Crime and / or mystery fiction

Book Synopsis18 festive stories of murder and mystery in the grand tradition of Christmas crime fiction, from the masters of the genre.Including the New York Times bestselling JT Ellison, USA Today bestseller Sam Carrington, Sunday Times bestseller C.L. Taylor, and many more...The award-winning Marie O?Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic crime stories.From locked room mysteries on Christmas Eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these eighteen seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn.So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows.Featuring stories by:Fiona CumminsAngela ClarkeA. K. BenedictSusi HollidayJ. T. EllisonDavid BellSarah HilaryClaire McGowanTina BakerSam CarringtonLiz MistryC. L. TaylorHelen FieldsRuss ThomasTom MeadVaseem KhanSamantha HayesBelinda Bauer

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Book SynopsisBrian Stewart is a respected professional man, liked by his colleagues and friends and loved by his wife Marcia and their two young children. He has never been the kind of man who would lose his sense of propriety or do anything on an impulse. Until, that is, the day he starts to go off the rails. Alarmed at the change in her husband, Marcia is horrified to discover that he has incurred tens of thousands of pounds in debts after starting to gamble compulsively. Soon afterwards, he is arrested for alleged sexual offences, including rape. Marcia stands by Brian but is unable to understand or explain this profound change in her husband's behaviour. Surely, he is not in his right mind. But what sort of affliction could lead to such serious loss of control over his basic impulses?

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Book SynopsisMusic is her life. 15 songs decide how long it lasts.A month ago, fifteen-year-old Feline Jagow disappeared on her way to school. Her distraught mother asks private investigator Alexander Zorbach, a former police detective, to discover her whereabouts.Despite a month having elapsed since her disappearance, Feline's music playlist was changed just a few days ago. Could a seemingly innocuous list of songs contain a hidden clue to where the girl is being held - and how she can be rescued - or is the truth something more sinister?Soon, the mystery of the playlist plunges Zorbach into a horrifying nightmare that mixes past terrors with new ones, and where no one''s survival is guaranteed...

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Book SynopsisA twisted tale of greed and fear, with the possibility of sudden death a constant, chilling companion.

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Book SynopsisYA BOOK OF THE YEAR - Woman and Home. "The adrenaline pumps from the first page.” - The FT.------------The thrilling sequel to NUMBER 10, which was named YA book of the year by the Independent and the FT.------------Gray Langtry is on the run. As the only child of the British Prime Minister, Gray's life has been in turmoil ever since her mother was chosen to lead the country. Both she and her mother are targets of a Russian assassination plot. And what's worse, members of her mother's own cabinet are involved. A team of bodyguards never leaves her side. The press attention is relentless. And then there are the death threats.------------Now, after an attempt on Gray's life, she has been moved to an elite boarding school in the British countryside. Shielded by high walls and locked gates, Gray finally feels safe, but the plotters are still hunting, and soon they will find her. Gray's personal bodyguard, Julia, and the school's young headmistress are determined to protect her. They both know how dangerous things are. The assassins searching for Gray are highly trained. And when they arrive they will aim to kill.------------Dylan, a mysterious American student, seems to know more than he should - but he's always there when Gray needs him. Can she trust him? Can she trust anyone? As winter closes in and darkness falls, Gray will have to think fast. The hunters are coming.Trade Review"Daugherty's London has been subtly reimagined, with danger, mystery and imagination combining to thrilling effect" - Financial Times; "The most exciting teen book series to hit our shelves in ages" - Now Magazine; "If you are a fan of teen romance mixed with mystery and lots of twists and turns then this is for you" - Maximum Pop!; "A clever and involving thriller; never less than believable" - Books for Keeps; "A pulse-pounding combination of mystery and suspense that hints at a welcome follow-up." - Kirkus; "An engrossing, multifaceted mystery with snappy dialogue, a well-drawn cast of characters, and a sizzling romantic subplot." - Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisDistrict Attorney Varga is shot dead while picking a sprig of jasmine. Then Judge Sanza is killed. Then Judge Azar. Is this string of murders an individual vendetta or a more sinister plot? The charming Inspector Rogas is determined to find out. The pursuit of truth and justice are Rogas's vocation, but his work is frustrated by a system which defies his understanding. He needs a key, a way in, a map, and he is sure that his chief suspect Cres can provide it... The book, written in 1971, uncannily prefigures the Red Brigade's subsequent killing of magistrates and the Catholic-Communist pact of the late 1970s in Italy. Developed under Sciascia's hand in the spirit of a parody, Equal Danger has come to be regarded as a wide-ranging political thriller, one of the masterpieces of the genre.

