Crime & Thrillers Books

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Book SynopsisGraham Greene was born in 1904. He worked as a journalist and critic, and in 1940 became literary editor of the Spectator. He was later employed by the Foreign Office. As well as his many novels, Graham Greene wrote several collections of short stories, four travel books, six plays, three books of autobiography, two of biography and four books for children. He also wrote hundreds of essays, and film and book reviews. Graham Greene was a member of the Order of Merit and a Companion of Honour. He died in April 1991.Trade ReviewGraham Greene taught us to understand the social and economic cripples in our midst. He taught us to look at each other with new eyes. I don't suppose his influence will ever disappear -- Auberon Waugh * Independent *A masterly storyteller... An enormously popular writer who was also one of the most significant novelists of his time * Newsweek *Graham Greene had wit and grace and character and story and a transcendent universal compassion that places him for all time in the ranks of world literature -- John Le Carre

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Book SynopsisIt is also home to Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a handsome young aristocrat corrupted by powerty, a shameless pleasure seeker.Two men of extraordinary vision, men of ruthless ambition, both blessed and cursed by the special favour of Fortune.Trade ReviewThe author's narrative flows as easily as Father tiber . . . A grandly meaty historical novel . . . rich with gracefully integrated research and thundering to the beat of marching roman legions * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisIn a suburb on the outskirts of Tokyo, four teenage girls drift through a hot smoggy August and tedious summer school classes. There''s dependable Toshi; brainy Terauchi; Yuzan, grief-stricken and confused; and Kirarin, whose late nights and reckless behaviour remain a secret from those around her. Then Toshi''s next-door neighbour is found brutally murdered and the girls suspect Worm, the neighbour''s son and a high school misfit. But when he disappears (taking Toshi''s bike and cell phone with him) the four girls become irresistibly drawn into a treacherous vortex of brutality and seduction which rises from within themselves as well as the world around them.Trade ReviewKirino uses her considerable narrative gifts to evoke the tedium, pressure and angst her teenage characters suffer * Publishers Weekly *Kirino creates a fictional universe in which the normal rules of engagement no longer apply...she chronicles the toxic fall out of an educational system that fosters conformity above individualism -- Emma Hagestadt * Independent *Japanese crime queen ... a tense, worried book of actions and consequences * Guardian *She may be the best crime writer to emerge from Japan in years * Independent on Sunday *The translation is smooth and invisible... Compelling * www.eurocrime.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisA stranger enters the inner sanctum of the Ashby family posing as Patrick Ashby, the heir to the family''s sizeable fortune. The stranger, Brat Farrar, has been carefully coached on Patrick''s mannerisms, appearance and every significant detail of Patrick''s early life, up to his thirteenth year when he disappeared and was thought to have drowned himself. It seems as if Brat is going to pull off this most incredible deception until old secrets emerge that threaten to jeopardise the imposter''s plan and his very life...Trade ReviewSuspense is achieved by unexpected twists and extremely competent story-telling . . . credible and convincing * Spectator *Josephine Tey enjoys a category to herself, as a virtuoso in the spurious ... the nature of the deception on this occasion is too good to give away * New Statesman *Really first class . . . a continual delight * Times Literary Supplement *Ingenious, stimulating and very enjoyable * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisSOON TO BE AN ORIGINAL AMAZON PRIME SERIES_____________________________________''No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it.'' LEE CHILD ''Alex Cross is a legend.'' HARLAN COBEN _________________________________________THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER The President''s children have been kidnapped. Detective Alex Cross is investigating the shocking crime, but someone powerful is trying to keep him off the case. Just days later, a deadly contagion in the DC water supply threatens to cripple the capital, and Cross fears that the stakes are much higher than he first thought - America is under attack. If Cross stands a chance of finding the missing children and preventing an event that could change the fate of the nation, he must make a desperate decision that goes against everything he belTrade ReviewKill Alex Cross is a thriller with family at its heart... Underneath the fast-and-furious action, Patterson is exploring what it means to be a father, a man and, ultimately, a human being in an increasingly complex and dangerous world. -- WASHINGTON POSTIt's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer: his uncanny skill in creating living, breathing characters we truly feel for and seamless, lightning-fast plots. I do this for a living, and he still manages to keep me guessing from the first to last page ... Simply put: Nobody does it better. -- JEFFERY DEAVERBehind all the noise and the numbers, we shouldn't forget that no one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it. -- LEE CHILD, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher seriesJames Patterson is The Boss. End of. -- IAN RANKIN, bestselling author of the Inspector Rebus seriesI wrote, "Along Came a Spider is the best thriller I've come across in many a year. It deserves to be this season's no. 1 bestseller and should instantly make James Patterson a household name." A household name, indeed. -- NELSON DEMILLEEvery once in a while a writer comes along and fundamentally changes the way people read. He or she is so bright, so innovative, so industrious that what they envision and create becomes the measure by which all others are judged. In 1993 one such writer - James Patterson - began to do just that ... James Patterson is the gold standard by which all others are judged. -- STEVE BERRY, bestselling author of the Colton Malone series[Alex Cross] has become one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time, a character for the ages. -- DOUGLAS PRESTON and LINCOLN CHILDAlex Cross is a legend. -- HARLAN COBENPatterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind. -- MICHAEL CONNELLYPatterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination. -- NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWPatterson is in a class by himself. -- VANITY FAIR

