Crime & Thrillers Books

Book Synopsis'A novel like razor-wire...part chase thriller, part psychological suspense' AJ Finn, author of #1 bestseller The Woman in the WindowTWO STRANGERS. DANGEROUS SECRETS. THEIR ONLY CHANCE IS EACH OTHER. Cait's job is to transport women to safety. Out of respect, she never asks any questions. Like most of the women, Rebecca is trying to escape something. But what if Rebecca's secrets put them both in danger? There's a reason Cait chooses to keep on the road, helping strangers. She has a past of her own, and knows what it's like to be followed.And there is someone right behind them, watching their every move...*Named one of the New York Times top 10 crime novels of 2020*____________________READERS LOVE THIS BOOK:'A hard-hitting feminist thriller' *****'Had me racing through the pages' *****'Tense and atmospheric' *****'A masterclass in tension and reader manipulation' *****Trade ReviewA novel like razor-wire...Part chase thriller, part psychological suspense…wholly ingenious. * AJ Finn, author of The Woman in the Window *Gripping….This action-packed story will keep readers riveted. * Publishers Weekly *A nerve-shredding book. Jessica Barry is shockingly perceptive in her portrayal of every day threats to everyday women, every day. * Rosamund Lupton *Hair-raising. * New York Times *Barry’s electric, perfectly paced tale reads like the gritty lovechild of Thelma and Louise and Spielberg’s Duel, and readers will cheer for Cait and Rebecca all the way to the end of the road. An action-packed and fiercely feminist big-screen–ready chiller. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisA FAMILY DIVIDED. A SECRET THAT COULD KILL.‘Denise Mina is proving to be one of the finest crime writers of her generation’ Daily Express Maureen O’Donnell is facing the darkest episode in her life. The psychologist who murdered her boyfriend is up for trial, with Maureen as the reluctant star witness, and her abusive father has arrived back in Glasgow. On top of it all, she has become embroiled in someone else’s family feud. When an elderly market stallholder dies after a brutal beating, Maureen suspects the woman’s son. She soon discovers that his health club is a front for a far less respectable establishment. As her court appearance approaches, Maureen is under threat once again, and this time she has very few protectors…Trade ReviewDenise Mina is proving to be one of the finest crime writers of her generation * Daily Express *A riveting story with characters who leap from the page fully formed, wonderfully realistic dialogue and the outcome in doubt until the final pages * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'Donna Leon's deft and descriptive words do for Venice what Canaletto did for this serenest of cities with his brushes and paint palette and bring it to life in all its reach and colourful gaiety...[An] intriguing tense thriller. The ending is to die for.' Daily ExpressA New York Times BestsellerA National Indie Bestseller__________________________________In Death at La Fenice, Donna Leon's first novel in the Commissario Brunetti series, readers were introduced to the glamorous and cut-throat world of opera and to one of Italy's finest living sopranos, Flavia Petrelli - then a suspect in the poisoning of a renowned German conductor. Now, many years after Brunetti cleared her name, Flavia has returned to the illustrious La Fenice to sing the lead in Tosca.As an opera superstar, Flavia is well acquainted with attention from adoring fans and aspiring singers. But when one anonymous admirer inundates her with bouquets of yellow roses - on stage, in her dressing room and even inside her locked apartment - it becomes clear that this fan has become a potentially dangerous stalker. Distraught, Flavia turns to an old friend for help. Familiar with Flavia's melodramatic temperament, Commissario Brunetti is at first unperturbed by her story, but when another young opera singer is attacked he begins to think Flavia's fears may be justified. In order to keep his friend out of danger, Brunetti must enter the psyche of an obsessive fan and find the culprit before anyone comes to harm.Trade ReviewDonna Leon’s deft and descriptive words do for Venice what Canaletto did for this serenest of cities with his brushes and paint palette and bring it to life in all its reach and colourful gaiety…[An] intriguing tense thriller. The ending is to die for. * Daily Express *This is Leon at her best … Her writing is as ever subtle and elliptical and conversations and people always have multiple layers which often only reveal themselves on second reading … This is a compelling read and kept me up long past my usual bed time as I just had to finish it to find out what happened. The nail biting finale was well worth staying up for. * JillySheep *The star of the story is Venice itself and Donna Leon, who has lived there for thirty years, brings the city to life . . . I read the book in two sittings . . . glued to the page as the tension ramped up - and everything came to a very satisfying finale. * The Book Bag *The author provides us once again with an entertaining mystery and an opportunity to catch up with the estimable Guido Brunetti. Leon never disappoints. * Crimesquad *As always, a gentle and intriguing look at life in Venice, the vagaries of the police force, and a sharp and clever investigation from Brunetti mixed in a delightful way, is at the heart of this novel. Another enjoyable outing for this complex, intelligent detective. * Eurocrime *

