Crime and / or mystery fiction

Book SynopsisDone, dusted . . . and dead!Armed with a bucket and mop, Mrs Gillespie brings misery into the quiet life of Hamish Macbeth when he wins her cleaning services in a church raffle; she is likely to do more snooping than hoovering. Yet Hamish has more upsetting issues to ponder - his former girlfriend, reporter Elspeth Grant, is back in Lochdubh for a holiday with her new boyfriend. Hamish feels an ill wind coming and sure enough, Mrs Gillespie is soon found dead under suspicious circumstances. And as he investigates the case, Elspeth''s presence torments the red-haired bobby, making him resort to foolish antics instead of concentrating on the murder in hand. And what should really occupy Macbeth are the town''s hidden secrets - ones that will force a killer to lash out in deadly, irrevocable acts . . .Praise for M.C. Beaton ''The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status'' Anne Robinson,

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Book SynopsisLong-buried secrets are being unearthed. And they''re very close to home...Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire returns yet again to her hometown to investigate a spine-chilling case in THE KILLING HOUSE, the sixth novel in Claire McGowan''s series. The Paula Maguire series is the perfect read for fans of Michael Connelly and Peter May.''A delicious spookiness is added to McGowan''s customary mix of complex characterisation and sweat-inducing excitement, offering a new level of chilling thrills'' - Sunday Mirror When a puzzling missing persons'' case opens up in her hometown, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire can''t help but return once more.Renovations at an abandoned farm have uncovered two bodies: a man known to be an IRA member missing since the nineties, and a young girl whose identity remains a mystery.As Paula attempts to discover who the girl is and why no one is looking for her, an anonymous tip-off claims that hTrade ReviewA delicious spookiness is added to McGowan's customary mix of complex characterisation and sweat-inducing excitement, offering a new level of chilling thrills * Sunday Express *A brilliantly executed thriller with a haunting and atmospheric setting. Spine tingling * Sunday Mirror *A spine-tingling, brilliantly haunting and atmospheric thriller * People magazine *A complex, disturbing, resonant novel that remains light on its feet and immensely entertaining * Irish Times *Page-turning * Guardian *The best of the Paula series yet; weird, intriguing, gripping and original -- Stav SherezA reminder why McGowan has been described as Ireland's answer to Ruth Rendell * Independent *This is a powerful and disturbing novel * Book Oxygen *I read The Silent Dead with my heart in my mouth . . . brilliant -- Erin KellyAn intelligent and thought-provoking read and I can't WAIT to see where Paula goes from here! * My Chestnut Reading Tree blog *Another great story in an increasingly impressive series * Louise Reviews blog *The perfect mix of drama, intrigue and mystery along with a dash of Northern Irish and Irish history * Ginger Book Geek blog *Nail-biting! The creepy and harsh setting . . . made the events on this island and its inhabitants even more chilling * Chillers, Killers and Thrillers blog *McGowan has created a world evocative enough to get lost in * Real Crime magazine *

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Book Synopsis THREE MISSING PEOPLE... ONE TWISTED PREDATOR.''Chilling, highly original, and highly recommended.'' Caz Frear, SWEET LITTLE LIES''Just when your heart rate is getting back to normal, SENSELESS smacks you in the face with another twist'' JENNY BLACKHURST, No.1 bestselling authorDAY ONESix weeks after vanishing, Sarah Langton is suddenly found - delirious and starved close to death. The police struggle to find any answers.DAY TWOWhen another missing person reappears, half-crazed and hysterical, a terrifying pattern emerges: a twisted predator is pushing his victims to insanity.DS Corcoran, haunted by a previous case, and Dr Marie Palmer, a leading criminal psychiatrist, must try to establish a link between the survivors.DAY THREEAs it becomes clear others are in grave danger, every second will be critical. But can Corcoran and Palmer unravel the deadliest of puzzles in time?<Trade ReviewJust when your heart rate is getting back to normal, SENSELESS smacks you in the face with another twist. Compelling stuff. * Jenny Blackhurst *A stand-out crime novel in a genre where the bar has never been higher. Taking us into the dark heart of a missing person investigation, Ed James skilfully ratchets up the tension and the pace never drops for a second. Some great wry humour too! Chilling, highly original, and highly recommended -- Caz FrearI can't remember the last time I read a book in one sitting, but with ingenious plotting, clever pacing and a hold-your-breath race against the clock, I couldn't stop myself. It's the best police procedural I've read in ages -- Michelle Davis

