Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFROM THE MIND OF THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER M.J. ARLIDGE COMES THE BRAND NEW SERIAL KILLER THRILLER STARRING DETECTIVE INSPECTOR HELEN GRACE.* * * * *You have one hour to live.Those are the only words on the phone call. Then they hang up. Surely, a prank? A mistake? A wrong number? Anything but the chilling truth... That someone is watching, waiting, ready to take your life in one hour.But why?The job of finding out falls to DI Helen Grace: a woman with a track record in hunting killers. However, this is one case where the killer seems to always be one step ahead of the police and the victims. With no motive, no leads, no clues - nothing but pure fear - an hour can last a lifetime...* * * * *PRAISE FOR THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER:''Helen Grace is one of the greatest heroes to come along in years'' JEFFERY DEAVER''Chilling'' <Trade ReviewChilling * The Times (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Gripping * Sunday Mirror (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Addictive * Express (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Truly excellent * The Sun (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Amazing * Richard Madeley (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Mesmerizing * Lisa Gardner (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Chills to the bone * Daily Mail (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *This is going to be as big as Jo Nesbo * Judy Finnigan (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Helen Grace is one of the greatest heroes to come along in years * Jeffery Deaver (on M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace thrillers) *Loved it. * Woman's Way *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe incredible thriller you won't be able to put down from the Top 10 Sunday Times bestselling authorA happy familyAlice and Tom Sark seem to have it all a wonderful marriage, a gorgeous baby, a beautiful home. And now Alice, a journalist, starts investigating a story which could make her career a serial killer in their town.A murderer lurking in the shadowsVery quickly though, the murder case takes its toll. Alice and Tom begin fighting all the time. Their baby daughter just won't stop crying. And sometimes it feels almost as if they're being followedNot everyone will live to tell the taleThe killer has found a new family to target. And the clock is ticking for Alice and Tom to stop their worlds being destroyed forever.What readers are saying about Ready or NotCaptured me from the beginning and refused to let go'Completely addictive!'Could not put this down!'This book took many turns that I did not expect'This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and a great who done it'A well-writtTrade Review‘Lake’s skill at injecting menace into the mundane details of everyday life accounts for much of the book’s constant tension’ Daily Mail ‘A tense read’ Bella Praise for Alex Lake: ‘Relentlessly fast paced, a compelling plot and anxiety inducing finale. A cracking read’ John Marrs, bestselling author of The One ‘Opens with a nightmare scenario and races to a gripping, horribly tense ending – I think I actually stopped breathing several times. Loved it! Jackie Kabler, author of The Perfect Couple 'With an unrelenting sense of urgency, this brilliant book will get under your skin. Great hook, fast-paced, fully engrossing. Don't miss out – read it now!' Sam Carrington, author of The Missing Wife ‘This is creepy storytelling of the highest order: spine-chilling and difficult to put down’ Daily Mail ‘A superb read for suspense fans, this taut thriller will have you racing for the finish’ Heat ‘A gripping page turner’ Closer ‘An expert at crafting chilling scenes that will instantly capture a reader’s imagination’ Woman & Home ‘Dark psychological thriller’ The i ‘Evocative writing and emotional rawness’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A lip-smackingly twisted tale’ Heat ‘A tense and twisty domestic noir that oozes with intrigue. Perfect for devouring in one sitting’ Woman & Home ‘A thoroughly entertaining, gripping read’ Cass Green, bestselling author of In a Cottage In a Wood ‘You’ll find it hard to fall asleep when the lights go out’ Evening Standard ‘A fast-paced and highly suspenseful read that will leave readers looking over their shoulders’ RT Book Reviews ‘A nail-biting psychological thriller … maintains high suspense to the very end’ Publishers Weekly ‘Superbly crafted…will keep you up all night’ Liz Loves Books

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2018 McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year.Follow the Dead is the thrilling twelfth book in Lin Anderson's forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.On holiday in the Scottish Highlands, forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod joins a mountain rescue team on Cairngorm summit, where a mysterious plane has crash-landed on the frozen Loch A’an. Added to that, a nearby climbing expedition has left three young people dead, with a fourth still missing. Meanwhile in Glasgow, DS McNab’s raid on the Delta Club produces far more than just a massive haul of cocaine. Questioning one of the underage girls found partying with the city’s elite reveals she was smuggled into Scotland via Norway, and it seems the crashed plane in the Cairngorms may be linked to the club. But before McNab can discover more, the girl is abducted.Joined by Norwegian detective Alvis Olsen, who harbours disturbing theories about how the two cases are connected with his homeland, Rhona searches for the missing link. What she uncovers is a dark underworld populated by ruthless people willing to do anything to ensure the investigation dies in the frozen wasteland of the Cairngorms . . .Follow Rhona MacLeod in more forensic thrillers with Sins of the Dead and Time for the Dead.Trade ReviewShades of The Wicker Man, with a touch of Agatha Christie. Superb * Daily Mail *The bleak landscape is beautifully described, giving this popular series a new lease of life * The Sunday Times *Lin Anderson is one of Scotland's national treasures - don't be fooled by comparisons, her writing is unique, bringing warmth and depth to even the seediest parts of Glasgow. Lin's Rhona MacLeod is a complex and compelling heroine who just gets better with every outing -- Stuart MacBrideAn outstanding thriller . . . The pace is beautifully judged, and though there are plenty of twists and turns, the reader never feels left behind * Undiscovered Scotland *

Read more less

Book Synopsis***Don't miss THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, the next edge-of-your-seat Hayley Chill thriller – available to pre-order now.*** 'Hayley Chill is relentlessly smart and brave' KARIN SLAUGHTER, Sunday Times bestselling author Ex-White House intern Hayley Chill is in training as an MMA fighter, trying to leave her past behind her. But hard as she may try to escape it, the past finds her. Under the floorboards of her father's house, she uncovers a ciphered document titled ‘The Storm’. More Clues lead her into the Deeper State.   What begins as incidental evidence of a subculture of white supremacy within the US military emerges as a much more extensive and dire threat. Hayley’s lonely and often violent investigative pursuit travels up a mysterious cabal’s chain of command, leading to the revelation of a fully-realized conspiracy to break off several southern states from the US,

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe's got secrets to keep,burdens to carry,and anger to burnThe author of the bestselling The Hunted returns...'The energy and cinematic panache of its telling is compelling. Bonzer.' The Times'A ferocious tale' Canberra Weekly 'More twists than a roller-coaster.' Herald SunA young woman is hiding out in a sleepy North Queensland tourist town, trying to stay under the radar, when she stumbles across a dangerous drug cartel. Anyone else might back away, pretend they haven't seen anything, keep quiet, but Maggie is no ordinary girl.She has to get out of town - fast. She heads towards Melbourne, where she just might find the answers she needs: about her mother, her past and the sins of her father. With a dubious cop as her ally, the police tracking her and a dangerous biker gang on their trail, Maggie's troubles are dou