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Book SynopsisReaders of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith will love this gripping, spell-binding and unputdownable WW2 historical adventure full of vivid battle scenes and masterful characterisation from multi-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman. Guaranteed to have you hooked from page one...'One of our foremost writers of naval fiction' -- Sunday Times'A wonderfully entertaining book' -- ***** Reader review'Another brilliant story from the master of sea battles, I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish' -- ***** Reader review'Well-paced & difficult to put down' -- ***** Reader review'Highly rated indeed. Excellent!' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************************1941: the S.S. Benbecula is already old when she is turned into an armed merchant cruiser,.Yet even she is needed to protect the vital Atlantic sea lanes.Commander Lindsay, her new captain, has to work desperately to mould the ship's company - raw recruits and old timers - into a fighting force.And better than anyone, Lindsay knows this could be his last command, his last chance...

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Book SynopsisTHE SECOND SHIPYARD GIRLS NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NANCY REVELL.‘Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!’ Northern Echo***********1941: it takes strength to work on the docks, but the war demands all hands on deck and the women are doing their best to fill the gap. Rosie is flourishing in her role as head-welder while still keeping her double life a secret. But a dashing detective is forcing Rosie to choose between love and her duty. Gloria is hiding her own little secret – one that if found out, could not only threaten her job, but her life.And the shipyards are proving tougher than Polly ever imagined, while she waits for her man to return home safely. Join the shipyard girls as they journey through the hardships of life, love and war.Praise for The Shipyard Girls series:'the author is one to watch' Sun‘A brilliant read’ Take a Break‘Well-drawn, believable characters combined with a storyline to keep you turning the pages’ WomanTrade ReviewTHE SECOND SHIPYARD GIRLS NOVEL. 1941: it takes strength to work on the docks, but the war demands all hands on deck and the women are doing their best to fill the gap. Rosie is flourishing in her role as head-welder, Gloria is hiding her own little secret, and the shipyards are proving tougher than Polly ever imagined. * from the publisher's description *Arrow have a speciality in publishing these sweeping historical novels. It is easy to see why the genre is so popular in general, but also why Nancy Revell’s books are so popular. Researched within an inch of its life; the novel is enjoyably entertaining. A perfect way to spend hours, wrapped up in the characters’ lives. This is the second book in The Shipyard Girls saga and it is not only just as good as the first, but a perfect continuation. Recommended reading. * Frost Magazine *If you loved The Shipyard Girls you’ll be itching to get your hands on this sequel … a brilliant read! * Take a Break *Nancy creates strong characters that come alive as you read. I loved finding out about their individual journeys. Nancy writes about some serious issues but she writes it in such away that it is also filled with hope that things will get better. If you love reading about strong women, love and family in time of war this is a book for you. * chellsandbooks *

