Crime & Thrillers Books

Book SynopsisTen-year-old Hilda''s search for her missing friend has terrible consequences in this gripping psychological thriller.When her friend Meda fails to turn up for dance class one evening, 10-year-old Hilda is convinced that something bad has happened to her, despite Meda''s family''s reassurances. Unable to shake off her concerns, Hilda turns to her mother, Molly, for help. Molly runs the Jolly Bonnet, a pub with links to the Whitechapel murders of a century before and a meeting place for an assortment of eccentrics drawn to its warm embrace. Among them is Lottie. Pathologist by day, vlogger by night, Lottie enlists the help of her army of online fans - and uncovers evidence that Meda isn''t the first young girl to go missing.But Molly and Lottie''s investigations attract unwelcome attention. Two worlds are about to collide in a terrifying game of cat and mouse played out on the rain-lashed streets of London''s East End, a historic neighbourhood that has run red with the blood of innocents for centuries.

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Book SynopsisFrancis Meadowes is soaking up the late summer sun in Italy, running a creative writing course at the beautiful Villa Giulia, deep in the remote Umbrian countryside. Recruited by the villa''s owners, Stephanie and Gerry, Francis''s students include snooty, irritating Poppy and her ex-ambassador husband Duncan, eccentric Northern Irishman Liam, quirky, self-styled ''Hampstead Jewess'' Zoe, bossy Scottish Diana, kooky young American Sasha, mysterious ''spy'' Tony and restless civil servant Roz.But what should be a magical week under the Italian sun turns into something far more sinister when one of the group is found dead, and the local police quickly turn to Francis for help. Uncovering betrayal, lies, secrets and old scores to be settled, Francis soon realizes something very dark is lurking beneath the genteel and civilized veneer . . .

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Book SynopsisPrivate detectives Grand & Batchelor''s latest case draws them into the arcane world of high art and high society in this compelling Victorian mystery.London. May, 1878. Private enquiry agents Matthew Grand and James Batchelor have been hired by the artist James Whistler to dig into the past of outspoken critic John Ruskin, with whom he has an ongoing feud. Not particularly optimistic of success, the two detectives are sidetracked from the investigation by the murder of a prostitute in nearby Cremorne Gardens. Her body posed on a park bench, a book on birth control sitting on her lap, Clara Jenkins is not the first young woman to have met a similarly grisly fate - and she won''t be the last.Could there be a connection between the Cremorne killer and their art world case? With the investigation heading nowhere fast, Grand comes up with a decidedly unorthodox plan to ensnare the killer. But even the best-laid plans have a nasty habit of going catastrophically awry ...

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Book SynopsisMurder always sells. But when a series of dark and puzzling crimes takes place in seventeenth-century London, will printer''s apprentice Lucy Campion be publishing the news - or starring in it?London, 1667. Printer''s apprentice Lucy Campion is unsettled when, on a frozen December morning after church, an elderly woman dressed in mourning clothes whispers an ominous warning in her ear.Lucy sternly tells herself it''s nonsense, but then her much-loved former master, Magistrate Hargrave, is viciously attacked with a brass hourglass during a break-in. But what exactly was the intruder searching for? And why did they first stop to steal a piece of Cook''s lamb and lentil pie?The puzzling case is just the start of a series of dark, bizarre crimes. Lucy''s determined to uncover the truth and see that justice is done. But someone is equally determined to stop her - whatever it takes.This page-turning historical mystery set in Renaissance London is a great choice for readers who like their heroines lively, their mysteries twisty and their historical settings brimming with authenticity.

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Book SynopsisThe arrival of an unexpected guest means trouble ahead for the residents of Thorncroft House in this deftly-plotted Victorian mystery. On a freezing winter''s night, with the household in mourning following the death of the dowager Lady Croft, the residents of Thorncroft House are roused from their beds by the arrival of an unexpected visitor. Although Lady Stanton seems reluctant to explain the reasons for her visit, housekeeper Harriet Rowsley would never turn a stranger from the door; she offers Lady Stanton and her servants all the hospitality at her disposal, however secretive and arrogant the new guest might be.But tensions arise over the following days, with both visitors and servants trapped indoors by the snow, and Lady Stanton proving a difficult and demanding guest. The situation worsens on the discovery of the body of a young housemaid lying crumpled at the foot of the stairs. A tragic accident . or something more sinister?Who exactly is Lady Stanton, and why has she come to Thorncroft? Has her arrival anything to do with the housemaid''s death? As the household remains trapped and tensions escalate, Harriet and her husband Matthew are forced to face the fact that they may be harbouring a murderer in their midst .

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Book SynopsisWhen a claimant to the title of Lord Darlymple comes to an unexpected sticky end, the cry goes up: 'Was it murder?'The Honourable Daisy Dalrymple is recruited by her cousin Edgar - the current Lord Dalrymple - to help him find the next heir to the viscountcy. With the involvement of the family lawyer, they come up with four claimants who, along with Daisy, are invited to Fairacres, the family estate, to celebrate Edgar's fiftieth birthday.And they're a mixed bunch. A hotelier from Scarborough, a diamond merchant from South Africa, a mixed-race boy from Trinidad and a sailor from Jamaica. But then the sailor goes missing... and so begins a series of inexplicable and troubling accidents, resulting in the death of one of the would-be heirs. Daisy and her husband, DCI Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard, are left wondering who might be behind all of this and, more importantly... who's next?Praise for the Daisy Dalrymple series:Cunning... appropriate historical detail and witty dialogue are the finishing touches on this engaging 1920s period piece. Publisher's WeeklyAs 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. BooklistFor fans of Dorothy L. Sayers' novels. Library Journal

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Book SynopsisTHE THRILLING FOURTH JACK IRISH NOVEL, FROM THE FIVE-TIME NED KELLY WINNER AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE BROKEN SHORE AND TRUTH.'Peter Temple's fourth Jack Irish thriller is like slipping into deliciously dangerous quicksand . . . demands to be read in one sitting' Herald SunHer name was Sarah Longmore and she was charged with murdering her former lover.When Jack Irish is asked to look into Sarah Longmore's defence, he's more than happy to oblige. After all, whenever somebody seems as guilty as Sarah does, it's usually for a good reason. But her case will prove far from straightforward, and Jack's investigation far from swift and painless.Loved the Jack Irish thrillers and now craving more Peter Temple? Then you now need to read his first standalone novel, An Iron Rose . . .Trade Review'A combination of pin-sharp social observation, lyricism and humour ... Very good indeed' Guardian. * Guardian *'A modern, noir novel on steroids with a characterful cast that sweeps along to a satisfying conclusion' Property Week magazine. * Property Week magazine *'Genius ... This is crime writing at its best' Sunday Express. * Sunday Express *'As first-rate a read as you will find anywhere' Daily Express. * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisIt is 1927 and Bobby Jones arrives in St Andrews. He is favourite to retain his Open crown but can he win the hearts of the people of St Andrews?More murders follow but Hector believes the police have arrested the wrong men. Meanwhile his step-son has a crisis of identityâ?.. This well-researched book takes the reader back to St Andrews in 1927. As the Open reaches its climax, Hectorâ??s unconventional investigations come to a tense and violent conclusion. "

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Book SynopsisThe death of detective Sherlock Holmes shakes the world. Even The Queen herself expresses resentment over the loss of the popular Victorian hero. Petr Kopl gives us a graphic kick and picks up his third World heroes of tomorrow through the eyes of genius writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He takes us to a place where evil has a true face, men are gentlemen and women are ladies. We visit his comic world of excitement and adventure. Come and bear witness to the last heroic battle where Sherlock Holmes paid with his life. Or did he?