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly creepy and utterly mesmerising novel about the neighbours from hell, from the author of the bestselling Lie With Me.Trade ReviewA masterly slow-burn gripper * Louise Candlish *Beautifully written and stupendously addictive * Deborah Moggach *Utterly immersive and compulsive. Pace, place, characters, plot ... It's a masterclass * Gill Hornby *Incredible! So clever and compelling * Lucy Atkins *A masterfully-plotted page-turner * Erin Kelly *Pitch-perfect. I absolutely loved it * Lucy Dawson *Elegant and astute, Finders Keepers is truly gripping * Louise O’Neill *Riveting from the first page to the last. No one creates characters like Sabine Durrant. I was completely enthralled * Clare Mackintosh *An absolute belter. Utterly engrossing, astute, disturbing and so believable. Just fantastic * Sarah Hilary *Deliciously sly yet also profoundly moving - a twisty game of cat and mouse that keeps the reader guessing at every step * JP Delaney *Totally immersive, brilliantly written and creepily plausible * Claire McGowan *Extraordinary ... a beautifully written, gripping cross between Notes from a Scandal and Gone Girl, with a dash of Eleanor Oliphant. Ridiculously good * Mark Edwards *Completely WONDERFUL, her best book yet. I utterly loved it and could not put it down. Sabine has such a gift for those exquisite, telling details * Marian Keyes *Seriously superior psychological thriller...the language is honed as sharp as a stiletto. The murder mystery is teased out to the very last compelling page * The Sunday Times Crime Club *A taut thriller with layer upon layer of suspense and twists right to the very last page * Red *Well-paced thriller... Durrant builds a sense of menace and the ending is satisfying, with a believable twist * Good Housekeeping *This summer's most anticipated thriller, Finders, Keepers is deliciously slow-burning and hard to put down. Fans of Durrant's previous novels will relish the smart twists and turns and will be left guessing until the very end * Evening Standard *This well-paced, intelligent mystery benefits from finely-drawn characters and convincing psychological tension. Durrant explores the vicious extremes of female behaviour and asks us to take a peek at the raging traumas behind the calm masks of suburban respectability * Daily Mail *A smart, compelling and thoroughly haunting read * Mail on Sunday *Chilling * The Independent *A slow-burn thriller that sucks you in and keeps you wanting more. Just when you think you know someone, think again... * Heat *An intelligent, twisty psychological thriller * The Observer *Durrant gently reveals her delicate exploration of damaged relationships, fragile friendships, missed potential, and what happens when ambition governs the way you treat others (...) An absorbing, classy read to keep you guessing * Evening Standard *This brilliantly plotted novel will keep you guessing until the very end * Independent *I loved it! * Sarah Vaughan *A compelling read that strikes a chill straight into your heart * Dinah Jefferies *A delicious study in dark psychology with a narrator who constantly keeps you guessing. This tale serves up a real emotional punch * Sunday Mirror *Perfect domestic noir * Daily Mail *This elegant psychological thriller is a chilling portrait of the darkness that lurks behind suburban front doors * Daily Mail *Creepily brilliant * Bella *We have Verity's own word for it! Terrific (adj): extremely good, wonderful * Saga *Eerie * Woman & Home Online *Spine-tingling * Crime Monthly *Engrossing psychological crime novel...the story plays with our sympathies and explores the boundary between devotion and resentment that exists in relationships of all kinds * Literary Review *Reminiscent of Virago Classics and Alan Bennett monologues, it's an accomplished and addictive addition to the great Britishtradition of spinster fiction, and Verity - perceptive about many things, blind to others - could well turn out to be as rich a portrait as in any novel this year * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisMy husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn't even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first . . . A thrilling debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng about how far we'll go to protect our families, and our deepest secretsWINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHORIn rural Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine: a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for "dives", used as an alternative therapy for conditions including autism or infertility. But when the Miracle Submarine mysteriously explodes, killing two people, a dramatic murder trial upends the Yoos' small community.Who or what caused the explosion? Was it the mother of one of the patients, who claimed to be sick that day but was smoking down by the creek? Or was it Young and Pak themselves, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? The ensuing trial uncovers unimaginable secrets from that night - trysts in the woods, mysterious notes, child-abuse charges - as well as tense rivalries and alliances among a group of people driven to extraordinary degrees of desperation and sacrifice.'Engrossing . . . Miracle Creek turns a courtroom murder trial into a page-turning exploration of parenting, experimental therapies, and the emotional toil of immigration' Elle'A marvel, a taut courtroom thriller that ultimately tells the most human story imaginable, a story of good intentions and reckless passions. Compelling, generous, at once empathetic and unsparing . . . the perfect novel for these chaotic times in which we live' Laura Lippman'Kim has written a bold debut novel about science and immigration and the hopes and fears each engenders - unforgettable and true' Alexander Chee'Grabbed me hard right from the start. This is a terrific courtroom thriller, a sly whodunit that's beautifully written and also full of heart' Scott TurowTrade ReviewI picked up MIRACLE CREEK and literally couldn't put it down. It's that wonderful, brilliant sort of book you want to shove at other people as soon as you've finished so they can experience it for themselves. -- Erin MorgensternCombining the tense atmosphere of a courtroom drama with a moving study of the sacrifices that parents are prepared to make for their children, Angie Kim's debut is pacey and thought-provoking. * Sunday Express, S Magazine *Miracle Creek is a tense, addictive and brilliantly written story of small-town secrets * Stylist *With twists and turns at every chapter, this will leave you gripped - especially with its didn't-see-that-coming ending * Heat *Engrossing . . . Miracle Creek turns a courtroom murder trial into a page-turning exploration of parenting, experimental therapies, and the emotional toil of immigration * Elle *A powerful and intriguing courtroom drama, which will resonate with readers who enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere * Irish Times *With so many complications and loose ends, one of the miracles of the novel is that the author ties it all together and arrives at a deeply satisfying?though not easy or sentimental?ending. Intricate plotting and courtroom theatrics, combined with moving insight into parenting special needs children and the psychology of immigrants, make this book both a learning experience and a page-turner. Should be huge. * Kirkus *I know this story but have never seen it in a novel - the struggles of the Korean immigrant entrepreneur in America, with a technology that seems like magic, who can go from hero to villain in an instant, now at the center of what is possibly a murder - a bright seam of crisis, mystery, and love emerges in these pages. Kim has written a bold debut novel about science and immigration and the hopes and fears each engenders?unforgettable and true. -- Alexander CheeMiracle Creek is a marvel, a taut courtroom thriller that ultimately tells the most human story imaginable, a story of good intentions and reckless passions. Compelling, generous, at once empathetic and unsparing. I am wrecked, I am heartened and hopeful, which means, in short, that Miracle Creek is pretty much the perfect novel for these chaotic times in which we live. -- Laura LippmanMiracle Creek is an engrossing puzzle-box of a book: a twisty courtroom drama that also manages to be emotionally astute, culturally perceptive, and deeply empathetic. Angie Kim tackles hot-button subjects with a delicate touch, proving herself a master of both portraiture and storytelling. I loved this novel. -- Janelle BrownA stand-out, twisty debut...Kim, a former lawyer, clearly knows her stuff...a masterfully plotted novel about the joys and pains of motherhood, the trick mirror nature of truth, and the unforgiving nature of justice. * Publishers Weekly *Stunning . . . an utterly engrossing mail-biter of a courtroom drama * Nylon Magazine *Great for book club... In Miracle Creek, Angie Kim (a former trial lawyer) delivers a propulsive courtroom drama * Real Simple *Like a Law & Order episode tossed into an immigrant's bildungsroman, Miracle Creek has the heart of a Celeste Ng novel and the pacing of a thriller * Vulture *Stellar . . . Full of texture and humanity, with a gripping mystery at its centre, Miracle Creek is an excellent debut. Angie Kim is one to watch * CultureFly *Miracle Creek grabbed me hard right from the start. This is a terrific courtroom thriller, a sly whodunit that's beautifully written and also full of heart -- Scott TurowThe story of the disaster twists and turns from the beginning... The whole makes for gripping reading, with characters whose concerns are brought vividly to life * Crime Review *A story that's both murder mystery and reflection on otherness * TIME *