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Book SynopsisToni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. She was the author of many novels, including The Bluest Eye, Sula, Beloved, Paradise and Love. She received the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Pulitzer Prize for her fiction and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour, in 2012 by Barack Obama. Toni Morrison died on 5 August 2019 at the age of eighty-eight.Trade ReviewToni Morrison makes me believe in God. She makes me believe in a divine being, because luck and genetics don’t seem to come close to explaining her * Guardian *Morrison is an extraordinary novelist * New York Times *We don't know quite how Toni Morrison does what she does, but we do know we are left shaken as readers and, to a profound degree, changed * Washington Post *Morrison has brought it all together: the poetry, the emotion, the broad symbolic plan * New York Times Book Review *It is a tour de force of writing * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book Synopsis''His artistry is supreme'' John BanvilleThey suddenly found themselves in an impersonal world, where everyday words no longer seemed to mean anything, where the most mundane details were translated into unintelligible formulae. The judges'' black gowns, the ermine, the prosecutor''s red robe further added to the impression of a ceremony set in stone where the individual counted for nothing Maigret receives an anonymous phone call concerning the brutal murder of a woman and young child. The tip off concerns the woman''s nephew, a mild-mannered man by the name of Gaston Meurant. Maigret remains unconvinced of the man''s guilt and at his trial exposes some shocking truths about Meurant''s private life that may prove his innocence.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories'' GuardianTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor * Times *Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts. * Margaret Atwood *One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere. * Financial Times *Simenon's supreme virtue as a novelist, to burrow beneath the surface of his characters' behaviour; to empathise . . . it is this unfailing humanity that makes the Maigret books truly worth reading * Guardian *Terrific...the 75 Inspector Maigret books are almost uniformly wonderful. They are not crime or even detective fiction as ordinarily understood...they are about human foibles, moral failings and compromises, set in an evocatively atmospheric Paris * Sunday Times *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTHStrange alliances, personal vendettas and Cold War conspiracies build to a bloody climax in the snow' - The Times Thriller of the MonthThis is a proper page-turning high-stakes thriller' Crime TimeFrom the award-winning author of Moskva and Nightfall Berlin, a gripping suspense-filled thriller in the frozen North . . .Kola Peninsula, 1987. High in the Soviet Arctic, a tiny village houses an apocalyptic secret . . .When research zoologist Dr Amelia Blackburn ventures north to investigate the ravages of the Chernobyl reactor meltdown, she stumbles on the evidence of another sinister disaster on the Norway-Russia border - one that appears far from innocent. Mother Russia will stop at nothing to prevent this information from being revealed, putting Amelia and her team in grave danger from the moment they leave the site.When the news reaches LondonTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR JACK GRIMWOOD * - *If you’re missing the Cold War thrillers of le Carré, Jack Grimwood will fill the space in your heart with a thrilling splinter of ice -- VAL MCDERMIDSo atmospheric, SO SO GOOD, I recommend EXTREMELY highly -- MARIAN KEYESThis a proper page-turning high stakes thriller * Crime Time *A fine book . . . for those who enjoy vintage le Carré -- Ian RankinGrimwood is a damned fine writer * Independent *The new le Carré . . . an absolutely brilliant page turner . . . if you love thrillers, Jack Grimwood is a name you need to remember * BBC Radio 2 The Sara Cox Show *Spring's best thriller * Observer *A powerful, addictive, twisty tale where no-one can be trusted -- David Young, author of Stasi ChildA compulsive and supremely intelligent thriller from a master stylistAn intriguing thriller * Literary Review *Mesmerising, surefooted, vividly realised . . . something special in the arena of international thrillers * Daily Telegraph *Even better than Child 44 . . . A blizzard of exciting set pieces, superbly realized * Daily Telegraph *An extraordinarily atmospheric and immersive read ... escapism at its best * Good Housekeeping *So atmospheric, so elegantly written . . . like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, or like early le Carré. I really recommend it. I just disappeared into it totallyThe thriller of the summer ... Grimwood raises the stakes in this dark, twisty tale * iPaper *Fact and fiction merge in what they used to call a rip-roaring yarn that is totally credible. Excellent * Sun *Matches Robert Harris, Joseph Kanon, Ken Follett and John le Carré thrill for thrill * What's On Glasgow *Top-notch . . . the suspense never wavers * Crimetime *Highly entertaining . . . The plot is splendidly complicated. Like most good adventure novels set in recognizable history, Grimwood offers readers an enticing "what if?" * Scotsman *Note-perfect, multi-layered, rugged as a T-34 tank. Grimwood is about to become your new favourite thriller writer -- - * What's On Glasgow *The writing is elegant, the dialogue razor sharp, the characters drawn economically but effectively, and the action is unrelenting -- - * Crime Time *The superior spy thriller of the year. Le Carré fans will be delighted -- - * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis'Think of Ruth Rendell morphing into John le Carre' Daily Express ___________________The railway station is heaving with rush-hour commuters when the bomb goes off. In the subsequent enquiry, serious questions are asked of Jake Winter, the British Intelligence Officer responsible for preventing the attack. Especially when it transpires that the bomber was his agent. With his conscience - and his career - in tatters, Jake's hopes rest on his new recruit, a young British-Asian man named Rashid. Recently returned disillusioned from the Middle East, and now enlisted into a new terrorist plot, Rashid seems to be the answer Jake, and MI5, have been waiting for. But how can Jake know for certain when Rashid is his only source? Is history about to repeat itself or has Jake lost his nerve, haunted by his last mistake? After all, who can you trust, when you no longer trust yourself?___________________***PRAISE FOR NICHOLAS SEARLE***'It reminded me strongly of John le Carre ... this is hi