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A cracking story told at breakneck speed' – Scotland on SundayThe Killing Tide by Lin Anderson sees forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod investigating a mysterious abandoned ship which has swept ashore in the Orkney Isles.After a fierce storm hits Scotland, a mysterious cargo ship is discovered in the Orkney Isles. Boarding the vessel uncovers three bodies, recently deceased and in violent circumstances. Forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod’s study of the crime scene suggests that a sinister game was being played on board, but who were the hunters? And who the hunted?Meanwhile in Glasgow DS Michael McNab is called to a horrific incident where a young woman has been set on fire. Or did she spark the flames herself? As evidence arises that connects the two cases, the team grow increasingly concerned that the truth of what happened on the ship and in Glasgow hints at a wider conspiracy that stretches down to London and beyond to a global stage. Orcadian Ava Clouston, renowned investigative journalist, believes so and sets out to prove it, putting herself in grave danger.When the Met Police challenge Police Scotland’s jurisdiction, it becomes obvious that there are ruthless individuals who are willing to do whatever it takes to protect government interests. Which could lead to even more deaths on Scottish soil . . .Trade ReviewAs always Lin Anderson provides a big fat colourful mystery -- Mark Sanderson, The TimesA cracking story told at breakneck speed * Scotland on Sunday *Forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod has become one of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction — honourable, inquisitive and yet plagued by doubts and, sometimes, fears . . . As ever, the landscape is stunningly evoked and MacLeod’s decency and humanity shine through on every page * Daily Mail *The bleak landscape is beautifully described, giving this popular series a new lease of life * Sunday Times *Lin Anderson is one of Scotland’s national treasures – don’t be fooled by comparisons, her writing is unique, bringing warmth and depth to even the seediest parts of Glasgow -- Stuart MacBrideVivid and atmospheric . . . enthralling * Guardian *Greenock-born Anderson’s work is sharper than a pathologist’s scalpel. One of the best Scottish crime series since Rebus -- Shari Low, Daily Record

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhil Rickman was born in Lancashire and lives on the Welsh border where he writes and presents the book programme Phil the Shelf on BBC Radio Wales. He is the acclaimed author of Dr Dee, The Bones of Avalon, Midwinter Spirit (now a major ITV series), the Merrily Watkins Mysteries and the John Dee papers. Visit his website at: www.philrickman.co.ukTrade ReviewMerrily has become an ever more engaging protagonist, a passionate, flawed modern women every bit as concerned with the intricacies of crime as she is with demons that go bump in the night. -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *. . . the dark no man's land where murder mingles with superstition, genetics and the twisted conditioning of unhappy families. Complex, absorbing, fascinating . . . * Andrew Taylor *I absolutely loved this. For me it is the first modern book that I've found as satisfying as a Victorian novel. The layers, the characters, the humour, the spookiness - perfect. * Elly Griffiths *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhil Rickman was born in Lancashire and lives on the Welsh border where he writes and presents the book programme Phil the Shelf on BBC Radio Wales. He is the acclaimed author of Dr Dee, The Bones of Avalon, Midwinter Spirit (now a major ITV series), the Merrily Watkins Mysteries and the John Dee papers. Visit his website at:Trade ReviewA highly sophisticated crime novel, unlike almost anything else in the genre. Grips like a clamp. Rickman makes us care about his characters . . . is brilliant at dialogue. * Crime Time *A steaming brew that teeters on the edge of real violence. * Tribune *Utterly convincing. Although you might not find the portrayal of fanatics on either side of the spiritual divide entirely appealing, you'll have difficulty denying they exist. * Pagan Dawn *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fourth novel in the internationally bestselling Malin Fors series, a Swedish crime-writing phenomenon, perfect for fans of the television series The Killing and The Bridge.Trade ReviewPraise for Mons Kallentoft's MALIN FORS series * . . . *Kallentoft's books have been called beautiful, exquisite and original. I can see why. * Literary Review *He has a completely unique style, an exquisite narrative that you drink in with pleasure . . . I'm convinced: a crime novel doesn't get much more beautiful than this * Kristian Stadsbladet *Don't bother with Stieg Larsson, Kallentoft is better * Magnus Utvik, Sweden's leading critic *One of the best-realised female heroines I've read by a male writer * Guardian *The highest suspense * Camilla Lackberg, international bestselling author of The Stonecutter *The strengths of this complex and excellent novel include realistic dialogue, thorough characterisation and concern for social issues * New Zealand Listener *It is Kallentoft's characterisation and distinctive, often poetic style which make his crime-writing more memorable than most . . . It is compelling reading. The atmosphere of oppressive heat creates the sense of a hell on earth, where evil thrives. It is a powerful and disturbing vision. * Canberra Times *'Meditative. Dark. Really, really cold . . . This is a worthy successor to Larsson's Millennium trilogy . . . This first installment in Kallentoft's crime series is a splendid representative of the Swedish crime novel, in all its elegance and eeriness.' * Booklist Starred Review *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Black delivers a powerhouse of a thriller.'' Lisa GardnerThe second spine-chilling serial-killer thriller featuring homicide detective Valerie Hart from the author of the critically-acclaimed THE KILLING LESSONS.REMEMBER HER FACE. IT WILL BE THE LAST ONE YOU SEE.Troubled San Francisco homicide detective Valerie Hart is planning a rare weekend away from the job when she gets the call. A body has been found. A woman, brutally murdered. And the cryptic note left by the body is addressed to Valerie.The victim is unknown to her, but as Valerie analyses the scene, the clues begin to point in a deeply disturbing direction: to a maximum security prison where a woman called Katherine Glass is awaiting execution for a series of gruesome killings. And Valerie was the cop who put her there.The last thing Valerie wants to do is re-enter Katherine''s twisted world, but when a second body is discovered, with another puzzling cluTrade ReviewBrutally compelling serial killer thriller... told at blistering pace. * Daily Mail *Explosively exciting... The sheer brilliance of the prose and the pace of the action sweeps you up into a utterly believable world. * Sunday Mirror *Knuckle-whiteningly terrifying. * Sunday Express *Hard, fast and dark. * Sunday Sport *Brimming with stomach-churning violence, spine-tingling psychological tension, black humour and fast-paced action, these pulsating, brutal, graphic stories, written from the darkest corners of crime fiction are not for the faint-hearted ... Saul dishes up a complex, clever and compelling chiller-thriller as Valerie plays cat-and-mouse with a ruthless murderer and an enigmatic female accomplice whose motives remain electrifyingly uncertain and menacing ... Writing with his trademark flair, intelligence and fluidity, Saul turns the tense, unnerving confrontations between the inscrutable Katherine and the cool-headed Valerie into a series of edge-of-the-seat show-stoppers ... Intriguing, unsettling and utterly compulsive, this is a series that could run and run. * Lancashire Evening Post *An easy read, with a compelling plot that develops atpace until its chilling climax. * Crime Scene *Black is British but with an authentic American thriller style, his darkly poetic descriptive touch creates a stealthy, sinister mood, that builds to an unbearably tense climax ...the suspense is electric. * Peterborough Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Ex and The Wife*The Girl She Was, available to pre-order now*''Highly addictive'' KARIN SLAUGHTER ''A major talent'' HARLAN COBENWhen psychotherapist Helen Brunswick is murdered in her Park Slope office, the entire city suspects her estranged husband - until the District Attorney''s Office receives an anonymous letter with a detail that police have kept secret: the victim''s bones were broken after she was killed, echoing a signature used twenty years earlier by a serial killer serving a life sentence.Ellie Hatcher and her partner JJ Rogan are tapped as the ''fresh look'' team to reassess the original investigation that led to Amaro''s conviction. The case pits them against both their fellow officers and a hard-charging celebrity defence lawyer with a young associate named Carrie Blank, who has a personal connection to the case.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'As chilling as an Icelandic winter' S. J. Bolton'Superior crime fiction set in Iceland' The TimesThe discovery of a corpse washed up on a beach in an Icelandic backwater sparks a series of events that propels the village of Hvalvik's police sergeant Gunnhildur into deep waters.Although under pressure to deal with the matter quickly, she is suspicious that the man's death was no accident and once she has identified the body, sets about investigating his final hours.The case takes Gunnhildur away from her village and into a cosmopolitan world of shady deals, government corruption and violence. She finds herself alone and less than welcome in this hostile environment as she tries to find out who it was that made sure the young man drowned on a dark night one hundred kilometres from where he should have been - and why.The first chilling and atmospheric thriller in Quentin Bates's Icelandic crime series. A dark page-turner perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell and Søren Sveistrup's The Chestnut Man.Praise for Quentin Bates:'A great read - leaves you craving the next installment' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir'A perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire' The Bookbag'Well written and absorbing' Woman's Way'Captures the chilly spirit of Nordic crime fiction . . . Fans of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík mysteries will want to add Bates to their reading lists' Booklist'[A] crackling fiction debut ... palpable authenticity' Publishers Weekly 'A superb new series' EurocrimeTrade ReviewA great read - leaves you craving the next installment -- Yrsa SigurðardóttirA meticulously constructed thriller, peopled with exceptionally convincing characters and shot through with black humour. Frozen Out is as chilling as an Icelandic winter -- S.J. BoltonSuperior crime fiction set in Iceland... this is a well constructed, well written and satisfying police procedural * The Times *[A] crackling fiction debut ... palpable authenticity * Publishers Weekly *Well written and absorbing * Woman's Way *British author Bates captures the chilly spirit of Nordic crime fiction in what is the apparent start of a promising series with a distinctly appealing protagonist. Fans of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík mysteries will want to add Bates to their reading lists * Booklist *[With] an in-depth knowledge of just how Iceland works it's a perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire ... We've had quite a few books set in Iceland recently, but this one will give them a run for their money * The Bookbag *A flying start to ... a superb new series * Eurocrime *A meticulously constructed thriller, peopled with exceptionally convincing characters and shot through with black humour. Frozen Out is as chilling as an Icelandic winter. -- S J Bolton