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Book SynopsisFollowing their bloody encounter with the Executioner, Sir Maurice Newbury's assistant Veronica Hobbes is close to death. Desperate to save her life, Newbury and Veronica's sister Amelia board a sleeper train bound for St. Petersburg, in the hope that Gustav Faberge might have the answer. But there are enemies on board, and Newbury and Amelia will need all their strength and cunning to survive the Revenant Express.Trade ReviewThe Newbury & Hobbes series has excellent reviews: "Steampunk is making a comeback, and... Mann is leading the charge." - The Guardian

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Book SynopsisFor Detective Edgar "Lefty" Mendieta, tormented by past heartbreak and dismayed by all-pervasive corruption, the murder of lawyer Bruno Canizales represents just another day at the office in Culiacán, Mexico's capital of narco-crime.There is no shortage of suspects in a city where it's hard to tell the gangsters from the politicians. Canizales was the son of a former government minister and the lover of a drug lord's daughter, and he nurtured a penchant for cross-dressing and edgy sex. But why did the assassin use a silver bullet? And why, six days later, did he apparently strike again? Mendieta's hunt for the killer takes him from mansions to low-life bars, from gumshoe reporters to glamourous transsexuals. Unearthing the truth can be as dangerous as any drug.Trade ReviewOne of the biggest names in Mexican literature . . . A true novelist . . . No one has captured the exciting and passionate nature of the Mexican vernacular like him -- Arturo Pérez-ReverteIf you are fed up with formulaic noir novels and looking for something fresher, Elmer Mendoza's dazzling Silver Bullets could be the answer * Sunday Times *Presents Mexico in a darkly surrealist light: corrupt politicos, a plague of narco-crime and only battered detective Edgar "Lefty" Mendieta on the side of the angels * Independent *Casts a wide net over modern Mexican life and an array of well-drawn characters, some powerful, some weak, some depraved . . . Mendoza's creation is nothing like standard pulp fiction * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisA respected professor is dead - shot in a crowded Zurich restaurant, in front of dozens of witnesses. The murderer calmly turned himself in to the police. So why has he now hired a lawyer to clear his name? And why has he chosen the drink-soaked, disreputable Spät to defend him? As he investigates, Spät finds himself obsessed, drawn ever deeper into a case of baffling complexity until he reaches a deadly conclusion: justice can be restored only by a crime. This is a captivating neo-noir classic from the master of the genre. The Execution of Justice is a dark, wicked satire on the legal system and a disturbing, if ambivalent, allegory on guilt, justice, violence and morality.Trade Review"The Swiss master of the astounding plot" — Sunday Times Crime Club"It's not that Dürrenmatt always took the road less chosen, more that he carved out an entirely different and perverse path through the literary undergrowth" — Crime Time"A dark, wicked satire on the legal system and a disturbing, if ambivalent, allegory on guilt, justice, violence and morality" — Publishers Weekly"Audacious... Durrenmatt's compelling handling of his favorite themes... makes Spat's funny, sad nightmare less like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd than like The Fall or The Crying of Lot 49" — Kirkus Reviews "Durrenmatt has the gift to create unforgettable characters within a few lines" — Los Angeles Times

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Book SynopsisPraise for Punishment of A Hunter: 'The most successful retro-detective since Akunin' Literratura 'Gritty and gripping' Will Ryan 'It will pull you in and leave you breathless' Chris Lloyd 'Yulia Yokovleva's thrilling debut was a bestseller in her native Russia. It's not difficult to see why' The Times, Best New Crime Fiction ________________ On the eve of Stalin's deadly great purge, a rider and his horse mysteriously collapse in the middle of a race in Leningrad. Weary detective Zaitsev, still reeling from his last brush with the Party, is dispatched to the soviet state cavalry school near Ukraine to investigate. There he witnesses the horror of the man-made Holodomor Famine as he struggles to penetrate the murky, secretive world of the school. Why has this murder attracted so much attention from Soviet officials? Zaitsev needs to answer this question and solve the case before the increasingly paranoid authorities turn their attention to him...Trade Review"Dark humor undercuts despair and sardonic wit compensates for failure... Yakovleva captures the futility of living and working in such a blighted society, picking up the torch from Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series”. — The New York Times"Yakovleva's previous novel was an international hit. The follow-up suggests her investigator may become something of a Russian Montalbano." --The Times (UK)“Brilliantly realised… devilishly cunning.” --SHOTS “Offers a brilliant interplay of Communist manipulation, Soviet terror, Tsarist survivals, military rifts and kulak opposition... A superb read, with some unexpected turns right at the end.” --Crime Book of the Month, The Critic

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 'A truly absorbing novel... legitimately frightening... unusually compelling' Kevin Brockmeier, author of The Brief History of the Dead 'Taut and timely' Alex Scarrow, author of the DCI Boyd thrillers 'A protagonist you want to root for... a fast-paced mystery Guy Morpuss, author of Five Minds ________________ DI Lucy Stone's life was changed forever when terrorists deployed a lethal nerve gas at Waterloo Station, killing 10% of London's population. Lucy should have died - but she didn't. When London's most important scientist is brutally murdered, Lucy discovers he may have been working on an antidote to the chemical weapon. But time is running out. Will Lucy find the antidote - and catch the killer - before it's too late? ________________ '[A] whirlwind of a read... Terrifyingly imagined... Read if you dare' Amy Lilwall, author of The Biggerers 'Gripping, evocative and will keep you guessing' Press Association 'Genuinely exciting, page-turning and frighteningly credible' Business PostTrade Review'London in Black is a truly absorbing novel - an all-day-on-the-couch read if ever there was one. Its vision of the near future is plausible enough to be legitimately frightening... an unusually compelling thriller and will, I hope, be the first of many from him' - Kevin Brockmeier, author of The Brief History of the Dead'A taut and timely blend of crime and dystopia' - Alex Scarrow, author of the DCI Boyd thrillers''A skilfully rendered homage to London, with a dystopian police procedural woven in. It's a compelling debut by Jack Lutz, with a protagonist you want to root for, and a fast-paced mystery at its heart. Excellent!'' - Guy Morpuss, author of Five Minds'Noir meets dystopia in this genre bending, whirlwind of a read. Lutz's terrifying imagined future is startlingly relevant to our own troubled present. Read if you dare' - Amy Lilwall, author of The Biggerers'This dark dystopian thriller has the makings of being one of the best first novels out this year... powerful and unsettling... has the potential to become a cult classic' - Shots Magazine

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR A FINANCIAL TIMES TRANSLATED FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR __________ It is 1941, and Antwerp is in the grip of Nazi occupation. Young policeman Wilfried Wils has no intention of being a hero - but war has a way of catching up with people. When his idealistic best friend draws him into the growing resistance movement, and an SS commander tries to force him into collaborating, Wilfried's loyalties become horribly, fatally torn. As the beatings, destruction and round-ups intensify across the city, he is forced into an act that will have consequences he could never have imagined. A searing portrayal of a man trying to survive amid the treachery, compromises and moral darkness of occupation, Will asks what any of us would risk to fight evil.Trade Review'A brilliant, uncomfortable exploration of the moral compromises necessary to live alongside evil' - The Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Year'I loved this book. Will is a vivid, complex, and captivating novel about the grubby moral compromises of life under occupation' - Bart van Es, author of The Cut Out Girl'A masterful book, a gripping epic, necessary and gorgeously written' - Stefan Hertmans, author of War and Turpentine'Constantly grapples with what the ordinary man might do when faced with a horror so huge that to resist might threaten his very survival. Olyslaegers bravely explores moral compromise, betrayal and collaboration - and throws our polarised times into sharp relief' - Observer'It is Will's inner darkness that drives this book, and it lends a ferocious energy to the narration... Olyslaegers seems intent on pulling the scales from our eyes' - Guardian