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Book SynopsisThe cops of Hollywood Station are still over-worked, under-staffed, bound by red tape, hobbled by political correctness, and constantly amazed by what the boulevards can throw at them. Scratch the surface of the 'reel' Hollywood and you'll discover the 'real' Hollywood. Here, Mickey Mouse is a crack addict, Marilyn Monroe is a man and when the moon is full, the neighbourhood gets even weirder. When the legendary Oracle is replaced by Sgt. Jason 'Chickenlips' Treakle - a politically correct, paper shuffling putz with a shiny shoe fetish - Nate 'Hollywood' Weiss leaves the mid-watch to become a Crow, or Community Relations Officer (C.R.O.). These are the guys dealing with domestic disputes, busting stalkers, bouncing paparazzi and calming chronic complainers, wannabe cops and loons of all varieties. It should be easy duty - to the other cops it's 'the sissie beat' - but being Hollywood, the loons are not in short supply and not everything is at is seems. So when Hollywood Nate and fellow crow Bix Rumstead find themselves caught up with bombshell Margot Aziz, they think they're just having some fun. To them, Margot is a harmless hill bunny, stuck in the middle of an ugly divorce from a nefarious strip-club-owner. But Margot's no helpless victim: the femme fatale is setting them up so she can pull off the perfect murder and walk away with her ex-husband's ill-won fortune. But Margot isn't the only one with a deadly plan.Trade Review'Hilarious' Evening Standard. * Evening Standard *'Personalities and dialogue are utterly convincing. No-one does this kind of book better' Sunday Telegraph. * Sunday Telegraph *'Slick, stylish ... a hoot' Daily Mirror. * Daily Mirror *'Wambaugh's back and better than ever' Independent on Sunday. * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisPatrick has a new desk job and seems to be out of harm''s way . . . but not for long.Patrick Gillard has taken on a new role as the NCA''s officer within Avon and Somerset Police''s Regional Organised Crime Unit, much to his wife and working partner Ingrid Langley''s relief. It may seem like a safe desk job, but Ingrid''s relief is short-lived when she finds the head of the Metropolitan Police''s specialist undercover unit, F9, Commander Rolt, barely alive in a field in Somerset. Unsurprisingly, Patrick is soon pulled back into frontline action. And when further, gruesome discoveries are made, Patrick and Ingrid are plunged into danger yet again in the hunt for one of the Met''s most-wanted criminals.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of “His Bloody Project”, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2016. There does not appear to be anything remarkable about the fatal car crash on the A35. But one question dogs Inspector Georges Gorski: where has the victim, an outwardly austere lawyer, been on the night of his death? The troubled Gorski finds himself drawn into a mystery that takes him behind the respectable veneer of the sleepy French backwater of Saint-Louis. Graeme Macrae Burnet returns with a literary mystery that will beguile fans of “His Bloody Project” and “The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau”. Darkly humorous, subtle and sophisticated, “The Accident on the A35” burrows deep into the psyches of its characters and explores the forgotten corners of small-town life. Trade Review"Skilfully written and neatly executed…elegant and aesthetically pleasing.Gripping and intelligent. -- Philip Pullman * The Guardian *Dazzling. Publishers Weekly (US), star review;“An engaging tale of domestic intrigue in backwater France with two appealing detective figures.”"Highly accomplished, The Accident on the A35 works on several levels… The narration has the simple momentum of classic crime writing… It has a denouement like something out of Greek tragedy but delivers as a proper police procedural too… Burnet's cleverness doesn't get in the way of your enjoyment but playfully adds levels of meaning." -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *“Very much a novel of skillfully drawn characters… With its nostalgic echoes of crime fiction of the past and elegant, economical prose, it affords a variety of quiet and satisfying pleasures.” -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times *“Extravagant talent.” -- Mark Lawson * Guardian *Both a classy detective story and a stylish meditation on agency and existence. If Roland Barthes had written a detective novel, then this would be it.” -- Philip Womack * Literary Review *“Reads like a lavishly detailed, psychologically accurate, intelligent, well-plotted, unsimple Simenon… Burnet has proved himself to be the literary games-master.” -- David Robinson * Books from Scotland *“Intriguing… distinctive… atmospheric, often surprising, with a denouement which is beautifully under-played.” -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *[A] truly superlative tale… fascinating… one of the most clever and compelling novels to be published this year -- Lesley McDowell * Herald *"As steeped in the works of Simenon as a good boeuf bourgignon is in red wine. The characters' pretensions are mercilessly exposed in frill-free prose… What matters, of course, is whether a novel's characters seem to the reader to be alive. Burnet's do." -- Jake Kerridge * Telegraph. *There are so many echoes of French writers in this book… [Raymond] is a fantastic depiction of the typical alienated teenager. -- Alex Clark * BBC Radio 4 Open Book.; *"Simenon fans will feel at home in the claustrophobic and petty-minded atmosphere of the French provinces.""Graeme Macrae Burnet's best book yet. A unique and compelling novel…[It] works perfectly as a page-turning crime fiction, but it's also moody and Gallic and wittily deadly serious." -- Chris Dolan"Fans of His Bloody Project will [enjoy] familiar themes including questions of authorship, betrayal, family, love, death, truth and lies (or rather, what can be said to be true, if anything, and what is false?), and the possibilities of youth versus the reality of adulthood." -- Alistair Braidwood * Scots Whay Hae *Elegant, craftily written and frequently funny -- Phil Miller * Herald *"Clever, meandering and oh, so French… Burnet really has — a rare thing nowadays — a novelist's eye… I confess myself seduced by the atmosphere of provincial ennui. I longed to shrug gallically at a detective through a haze of cigarette smoke, to pour myself a drink from a cut-glass decanter, to drive to the next town to make acrobatic love to a beautiful…I'm getting carried away." -- James Marriott * Times; *“A crime novel with post-modern flourishes… Beautifully observed…with understated humour… Wry, intelligent and a lot of fun.” -- Andrew Taylor * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards Longlisted for the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize THRILLER OF THE YEAR in GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND DAILY EXPRESS 'Totally addictive. Like Fight Club, only darker' S.J. Watson 'I loved this book. Dark and at times almost comical, a great blend of crime thriller and the darkest imaginable domestic noir' Sarah Pinborough Dark, deviant and disturbing domestic noir ... one of the most entrancing, sophisticated and page-turning psychological thrillers of the year... _________________ One crossed wire, three dead bodies and six bottles of bleach... Seth Beauman can't sleep. He stays up late, calling strangers from his phonebook, hoping to make a connection, while his wife, Maeve, sleeps upstairs. A crossed wire finds a suicidal Hadley Serf on the phone to Seth, thinking she is talking to The Samaritans. But a seemingly harmless, late-night hobby turns into something more for Seth and for Hadley, and soon their late-night talks are turning into day-time meet-ups. And then this dysfunctional love story turns into something altogether darker, when Seth brings Hadley home... And someone is watching... Dark, sexy, dangerous and wildly readable, Good Samaritans marks the scorching return of one of crime fiction's most exceptional voices. _________________ 'So dark, so cool' Lisa Howells, Heat Magazine 'Will Carver's invigoratingly nasty novel ... is a bleak vision of life: not the whole truth of it, thank god, but true enough to impart to the reader the thrill of genuine discomfort, presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon's most unflinching romans dues and just as horribly addictive' Jake Kerridge, The Telegraph 'Carver weaves these strands together for an unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn' Laura Wilson, Guardian 'Must Read!' Daily Express 'Beautiful, gripping and disturbing in equal measure, a postcard from the razor's edge of the connected world we live in' Kevin Wignall 'Possibly the most interesting and original writer in the crime-fiction genre, and I've loved his books for years. Good Samaritans is his best to date - dark, slick, gripping, and impossible to put down. You'll be sucked in from the first page' Luca Veste 'Oh My God, Good Samaritans is amazing. I'm a little in love with your writing Will Carver' Helen FitzGerald, Author of The CryTrade Review"Beautiful, gripping and disturbing in equal measure, a postcard from the razor's edge of the connected world we live in." --Kevin Wignall "Sick . . . in the best possible way. Will Carver delivers a delicious slice of noir that will have you reeling." --Michael J. Malone "Will Carver's invigoratingly nasty novel . . . is a bleak vision of life: not the whole truth of it, thank god, but true enough to impart to the reader the thrill of genuine discomfort, presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon's most unflinching romans dues and just as horribly addictive." --Telegraph "So dark, so cool." --Heat Magazine "Possibly the most interesting and original writer in the crime-fiction genre, and I've loved his books for years. Good Samaritans is his best to date--dark, slick, gripping, and impossible to put down. You'll be sucked in from the first page." --Luca Veste "Oh My God, Good Samaritans is amazing. I'm a little in love with your writing Will Carver." --Helen FitzGerald, author, The Cry "Must Read!" --Daily Express "In this frantic read in sheer overdrive, Carver appeals to the worst voyeur in all of us and delivers the goods with a punch and a fiendish sense of pace and dark humour . . . my type of noir." --Crime Time "If you're looking for a genuinely creepy thriller, checkout Good Samaritans . . . completely enthralled." --Margaret B Madden "Carver weaves these strands together for an unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn." --Guardian