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Book SynopsisTHE ATMOSPHERIC NEW THRILLER FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BLACK-EYED SUSANS, SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES''Haunting, heartfelt, chilling and beautifully told, Night Will Find You walks that rare line between mystery, thriller and truly original character study. I adored it'' CHRIS WHITAKER''An irresistible mystery with addictive prose, Night Will Find You is a thriller like no other'' ANNA BAILEY, bestselling author of TALL BONES''A mesmerizing, unputdownable love letter to the mysteries of science and the human mind''KATIE GUTIERREZ, author of MORE THAN YOU''LL EVER KNOW__________Vivvy Bouchet, respected scientist and reluctant psychic, saved a boy''s life after a premonition when she was a child. Now a Texas police officer, he convinces Vivvy to help him solve a high-profile cold case, working alongside detective and sceptic Jesse Sharp.Three-year-old Lizzie Solomon Trade ReviewHaunting, heartfelt, chilling and beautifully told, Night Will Find You walks that rare line between mystery, thriller and truly original character study. I adored it -- CHRIS WHITAKER, bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE ENDAn irresistible mystery with addictive prose, Night Will Find You is a thriller like no other -- ANNA BAILEY, bestselling author of TALL BONESNight Will Find You is a rare thriller that seamlessly straddles the mystic and the scientific. Compelling and compassionate, Heaberlin's novel has one foot firmly planted in our world of misinformation and the other reaching for the inexplicable. I loved it -- IVY POCHODA, author of THESE WOMENA mesmerizing, unputdownable love letter to the mysteries of science and the human mind. With an unforgettable cast of characters - a reluctant psychic and grieving daughter, a wildly popular conspiracy theorist, a police officer with shadowy motives -Julia Heaberlin pays homage to everything we don't know about the universe and ourselves. I am already missing my time inside this world -- KATIE GUTIERREZ, author of bestseller MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOWHeaberlin is one of my all-time favorite authors. With NIGHT WILL FIND YOU, she nails it again, from the brilliant premise to the vivid prose to the gripping suspense to the beating hearts of her characters. Darkly beautiful, enthralling, and masterfully done. Every mystery lover should know her name -- LAURA MCHUGH, award-winning author of WHAT’S DONE IN DARKNESSIn Night Will Find You, Julia Heaberlin follows her deliciously haunting We Are All the Same in the Dark with another expertly rendered mystery, complete with compelling characters, an impeccably paced plot, and surprising twists. Heaberlin writes with such aching beauty I found myself pausing to relish her words and then racing ahead because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. A must-read! -- HEATHER GUDENKAUF, bestselling author of THE OVERNIGHT GUESTDark, elegant and utterly captivating, Night Will Find You is an unforgettable story written with richly evocative prose and genuine heart. I found myself completely immersed. A lyrical exploration of the fine line between scientific fact and the things we can't explain -- CHRISTINA MCDONALD, author of THE NIGHT OLIVIA FELLPRAISE FOR JULIA HEABERLIN * - *Beautifully written and wonderfully chilling * Sarah Pinborough *Utterly compelling . . . the writing is mesmeric * Ali Land *Strong characterisation, haunting images, a wonderful sense of place * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''The master at his peak'' Daily TelegraphA Russian scientist is defecting to the West, in order to realize his dreams of contacting extra-terrestrial life among the stars. But when an insubordinate British agent and a top CIA operative are sent to the Sahara desert to bring him in, things don''t go to plan. The result is a violent chase stretching across three continents, where loyalties - between spies, partners, nations and lovers - become fatally divided.''Classic, world-ranging, marvellously knowledgeable ... in a word, quality'' The Times''Tightly and complicatedly plotted, so credible in detail'' Financial TimesA PATRICK ARMSTRONG NOVELTrade ReviewThe master at his peak. * Daily Telegraph *Classic, world-ranging, marvellously knowledgeable ... in a word, quality. * The Times *For sheer readability he has no peer. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisSteven Harding is a handsome, well-respected professor.Ellie Masterson is a wide-eyed young college student. Together, they are driving south from New York, for their first holiday together: three days in an isolated cabin, far from the city. Ahead of them, the promise of long, dark nights - and the chance to explore one another''s bodies properly, away from disapproving eyes. It should be a perfect, romantic trip for two. Except that he''s not who he says he is. But then again, neither is she...