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Book SynopsisA classically European police procedural set on Lake Zurich, introducing detective Rosa Zambrano

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Book SynopsisAn irresistible gift edition of the mindbending thriller that inspired Hitchcock's Vertigo He isn't a cop anymore, but when an old friend asks Flavières to keep an eye on his dazzlingly beautiful wife, how can he refuse? And so he begins to scour the streets of wartime Paris in search of a woman who belongs to no one, not even to herself. Soon, intrigue is replaced by obsession, and dreams by nightmares, as the boundaries between the living and the dead begin to blur... This is the original breath-taking psychological thriller behind Hitchcock's legendary film-the story of a desperate man, tormented by his search for the truth, and ultimately destroyed by a dark, terrible secret.Trade Review'This story of obsession, deceit and human frailty has an almost overpowering intensity... Alongside Patricia Highsmith Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac deserve recognition as part of the great tradition of chilling psychological crime fiction.' - Crime Fiction Lover'Makes a fascinating companion to the Hitchcock film, and is, I think, an amazing book in its own right' - Lit Love'Gallic noir at its most psychologically acute' - Crime Scene'A fantastic book' - Col's Criminal Library'One of the pleasures of reading the book is noting how it compares with, and in places even improves on, the film' - The National

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Book SynopsisThe provocative debut by the Women's Fiction Prize 2018-shortlisted author of When I Hit You. When women take to protest, there is no looking back. Sometimes it is over working conditions, other times, perhaps, a strike for higher wages. And so, in a hungry, back-broken community of villages in Tamil Nadu, a group of rural workers begin to defy their landlords. The landlords, in turn, vow to violently crush them. But these punishments only serve to strengthen the villagers' resistance - after all, when starvation is the only option, what else is there to lose...?Trade ReviewDazzling, maddening, often hilarious * The Times *Powerful, lyrical, radical * Guardian *A novel of unmistakable fury * Independent *One of fiction's most fiery and unclassifiable of polemicists -- Claire Armistead * Observer *

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Book SynopsisNOW THE MAJOR BBC FOUR SCANDI-CRIME DRAMA The silent, snow-covered streets of Oslo are a perfect scene of Christmas tranquillity. But as the bells toll for the last Sunday of Advent, a boy's ­body washes up near the shoreline of the city's Aker Bridge. His corpse is unrecognisable. Nobody has bothered to report him missing. One week later Eva Karin Lysgaard, the bishop of Bergen, is found stabbed to death on a deserted street. Eva is a popular public figure, a sixty-two year-old grandmother: why was she on a lone errand in the deserted city, on the night before Christmas? Johanne Vik, criminal researcher and police profiler, is called in to untangle the motivation behind the bishop's murder. But with her husband at the head of this increasingly high-profile investigation, Vik's association with the case is under intense scrutiny. And why does Lysgaard's shocking death lead her towards the sad death of an unknown boy?Trade ReviewAnne Holt reveals how truly dark it gets in Scandinavia * Val McDermid *Lively, unusual and persuasive. Holt writes with the command we have come to expect from the top Scandinavian writers * The Times *It's easy to see why Anne Holt, the former minister of justice in Norway and its bestselling female crime writer, is rapturously received in the rest of Europe. * Guardian *Step aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers. * Red Magazine *Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order -- Liza MarklundSleek... picturesque... psychological... frightening... I'm hooked: Financial TimesA handsome Swedish crime drama: ObserverPatiently paced and stylish to look at: Daily Mail -- Reviews for BBC4's MODUS production

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Book SynopsisIt is normal to see bodies on the set of an adult film. But when they're dead bodies and the cast and crew discover they're trapped in a house with a serial killer Quarry hass got his work cut out for him. NOW A CINEMAX TELEVISION SERIES! The longest-running series from Max Allan Collins, author of "Road to Perdition," and the first ever to feature a hitman as the main character, the Quarry novels tell the story of a paid assassin with a rebellious streak and an unlikely taste for justice. Once a Marine sniper, Quarry found a new home stateside with a group of contract killers. But some men aren't made for taking orders and when Quarry strikes off on his own, God help the man on the other side of his nine-millimeter...Trade Review“When it comes to Collins prose the Quarry books are my favorites.” - Comic Book Resources

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Book SynopsisThe game's afoot once more as Holmes and Watson face off against Moriarty's gang, the Pinkertons, flesh-eating horses, a parliament of imps, boredom, Surrey, a disappointing butler demon, a succubus, a wicked lord, an overly-Canadian lord, a tricycle-fight to the death and the dreaded Pumpcrow. Oh, and a hell hound, one assumes.Trade Review“charming, amusing, and all around wonderful...If you’re a fan of the mashup culture that’s overtaking literature these days, are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, or simply want a wonderful, fun read, I cannot recommend Denning’s latest novel enough.” - Hey Poor Player “Any fan of Sherlock Holmes, Elementary, BBC Sherlock, and paranormal stories would benefit from reading these novels and seeing the take on Holmes through the eyes of G.S. Denning.” Gamers Sphere“a fun series” Hype Podcast“where else can you find demons battling on tricycles while wearing fake mustaches, yet still be on the edge of your seat wanting to know just how this story is going to end?” From Girlie to Nerdy “I highly recommend Denning’s fresh new twists to the classic cases of Sherlock Holmes to anyone who loves stories filled with magic, mystery, murder and hilarious hijinks. Warlock and John capture the readers’ lust for adventure within these magical cases and provide a ton of laughs within every story.” Geek Hard“Packed with hilarious characters, paranormal events, and callbacks to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, this book is a great choice if you’re into paranormal retellings of the classics” - newberyandbeyond.com“reminds me of Terry Pratchett” RisingShadow.netI’m completely addicted to this series, and here’s hoping I won’t have too long to wait until my next Warlock Holmes fix” BiblioSanctum.com

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Book SynopsisWhen reporter Quentin Jones investigates a shadowy military programme during the desert war, he discovers cutting edge technology that simulates reality during interrogation. As the shadowy labyrinth of governmental corruption unfurls and tightens around him, unnerving links to his protégé Bruce keep emerging, who disappeared into the war several years earlier. The Dimensions of A Cave is a haunting journey into networks of power and corruption, exploring our drive towards war and obsession with new technologies. A modern day retelling of Heart of Darkness, this masterful debut novel heralds a dazzling and singular voice in fiction.Trade ReviewA very contemporary story about surveillance capitalism, virtual reality, and 21st-century forever war, [that] will still be read a century from now for the news it brings about the timeless riddle of the human self. It's increasingly rare these days to find a novelist with Greg Jackson's world-swallowing ambition, and rarer still for one to make good on that ambition as gloriously as Jackson does here -- Christopher BehaGreg Jackson's prose is sly, wise, and almost self-consciously heroic, undaunted by the present moment, though it threatens to be our last -- Joshua CohenGreg Jackson is an athletically talented writer who packs so much into every single sentence and scene it almost scares me. His debut novel is somehow both a hardboiled thriller and a philosophical treaty with dialogues that would make Sorkin blush -- Catherine LaceyGreg Jackson's Dimensions of a Cave is, sentence to sentence, a linguistic marvel, a genre-bending tale with moral and philosophical stakes as profound as they come -- Dinaw Mengestu

