Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives
Saraband Death Drop
Book SynopsisTHE FIFTH BOOK IN CLAIRE MACLEARY'S MULTI-AWARD-LISTED HARCUS & LAIRD SERIES 'Claire MacLeary has, with little fuss or fanfare, written a crime series that subverts and rejuvenates the crime genre' Scots Whay Hae A disturbing hanging with a backstory of secrets and shaming highlights some outdated attitudes within Aberdeen’s finest. After past skirmishes with the police, local PI Maggie Laird is determined to steer clear, but her partner, Wilma Harcus, goes rogue. Not only does she have leads up her sleeve, but she has grandiose ideas to expand their PI agency into the realm of romance fraud and cybercrime. Then, troubled schoolchild Frankie Bain goes missing. As the clock runs down, the two investigations collide. Was the hanging the last, desperate act of a tortured mind or a calculated murder? And will Frankie Bain be found alive? In this fifth Harcus and Laird novel, Claire MacLeary fashions a fast-paced, fresh and topical new adventure for her inimitable PI partnership.
£8.99
Saraband Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Gondola of Doom
Book SynopsisNever underestimate a librarian. Fifty-something Edinburgh librarian Shona is a proud former pupil of the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, but has a deep loathing for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which she thinks gives her alma mater a bad name. Impeccably educated and an accomplished linguist, mathematician, martial artist, and musician, Shona is selected by Marcia Blaine herself to travel back in time for a crucial mission in Venice. Finding the city afflicted by what appears to be a new outbreak of the plague, Shona soon encounters the Cornetto family of gondoliers. Lately, a number of their passengers have met a watery fate. Coincidence? Unlikely. She dons a mask, goes undercover and seeks inspiration in the library. But the mystery only deepens. Why do the Cornettos seem so flaky and their explanations wafer-thin, even as they proclaim their innocence? What is going on at the printworks? Shona’s powers of deduction, dissection and prowess as a swimmer are put to the test as she realises that a bitter feud is at play. Can Shona unravel the tapestry of lies and get to the truth? It’s a race against time, but it would be a mistake to underestimate a librarian.
£8.99
Ackroyd Publishing The Millionaire Murders
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£15.06
Ackroyd Publishing The Harbour
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£10.44
Serpentine Books Acts of Kindness: An uplifting light-hearted
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£9.99
Orenda Books Expectant: The gripping, emotive new Sam Shephard
Book SynopsisA pregnant Sam Shephard investigates the murder of an expectant mother in Dunedin, as it becomes clear that the killer is ready to strike again … Queen of New Zealand Crime, Vanda Symon, returns with a shocking, twisty new Sam Shephard thriller… 'From the opening pages, this story left me gasping for breath' Michael Robotham ‘Chillingly intense with a finely honed sense of place … Vanda Symon knows Dunedin and brings it vibrantly to life in this fast-paced thriller’ Craig Robertson ‘An excellent thriller, definitely one of the best of this year. Vanda Symon is a master of characterisation, plot and dialogue … I loved every moment’ Liz Nugent 'New Zealand's modern Queen of Crime' Val McDermid _________________________________ A killer targeting pregnant women.A detective expecting her first baby… The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave. Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy. For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking… _______________________ ‘Dark, chilling and utterly heartbreaking. A highly emotive and compelling thriller’ Michael Wood ‘New Zealand's answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times 'The Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly' Ian Rankin ‘From the ominous and shocking beginning to the heart-pounding ending, Expectant had me in its grasp’ Nikki Crutchley 'A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading' Kate Mosse 'Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon' Red Magazine ‘A wonderful storyteller’ Helen FitzGerald Praise for Vanda Symon ***SHORTLISTED for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger*** ***SHORTLISTED for Best Paperback in the Barry Awards*** 'If you like taut, pacy thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you' Liam McIlvanney 'Vanda Symon's work resembles Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice' The Times 'Atmospheric, emotional and gripping' Foreword Reviews 'A plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go' Sunday Times 'It is Symon's copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer's real achievement' Guardian ‘Edgy, thrilling and terrifyingly realistic’ Lisa Hall ‘All the thrills of a brilliantly plotted crime novel with some interesting moral questions woven between the words. Fast, furious and intense' Helen Fields 'Completely gripping … a poignant study of how our society shapes unlikely saints and monsters' Eve Smith
£9.49
Orenda Books Thirty Days of Darkness: This year's most