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Book SynopsisTHE INCREDIBLE TENTH BOOK IN THE ORPHAN-X SERIES - GUARANTEED TO THRILL YOU FROM PAGE ONE . . .''Outstanding in every way'' LEE CHILD''Laughs as well as action. A thriller that makes the Jack Reacher books look quaint'' Sun--NO GREATER FRIENDEvan Smoak is the guy you want on your side. A former government black ops assassin, he''ll be there for you in your darkest hour - and he''ll rain hell and thunder on those who caused your pain.NO WORSE ENEMYA lone wolf operator, Evan can''t afford to lose any of the few people he likes and trusts. But when Tommy Stojack, Evan''s loyal, long-time gunsmith and armourer, betrays him, it''s war.Because a good assassin keeps his friends close, but his weapons closer . . .--''He is a weapon of mass entertainment and the action never stops'' Daily Express''First-rate, deftly varied combat scenes'' The TimesPraise for the Orphan X series''Feels like a missile launch'' DAVID BALDACCI''Outstanding in every way'' LEE CHILD''Weapons-grade thriller writing'' GUARDIAN''An immensely entertaining adventure'' THE TIMES

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Book Synopsis''The new crime and espionage series from Penguin Classics makes for a mouth-watering prospect'' Daily Telegraph1940. An unassuming English engineer has travelled to Turkey on business. And somebody wants him dead.It all began when Graham was taken to a nightclub in Istanbul and noticed a man in a crumpled suit, watching him. Then he narrowly missed being killed by gunfire on returning to his hotel room. Now, terrified, he has been helped to escape in secret on a passenger steamer home. But although Graham may try to run, he cannot hide from his pursuers forever, and soon he is caught up in a nightmare beyond his control.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the new Penguin Crime and Espionage seriesA First World War battlefield hides a deadly secret - one that some are willing to kill forPaul Mitchell is a young military historian whose life is changed forever when two men, Dr Audley and Colonel Butler of the MOD, visit him with a fragment of a German trench map - and a lot of questions. Then somebody tries to kill him. Paul, his life now in danger, agrees to go underground on a mission to solve a dangerous mystery: what really happened during the battle of the Somme in 1916? And why does somebody want to keep it secret?Trade ReviewThriller-writing at its most intelligent and subtle. * Daily Telegraph *Price unbeatably blends scholarship with wordliness, flattering us to bits. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the new Penguin Crime and Espionage seriesA crime novelist has found the perfect subject - but it may cost him his lifeEnglish writer Charles Latimer is travelling in Istanbul when a police inspector tells him about the infamous master criminal Dimitrios, long wanted by the law, whose body has just been fished out of the Bosphorus. Immediately fascinated, Latimer decides to retrace Dimitrios'' steps across Europe to gather material for a new book, but instead finds himself descending into a terrifying underworld of international espionage, Balkan drug dealers, unscrupulous businessmen and fatal treachery - one he may not be able to escape.Trade ReviewNot Le Carré, not Deighton, not Ludlum have surpassed the intelligence, authenticity or engrossing storytelling that established The Mask of Dimitrios as the best of its kind. * The Times *A gripping thriller ... still fresh as new. * Guardian *A startling, elegant masterpiece of espionage fiction. * Wall Street Journal *

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Book Synopsis'A stark depiction of the alligator pond of prison life Rage tempered with compassion [its] emotional core continues to smoulder' The New York Times Book ReviewThrill-seeking teenager Jimmy Monroe is serving a twenty-year sentence for robbery in the state penitentiary, where terror and chaos reign, corrupt guards inflict casual violence, and men try to preserve their dignity amid isolation and inhumanity. When a fire breaks out, setting hell and mayhem loose, it seems Jimmy's entire world is unravelling. But as he develops a tender relationship with fellow convict Rico, hope begins to glimmer, and, through his eventual foray into writing, something resembling redemption. Originally published in 1952, in an expurgated version, as Cast the First Stone, Yesterday Will Make You Cry draws on Chester Himes's own youthful experiences of imprisonment to face down the scouring truths of harm and love. Himes at the top of his game what an amazing book it is' Melvin Van Peebles