Read more less

Book SynopsisA haunted house, a broken family and a body that has never been found... January, 1987: Helen Honeysett, a young newlywed, sets off for an evening run from her Thames-side cottage. She never comes home. January, 2016: Twenty-nine years later, Helen's body has never been found. Her husband asks private detective Stella Darnell to find out what happened all those years ago. But how can you hunt a killer whose trail has long gone cold?Trade ReviewLesley Thomson is now firmly established as one of our leading crime writers -- Elly GriffithsA really exciting read * TripFiction *A haunting and gripping novel * Your Dog, Book of the Month *The author has a great gift for atmosphere. I still felt the chilly, damp and haunted towpath long after I closed the book at the end of the last chapter * Mystery People *Cleverly plotted with plenty of tension, drama, and warmly drawn characters * Sixty Plus Surfer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD NOMINEE, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF NO ONE HOMEA SECRET THAT WILL CHANGE LIVES FOREVERWhen Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie''s house, she finds the front door unlocked and no one inside. Dinner''s cooking, the TV''s on. Carrie, her husband and their two daughters are gone.When the police draw a blank, Emily asks missing persons investigator David Raker to find them. It''s clear someone doesn''t want the family found.But as he gets closer to the truth, Raker begins to uncover evidence of a sinister cover-up, spanning decades and costing countless lives.And worse, in trying to find Emily''s missing family, he might just have made himself the next target . . .Praise for Tim Weaver:''I couldn''t put it down'' - Sun''Weaver''s books get better each time - tense, complex, written with flair as well as care'' Trade ReviewA taut and thrilling novel, his best yet * Richard & Judy Book Club *The story-telling is little short of brilliant * Crime Fiction Lover *Praise for Tim Weaver * - *It had me racing to the end -- Fiona Barton * Sunday Times bestselling author of The Widow *The rising star of British crime -- Tony Parsons * Sunday Times Number One bestselling author of the DC Max Wolfe series *I couldn't put it down * Sun *Fans of Mo Hayder will be in seventh hell * Guardian *Weaver has become one of this country's most respected, bestselling crime writers, and he fully deserves to be . . . Catch him at once * Daily Mail *The writing is beautiful and the plot so cleverly constructed I never guessed any of the twists -- Claire Douglas * Sunday Times bestselling author of Local Girl Missing *Weaver's books get better each time - tense, complex, written with flair as well as care * Guardian *Terrific * Sunday Times *Tim Weaver writes books so meticulously researched that the reader is educated as well as entertained, enthralled and intrigued -- Liz Nugent * Sunday Times bestselling author of Lying in Wait *A dark, complex and visceral read * Financial Times *Perfect plotting, great characterisation, and the kind of payoff that a thriller of this calibre deserves * Bookgeeks *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor Frieda Klein the days get longer, the cases darker . . .Psychotherapist Frieda Klein thought she was done with the police. But once more DCI Karlsson is knocking at her door.A man''s decomposed body has been found in the flat of Michelle Doyce, a woman trapped in a world of strange mental disorder. The police don''t know who it is, how he got there or what happened - and Michelle can''t tell them. But Karlsson hopes Frieda can get access to the truths buried beneath her confusion.Painstakingly, Frieda uncovers a possible identity for the corpse: Robert Poole, a jack of all trades and master conman. But the deeper Frieda and Karlsson dig into Poole''s past, the more of his victims they encounter - and the more motives they find for murder. Meanwhile, violent ghosts from Frieda''s own past are returning to threaten her.Unable to discover quite who is telling the truth and who is lying, they know they are getting closer to a killer. But whoeveTrade ReviewA brilliantly crafted new crime series * Daily Mirror *This heart-stoppingly good tale sets the bar high for the next seven books - we can't wait to read them! * Good Housekeeping *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one with the boy who might have been raised by lionsFacing financial trouble, the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency is obliged to move into the same premises as Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. And on top of her domestic complications with her fiancé Mr J. L. B. Matekoni and his adopted children, Motholeli and Puso, Mma Ramotswe faces several challenging cases. These include some unattractive behaviour among the contestants in a beauty pageant, and the perplexing discovery of a boy running wild, who smells of lion...''Charming, delightful, feel-good stuff'' Daily Express''Unalloyed pleasure'' Sunday Telegraph''Charming'' Scotland on Sunday''One of the most entrancing treats of many a year'' Wall Street JournalTrade ReviewCharming, delightful, feel-good stuff * Daily Express *One of the most entrancing treats of many a year * Wall Street Journal *Unalloyed pleasure * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFourth in the series featuring investigative journalist Lindsay Gordon. When union leader Tom Jack falls to his death from her bedroom window after a spectacularly public row with Lindsay, it seems the only way to prove her innocence is to find the real culprit.Leaving her new home in California for a trade union conference in Sheffield, Lindsay Gordon finds herself in the company of old friends and enemies, including Tom Jack. When this unethical union leader is found dead, having catapulted out of Lindsay's tenth-floor hotel room, she is taken in for questioning by the police.Hoping to clear her name by finding the real killer, Lindsay searches among hundreds of unruly union delegates for a murderer who may have struck once before. Along the way she uncovers a seething cauldron of blackmail, corruption and abuse of power, all brought to the boil by her investigation.Trade Review‘Neatly constructed and splendidly sarcastic about the circus of union politics.' Daily Telegraph 'Tough, exciting, moody and unpredictable.' The Times ‘Full of bitchery and backbiting, excellently done.’ Literary Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisEven though Agatha Raisin loathes Christmas panto, her friend Mrs Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local am dram society in their festive offering. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Wood, Agatha watches the baker playing an ogre strut and threaten on stage until a trapdoor opens... followed by a scream and silence!Surely this wasn't the way the scene was rehearsed? When it turns out the local baker had been murdered most horribly, Agatha puts her team of detectives on the case. And they soon discover more feuds and temperamental behaviour in amateur dramatics than in a professional stage show - and face more and more danger as Agatha and her team get too close to the killer...Trade Review‘The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.’ -- Anne Robinson * The Times *Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life. * Entertainment Weekly *