Book SynopsisA snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series. ‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid ‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean ‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR **Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel** **Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award****Winner of the Crime Fiction Lover Award for Best Crime Book in Translation** ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong. When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration. But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah… Atmospheric, dramatic and full of nerve-jangling twists and turns, Thirty Days of Darkness is a darkly funny, unsettling debut Nordic Noir thriller that marks the start of a breath-taking new series. ____________________________________ ‘Dark and atmospheric … a bleak and beautiful evocation of Iceland, and Hannah is a pitch-perfect depiction of the bombastic neurosis that we writers know so very well’ Harriet Tyce ‘Such a clever, original twist on the Nordic Noir tradition – darkly humorous and utterly captivating’ Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ‘A fantastic debut … Darkly funny, tense and a lot of poking fun at crime-writing’ Tariq Ashkanani ‘Delightfully dark’ Antti Tuomainen ‘So atmospheric’ Crime Monthly ‘An absolute gem … a superb mix of humour and dark, twisty crime fiction with an added layer of contemplation regarding what makes books 'literary'. The Icelandic setting is perfectly drawn … Not to be missed' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘Shades of Fargo and Twin Peaks – and there’s no higher praise than that. Absolutely brilliant!’ Rod Reynolds ‘A truly original thriller that perfectly balances humour and suspense’ Vogue ‘A hugely enjoyable read with thrills and laughs, as Hannah sticks her nose in where it’s not welcome’ Michael J. Malone ‘So satisfying … a truly great read’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir ‘A skilful, witty mash-up, playing with tropes of romantic fiction (yes, that popular genre writer turns up in the village and is not so bad after all) and crime fiction (closed community, dark secrets) … really entertaining’ Aly Monroe 'This reminded me somewhat of the more recent, meta efforts of the great Anthony Horowitz’ The Bookbag ‘The most original thriller of the year: realistic, suspenseful and romantic to the very last page. And just when you think you've got the plot figured out, the plot twists again' Politiken
£15.29
Legend Press Ltd Noonday Dark: the new gripping psychological
Book Synopsis''Exciting and gripping'' Leye Adenle''This clever and empathic series merits a long run'' Publisher''s WeeklyShe knew it wasn''t a suicide... but can she prove it?Dr. Annick Boudreau is shaken when the Vancouver Police inform her that her patient, Danielle, has disappeared. A suicide note is proof enough for police to declare her missing, presumed dead. But to Annick, this can't be an open and shut case. Having worked with Danielle through her depression, Annick is convinced that she was getting better.Determined to find out what happened to her patient, Annick finds herself at the centre of a dark, tangled web, but can she confront the threat that's stalking her city, before the case is sealed for good?A gripping psychological mystery starring investigator Dr Annick Boudreau.
£8.54
Legend Press Ltd The Necklace: a gripping thriller about justice
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£8.54
The Book Guild Ltd The Soloist
Book SynopsisPianist Max Silento has been murdered, but who did it? It wasn’t Scarlet – she would have made it look like a death of natural causes, and then DI Ronnie Twist and her sergeant, Luke Carter, wouldn’t be poking around. Scarlet would do almost anything for retired judge Ada, but going to jail was never part of the bargain. Unable to confide in her manipulative employer and benefactor, Scarlet knows one of her new-found family must be to blame… but what could the motive possibly be? Who is the killer in the seemingly perfect Rosewood family? As the police net closes in around her, Scarlet puts her home-grown detective skills to use in a race against time to uncover the killer before she is arrested herself. Set in the market town of Beverley, this is the second Twist in the Tale novel.
£10.44
Cgd Publishing The Russian Case: A Bettie Private Eye Mystery
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£15.19
Cgd Publishing A Case Most Personal: A Bettie Private Eye
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£15.19
Cgd Publishing The Federation Protects: A Bettie Private Eye
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£15.19
Book Guild Publishing Ltd Dolly Butler's Eight-Day Week
Book SynopsisJune 1908: Cross-dressing Dolly Butler is starting a new career as a detective with her very own Soho agency. Her first case takes her into the brutal world of an East End plumage factory where it’s not just birds that are under threat. While Dolly is off sleuthing, her adored lover, Caroline, hides from her violent husband at Dolly’s home. However, when their embittered housemaid becomes aware of Dolly and Caroline’s ‘unnatural practices’, she becomes intent on destroying their happiness. Her scheming, and Dolly’s refusal to confront a friend’s suspicions about Caroline’s mysterious past, puts them all in grave danger. In a page-turning, darkly comic story of obsession, self-delusion and deception, can Dolly save the woman she loves, as well as face the grisly reality of her new line of business – and the truth about herself?