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Book SynopsisColorado, 1876: At a remote mining camp high in the Rocky Mountains, eleven silver miners are killed, their bodies horribly mutilated, flesh devoured. Bear attack? Not everyone thinks so. 136 years later, the cemetery where the miners were buried is being cleared for new development. Forensic pathologist Corrie Swanson has arranged to study the bones. What she discovers will expose a conspiracy that's as lethal today as it was a century ago. As the winter snows fall, Corrie's life depends on unravelling a dark secret... the key to which may just lie in a lost Sherlock Holmes story, a tale allegedly so horrifying that its author never dared publish it.Trade ReviewSit back, crack open the book and get ready for the ride of your life -- David BaldacciA collision between past and present that will leave you breathless -- Lee ChildWhite hot bestselling suspense. Simply brilliant! -- Lisa GardnerA terrific mix of mystery and the unexpected... will keep you reading into the late hours of the night' -- Clive CusslerA positively delicious serving of the great Sherlock Holmes. Great fun to the last page -- Anne RiceAnd still they come: fast-moving thrillers from the Preston/Child duo are mounting up in number, but each one has its own individual character * The Good Book Guide *

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Book Synopsis'Mesmerising and unsettling . . . The best debut thriller for years' Sunday TimesNow a major film starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark StrongOver 7 million copies sold worldwide____________Memories define us.So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight.And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.Welcome to Christine's life.____________Readers are obsessed with Before I Go To Sleep:***** 'A genius plot with an incredible twist. Before I go to Sleep is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.'***** 'The book had me gripped from the very beginning . . . a real can't-put-it-down-till-the-last-page read.'***** 'It's dark, fascinating, original and addictive - l read it in a day.'____________Final Cut, the unputdownable new thriller from S. J. Watson, is out now.Trade ReviewQuite simply the best debut novel I've ever readBrilliant in its pacing, profound in its central question, suspenseful on every page - and satisfying in its thriller endingA deft, perceptive exploration of a fascinating neurological condition, and a cracking good thrillerA terrific first novel - well-written, genuinely unsettling and psychologically very plausible. Thrillers seldom come much better than this. Loved it, read it in oneAn exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page

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Book Synopsis'As sweetly profane a poet as American noir could have asked for' Ian Rankin'A friggin' masterpiece' Dennis Lehane'The stunner that reinvigorated the genre and jacked up a generation of future crime novelists' George PelecanosMeet Private Detective C. W. Sughrue. Private detectives are supposed to find missing persons and solve crimes. But more often than not Sughrue is the one committing the crimes – everything from grand theft auto to criminal stupidity. All washed down with a hearty dose of whiskey and regret.At the end of a three-week hunt for a runaway bestselling author, Sughrue winds up in a ramshackle bar, with an alcoholic bulldog. The landlady’s daughter vanished a decade ago and now she wants Sughrue to find her. His search will take him to the deepest, darkest depths of San Francisco’s underbelly, a place as fascinating, frightening and flawed as he is. Welcome to James Crumley’s America.Trade ReviewCrumley writes like an angel on speed * Time Out *The poet laureate of American hard-boiled literature, superior even to James Lee Burke in his ability to evoke extreme melancholy, gruesome violence and an acute sense of landscape * Guardian *Reading Crumley is like hurtling through an assault course...funny, salty and ruthless...one of the marvels of contemporary crime writing * Literary Review *Like James Ellroy, he is a master of American vernacular, turning tough-guy slang into something like poetry * Independent *James Crumley, a critically acclaimed crime novelist whose drug-infused, alcohol-soaked, profanity-laced, breathtakingly violent books swept the hard-boiled detective from the Raymond Chandler era into an amoral, utterly dissolute, apocalyptic post-Vietnam universe * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA gripping, addictive thriller from the bestselling author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP.‘Simultaneously believable and terrifying...An edgy, disturbing read.’ ObserverShe loves her husband.She’s obsessed by a stranger.She’s a devoted mother.She’s prepared to lose everything.She knows what she's doing.She’s out of control.She’s innocent.She’s guilty as sin.She’s living two lives.She might lose both.‘A Fatal Attraction for the digital age, but with a crucial twist . . . Watson is a master at turning the screw.’ Evening Standard‘A gripping read - deftly plotted, with convincing characters and an unsettling premise that builds to a truly disturbing conclusion. Second Life is ample proof that Watson is no mere one-hit wonder.’ Independent‘Taut and twisty, it'll keep you up all night’ Glamour‘This dark, tense, psychological thriller will keep you up all night’ Fabulous magazine, Sun on Sunday‘Tension-driven...packed with suspense and surprises’ Woman & HomeREADERS LOVE SECOND LIFE:‘More twists and turns than a roller coaster’‘Thought I had it all worked out but I didn't see the final twist coming!’‘Reserve a weekend for it as you won't want to put it down until the very end’‘Thought provoking, thrilling and at times frightening’‘Fantastic, gripping and thrilling’‘I just didn't want it to end. Superb!’‘I twice forgot to get off my bus, I was so engrossed’Trade ReviewA Fatal Attraction for the digital age, but with a crucial twist . . . Watson is a master at turning the screw. * Evening Standard *A gripping read - deftly plotted, with convincing characters and an unsettling premise that builds to a truly disturbing conclusion. Second Life is ample proof that Watson is no mere one-hit wonder. * Independent *A gripping, contemporary thriller, this is the sort of thing you'll plough through in a hurried weekend of page turning. * ShortList Magazine *A fierce, captivating portrait. Julia's disintegration is heartbreaking and underlines what a formidable presence Watson has as a writer: a star is confirmed. * Daily Mail *Simultaneously believable and terrifying...An edgy, disturbing read. * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTHE RUNAWAY SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLER AND THRILLER OF THE YEAR, NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING EMILY BLUNT'Really great suspense novel. Kept me up most of the night. The alcoholic narrator is dead perfect' STEPHEN KINGRachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…Trade ReviewReally great suspense novel. Kept me up most of the night. The alcoholic narrator is dead perfect. * STEPHEN KING *My vote for unreliable narrator of the year * The Times *The thriller scene will have to up its game if it's to match Hawkins this year * Observer *Hawkins's taut story roars along at the pace of, well, a high-speed train . . . a smart, searing thriller' * Good Housekeeping (US) *The Girl On The Train was so thrilling and tense and wildly unpredictable, it sucked up my entire afternoon. I simply could not put it down. Not to be missed! * Tess Gerritsen *

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Book Synopsis‘He said he didn’t remember killing them…’As a series of rolling blackouts plunge the city into darkness, Detective Aidan Waits sits on an abandoned hospital ward, watching a mass murderer slowly die. Transferred from his usual night shift duties and onto protective custody, he has just one job…To extract the location of Martin Wick’s final victim before the notorious mass murderer passes away.Wick has spent over a decade in prison, in near-total silence, having confessed to an unspeakable crime that shocked the nation and earned him the nickname of The Sleepwalker.But when a daring premeditated attack leaves one police officer dead and another one fighting for his life, Wick’s whispered last words will send Waits on a journey into the heart of darkness…Manipulated by a reticent psychopath from his past, and under investigation from his new partner, Detective Constable Naomi Black, Waits realises too late that a remorseless contract killer is at work.Can Aidan Waits solve his last case before fleeing justice?Or will his name be next on the hit list?Trade Review‘Knox’s pitch-black novels are among crime fiction’s most compelling’ * i *‘Fierce, funny and flint-sharp. Joseph Knox is the true grit of Brit noir' * Cara Hunter *Dark, gritty and compelling, this will have you turning the pages until the early hours of the morning * The Independent *Oozing dread, full of surprises and with a powerful sense of outraged humanity, The Sleepwalker is Joseph Knox’s finest novel yet. * The Times *‘[An] ingenious plot … full of striking revelations’ * CrimeTime *