Read more less

Book Synopsis___________________________________ A gripping Temperance Brennan novel from world-class forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, the international no. 1 bestselling crime thriller writer and the inspiration behind the hit TV series Bones.Tempe is faced with a horrifying possibility: a murderer she couldn''t catch is killing again...For a decade, Temperance Brennan has been haunted by the one who got away. The killer of young women. The monster. And the one who has now come back. Feeding on fear, grief and rage.Killing again. Killing girls.Getting closer.Coming for Tempe.___________________________________ Dr Kathy Reichs is a professional forensic anthropologist. She has worked for decades with chief medical examiners, the FBI, and even a United Nations Tribunal on Genocide. However, she is best known for her internationally bestselling TemperTrade ReviewI love Kathy Reichs - always scary, always suspenseful, and I always learn something. -- Lee ChildKathy Reichs writes smart – no, make that brilliant – mysteries that are as realistic as non-fiction and as fast-paced as the best thrillers about Jack Reacher, or Alex Cross. -- James PattersonNobody does forensics thrillers like Kathy Reichs. She’s the real deal. -- David BaldacciKathy Reichs continues to be one of the most distinctive and talented writers in the genre. Her legion of readers worldwide will agree with me when I declare that the more books she writes, the more enthusiastic fans she’ll garner. -- Sandra BrownEach book in Kathy Reichs’s fantastic Temperance Brennan series is better than the last. They're filled with riveting twists and turns – and no matter how many books she writes, I just can’t get enough! -- Lisa Scottoline

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE McILVANNEY PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER 2022A Raven and Fisher Mystery: Book 3Edinburgh, 1850. This city will bleed you dry.Sarah Fisher is keeping a safe distance from her old flame Dr Will Raven. Having long worked at the side of Dr James Simpson, she has set her sights on learning to practise medicine herself. A notion everyone seems intent on dissuading her from.Across town, Raven finds himself drawn into Edinburgh's mire when a package containing human remains washes up on the shores of Leith, and an old adversary he has long detested contacts him, pleading for Raven's help to escape the hangman.Sarah and Raven's lives seem indelibly woven together as they discover that wealth and status cannot alter a fate written in the blood.Trade ReviewA real slow burner of a novel which is a marvellous tale of murder and deception in Victorian Edinburgh. It handles some difficult subject matter with sensitivity and care and has a real feeling of authenticity * * Bloody Scotland, McIlvanney Prize Shortlist * *The ambience of mid-nineteenth-century Edinburgh is well captured and makes for a gripping read. The authors are astute observers of human behaviour and outlook. The three novels in the trilogy are clearly well researched and shine a light on the cruelties, injustices and inequalities of the period described . . . Based on some actual events it's more than mere entertainment * * Bookmunch * *[A] stellar third whodunit set in nineteenth-century Edinburgh . . . The integration of real history enhances a page-turning plot * * Publishers Weekly (starred review) * *Another brilliant evocation of mid-nineteenth century Scotland, this series just gets better and better. The backstory of the characters, loves, careers and ambitions, is as riveting as the mystery . . . A mix of drama, romance and thriller * * NB Magazine * *Praise for the series: Parry's Victorian Edinburgh comes vividly alive - and it's a world of pain -- VAL McDERMIDBrilliantly conceived, fiendishly plotted and immaculately realised, these thrillers pull off the most difficult double-whammy of all: beneath blood and butchery so real they almost stain the pages lie both heart and soul . . . Wherever Parry takes them, I'll follow -- MICK HERRONA rip-roaring tale of murder amid the medical experiments of 19th-century Edinburgh. The book brings both city and period to colourful life and is a joy to read -- IAN RANKIN * * Guardian * *Menacing, witty and ingeniously plotted, Ambrose Parry's debut draws you into the dark heart of nineteenth-century Edinburgh and won't let you go until the final page -- S.J. PARRISGleeful, romping . . . The fog and stench of Edinburgh's Old Town definitely jump off the page . . . The central relationship between loveable rogue Raven and proto-feminist Fisher is the beating heart of The Art of Dying. Both characters are drawn with real empathy and nuance, and their complicated feelings for each other drive the book as much as the smart storylines. A great piece of storytelling * * Big Issue * *An astonishing debut. The dark and dangerous past is brought thrillingly to life. I can't wait to read more of Raven and Sarah -- MARK BILLINGHAM

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Edgar Award-winning, New York Times-bestselling series by Dana Stabenow set in Alaska. Aleut private investigator Kate Shugak investigates a strange disappearance in Dead in the Water. Last March, two men disappeared whilst loading supplies on a remote island in the Bering Sea: two million square miles of dark capricious ocean and tempestuous squalls. Their Skipper, Harry Gault, should have been fired, at the least. But six months later he's still aboard the Avilda, and the families of the missing men are making noises about corruption. With the crew backing his version of events, what the authorities need is an investigator who can survive the torturous conditions on an Alaskan fishing trawler. Someone like Kate Shugak... Reviewers on Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series: 'An antidote to sugary female sleuths: Kate Shugak, the Aleut private investigator.' New York Times 'Crime fiction doesn't get much better than this.' Booklist 'If you are looking for something unique in the field of crime fiction, Kate Shugak is the answer.' Michael Connelly 'An outstanding series.' Washington Post 'One of the strongest voices in crime fiction.' Seattle TimesTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE KATE SHUGAK SERIES: 'If you are looking for something unique in the field of crime fiction, Kate Shugak is the answer' Michael Connelly. 'An antidote to sugary female sleuths: Kate Shugak, the Aleut private investigator' New York Times. 'Stabenow is blessed with a rich prose style and a fine eye for detail. An outstanding series' Washington Post. 'Crime fiction doesn't get much better than this' Booklist. 'Sparkles with energy and wit, and packs an unexpected punch' Publishers Weekly. 'For rich, idiosyncratic settings and engaging characters... let me recommend Dana Stabenow' -- Diana Gabaldon

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Jane Casey's police procedurals go from strength to strength!' Sunday Times'If you have not read Jane Casey, start immediately' Marian Keyes'The most dangerously addictive series in crime fiction. . .' Erin Kelly________________A woman and her teenage daughter are found murdered in their South London home. The girl's throat has been cut. Her mother stabbed to death.When DC Maeve Kerrigan arrives at the scene, her first thought is that this is a domestic dispute gone bad.But the husband - found bloody and unconscious in an upstairs room - insists he's the third victim not the killer.With Maeve's only witness refusing to talk, how will she unravel the truth?

