Crime & Thrillers Books

Book SynopsisGourmet Pet Chef Kitty Karlyle must draw on more than her TV presenting skills when the producer of a new cooking show is found stabbed to death.Pet chef Kitty serves gourmet meals to pampered canines, cats, birds, snakes (ugh), Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs and most any other pet belonging to her wealthy and quirky L.A. clientele. This is a town where pets have their own psychologists, psychics and masseuses, so why shouldn''t they have their own chefs, right?Kitty finds herself somewhat reluctantly hosting a new cooking show called ''The Pampered Pet'' on CuisineTV. While shooting the pilot, the show''s producer is found in her office with a knife in her back - one of Kitty''s knives, to be exact. The list of suspects is long and time is short. If Kitty can''t find the killer soon, her own goose might be cooked . . .

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Book SynopsisA shocking 30-year-old secret returns to haunt thriller writer Tommy Devereaux in this nerve-shredding tale of suspenseIn 1981, three fourteen-year-old boys witness a horrific murder in the Oregon woods near their homes. Sucked into becoming accomplices to the subsequent cover-up, they swear never to talk about what happened.Thirty years later, Tommy Devereaux has become a bestselling author, using writing as his therapy. Finally, he is ready to tell the world what happened, even if he disguises the killing as fiction. But his life is set to unravel when he is approached by a woman who asks for his autograph, leaving behind a note which reads: ''You didn''t even change my name.'' Tommy''s worst nightmare has come true. A figure from his past has returned, threatening to divulge his darkest secret unless he agrees to do everything she asks of him. Thus begins a deadly cat-and-mouse game that can only end with one or both of their destructions.

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Book SynopsisIt''s Halloween, and café owner Maggie Miller''s special pumpkin spice beignet promotion is proving popular. But the evening ends in disaster when Maggie discovers the body of one of her regular customers, strangled to death with an expensive cashmere scarf.The late Nancy Alverson had tended to keep herself to herself - but what secrets was she hiding? And why had she been studying books on witchcraft?Of one thing Maggie is certain, it was no witch who killed Nancy. But has someone taken advantage of the spookiest night of the year to commit a brutal murder . . .?

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Book SynopsisAssistant Chief Constable Iles finds himself suspected of murder in the fast-paced 35th installment of the popular Harpur and Iles police procedural series.Tensions in the community are mounting following the gruesome deaths of two men, both of whom were accused yet acquitted of the murder of an undercover police officer. It looks like vigilante justice, but who is responsible? Alarmingly, suspicion falls on Assistant Chief Constable Iles.Matters escalate when a TV show investigating the murders is aired, further implicating Iles. Iles seems at ease with the accusations, as are his superiors in the police force. But others are not feeling so secure.Local crime bosses Ralph Ember and Mansel Shale fear reprisals against Iles will result in their own businesses suffering. And so they begin to plan how to remove potential troublemakers from their path . . .

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Book SynopsisGerda Persson has lain dead for three days. Her life seems to have been quite ordinary. Until the freezer in her home is opened. It is full of books, neatly stacked and wrapped in clingfilm, a thick layer of ice covering them - all by the same prize-winning author, all with handwritten dedications to Gerda.What story do these books have to tell? And what is their connection to a young boy found abandoned in an amusement park? Shadow is an utterly compelling novel of dark family secrets, murder and betrayal, which will keep you gripped until its final thrilling revelations.Trade ReviewAlvtegen's chilling novels are head and shoulders above most of the Scandi crew and...remind one forcefully of the early Barbara Vine novels. ... [Shadow] won't make you feel good about humankind, but it will keep you reading under the duvet during the small hours. -- Carla McKay * * The Daily Mail * *A truly irresistible read. * * Skånska Dagbladet * *Karin Alvtegen has become one of the greatest in the genre referred to as the psychological thriller . . . Shadow is . . . an excellent novel, suspenseful and intelligent and exceptionally well written. * * Eskilstuna-Kuriren * *Shadow is a classic Alvtegen novel - but with 'extra everything' . . . Like in her previous novels, Alvtegen moves aptly and confidently between odd characters and 'normal people', ordinary, everyday situations and disastrous moments . . . Once you've been properly sucked into the story, you are lost. * * Östgöta-Correspondenten * *Karin Alvtegen in brilliant shape . . . I read without stopping and with mounting excitement to see how Karin Alvtegen will tie it all together in the end. As the pro she is, she manages to to do just that, and the story builds up towards its dramatic and entirely unexpected denouement . . . Karin Alvtegen's new novel offers nearly four hundred pages of pure suspense. * * Jönköpings-Posten * *