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Book SynopsisSophie is an aspiring British Pakistani actress whose only claim to fame – despite her vast and unscrupulous ambitions – is the unplanned on-camera birth of her son, a clip which has become something of a cult favourite on the Indian B movie scene. Her husband, Tariq, is a pillar of Bradford’s Muslim community and her perfect match, until his sudden disappearance under mysterious circumstances. When a body is found, presumed to be his, but disfigured in a way that makes identification difficult, Sophie is distraught. Tariq was her ‘third time lucky husband’. Her first, Amir, came out of a childhood sweetheart relationship that couldn't last, and her rebound marriage to doting Faraz, a recent immigrant to the UK and obsessed with the Royal Family, was even shorter lived. Is Sophie just luckless or is there more to her than meets the eye? And maybe, just maybe, one of her exes has something to do with Tariq’s untimely death. Might one of them be responsible for the threatening letters? Sophie herself is guilty of something, but is murder part of her ambition? In Sophie, Dar has created a flawed yet hypnotising female lead: a cunning, narcissistic character for fans of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer. It is just a matter of time before her intricate web of lies begins to draw tighter.Trade Review"A well-written and engaging story of domestic suspense with a difference, set in the Muslim community of West Yorkshire. Multiple viewpoints are juggled skilfully to deliver a real page-turner."– Martin Edwards, author of Gallows Court"Azma Dar makes a thrilling debut with this time-switching, head-hopping crime story that is rich with spice and authentic detail."– Ashok Banker, author of A Kiss After Dying"Highly recommendable, especially to fans of Gillian Flynn, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, J.T. Ellison, and Gilly Macmillan."– Booklist

