Crime and mystery: police procedural

Book SynopsisWhen a police officer's daughter was found raped and murdered, Sailor Grant, the local nonce, was sent down. Sharman always had his doubts, but that part of his life is over. Now, Sailor is out of prison and keeps phoning Sharman to help him get justice, but Nick wants to be left alone. When Sailor is found dead and Sharman is half beaten to death by the local coppers, Nick realises that he must find the truth about the events from his past before those close to him are killed.

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Book SynopsisHearing footsteps pounding along the street behind him he glanced back, fleetingly worried, then laughed because the street was deserted. All the same, he felt uneasy. Everything looked different in the dark. Then he heard more footsteps approaching, and a hoarse voice called out. Turning his head, he made out a figure hovering in the shadows and as it raised one arm, the barrel of a gun glinted in the moonlight The dead body of unassuming David Lester is discovered in a dark side-street, and DI Geraldine Steel is plunged into another murder investigation. The clues mount up along with the suspects, but with the death of another man in inexplicable circumstances, the case becomes increasingly complex. As Geraldine investigates the seemingly unrelated crimes, she makes a shocking discovery about her birth mother.Trade ReviewOnce again, Leigh Russell did not disappoint. I have been a fan of her books ever since she released Cut Short. There is nothing like a good police procedural, and this book was just that -- Lisa * Bookalicious *Smoothly professional fare from the always-consistent Russell -- Barry Forshaw * Crime Time *Leigh Russell's intelligent writing is gripping and really draws your attention -- Claire * Claire Loves to Read *Russell cleverly creates a tale of murder, police investigation and personal issues -- Lainy * Goodreads *Kept me guessing throughout -- Noelle * Crime Book Junkie *

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Book SynopsisHarry Stonehouse had been a cop, a good one - and straight, unlike Nick Sharman. After taking early retirement he'd landed a job at a security firm. Now he's dead, and his wife wants Nick to find out who killed him and why. Nick's been taking a close look at hell recently and doesn't care too much about anything beyond the next Jack Daniel's. But Harry had been a friend, and Nick had screwed his wife and he feels sorry for her. Big mistake. In an unlikely partnership with ex-DI Robber, escaping from resentful retirement at his sister's, Sharman sets off in pursuit - and finds himself swept along in the deadly aftermath of a £20 million heist. And with that much money at stake, betrayal, double-crossing and murder are just for starters...

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Book SynopsisFor fans of John Harvey's Charlie Resnick series and Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, The Harbour Master is a fast-paced detective investigation set in the evocative locale of Amsterdam. Henk van der Pol is a 30 year term policeman, a few months off retirement. When he finds a woman's body in Amsterdam Harbour, his detective instincts take over, even though it's not his jurisdiction. Warned off investigating the case, Henk soon realises he can trust nobody, as his search for the killer leads to the involvement of senior police officers, government corruption in the highest places, Hungarian people traffickers, and a deadly threat to his own family. . .Trade Reviewa debut novelist of rare skill -- Barry Forshaw * The Financial Times *A splendid debut by an English writer who has immersed himself in Amsterdam's dark and sinister port area -- Marcel Berlins * The Times *Compelling and fast-moving -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *The Henning Mankell of Amsterdam -- Bill Rogers, Author of The Pick, The Spade and The CrowA splendid setting in what promises to be the start of a great new series -- Ragnar Jonasson, author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series

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Book SynopsisDETECTIVE JOHNNY MANN IS BACK Missing children. An evil racket. A race against time … Summoned to meet his boss, rebellious Detective Johnny Mann expects to be told that he is being demoted. Instead he is ordered to lead the investigation into the kidnapping of Amy Tang - the illegitimate daughter of a major player in the skin trade, CK Leung. Mann is reluctant to help - he has crossed paths with CK before- but he has no choice. Nine-year-old Amy is the third child to be kidnapped and held for a vast sum of money, but while the other two children were released after the vast ransom was paid, Amy is still being held captive. Mann's investigation takes him to London, where he teams up with DC Becky Stamp. Within days of his arrival, an arson attack kills twelve women and children. The charred bodies of the victims are found chained to their beds - their injuries rendering them identifiable… What is the link between the kidnapping of Amy in Hong Kong and the deaths of these women and children and can Mann discover the truth before it's too late. Prepare to be terrorised all over again with this disturbingly addictive thriller from the writer hailed as the female James Patterson.Trade Review‘A gritty and atmospheric read.’Closer magazine ‘A fast-moving thriller.’East Anglian Daily Times