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Book Synopsis'Atmospheric and surprising' The Sunday Times 'Cotton's investigating is clever and fascinating' GuardianBook 1 in the Peter Cotton spy thriller series, for fans of John le Carré and Robert Harris. Spain, September 1944. The war in Europe is drawing to a close; formerly neutral Franco is edging closer to the Allies. Peter Cotton, a young Intelligence officer, is sent to investigate the activities.On his arrival, Cotton learns that a fellow British agent, May, has been found dead. May had spent much of the war in the remote outpost of Cadiz, monitoring the Spanish smuggling of raw materials to aid the Axis war efforts. But in the months leading up to his death he had severed all contacts with his London controllers.Cotton travels to Cadiz where he must work with sinister local police inspector Ramirez to investigate May's death. But they are not the only ones with an interest in May. Cadiz is a hotbed of rumours and shifting political alliances. And what Cotton discovers amid the stifling heat and dust could just tilt the emerging balance of post-war power.The Peter Cotton spy thriller series:Book 1: The Maze of CadizBook 2: Washington ShadowBook 3: IcelightBook 2: Black BearShort story: RedeemableTrade Review'Accomplished crime-writing debut...atmospheric and surprising', * Sunday Times (Culture), Joan Smith *"Very moving...plot is intriguing" * New Books *'The Maze of Cadiz is a splendid debut mystery ... Monroe provides terrific and convincing historical atmosphere; I am delighted that she is writing more Peter Cotton novels' * Marcel Berlins, The Times *'Aly Monroe has created an impressive novel with an extraordinary, dream-like atmosphere ... only the first of a series of novels about him. The next can't come too soon.' * Natasha Cooper, Financial Times *'Aly Monroe is a newcomer to crime writing, whose accomplished debut, The Maze of Cadiz, is set in 1944 ... Monroe's portrait of Cadiz in the aftermath of the civil war is atmospheric, and in a surprising twist the mild-mannered Cotton turns out to be as devious as his adversaries' * Joan Smith, The Sunday Times *'Cotton's investigating is clever and fascinating' * Matthew Lewin, Guardian *'Addictive' * Sunday Telegraph *'Her writing is skilful and evocative...The Maze of Cadiz is a stylish and impressive debut' * The Economist *'Intelligent spy tale with little action and lots of intrigue ... very atmospheric' * Bookseller *'The slow pace of this novel is deliberate and perfectly authentic as it captures the Spanish approach to life ... a joy to read and a real page turner' * Eurocrime *'I have been quite captivated ...The book had me totally convinced that Ms Monroe knows her Spain and, more to the point, knows the Spain of 1944 ...wonderfully atmospheric, very well-written' * Mike Ripley, Shots *'Fans of convoluted espionage fiction will find much joy in this, the first instalment of a promising new series' * Mat Coward, Morning Star *'First-time novelist Aly Monroe brilliantly evokes the atmosphere of the southern Spanish seaport...this is the first in a promised series of Peter Cotton novels. I can't wait for the next' * Birmingham Mail *'Monroe lines up an array of strong and picturesque characters' * Edward James, Historical Novels Review *'It is extremely well written, involving, clever, emotional and satisfying - a debut novel of the very highest promise' * Nick Hay, Reviewing the Evidence *'Monroe writes in an intriguing way that is not always easy to follow but does seduce the reader to keep turning the pages' * Dover Express & Folkstone Herald *'In Aly Monroe's memorable thriller, British agent Peter Cotton arrives in the port to investigate the death of a fellow intelligence officer and immediately finds himself in danger' * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *'Monroe's eye for character and the general atmosphere of the book make it an entertaining read' * The Fiction Desk (online) *"Very moving...plot is intriguing" * New Books *'Highly recommended' * www.mysterywomen.co.uk *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********1592. England and Spain are at war, yet there is peril at home, too. The death of her trusted spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham has left Queen Elizabeth vulnerable. Conspiracies multiply.The quiet life of John Shakespeare is shattered by a summons from Robert Cecil, the cold but deadly young statesman who dominated the last years of the Queen's long reign, insisting Shakespeare re-enter government service. His mission: to find vital papers, now in the possession of the Earl of Essex.Essex is the brightest star in the firmament, a man of ambition. He woos the Queen, thirty-three years his senior, as if she were a girl his age. She is flattered by him - despite her loathing for his mother, the beautiful, dangerous Lettice Knollys who presides over her own glittering court - a dazzling array of the mad, bad, dangerous and disaffected. When John Shakespeare infiltrates this dissolute world he discovers not only that the Queen herself is in danger - but that he and his family is also a target. With only his loyal footsoldier Boltfoot Cooper at his side, Shakespeare must face implacable forces who believe themselves above the law: men and women who kill without compunction. And in a world of shifting allegiances, just how far he can trust Robert Cecil, his devious new master?Trade ReviewEnjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *A historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *A historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *A colourful history lesson . . . exciting narrative twists. * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIn OSCAR WILDE AND THE MURDERS AT READING GAOL, the sixth in Gyles Brandreth's acclaimed Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries series featuring Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle, Reading Gaol's most famous prisoner is pitted against a ruthless and fiendishly clever serial killer. 'Intelligent, amusing and entertaining' Alexander McCall Smith It is 1897, Dieppe. Oscar Wilde, poet, playwright, novelist, raconteur and ex-convict, has fled the country after his release from Reading Gaol. Tonight he is sharing a drink and the story of his cruel imprisonment with a mysterious stranger. He has endured a harsh regime: the treadmill, solitary confinement, censored letters, no writing materials. Yet even in the midst of such deprivation, Oscar's astonishing detective powers remain undiminished - and when first a brutal warder and then the prison chaplain are found murdered, who else should the governor turn to for help other than Reading Gaol's most celebrated inmate? In this, the latest novel in his acclaimed Oscar Wilde murder mystery series, Gyles Brandreth takes us deep into the dark heart of Wilde's cruel incarceration.Trade Review'The curse of fictionalising well-known characters is having to manoeuvre within the facts, but Brandreth manages it superlatively. This is light stuff, but energetic, and Brandreth clearly has Wilde at heart' * Financial Times *Praise for the Oscar Wilde Series'Gyles Brandreth and Oscar Wilde seem made for each other' * Daily Telegraph *'A cast of historical characters to die for' * Sunday Times *'Genius . . . Wilde has sprung back to life in this thrilling and richly atmospheric new novel' * Sunday Express *'A witty fin-de-siecle entertainment . . . rattlingly elegant dialogue' * Sunday Times *'Very entertaining' * Literary Review *'A flight of imagination that partners Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle in a deadly pursuit to the heart of the Eternal City merits a round of applause for sheer chutzpah . . . Gyles Brandreth succeeds magnificently . . . The relationship between the two writers is drawn so convincingly, but there is also dialogue of the period without any Victorian heaviness and a plot that is intriguing throughout. Brandreth's research is impeccable. Literary and theological references merge easily into a skilfully crafted story that goes all the way to meet the standards set by his two eminent protagonists' * Daily Mail *'Brandreth has always delighted in puzzles, in the quirks of both the past and present, and in the gloriously camp wit of Oscar Wilde. Here all of these things come together in a story that reminds us how enjoyable a well-told traditional murder mystery can be' * Scotsman *'Brandreth's deftly plotted, entertaining escapades double as historical novels of considerable merit . . . Brandreth is a deft hand at weaving plot, historical atmosphere and entertaining characters' * Historical Novels Review *'Brandreth's portrait of Oscar Wilde is entirely plausible; plots are ingenious and the historical backgroud is fascinating' * Scotsman *'Hugely enjoyable' * Daily Mail *'Cleverly plotted, intelligent and thoroughly diverting . . . This novel is an educated page-turner; a feast of intriguing and light-hearted entertainment' * Good Book Guide *'A carnival of cliff-hangers and fiendish twists-and-turns . . . The joy of the book . . . is the rounded and compelling presentation of the character of Wilde . . . The imaginary and the factual are woven together with devilish ingenuity. Brandreth also gives his hero speeches of great beauty and wisdom and humanity' * Sunday Express *'Packed with colourful characters and unlikely adventures . . . this latest instalment in Brandreth's clever and unapologetically entertaining Oscar Wilde series will not disappoint' * Good Book Guide *'Even the conventional crime novel has its pleasures' * Scotsman *'What sets the novel apart is Brandreth's talent for conveying time and place. The barbarism of close confinement has rarely been so graphically and movingly portrayed' * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisPREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS CHILDREN OF WAR'SO LIKEABLE IS BRUNO AND SO CONVINCING HIS MILIEU THAT I WAS DESPERATE FOR MORE ... FORMIDABLE!' Independent on SundayBruno, Chief of Police, France's favourite cop, is under pressure once again in this internationally bestselling series. He's investigating a murder - but it's one his bosses would rather he left well alone...Bruno, Chief of Police in the charming French town of St Denis, is already busy with a case when the body of an undercover French Muslim cop is found in the woods, a man who called Bruno for help only hours earlier. But Bruno's sometime boss and rival, the Brigadier, doesn't see this investigation as a priority - there are bigger issues at stake. Bruno has other ideas. Meanwhile, a Muslim youth named Sami turns up at a French army base in Afghanistan hoping to get home to St Denis. One of Bruno's old army comrades helps to smuggle Sami back to France, but the FBI aren't far behind. Then an American woman appears in St Denis with a warrant for Sami's extradition. Bruno must unravel these multiple mysteries, amidst pressure from his bosses, and find his own way to protect his town and its people.