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Book SynopsisOne dead body. One witness. One answer.Early one morning, DS Robin Butler is summoned to a crime scene. Not as a policeman, but as best friend to renowned meteorologist, Dr Finn Mason. The morning after studying an enormous storm, Finn has locked himself in a van. Bloodied, confused, and with no memory of how he came to be there. And alongside him – a dead body.Butler sets out to prove Finn’s innocence, his friend now accused of murder. Meanwhile, DC Freya West is struggling to cope. She has been plagued by nightmares since the events of nine months ago. Freya assists her boss on his quest to clear Finn’s name, but while Butler becomes increasingly desperate to help his boyhood friend, Freya is crumbling under the weight of the secrets she is keeping.As the past threatens to consume them both, do both detectives stand to lose more than they can bear?A tense and atmospheric police procedural from the author of the unforgettable Last Place You Look.Praise for Under a Dark Cloud 'A great and unique locked room mystery that had me guessing all the way through to a fantastic ending. Under a Dark Cloud is full of drama, mystery and tension. One of my favourite series around.' James Delargy‘A coiled and wholly satisfying mystery, elevated by melancholic piquancy. The authentic police thrills and teasing dynamics of the characters are handled with the same elegance as the rueful climax, which long after the book is closed still feels perfect and inevitable.’ Dominic Nolan ‘Once again Louisa Scarr has created a thoroughly believable world in which to set a brilliantly compulsive story. The characters are so well-drawn that it’s a pleasure to spend time with them, and I can’t wait for number three!’ Alison Belsham'Characters I care about, inventive plot and expert storytelling –a big thumbs up from me.' Fliss Chester‘A fast-paced and deft meteorological mystery that twists its way to a brilliant conclusion. Scarr’s characters are beautifully realised, flawed and complex – their stories make the quiet moments every bit as rewarding as the dramatic ones. If you haven’t already read Butler & West, you’re in for a treat…’ Heather Critchlow‘A must read for fans of U.K. Crime Fiction. A fast paced addictive story. A locked room murder with an original twist’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘The plot is original, superbly woven and the cast of characters is made up of well developed and engaging individuals. Overall, a captivating, suspenseful and atmospheric page-turner with more than enough going on to keep you invested. Highly recommended.’ NetGalley Review‘I absolutely loved this!’ NetGalley Review‘I read this very happily in two sessions and am await more in the series. Well worth reading!’ NetGalley Review‘Great premise. Well written. A page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing .The ending leaving everything tied up left me satisfied. Definitely will read her next offering.’ NetGalley Review