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Book Synopsis‘Wondering if Into the Water could be as good as The Girl on the Train? It's better. A triumph.’ Clare Mackintosh, bestselling author of I Let You GoThe addictive No. 1 psychological thriller from the author of The Girl on the Train, the runaway Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller and global phenomenon.*****Just days before her sister plunged to her death, Jules ignored her call.Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules must return to her sister's house to care for her daughter, and to face the mystery of Nel's death.But Jules is afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of this small town that is drowning in secrecy . . . And of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.*****‘Paula Hawkins does it again! Into the Water is a moody and chilling thriller that will have you madly turning the pages. A gripping, compulsive read!’ Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door‘Fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train rejoice: her second novel Into the Water is even better. A brilliantly plotted and fast-paced juggernaut of a read that hurtles to a heart-stopping conclusion.’ Good Housekeeping (Book of the Month)‘A twisting whodunnit that leaves you both gratified and surprised (also the best kind) . . . Not just a brilliant thriller but also a furious feminist howl . . .’ Stylist‘Dark, gothic and twisty as a snake in the grass. I read it in one sitting.’ Erin Kelly, author of He Said, She Said‘Into the Water is superb. Sinister layers, complex characters and a plot that'll keep you guessing.’ Ali Land, author of Good Me, Bad MeTrade ReviewPaula Hawkins does it again! Into the Water is a moody and chilling thriller that will have you madly turning the pages. A gripping, compulsive read! * Shari Lapena *Wondering if Into the Water could be as good as The Girl on the Train? It's better. A triumph. * Clare Mackintosh *Fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train rejoice: her second novel Into the Water is even better. A brilliantly plotted and fast-paced juggernaut of a read that hurtles to a heart-stopping conclusion. * Good Housekeeping (Book of the Month) *It’s like PD James wrote an episode of The Wire… A twisting whodunit that leaves you both gratified and surprised (also the best kind)… Not just a brilliant thriller but also a furious feminist howl… * Stylist *The prose is powerful and richly descriptive. As the threads of the plot mesh together and the tension builds it develops into a brooding and complex read that deserves to make a splash in its own right. * Sunday Mirror *

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Book Synopsis'This book reminds me of the things that crime fiction can do when it works well … Miller isn’t afraid to write characters who are opinionated. They don’t hold their tongue about what they believe in, they let rip. People are angry, people are passionate. I love the unorthodoxy of it, I suppose. It’s not what you expect it to be." Val McDermidShe knew it was a weird place. She’d heard the stories, seen the movies, read the books. But now police Chief Inspector Sigrid Ødegård has to leave her native Norway and actually go there; to that land across the Atlantic where her missing brother is implicated in the mysterious death of a prominent African-American academic.America. And not someplace interesting, either: upstate New York.Plunged into a United States where race and identity, politics and promise, reverberate in every aspect of daily life. To find her older brother, she needs the help of the local police who appear to have already made up their minds about the case. Working with - or, if necessary, against — someone actually named Sheriff Irving 'Irv' Wylie, she must negotiate the local political minefields and navigate the back woods of the Adirondacks to uncover the truth before it's too late...Shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2019Trade ReviewA superb novel on all levels...Miller is a classy satirist of American mores -- Marcel Berlins * The Times *Derek B Miller writes the kind of crime fiction the world needs right now. Principled, but not afraid to get down and dirty - and shot through with some of the sharpest humour you're likely to find. * Joseph Knox, bestselling author of Sirens *Not to be missed...A subtle crime story peopled with beautifully drawn characters -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *A witty and intelligent fish-out-of-water tale * Sun *American By Day is a terrific book - a high-class thriller with a neat Norwegian twist. You won't forget Sigrid, an Oslo detective on a mission in upstate New York; her outsider's take on American society gives this page-turner a unique and compelling sensibility. -- Erica Wagner

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Book Synopsis'An excellent read! So original and clever that I was completely absorbed in the story. Gripping, tense and twisty with an unexpected ending. Phenomenal.' Claire Douglas, bestselling author of Local Girl Missing and Last Seen AliveWhen Laura wakes up after her office drinks party and sees a man’s shirt on her bedroom floor, she is horrified. But this is no ordinary one-night-stand regret.Laura suffers from severe face-blindness, a condition that means she is completely unable to identify and remember faces. So the man she spent all night dancing with and kissing – the man she thought she’d brought home – was ‘Pink Shirt’.But the shirt on her floor is blue.And now Laura must go to work every day, and face the man who took advantage of her condition. The man she has no way of recognising.She doesn’t know who he is . . . but when she finds him she’ll make him pay.***** 'A clever 'who dunnit' with a twist that almost made me miss my flight.' Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband's Wife and The Dead Ex'A terrifying and disorienting thriller that will leave you questioning everyone and everything right to the very last page. It's so good that I had to put everything on hold just to finish it.' Nuala Ellwood, acclaimed author of My Sister's Bones'When I Find You is a winner. It leads you down blind alleys and in to disorienting situations - I absolutely raced to the end.' T. A. Cotterell, acclaimed author of What Alice KnewTrade ReviewAn excellent read! So original and clever that I was completely absorbed in the story. Gripping, tense and twisty with an unexpected ending. Phenomenal. * Claire Douglas, author of LOCAL GIRL MISSING and LAST SEEN ALIVE *A clever 'who dunnit' with a twist that almost made me miss my flight. * Jane Corry, bestselling author of MY HUSBAND'S WIFE and BLOOD SISTERS *A terrifying and disorienting thriller that will leave you questioning everyone and everything right to the very last page. It's so good I had to put everything on hold just to finish it. * Nuala Ellwood, author of MY SISTER'S BONES *When I Find You is a winner. It leads you down blind alleys and in to disorienting situations - I absolutely raced to the end. * T. A. Cotterell, acclaimed author of WHAT ALICE KNEW *A compelling, twisty read that kept me turning the pages late into the night, without ever managing to second guess what was coming next. * Kerry Fisher, author of THE SILENT WIFE *Very clever! Kept me up the entire night . . . Total curve ball. * Cari Rosen *Absorbing. Mesmerizing. Thought provoking. I was totally engrossed in this novel. * Amanda Robson, author of OBSESSION and GUILT *

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Book Synopsis'The best kind of thriller - step by all-too-plausible step we're sucked into frantic, breathless action ... Perfect." LEE CHILDYou never know where danger may come from... 6.45am. A sweltering London rush hour. And in the last 27 minutes, seven people have been murdered.In a series of coordinated attacks, seven men and women across London have been targeted. For journalist Famie Madden, the horror unfolds as she arrives for the morning shift.The victims have one thing in common: they make up the investigations team at the news agency where Famie works. The question everyone’s asking: what were they working on that could prompt such brutal devastation?As Famie starts to receive mysterious messages, she must find out whether she is being warned of the next attack, or being told that she will be the next victim...Trade Review'The best kind of thriller - step by all-too-plausible step we're sucked into frantic, breathless action ... Perfect." * Lee Child *Mayo proves unfailingly good at dialogue...an overwhelming powerful spell Knife Edge casts while you're reading it * Reader’s Digest *Simon Mayo is clearly a force to be reckoned with in the thriller world ... Smart and tense [with] some highly ingenious twists * The Times *Another gripping read ... you'll be on a knife edge * Sunday Express *Tense, taut and splendidly twisty * Heat *