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Book SynopsisPrivate investigator and ex-soldier Lee Arnold and superintendent Paul Venus are by no means friends, but when Venus' son Harry is kidnapped and ransom demands arrive from an address in Arnold's patch in east London, the superintendent doesn't know who else to turn to.Arnold and his partner Mumtaz Hakim soon find themselves chasing leads into several of the East End's uneasily coexisting communities. Mumtaz uncovers a link to one of the area's powerful Bangladeshi families, whose property empire has always seemed suspicious, while Arnold suspects the involvement of more old-fashioned East End gangsters, and wonders if some of the nastier rumours about Venus himself might be true. And neither Mumtaz nor Lee like the look of the children of the super-rich, arriving in droves in the trendy parts of Hoxton and Shoreditch and living in luxury just a stone's throw from grinding urban poverty.The truth, however, is stranger and more dangerous than either Arnold or Hakim imagine. Enough Rope is a powerful and thrilling novel of London's ever-evolving dark side.Trade ReviewA compelling new series - Sunday TelegraphA new and original pair of detectives ... it has the ring of truth - Independent (on A Private Business)Completely believable and timely . . . this series has brilliantly established itself - Crimesquad

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Book Synopsis'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom. The third exciting adventure of maverick spy Captain James Keane. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.The intrepid band of warriors, led by Captain James Keane, have been given their toughest job yet. The Portuguese university city of Coimbra is in ruins. Infiltrating the streets are untrustworthy Spanish guerrilla fighters, local Portuguese out for revenge and rival spies determined to find the famous book of ciphers, hidden in the city and guarded by a dissident Jesuit group. James Keane and his men must prevent the book falling into enemy hands but also to discover which of the guerrilla groups can be trusted. But this means sometimes following their own instincts over Wellington's orders . . . can Keane capture the book without sacrificing his honour, position and reputation?Trade ReviewRichard Sharpe would be delighted to have James Keane on his side! Iain Gale's creation is awonderfully imaginative addition to the fascinating tales of Britain's defiance of Bonaparte - Bernard CornwellA cracking adventure story and a rattling good yarn - The SoldierThis exciting military adventure is ideal for any fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books - The Good Book Guide

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Book SynopsisMay the best man die!July, 1923, and Daisy has been invited by an American magazine to cover the Henley Regatta. But unknown to her, she steps right into a class war between two members of the Oxford rowing team. Cox Horace Bott - a shopkeeper's son and scholar student - has always hated rower Basil DeLancy - younger son of an earl and all-round cad and bully. And after a particularly brutal public humiliation by DeLancy, Bott swears revenge - so when DeLancy keels over and dies mid-race, it would seem he's made good on his promise.Yet Daisy isn't convinced, and with the help of her fiancé Detective Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard, she dives into a tangled web of jealousies and secrets, where appearances are everything and good breeding may just be a cover for a killer intent on keeping Daisy mum forever...Praise for the Daisy Dalrymple series:'Cunning... appropriate historical detail and witty dialogue are the finishing touches on this engaging 1920s period piece.' Publishers Weekly'As always, Dunn evokes the life and times of 1920s England while providing a plot that is a cut above the average British cosy. This will delight readers who love country-house mysteries.' Booklist'A dauntless Daisy and good-natured fun.' Kirkus Reviews'For fans of Dorothy L. Sayers' novels' Library Journal

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Book SynopsisFatal Fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night...Daisy Darlymple is delighted to accept an invitation from her old school friend. Gwen Tyndall lives at Edge Manor in the Cotswolds and Daisy's visit will coincide with their annual fireworks display on 5th November. But this year, amid the festivities, Gwen's father and another man are found dead. It would appear that Sir Harold turned the gun on himself after shooting his guest.But could this apparent suicide be murder? After all, Sir Harold was notoriously bad tempered and there was no love lost between him and his children. And when Daisy and her husband uncover an explosive family secret , it soon becomes clear that a trigger-happy killer will go to any length to keep it hidden...Praise for the Daisy Dalrymple series:'Cunning... appropriate historical detail and witty dialogue are the finishing touches on this engaging 1920s period piece.' - Publishers Weekly'As always, Dunn evokes the life and times of 1920s England while providing a plot that is a cut above the average British cosy. This will delight readers who love country-house mysteries.' - Booklist'For fans of Dorothy L. Sayers' novels' - Library Journal

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Book SynopsisAt the heart of French gastronomy lies the famed black truffle of the Perigord. But France's truffles are being adulterated with cheaper ones from China, and it seems that Chinese organised crime is behind the fraud. The third internationally bestselling case for Bruno, Chief of Police. In St Denis market, a Vietnamese family has been selling their dishes for years, until their stall is wrecked by attackers who look Chinese. Again it appears that organised crime is behind the outrage, firing the opening shots of a Viet-Chinese triad war. When vicious murder, illegal immigration and the importation of underage girls for prostitution are added to the mix, Bruno has his work cut out to keep St Denis from tearing itself apart.Trade ReviewSo likeable is Courreges and so convincing his milieu, that I was desperate for more Bruno as soon as Black Diamond's brisk and brutal conclusion came... C'est formidable * Independent on Sunday *There are truffles to gather and market days to attend, as well as a sumptuous funeral banquet for a murdered truffle master that surpasses any meal cooked up thus far in a series that always makes your mouth water * International Herald Tribune *Done with elegance, intelligence and a touch of steel to ensure that the books never turn into a twee portrayal of rural life * Reviewing the Evidence *Luscious rural French caper * Sunday Mirror *[T]hat the novel manages to avoid lapsing into a familiar description of sleepy provincial French life can be attributed to the broader, timely issues that the author has chosen to address: immigration, fraud and political corruption. * Times Literary Supplement *Martin Walker spins a surprising and compelling mystery, laced with charm and a deep knowledge and love of France, past and present. It is a combination that will win him many fans * Waterstones,com *