Read more less

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 MagazineThe brand new thriller in the Sunday Times bestselling series As it often did since he''d married a cop, murder interrupted more pleasant activities. The again, Roarke supposed, the woman lying in a pool of her own blood a few steps inside the arch in Washington Square Park had a heftier complaint. When a night out at the theatre is interrupted by the murder of a young woman in Washington Square Park, it seems like an ordinary case for Detective Eve Dallas and her team. But when her husband Roarke spots a shadow from his past in the crowd, Eve realises that this case is far from business as usual. Eve has two complex cases on her hands - the shocking murder of this wealthy young mother and tracking down the shadow before he can strike again, this time much closer to home. Eve is wellTrade ReviewIf you're a crime fiction fan and haven't discovered them yet, welcome to the very best day of your life - Heat MagazineEve Dallas - tough as nails and still sexy as hell - Stephen KingJ.D. Robb's novels are can't-miss pleasures - Harlan CobenCurious corpses, tangled twists and one sizzling sleuth - Kathy ReichsTerrific characters, sudden twists ... the epitome of popular fiction - Dennis LehaneJ.D. Robb is one of my favourite authors, and she has created an iconic female cop - a strong, sexy, and death-defying heroine - with the slyest sense of humour in fiction. I love J.D. Robb and Eve Dallas! - Lisa ScottolineSexy and unpredictable, these books are first-rate suspense thrillers with wit, character and heart - Janet EvanovichTough, smart and sexy - Linda Fairstein

Read more less

Book SynopsisNicci French''s darkest most shocking thriller yet, Saturday Requiem is the stand-alone sixth instalment of the Frieda Klein series, about a young girl accused of murdering her familyThirteen years ago eighteen-year-old Hannah Docherty was arrested for the brutal murder of her family. It was an open-shut case and Hannah''s been incarcerated in a secure hospital ever since. When psychotherapist Frieda Klein is asked to meet Hannah and give her assessment of her, she reluctantly agrees. What she finds horrifies her. And Frieda is haunted by the thought that Hannah might be as much of a victim as her family; that something wasn''t right all those years ago.And as Hannah''s case takes hold of her, Frieda soon begins to realize that she''s up against someone who''ll go to any lengths to protect themself.''Nicci French''s sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition'' Sophie Hannah Trade ReviewAbused by the system meant to protect her, Hannah is a long-term resident of a secure psychiatric hospital. They think she murdered her family, Freida Klein thinks differently. However, nothing is as it seems and digging up the past can have terrifying consequences. Frieda Klein is back in Nicci French's darkest, most shocking thriller yet. * from the publisher's description *Nicci French's sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition. -- Sophie HannahBrilliantly crafted . . . masterly control of suspense * Daily Mirror *Tense, frightening, gripping * Easy Living *Dark, nerve-tingling and addictive * Daily Express *Magnificent * Evening Standard *French leads the field * Sunday Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan the US president really just disappear into thin air...? Helen Bentley, the first female of the United States, has been kidnapped on a state visit to Norway: it is up to the FBI and the Norwegian police to work together to find her. But their enemy is far more powerful than they could ever imagine. The President's abduction represents the biggest threat to homeland security since 9/11. However, as Johanne Vik assists on the investigation she learns that the private life of President Bentley is also under attack. There are those who would stop at nothing to destroy the leader of the free world. And in a twist of fate, secrets from Johanne's own past are at risk of being revealed, jeopardising all she has worked for and endangering the lives of those she loves most... The third instalment in the sensationally gripping Vik/Stubo series.Trade ReviewAnne Holt is the Godmother of Norwegian crime fiction. -- Jo NesboLively, unusual and persuasive. Holt writes with the command we have come to expect from the top Scandinavian writers. * The Times *Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order. -- Liza MarklundStep aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers. * Red magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnne Holt is Norway's bestselling female crime writer. She spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norway's Minster for Justice between 1996 and 1997. She is published in 30 languages with over 7 million copies of her books sold.Trade ReviewAnne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction. -- Jo NesboLively, unusual and persuasive. Holt writes with the command we have come to expect from the top Scandinavian writers. * The Times *Anne Holt is a thriller write of the highest order. -- Liza MarklundStep aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers. * Red Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnne Holt is Norway's bestselling female crime writer. She spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norway's Minster for Justice between 1996 and 1997. She is published in 30 languages with over 7 million copies of her books sold.Trade ReviewAnne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction. -- Jo NesboLively, unusual and persuasive. Holt writes with the command we have come to expect from the top Scandinavian writers. * The Times *Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order. -- Liza MarklundStep aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers. * Red Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSomeone wants to put Stephanie six foot under...Leaving her career as a bounty hunter behind won''t be so easy for Stephanie Plum, as disaster follows wherever she goes. Eleven On Top is the hilarious and fast-paced adventure in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, perfect for fans of Sue Grafton and JD Robb.Praise for the Stephanie Plum series: ''Stephanie Plum in ass-kicking form... utterly delightful'' (Cosmopolitan); ''Plum is not just a smart private eye but a heroine with a sense of humour'' (Daily Mail); ''Chutzpah and sheer comic inventiveness'' (Washington Post). She''s had enough. Stephanie Plum has finally quit bounty hunting and is in the market for a new job. Preferably one which doesn''t involve being shot at, blown up or kidnapped.The trouble is, she can''t stop wondering about the missing men who all disappeared, without a trace, on the same day. And her super-hot mentor Ranger Trade Review'Undeniably funny' * Scotsman *'Zany, witty and a touch insane' * Townsville Bulletin, Australia *'Evanovich keeps the hectic story moving by introducing a procession of increasingly outlandish characters' * Telegraph *'Undeniably funny' * Scotsman *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Seriously, amazingly, awesomely brilliant'CJ Tudor, author of The Chalk Man'Chilling . . . compulsive and deeply thought-provoking'Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home**********"There's something I have to explain, my love," he says, taking your hand in his. "That wasn't a dream. It was an upload."Abbie wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. The man by her side explains that he's her husband. He's a titan of the tech world, the founder of one of Silicon Valley's most innovative startups. He tells Abbie she's a gifted artist, a doting mother to their young son, and the perfect wife. Five years ago, she suffered a terrible accident. Her return from the abyss is a miracle of science, a breakthrough in artificial intelligence that has taken him half a decade to achieve. But as Abbie pieces together memories of her marriage, she begins questioning her husband's