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Book SynopsisCentred around the smallCalifornia town of San Douglas, Where the Bones Lieis an electrifying new mystery noir novel, perfect for fans of Jordan Harper.

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Book Synopsis Intriguing, intelligent, and entertaining... I loved it' Liz NugentFinalist for The Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel 2023Shortlisted for the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Nothing in Stan Andino's unremarkable life could prepare him for the day he discovers his wife naked, except for a black apron, bleaching out a stain from the carpet that only she can see. A CT scan one week later explains the seemingly inexplicable; Carmen Andino has a brain tumour.As Stan and their teenage sons grapple with the diagnosis and frightening personality changes in their wife and mother, Austin Lamb, a close friend and local doctor, does everything possible to assist the family in crisis.Months later, Austin's wife's body is discovered at the bottom of Browns Bay cliffs by Eliot Bard.But who is lying, and who is telling the truth?Insists that you keep reading into the small hours' Paddy RichardsonPeppered with twists and turns' Yrsa SigurðardóttirA masterful anatomy of a friendship shattered by illness and violent death' Liam McIlvanneyPropels you along on a roller-coaster ride' Vanda SymonA compelling and deliciously unsettling read' North and SouthA masterful thriller' Style Magazine

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Book SynopsisCrime novel set in ReykjavikDetective Soffía struggles to cope with a single-handed investigation into a spate of malicious acts, and enlists help from her psychologist ex-husband Adam. With Covid raging in the city, he grudgingly agrees to work with Soffía, as the stakes in the investigation are continually raised.

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Book SynopsisTwo crime novels in one

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Book SynopsisIn the first installment of Victoria Dalpe’s new dark fantasy series, we meet Selene Shade, a resurrectionist for hire who might just have taken on the wrong case.With the ability to restore life to the dead, “Zombie Queen” Selene Shade has earned quite a reputation. Not that it helps her get dates. Her bed may be empty but business is booming. That is until her life is thrown into disarray when a brutal killer comes to town and all signs point to her being the next victim.Enlisted by the police department due to her unique craft, she must make new alliances, deal with old rivals, and maybe even save the world—whether she wants to or not—all the while avoiding the gruesome allure of dark magic and the sacrificial ritual of a mad cultist. In Resurrectionist for Hire, Dalpe weaves a dire tale of magic, murder, and romance. To survive, Selene will have to harness her power of the dead and overcome her struggle to con

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Book Synopsis''Bold, gritty and deeply immersive, the compelling plotline, richly drawn characters and authentic sense of place wrapped up in taut heartfelt prose, drew me in and had me racing through the pages well into the night. A stunning and hugely suspenseful follow up to The Fields'' AA Chaudhuri, author of The Final Party ?????''The plot explodes with excitement and suspense, proving that Young has become a thriller writer to treasure'' Daily Mail ?????It''s a brutal winter in Des Moines, Iowa, and the city is gripped by fear. A serial attacker known as the Sin Eater is stalking women and has just struck again. It''s a tough time and a tough place for Riley Fisher, a former small-town sergeant, to be reporting for duty as an FBI agent on her first assignment.Teamed with a man she''s not sure she can trust and struggling to prove herself - while fighting the pull of her old life and family dramas - Riley is ta