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THE THIRD SHIPYARD GIRLS NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NANCY REVELL. ‘Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!’ Northern Echo ***********Sunderland, 1941As the world war continues the shipyard girls face hardships at home, but work and friendship give them strength to carry on.Gloria is smitten with her newly arrived bundle of joy, but baby Hope’s first weeks are bittersweet. Hope's father is missing at sea, and with their future as a family so uncertain, Gloria must lean on her girls for support.Meanwhile, head welder Rosie has turned her back on love to keep her double life secret. But her persistent beau is determined to find out the truth and if he does, it could ruin her.And there is finally a glimmer of hope for Polly and her family when Bel and Joe fall in love. But it isn’t long before a scandalous revelation threatens to pull them all apart.Praise for The Shipyard Girls series:‘This author is one to watch!’ Sun ‘A brilliant read’ Take a Break‘Well-drawn, believable characters combined with a storyline to keep you turning the pages’ Woman

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling co-author of Never Never comes an ingenious and edgy suspense novel that will keep you guessing to the very last page . . .12.46: 13-year-old Claire Bingley stands alone at a bus stop 12.47: Ted Conkaffey parks his car beside her 12.52: The girl is missing . . .Six minutes - that’s all it took to ruin Detective Ted Conkaffey’s life. Accused but not convicted of Claire’s abduction, he escapes north, to the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake.Amanda Pharrell knows what it’s like to be public enemy no.1. Maybe it’s her murderous past that makes her so good as a private investigator, tracking lost souls in the wilderness. Her latest target, missing author Jake Scully, has a life more shrouded in secrets than her own - so she enlists help from the one person in town more hated than she is: Ted Conkaffey.But the residents of Crimson Lake are watching the pair’s every move. And for Ted, a man already at breaking point, this town is offering no place to hide . . .Trade ReviewFrom the New York Times bestselling co-author of Never Never comes an ingenious and edgy suspense novel that will keep you guessing to the very last page . . .Six minutes. That’s all it takes to ruin Detective Ted Conkaffey’s life. Accused but not convicted of Claire’s abduction, he escapes north, to the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake. * from the publisher's description *A fast-paced, expertly crafted read with a cast of colourful characters * Guardian *One of the best crime thrillers of the year. -- Lee ChildA bright new star of crime fiction. -- James PattersonA masterful novel ... Definitely a writer to watch. -- Harlan Coben