motives - and his version of events. Can she trust him when he says he wants them to be together for ever? And what really happened to her, half a decade ago?A gripping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Woman in the Window and The Wife Between Us. **********See what everyone is saying about JP Delaney, the hottest name in psychological thrillers:'DAZZLING' - Lee Child'ADDICTIVE' - Daily Express 'DEVASTATING' - Daily Mail 'INGENIOUS' - New York Times'COMPULSIVE' - Glamour Magazine 'ELEGANT' - Peter James 'SEXY' - Mail on Sunday'ENTHRALLING' - Woman and Home'ORIGINAL' - The Times'RIVETING' - Lisa Gardner'CREEPY' - Heat 'SATISFYING' - Reader's Digest 'SUPERIOR' - The Bookseller'MORE THAN A MATCH FOR PAULA HAWKINS' - Sunday TimesAnd if you loved The Perfect Wife, you'll love JP Delaney's sensational new thriller, Playing Nice - out now in paperback.Trade ReviewOne of the most ingenious books you'll read this year... A thrilling examination of what it is to be human * Daily Mail *First-rate psychological suspense * Observer *The kind of novel words like 'unputdownable' were invented for . . . Delaney pulls it off brilliantly, with an intoxicating knack for suspense . . . captivating, deeply engrossing * Independent *The narrative complexity, characterisation and gradual unravelling of the truth is a triumph of pacing and suspense * Woman & Home *Seriously, amazingly, awesomely brilliant * CJ Tudor, author of The Chalk Man *The twists are primed and deployed with a master craftsman's skill * Sunday Express *A tour-de-force. A chilling and uniquely disturbing 21st-century twist on the unreliable narrator makes for a compulsive and deeply thought-provoking psychological thriller * Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home *A completely original psychological thriller that grabs you and doesn't let go * Karen Cleveland, author of Need to Know *Scarily believable and utterly thought-provoking. I genuinely feared for Abbie and couldn't figure out who to trust in this unputdownable thriller * Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend *Dynamic, razor-sharp and thought-provoking . . . The Perfect Wife is a cutting-edge suspense novel unlike any you've read before. A must read! * Mary Kubica, author of The Good Girl *This is going to be the buzziest book of 2017 . . . This year The Girl Before will be that book * InStyle *I was instantly gripped and held captivated by the pace and elegant writing. I devoured it in two straight sittings * Peter James *Dazzling - a pitch-perfect thriller * Lee Child *Riveting! One of the most compelling page-turners I've read in years. Twisty, turny, and with an ending not to be missed! * Lisa Gardner *The tension is built up subtly, leading to a devastating climax. A really clever thriller . . . [the film] will no doubt become the third big 'Girl' film * Daily Mail *Slick, sexy, suspenseful and smart * Mail on Sunday *Original and entertaining * The Times *A deeply addictive literary thriller that deserves to be one of this year's biggest successes * Daily Express *Get hooked on this hair-raiser about a woman who scores what seems like her dream home . . . until she finds out the mysterious fate of the previous tenant * Cosmopolitan *Creepy . . . The buzz around this could not be fizzier * Heat *The Girl Before is deservedly anointed the 'top girl' of this season's suspense novels * The Washington Post *A compulsive, sexy thriller that's set to soar * Glamour Magazine Online *Constantly cranking up the suspense . . . a thoroughly satisfying read * Reader's Digest *Enthralling * Woman and Home *A guaranteed best-seller * Red Magazine *The most intriguing plot idea I've seen in a good while * The Spectator *Genuinely eerie . . . beautifully handled . . . the pages fly * USA Today *Riveting . . . Writing with precision and grace, Delaney strips away the characters' secrets until the raw truth of each is revealed * Publishers Weekly *A guaranteed best-seller * Prima *Original and brilliantly written * The Sun *JP Delaney builds the suspense * Vanity Fair *Ingenious * The New York Times *The plotting is exceptionally well thought-through * Irish Independent *A masterfully crafted spellbinder . . . guaranteed to astonish * Booklist *A crisp psychological thriller * Sainsbury's Magazine *The Girl Before is more than worthy of the accolades . . . a complex triangle of twisted obsession . . . say goodbye to your nails * Boundless Magazine *A great thriller and one that instantly hooks you in, in the very first line, and never lets you go . . . utterly compelling and very satisfying . . . A wonderful portrayal of psychological obsession at its creepy best * Peter James for Big Issue North *The Girl Before is a cat-and-mouse game that toys with our expectations and twists our sympathies. At times almost unbearably suspenseful, it keeps us guessing from the first page to the very last. Don't miss it * Joseph Finder *One of the best thrillers you'll read in 2017 * New York Journal of Books *Compulsively readable . . . The highly unusual setup sets this one above the thriller pack * Publishers Weekly *An intriguing novel of ideas . . . plays with its themes (from AI and art to autism) just as absorbingly as recent literary fiction withsimilar preoccupations * Sunday Times *Readers who liked Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson will enjoy The Perfect Wife * Observer *Addictive * Woman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA cold-blooded killer has Stephanie in his sights...Where there''s smoke, there''s fire, and this couldn''t be truer than in Smokin'' Seventeen, the seventeenth wacky adventure in Janet Evanovich''s bestselling Stephanie Plum series. The perfect read for fans of Sue Grafton and JD Robb. Raves for Janet Evanovich''s bestselling novels: ''Razor sharp'' (Sunday Express); ''Non-stop laughs with plenty of high jinks'' (USA Today); ''Pithy, witty and fast-paced'' (The Sunday Times). Stephanie is running out of time. The bond office where she works has been burned down. Dead bodies have been showing up on the construction site. No one knows why, or who''s responsible - but it''s clear Stephanie''s name is on the killer''s list.And to make a bad situation worse, cop and boyfriend Joe Morelli''s grandmother has put the ''eye'' on Stephanie. Now she has a pimple the size of Mount Vesuvius and her hormones areTrade Review'Evanovich's series of New Jersey comedy thrillers are among the great joys of contemporary crime fiction...' * GQ Magazine *'Packed with her familiar wicked ear for dialogue...Plum is not just a smart private eye but a heroine with a sense of humour' * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe killer is a little too close to home...Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum must make a devil''s bargain to get the help she needs in Seven Up, the seventh laugh out loud adventure in the Stephanie Plum series. The perfect read for fans of Sue Grafton and Harlan Coben.Raves for Janet Evanovich''s bestselling novels: ''Razor sharp'' (Sunday Express); ''Non-stop laughs with plenty of high jinks'' (USA Today); ''Pithy, witty and fast-paced'' (The Sunday Times). What Stephanie Plum loves about being a bounty hunter: it annoys her mother and she can wear jeans to work.What Stephanie Plum hates about being a bounty hunter: she has to bring in her grandmother''s geriatric, mobster boyfriend who has been leaving dead bodies in his shed...if she can find him.On top of that, she''s got a missing misfit to find, the dog is eating everything in sight and master bounty hunter Ranger wants one night with Plum froTrade ReviewA Jersey girl with Bette Midler's mouth and Cher's fashion sense...with her brazen style and dazzling wardrobe, who could resist this doll? - New York Times Book ReviewEvanovich's series of New Jersey comedy thrillers are among the great joys of contemporary crime fiction... All the easy class and wit that you expect to find in the best American TV comedy, but too rarely find in modern fiction. - GQ

