again." -- Amica

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Book SynopsisMaster of international intrigue Daniel Silva follows up his acclaimed #1New York TimesbestsellersThe Order, The New Girl,andThe Other Womanwith this riveting, action-packed tale of espionage and suspense featuring art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon.The fatal poisoning of a Russian billionaire sends Gabriel Allon on a dangerous journey across Europe and into the orbit of a musical virtuoso who may hold the key to the truth about his friend's death.The plot Allon uncovers leads to secret channels of money and influence that go to the very heart of Western democracy and threaten the stability of the global order.The Cellistis a breathtaking entry in Daniel Silva's outstanding series (Peoplemagazine) and reveals once more his superb artistry and genius for inventionand demonstrates why he belongs firmly alongside le Carré and Forsyth as one of the greatest spy novelists of all time (The Real Book Spy).Trade ReviewPraise for House of Spies: ‘A tense, thrilling adventure’ Huffington Post Praise for The Black Widow: ‘Not only gripping but works as an IS history primer’ Sun ‘It is Silva’s creative genius that keeps it all moving, as well as his mastery of storytelling that keeps the intense momentum of the plot ever pushing forward’ Huffington Post ‘A fitting final mission for one of fiction’s greatest spies… A dark thriller for difficult times’ Kirkus Review ‘Fascinating, suspenseful, and bated-breath exciting’ Publishers Weekly ‘Silva builds suspense like a symphony conductor… A winner on all fronts’ Booklist Praise for Daniel Silva: ‘A truly talented writer’ Sun ‘Allon is the 21st century Bond – elegantly paced, subtle and well-informed.’ Daily Mail 'Sexily brooding Allon… must be the most famous superspy not played by Daniel Craig' Daily Telegraph 'In true Bauer fashion, shoot-outs, kidnappings and international terror plots follow Gabriel Allon wherever he goes' USA Today ‘Silva builds tension with breathtaking double and triple turns of the plot’ People ‘A world class practitioner of spy fiction’ Washington Post ‘Silva is a master of suspense’ Barbara Taylor Bradford, The Week

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Book SynopsisErin was a good girl. But someone wanted her deadI love all Mel Sherratt's books' IAN RANKINAn absolute masterpiece' ANGELA MARSONSTwists and turns and delivers a satisfying shot of tension' RACHEL ABBOTTWhen sixteen-year-old Erin Ellis is attacked, she dies in the arms of her best friend Molly, just metres from her home. Molly is the surviving girl but says she easily could have been the victim it was a random mugging gone wrong.With inconclusive evidence, DS Grace Allendale must dig deep within the tight-knit Stoke community for leads. And she soon finds that someone had a motive to kill Erin.As the investigation unfolds, Grace is reminded of a horrifying case she worked on earlier in her career.Is the past coming back to haunt her? And can she push through her fear to catch Erin's killer before it's too late?** The million-copy bestseller Mel Sherratt is back with her most gripping and gritty novel yet! **Trade Review Praise for Mel Sherratt: ‘An absolute masterpiece. Twisty, turny and full of surprises!’ Angela Marsons ‘Mel Sherratt’s books are as smart and edgy as her heroines’ Cara Hunter ‘The worst terrors are always those that hide closest to home’ Elizabeth Haynes ‘A writer to watch out for’ Mandasue Heller ‘If you love police procedurals, you HAVE to check this one out. Hush Hush is Mel Sherratt at her gritty and gripping best!’ Teresa Driscoll ‘Mel Sherratt knows how to instantly hook a reader and to keep them focused to the very last page! Her well-paced stories twist and turn and deliver a satisfying shot of tension.’ Rachel Abbott. ‘Hush Hush will keep you turning the pages till you reach the end and, if you don’t believe me, a million readers can’t be wrong.’ Howard Linskey ‘Made the hairs on my arm stand up! Literal goosebumps reading this: heart-stoppingly tense. I love Mel Sherratt’s writing.' Angela Clarke ‘Uncompromising, powerful and very real – an important new voice’ David Mark ‘Mel’s vivid imagination really brings her characters to life’ Kerry Wilkinson