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Book Synopsis'Masterful and beautifully written. Riveting and compellingly authentic. Grips you like a vice from the first page and never lets you go' Damien LewisTwo men are on the run. They have four hundred miles to go across hostile territory. Soldiers on the ground track them day and night, a helicopter circles above, life becomes a second-by-second fight for survival. Each muscle movement, drop of sweat, glance and instinct matters. Every second counts.Through long slogs across country, risky raids for supplies, moments of sheer panic, and under the intense pressure to survive, an unbreakable bond between two men is forged. This stunningly written, adrenaline-pumping novel is a little-known classic of its genre.SHORTLISTED FOR THE FIRST EVER BOOKER PRIZE IN 1969‘England's prose has the tough, spare elegance of steel scaffolding… a brilliant achievement’ The TimesTrade ReviewMasterful and beautifully written. Riveting and compellingly authentic. Grips you like a vice from the first page and never lets you goEngland's prose has the tough, spare elegance of steel scaffolding. His vocabulary is wide, and used with arresting precision. The speed of the narrative is impeccably controlled – long slogs over country, moments of blind panic, passages of demoralizing inactivity, hair-raising evasions, all building up to a central set-piece in a burning field... A brilliant achievement * The Times *Shocked through with dramatic tension * Irish Times *Outstanding … I doubt if there has been a more impressive debut since William Golding’s * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis"You're always good on ideas, Tom..."An American art collector is claiming that the expensive masterpiece he bought is a fake. He wants to meet with the artist - but Tom Ripley knows that artist no longer exits.Ripley needs to hide his role in the fraud, and keep his colleague's mouth shut. But not everyone's nerves are as steady as his, especially when it comes to murder.The second in Highsmith's Ripley series, Ripley Under Ground is set six years after the events of The Talented Mr Ripley.'Patricia Highsmith is unrivalled' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewIn Ripley Under Ground Patricia Highsmith is in her most brilliant form * Daily Telegraph *The No.1 Greatest Crime Writer * The Times *Ripley Under Ground is Highsmith back on top of her most enjoyable humour-and-horrors form * Sunday Telegraph *By her hypnotic art Highsmith puts the suspense story into a toweringly high place in the hierachy of fiction * The Times *The Ripley books are marvellously, insanely readable * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe abduction of a child entangles Celcius Daly in a forty-year-old quest for justice. Inspector Celcius Daly is leading the search for a ten-year-old boy, abducted in broad daylight from the car park outside Armagh Courthouse. His investigation leads to a notorious group of travellers long suspected of smuggling and organised crime. Digging deeper, Daly discovers some harrowing truths about their past treatment and unearths a family secret linked to an unsolved crime during the Troubles – the disappearance of a young traveller woman and her baby. Under investigation by Internal Affairs, hounded by Special Branch, ostracised by his colleagues, Daly realises just how much he has in common with the outcast travellers. But dare he risk becoming entangled in a vigilante vendetta? Just how far will this group of outsiders go to find their own justice?Trade ReviewBeautiful writing about ugly events with a plot that's pleasingly serpentine * Sunday Times Crime Club *Quinn's prose has a quality of bleak poetry... Trespass is a bracing tale of a society ravaged by violence' * Irish Times *An outstanding, deeply satisfying and beautifully written police procedural * Irish Independent Top Crime and Thrillers of 2016 *Quinn's literary descriptions of the bleak Northern Irish landscape are wonderfully evocative... if you enjoy a gritty police procedural written with a literary twist, this one is for you' * Sunday Independent *The prose is of a high quality * Irish Examiner *Beautiful lyrical language worthy of a major literary work rather than a crime story... A superb novel, like its predecessors, this may be, but it holds more than its share of truth and is worth the study and understanding of any student of modern history' * Crime Review *Quinn is a superb writer and probably one of the best crime novelists around at the moment. Trespass is a wonderful book by any standards' -- William Ryan's Summer Reading Pick, Sunday IndependentCarefully wrought, often lyrical prose, always rich with foreboding * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisA sensational debut thriller from a master storyteller. A KILLER WITH A MESSAGE. Two men have been murdered. Both of them were school bullies when they were younger. Plenty of people would have wanted them dead. A single clue has been found at the scene: a class photo from 1982, with two faces neatly crossed out. A DETECTIVE WHO CAN'T LET GO. Fabian Risk is the lead detective on the case. He's also one of the children in the photograph. As more people die, and more faces are crossed out, it becomes clear that a serial killer is targeting old classmates one by one. Fabian Risk thought he'd left his schooldays behind... Now he must confront his past if he is to find the killer before it's too late. VICTIM WITHOUT A FACE is both a high voltage thriller and a fearless exploration of the darkest side of human nature. To enter Stefan Ahnhem's world, with its interwoven plotlines and sprawling cast of characters, is to put yourself in the hands of a master storyteller. REVIEWS FOR STEFAN AHNHEM: 'Atmospheric and complicated [...] with great cop characters and some imaginatively grisly perps' Sunday Times (star pick). 'More gripping than Jo Nesbo, blacker than Stieg Larsson and more bleakly human than Henning Mankell' Tony Parsons. 'Epic in scale and ambition' Daily Mail. 'An intense journey, with an intricate plot... Ahnhem has mastered atmosphere, pacing and intrigue' Crime Review. 'Masterly plotting, grisly murders and chilling suspense: Stefan Ahnhem keeps the threads of this complex, two-country narrative pulled tense' Better Reading.Trade ReviewIt's a better class of murder in Sweden... Epic in scale and ambition, this announces a new arrival in the Swedish crime galaxy' * Daily Mail *Recalls Mankell at his best in its whip-smart observations, flawed but endearing characters and gruesome appeal * Sunday Times Crime Club *Full of surprise, suspense, and the shadows of the past. I read it in one sitting -- Åke EdwardsonThe next Swedish thriller king * Crimetime Award Jury *Grabs you from the very first page and refuses to let you go -- Michael Hjort and Hans RosenfeldtA superb and compelling read * Army Rumour Service Blog *Fast paced, gripping, gruesome and thrilling – I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be looking out for the next Fabian Risk book * The Book Magnet (5 star review) *Gripping, surprising and tense * Crime Review *A gripping, tense and sinister thriller, with the dark and chilling atmosphere characteristic of the Nordic Noir genre. It is a disturbing, thought-provoking and genuinely scary story that left me double checking the door lock before I went to bed!... A superb example of a Nordic Noir/Scandi crime thriller' * Curious Ginger Cat. *An exciting thriller... Each chapter is left on a cliff-hanger and with interesting characters that make us care, we need to know what happens to them' * Gazette and Herald (Yorkshire). *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Ruth Ware.Can you escape the darkness within?Marion Zetland lives with her domineering older brother, John in a decaying Georgian townhouse on the edge of a northern seaside resort. A timid spinster in her fifties who still sleeps with teddy bears, Marion does her best to shut out the shocking secret that John keeps in the cellar.Until, suddenly, John has a heart attack and Marion is forced to go down to the cellar herself and face the gruesome truth that her brother has kept hidden.As questions are asked and secrets unravel, maybe John isn''t the only one with a dark side.REVIEWS''Once you start Catherine Burns's dark, disturbing, and enthralling debut novel, it's hard to stop. The Visitors is bizarrely unsettling, yet compulsively readable'' Iain Reid''Burns blurs the line between crime fiction and horror... Deliberate pacing, a claustrophobic setting, and vivid, wildly unsympathetic characters complement the twisted plot and grim conclusion'' Publishers Weekly''An insightful study of loneliness and evil'' Daily Mail''Must read'' New York Post''Atmospheric, eerie and affecting. Catherine Burns has created a complex and chilling world in which nothing is as it seems. A very clever confident novel, beautifully plotted with multiple twists and turns. I couldn''t stop reading it'' Suellen Dainty''Burns combines a study of a middle-aged woman, a tale of a highly dysfunctional family and slow burn of a mystery, creating a compelling read that''s at once highly entertaining and wholly disturbing ... A dark and thrilling debut novel: disturbing, gripping, and hugely impressive'' The Bookbag''Burns combines a study of a middle-aged woman, a tale of a highly dysfunctional family and slow burn of a mystery, creating a compelling read that''s at once highly entertaining and wholly disturbing ... A dark and thrilling debut novel: disturbing, gripping, and hugely impressive'' TM Logan''Absolutely loved it. I would advise any nail biters to sit on their hands while reading this book because they will chew right down to the knuckle. By far the creepiest novel I have read in a long time ... a highly original and intriguing mystery so compelling that I abandoned my own work to finish it'' Liz Nugent''Compelling and wonderfully dark, choked with suspense and yet leisurely in the telling. I enjoyed it immensely'' Emma Curtis''A dark exploration of evil in its many forms, this is an uncomfortable and disturbing yet utterly compelling read'' SJI Halliday''A dark, compelling story with a few twists and turns that will keep the reader glued to the pages ... I found myself completely engrossed in Marion''s disturbing world, which was well drawn by Catherine Burns. A very strong debut'' Sarah Denzil''An insidious, creepy novel, with a slow burn that leads to a horrifying revelation'' Literary Hub''Beautifully written [a] dark, gritty and inviting tale that explores the darker side of human nature'' Review Corner''A wonderfully dark and suspenseful read from a talented debut author'' Damp Pebbles''The writing, the characters and the mood of this book were absolutely superbly done'' BookBum''A deeply disturbing and unforgettable novel, dripping with evil and horror furiously gripping, addictive and absolutely impossible to put down'' The Book Babe