Read more less

Book SynopsisStephanie Plum''s fast becoming the most unpopular woman in New Jersey. Even her own mother can''t love her for taking on the job of tracking down Uncle Mo, everybody''s favourite candy store owner. Cursed with a disastrous new hair colour and an increasing sense that it''s time to get a new job, the world''s favourite bounty hunter sets off on her latest adventure, with a little ''help'' for her new sidekick, hooker turned file clerk Lula, who''s just itching to get a felon in the back of her racy redfirebird ...

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers'' Daily Mail''Brody''s writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive'' Ann CleevesA murder most foulWhen the landlord of a Yorkshire tavern is killed in plain sight, Freda Simonson, the only witness to the crime, becomes plagued with guilt, believing the wrong man has been convicted. Following her death, it seems that the truth will never be uncovered in the peaceful village of Langcliffe . . .A village of secretsBut it just so happens that Freda''s nephew is courting the renowned amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton, who decides to holiday in Langcliffe with her indomitable teenage niece, Harriet. When Harriet strikes up a friendship with a local girl whose young brother is missing, the search leads Kate to uncover another suspicious death, not to meTrade ReviewFrances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish. * Daily Mail *Frances Brody skilfully holds our attention, making us want to read on and then look forward to the next Kate Shackleton mystery. * Gazette & Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFormer head of MI5 Stella Rimington brings the high-stakes world of intelligence to life in AT RISK the first novel in her bestselling and much-loved series featuring MI5 Intelligence Officer Liz Carlyle.For MI5 Intelligence Officer Liz Carlyle the nagging complications of her private life are quickly forgotten at Monday's Counter-Terrorist meeting. An invisible may have entered mainland Britain. An invisible' is a terrorist who is an ethnic native of the target country, who can cross its borders unchecked and move about unnoticed the ultimate nightmare. For Liz this signals the start of an operation that will test her to the limit. Who or what is the target? Where and who is the invisible? With each passing hour the danger increases. But as she desperately sifts the incoming intelligence and analyses the reports from her agents she finally realises that it is her ability to get inside her enemy's head that is the only hope of averting disaster.Trade ReviewA cracking good thriller * The Observer *Intelligent... Undeniably pacy * The Guardian *This is something rare: the spy novel that prizes authenticity over fabrication * Mail on Sunday *Rimington makes adroit use of her expertise as former MI5 chief * The Sunday Times *Tense and terrifying * Cosmopolitan *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE SEVENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the witch who flew away . . .Mma Ramotswe is happily married to Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, but her work seems more hectic than ever. Among the raft of cases coming the way of the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency are blackmail, witchcraft and theft, all calling for the wisdom of a traditionally built detective.It''s enough to make her wonder what the secret of happiness is, and whether she is right to find it in small things such as a pair of blue shoes, a slice of cake, or a red sunset over Kalahari.Trade ReviewNothing spoils [McCall Smith's] vision of Botswana as a place where decent people triumph over mischief-makers * Telegraph *Nothing will dim the charm of McCall Smith's series, with its portraits of goodness, its sorrow over greed and its profound love of Africa. They are among the greatest comfort-reads of all time, written in plain, elegant prose * Sunday Times *[BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS has] the quiet sophistication of the previous novels and its simplicity is deceptive . . . these novels take us through the looking glass into an Africa we rarely hear about, but their main purpose is to hold a mirror to our own society -- Amanda Craig * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fourth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one with the rival detectiveMma Ramotswe faces the unexpected and unwelcome appearance in town of a new private detective, Mr Cephas Buthelezi. To ensure she does not lose clients to him, she takes on several cases at once, including those of an errant husband and of a man targeted by ostrich rustlers. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi has decided to set up a typing school to teach men some useful skills - but Mma Ramotswe fears her secretary is falling under the spell of a man who does not have her best interests at heart...''A glorious creation'' Mail on Sunday''Happiness and quiet wisdom'' Daily Telegraph''Sparkles with African sunshine and Mma Ramotswe''s wit'' Dallas Morning News''It''s hard to find fault with such good-natured and pleasurable optimism'' ObserverTrade ReviewMma Ramotswe's methods - and her results - are as unusual as the novels they inhabit... All this activity is much less about whodunnit than why * New York Times *McCall Smith is a careful, emblematic writer who is beyond gifted... he is a natural storyteller * The List *The hypnotic ease of McCall Smith's style makes everything clear almost instantly... Throughout the Botswana landscape is richly evoked... Happiness and quiet wisdom prevail * Daily Telegraph *Mma Ramotswe is a glorious creation, a character likely to prove every bit as enduring as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. * Mail on Sunday *Sparkles with African sunshine and Mma Ramotswe's wit * Dallas Morning News *It's hard to find fault with such good-natured and pleasurable optimism * Observer *I can think of no author writing today so deserving of an enormous audience * New Statesman *This series' huge appeal lies in its mannerly folk wisdom and wry, gentle humor, full of wit, nuance and caring... It's an oasis in a genre that too often seems a desert of violence and inhumanity * Chicago Sun Times *As beguiling as Alexader McCall Smith's earlier books about the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency... His prose is deceptively simple, with a gift for evoking the earth and sky of Africa * Seattle Times *Get your hands on one of the mysteries from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series... Each book is a thinly disguised love letter to the people and culture of Southern Africa... A great escape * Elle *Mma Ramotswe's methods - and her results - are as unusual as the novels they inhabit . . . All this activity is much less about whodunnit than why * NEW YORK TIMES *McCall Smith is a careful, emblematic writer who is beyond gifted, he is a natural storyteller. McCall Smith has once again charmed the sarongs off us * THE LIST *The hypnotic ease of McCall Smith's style makes everything clear almost instantly . . . Throughout the Botswana landscape is richly evoked. Happiness and quiet wisdom prevail. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Mma Ramotswe is a glorious creation, a character likely to prove every bit as enduring as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. * MAIL ON SUNDAY *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fifth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one where J. L. B. Matekoni takes a great leap . . . Once again, Mma Ramotswe is asked to look into the love lives of fellow Botswanans: a rich woman has a number of suitors and wants her to investigate their motives. But to tell the truth, it is her own love life about which Precious wants answers. She has been engaged to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni for so long that she is starting to wonder if they will ever marry. His mind, though, is elsewhere - Mma Potokwani has persuaded him to perform a parachute jump for charity, and he is not happy about it at all . . .''Hugely enjoyable'' Sunday Times''Extremely funny'' Mail on Sunday''I haven''t read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time'' Sunday Telegraph''McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller'' Scotland on SundayTrade ReviewForget the library - the body is in the mud hut. An African Marple created by a Scottish law lecturer * Stephen McGinty, Sunday Times *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom . . . hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition . . . Charming, quirky and timeless * Scotland on Sunday *Refreshing, funny and life-affirming * Geographical *Addictive... our reviewer was so entertained, she bought the rest of the series! * Marie Claire *Utterly enchanting * Chicago Sun Times *Beguiling... The author's deceptively simple prose... is as supple as ever. His gift for effortless description of dusty, sun-baked Africa is undiminished * Seattle Times *Smith's big-hearted Botswana series... allows his readers to escape into a world of simple, picturesque pleasures and upstanding virtues * New York Times Book Review *Brims with the same old-fashioned charm as its lovely predecessors... An engaging read * Entertainment Weekly *A treasure of wit and wisdom * Dallas Morning News *Delightful... The warm humanity is what brings readers back... There is a simplicity and lyricism in the language that brings out the profound importance of everyday revelations * San Francisco Chronicle *Enthralling... Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can't help but love * USA Today *The greatest mystery in this witty and charming book is whether Mma Ramotswe will succeed in getting her fiance to name a date for their long-anticipated wedding. It's hard to conceive of any reader not being just as eager to find out as she is * Wall Street Journal *Soothing... New readers can start here and enjoy a plot even more inventive than the earlier ones * People *Forget the library - the body is in the mud hut. An African Marple created by a Scottish law lecturer * Stephen McGinty, Sunday Times *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom . . . hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition . . . Charming, quirky and timeless * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom ... hugely enjoyable. * SUNDAY TIMES *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition...Charming, quirky and timeless * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers'' Daily MailDead one minuteYoung Harriet and her brother Austin have always been scared of the quarry where their stone mason father works. So when they find him dead on the cold ground, they scarper quick smart and look for some help.Alive the next?When help arrives, however, the quarry is deserted and there is no sign of the body. Were the children mistaken? Is their father not dead? Did he simply get up and run away?A sinister disappearing act...It seems like another unusual case requiring the expertise of Kate Shackleton. But for Kate this is one case where surprising family ties makes it her most dangerous - and delicate - yet...Praise for the Kate Shackleton series:''Brody''s writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive''Trade ReviewFrances Brody succeeds brilliantly. . . Her post-war world in which making any sort of living is hard grind and where an independent career woman is viewed with hostility is entirely convincing. Kate is a heroine to like and admire. . . Her further adventures are eagerly awaited * The Daily Mail *Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters * RT Book Reviews *Reminiscent of the Golden Age mysteries, Murder in the Afternoon delivers an excellent whodunit, an atmospheric period piece, a snapshot of a bygone England and, in Kate, an appealing heroine wtih a complex past * Richmond Times Dispatch *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe tenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesAn intriguing Dr Kay Scarpetta novel which will take Kay an ocean''s breadth away from home. The case begins when a cargo ship arriving at Richmond, Virginia''s Deep Water Terminal from Belgium is discovered to be transporting a locked, sealed container holding the decomposed remains of a stowaway. The post mortem performed by the Chief Medical Examiner, Kay Scarpetta, initially reveals neither a cause of death nor an identification. But the victim''s personal effects and an odd tattoo take Scarpetta on a hunt for information that leads to Interpol''s headquarters in Lyon, where she receives critical instructions: go to the Paris morgue to receive secret evidence and then return to Virginia to carry out a mission. It is a mission that could ruin her career.I

