Crime and / or mystery fiction

Book SynopsisThe ninth book in the classic Martin Beck detective series from the 1960s and 70s the novels that shaped the future of Scandinavian crime writing.Hugely acclaimed, the Martin Beck series were the original Scandinavian crime novels and have inspired the writings of Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo.In a Swedish country town, a woman is brutally murdered and left buried in a swamp. On a quiet suburban street a midnight shootout takes place between three cops and two teenage boys. Detective Inspector Martin Beck and his partner Lennart Kollberg are called in on both cases. In the unfamiliar small-town setting, they encounter figures from their earlier casesTrade Review‘The godparents of Scandinavian crime fiction.’ Jo Nesbo 'Some of the most gripping crime fiction ever written.' Michael Connelly ‘If you haven’t come across Beck before, you’re in for a treat.’ Guardian ‘I have never read a finer police story.’ Los Angeles Times ‘If you haven’t read Sjowall/Wahloo, start now.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Their mysteries don’t just read well; they reread even better. Witness, wife, petty cop or crook – they’re all real characters even if they get just a few sentences. The plots hold, because they’re ingenious but never inhuman.’ New York Times ‘They changed the genre. Whoever is writing crime fiction after these novels is inspired by them in one way or another.’ Henning Mankell ‘Pick up one book…and you become unhinged. You want to block out a week of your life, lie to your boss, and stay in bed, gorging on one after another.’ Observer

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Book SynopsisDon’t miss the TV series, Dark Winds, based on the Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito novels, now on AMC and AMC+!  “With The Shape Shifter, Hillerman once again proves himself the master of Southwest mystery fiction, working in a Hemingway-esque tradition of pared-down writing to bring the rugged Southwest into focus.”—Santa Fe New MexicanLegendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is drawn back into the past to solve a cold case that has haunted him for nearly a decade in this atmospheric and twisting mystery infused with the Native American culture and lore of the desert Southwest.Though he’s officially retired from the Navajo Tribal Police, Joe Leaphorn occasionally helps his former colleagues Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito crack particularly puzzling crimes. But there is that rare unsolved investigation that haunts every lawman, including the legendary Leaphorn. Joe still hasn’t let go of his “last case”—a mystery involving a priceless Navajo rug that was supposedly destroyed in a fire. Nine years later, what looks like the same one-of-a-kind rug turns up in a magazine spread, and the man who showed Joe the photo has gone missing.With Chee and Bernie on their honeymoon, Leaphorn plunges into the case solo, picking up the threads of this crime he’d long thought impossible to solve. Not only has the passage of time obscured the details, but a murderer long thought dead continues to roam free—and is ready to strike again to keep the past buried.

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Book SynopsisOne misty autumn dawn in a quiet fishing port in northwest Spain, the body of a sailor washes up in the harbour. Detective Inspector Leo Caldas is called in from police headquarters in the nearby city of Vigo to sign off on what appears to be a suicide. But details soon come to light that turn this routine matter into a complex murder investigation. Finding out the truth is not easy when the villagers are so suspicious of outsiders. As Caldas delves into the maritime life of the village, he uncovers a disturbing decade-old case of a shipwreck and two mysterious disappearances. Death on a Galician Shore is a chilling story of violence, blackmail and revenge that has enthralled readers across Europe...Trade ReviewThe rugged coastline of Galicia makes a suitably unsettling setting ... Caldas is an engaging copper -- Marcel Berlins The Times A satisfying read ... a traditional procedural laced with gothic menace -- John O'Connell The Guardian Villar seduced us with his first novel, and now confirms himself as an excellent writer with Death on a Galician Shore. The plotting is as good as his descriptions of maritime life. El Pais A precise portrait of a misty, insular environment, of peaceful people caught up in violence. And a very clever plot. La Vanguardia

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Book Synopsis''I loved it!'' GILLIAN McALLISTER ''Nobody writes psychopaths like Swanson.'' MARK EDWARDS Swanson has made me fall in love with plot twists again.' DOUG JOHNSTONETWO''S COMPANY, THREE''S MURDERWhen private detective and former cop Henry Kimball is hired to investigate a cheating husband, he senses all is not quite what it seems, and before he knows it he's gotten far too close to the other woman.As the case rapidly gets ever more dangerous, he's forced to turn to the only person he can trust, the sociopathic Lily Kintner, the woman who once stabbed him, but with whom he shares a peculiar bond.From the bestselling author of The Kind Worth KillingWhat readers are saying***** ''Definitely one of the best books of the year!''***** ''Wickedly delicious!''***** ''A thrilling, gripping book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.''***** ''Fantastically twisty''***** ''Wow, t