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Book SynopsisClive Merrison and Andrew Sachs star in seven original BBC Radio 4 full-cast adventures for Holmes and Watson.How many times did Dr John Watson tantalise us with passing references to a mystery which his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, never wrote about in full? In these original adventures Bert Coules, the chief dramatist of BBC Radio 4’s celebrated Sherlock Holmes canon, has imaginatively fleshed out seven such unrecorded cases. The Determined Client: Miss Addleton engages Holmes to save her father's good name.The Striking Success of Miss Franny Blossom: Holmes investigates a respectable gambling club. The Thirteen Watches: Bizarre events on an express train brings a railway baron to Baker Street. The Ferrers Documents: A slum landlord and a missing witness figure in a dark tale of hatred and revenge.The Remarkable Performance of Mr Frederick Merridew: A night at the music hall ends in tragedy.The Eyes of Horus: A priceless Egyptian artefact vanishes from a locked casket in a locked vault.The Marlbourne Point Mystery: Holmes and Watson discover death, treachery and betrayal on an isolated coastal headland.Trade ReviewIngenious extension of the Conan Doyle originals... * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTom Baker reads Charles Dickens' timeless seasonal story. Charles Dickens' story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by the three ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, has become one of the timeless classics of English literature. First published in 1843, it introduces us not only to Scrooge himself, but also to the memorable characters of underpaid desk clerk Bob Cratchit and his poor family, the poorest amongst whom is the ailing and crippled Tiny Tim. In this captivating recording, Tom Baker delivers a tour-de-force performance as he narrates the story. The listener joins Scrooge on Christmas Eve, witnesses the visitation of Marley's ghost, and is given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. With atmospheric sound design, this ultimately uplifting tale is a festive delight to be treasured and listened to again and again. Duration: 3 hours approx