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Book Synopsis Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize Shortlisted for the Writers’ Guild Awards Shortlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award Nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 'He just knocked, that was all, knocked at the front door and waited, like the fourteen years since the night I'd killed my mother hadn't happened at all...' Crushed by an impossible shame, Jinx's life has been little more than a shell. Now estranged from her husband, she is even relieved when he leaves and takes her young son with him. But a visit from an old friend of her mother's forces Jinx to confront her history. Looking back plunges her once more into the pain of the past, but it also brings with it the possibility of redemption. And Jinx isn't the only one with secrets. Together, she and Lemon will unravel an unforgettable family drama, stoked with violence and passion. Rich with voices from East London and the West Indies, Edwards's narrative is delivered with a unique and uncompromising bite that announces a new talent in British fiction. 'Deeply moving, wonderfully written… A study of grief and remorse.' The Times Trade Review'Deeply moving, wonderfully written... A study of grief and remorse.' -- The Times'In this potent mystery... Edwards makes us greedy for the full story.' -- New York Times'Yvvette Edwards unique and uncompromising debut is stoked with violence and passion, rich with voices form East London and the West Indies.' -- Booker Prize judges'A pleasure to revisit. A Cupboard Full of Coats is literary perfection. Beyond glorious.' -- Eva Verde, author of In Bloom'A gut-wrenching and gorgeously lyrical debut... Engrossing and human to the core, Edwards's novel wrings the heart in the most tender of ways.' -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)'A Cupboard Full of Coats is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.' -- Attica Locke, author of Black Water Rising'An impressive debut… A writer to watch.' -- Independent'Redolent of Monica Ali and Zadie Smith, Yvvette Edwards' bold debut is a searing story of family, jealousy, and tragic betrayal… Rich with voices from East London and the West Indies, Edward's narrative is delivered with a unique and uncompromising bite that announces a new talent in British fiction.' -- Fantastic Fiction'A piercing and engaging narrative...reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets.' -- Booklist'Lyrical and haunting.' -- Toronto Star'A novel that pulses with rhythm, texture, language, and a story that keeps you locked to its pages. Brutally honest, expertly woven, and utterly mesmerizing. I loved this book.' -- Naseem Rakha, author of the international bestseller The Crying Tree'A truly stunning work of contemporary literary fiction that packs an emotional punch and keeps readers guessing to the end, A Cupboard Full of Coats is already being compared by critics to the novels of the master, Ruth Rendell.' -- African American Literature Book Club'A fierce book, painfully honest and beautifully written… Impressive.' -- The Book Bag'Beyond the luminous prose and fully dimensional characters, Edwards explores difficult issues of race, beauty, gender, objectification and how they coalesce to create the identity we present to the world as well as ourselves.' -- Book Club Classics'One to watch.' -- Daily Mail'Expertly woven and perfectly paced, A Cupboard Full of Coats is both a heartbreaking family drama and a riveting mystery, with a cast of characters who linger in the mind and the heart long after the last page has been turned.' -- BookBrowse'An elegantly structured story of guilt and redemption…emotionally raw and brutally honest… Impressive in its psychological complexity, this is one of the best novels I've read this year.' -- Publishing Perspectives'An impressive debut, particularly notable for its pellucid prose.' -- Kirkus Reviews'Fans of British psychological thrillers, à la Ruth Rendell, will adore this lyrical debut.' -- Redbook'Yvvette Edwards' A Cupboard Full of Coats is a trauma narrative with a surface patina of Junot Diaz.' -- Propeller Magazine'I can't stop talking about this gut-wrenching tale of forbidden love.' -- Essence'It is carefully structured and the human relationships brutally real.' -- We Love This Book'A slow-burning heartbreaker of a story. . . [written] with elegant restraint and a sensitivity uncommon in debut novels.' -- Shelf Awareness'Rich in emotion but resolutely unsentimental, the story is unspooled with judgement and skill.' -- Literary Review'Expert plotting, a flair for the dramatic and an ability to create characters both vividly idiosyncratic and classically archetypal.' -- The Journal Sentinel'The heroine is Jinx and this is her story… It is a very fine first novel, with Edwards keeping her characters interesting, the plot full of guesswork and her story well told. And it is certainly better than some of the others mentioned above.' -- The Modern Novel

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Book SynopsisDidier Daeninckx?s chilling novel created uproar when it was first published in France in 1984. It is set against the backdrop of a demonstration in Paris in 1961, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Algerians at the hands of the police. In Daeninckx?s story, Roger Thiraud, a young history teacher, is also mysteriously killed during this demonstration. Twenty years later, Bernard, his son, is murdered in Toulouse while on holiday with his girlfriend. To find the connection between the murders, Daeninckx?s hero Inspector Cadin must delve into the secret history and devastating compromises of wartime politics. Murder in Memoriam is a tense and unsettling indictment of France?s hidden past.Trade Review?Murder in Memoriam is the kind of book that begins to restore one?s confidence in the detective story. Not only has Daeninckx produced a particularly intriguing narrative, but he has found a way to give this narrative a satisfying significance... A touch of moral vision and a pinch of righteous anger work wonders? Nick Hornby ?How many detective stories have helped a country confront its past? Murder In Memoriam has certainly done that? Guardian ?Didier Daeninckx is a novelist, magician and archaeologist prince... a frightening book? Jerome Charyn ?Serves as a tap on the shoulder - a necessary reminder that what is dead is not buried, and what is buried is, unfortunately, not dead? Derek Raymond

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Book SynopsisSherlock Holmes yearns for a challenge when Lady Diana arrives, pleading for his help, holding herself responsible for the accidental death of a blackmailer.Her predicament enthrals Holmes who knows the blackmailer to be an aide to Count von Runstedt whom he believes to be the head of a German spy ring. He and Watson probe this conspiracy and are plunged into a series of escapades which take them all over London and beyond involving them in burglary, treason and murder.Holmes obtains a vital document needing decoding and acquires a scrap of paper indicating the whereabouts of top secret government documents which have gone missing, but this too needs unravelling.It is also a tale of two women, from opposite ends of the social spectrum, who profoundly influence the course of events.Set against a backdrop of the mounting tension in international affairs in the 1890s this is one of the most politically sensitive of Holmes''s cases.

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Book SynopsisRoger Riccard, one of the most respected Sherlock Holmes authors, following his highly aclaimed six volume set A Sherlock Holmes Alphabet of Cases has again taken pen in hand to bring readers the first volume in a new collection of adventures based on colours.The Olive Garden Painting - An early brush with John Clay over a famous painting which has disappeared takes Holmes to Oxford and his first encounter with Professor Moriarty.The Black Irish Pug - A hard-hitting story of prejudice and politics set in the lead up to the 1908 London Olympic Games.The Golden Grail - Someone believes that the Arthurian Legend of the Holy Grail is true and has stolen the artefact in the hope of using its powers.The Blue Parrot - Set in Casablanca in 1906, Holmes takes on a case involving Valentino Ferrari, a young Pablo Ugarte and the new gardien de la paix, Louis Renault.The Gray Elegy - One of the most important poems of the 18th century by the Poet Laureate, Thomas Gray, on the subject of life and death has been stolen. Its recovery has deadly consequences. Sit back and enjoy reading the initial five stories of The Colourful Cases of Sherlock Holmes, and watch out for the second volume coming soon.''It was as though Doyle had crafted these stories himself.'' Amazon review of Riccard''s Sherlock Holmes: Adventures for the Twelve Days of Christmas