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Book SynopsisSometimes to catch a killer you have to become the prey.'A satisfying and pacey thriller from a talented author' J M Dalgliesh, author of ONE LOST SOUL___________________________________**THE THIRD DR BLOOM THRILLER**___________________________________The Foreign Secretary is being held under the Terrorism Act. He will answer the police's questions on one condition - they let him speak to Dr Augusta Bloom.He asks Bloom to track down his niece, Scarlett, who hasn't spoken to her family for ten years. The last they heard, Scarlett was getting involved with Artemis - an organisation dedicated to women's rights and the feminist movement, led by the charismatic Paula Kunis.But as Bloom learns more about Artemis, she's torn. Is this organisation everything it claims to be, or do they have a secret side and an alternative agenda? And if so, what has become of Scarlett?The only way to find out for sure is for Bloom to go undercover. But will she make it out safely - or will she become the next Artemis woman to disappear?*****READERS LOVE DR BLOOM'S LATEST INVESTIGATION:'Jam packed with excitement and twists around every corner' *****'Once again Leona Deakin has hit the ball out of the park' *****'What a gripping book, so many brilliant twists and turns' *****'This book is unlike any other crime/mystery novel that I have ever read' *****'A really intense and gripping read' *****'Well written and a real page-turner' *****'I was completely riveted by this book' *****Trade ReviewA well-crafted tale from a talented author, weaving strong characters and curious personalities together into a satisfying and pacey thriller. * J M Dalgliesh, Kindle bestselling author of ONE LOST SOUL *

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Book SynopsisDetective Alice Madison is back in a gripping new thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Kathryn Croft and Sharon Bolton.After two years in the Seattle Police Department, Detective Alice Madison has finally found a peace she has never known before. When a local burglary escalates into a gruesome murder, Madison takes charge of the investigation. She finds herself tracking a killer who has haunted the city for years - and whose brutality is the stuff of myth in high security prisons. As she delves deeper into the case, Madison learns that the widow of one of the victims is being stalked - is the killer poised to strike again? As pressures mount, Madison will stop at nothing to save the next innocent victim . . . even if it means playing a killer's endgame.Discover more Detective Alice Madison in the must-read, critically acclaimed series beginning with The Gift of Darkness and The Dark. Trade ReviewMadison and her colleagues are strongly written, compelling characters and the primary plot is high-octane stuff * Guardian *This, her third novel featuring Seattle Detective Alice Madison, is as twisty and tasty a crime thriller as anyone could wish for . . . Madison is a sensitively drawn, fully rounded character, ensuring this compelling mystery stands out from the crowd and gives the reader a heroine to cheer for when the body count mounts * Daily Mail *First-rate . . . V.M. Giambanco is a powerful writer with a strong story * Times *Giambanco is a name to watch * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'Clever and compelling' Dorothy Koomson'Very punchy and terrifyingly plausible' Sunday Mirror'Linda Green is bloody brilliant!' Amanda ProwseA nail-biting psychological drama for fans of the Richard & Judy bestseller THE LAST THING SHE TOLD MEOne, two, three . . .Lisa Dale shuts her eyes and counts to one hundred during a game of hide-and-seek. When she opens them, her four-year-old daughter Ella is gone. Disappeared without a trace. The police, the media and Lisa's family all think they know who snatched Ella.But what if the person who took her isn't a stranger? What if they are convinced they are doing the right thing? And what if Lisa's little girl is in danger of disappearing forever?*****WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WHILE MY EYES WERE CLOSED'Very gripping and wonderfully written' *****'I was hooked' *****'A thrilling page-turner' *****Trade ReviewClever and compelling, While My Eyes Were Closed tells the story of the disappearance of a child in many different authentic voices. You feel the effect it has on all the characters, even the ones you're not sure you're supposed to feel sympathy for. This is brave story, which is touching right down to the final word. I so enjoyed this book * Dorothy Koomson, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author *A beautifully crafted novel of knife-edge suspense that held my attention to the very end. I wanted to compare the author to Gillian Flynn or Alice Sebold, but that wouldn't be right. This book is one hundred percent Linda Green, and Linda Green is bloody brilliant! * Amanda Prowse, #1 bestselling author *The suspense becomes quite unbearable - and there's a final flourish in the form of a very punchy twist. A terrifyingly plausible story, that will have parents looking over their shoulders * Sunday Mirror *A powerful and provocative read that will get under your skin * Sun *This novel is fantastic. I couldn't put it down . . . I read it with my stomach fluttering the whole time * BBC Radio Leeds Book Club *An ambitious premise, brilliantly executed * The Lady *Expertly plotted and truly terrifying, this book forensically dissects every parent's nightmare * Barbara Nadel *Packed with emotion, the suspense of the devastation situation this family find themselves thrust into through circumstance is apparent through every page of this thrilling read. A real page turner * Telegraph & Argus *Terrifying, brilliantly plotted. Linda Green manages to construct an amazing scenario out of every parent's worst nightmare and make it incredibly plausible * Emily Barr, author of The Perfect Lie *A vivid and unnerving story about the terrifying knife-edges of motherhood. Nail-biting, creepy and so sad * Isabelle Grey, author of THE BAD MOTHER *A vivid and unnerving story about the terrifying knife-edges of motherhood. Nail-biting, creepy and so sad * Isabelle Grey, author of The Bad Mother *