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Book SynopsisShe stayed in your house. Now she wants your life . . .'Tense, compulsive and gripping, The Perfect Guest is uncomfortable in the best possible way' Charlotte Levin 'I devoured this book' Sophie Flynn 'So bloody good' Laura PearsonWe all have that friend - the one who doesn't quite belong. Dinah Marshall is that person and knows it. After someone drops out, she's invited to spend the weekend at a luxury holiday home with women she's known since university. However, the gulf between them has widened since then, and Dinah is conscious of being the only one with no money, career, partner or children. Feeling like an outsider, she takes to snooping around the house. She's fascinated by its owners, Sarah and Isaac Rivers - and when she discovers she can secretly stay an extra night, that fascination quickly spirals into obsession.When Isaac Rivers meets 'Diana Malo

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Book SynopsisFor James Salisbury the only thing worse than being found guilty...is being found not guiltyWhen James Salisbury, the owner of a British car manufacturer, ploughs his 'self-drive' car into a young family, the consequences are deadly. Will the car's 'black box' reveal what really happened or will the industry, poised to launch these products to an eager public, close ranks to cover things up?James himself faces a personal dilemma. If it is proved that he was driving the car he may go to prison. But if he is found innocent, and the autonomous car is to blame, the business he has spent most of his life building, and his dream of safer transport for all, may collapse.Lawyers Judith Burton and Constance Lamb team up once again, this time to defend a man who may not want to go free, in a case that asks difficult questions about the speed at which technology is taking over our lives.'It is Abi Silver's imaginative touches as well as her thorough legal knowledge that make her courtroom thrillers stand out' Jake Kerridge

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Book SynopsisSherri Smith illuminates the dark side of the self-care and wellness industry in a thrilling ride of revenge perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers. Katie Manning was a beloved child star until her mid-teens when her manager attacked and permanently scarred her face, effectively ending her career and sending her on a path of all-too-familiar post-Hollywood self-destruction. Now twenty-seven, Katie wants a better answer to those clickbait “Where Are They Now?” articles that float around online. An answer she hopes to find when her brother’s too-good-to-be-true fiancée invites her to a wellness retreat upstate. Together with Katie’s two best friends—one struggling with crippling debt and family obligations, one running away from a failed job and relationship—Katie will try to find the inner peace promised at the tranquil retreat. But finding oneself just might drudge up more memories than Katie is prepared to deal with. Each woman has come to the retreat for different reasons. Each has her secrets to hide. And at the end of this weekend, only one will be left standing.