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR'Fantastic' Lee Child'Absolutely brilliant' Mick HerronIf the truth's in the shadows, get out of the light . . . Lawyer Bobby Carter did a lot of work for the wrong type of people. Now he's dead and it was no accident. Besides a distraught family and a heap of powerful friends, Carter's left behind his share of enemies. So, who dealt the fatal blow?DC Jack Laidlaw's reputation precedes him. He's not a team player, but he's got a sixth sense for what's happening on the streets. His boss chalks the violence up to the usual rivalries, but is it that simple? As two Glasgow gangs go to war, Laidlaw needs to find out who got Carter before the whole city explodes.William McIlvanney's Laidlaw books changed the face of crime fiction. When he died in 2015, he left half a handwritten manuscript of Laidlaw's first case. Now, Ian Rankin is back to finish what McIlvanney started. In The Dark Remains, these two iconic authors bring to life the criminal world of 1970s Glasgow, and Laidlaw's relentless quest for truth.Trade ReviewTwo maestros for the price of one! All fans of quality crime fiction are in for a rare treat. McIlvanney and Rankin at the very height of their powers -- PETER JAMESFantastic - like witnessing Scottish noir's Big Bang creation in the company of its greatest living exponent -- LEE CHILDAn immersive and satisfyingly pitch-black read * * Guardian * *McIlvanney and Rankin are the dream team. To have Rankin completing an unfinished McIlvanney novel is a crime fiction fan's dream come true -- MARK BILLINGHAMThe journey through 1970s Glasgow, its grotty tenements and genteel suburbs, makes for a gripping and atmospheric novel * * The Times, Book of the Month * *Absolutely brilliant. I was excited by this partnership the moment I heard it was happening, and it absolutely lives up to expectation. The Dark Remains is a triumph -- MICK HERRONThe personality of the tough, intelligent Laidlaw leaps off the page as readily as it did in the first novel that bore his name * * Financial Times * *Mean, moody and menacing. Perfect synchronicity from two of the best crime writers of our time -- SUE BLACKTwo legends of Scottish crime fiction blended like a deluxe whisky -- CHRIS BROOKMYRE[Rankin's] dialogue has the same spiky wit [as McIlvanney's], he adjusts to gangster-ridden Glasgow with aplomb, and the deft period context - politics, pop, telly, football, booze brands, language, family and marital mores etc - is the most compelling reason to read the book besides its charismatic existentialist sleuth * * Sunday Times * *

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Book SynopsisFollowing a rash moment of insolence, Dr Siri Paiboun, Laos' reluctant national coroner, confused shaman and disheartened communist, is forced to go on a road trip with Judge Haeng and the Justice Department. While newly pregnant Nurse Dtui and Dr Siri's fiance Madame Daeng are left at the morgue to defend the staff against exploding corpses and geriatric gunslingers, Siri has his own problems. On a deserted jungle trail, Siri is kidnapped. His only route to freedom is to exorcise the local village of its demon - but that means lifting the curse of the pogo stick.