Read more less

Book SynopsisSunday Times bestseller Charlaine Harris returns at last to her fan favourite Aurora Teagarden series with a brand new mystery Librarian Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small town: four children, including her fifteen-year-old brother, Philip, have vanished from the school football field. What''s even more worrisome is the dead body found at their last known location. While the local police comb the county for the missing children, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the two incidents have something to do with a group of school bullies? Are Aurora''s father''s gambling debts related to the disappearance of her brother? Or could it be that Philip himself, new to town and relatively unknown, is the one responsible? With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother . . . if he''s still alive.''Aurora TeaTrade ReviewHarris draws the guilty and the innocent into an engrossing tale while inventing a heroine as capable and potentially complex as P. D. James's Cordelia Gray * Publishers Weekly *Clearly focused plot, animated description of character and real estate, and sparkling prose commend this breath of fresh air to all collections * Library Journal *Great bloody fun -- Barbara PaulAt last, Aurora Teagarden is back! Everyone's favourite librarian is newly wed and pregnant-and coping with the disappearance of her half-brother. Once again, Charlaine Harris delivers engaging characters in an intriguing plot; she can always be counted on to divert us with her polished writing style. Newcomers to the series as well as rejoicing long-time readers should leap at the chance to catch up with Aurora. * G.M. Malliet, award-winning author of the St. Just and Max Tudor mysteries *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Superstar Robb takes Eve and co. on a through-the-looking-glass ride as they meet their actor counterparts in the movie based on one of Eve’s most famous cases. The juxtaposition is amusing and deadly, as murder strikes at a swanky party. One of this series’ best elements is the gradual development of characters punctuated with unexpected payoffs. Great good fun as always!.”—RT Book Reviews“Murder, sex, and blackmail all figure in bestseller Robb’s smart, well-crafted 35th Eve Dallas novel set in mid-21st-century New York City.”—Publishers WeeklyMore Praise for the In Death series “Robb is a virtuoso.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer “It’s Law & Order: SVU—in the future.”—Entertainment Weekly “J. D. Robb’s In Death novels are can’t-miss pleasures.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben “Anchored by terrific characters, sudden twists that spin the whole narrative on a dime, and a thrills-to-chills ration that will raise the neck hairs of even the most jaded reader, the J. D. Robb books are the epitome of great popular fiction.”—New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA birthday bash sets the scene for a frightening reunion with a killer from Eve Dallas’s past in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series.At exactly 7:30 p.m., Walter Pettibone arrived home to over a hundred friends and family shouting, “surprise!” It was his birthday. Although he had known about the planned event for weeks, the real surprise was yet to come. At 8:45 p.m., a woman with emerald eyes and red hair handed him a glass of champagne. One sip of birthday bubbly, and he was dead.No one at the party knew who she was, but Detective Eve Dallas remembers her all too well. Eve was personally responsible for Julianna Dunne's incarceration nearly ten years ago. And now, let out on good behavior, she still has nothing but bad intentions. It appears she wants to meet Dallas again—in a reunion neither will forget...

Read more less

Book SynopsisScratch the surface of any family hard enough and you''ll draw blood . . .No one can believe it when straight A student Romy Field finds herself at the centre of a scandal, least of all her mother Ailsa - who is also the head of her new school.Ailsa is quick to hold Romy''s new boyfriend and his parents responsible for what has happened. But as mother and daughter reveal their very different version of events, a much darker truth emerges. It soon becomes apparent that Romy isn''t the only member of her family harbouring secrets and her disgrace becomes the catalyst for the unravelling of all those around her.It takes a split second to make a decision that can alter the course of your life.And a lifetime to undo the consequences.Bestselling author Fiona Neill is back with The Good Girl - a dark, compelling and controversial novel of one family''s darkest secrets.Praise for Fiona Neill:''The Good Girl raises allTrade ReviewNeill writes with verve, honesty and breathtaking insight. Utterly unputdownable * Helen Walsh, author of The Lemon Grove *The Good Girl raises all kinds of contemporary issues with wit and sensitivity * Times *Clever, grown-up and totally gripping * Lisa Jewell *A topical, tense and addictive read * Good Housekeeping *Tapping into the issues of the day . . . this is a novel made for heated book club debates * Stylist *The Slummy Mummy columnist is back - this time, somewhat incongruously, with a psychological thriller. The Good Girl looks set to be the next Gone Girl, with its dark compelling exploration of family secrets. It tells the story of the relationship of two teenagers and their families when a chain of events leads to a scandal that affects them all. A confronting look at the way that one moment of malice on social media can spiral out of control. * Seven Books to Read, House Seven *Neill takes a light scalpel to online disaster in this exceptional dual-narrative * Grazia *Cracking * Prima *Two families become embroiled in each other's lives and long buried secrets are unravelled. Contemporary issues are tackled here with both humour and realism, making for an engrossing read * My Weekly *Sometimes touching, sometimes shocking... this cautionary coming-of-age tale is a thought-provoking one * Daily Mail *Neill's characters are so cleverly depicted, you feel as if you've met at least one of them before * Vogue *Packed with observations of wince-making accuracy . . . Superb entertainment * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTorteeverybody's favorite small-town family bakeshopis headed for the high seas, where murder is about to make a splash. . . Jules Capshaw is trying to keep her cool as Torte gets set to make its transformation from quaint, local confectionary café to royal pastry palace. Meanwhile, Jules's estranged husband Carlos is making a desperate plea for her to come aboard his cruise ship and dazzle everyone with her signature sweets. She may be skeptical about returning to her former nautical life with Carlos but Jules can't resist an all-expense-paid trip, either. If only she knew that a dead body would find its way onto the itinerary . . A warm and inviting atmosphere, friendly and likable main characters, and a nasty murder mystery to solve! Fresh Fiction Now, instead of enjoying tropical drinks on deck between whipping up batches of sea-salted chocolates and flambéing fresh pineapple slices in the kitchen, Jules is plunged into dangerou

Read more less

Book SynopsisSue Grafton has become one of the most popular female writers, both in the UK and in the US. Born in Kentucky in 1940, she began her career as a TV scriptwriter before Kinsey Millhone and the 'alphabet' series took off. Two of the novels B is for Burglar and C is for Corpse won the first Anthony Awards for Best Novel. Sue wrote twenty-five novels in her alphabet series, the last was Y is for Yesterday, before her death in California in December 2017.

Read more less