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Book SynopsisCAREY LOGANShe was the genius wild child of the New York art scene, and my idol.FAKEI was a no-name painter from the Florida backwater, clawing my way into their world.LIKEWhen she died, she left a space that couldn't be filled. Except, maybe, byMEEverything that gets created destroys something else.When a fire rips through her studio and burns the seven enormous paintings for her next exhibition, a young, no-name painter is left with an impossible task: recreate her art in just three months - or ruin her fledgling career. Thirty-four, single and homeless, she desperately secures a place at an exclusive upstate retreat. Brimming with creative history and set on a sparkling black lake, Pine City and its founders - a notorious collective of successful artists - is what she's idolized all her life. She's dreamt of the parties, the celebrities, the privilege. What she finds is a ghost of its former self.The recent suicide of founding member Carey Logan haunts everyone, lurking beneath the surface like a shipwreck. And one thought begins to shadow her every move - what really happened to her hero?With a flair for sensational detail and acidic wit, Barbara Bourland delivers a darkly satirical thriller about art, money and identity with a twist so sharp it cuts.Trade ReviewA ridiculously propulsive page turner. Barbara Bourland has written a 'du Maurier-esque' literary thriller about sexual jealousy and artistic legacy, a gorgeously scathing critique of the New York art scene, and a warning about the deadly consequences of stifling female expression. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. * Lisa Gabriele, author of The Winters *In Bourland's decadent twist on the classic campus novel, a group of struggling artists succeed beyond their wildest dreams, but at what cost? Gloriously mordant, and just the right amount of rococo, you have to start your summer with this glittering new read. * Courtney Maum, author of I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You *I love Fake Like Me. It's the perfect smart-thriller paradox: you'll be driven to finish the twisting plot, but you will not want the narrator's insightful observations to end. Drop everything to follow Bourland's brilliant young painter to Pine City, the upstate artist colony with its crumbling camp buildings and secret histories. You will not see the art world - or a woman's place in it - the same way again. * Maria Hummel, author of Still Lives *With her trademark flair and razor-sharp attention to detail, Barbara Bourland offers the reader an incisive exploration of the tension between the desire to make art and the desire to make money. Fake Like Me is satirical, brilliantly realised, and has a twist you simply won't see coming * Louise O'Neill, bestselling author of Asking For It *A satirical take on the contemporary art scene - smart, witty and eye-opening. This gripping tale throws back the curtain on a world of secrets and intrigue * Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs Parrish *A menacing, swirling, hypnotic dance of parties, art, sex, and, ultimately, startling revelations. Readers eager for a glimpse into the New York art scene will be enthralled . . . A haunting, dizzying meditation on identity and the blurred lines between life and art * Kirkus, starred review *The narrator tells the glitteringly compelling tale of her fevered summer and wisely reveals meaningful intersections of class, gender, and making art. * Booklist (starred review) *Exceptional thriller . . . Bourland expertly shines a light on the nature of female ambition and desire and the often dark heart of inspiration. Readers fascinated with the blood, sweat, and tears of creating art will be especially rewarded. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Bourland has an astonishing ability to write viscerally about art, culture, class, and landscape, for a work that's bound to be one of the summer's biggest crime/literary crossovers. -- Molly Odintz * LitHub *An impressively intelligent thriller set in the art world . . . Expect insightful paragraphs about the creative process sprinkled among the propulsive mystery. * Refinery29 *Meet "art satire thriller," your new favorite genre * HelloGiggles *Funny, blistering and unapologetic critique of the art scene * Magic Radio *A convincing account of the tension between the artistic process and the deadly perils of pretension * Daily Mail *This excellent and suspenseful novel shows how easily art makes people see what suits them * Strong Words *Bourland gets to the heart of why people create, the impetus within that drives the art and artist forward...Fake Like Me... marks Bourland out as a writer to watch - inventive, colourful and with plenty to say for herself * Irish Times *Incredibly vivid and absorbing * Sunday Independent *

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Book SynopsisA dark murder. A secret brought to light…June, 1797. From his headquarters at the Villa Mombello near Milan, the French revolutionary army’s young general, one Napoleon Bonaparte, dictates peace terms to Europe’s monarchies with breath-taking ease and arrogance.But when a series of malicious events at Mombello threaten to set Italy ablaze once again, and talk of a ghoul stalking in the night committing atrocities spreads like wildfire among the assembled guests, Napoleon forces failed magistrate Felix Gracchus out of retirement to solve the puzzling murders.Gracchus’s unwilling escort in this military world is ambitious but underachieving young cavalry officer Dermide Vanderville. Aided by Napoleon’s unruly tomboy sister Paolette, they set about unravelling the twisted skeins of intrigue and terrible secrets clogging the mansion’s shadowy corridors.A rich and compelling debut historical mystery set around Napoleon Bonaparte’s conquests, perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom, Paul Doherty and Ellis Peters.Praise for Blood and Fireflies 'A fantastic read. I recommend it unreservedly. You will probably end up reading it in one fell swoop' Paul Doherty

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Book SynopsisFive figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken, but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood... Years later, a headmistress is found strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children''s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. Detective Kim Stone fast realises she''s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it''s too late?An absolutely gripping, darkly compelling, and nail-bitingly tense mystery thriller that will keep you racing through the pages long into the night. A Kindle Chart #1, multi-million-copy, international bes