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Book SynopsisPablo Simo's life is a mess. His career as an architect is at a dead-end; reduced to designing soulless office buildings desecrating the heart of Buenos Aires. His marriage seems to be one endless argument with his wife over the theatrics of their rebellious teenage daughter. Everything changes with the unexpected appearance of Leonor, a beautiful young woman living in the apartment of Nelso Jara, a blackmailer murdered and buried in the foundations of a building finished twenty years before. Pineiro once again demonstrates her capacity to reveal the things hidden behind the facades of our existence; human relationships based on habit and cowardice, rather than love; on excessive ambition and personal gain, rather than morality.Trade ReviewPraise for previous novels by Claudia Pineiro: "Thursday Night Widows is a gripping story. The dystopia portrayed is an indictment not solely of an assassin but of Argentina's class structure and the willful blindness of its petty bourgeoisie." Times Literary Supplement "If you read only one crime book in translation this year, make All Yours the one, a book that grabs you from the start and whips along at pace. It screams out to become a film." CrimeTime

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Book Synopsis'He realised that he would drown here. Someone had crafted this seat to drown people. To drown him. Terror rushed from his brain to rouse every cell in his body, but there was nothing to be done. He was well and truly tethered. Slowly it dawned on him that he did know why he was sitting here. He'd spent all his life running from this nightmare, and now he'd landed in its clutches.' Dead Men Dancing begins with the discovery of a corpse on the beach, the body of a man who has been shackled to rocks and left to drown. As the journalist Hannis Martinsson investigates, he comes across evidence of more deaths which have been caused in the same way, and starts to realise that they are all linked to a local revolt several decades earlier, which tore a community apart. The repercussions have continued to the present day, and Hannis' enquiries soon put his own life in danger.

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Book SynopsisMaverick investigator Dominic Queste is on the trail of missing butcher Sam Price. But he soon uncovers links to a killer with a taste for games. What began as a simple favour for his girlfriend quickly descends into a battle for survival against an enemy who has no qualms about turning victims into prime cuts. Amidst a twisted game of cat and mouse, suspicious coppers, vicious crooks and a seemingly random burglary, Queste has to keep his wits about him. Or he might just find himself on the butcher’s block.Trade Review“Skelton takes the usual ingredients of the crime novel then adds his own sparkle. Witty, well observed, compelling - this is a book you'll want to savour. A fine, fine writer, at the very top of his game.” -- Denzil MeyrickA thoroughly gripping whodunit that shows just how darkly humorous Tartan Noir can become: and how genuinely chilling it can be at the same time.” -- Undiscovered Scotland“There is a wonderful “old-school PI feel in modern times” about this book that I simply adored. With dry wit and off-the-cuff banter, the fast-paced plot will keep the reader turning the pages in this quirky, cool and fantastically clever storyline.” -- Crime Book Junkie“Stands out from the crowd… A highly entertaining and gripping read.” By the Letter blog; “Top-notch writing, top-notch storytelling, some brilliantly observed life realities and really believable, well-drawn characters.” -- Liz Loves Books"A dark, suspenseful thriller… top, top reading." Grab This Book; “Raymond Chandler meets Glasgow gangland: Dominic Queste is a breath of humorous fresh air in what is a dark, fast-paced, one-liner wisecrack of a read!” -- Chapter In My Life“The Dead Don’t Boogie introduced us to a memorable new star of Scottish crime fiction, but Tag – You’re Dead takes what Douglas Skelton started with that book and dials everything up to 11. Funnier, wittier, darker and more dangerous than its predecessor, it is a novel which dares you to put it down and wins every time.” -- Scots Whay Hae“A tense and exciting thriller. Gritty, memorable writing, a superb lead character, witty dry humour, all in a multi-layered, enjoyable story.” -- Random Things“So noir, you almost need a torch to read it… The style is authentic, heady and pitch-perfect… A fun read, a sobering one and every page is compelling.” -- Blue Book Balloon“Brilliant… a great story, with some fantastic characters.” -- Steph’s book blog

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PRIX LANDERNEAU DES LECTEURS 2018 Described as 'eerie and sensual' by The Guardian, Wild Dog tells the story of a young couple who discover dark secrets in the remote French countryside. 'Reads like a modern fairy tale' New York Journal of Books Franck and Lise, a French couple in the film industry, rent a cottage in the quiet hills of the French Lot to get away from the stresses of modern life. In this remote corner of the world, there is no phone signal. A mysterious dog emerges, looking for a new master. Ghosts of a dark past run wild in these hills, where a German lion tamer took refuge in the First World War … Franck and Lise are confronted with nature at its most brutal. And they are about to discover that man and beast have more in common than they think. A literary sensation in France, Wild Dog is a dark, menacing tale of isolation, human nature and the infinite savagery of the wild.

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Book SynopsisPhilip Trotter's debut novel is an exhilarating and original take on the Vietnam theme, exploring less familiar aspects of the country's painful history through the generation-defining image of the Burning Monk. Saigon, 1963. With the tensions of war starting to swirl, rookie photographer Ned Rivers lands in South Vietnam, hungry for the iconic shot that will make his name. But a shocking and violent act of protest by a local Buddhist monk quickly draws Ned's focus from the battlefields and the Viet Cong. Behind the front pages, a different conflict is churning - political, religious, and cultural - which threatens to tear this fragile nation even further apart. As Ned learns more about the Buddhist community's suffering at the hands of the state, his journalistic detachment becomes harder to justify. New friendships turn to solidarity and action, leaving him open to the government's wrath. President Diem sends out his ruthless attack dog Colonel Tung to manage the interfering journalist. Meanwhile, Diem faces mounting criticism from his American allies as their stake in Vietnam deepens. With political pressures at home driving US policy, the regime seems increasingly like a liability. For Ned, caught at the centre of this international chessboard, the adventure becomes too real. With friendships, love and a career in balance, can he hope to protect it all from the conspiracy of violence, arrest and war that surrounds him?

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Book SynopsisAfter a troubled start in life Seb Faber's prospects lookedbleak. But an unexpected City job offer andan explosive love affair appears to point to a secure and happy future. However,Seb's world is turned upside down and not everything is as it seems - leadingto a dramatic and totally unforeseen conclusion.

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Book Synopsis"I have been in the Valley of Fear… I am not out of it yet." “There – is – danger!” The warning message decrypted by Sherlock Holmes arrives too late to save John Douglas of Birlstone Manor, Sussex, an American gentleman gruesomely murdered in his study by person or persons unknown. But who was John Douglas, why wasn’t he wearing his wedding-ring, and what is the crucial significance of the missing dumb-bell? This atmospheric graphic novel adaptation by Ian Edginton and I.N.J. Culbard - the team behind this series' acclaimed A Study in Scarlet, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of the Four - will keep you guessing.