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Book SynopsisDespite her humble rural beginnings, Butterfly regards herself as a sophisticated young woman. So, when offered a lucrative job in the city, she jumps at the chance.But instead of being given work, she is trafficked and sold to Bright Black, a desperate man from a poor mountain village.Trapped in Bright’s cave home with her new “husband”, she plans her escape… not so easily done in this isolated and remote village where she is watched day and night.Will her tenacity and free spirit survive, or will she be broken?Trade ReviewJia Pingwa Research - Reviews of Broken Wings(only quotes useful for marketing The Mountain Whisperer have been lifted)Nikkei Asian Reviewhttps://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Tea-Leaves/Censorship-and-apathy-strip-China-s-branches-bare Jia is a popular author in China. His books have been feted by critics and (at times) banned by the state. That he has written so openly about issues that many powerful people in his country would wish to remain unsaid is part of the complex legacy of the Cultural Revolution. Writers like Jia, who bring stories like Butterfly's to the mainstream, help to stem (the) tide of indifference. China Dialoguehttps://chinadialogue.net/en/cities/9033-novel-reveals-plight-of-china-s-villages/Jia Pingwa’s Broken Wings doesn’t make simple moral judgements – it explores the soul of the protagonist.Asian Review of Bookshttps://asianreviewofbooks.com/content/broken-wings-by-jia-pingwa/ Chinese writer Jia Pingwa is rooted in his own origin story …(he) is from Shaanxi Province, which has places so remote that they can barely even be said to be forgotten, as they exist suspended in their own time and space. The characters live as if rendered in a folk painting from Shaanxi. Sup Chinahttps://supchina.com/2019/07/11/broken-wings-jia-pingwas-controversial-novel/ uncompromising a rural epic spanning six decades - (note: this refers to Laosheng) Jia broke new ground with Broken Wings The problem with translating Jia Pingwa lies in his mixing of high and low — classical allusions are set down beside scatological dialect expressions, and poetry flows alongside earthy descriptions of village life Writer’s Digesthttps://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/nicky-harman-on-translation-and-violence(Jia) understands why the men behave the way they doLeeds Centre for New Chinese Writing - there are two reviews here, one positive & one negativehttps://writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk/book-reviews/broken-wings-by-jia-pingwa/ Jia Pingwa writes with sensitivity whilst, nonetheless, not shying away from confronting the reader with bleak realities. Reading Broken Wings, I empathised with characters that I would usually have dismissed as being unworthy of sympathy. Without warning, my moral compass seemed to have been compromised. My blind confidence of knowing basic rights and wrongs was shown to be embarrassingly naïve. a reflection of life in China today

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Book SynopsisIt's 1965 and provocative author Henry Miller is taken incognito to an infamous title fight. In the turbulent aftermath of the bout, Miller is forced to battle his way through the ensuing melee in order to make a vital connection with the keeper of a tightly guarded secret. 'Is it safe?' Twenty years later, a young Maine waitress receives an unusual bequest. From the estate of an elderly patron, May Morgenstern takes ownership of a bound collection of letters, hitherto unseen correspondence between her late friend and the aforementioned writer in which he not only recounts the story of how he came to be accused of the slaying of the man who fathered her but how his fate came to be linked with that of future heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston. George Paterson's epistolary tale of murder and chicanery is a study of chaos in instalments. 'The Girl, The Crow, The Writer And The Fighter' is an incendiary, exciting, 'what if?' page turner which spans continents and lifetimes.Trade Review"Possibly the finest American novel not to come out of America." Alistair Braidwood, Scottish Cultural Commentator & Podcaster; "Rarely has a debut novelist, so firmly rooted in his Scottish identity, written a work which is so at ease with the details of raw emotions and breathtaking action in an international setting." Stuart Cosgrove, Writer, Journalist, Broadcaster and Media Commentator; "A scintillating, riveting debut novel from a brilliant new writer." David F Ross, Writer - There's Only One Danny Garvey; "A beautiful, brooding epic from the brilliant bastard offspring of Hammett and Pynchon." Tom Gillespie, The Strange Book of Jacob Boyce

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Book SynopsisWhen the country's most wanted man inexplicably hands himself into the police, decades after absconding from the state mental institute, a young, but damaged lawyer is called back from his recuperation to interview him. Thomas Leven is drawn into the complex, preternatural mind of Westerwick born serial killer Angus John MacMillan.

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Book SynopsisA gripping tale of jealousy, obsession, and murder, from the #1 bestselling author of The Magpies.When Andrew Sumner meets beautiful, edgy Charlie, he is certain his run of bad luck has finally come to an end.But as the two of them embark on an intense affair, Andrew wonders if his grasp on reality is slipping. Items go missing in his apartment. Somebody appears to be following him. And as misfortune and tragedy strike his friends and loved ones, Andrew is forced to confront the frightening truth.Is Charlie really the girl of his dreamsor the woman of his nightmares?

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Book SynopsisA shocking abduction rocks idyllic Sandhamn Island in an enthralling novel of suspense by Viveca Sten, bestselling author of In the Heat of the Moment. With the summer season on Sandhamn comes an unsettling mystery for Detective Inspector Thomas Andreasson. A bullied young boy has vanished from a sailing camp on neighboring Lökholmen Island. Has the terrorized eleven-year-old run away? Or, in this isolated vacation spot where strangers lurk, is it something more ominous? The disappearance has also captured the interest of Thomas’s longtime friend, attorney Nora Linde. The missing child happens to be the son of her latest client, Christian Dufva. He is a key witness against his partner in a high-profile embezzlement trial, and Dufva’s testimony could be devastating. It’ll also be Nora’s biggest win—the next step toward a position as chief prosecutor. But with every anonymous threat against Dufva, the stakes get higher. When new evidence surfaces in their respective cases, new questions and fears arise for Thomas and Nora. Time is running out to resolve them. So is hope of finding the boy alive. Because on Sandhamn Island, the truth is buried as deep as the secrets.