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Book SynopsisThursday''s Child by Nicci French is the fourth novel in the bestselling Frieda Klein series, following Blue Monday, Tuesday''s Gone and Waiting for Wednesday.Two crimes, generations apart . . .Twenty years ago teenager Frieda Klein was brutally attacked in her own home. No one believed her - not the police, not her mother, not her friends. She left town, trained as a psychologist and never went back.Now an old classmate has shown up. She wants help with her daughter, who claims to have been attacked at home. An attack eerily similar to the one on Frieda. No one else believes the girl''s story. Now - with a school reunion in the offing - Frieda returns to the darkness she fled. To the small town which refused to help her and which hides a terrible secret. Because someone at the reunion knows what happened.And they''ll stop at nothing to prevent Frieda discovering the truth . . .Praise for the Frieda Klein series:''Nicci French''s sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition'' Sophie Hannah''Expert in the unguessable twist, supremely skilled at ratcheting up the tension'' Easy Living''French leads the field'' Sunday Express''Brilliantly crafted . . . masterly control of suspense'' Daily Mirror''Magnificent'' Evening Standard ''A nerve-jangling and addictive read'' Daily ExpressTrade ReviewNicci French's sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition. -- Sophie HannahBrilliantly crafted . . . masterly control of suspense * Daily Mirror *Tense, frightening, gripping * Easy Living *Nerve-tingling and addictive * Daily Express *Expert in the unguessable twist, supremely skilled at ratcheting up the tension * Easy Living *

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Book SynopsisJames Herbert was not just Britain's number one bestselling writer of chiller fiction, a position he held ever since publication of his first novel, but was also one of our greatest popular novelists. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his twenty-three novels have sold more than fifty-four million copies worldwide, and have been translated into over thirty languages, including Russian and Chinese. In 2010, he was made the Grand Master of Horror by the World Horror Convention and was also awarded an OBE by the Queen for services to literature. His final novel was Ash. James Herbert died in March 2013.Trade ReviewThrills and chills galore from the bestseller Herbert . . . his best yet . . . the build-up to the horrifying climax is subtle and sophisticated * Daily Express *Like all good authors, he has an uncanny knack of getting his claws into you. It’s always ‘just one more page’. Such are the ways of the master story-teller * Horrornews.net *

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Book SynopsisThe fifth book in the phenomenally successful Thursday Next series, from Number One bestselling author Jasper Fforde. ''Ingenious - I''ll watch Jasper Fforde nervously'' Terry Pratchett on The Eyre AffairFourteen years after she pegged out at 1988 SuperHoop, Thursday Next is grappling with a recalcitrant new apprentice, the death of Sherlock Holmes and the inexplicable departure of comedy from the once-hilarious Thomas Hardy novels.Her idle sixteen-year-old would rather sleep all day than save the world from imminent destruction, the government has a dangerously high stupidity surplues, and the Stiltonista Cheese Mafia are causing trouble for Thursday in her hometown of Swindon. Then things begin to get bad. As Reality Book Shows look set to transplant Reality TV Shows and Goliath invent a trans-fictional tourist coach, Thursday must once again have her wits about her as she travels to the very limits of acceptable narrativTrade Review'Once you read one - you'll be hooked.' * David Baldacci *'Fforde's books are more than just an ingenious idea. They are written with buoyant zest and are tautly plotted. They have empathetic heroes and heroines who nearly make terrible mistakes and suitably dastardly villains who do. They also have more twists and turns than Christie, and are embellished with the rich details of Dickens or Pratchett' * Independent *A riot of puns, in-jokes and literary allusions that Fforde carries off with aplomb * Daily Mail *'Fforde is a master entertainer, and a wordsmith of dexterous genius.' * Scotsman *'Fans of the late Douglas Adams, or, even, Monty Python, will feel at home with Fforde' * Herald *