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Book SynopsisA fast-paced thriller from Alafair Burke, where no-one in Manhattan is safe. And no-one is innocent. In New York City nights are dangerous. Days are numbered. When New York University student Megan Gunther is brutally murdered, NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher and partner J.J. Rogan discover that Megan has been on the receiving end of some sinister online threats. Is her death the result of a campus feud that got out of hand or could there be a twisted cyber fanatic at work? And when a link is revealed between Megan and a murdered real-estate agent, Ellie comes to wonder if there was something else behind the student’s death. Ellie learns that the dead woman shared a secret connection to a celebrity mogul whose bodyguard was mysteriously killed a few months earlier. When Megan's roommate disappears, the hunt for the killer is really on… With fans including everyone from Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, and Lee Child to Tess Gerritsen, Lisa Gardner and Kathy Reichs, Alafair Burke gives us another nail-biting thriller to keep us on the edge of our seats.Trade ReviewPraise for City of Fear: ‘[Ellie Hatcher] is warm, funny and engaging, and City of Fear is efficient and briskly paced’ Laura Wilson, THE GUARDIAN Praise for Alafair Burke: ‘These are characters I’d follow forever.’ Tess Gerritsen ‘Alafair Burke just keeps getting better and better.’ Harlan Coben ‘She’s got what it takes and will be sticking around.’ Michael Connelly ‘Suspenseful and entertaining.’ Kathy Reichs ‘Alafair Burke delivers a first-rate thriller.’ Lisa Gardner ‘Terrific.’ Laura Lippman ‘Burke’s brisk and ultimately suspenseful narrative offers wily and intricate plotting and sharply etched major and minor characters.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Burke leaves her principle characters little time to sleep; her readers will relate.’ Publishers Weekly ‘Alafair Burke is a wonderful writer with the kind of skill and confidence I admire. I’m a big fan.’ Sue Grafton ‘Alafair Burke has been on the front lines in the courtroom and on the streets, and brings her world alive.’ Linda Fairstein Praise for City of Lies: ‘Entertaining, full of suspense and really enjoyable. A great read.’ Closer Magazine

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Book SynopsisThe stunning new novel from the rising star of the crime writing genre, Vanishing Point sees DI Jack Brady investigating the horrific deaths of young women in Whitley Bay – and uncovering a sadistic and powerful trafficking ring that has its roots in the highest echelons of power… “Moaning, she lifted her aching head up off the cold tiled floor. In the background the razor sharp noise of dripping water echoed again and again. All she knew was that she was hurting. Really hurting. That was when she realised that her tongue was missing…” Early on a Sunday morning in the North East seaside resort of Whitley Bay, a headless female torso washes up on the beach. Two days later, the body’s missing head appears a mile down the coast – and with that, DI Jack Brady is plunged into one of the most harrowing cases of his career. If you like Peter James, you’ll love Danielle Ramsay.

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Book SynopsisA fast-paced crime-thriller, full of chilling twists, turns and grisly surprises, Matt Brolly’s Dead Lucky will have you gripped from beginning to end! DCI Michael Lambert is back… When a woman is murdered, the twisted killer forcing her husband to watch her slow and painful death, DCI Michael Lambert knows that his next case might be his toughest yet. And when a second set of killings are discovered, with exactly the same MO, the race is on the find the lethal sociopath before he strikes again. But Lambert never expected to receive an anonymous call from the killer. This time, it’s personal: if Lambert doesn’t find the murderer soon, his own loved ones will be next… The gripping second novel in a thrilling new crime series by Matt Brolly. Perfect for fans of Tony Parsons, Lee Child and Angela Marsons. Praise for Dead Lucky: ‘One of my books of the year… I was blown away by Mr Brolly's plotting and gripping writing style.’ – Elaine (Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer) ‘An extraordinary fast-paced, tense thriller, taking the reader on an suspense filled journey with so many twist and turns it is a stupendous, emotional roller coaster ride!’ – SplashesIntoBooks ‘I was Dead Impressed with the fast paced plot; Dead Curious about who The Watcher was; Dead Impressed the author managed to fool me; Dead Surprised when the killer was revealed and felt the ending was…well…Dead Perfect!’ – CrimeBookJunkie ‘A must read for all lovers of crime books’ – CrimeBookLover ‘Fantastic stuff. A must read for any lovers of crime. Matt Brolly has a cracking series on his hands. ‘ – NorthernCrime ‘A very engrossing police procedural that held my interest and kept me at the edge of my seat.’ – Relax and Read Reviews