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Book SynopsisThe hunt for a serial killer takes criminal profiler Emily Roys and true-crime writer Alexis Castells from London to Sweden, and back into the past, to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, in the first instalment an addictive, award-winning new series from the Queen of French Noir ***Winner of Balai de la Découverte and Nouvelle Plume d’Argent Awards*** ***International Number One Bestseller*** ‘Dark, oppressive and bloody, but it’s also thought-provoking, compelling and very moving’ Metro ‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling’ Peter James ‘A bold and intelligent read’ Laura Wilson, Guardian ___________________ Evil remembers… Falkenberg, Sweden. The mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer, Linnea Blix, is found in a snow-swept marina.Hampstead Heath, London. The body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's.Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again. Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light. ___________________ ‘A terrific, original duo’ The Times ‘Multi-layered, superbly plotted, brimming with mystery, tension and bone-chilling violence, and with two very different – but equally fascinating – lead female characters, Block 46 is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted … this is a book that has the power to shock and the artistry to impress long after the last page has turned’ Lancashire Post ‘Utterly compelling’ Woman’s Own ‘A bold and audacious debut from a very talented writer. Heralds the beginning of a thrilling new series’ R J Ellory ‘Viscerally brutal yet delicately beautiful, like blood spatter on fresh snow. An unbelievable debut’ Matt Wesolowski ‘A truly unique and chilling blend of Nordic Noir’s dark atmosphere … gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed’ Crime by the Book ‘A real page-turner, I loved it’ Martina Cole ’A great serial-killer thriller with a nice twist … first rate’ James Oswald ‘Cleverly plotted, simply excellent’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘A must-read’ Daily Express ‘There’s a touch of Hannibal Lector in this one, and the final plot twists are harsh and sudden. You’ll want to double check the door locks and keep a few extra lights on, as you read … the suspense is brutal’ Kingdom BooksTrade Review"Well done, Orenda Books, in bringing this debut crime novel across 'the Pond.'" --Kingdom Books Mysteries Reviews

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Book SynopsisWith her lover, JT, behind bars and heading for death row, single-mother Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson takes on an off-the-books job that could threaten everything… ‘A real cracker’ Mark Billingham ‘My kind of book’ Lee Child ‘Like Midnight Run, but much darker … really, really good’ Ian Rankin A web of lies. A killer on the run. An impossible choice… Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but the little girl’s cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT – Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything – alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson ‘The Fish’ Fletcher, and JT walks free.This is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything… Breathlessly paced, and bursting with high-voltage action and edge-of-your-seat jeopardy, Deep Blue Trouble is the unmissable next instalment of the Lori Anderson series, featuring one of the most memorable and fearless female characters in crime fiction. Praise for the Lori Anderson Series ‘This is romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet’ Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express ‘If you like your action to race away at full tilt, then this whirlwind of a thriller is a must’ Deirdre O’Brien, Sunday People ‘Stripper-turned-bounty hunter Lori, with her sickly young daughter in tow, gets into high-octane escapes when she sets out to bring her former lover and mentor to justice. Lively’ Sunday Times ‘The non-stop twists and turns … draw in readers like a magnet and keep them hooked to the action right up to the emotional conclusion’ Burnley Gazette ‘Sultry and suspenseful, it marks a welcome first vow for an exceptional new voice’ Good Reading Magazine ‘Gripping, entertaining and utterly addictive, this is a cracking start to an enthralling new crime series…’ Lancashire Evening Post ‘Suspense, action, romance, danger and a plot that will keep you reading into the wee small hours. I loved it’ Lisa Gray, Daily Record ‘Fresh, fast and zinging with energy’ Sunday Mirror ‘ Readers will cheer her every step of the way’ Publishers Weekly ‘A whole hell of a lot of fun’ New Books Magazine ‘Fresh, compelling and beautifully written’ S.J.I. Holliday ‘Fast-paced, engaging and hugely entertaining’ Simon Toyne ‘Brilliant and pacey’ Steve Cavanagh ‘Excitement and exhilaration flies off every page’ David Young ‘A hell of a thriller’ Mason Cross ‘A series that will run and run’ Howard Linskey ‘A blistering debut’ Neil Broadfoot ‘If you love romantic suspense, you’ll love this ride’ Alexandra Sokoloff ‘Deft and assured’ Chris Whitaker ‘A stunning debut from a major new talent’ Zoë Sharp ‘Delivers thrills at breakneck pace’ Marnie Riches ‘One of my favourite debut novels for a long, long time’ Luca Veste ‘A gritty debut that will appeal to Sue Grafton fans’ Caroline Green ‘Great action scenes and great atmosphere’ C.J. Carver ‘Crazy good … full-tilt action and a brilliant cast of characters’ Yrsa Sigurđardóttir ‘Quite simply one of the best debut novels I have ever read’ Angela MarsonsTrade Review"Steph Broadribb kicks ass, as does her ace protagonist Lori Anderson!" --Mark Billingham "Readers will cheer...every step of the way."--Publishers Weekly "With a Stephanie Plum-style protagonist in bounty hunter Lori, Deep Down Dead has a Midnight Run feel to it, but much darker. Really, really good." --Ian Rankin "This is a good one--fast, confident, and suspenseful. My kind of book." --Lee Child on Deep Down Dead

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Book Synopsis1927. CHINA IS IN TURMOIL.The Communist Party and the Kuomintang government, long at each others’ throats, are now locked into a conflict set to claim the lives of millions. History remembers the bodies and battlefields, but for some, fate was decided between the ciphers.Ji Zhenren’s mind is the Red Army’s prize asset. His task: to break the enemy’s near-impenetrable codes. With Ji’s genius at the helm the retreating Red Army might just be able to turn the tables, but only if forbidden romance and political controversy don’t bring him crashing down first.From the dark alleys of Shanghai to hidden paths carved through snowclad mountains, an invisible war rages. In the silent world of the codebreaker, cracking the cipher means breaking the enemy. Anything less spells certain death.