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Book SynopsisTwo girls go missing. Only one will return. The parents who offer the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing parents will not. Make no mistake. One child will die. When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable: that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping. And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for Detective Kim Stone and the squad. Seemingly outwitted at every turn, Kim realises that these ruthless killers might be the deadliest she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive are getting smaller by the hour... Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families'' past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will one of the girls pay t

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Book SynopsisA RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK''Fiendish good fun'' ANTHONY HOROWITZIf you want to get away with murder, play by the rules Years ago Malcolm Kershaw wrote a list of his Eight Favourite Murders' for his Old Devils mystery bookshop blog. Among others, it included those from Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt's The Secret History.Now, just before Christmas, Malcolm finds himself at the heart of an investigation - as an FBI agent believes someone may be re-enacting each of the murders on his list.Can the killer be stopped before they get away with eight perfect murders?''An ingenious game of cat-and-mouse'' The Times''Never less than enthralling'' Daily Mail''Tremendously enjoyable'' Sunday Mirror

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Book SynopsisTHE BRAND NEW SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AWARD-WINNING #1 BESTSELLING AUTHORTOM THORNE IS BACK . . . AND SO IS HIS WORST NIGHTMAREA gripping, grisly read. Mark Billingham is a terrific crime writer'' ----- ANTHONY HOROWITZTom Thorne has it all.In Nicola Tanner and Phil Hendricks, Thorne has good friends by his side. He finally has a love life worth a damn and is happy in the job to which he has devoted his life...He has everything to lose.Hunting the woman responsible for a series of grisly murders, Thorne has no way of knowing that he will be plunged into a nightmare from which he may never wake.And he''ll do anything to keep it. Finally, Thorne''s past has caught up with him and a ruinous secret is about to be revealed. If he wants to save himself and his friends, he must do the unthinkable.PRAISE FOR MARK BILLINGHAM''Mark Bi

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Book SynopsisIrish immigrant Molly Murphy is contemplating giving up PI work for something a little lessexciting. Molly has had quite enough excitement recently, thank you very much. Especially from the handsome but deceptive NYPD captain Daniel Sullivan. She wants him out of her life for good. But when Daniel is accused of accepting bribes and lands himself in the Tombs, the notorious city jail, he begs Molly to help prove he was framed. After everything they''ve been through together, how can she turn him down? As Molly finds herself drawn further into Daniel''s case, Molly begins to fear that his trouble is related to one of his investigations: catching a serial killer who is targeting prostitutes, known to the locals as the East Side Ripper . . .Trade ReviewDelightful . . . as ever, Bowen does a splendid job of capturing the flavour of early twentieth-century New York and bringing to life its warm and human inhabitants. * Publishers Weekly *Molly grows ever more engaging against a vibrant background of New York’s dark side at the turn of the century. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisOn the morning of her first day as the new captain of the Twentieth Precinct, Homicide Detective Nikki Heat is rocked when her NYPD shrink washes up dead on the banks of the Hudson River. But the jarring murder of the man who knew her most intimate secrets is only the first of a series of blows to batter her. She is soon blindsided by the discovery that her fianc , Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Jameson Rook, had been secretly meeting her psychologist as part of an explosive investigative article he is writing. Nikki s sense of betrayal deepens when Rook refuses on ethical grounds to share confidential information he has learned about the victim. His headstrong stance and continued meddling in Heat s case strain their engagement to the breaking point as their personal lives dive straight for a collision. Meanwhile, Heat races to stop an ingenious repeat killer with a chilling MO and a long list of targets.