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Book SynopsisEleven Days is a wry and gripping police thriller. Written by a former deputy sheriff on his vacation, the story covers the solving of a horrific satanic cult murder in farmland Iowa in just – eleven days. The first Deputy Sheriff Carl Houseman knows of the murder case that will take over his life for the next eleven days is when a call comes into his Nation County police department from an unidentified source, believed female, possibly under fifty. No call back number. "Help us," she says, "they’re killing everybody!" Spread over two remote farms amidst the cornfields of Iowa, Carl eventually finds four bodies – one man with his hand chopped off – but no sign of the female caller. Another body is on his back, legs secured to the bed wtih black cord. He’s been castrated and black wax poured into into eyes. His tongue is missing and there’s a substance around his mouth which looks like dried super glue. Female FBI Special Agent Hester Gorse comments: "You don’t suppose they tried to glue his tongue back on, do you?" Along with Hester, a dyslexic investigator called Theo, a sassy radio dispatcher called Sally, his long-suffering schoolteacher wife and numerous Iowa cops who may never have encountered a murder in their lives, Carl somehow manages to collar the perpetrator of these horrific murders in just Eleven Days.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR ELEVEN DAYS: "The kind of book that you start and finish in one late-night sitting." Sunday Express "A major achievement from an ex-cop; a novel that feels and smells right." Time Out "A hell of a novel, gripping and unsettling." Michael Connelly "Donald Harstad constructs a finely judged atmosphere of menace. Expertly written by a man who himself served as a law enforcement officer in Iowa, Eleven Days builds up suspense and holds it right through to the end." Irish Times "Undeniably gripping, and the contrast throughout between the trivia of existence and extreme and bloody violence is extraordinary effective." Evening Standard "Strong, salty narrative given extra muscle by sense of actuality and refusal to punch up the horrors." Literary Review "Like Patricia Cornwall, ex-cop turned novelist Donald Harstad's main claim to fame is that he knows what a pair of testicles look like when whizzed up in the blender." Independent

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Book SynopsisA dangerous Islamic terrorist. A safe house in the middle of Snowdonia. Can DI Ruth Hunter and DS Nick Evans deliver the suspect safely before there is a deadly rescue attempt?Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter has made a new life in Snowdonia away from the murder and mayhem of London. Ruth and her partner, DS Nick Evans, are given the task of transporting a dangerous Islamic terrorist across Snowdonia to an MI6 safehouse, which they see as no more than a tedious waste of time.However, their journey into the heart of Snowdonia turns out to be anything but boring. As they fight to keep themselves and their suspect alive, Ruth and Nick uncover a web of corruption, deception and religious extremism that shocks them both to their very core.

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Book SynopsisA fanatical religious cult. A growing list of missing teenagers. Can DI Ruth Hunter and DS Nick Evans uncover the dark secrets of Solace Farm before there is another ritual killing? Detective Inspector Ruth hunter has made a new life in North Wales, an unexplained event from her past keeps driving her back to her past life in London.Ruth and her partner, DS Nick Evans, discover a series of missing teenagers and are forced to investigate a local religious sect who inhabit the remote Solace Farm. When Ruth realises that the enigmatic cult leader isn''t all that she seems to be, she has a race against time to save the vulnerable inhabitants from total destruction.

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Book SynopsisA Fatal shooting. A vulnerable eyewitness. DI Ruth Hunter and her partner, DS Nick Evans, must track down the killers before they find a key witness - a ten-year-old boy, Daniel.Ruth and nick are called to a fatal shooting at Chirk Castle, a well-known tourist spot in North Wales. The only witness to the murder is Daniel, the ten-year-old son of the victim. Ruth discovers that the victim was a small-time drug dealer and it seems that his killing might have been linked to stolen drugs. However, when a local girl is also brutally murdered, Ruth has to change the focus of the investigation as it is clear that the murderers will go to any lengths to cover their tracks.With the case now faltering, Ruth begins to suspect that the key to solving the murders actually lies in Daniel''s early childhood. Can she unlock the dark secrets of Daniel''s past before the killers catch up with him?

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Book SynopsisA Murder. A Homecoming. A Day of Reckoning.A man''s body washes up on a beach on the North Yorkshire coast with a single gunshot wound to the chest. The only clue to the victim''s identity is a ring engraved with two names.DCI Tom Raven is back in his hometown of Scarborough for the first time in over thirty years. When offered the chance to lead the murder investigation, he takes it.Raven quickly discovers that the prime suspect is his once teenage friend, now a wealthy but shady businessman. He finds an ally in Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross, but not everyone in the team is on his side.As Raven delves into the case, he is forced to confront the events that drove him away from Scarborough so many years ago. Given a chance to undo past mistakes, he must make the biggest decision of his life. But first he must learn who he can trust. Because lies can kill.Set on the North Yorkshire coast, the Tom Raven series is perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Simon McCleave, and British crime fiction.

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Book SynopsisA buried skeleton. A dark conspiracy. A ruthless killer.When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.Because some secrets are best left buried.Set on the North Yorkshire coast, the Tom Raven series is perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Simon McCleave, and British crime fiction.

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