£9.49
Legend Press Ltd In the Shadows: the chilling chase between a
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£8.54
Bedford Square Publishers Robert B. Parker's Bad Influence
Book SynopsisFROM ONE OF THE TOP 10 BEST-SELLING AUTHORS IN THE WORLD'Parker packs more meaning into a whispered "yeah" than most writers can pack into a page' — The Sunday TimesBoston PI Sunny Randall investigates the dark side of social media in this new exciting thriller.Sunny Randall's newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is an Instagram influencer, with all of the perks that the lifestyle entails — a beautiful girlfriend, wealth, and adoring fans. But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board to protect Blake and to uncover who is out to kill him. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies, schemes and ties to Boston's mob.Sunny must learn new tricks - and call in old friends - to stop a killer.Trade Review 'Parker's trademark dialogue, chockablock with wit, has never been better, nor have his psychological insights' - Chicago Sun-Times 'Great stuff, Parker fans. Sunny's back!' - Booklist 'Parker packs more meaning into a whispered yeah than most writers can pack into a page' - Sunday Times
£9.49
Bedford Square Publishers Mrs Plansky's Revenge: The brand new, hilarious
Book Synopsis'I absolutely adored this book' - Stephen KingMeet Mrs Planksy, supposed retiree, reckless motorbike rider and exasperated solver of international internet scams.Mrs Plansky's Revenge is bestselling author Spencer Quinn's first novel in a new series since the meteoric launch of Chet and Bernie -- introducing the irresistible and unforgettable Mrs Plansky, in a story perfect for book clubs and commercial fiction readers.Mrs Loretta Plansky, a widow in her seventies, is settling into retirement in Florida while dealing with her 98-year-old father and fielding requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. Thankfully, her new hip hasn’t changed her killer tennis game one bit.One night Mrs Plansky is startled awake by a phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson Will, who needs ten thousand dollars to get out of a jam.By morning, Mrs Plansky has lost everything. Law enforcement announces that her life savings have vanished, and that it’s hopeless to find the scammers behind the heist. First humiliated, then furious, Loretta Plansky refuses to be just another victim.In a courageous bid for justice, Mrs Plansky follows her only clue on a whirlwind adventure to a small village in Romania to get her money and her dignity back — and perhaps find a new lease on life, too.Trade Review'If you like Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich, hop on this train.''Terrific... Quinn radiates pure comedic genius.''I absolutely adored this book. Really fun but with a few teeth, as well. Mrs. Plansky is a terrific character. The story ticks along like a good watch.' -- Stephen King'Nothing short of masterful.''Mrs Plansky is a wonderfully memorable heroine, full of wit ... Readers will be eager to see what Mrs Plansky gets up to next.' * Publisher's Weekly *
£15.29
The Book Guild Ltd The Narcissist
Book SynopsisWhen famous actress Vanessa Forsyth is found dead in her dressing room, with a bullet hole in her head and a gun on the floor, everyone assumes she has taken her own life. It is only a matter of time, however, before DI Ronnie Twist and her sergeant, Luke Carter, discover that the film star was murdered. As suspicion falls on Vanessa’s family and friends, the police discover that more than one person had reason to want her out of the way. And as the net closes around her own family, Vanessa’s neighbour and protégée, Billie, finds that those she trusts most have more secrets than she ever imagined. Set in the market town of Beverley, The Narcissist is the third Twist in the Tale novel.
£10.44
Constellations Press Darkness in the City of Light
Book SynopsisVulpe Tempest is in charge of her uncle's detective agency for the summer. Against the backdrop of a series of murders in which the victims are all mermaids, she takes on what appears to be the simple case of a missing person. To solve the mystery, she must descend into the dark underworld of the city, its rivalries and its fantastical stories.