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Book SynopsisThe thirteenth book in the award-winning Peter Diamond series, from Peter Lovesey.Peter Diamond, head of Bath CID, takes a city break in Vienna, where his favourite film, The Third Man, was set, but everything goes wrong and his companion, Paloma, calls a halt to their relationship.Meanwhile, strange things are happening to jobbing musician Mel Farran, who finds himself scouted by methods closer to the spy world than the concert platform. The chance of joining a once-famous string quartet in a residency at Bath Spa University is too tempting for Mel to refuse. Then a body is found in the city canal, and the only clue to the dead woman''s identity is the tattoo of a musical note on one of her teeth. For Diamond, who wouldn''t know a Stradivarius from a French horn, the investigation is his most demanding ever. Three mysterious deaths need to be probed while his own personal life is in free fall...Peter Lovesey has been hailed by the cr

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Book SynopsisZack Walker, the most unlikely of detectives, faces a new mystery to unravel in this brilliantly funny crime thriller from bestselling author Linwood Barclay.Trade ReviewThe third and most satisfying novel in the series - The Toronto StarA series that has become incrementally darker and exponentially better. It sets a high water mark not only for Barclay, but also for the mystery genre. - Bookreporter.comVery funny yet suspenseful . . . an hilarious mystery - Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisSexual jealousy and murder in a remote Turkish village - another enthralling crime novel from Barbara NadelTrade ReviewPraise for Barbara Nadel's Ikmen series: 'Really refreshing to encounter something as idiosyncratic and evocative...as Barbara Nadel's Istanbul-set thriller * The Times *Unusual and very well-written * Sunday Telegraph *Intriguing, exotic...exciting, accomplished and original * Literary Review *Full of complex characters and louche atmosphere * Independent *Intelligent and captivating...recalls Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series * The Sunday Times *Exotic and atmospheric * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in East Hampton, summer home to billionaires and Hollywood celebrities. But his clients are the people he grew up with, the people who make a living serving the rich. When an old friend, Dante Halleyville, is arrested for a triple murder near a movie star''s mansion, Tom agrees to represent him, and recruits super lawyer, and ex-girlfriend, Kate Costello to help fight the case. As Tom wonders if he can ever get Kate to forgive him for his past sins, the case takes on astonishing dimensions, revealing a world of illegal pleasures, revenge, and fear amongst the super-rich...Trade ReviewPraise for James Patterson: 'Ticks like a time bomb - full of threat and terror * Los Angeles Times *Brilliantly terrifying...so exciting I had to stay up all night to finish it * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe first book in the acclaimed Brigade Criminelle Trilogy, reissued in a stunning new package to tie in with Lemaitre's standalone thriller Blood WeddingTrade Review'A unique and gritty novel firmly placing Lemaitre as one of the most talented authors writing in the genre today' Upcoming4.me. * Upcoming4me *'Fans of the legendary Derek Raymond will love this gem' Sunday Sport. * Sunday Sport *'Gripping, frightening, intelligent and brilliant' Marcel Berlins, The Times. * The Times *'Having now read two of his books I am even more impressed by the writing of Pierre Lemaitre, and am already looking forward to the third book being released in English' A Book Worm. * A Book Worm *'Ingeniously plotted, deftly mixing dark and comic scenes, introducing the detective's team with panache' John Dugdale, Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *'Irène builds on the considerable promise of Alex and confirms Camille Verhœven as one of the most intriguing protagonists to emerge in crime fiction in recent years' Declan Burke, Irish Times. * Irish Times *'Quirky, brutal and not for the faint-hearted, it is crime fiction of the highest class ... Superbly constructed and executed, it puts Lemaitre very close to Ellroy's class. If you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down' Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail. * Daily Mail *'Irène, Pierre Lemaitre's first novel, will be the book that people will remember in years to come. Intelligent and engrossing, it's a worthwhile read primarily for that sense of amazement that will have you flicking back through pages looking for the mirrors or trapdoors, but also because of the mystery itself. A crime novel for genre fans penned by a man who is obviously a fan himself' Reader Dad. * Reader Dad *'Thrilling ... with a page-turning race to a grand-slam finish' Laura Wilson, Guardian. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisCosy crime historical mysteries featuring Flavia de Luce - the teenage amateur sleuth you'll never forget. Perfect for fans of Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.Trade ReviewPraise for the cosy crime Flavia de Luce Mysteries - perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Midsomer Murders: The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite * Mail on Sunday *Certain to become a national treasure * Daily Mail *Delightfully entertaining * Guardian *Flavia is enchanting * New York Times *A breath of fresh air to the world of period-piece sleuthing * Independent *Flavia is mercilessly addictive * Daily Telegraph *A clever, witty and totally gripping read with lots of surprises * Essentials *At once precocious and endearing. Flavia is a marvellous character. Quirkily appealing, this is definitely a crime novel with a difference * Choice *It's like entering the lost world of the Mitford sisters where the girls are allowed to run completely wild * Crime Squad *Hilarious, eccentric and mischievous * Deadly Pleasures *Engaging, entertaining, bright and breezy; and above all, great fun! * Good Book Guide *Engaging, entertaining, bright and breezy, and above all, great fun! * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *Flavia is in top sleuthing form when a gypsy fortune-teller who had plied her trade at the village fête is attacked and left for dead * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book Synopsis''The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller'' - Stephen KingA dark, psychological thriller, first published in 1957 as The Executioners and filmed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro.''A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best'' Mary Higgins ClarkMax Cady, a brutal rapist, has been in prison for years, nursing his hatred for the man who put him away, attorney Sam Bowden.When Cady gets parole, he begins stalking Bowden''s family.As Cady''s campaign of terror mounts, the police are powerless to protect the family who must use their wits to survive a psychopath bent on revenge.Trade ReviewThe great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller -- Stephen KingMy favorite novelist of all time ... All I ever wanted was to touch readers as powerfully as John D. MacDonald touched me. No price could be placed on the enormous pleasure that his books have given me. He captured the mood and the spirit of his times more accurately, more hauntingly, than any 'literature' writer - yet managed always to tell a thunderingly good, intensely suspenseful tale -- Dean KoontzTo diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen -- Kurt VonnegutA master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best -- Mary Higgins ClarkMy favorite novelist of all time . . . All I ever wanted was to touch readers as powerfully as John D. MacDonald touched me. No price could be placed on the enormous pleasure that his books have given me. He captured the mood and the spirit of his times more accurately, more hauntingly, than any 'literature' writer - yet managed always to tell a thunderingly good, intensely suspenseful tale * Dean Koontz *To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen * Kurt Vonnegut *A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best * Mary Higgins Clark *