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Book SynopsisOn the path to self-destruction after the death of his girlfriend, things take a turn for the worse, when child pornography is found on Varg Veum’s computer and he must battle to prove his innocence … the chilling new instalment in the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. ‘Mature and captivating’ Rosemary Goring, Herald Scotland ‘Moving, uncompromising’ Publishers Weekly _________________ Reeling from the death of his great love, Karin, Varg Veum’s life has descended into a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, lust, grief and blackouts. When traces of child pornography are found on his computer, he’s accused of being part of a paedophile ring and thrown into a prison cell. There, he struggles to sift through his past to work out who is responsible for planting the material … and who is seeking the ultimate revenge. When a chance to escape presents itself, Varg finds himself on the run in his hometown of Bergen. With the clock ticking and the police on his tail, Varg takes on his hardest – and most personal – case yet. Dark, emotive and compulsive, Wolves in the Dark is the absorbing, shocking next instalment in the addictive Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple … deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters’ lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style’ Sunday Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!’ Mari Hannah ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books Magazine ‘An upmarket Philip Marlowe’ Maxim Jakubowski, The Bookseller ‘Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest’ Quentin BatesTrade Review* 'Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means 'wolf' in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth' Ian Rankin * 'A Norwegian Chandler' Jo Nesbo * 'Gunnar Staalesen was writing suspenseful and socially conscious Nordic Noir long before any of today's Swedish crime writers had managed to put together a single book page ... one of Norway's most skillful storytellers' Johan Theorin * 'With its exploration of family dynamics and the complex web of human behaviour, Staalesen's novel echoes the great California author Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer mysteries ... mature and captivating' Herald Scotland * 'Norwegian master Staalesen is an author who eschews police procedural narratives for noirish private eye pieces ... with some abrasive social commentary' Financial Times

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Book SynopsisLet me tell you the story of a man who lived and fought through each and every day.With the world in peril once again, Kimihiko Kimizuka returns to his role as the Ace Detective's assistant and sets out on a journey to recover the lost memories of humanity. Using the Sacred Relic discovered by the Oracle, he investigates a past global crisis with the Vampire, Scarlet, at the very heart of it. But as Kimihiko delves deeper, harrowing truths once beyond his reach begin to bubble to the surface

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Book SynopsisEver since the death of his wife, Lina, in a Kabul bombing, Aubrey Savage has been determined to fulfil his promise to her: to find out what happened to her brother, Jarrah, a disavowed MI5 agent who has been missing for two years.An ex-SAS officer, Savage is used to noticing the small things. So when he offers a lift to a terrified runaway bride on the moors, he knows there's more to her story than meets the eye.But when she is snatched away immediately, leaving behind a holdall and a Glock that he recognises to be that of an MI5 agent, he is thrust into a deadly world of corruption, and a threat that's all too close to home...

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Book SynopsisA homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution. For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished. Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.Trade Review“This romantic suspense tale thrusts readers into the action, with one heart-racing, adrenaline-filled scene after another. Leigh’s (Morgan Dane series) vulnerable yet strong lead characters add depth to an exciting new series.” —Library Journal “Leigh, (Whisper of Bones, 2019, etc.) has a genuine talent for creating believable, appealing characters and realistic dialogue…With a clear setup for future adventures, this novel promises to become a likable series.” —Kirkus Reviews “A gripping thriller, Cross Her Heart is fast paced and riveting, with the complex and compelling lead homicide detective, Bree Taggert. The first in a destined to be a hit series.” —Karin Slaughter, international bestselling author “Melinda Leigh has topped herself—and goes to the top of my must-read author list. Cross Her Heart is everything I love in a thriller, and Bree Taggert is everything I love in a heroine. READ THIS BOOK. You won’t be able to put it down.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of The Third to Die “Masterful! Melinda Leigh knows just how to blend poignant family drama with edge-of-your-seat suspense. As the heroine of this thrilling new series, Bree Taggert will capture your heart.” —Laura Griffin, New York Times bestselling author

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Book SynopsisFrom authors including National Book Award winner Pete Hautman, Deadly Ink 2007 winner Darrell James, and renowned social commentator turned short-story writer Mike Davis, Politics Noir is a chilling and subversive collection of new crime stories featuring greed, corruption, insatiable ambition-and murder in the very highest places.Trade ReviewThe author's grasp of Southern California politics is razor sharp. * Booklist (in praise of Gary Phillips) *