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Book SynopsisThe second novel in the acclaimed V.I. Warshawski series from one of America's greatest female crime writers.Trade ReviewHow enjoyable to settle down with a new book by Sara Paretsky. * Sunday Telegraph *With the creation of V.I. Warshawski, Sara Paretsky did more than anyone to change the face of contemporary women's fiction. * Express on Sunday *Warshawski's darkest outing, with no sign that her creator is flagging. Paretsky has written a novel in which a great deal is stripped bare, including Warshawski's innermost anxieties about herself, producing a narrative as gripping as it is emotionally wrenching. * JOAN SMITH, Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA new killer and an old nemesis is a lot for Lincoln Rhyme to handle in this electrifying thriller, the ninth in Jeffery Deaver's bestselling series. Now a NBC TV series.Trade ReviewAnother corker . . . precision-engineered to keep the reader turning the pages without a hitch * Evening Standard on THE BROKEN WINDOW *One of the great detective teams of contemporary crime fiction come storming back . . . Deaver never disappoints, and this novel shines * Mark Timlin in Independent on Sunday on THE BROKEN WINDOW *The best psychological thriller writer around * The Times *The most creative, skilled and intriguing thriller writer in the world . . . [Deaver] has produced a stunning series of bestsellers with unique characterisation, intelligent characters, beguiling plots and double-barrelled and sometimes triple-barrelled solutions. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTHE EIGHTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one where Mma Ramotswe''s husband plays detective . . .At the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency there are many new cases for Precious Ramotswe to attend to, including the grave matter of three suspicious deaths at the hospital. But her attention is distracted by domestic problems - for the engagement of Mma Makutsi to Phuti Radiphuti is threatening their friendship.And, unkown to them both, the good husband of Zebra Drive, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, has been tempted into some detective work of his own, with disastrous results . . .Trade ReviewSimple, elegantly written and gently insightful * THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE *Perfect escapist fiction * THE TIMES *There is a timelessness to the tales, yet they are also of the moment . . . His talent is to see the god in small things * SUNDAY TIMES SCOTLAND *This is delicious, light-hearted stuff and I love it - my only criticism is that these books are just not long enough * THE LADY *

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Book Synopsis''Every new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy'' ASHLEY JENSEN''No wonder she''s been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime'' MAIL ON SUNDAYAgatha and her assistant, Toni, are driving to their friend Bill Wong''s wedding, thinking of nothing more than what the beautiful bride will be wearing when a terrified young man comes running down the country lane towards them wearing. . . nothing at all.The encounter leads them to become embroiled with a naturist group, a disappearing corpse, fantasy games, witchcraft, an ice cream empire, intrigue and murder. In the meantime, Agatha''s hectic life swirls along at dizzying pace, her private detective agency as busy as ever and her private affairs in turmoil - old loves to contend with and a new suitor on the scene. Then she finds herself in deadly danger when she begins to close in on a suspected murderer and the sinister nature of the ice cream business leads her to a chilling conclusion.

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Book Synopsis''One of the best opening lines of any novel'' Guardian ''It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach''s Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.''Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances...Praise for Iain Banks:''The most imaginative novelist of his generation'' The Times''His verve and talent will always be recognised, and his work will always find and enthral new readers'' Ken MacLeod, Guardian''His work was mordant, surreal, and fiercely intelligent'' Neil Gaiman''An exceptional wordsmith'' ScotsmanTrade ReviewHis masterpiece ... it's got a beating heart, and you want to keep reading -- Jay Rayner Daily Express

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Book SynopsisTHE TWENTIETH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the mysterious reverend . . . At a local wedding, Mma Ramotswe reunites with a friend whose daughter has inexplicably turned away from her. Elsewhere, several ladies in the region fall under the spell of a charismatic self-styled reverend. With little work on at the agency, Precious and Mma Makutsi see no harm in looking into such curious events. Meanwhile, Charlie is anxious. How can he, the part-time detective, secure his love''s hand in marriage? Even in the quietest months, it seems, there''s plenty for the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency to investigate . . . (To the Land of Long Lost Friends is the 20th book in The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.)''Irresistible''The Times''Every page contains a gem of wit and insight''ScotsmanTrade Review[To the Land of Long Lost Friends] touch[es] on both the minutiae of life and discussions of greater questions . . . Every page contains a gem of wit and insight, and there are also beautiful descriptions of the landscape, so much so that you can almost feel the throbbing heat of the day and the coolness of night. The gentle pace of the narrative gives the characters - and readers - time for reflection, and to dig deeper into wider questions of love, compassion and respect. The novel doesn't shy away from the most difficult subjects either. A moving passage about the life of a young orphan is likely to prompt tears in all but the hardest of hearts * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisThe first book in Alexander McCall Smith''s new Detective Varg series . . .The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to Scandi noir. Now, welcome to Alexander McCall Smith''s world of Scandi blanc, where mysteries abound and there is still so much for a Swedish detective to learn.Ulf Varg works in Malmö''s Department of Sensitive Crimes. Like all Scandinavian detectives, he has his issues. In this case, these include his unresolved feelings for his colleague Anna, his impatience over the seeming incompetence of his irritating colleague Blomquist and his concerns for the health of his hearing-impaired dog Martin, the only dog in Sweden (and possibly all Scandinavia) who can lip-read.Soon, Ulf and his colleagues find themselves investigating an attack on a market trader, the disappearance of a handsome man who may not exist and a group of students whose relationships leave a great deal to be desired . . .''Wonderfully soothing and relaxing'' TelegraphTrade ReviewMcCall Smith's continuing warm-heartedness makes Ulf such unfailingly good company * Reader's Digest *Unfailingly good company * Readers Digest *While the crimes may be inconsequential, the conversations are fascinating . . . McCall's humour is usually described as gentle, but readers familiar with the rhythm of his writing will find plenty here to make them snort * Independent i *Wonderfully soothing and relaxing . . . while McCall Smith's world may be a highly selective reshaping of the real one, he has the creative power to make it seem, in its quiet way, truer than truth . . . it left me with a warm glow that lasted through several news bulletins * Telegraph *Heaven is in the detail with this sort of escapist writing. It's like AA Milne meets Karl Ove Knausgaard. McCall Smith knows how to create a world full of sweet things and emotionally true moments and in this new series of "Scandi blanc" delivers exactly what his fans will be hoping for -- Melissa Katsoulis * Financial Times *Wonderfully soothing and relaxing; the books do not make you sit on the edge of your seat but sink deeper into your chair * Telegraph, 'Best thrillers and crime fiction of 2019 so far' *Alexander McCall Smith reached dizzying new heights of whimsy with his 'Scandi-blanc' experiment, The Department of Sensitive Crimes * The Scotsman (Scottish Books of 2019) *McCall Smith has a supreme talent for sketching truly likeable characters who are free to pontificate on all sorts of areas of interest . . . McCall Smith's humour is usually described as gentle, but readers familiar with the rhythm of his writing will find plenty here to make them snort * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis The Sunday Times bestselling series is back with a gripping new thriller that pits homicide detective Eve Dallas against a conspiracy of exploitation and evil...Mina Rose Cabot, age thirteen, disappeared walking home from soccer practice in Devon, Pennsylvania. Eight months later her body is found in Battery Park, New York, speared through the chest by a three-inch piece of wood. Lt. Eve Dallas knows that whoever took Mina is responsible for her death. But who took her and where has Mina been for eight long months...?