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Book SynopsisA delicious slice of Scandi noir such a dark, atmospheric and compelling story! And ahh, if only those ravens could talk'Jackie Kabler, author of The Perfect CoupleShortlisted for the 2022 CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger awardIn a small town full of secrets, anyone could be a killer.Detective Kjeld Nygaard wants nothing more than to forget his family and Varsund, the small mining town he once called home, even exist. But while on suspension after his last case went disastrously wrong, his estranged father Stenar leaves a message on Kjeld's phone claiming he's seen a murder.But with no evidence and Stenar suffering from Alzheimer's, the local police think he must have imagined it. Kjeld can't stop himself from investigating what actually happened, and soon discovers a body. But when the police start to suspect Stenar, it's a race against time to discover the truth before it's lost forever.But will uncovering the truth expose family secrets that are best left buried?Atmospheric and Trade Review‘Brooding and atmospheric – full of mystery and twists where nothing is quite as it seems’Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet ‘A delicious slice of Scandi noir – such a dark, atmospheric and compelling story! And ahh, if only those ravens could talk…’Jackie Kabler, author of The Perfect Couple ‘Such a great thriller with superb characterization to boot. Hard to believe that it's a debut. Looking forward to catching up with Detective Kjeld Nygaard and co’Khurrum Rahman, author of Homegrown Hero ‘Absolutely loved it! If you like a slow burner, Scandi Noir this is the one for you!’Laure Van Rensburg, author of The Downfall ‘The menacing, wintry heart of Where Ravens Roost gripped me from the very first page! Complex, layered characterisation, skilful writing and a twisty plot combine to create a Scandi Noir thriller as dark as a raven's wing. Hard to believe this is a debut!’Louise Mumford, author of Sleepless ‘The bleak but beautiful settings are incredibly vivid (you'll want to wear a coat while you read this) and there are twists and turns around every corner’Steve Frech, author of Dark Hollows ‘Nordin has produced an immersive tale of past secrets and flawed family relationships, all wrapped up with a… compelling narrative that had me glued to my Kindle for most of the day’Jenny O’Brien, author of Silent Cry ‘If this is how the series starts, I can’t wait to read whatever comes next’Paul Gitsham, author of The Last Straw

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Book SynopsisUSA TODAY BESTSELLER!I couldn't tear myself away from the rollercoaster of events!' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 StarsIt only takes one lie to destroy a marriage.THE PERFECT HUSBAND Vince Taylor has everything he could dream of. He's the CEO of a tech firm in New York City, owns a beautiful home, and most importantly, he is married to Nicole the woman who stole his heart the first moment he set eyes on her. Together they have built the perfect life.ONE GUILTY SECRETBut when Layla, a stunning young intern at Vince's company is found dead, all eyes are suddenly on him. Vince has a secret that threatens to tear their perfect world apartHe was having an affair with Layla. And he'll do anything to cover his tracks.DO YOU BELIEVE HIM?When the police discover Vince lied about their relationship, they are convinced they have found Layla's killer.If Vince kept quiet about the affair what else is he guilty of?A totally unputdownable thriller, this book will have you gripped from the very first page until the jaw-dropping final twist. Fans of The Perfect Couple, My Perfect Wife and The Undoing will love this novel!Readers LOVE The Guilty Husband!AMAZING! I couldn't put this book down. I was always on the edge of my seat and was surprised all the way to the end. 10/10' Reader Reviewer, 5 StarsThis book is a thriller! Every time I thought I knew the ending, I was wrong. The twists and turns of the plot are captivating.' Reader Reviewer, 5 StarsThis book deserves more than 5 stars, if there was a higher rating, I'd give it!' Reader Reviewer, 5 StarsWhat a great ending! I was on the edge of my seat until the last page and I couldn''t turn the page fast enough.' Reader Reviewer, 5 StarsWhat an incredible debut!!! I absolutely loved it from beginning to end.' Reader Reviewer, 5 StarsA gripping storyline with strong characters. She is definitely an author I will pick up again and again.' Reader Reviewer, 5 Stars

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Book SynopsisJames Ellroy was born in Los Angeles. He is the author of the Underworld U.S.A Trilogy: American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood's A Rover, and the L.A. Quartet novels: The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz. He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. He lives in Colorado.Trade ReviewEllroy is the author of some of the most powerful crime novels ever written * Frank Rich, New York Times *The most distinctive crime writer of his generation * John Williams, Sunday Times *Ellroy has produced some of the best crime fiction written this century, Hammett and Chandler included * Chris Sullivan, Loaded *

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Book SynopsisWhen a chance encounter makes him a witness to the abduction of a child, private detective Lew Archer can''t help but be drawn into the case, pursuing a trail that leads all too quickly to murder. While forest fires rage in the hills around Los Angeles, threatening the homes of some of the city''s wealthiest families, Archer unearths a hidden history of failed marriages, runaway children, and a man''s life consumed by a search for the father who abandoned him.Ross Macdonald''s Lew Archer mysteries rewrote the conventions of the detective novel with their credible, humane hero, and with Macdonald''s insight and moral complexity won new literary respectability for the hardboiled genre previously pioneered by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. They have also received praise from such celebrated writers as William Goldman, Jonathan Kellerman, Eudora Welty and Elmore Leonard.Trade ReviewI love the Lew Archer books. -- James EllroyThe finest series of detective novels ever written by an American. -- William GoldmanA more serious and complex writer than Chandler and Hammett ever were -- Eudora WeltyAmerica's greatest crime writer -- Elmore LeonardRoss MacDonald is very important to me. I love the Lew Archer books -- James Ellroy