£10.44
AIA Publishing Double Indemnity
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£19.09
Bluemere Books The First Rung
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£8.05
Clan Destine Press The Nosy Detectives
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£16.14
Allen & Unwin Hester and Harriet
Book SynopsisSisters Hester and Harriet are reluctantly driving to visit relatives when they come across a young woman hiding with her baby in a bus shelter. Seeing the perfect excuse for returning to their own warm hearth, the pair insist on bringing Daria and Milo home with them.But with the arrival of a sinister stranger looking for a girl with a baby, followed quickly by their cousins' churlish fifteen-year-old son, Ben, who also appears to be seeking sanctuary, Hester and Harriet's carefully crafted peace and quiet quickly begins to fall apart. And, perhaps, that's exactly what they need...Trade ReviewThe gentle humour and relaxed pace make this an enjoyable read. * Daily Mail *A delightfully British story... An engaging read. * Women's Weekly *Europe's refugee crisis, the criminal underground, adolescent mental health and the challenges of ageing are all part of this package, wrapped up in warm, off-beat humour and a twisting, turning plot that make this a winning read... Harriet and Hester are unforgettable characters and what appears at first to be yet another cosy village read, complete with brambles and apple pie, turns out to be so much more. * Brisbane News *A lighthearted read...with hilarious results. * Sunday Telegraph (Australia) *Spiers succeeds in her aim of "giving a voice to ordinary women in sometimes extraordinary circumstances". * Sydney Morning Herald *Hold on to your teacups - you're about to fall head over heels for Hester and Harriet. * The Westerner *[Hester and Harriet] may well be my favourite characters of the year. -- Jamie Ashbird * Newtown Review of Books *Meet Hester and Harriet: two hilarious widowed sisters. * Canberra Times *Hester and Harriet is one of those books that is just so fun to read. The characters are absolutely amazing. * The Galaxial World *An enjoyable read. * Newcastle Herald *Spiers has created a lovely holiday or weekend read here with smart, funny and quirky main characters who go on a journey of discovering things they didn't even realise were missing from their lives. This is an easy, entertaining read perfect for long summer days or that rainy Saturday afternoon. * Queensland Times *
£8.54
Bluemere Books The Life and Death of Carmelita Basingstoke: A
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£5.90
Justin, Charles and Company Minos: A Romilia Chacon Mystery
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£21.21
Stark House Press Dogtown/Soultown: Two Mysteries
£12.30
Valancourt Books Miss Cayley's Adventures
£17.67
Spinsters Ink Books Sleeping Bones
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£14.36
Spinsters Ink Books Hancock Park
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£14.41
Leapfrog Press The Wonder Chamber
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£14.36
Moonstone Press This Girl for Hire
£17.19
Penguin Putnam Inc Dead Reckoning
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£9.45
Torrey House Press Cold Blood, Hot Sea
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£14.20
Elizabeth F Hellmann Nobody's Child
£13.06
Prospect Park Books Edited to Death: A Maggie Fiori Mystery
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£10.99
Islandport Press Mapping Murder
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£16.10
Edgy Reads Blood Stained: Large Print Edition
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£28.99
Edgy Reads Open Grave: Large Print Edition
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£27.54
J&r Publishing LLC Gator Bait
£15.29
J&r Publishing LLC Soldiers of Fortune
£15.29
Brash Books Sleeping Dog
Book SynopsisSLEEPING DOG is ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED CRIME NOVELS EVER.A New York Times Book of the Year, A Nero Wolfe Award WinnerAn Edgar Award Finalist, A Shamus Award Finalist and an Anthony Award FinalistNamed by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association as one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century.This beloved, comedy-noir thriller teams up Leo Bloodworth, a hard-drinking, middle-aged Los Angeles PI with hypertension and a low tolerance for precious teenagers, with Serendipity Dahlquist, a bright and strong-willed roller-blading 14-year-old searching for her lost dog. But things quickly escalate, plunging the oddest of odd couples into the dark underworld of sunny Southern California and pitting them against one of the biggest, and most brutal, organized crime families in Mexico.'Outclasses, in many ways, the tales of Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald and other renowned California mystery writers.' Publishers Weekly'Dick Lochte is a superb craftsman.' Sue Grafton“Sleeping Dog is funny and strong and a joy to read.' Robert B. Parker
£15.29
Velvet Petal Press Wrecked by Rum
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£18.95
Clickworks Press White Russian
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£18.99
Clickworks Press Massacre
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£18.99
Clickworks Press High Stakes
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£14.24
Peg Herring Her Ex-GI P.I.
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£11.87
Chestnut Street Press 90 Days to Score
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£24.69
Boutique of Quality Books The Secluded Village Murders
Book SynopsisWritten in the style of a classic Brtish Mystery with a contemporary young American woman as the amateur sleuth. Entertaining. Keeps you guessing until the end. From a small secluded village in Connecticut to the English Countryside, readers are taken on a roller coaster of events and quirky characters as amateur sleuth Emily Ryder tries to solve a murder that everyone thinks was an accident. For tour guide Emily Ryder, the turning point came on that fateful early morning when her beloved mentor met an untimely death. It's labeled as an accident and Trooper Dave Roberts is more interested in Emily than in any suspicions around Chris Cooper's death. For Emily, if Chris hadn't been the Village Planner and the only man standing in the way of the development of an apartment and entertainment complex in their quaint village of Lydfield, Connecticut, she might have believed it was an accident, but too many pieces didn't fit. As Emily heads across the pond for a scheduled tour of Lydfield's sister village, Lydfield-in-the-Moor... she discovers that the murderer may be closer than she thought.
£15.15