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Book SynopsisThe past is catching up with Myron Bolitar... A gripping novel from the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of SIX YEARS.Myron Bolitar once had a promising career as a sportsman, until an accident forced him to quit. After a spell in the FBI he now runs his own business.Then Myron is approached to find Greg Downing. He knows Greg from old - they were once rivals, not just in sport, but for a woman they both loved. Now Greg has vanished, and the team boss wants Myron to find him, before news of his disappearance is leaked to the press. In Greg''s house Myron finds blood in the basement - lots of it. And when he discovers the body of a woman, he begins to unravel the strange, violent world of a national hero gone wrong, as he comes face-to-face with a past he can''t re-live, and a present he may not survive.Trade ReviewHarlan Coben is the modern master of the hook-and-twist - luring you in on the first page, only to shock you on the last * Dan Brown *Harlan Coben specialises in rousing the snake that lurks in the perfectly cut grass of American suburbia ... Coben makes you care about them but never neglects a plot that is full of his trademark shocks * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisThe Hit is David Baldacci's blockbuster follow up to The Innocent, the smash-hit bestseller featuring U.S. government assassin, Will Robie.YOU SEND A KILLER TO CATCH A KILLER.Government hitman Will Robie is an elite killer. Called on by the US authorities to assassinate enemies of the state, his formidable skill set makes him an irreplaceable asset to his employers. But when he’s given his next target, he knows he’s about to embark on his toughest mission yet.Reports indicate fellow assassin Jessica Reel has gone rogue, leaving a trail of deaths in her wake including her handler. To stop one of their own requires a special kind of agent and Robie is ordered to bring her in – dead or alive.But as the hunt begins, he quickly finds that there is more to her betrayal than meets the eye. There are larger forces at play that, if exposed, threaten to destabilize the US government and send shockwaves around the world . . .Trade ReviewRobie and Reel are complex characters, and anything they do is a pleasure to follow . . . Baldacci knows how to get readers to turn the pages, and he's in top form here * Associated Press *One of the world's biggest-selling thriller writers, Baldacci needs no introduction. Brilliant plotting, heart-grabbing action and characters to die for * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe Innocent is another action-packed thriller from David Baldacci, one of the world's most popular writers. He could no longer remember the names of all the people whose lives he had ended . . . Master assassin Will Robie is the man the US government call to eliminate their most ruthless enemies at home or abroad. He never questions his orders, and he never misses his mark.He’s just returned from a covert assignment in Edinburgh to neutralize a growing threat, having drawn upon all his expertise to complete his mission and disappear without a trace. The odds were stacked against him, but that’s never made a difference before.But now he’s facing the most difficult operation of his career. Dispatched to kill a US government employee, he does the unthinkable when things don’t add up – he refuses to pull the trigger. In doing so, Robie finds himself becoming the target. On the run from his own government and with everything on the line, does he need to change sides to save lives – including his own?The Innocent is the first novel in David Baldacci's blockbuster Will Robie series. Continue the series with The Hit. Trade ReviewOne of the world's biggest-selling thriller writers, Baldacci needs no introduction. Brilliant plotting, heart-grabbing action and characters to die for * Daily Mail *Robie and Reel are complex characters, and anything they do is a pleasure to follow . . . Baldacci knows how to get readers to turn the pages, and he's in top form here * Associated Press *

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Book SynopsisThe sixth Inspector Rebus novel from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES.''An outstanding creation'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHIt is August in Edinburgh and the Festival is in full swing... A brutally tortured body is discovered in one of the city''s ancient subterranean streets and marks on the corpse cause Rebus to suspect the involvement of sectarian activists. The prospect of a terrorist atrocity in a city heaving with tourists is almost unthinkable. When the victim turns out to be the son of a notorious gangster, Rebus realises he is sitting atop a volcano of mayhem - and it''s just about to erupt.**** Ian Rankin''s A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 10th October 2022 and w/c 1st May 2023Trade ReviewRankin is without doubt Britain's best crime novelist * DAILY EXPRESS *Rankin continues to be unsurpassed among living British crime writers ... He makes the reader feel part of the scene, and enhances the experience with his virtuosity with dialogue ... But all these virtues would count for little if Rankin didn't also possess the most important asset of them all - the ability to tell a damned good story * THE TIMES *Ian Rankin is a genius -- Lee ChildRankin is streets ahead in the British police procedural writing field * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Britain's No.1 crime writer * DAILY MIRROR *

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