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Book SynopsisAs the head of Swedish Intelligence in Brussels Bente Jensen has many enemies, even among those who ought to be her allies, like Jonathan Green of MI6. In a city heaving with competing espionage agencies he is the person she fears and distrusts most. She has good reason. They share a past.Green has been part of an MI6 conspiracy to hold, interrogate, torture and kill its political prisoners in a safe house in Syria. This explosive information has been leaked to Bente by a conscience-stricken British operative. When it is clear she can expose this operation MI6 uses its full arsenal of dirty tricks to shame her, disgrace her, destroy her relationships and remove her from active service.But Green's private life has more in common with Bente's than he acknowledges. He is far from fireproof himself. Both spies will find themselves targets of the UK establishment's precisely calculated revenge.Like its highly acclaimed predecessor Into A Raging Blaze Andreas Norman's new novel is a morally and politically complex international thriller. Its nail-biting plot and sympathetic characters show the tragic human consequences of private and public treachery.Trade ReviewThis impressive novel shifts between Brussels, London and Syria in a horrifying and moving exploration of different kinds of betrayal. * Literary Review *Norman is an innovative stylist: the fast-paced narrative, fluently rendered in translation by Ian Giles, is written in the third person present tense with an omniscient narrator. This brings a sense of intimacy that is almost claustrophobic, especially at the roller-coaster climax * Financial Times *In this taut, engaging and fascinating thriller . . . the writing is crisp, the action fast paced, the plot is psychology convincing and the subject matter both credible and contemporary. . . Andreas Norman will be one to watch. * Shotmag *With a credible plot and believable characters, this is a high-tension thriller of dirty tricks and calculated revenge * Choice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Neal Stephenson and Peter F. Hamilton: the blockbuster conclusion to the international sci-fi thriller by German's Number One thriller writer.It's 2025, and the Chinese and the Americans are going head to head on the Moon for helium-3, the rare mineral which will solve all the Earth's energy needs. But not everyone is happy.Billionaire Julian Orley's space-elevator revolutionised space travel; now he's taking a group of international movers and shakers on the trip of a lifetime: to the first-ever hotel on the Moon, hoping to woo them into investing in the future of humanity.But not all of Orly's guests are humanitarians: at least one is pursuing his own dark plot - and now there's a time limit. And how is this linked with the cyber-detective Owen Jericho, the dissident hacker Yoyo, oil magnate Gerald Palstein - and the mysterious organisation called Hydra, who have their own - not very charitable - plans for the universe?Trade ReviewEnthralling and visionary * Thomas Reiter, Astronaut *Full of excitement and danger. [A] complex and well-woven thriller [that] combines a thoughtful vision of the future with relics of the present and creates an atmosphere both alien and familiar * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisA beautiful model's death uncovers an ugly conspiracy stretching all the way to Westminster in Rosie Gilmour's darkest case to date.When Scots supermodel Bella Mason plunges to her death from the roof of a glitzy Madrid hotel, everyone assumes it was suicide. Except that one person saw exactly what happened to Bella that night, and she definitely didn't jump. But Millie Chambers has no one she can tell - an alcoholic and now sectioned by her bullying politician husband, who would believe her? And that's not all Millie knows. Being close to the heart of Westminster power can lead to discovering some awful secrets...Back in Glasgow, Rosie's research into Bella's life leads to her brother. Dan is now a homeless heroin addict, but what he reveals about Bella's early life is electrifying: organised sexual abuse in care homes across Glasgow. Bella had tracked him down so that they could tell the world their story. And now she's dead.As Rosie's drive to expose the truth leads her closer to Millie and the shameful secrets she has kept for so many years, it becomes clear that what she's about to discover could prove fatal: a web of sexual abuse linking powerful figures across the nation, and the rot at the very heart of the British Establishment...'Provocative, shocking and utterly harrowing . . . grips like a vice' Daily RecordTrade ReviewThrilling and compelling * Kimberley Chambers *Rosie Gilmour is a captivating character who drags the reader along at breakneck speed * Sunday Express *Provocative, shocking and utterly harrowing . . . grips like a vice * Daily Record *Another superb outing for Rosie Gilmour . . . a real nail-biter * Eurocrime *Another thrilling rollercoaster read * Book Addict Shaun *

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Book SynopsisRosie Gilmour is hot on the trail of a ring of baby-sellers and people-traffickers. The problem is, her main suspect is a dead man. Or is he?A money-laundering accountant disappears in Romania. The hitman hired to disappear him is found dead in a Glasgow flat. And the owner of the flat, the accountant's widow, claims she knows nothing about it.Crime reporter Rosie Gilmour isn't convinced by Helen Lewis's innocent facade - she is convinced Helen was the one who ordered the hit on her husband, and she's going to prove it. But when she discovers that Helen's husband worked for a ring of gangsters selling babies from Romanian orphanages, her focus shifts. Now she has two sets of criminals to bring to justice - she'd better pray they don't catch up with her first.'Plenty of action, chills and thrills [with a] quite enchanting finale' Crime ReviewTrade ReviewChilling and compelling * Kimberley Chambers *Anna Smith is the real deal . . . Rosie Gilmour is a captivating character who drags the reader along at breakneck speed * Daily Express *Smith develops this multi-stranded story at a furious pace, with no spare words and no fillers . . . But it is the author's journalistic ability, her eye for observing and recording even the most horrific or depressing detail that makes this such a great read * Crime Review *