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Book SynopsisAn action-packed comedy about a fake family that includes a spy, an assassin and a telepath!Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!Yor is assigned to be bodyguard to a mafia family on a cruise ship by the secret organization Garden. But with Lloyd and Anya also on board thanks to a giveaway they won, Yor is starting to have doubts about her secret life as an assassin…

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Book SynopsisThe masterful Richard & Judy pick, from the Sunday Times bestselling author.Winner of the Irish Book Awards Crime Fiction Book of the Year.''A TRULY GREAT WRITER'' Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl''ONE OF THE BEST CRIME WRITERS WORKING TODAY'' GuardianYou can beat one killer. Beating your own squad is a whole other thing. Being on the Dublin Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed. Her working life is a stream of thankless cases and harassment. Antoinette is tough, but she''s getting close to the breaking point. The new case looks like a regular lovers'' quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty and lying dead next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There''s nothing unusual about her - except that Antoinette has seen her somewhere before.And her death won''t stay neat. Other detectives want her to arrest Aislinn''s boyfriendTrade ReviewFirst-rate . . . her procedural thoroughness takes her deeper and deeper into a wholly convincing portrayal of Dublin police. -- David Hare * Guardian *First-rate . . . her procedural thoroughness takes her deeper and deeper into a wholly convincing portrayal of Dublin police. -- David Hare * Guardian *Best Crime Title of the Year * Daily Mail *Best Crime Title of the Year * Daily Mail *The narrator this time is the wonderfully foul-mouthed, bad-tempered detective Antoinette Conway. And her narrative voice proves to be just as entertaining as I'd hoped, with a wonderfully salty and sometimes cruel sense of humour . . . At last it looks like a police procedural series from this side of the Atlantic can rival the best of the Americans. * Sunday Express *I'm a huge fan of hers and have read all her novels. -- Cecilia Ahern * The Lady *One of the best crime writers working today, Tana French . . . I can do you no greater favour in life than recommending that you read her books. * Guardian.com *Perfect winter reading. Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series are up there with the most read on our 50 book challenge discussions. This is no surprise since her books offer readers compelling, intelligent thrillers with brilliant characters - including the tough and foul-mouthed detective, Antoinette Conway, the narrator of this twisty and thrilling story. * Mumsnet Best books for Christmas *Its single voice is brilliantly sustained over 450 pages, and the book is a clever and intriguing experiment - the default technique of the psychological thriller, first-person female narration, deployed instead in a procedural whodunit. * Sunday Times *French's gripping sixth novel checks every box from prose to plotting to suspense to characterisation. I'm working my way through the Dublin Murder Squad series and they're stellar. * Big Issue *A gnarly, absorbing read, and a finely tuned slice of wintry gloom from one the best thriller writers we have. * Observer *A beautifully wrought murder mystery and investigation into what it means to be a murder detective. * Mail on Sunday *French and The Trespasser merit all the praise we can heap on them. If 2016 has a better crime thriller to offer, I've not yet read it. * New Books Magazine *THE TRESPASSER contains the most tense and serpentine interrogation scenes outside of John Le Carré . . . Shows French to be a one-off phenomenon. -- Mark Lawson * Guardian *Another gripping tale, beautifully told, by a woman at the top of her game. * Sunday Independent *Taut, twisty, packed with all-too believable characters and rattles along at breakneck speed. * Woman & Home *She's fast becoming our fave crime/thriller writer, as this latest offering is flipping brilliant! * Fabulous Magazine *Get ready to get comfy on the sofa with this clever, compelling and creepy thriller - it's quite possibly French's best to date. * Closer Magazine *French's psych-profile shtick is so sharp, she ensures we're wrapped up, too . . . the big reveal can hit you like a loaded punch * Crime Scene *One of this year's most anticipated books * Stylist *A tense study in paranoia, delivered with French's customary adroitness. It's not hard to see why such writers as Stephen King and Gillian Flynn are admirers. -- Barry Forshaw * Crime Time *This is story-telling at the highest level, packed with sparky dialogue and a feisty heroine who rises about her difficult background and challenging work environment in order to seek the truth. * Irish Independent *Uncommonly well written * Irish Times *A clever and well-crafted read. * Sun *I'm a huge fan of hers and have read all her novels. -- Cecilia Ahern * The Lady *Tana French's thrillers are consistently good - well-plotted, intelligent, with memorable characters - and her latest, THE TRESPASSER, does not disappoint. * Good Housekeeping *This is crime writing at its most sublime: spell-binding story-telling with a heroine to treasure in Detective Antoinette Conway . . . Author Tana French's reputation has been growing steadily in recent years and she is now at her peak, as this superb novel underlines. * Daily Mail *A beautifully wrought murder mystery and investigation into what it means to be a murder detective. * Mail on Sunday *Perfect winter reading. Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series are up there with the most read on our 50 book challenge discussions. This is no surprise since her books offer readers compelling, intelligent thrillers with brilliant characters - including the tough and foul-mouthed detective, Antoinette Conway, the narrator of this twisty and thrilling story. * Mumsnet Best books for Christmas *French's gripping sixth novel checks every box from prose to plotting to suspense to characterisation. I'm working my way through the Dublin Murder Squad series and they're stellar. * Big Issue *