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Book Synopsis''A hilariously funny and bonkers book which I thoroughly enjoyed'' ANNE GLENCONNER''A witty, waspy, parody that hits its targets - hilarious'' HELEN LEDERERThe next in Daisy Waugh''s hilarious Tode Hall series: a gloriously witty tale of toffs, terror and old school ties . . .The Todes are heading to Italy - and taking murder and mayhem with them. Close to Rome, set among ancient ruins and freshwater springs, languishes the magnificent Villa Rospo, a jewel in the Tode family portfolio, and one they had virtually forgotten - until Sir Ecgbert and Alice decide it''s the perfect place for their honeymoon. Now suddenly everyone wants a piece.Sir Ecgbert''s brother Esmé sees it as an opportunity to restore his lost fortunes by turning it into a luxury eco wellness hub. His business partner Charlie Tysedale only wants it to escape from his dreaded bestselling-author wife. India Tode sees in it the ideal holiday home, whi

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Book SynopsisThe brand new novel featuring Private Investigator Kate Shackleton!1930, Yorkshire. Intrigued by a mysterious letter from a stranger offering important information, Private Investigator Kate Shackleton arrives in the mill village of Saltaire. At nearby Milner Field mansion, overshadowed by its reputation for misfortune and untimely deaths, she expects to meet the letter writer, Ronnie Creswell.Kate soon hears the shocking news that Ronnie has been killed. At first his death appears to be a tragic accident at the mill, but soon it becomes clear that Ronnie''s demise was no mishap. Kate is enlisted to help investigate the murder.Kate moves into the tower rooms at Milner Field, as she tries to uncover resentments, industrial espionage, and old secrets in the close-knit village. Although she doesn''t believe in curses, she wonders what sinister truth lies behind this latest in the litany of deaths connected to the infamous Milner Field.Then just whTrade ReviewPraise for Frances Brody:Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive -- Ann CleevesA novel that combines clever detection with a sympathetic understanding of human frailty * Daily Mail *I really adore this series and Kate is such a strong, level-headed character * Woman's Way *Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine -- Ann GrangerDelightful * People's Friend *Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers * Daily Mail *Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters * RT Book Reviews *Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences. As self-reliant women in a society that still regards them a second-class citizens, they make excellent heroines * Literary Review *Kate Shackleton is an engagingly forthright and indefatigable investigator * Irish Times *Frances Brody skilfully holds our attention, making us want to read on and then look forward to the next Kate Shackleton mystery * Gazette & Herald *The series is right up there with Miss Marple * Sunday Sport *

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Book Synopsis''Packed full of action, excitement, peril and romance on the high seas, this is the sapphic pirate book of my dreams'' SARAH UNDERWOOD, author of Lies We Sing to the Sea''Thrilling, heart-pounding adventure meets thoughtful feminist history . . . a rare and special tale'' VAISHNAVI PATEL, author of Kaikeyi''I flew through the pages as if my ability to breath depended on it . . . This book has stolen my heart!'' THE DEBUT DIGEST__________________________________________1656, Saint-Domingue. In the dark confines of a cell, a prisoner is waiting. Soon the hangman will call her name. Jacquotte Delahaye. A name which has struck fear into even the mightiest of empires. For Jacquotte is no ordinary prisoner: she is a pirate.Fierce. Legendary. Deadly.As the hangman prepares the noose, Jacquotte''s story is told, charting her humble origins from the island of Hispaniola to the deck of a fearsome pirate s