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Book Synopsis'Ghosts, murder, a terrifying psychotic who seems normal, and beautiful writing. Loved it' Stephen King'Can make you gasp in astonishment or break your heart with a single line' Wall St Journal'Superb. Think a more literary, and feminist, Gone Girl' VogueBASIS FOR THE NETFLIX FILM THINGS HEARD & SEEN This begins the morning Catherine Clare died. The day her daughter spent in the house with her. The evening her husband came home to find her.This becomes the tale of their marriage, and the ones around them. A tale of bonds between families, between lives living and lost and of the lonely ones that share no bonds at all. Who should be pitied. Who must be feared.Trade ReviewBrundage's brilliant new novel is as terrifyingly unsettling-and as beautiful-as cracking ice over a raging river. Part murder mystery, part ghost story, it's also a profound look at how past guilt informs the present, how what we yearn for is not always what we get, and how it's not only houses that can be haunted, but people as well. One of the most ambitious, original and gorgeously written novels that I've ever read-and been unable to forget. * Caroline Leavitt *All Things Cease to Appear is a riveting ghost story, psychological thriller, and literary page turner. It's also the story of four women: Ella, Catherine, Justine, and Willis. With masterful skill and brilliant empathy, Brundage brings each of them to vivid and remarkable life. At its heart, this is a story about women's grit and courage, will and intelligence. It's a powerful and beautiful novel * Kate Christensen *At once high art and a spellbinding thriller, this is a book of many wonders, including a character as creepily sinister as any created by Patricia Highsmith * Beverly Lowry *A dynamic portrait of a young woman coming into her own [and] of a marriage in free fall. . . . It rises to [great] literary heights and promises a soaring mix of mysticism * Booklist *Brundage's searing, intricate novel epitomizes the best of the literary thriller, marrying gripping drama with impeccably crafted prose, characterizations, and imagery . . . Succeeding as murder mystery, ghost tale, family drama, and love story, her novel is both tragic and transcendent * Publisher's Weekly *I bloody loved this. I could have taken weeks over it, lingering on the harmony and beauty of her language and the creeping delicacy of what was going on - but the plot and the people pull you in. It's an iceberg in disguise. Beneath the daisies and farmhouses, the drinks parties and local dramas something grand, tense and terrifying is shifting, between men and women, between townies and newcomers, between adults and children. And then a crack shoots through - unexpected light, the clarity of hatred, inevitability . . . A lot of people will be getting this for their birthdays this year. * Louisa Young *Superb . . . think a more literary, and feminist, Gone Girl. As the seemingly perfect marriage at its core reminds us, the most lethal deceptions are the stories we tell ourselves * Vogue *A book as lyrically written, frequently shocking and immensely moving as Elizabeth Brundage's All Things Cease to Appear transcends categorization . . . Reading this book is at once wrenching and exhilarating thanks to Ms. Brundage's prose, which can make you gasp in astonishment or break your heart with a single line -- Tom Nolan * Wall Street Journal *Ghosts, murder, a terrifying psychotic who seems normal, and beautiful writing. Loved it * Stephen King *What, at first, seems to be a crime novel is much more, working on several levels. It's the painful story of a marriage that should never have happened . . . Furthermore, it's a chilling portrait of a pyschopathic killer. Not so much a whodunnit as a whydunnit, this richly imagined, sprawling novel contains scalpel-sharp dissections of the characters and their increasingly complex relationships -- Fanny Blake * Daily Mail *Haunting . . . Brundage exposes the mind of the killer in slow and forensic detail -- Joan Smith * Sunday Times *A portrait of a dysfunctional marriage with supernatural shadowing . . . so beautifully written, so full of neat observations and telling details -- John O'Connell * Guardian *Mesmerising . . . This isn't a whodunit - the mystery's easy enough to solve. Instead, it's a psychological portrait of a whole community . . . [the] novel is compelling, as coldly beautiful as it is unsettling. It's haunting, in the best possibly way -- Sarah Dobbs * Crime Scene *If I could choose just one thriller from all that I have read this year to recommend as a Christmas present for a friend, it would be All Things Cease to Appear. This remarkable novel, an utterly compelling tale that is part supernatural ghost story, part acutely observed psychological thriller and part gripping family saga -- Myles McWeeney * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisIf war is madness, how can love survive?Yugoslavia, summer 1979. A new village. A new life. But eight-year-old Miro knows the real reason why his family moved from the inland city of Knin to the sunkissed village of Ljeta on the Dalmatian Coast, a tragedy he tries desperately to forget. The Ljeta years are happy ones, though, and when he marries his childhood sweetheart, and they have a baby daughter, it seems as though life is perfect. However, storm clouds are gathering above Yugoslavia.War breaks out, and one split-second decision destroys the life Miro has managed to build. Driven by anger and grief, he flees to Dubrovnik, plunging himself into the hard-bitten world of international war reporters.There begins a journey that will take him ever deeper into danger: from Dubrovnik, to Sarajevo, to the worst atrocities of war-torn Bosnia, Miro realises that even if he survives, there can be no way back to his earlier life. The war will change him, and everyone he loves, forever.Trade ReviewTender, truthful, moving and at times painful * Sunday Mirror *I loved the way the author merges the compelling personal stories of this family against the dramatic background of the troubles of Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Miro is strong but flawed - an utterly realistic character - and when he is flung into the war his life is changed forever. How he copes with what he witnesses; with loss, disillusion and guilt, makes for a fascinating story which is told with integrity and authenticity -- Rosanna Ley, author of The Villa and Bay of SecretsA rattlingly good read, pacily plotted and ambitious in scope * Wendy Holden, Daily Mail *Thorpe's moving, powerful tale examines how easy it is for us to lose humanity in the face of evil * Daily Express *An important chronicle of one of the most disgraceful conflicts of the late 20th century . . . and quite apart from the history lesson, it's a fascinating read * Irish Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis'Even better than Child 44. Akyl Borubaev is a terrific creation' Anthony HorowitzTHE KYRGYZ WINTER REMINDS US THAT THE PAST IS NEVER DEAD, SIMPLY WAITING TO AMBUSH US AROUND THE NEXT CORNER...When Inspector Akyl Borubaev of Bishkek Murder Squad arrives at the brutal murder scene of a young woman, all evidence hints at a sadistic serial killer on the hunt for more prey.But when the young woman's father turns out to be a leading government minister, the pressure is on Borubaev to solve the case not only quickly but also quietly, by any means possible. Until more bodies are found . . .Still in mourning after his wife's recent death, Borubaev descends into Bishkek's brutal underworld, a place where no-one and nothing is as it seems, where everyone is playing for the highest stakes, and where violence is the only solution.'Just keeps getting better . . . buy the whole series right away' Peter Robinson, No.1 bestselling author of Sleeping in the GroundTrade ReviewJust keeps getting better . . . buy the whole series right away * Peter Robinson, author of the bestselling DCI Banks series *Storytelling of the highest quality . . . Introduces a detective it is impossible not to believe in. Callaghan is a new voice to be welcomed * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisSet between 1989 and the downfall of Ceaușescu, and 2013, The Squeeze travels between Edinburgh, Romania and Oslo and sees this ­multi‑award-winning and bestselling author at the height of her powers.Marta, a teenager trafficked from Romania in the early 1990s is forced to work as a prostitute in Edinburgh. Mats, a Norwegian businessman, who longs only to be a good husband and father, becomes involved with Marta and both their lives are wrenched – for good or ill – in new directions. Told in a splintered narrative style that allows glimpses into several points of view, The Squeeze explores the transactions that take place between men and women. Sex, money and the desire for love, are at its heart.Trade ReviewThe Squeeze has the pace and plot points of a thriller, and the tension rarely ebbs. It’s also sharply written, and Glaister’s corvid eye for squalor grounds her story skilfully in the queasy humdrum even as the drama ratchets up. -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *This is not an easy novel to read and it can’t have been the easiest to write. But Glaister has never shied away from a challenge, and she never disappoints. She may not be the most high-profile writer of her generation, and her unflinching approach to difficult subject matter may be part of the reason for that. But she deserves to be better known. -- Lesley McDowall * The National *The Squeeze is not an easy read, not only because of the squalid world where it is set. Glaister’s episodic format has been described as ‘splintered’, a sound adjective for her jagged shards of narrative which jump between past and present settings and tenses. It’s tense and challenging, but we care just enough about Mats and Marta to persist. The ride is a roller-coaster of horror, heroism, violence, love, despair and hoped-for redemption – exhausting, but enriching nonetheless and a journey well worth risking. -- Elizabeth Hilliard Selka * BookOxygen *Another cliché, ‘a haunting narrative’, attaches itself to the The Squeeze: it is particularly powerful read against the current political climate, bringing a whole new gravitas to the cliché of global village. It takes the reader well beyond their comfort zone, but it is every bit worth the discomfort. -- Anna Hollingsworth * Shiny New Books *This book covers such subjects as sex trafficking post Berlin Wall, marriage, relationships, family ties and criminal underworlds. It was an really intriguing, engaging read and has prompted me to buy pretty much all of Lesley Glaister’s back catalogue. No lie. * Bookish Chat *

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Book SynopsisA suspenseful, surprising thriller for readers of THE COUPLE AT NO 9 and OUR HOUSE, about a woman who needs to solve the mystery of her husband's death... before it's too late'Twisty, dark and hugely gripping' - Sunday Times bestselling author Karen Hamilton'Impossible to predict with clever twists and gripping turns' - bestselling author Nicola Moriarty 'Had me hanging on every twist and turn' - Richard and Judy bestselling author Gytha LodgeSORRYThe only word scribbled on a note from Beth's husband before he disappeared.The police believe that Oscar took his own life and this last apology was his way of saying goodbye to his wife. But Beth knows there is more to the story. As disturbing secrets about his life emerge, and the lies of those closest to her begin to unravel, she realises she never really knew her husband at all.She wants to know what he was sorry for, and she's going to find out... but someone doesn't want her to discover the truth.And they'll do anything to stop her.What His Wife Knew is a gripping suspense which is not what it first seems. It is a tale of revenge and betrayal but also of family and loyalty, with a final showdown you won't easily forget.*PRAISE FOR JO JAKEMAN*'Revenge is a dish served with lashings of relish in this vivid suspense novel, as three women fight back against an abusive partner. I cheered them on to the bloody end.' - LOUISE CANDLISH, bestselling author of OUR HOUSE 'A cracking book. Darkly funny, yet also touching and emotive. Plus, full of suspense and twists. Buy it!' - C J TUDOR, author of THE CHALK MAN 'This is a cracker of a thriller...you will absolutely be up way past your bedtime' - JOANNA CANNON'I loved Sticks and Stones. A gripping story, sensitively told but also really funny: no mean feat given the subject matter!' - LAURA MARSHALL, bestselling author of Friend Request'I raced through this dark, tightly-plotted and satisfying thriller. Loved it!' - Roz Watkins, author of CWA Dagger shortlisted The Devil's Dice Trade ReviewI raced through this dark, tightly-plotted and satisfying thriller. Loved it! * Roz Watkins, author of The Devil's Dice *Taut, compelling, authentic, and with a superb crescendo of an ending. With its flawed but strong and relatable female characters, the book is a true page-turner. I loved the last line, which for me summed up the author's talent in cleverly mixing emotion with just the right amount of dark humour throughout. A great read. Loved it. * J.A. Corrigan *'A totally engaging, brilliantly characterised read that had me hanging on every twist and turn. An absolute 5* cracker of a book' * Gytha Lodge *Twisty, dark and hugely gripping * Karen Hamilton *Cleverly written, page-turning psychological thriller with an intriguing plot and excellent characterisation * Jenny Quintana *

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