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Book SynopsisWhen Maude Slocum - beautiful, frightened and angry - comes to Lew Archer's office with a poison pen letter intended for her husband, he reluctantly agrees to help her. As he follows the Slocums around, Archer finds that Mrs Slocum might have the least of the family's troubles. But why is their handsome ex-chauffeur still hanging around?Trade ReviewThe American private eye, immortalised Hammett, refined by Chandler, brought to its zenith by Macdonald * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTHE DARKLY ADDICTIVE THRILLER THAT READERS CAN''T STOP TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU LIKED WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, YOU''LL LOVE THIS ________________________________''Brilliantly chilling'' Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home and In the Dark''You''ll try to outguess the plot but always be one step behind'' C J Tudor________________________________ One Room. Two Liars. No Way Out FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE HOUSE, COMES THE NEW SPINE-TINGLING THRILLER YOU WON''T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWNSusanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a counsellor and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe. But everything changes when Adam Geraghty walks into her office. She''s never met this young man before - so why does she feel like she knows him?Then AdamTrade ReviewSIMON LELIC WRITES BEAUTIFULLY AND HE HAS A REAL TALENT FOR CHILLING STORIES THAT PLAY MERCILESSLY ON OUR MOST MOST DISTURBING FEARS -- Cara HunterA SUPERBLY WRITTEN AND WELL-CRAFTED THRILLER ... SIMON LELIC FUELS EACH PAGE WITH SUSPENSE AND INTRIGUE. IT WILL HAVE YOU UP ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT ... JUST FABULOUS! -- Kathryn CroftA TENSE, ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER IN WHICH THE PAST HAUNTS THE PRESENT - AND THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES COME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. TAUT, UNSETTLING AND BRILLIANTLY DONE -- TM Logan, author of 'Lies'A WONDERFULLY CLAUSTROPHOBIC READ EXPOSING THE FAULT LINES IN FAMILIES AND THE TERRIBLE DANGER OF SECRETS -- Cath StaincliffeHAD ME IN A HEADLOCK FROM THE START & WOULDN'T LOOSEN ITS GRIP TILL THE LAST PAGE' -- John MarrsTENSE AND UNPUTDOWNABLE AS ANYTHING. A FANTASTIC READ -- Luca VesteBRILLIANT ... COMPLEX CHARACTERS THAT DRAW YOU IN AND WON'T LET YOU GO -- Amy Lloyd, author of 'The Innocent Wife'THE LIAR'S ROOM IS A BOOK YOU CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM -- Emma KavanaghBRILLIANTLY TENSE...YOU'LL TRY TO OUTGUESS THE PLOT BUT ALWAYS BE ONE STEP BEHIND AS THE SECRETS AND LIES GRADUALLY UNFOLD IN EVER MORE DARK AND DISTURBING WAYS -- C J Tudor'A DARKLY DISTURBING THRILLER THAT HOOKED ME FROM THE FIRST PAGE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!' -- Nuala Ellwood, author of 'My Sister's Bones'AN INTRICATE AND POWERFUL THRILLER -- Tana French on 'The House'HUGELY GRIPPING AND SPOOKY AS HELL -- Mark Billingham on 'The House'TAUGHT, TENSE AND TERRIFYING, I LOVED IT -- Sharon Bolton on 'The House'PACKS IN THE CHILLS...READ IT -- Thriller of the Month * Observer *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the new Penguin Crime and Espionage seriesFor the unlikely crime-busting duo Leo and Serendipity, a missing dog is only the start of their troubles...Leo Bloodworth, ''the Bloodhound'', is a world-weary L.A. gumshoe with a reputation for finding anything - and a low tolerance of precocious teenagers. Serendipity Dahlquist is a precocious teenager. When the headstrong, roller-skating fourteen-year-old asks Bloodworth to help track down her lost dog Groucho, it leads this oddest of odd couples into the dark criminal underworld of the Mexican mafia, and into more trouble than they''d bargained for.