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Book SynopsisA thrilling and breathtaking Viking saga of betrayal, bloodshed and brotherhood from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot, Giles Kristian. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Games of Thrones.Nobody writes this type of swaggering historical fiction better than Kristian -- THE TIMESA belter of a novel...perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy alike, from Cornwell to Abercrombie -- BEN KANECombines gritty, brutal history with the lyrical essence of men as war...written with a panache that made the pages fly by. More! -- ANTHONY RICHESI love a good Viking romp and these are really good! -- ***** Reader reviewGiles Kristian certainly knows how to spin a yarn. -- ***** Reader review***********************************A VOW OF VENGEANCE MUST BE KEPT...Norway AD 785. Sigurd Haraldarson has proved himself a great warrior . . . aTrade ReviewStorm-blown, salt-flecked and gore-spattered, Winter’s Fire is a belter of a novel. It’s just what I have come to expect from the master storyteller, Giles Kristian, whose books throw the reader headlong into the Viking age . . . this is a stirring tale of comradeship, bloodshed and treachery. It’s perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy alike, from Cornwell to Abercrombie. -- BEN KANEWild as the waves, savage as a wolf pack in full flight, this is Viking writing at its best. bloody and savage and glorious, this tale of courage and cunning, of vengeance and of lives touched by the Gods is all we could possibly ask for from a historical novel: perfect. -- MANDA SCOTTNobody writes this type of swaggering historical fiction better than Kristian. Big swords, bigger beards and lots of action, all delivered with real panache and poetry. -- ANTONIA SENIOR * The Times *There are authors whose work I take the time to savour. Ben Kane for gritty, brutal history. Christian Cameron for the lyrical essence of men at war. Joe Abercrombie for grim, scarred characters with no choice except to fight and die. Giles Kristian’s Winter's Fire combined all three, but blended with a panache that made the pages fly by in a single sitting. More! -- ANTHONY RICHESSimply stunning. * PARMENION BOOKS *

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Book SynopsisPatrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro are tough private investigators who know the blue-collar neighbourhoods and ghettos of Boston''s Dorchester section as only natives can. Working out of an old church belfry, Kenzie and Gennaro take on a seemingly simple assignment for a prominent politician: to uncover the whereabouts of Jenna Angeline, a black cleaning woman who has allegedly stolen confidential Statehouse documents.But finding Jenna proves easy compared to staying alive. The investigation escalates, uncovering a web of corruption extending from bombed-out ghetto streets to the highest levels of state government.With slick, hip dialogue and a lyrical narrative pocked by explosions of violence, A Drink Before the War confronts a city in which institutionalized bigotry and corruption are often the norm, and the true nature of ''racial incidents'' is rarely clear. Dennis Lehane''s remarkable debut is at once a pulsating crime thriller and a mirror of our world, one Trade ReviewHip, and with a plot in overdrive, relentlessly violent and cathartic * Time Out *Truly excellent * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIntroduced by Kate Mosse, lose yourself in an epic naval journey in the final novel in the Booker Prize-winning historical fiction Sea Trilogy by the author of Lord of the Flies.I think there has been death in my hands.On the last stretch of its epic voyage from England to Australia, a disintegrating warship inches towards land. But there are still trials ahead, as the vessel is smashed against an ice cliff and blasted by a great storm, while the claustrophobic passengers battle erotic desires, masculine rivalry and violent power struggles - all experiencing a sea change in their natures. And when an unseen fire begins to smoulder below decks, the other side of the world has never seemed further away ...''Fantastic ... Gems tumble off the pages ... A strong sense of drama ... Much of the pleasure of reading his work is his original imagery.'' Annie Proulx A truly noble achievement'. Patrick Trade Review'The best novel I've read this year ... The language fizzes and spits.' - Daily Telegraph'Awesome ... Ambivalent, unresolved, walking a tightrope between reason and spirituality, tragedy and comedy ... So compelling and disturbing.' - Victoria Glendinning

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisSuperintendent Littlejohn is summoned to Surrey to investigate murder by explosion in Bellairs’ novel of small-town grudges with calamitous consequences.

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Book SynopsisTwo dead bodies and a Christmas stocking weaponised. A Postman murdered delivering cards on Christmas morning. A Christmas tree growing over a forgotten homicide. Martin Edwards compiles an anthology filled with tales of seasonal suspense where the snow runs red, perfect to be shared between super-sleuths by the fire on a cold winter's night.

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