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Book SynopsisInstant #1 New York Times Bestseller! Michael Mann, four-time-Oscar-nominated writer-director of The Last of the Mohicans, The Insider, Ali, Miami Vice, Collateral, and Heat teams up with Edgar Award-winning author Meg Gardiner to deliver Mann's first novel, an explosive return to the universe and characters of his classic crime film--with an all-new story unfolding in the years before and after the iconic movie "A hard-boiled, cinematic read that moves as fast as a well-planned heist." --Esquire One day after the end of Heat, Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) is holed up in Koreatown, wounded, half delirious, and desperately trying to escape LA. Hunting him is LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). Hours earlier, Hanna killed Shiherlis's brother in arms Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) in a gunfight under the strobe lights at the foot of an LAX runway. Now Hanna's determined to capture or kill Shiherlis, the last survivor of McCauley's crew, before he ghosts out of

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Book SynopsisThe girl with the dragon tattoo is back: Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return in the #1 bestselling continuation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series.

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Book SynopsisA new episode in Feist's massively successful Riftwar saga.From the endlessly inventive mind of one of fantasy's all-time greats, comes a spellbinding new adventure featuring old favourites Jimmy, Locklear and Pug.It is nine years on from the aftermath of Sethanon. There has been peace awhile and it's been needed. But news is feeding through to the people of the Kingdom of the Isles that deadly forces are stirring on the horizon. The bringer of the latest tidings is Gorath, a moredhel (dark elf).The bloodletting has started. Nighthawks are murdering again. Politics is a dangerous, cut-throat game once more. At the root of all this unrest lie the mysterious machinations of a group of magicians known as The Six.Meanwhile, renegade Tsurani gem smugglers, a rival criminal gang to the Mockers led by someone known only as The Crawler, and traitors to the crown are all conspiring to bring the Kingdom of the Isles to its knees.Trade ReviewPraise for Raymond E. Feist: ‘File under guilty pleasure’Guardian ‘Get in at the start of a master’s new series’Daily Sport ‘Well-written and distinctly above average… intelligent… intriguing.’Publishers Weekly ‘ Epic scope…vivid imagination…a significant contribution to the growth of the field of fantasy.’Washington Post

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Book SynopsisThe wolves are no longer in the dark … they are at his door. And they want vengeance … The next instalment in the international, bestselling Varg Veum series by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir … ‘One of the finest Nordic novelists - in the tradition of Henning Menkell’ Barry Forshaw, Independent ‘Masterful pacing’ Publishers Weekly 'Mature and captivating’ Herald Scotland ‘The Norwegian Chandler’ Jo Nesbø _________________ One dark January night a car drives at high speed towards PI Varg Veum, and comes very close to killing him. Veum is certain this is no accident, following so soon after the deaths of two jailed men who were convicted for their participation in a case of child pornography and sexual assault … crimes that Veum himself once stood wrongly accused of committing. While the guilty men were apparently killed accidentally, Varg suspects that there is something more sinister at play … and that he’s on the death list of someone still at large. Fearing for his life, Veum begins to investigate the old case, interviewing the victims of abuse and delving deeper into the brutal crimes, with shocking results. The wolves are no longer in the dark … they are at his door. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Almost forty years into the Varg Veum odyssey, Staalesen is at the height of his storytelling powers’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style’ Sunday Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!’ Mari Hannah ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books MagazineTrade Review"A Norwegian Chandler." --Jo Nesbo "This is a series with very sharp teeth." --Ian Rankin "Terrific. . . .Like Raymond Chandler, Staalesen creates intense emotion through dialogue and description, but his altogether Norwegian focus forces home a substantial social message: ignoring the past is inevitably tragic." --Publishers Weekly starred review of Big Sister "Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists." --Financial Times "Not many books hook you in the first chapter--this one did, and never let go!" --Mari Hannah, author, The Insider "Chilling and perilous results--all told in a pleasingly dry style." --Sunday Times "Almost forty years into the Varg Veum odyssey, Staalesen is at the height of his storytelling powers." --Crime Fiction Lover "Raymond Chandler fans won't want to miss this one." -- Publishers Weekly "A strong dose of noir." -- Booklist "an excellent noir thriller." -- Foreword Reviews

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