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Book SynopsisTwo brothers, Tashi and his elder brother, Dawa, tend their family's flock of sheep on the mountainside. Little Tashi tries to help his brother but his head is filled with dreams of going to school, leading to mishaps and danger. The brothers encounter many perils that threaten their family's livelihood and Tashi's dream of attending school.The beauty of the mountain and the pastures is captured in this charming tale of two young boys discovering savagery in nature and finding the strength to overcome obstacles and set-backs to preserve what is most dear to them

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Book SynopsisPublius Ovidius Naso (43BC – 17/18AD), known as Ovid, was known as much for his disgrace as for his poetry. By pleasing his contemporaries, befriending patricians and subtly mocking the emperor Augustus, he was transformed from a provincial outsider to Rome’s darling – and, for some, its corrupter. Banished without trial to a remote port on the Black Sea, he continued to write. It is fortunate that most of his work has not been lost. The transformation stories of his masterpiece – The Metamorphoses – inspired not just Shakespeare, Chaucer and Milton, but have been a major influence on European culture. His handbooks of erotic love taught men and women the art of dealing with the opposite sex. They brought him instant literary glory and notable adversaries. His works were banned by the emperor Augustus, by Savonarola, by the Bishop’s Ban, by the Vatican and eventually by the US Custom Office; this latter only lifted in 1930. To discover who was Ovid the man, Michael Solomon travelled in his footsteps, seeking the same landscapes today that Ovid found two thousand years ago.Trade Review"For any Classics lovers this is the perfect exploration into the life of such an influential poet. ...It is profound and well-written, and fully captivates you, bringing you into Ovid’s journey out of exile. If you love Ancient Greece/Ancient Rome or just love the symbolism in Ovid’s poetry then this will bring you into a new dimension of understanding." Inside Out Reviews "The Scapegoat is a thrilling novel with an intriguing character study that is sure to please those interested in the Roman Empire." Historic Chronicles "The Scapegoat is a thoughtful and interesting novel, with a good historical background research and unique take on historical facts. A long yet heartly recommended weekend read." Wild Writing Life "Sardonic, clever, and descriptive, this novel takes the reader not only into the life of the infamous Ovid but also into the heart of 1st century Rome with all of its political intrigue and artifice." Ellen Z Reads "The ending has a twist to it that leaves you with a smile on your face" From the Book Elf "An interesting and unusual read" The Library Door

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Book SynopsisFollowing the assassination of a British Colonel in a guerrilla ambush by communist terrorists during the Malayan Emergency in 1954, Jason Rance, an English company commander in a Gurkha battalion and jungle expert, is tasked with tracking down the bandits.

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Book Synopsis"He's back, Carrie. The Scribbler is back." DI Gayther and his rookie colleague DC Carrie have been assigned a new caseload. Or rather, an old one ... cold cases of LGBTQ+ murders dating back to the 1980s and beyond. Georgia Carrie wasn't even born when the notorious serial killer began his reign of terror across the East of England. Roger Gayther was on the force that failed to catch him and remembers every chilling detail. Now, after all these years, there's a sudden death featuring The Scribbler's tell-tale modus operandi. Can Gayther and Carrie track the murderer down and bring him to justice before the slaughter starts again?Trade Review"A brilliant read [... on] LGBTQ+ crimes that traditionally were underreported ... Thankfully, times have changed." Neil Boast MBE, former LGBT Liaison Officer, Suffolk Constabulary, and former head of task force on sexual exploitation and trafficking; "One seriously weird killer and an engaging cop-partnership dynamic. Exciting." Sunday Times; "Brilliantly creepy" Scots Magazine; "The cavalier approach to the investigation brings tragedy and further killings in its wake ... an interesting twist." Jon Morgan, Shots Magazine; "Very few authors could sustain the tension of a final scene over one hundred and eighteen pages. Maitland, however, has the reader bound up as tightly as a hostage, and he never loses that grip ... This is an outstandingly good book." Rosemary Kaye, Scones and Chaises Longues Blog; "The Scribbler is a slow burning, tense and downright creepy thriller. Likeable, engaging protagonists and an unusual villain ... shocking, providing more than one OMG moment." Suze Reviews; "I feel like I have just made one of the greatest discoveries on earth ... What a mind this author has ... a fantastic ... dark, gripping, creepy and tense read ... another book to add to my favourites of the year." A Lover of Books Blog; "I feel like I have just made one of the greatest discoveries on earth ... What a mind this author has ... a fantastic ... dark, gripping, creepy and tense read ... another book to add to my favourites of the year." A Lover of Books Blog; "The Scribbler is well-paced, engaging and punctuated by ... unexpected humour, leading to a compelling and incredibly satisfying crime read. Watch out for that ending ... Highly recommended." Raven Crime Reads; "Intriguing ... It's a great read" Cheryl MM; "A creepy read with an explosive ending, I was engrossed from start to finish." Jera's Jamboree; "A creepy read with an explosive ending, I was engrossed from start to finish." Jera's Jamboree; "Iain Maitland has a delicious and dark style of writing, he tricks you into thinking you are just meandering along nicely ... then he jumps out behind you and knocks you sideways as he delivers some dark and deadly punches, then lets you breathe before he does it all over again" Chapter In My Life Blog

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Book Synopsis"Brook was overcome by the most powerful feeling of sheer animal terror. It was as though his whole body and soul had suddenly rebelled against what he was doing and where he was. For a fraction of a second he wanted to scream and fly in panic, and only the physical impossibility of getting out of the tank stopped him. A moment later it passed, and he found himself obeying Donovan's orders automatically." Based on Peter Elstob's own wartime experiences, Warriors for the Working Day follows one tank crew as they proceed from the beaches of Normandy into newly liberated Western Europe, evoking the claustrophobia, heat, and intensity of tank warfare in brilliant detail. Published to great acclaim in 1960, the classic novel has been translated into several languages. This repackaged edition includes a contextual introduction by an Imperial War Museums historian.Trade Review"The soldier in World War II is the subject of this authentically realized portrait of a battalion in the Royal Tank Corps--and specifically of one group that made up a closely integrated team. . . . Death takes heavy toll--and at times the reader feels the futility of it almost too intensely. Little has been written about Tank Corps operation, and the part they played in the invasion, in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany--as the end seemed within reach--and one setback after another cost a terrible price. The author has tapped his own personal experience for many of the incidents--but has drawn his characters from imagination and knowledge of the caliber of the men he knew."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

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Book SynopsisIn August 1943, Sergeant Craddock leads his battle-weary platoon down Via Garibaldi in Catania, Sicily. The next few weeks take on a dreamlike quality as newfound relationships flourish and the war itself recedes into the distance. Against this backdrop, the second book of Alexander Baron's War Trilogy meditates upon friendship, loyalty and love.