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Book Synopsis"Finely observed beautifully written" Daily Mail on The Secrets of Life and Death “The victim had been buried in a carved hollow in the grass and shrouded in fallen leaves…” Archaeologist Sage Westfield has her first forensics case: investigating the murder of a teenage girl. Hidden by holly leaves, the girl’s body has been discovered on the grounds of a stately home, where another teenage girl went missing twenty years ago – but her body was never found. The police suspect the reclusive owner, Alistair Chorleigh, who was questioned but never charged. But when Sage investigates a nearby burial mound – and uncovers rumours of an ancient curse – she discovers the story of another mysterious disappearance over a hundred years ago. Sage will need both her modern forensics skills and her archaeological knowledge to unearth the devastating truth.Trade Review“A deftly constructed novel that offers a nuanced blend between historical and contemporary mystery stories.” - The Crime Review

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Book SynopsisUnavailable for 40 years, this seminal novel of madness and murder is acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates’ powerful trip into the mind of a maniac. Abandoned as a baby in a bus station locker, shuttled from one abusive foster home and detention center to another, Bobbie Gotteson grew up angry, hurting, damaged. His hunger to succeed as a musician brought him across the country to Hollywood, but along with it came his seething rage, his paranoid delusions, and his capacity for acts of shocking violence. Unavailable for 40 years, The Triumph of the Spider Monkey is an eloquent, terrifying, heartbreaking exploration of madness by one of the most acclaimed authors of the past century. This definitive edition for the first time pairs the original novel with a never-before-collected companion novella by Joyce Carol Oates, unseen since its sole publication in a literary journal nearly half a century ago, which examines the impact of Gotteson’s killing spree on a woman who survived it, as seen through the eyes of the troubled young man hired by a private detective to surveil her…Trade Review“ . . . a full-blown freak show of serial murder, psychological self-torment, and literal disintegration.” —Kirkus Review “Boldly explicit, Oates’ tale of criminal psychosis draws on the druggy decadence, greed, sexism, and violence of Hollywood in the Charles Manson-Roman Polanski era.” —Booklist “Oates digs so deeply into the psyche of the murderous personality that it makes for rough reading in parts, but the subject matter is not and should not be sacrificed on the altar of the reader’s comfort zone.” —BookReporter “If you’re a fan of psychological suspense novels, The Triumph of the Spider Monkey will leave you sleeping with the lights on for a few nights.” —George Kelley “[The Triumph of the Spider Monkey] once again displays [Oates'] enviable skill, creativity, and versatility.” —Mystery Scene Magazine