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Book SynopsisBest friends . . . better liars. A dark and addictive psychological thriller about who you can trust, and the damage dark secrets can do, by the Top Ten ebook bestselling author of My Husband's Lies.Trade ReviewIncredibly twisty, beautifully written, evocative and deliciously satisfying. I cannot recommend it highly enough! -- Claire AllanA compelling tale of love, jealousy, betrayal - and a devastating secret at the dark heart of a lifelong friendship. A great read with a twist that I didn't see coming! -- T. M. LoganKept me gripped and guessing -- B. A. ParisStunning . . . dark undercurrents and sinister twists. A top-end read -- Amanda RobsonA taut, tantalising thriller . . . full of passion and intrigue, sexual tension and desperate longing . . . mesmerising storytelling -- Sheryl Browne[A] fantastic novel, which holds you in its iron grip throughout. Enough twists, turns, and deftly drawn characters to keep even the most demanding reader thoroughly satisfied -- S. D. RobertsonPacks a knock-out final punch. Cunningly plotted and beautifully crafted, this is England on superlative form -- Helen FieldsCaroline England writes with real conviction about the strengths and limits of female friendship. Betray Her is a compelling, twisty tale that lovers of psychological crime fiction will relish -- Kate RhodesThough twisty and turny, this is one to really savour as with Caroline (like in her previous books) it's all about the beautiful writing. Wonderful -- Louise BeechI LOVED this book! An unstoppable thriller with more twists and turns than a corkscrew. This book had me gripped from the very first page! Five stars from me -- Caroline MitchellA taut and twisted tale of toxic relationships - trademark Caroline England -- Rachel SargeantUtterly addictive; I'll be recommending this book to everyone I know -- Victoria SelmanA thoroughly good read! A sophisticated domestic noir with real emotional depth -- Sam CarringtonExquisite prose and a roller coaster ride of secrets and lies -- Jane IsaacYou'll be hooked from the first pages, and the gripping plot holds you by the scruff of the neck and doesn't let go until the twisting, turning end -- Phaedra PatrickA vivid account of friendship, betrayal and long-buried dark secrets -- Kate EllisI instantly became lost in the gripping story . . . Betray Her has everything that you'd expect from a psychological thriller and much more; a whirlwind of jealousy, illicit relationships, secrets and lies that will sweep you up and carry you along until the end. -- Petrina BanfieldDrew me in from the first page, twisted and turned, unravelling deliciously to an unexpected conclusion. A true page turner with characters that get under your skin and stay there long after you've read the last words -- Faith BleasdaleAn absorbing and highly enjoyable modern morality tale about a toxic friendship with a heart of darkness. Caroline has a real gift for creating characters you genuinely care about. -- Judith O’ReillyReally enjoyed this dark and twisted tale of toxic relationships -- Roz WatkinsReally loved this . . . Layer upon layer of history coming back to mess with today's lives and relationships. And no, I didn't see that end coming! -- Sarah JasmonPraise for Caroline England:I was gripped immediately -- Katerina DiamondTwists to leave you dizzy -- Teresa DriscollI finished it in hours! Truly a terrific read! -- Martina ColeTwisting triangles of love and lust distort a perfect circle of friends in this slow-burning literary thriller -- Rachel SargeantA clever, intriguing and twisted tale that builds to a gut-wrenching conclusion -- Roz WatkinsSharp and sweetly twisted. I loved it -- Helen FieldsA totally absorbing read that's beautifully written, where lives and secrets slowly unravel -- Elisabeth CarpenterA sumptuous serving of domestic noir -- S. D. RobertsonA simmering cocktail of betrayal, lust and deceit in this explosively plotted thriller about family secrets and broken friendship -- Sanjida KayAn intoxicating read. A thrilling blend of social drama and crime thriller. Recommended! -- David Stuart Davies