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Book SynopsisThe first Sherlock Holmes story brings together our sleuthing partnership. The story begins in 1881 when Dr Watson returns to London from the war in Afghanistan looking for accommodation. He is recommended to Sherlock Holmes to share the flat at 221B Baker Street. The adventures begins.Trade ReviewThere are few characters from the Victorian era that can possibly have the same resonance today than a certain Sherlock Holmes who, along with his able assistant Dr Watson, and an assorted cast of inept policemen and nefarious villains still regularly seeps into modern life and parlance. The concept of any amateur detective these days being ‘Sherlockian’, the famous deerstalker, violin, pipe and casual drug use, and oft-misquoted lines and ‘catchphrases’ are among the many legacies that show how much Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation will forever be ingrained in the psyche of the nation. And so it was with huge interest that I heard about a new collection of the complete works, released by Baker Street Press. No matter how many times I’ve read the canon, it still fascinates me to this day and demonstrates what a truly remarkable character Conan Doyle created, despite his somewhat hit and miss results outside of the Holmes stories. This collection of nine hardback books is just utterly beautiful to behold. There’s something special, perhaps even more so in this day and age, about holding a quality version of one of your favourite books and simply immersing yourself in it. And this new release delivers more than any that I’ve ever had my hands on. Each of the nine books features the original cover illustrations from the 1920s, which more than makes up for the fact that there are no illustrations inside. Each of the four standalone novels and five collections of short stories are here, acting as the perfect retro antidote to the most recent recreation of the stories, the really quite awful series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, for which I appreciate I’m in a large minority for taking a serious dislike to. The collection begins with A Study in Scarlet, which I have to say isn’t a favourite of mine, neither is The Sign of Four that followed, and for me it’s when the short stories kick in that I find Holmes at his mercurial best, and his frustrating worst, as Conan Doyle struggled to satisfy the insatiable demand at the time for the monster that he had created. Despite ‘killing off’ a character who had become the bane of his life, Conan Doyle thankfully brought Holmes back to life after his seeming demise at the Reichenbach Falls, and the stories have seldom been far from the public’s mind, especially through the films of Basil Rathbone and the peerless depiction by Jeremy Brett in the 1980s and 1990s. I really cannot recommend this new set highly enough to those with even a passing interest in the original stories, through to those who already have several copies of the Sherlock Holmes stories on their bookshelves. If you think you have the definitive version of the books, then think again, as Baker Street Press have outdone themselves with this release. -- https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/book-review/crime/sherlock-holmes-deluxe-classic-series/

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Book SynopsisWhen the owner of Baskerville Hall is found lifeless, his face distorted with horror, it is the beginning of an unsettling adventure that takes Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson from the bright, gas lit thoroughfares of London into the dark remoteness of Victorian Dartmoor. Soon Holmes and Watson are faced with a macabre phenomenon – the eighteenth-century legend of a spectral hound, returning once more to terrorise the Baskerville family. They can do nothing for Sir Charles – but his heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, is now in England asking for their help. And in protecting him, Holmes and Watson must confront a more sinister threat than anything they have encountered before. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a powerful reminder of the continued influence of myths and superstitions which lay beneath the scientific rationalism of late Victorian England. Conan Doyle was fascinated by the paranormal, and in this gripping story he demonstrates the anxieties that can affect even the strongest minds when they encounter the unknown.Trade ReviewThere are few characters from the Victorian era that can possibly have the same resonance today than a certain Sherlock Holmes who, along with his able assistant Dr Watson, and an assorted cast of inept policemen and nefarious villains still regularly seeps into modern life and parlance. The concept of any amateur detective these days being ‘Sherlockian’, the famous deerstalker, violin, pipe and casual drug use, and oft-misquoted lines and ‘catchphrases’ are among the many legacies that show how much Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation will forever be ingrained in the psyche of the nation. And so it was with huge interest that I heard about a new collection of the complete works, released by Baker Street Press. No matter how many times I’ve read the canon, it still fascinates me to this day and demonstrates what a truly remarkable character Conan Doyle created, despite his somewhat hit and miss results outside of the Holmes stories. This collection of nine hardback books is just utterly beautiful to behold. There’s something special, perhaps even more so in this day and age, about holding a quality version of one of your favourite books and simply immersing yourself in it. And this new release delivers more than any that I’ve ever had my hands on. Each of the nine books features the original cover illustrations from the 1920s, which more than makes up for the fact that there are no illustrations inside. Each of the four standalone novels and five collections of short stories are here, acting as the perfect retro antidote to the most recent recreation of the stories, the really quite awful series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, for which I appreciate I’m in a large minority for taking a serious dislike to. The collection begins with A Study in Scarlet, which I have to say isn’t a favourite of mine, neither is The Sign of Four that followed, and for me it’s when the short stories kick in that I find Holmes at his mercurial best, and his frustrating worst, as Conan Doyle struggled to satisfy the insatiable demand at the time for the monster that he had created. Despite ‘killing off’ a character who had become the bane of his life, Conan Doyle thankfully brought Holmes back to life after his seeming demise at the Reichenbach Falls, and the stories have seldom been far from the public’s mind, especially through the films of Basil Rathbone and the peerless depiction by Jeremy Brett in the 1980s and 1990s. I really cannot recommend this new set highly enough to those with even a passing interest in the original stories, through to those who already have several copies of the Sherlock Holmes stories on their bookshelves. If you think you have the definitive version of the books, then think again, as Baker Street Press have outdone themselves with this release. -- https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/book-review/crime/sherlock-holmes-deluxe-classic-series/

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Book SynopsisSergeant Nick Toft's night shift is an eight hour rollercoaster that threatens to throw him right out of the safe, sensible life he's carefully crafted for himself. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Rose Olding is trying to solve a shocking suburban murder with very little evidence, plenty of blood and three suspects all blaming each other.

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Book SynopsisSteven Mason, a young career villain, needs to find his boss's girlfriend Dominique. Straightaway, he knows things are not going to be easy when he finds a dead hand in Mickey Finn's old fridge. So begins a series of encounters: St Mary with a limp wrist; Dominique's husband Texas - a semi-retired gigolo; his vicious brother Greg; rent boys; a psychiatrist and a corrupt detective. As Steven realises he's uncovering a bitter dispute between two gangs, so division and betrayal make him hunter and hunted. He will need to decide whom he can trust, torn between his loyalties and his attraction to his friend's girlfriend ... not to mention what the outcome will be with a caged parrot.

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Book Synopsis “From its very first gut-wrenching chapter, I was completely hooked' Howard Linskey A BRAND NEW DETECTIVE MYSTERY FEATURING DCI JACK LAMBERT Robert Norris. An eighteen-year-old petty criminal is brutally tortured and left in a farmer’s field to die. DCI Jack Lambert and his team think they have it all figured out. It’s a robbery gone wrong. Suspicion immediately falls on the man who called it in. What Jack doesn’t realise is that this is just the beginning. An escaped prisoner, an attempted hit, and a seemingly unending trail of violence and retribution follows. As the mystery unfolds, Jack begins to suspect the existence of a secret, but powerful, syndicate operating on the very edges of the North East’s criminal underworld. With the situation spiralling out of control, Jack finds himself at a crossroads—one which could lead him back into the kind of life he has spent a career running away from. Time is running out and this case might not only cost Lambert his job, but also his life…Grave Intent is the second novel by A.M. Peacock featuring DCI Jack Lambert, but can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. It's a fast-paced police procedural, full of stunning twists and turns, which will keep you guessing to the end. It will appeal to fans of authors like Angela Marsons, Joy Ellis and Helen H. Durrant. Also available in the DCI Jack Lambert Series: Open Grave

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Book SynopsisLove and hatea beautiful combination. These emotions consume Liam MacMurray as he struggles with the question, What do I do about Nina? But is Liam really who he says he is?

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