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Book SynopsisA child in danger, an isolated house in the depths of winter - and a killer on the loose...''Don''t miss ... guaranteed unputdownable'' ObserverSnow-covered fields and moors stretch away on all sides of Herondale House. Despite rumours of an escaped killer on the run, Deborah Lindsay knows that she must control her fear - she has a young charge, 13-year-old prodigy Carreen, to care for. But the isolated Yorkshire farmhouse already holds the terrible secret of one death - and after an increasing number of sinister ''accidents'', Deborah begins to wonder how long it will be before evil strikes again...''A splendidly romantic first thriller'' Times Literary SupplementTrade ReviewJoan Aiken's triumph with this genre is that she does it so much better than others * NEW YORK TIMES *Joan Aiken has established herself as one of the leading purveyors of suspense * GUARDIAN *Unusual, enthralling, full of wry fun * SUNDAY TIMES *The British master of supernatural fiction * WASHINGTON POST *Terrifyingly enclosed spine-chiller * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A first thriller which has the unmistakeable whiff of success * TELEGRAPH *Don't miss ... guaranteed unputdownable * OBSERVER *Top quality * GUARDIAN *A splendidly romantic first thriller * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Another winner ... Fascinates continuously from start to finish * SPECTATOR *

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How well do you know the person you love? A woman's body is washed up on the rocks by the castle ruins in St Andrews with evidence of strangulation, and no ID. Two days into the case, a call from another woman claiming to be the victim's friend could be DCI Andy Gilchrist's first solid lead. But when she fails to turn up for an interview, Gilchrist fears the worst. The next day, they find her battered body. Gilchrist's focus centres on his prime suspect, a local handyman with the reputation of being a ladies' man, who seems to have no history beyond three years - the length of time he's been living in the East Neuk. But before Gilchrist can bring him in for questioning, he vanishes. Would you trust the person you love with your life? If you do, they might just take it.Praise for T.F. Muir:'A truly gripping read.' Mick Herron'Everything I look for in a crime novel.' Louise Welsh'Rebus did it for Edinburgh. Laidlaw did it for Glasgow. Gilchrist might just be the bloke to put St Andrews on the crime fiction map.' Daily Record'Gripping and grisly, with plenty of twists and turns that race along with black humour.' Craig Robertson'Muir exposes the dark underbelly of a well-heeled university town with knuckle-gnawing tension, whipcrack plot twists and grisly set-pieces shot through with black humour.' Neil Broadfoot

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