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Book Synopsis''Truly frightening . . . a British Silence Of The Lambs'' DAILY MAIL ''A thrilling new talent'' PETER JAMES OUT OF THE DARKNESS, A KILLER RISES AGAIN . . .Holly Wakefield was just nine years old when her parents were murdered by notorious serial killer The Animal. The devastating event influenced her career as a criminal psychologist and now she helps the Met Police catch the most dangerous psychopaths.But Holly''s world is turned upside down when she starts discovering messages at gruesome crime scenes from the person she fears above all else. The world believe The Animal is dead, yet Holly knows he is alive and killing again - and he wants her to know.DI Bishop is the only person who trusts Holly''s instinct above reason and the pair embark on a covert investigation as further murders are detected across the country.However The Animal has a more twisted game in store for Holly than they could eTrade ReviewTruly frightening ... [a] malevolently scary story, a British Silence Of The Lambs * Daily Mail *Another creepily edgy case . . . Gripping suspense! -- Peterborough TelegraphFrom the chilling opening to the frantic climax, suspend disbelief, climb on this roller coaster and hang onto your hats * Shots *Praise for Mark Griffin:Creepy, twisted and gripping * 5-star review, Sun *Mightily impressive . . . deviously plotted, with a bleak thread of intriguing twists * Daily Mail *A thrilling new talent -- Peter JamesDark, compelling and expertly paced . . . one of the best police procedurals I've read for a long time -- M. W. CravenA must for all crime readers * Woman's Way *Meticulously plotted and devious in its execution, Mark Griffin's debut novel is utterly compelling. I can't wait to read the rest of the Holly Wakefield series -- Lesley KaraWow. I read this in less than a day. As many twists and turns as a rollercoaster! A fascinating lead character with a deliciously dark secret. It's the kind of writing which grabs you and won't let you go -- Amy LloydDeftly plotted, propulsive, psychologically astute . . . totally horrifying -- Dominic NolanAbsolutely gripping . . . It reminded me of Thomas Harris - the same combination of terror and the detective pitting wits against a psychopath. I had to keep reading, while dreading what was coming next -- Toby Faber

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Book Synopsis''Truly frightening . . . a British Silence Of The Lambs'' DAILY MAIL''A thrilling new talent'' PETER JAMESOUT OF THE DARKNESS, A KILLER RISES AGAIN . . .Holly Wakefield was just nine years old when her parents were murdered by notorious serial killer The Animal. The devastating event influenced her career as a criminal psychologist and now she helps the Met Police catch the most dangerous psychopaths.But Holly''s world is turned upside down when she starts discovering messages at gruesome crime scenes from the person she fears above all else. The world believe The Animal is dead, yet Holly knows he is alive and killing again - and he wants her to know.DI Bishop is the only person who trusts Holly''s instinct above reason and the pair embark on a covert investigation as further murders are detected across the country.However The Animal has a more twisted game in store for Holly than they could ever have imagined. And it''s one he intends to finish properly this time . . .The heart-racing new serial killer thriller in the Holly Wakefield series, perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Angela Marsons and Stuart MacBride.Praise for Mark Griffin . . .''Creepy, twisted and gripping'' SUN''Mightily impressive . . . deviously plotted'' DAILY MAIL''Dark, compelling and expertly paced'' M. W. CRAVEN''Meticulously plotted . . . utterly compelling'' LESLEY KARATrade ReviewTruly frightening ... [a] malevolently scary story, a British Silence Of The Lambs * Daily Mail *Another creepily edgy case . . . Gripping suspense! -- Peterborough TelegraphFrom the chilling opening to the frantic climax, suspend disbelief, climb on this roller coaster and hang onto your hats * Shots *Praise for Mark Griffin:Creepy, twisted and gripping * 5-star review, Sun *Mightily impressive . . . deviously plotted, with a bleak thread of intriguing twists * Daily Mail *A thrilling new talent -- Peter JamesDark, compelling and expertly paced . . . one of the best police procedurals I've read for a long time -- M. W. CravenA must for all crime readers * Woman's Way *Meticulously plotted and devious in its execution, Mark Griffin's debut novel is utterly compelling. I can't wait to read the rest of the Holly Wakefield series -- Lesley KaraWow. I read this in less than a day. As many twists and turns as a rollercoaster! A fascinating lead character with a deliciously dark secret. It's the kind of writing which grabs you and won't let you go -- Amy LloydDeftly plotted, propulsive, psychologically astute . . . totally horrifying -- Dominic NolanAbsolutely gripping . . . It reminded me of Thomas Harris - the same combination of terror and the detective pitting wits against a psychopath. I had to keep reading, while dreading what was coming next -- Toby Faber

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Book Synopsis''If you''re a crime fiction fan and haven''t discovered them yet, welcome to the very best day of your life'' Heat MagazineIn this brand new thriller in the Sunday Times bestselling series, Lieutenant Eve Dallas races to untangle a twisted family history while a hostage''s life hangs in the balanceSay goodnight, baby darlingThree young women have gone missing. They''re all pretty, mid-twenties - someone clearly has a type. But no one links their disappearances until the first - Lauren Elder - is found lying peacefully on a bench in a children''s playground. She is neatly dressed with a wide black velvet ribbon covering where her neck has been precisely slit. Her hands are folded over a childish sign on which is written in black crayon - BAD MOMMY.Lt Eve Dallas and her team are brought in to investigate Lauren''s murder and uncover the links to the other two women. Can they find out enough about the missing women and unmask their

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