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Book SynopsisHe won't forget her... Erin and her brother Alex were the last children abducted by ‘the Father’, a serial killer who only ever took pairs of siblings. She escaped, but her brother was never seen again. Traumatised, Erin couldn’t remember anything about her ordeal, and the Father was never caught. Eighteen years later, Erin has done her best to put the past behind her. But then she meets Harriet. Harriet’s young cousins were the Father’s first victims and, haunted by their deaths, she is writing a book about the disappearances and is desperate for an interview with the only survivor. At first, Erin wants nothing to do with her. But then she starts receiving sinister gifts, her house is broken into, and she can’t shake the feeling that she’s being watched. After all these years, Erin believed that the Father was gone, but now she begins to wonder if he was only waiting... A tense and emotive thriller, The Final Child is a powerful tale of a survivor being forced to confront her painful past.Trade Review"Yet another stunning thriller from Fran Dorricott. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough." - Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones"This beautifully written novel is haunting and heartbreaking, disturbing and bittersweet. You won't be able to put it down!" - Roz Watkins, author of The Devil's Dice"Fran's writing just gets better and this novel is expertly plotted to keep you turning those pages all night. Parts of this are inevitably heartbreaking, others are full of hope. If you love your crime fiction pacey, well written and full of suspense this is perfect for you." - Alex Caan, author of The Unbroken"The Final Child is such an elegant, well thought-through thriller. It takes the idea of victim and turns it on its head and breaks your heart in the process. I was sucked in for the first half and then whipped through the second half with my heart in my mouth. A fantastic follow-up to After the Eclipse." - Sophie Draper, author of MagpiePraise for After the Eclipse:"After the Eclipse, a gripping debut by Fran Dorricott, is not to be missed. A great read." -Lisa Lutz, author of The Passenger"A tense and atmospheric novel with a unique protagonist." - Claire McGowan, author of The Push "A compelling and emotive debut that pulls you into the shadows of human loss and hope. I was rooting for Cassie from the start." - Angela Clarke, author of On My Life"Assured debut thriller with a superstitious bent and a tender love story at its core." -Booklist"[A] suspenseful debut." -Wall Street Journal"Fran Dorricott is an emerging master of the British mystery... [her] delightful talent transports readers to a place both timeless and terrifying." -Library Journal"Fran Dorricott s characters are refreshingly three-dimensional and her writing is full of zest." -The Sunday Express"A debut novel, written with insight and empathy as well as hair-raising suspense, After the Eclipse is sure to pique the reader's interest." -New York Journal of Books

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Book SynopsisThe fourth original novel tying into the critically acclaimed and much-missed Firefly series from creator Joss Whedon. On an Outer Rim moon, Captain Malcolm Reynolds ends a card game the lucky winner of an old map covered in mysterious symbols. The former owner insists it's worthless; back on Serenity, River Tam is able to interpret it. River claims the map points the way to one of the Arks: legendary generation ships that brought humans from Earth-That-Was to the 'Verse. The salvage potential alone is staggering. As the crew approach the aged floating ship, they find it isn't quite as dead as it first seemed. The closer they get, the more agitated River becomes. She claims something is waiting on board, something powerful, and very angry...

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Book SynopsisThe new novel by NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, starring brothers Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes. It is 1872, and a series of gruesome murders is the talk of London. Mycroft Holmes-now twenty-six and a force to be reckoned with at the War Office-has no interest in the killings; however his brother Sherlock has developed a distasteful fascination for the macabre to the detriment of his studies, much to Mycroft's frustration. When a ship carrying cargo belonging to Mycroft's best friend Cyrus Douglas runs aground, Mycroft persuades Sherlock to serve as a tutor at the orphanage that Douglas runs as a charity, so that Douglas might travel to see what can be salvaged. Sherlock finds himself at home among the street urchins, and when a boy dies of a suspected drug overdose, he decides to investigate, following a trail of strange subterranean symbols to the squalid opium dens of the London docks. Meanwhile a meeting with a beautiful Chinese woman leads Mycroft to the very same mystery, one that forces him to examine the underbelly of the opium trade that is enriching his beloved Britain's coffers. As the stakes rise, the brothers find that they need one another's assistance and counsel. But a lifetime of keeping secrets from each other may have catastrophic consequences...Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR MYCROFT AND SHERLOCK "Careful attention to details, lively characters, and thrilling plotting all make this entry from Team Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse a winner! It's a joy to share the company of Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes before they were--well, Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes!" Leslie S. Klinger, Editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes "A better than worthy successor to an extraordinary debut, Mycroft and Sherlock plunges Douglas, Mycroft, and his impossibly abrasive teen brother Sherlock into a dark conspiracy in which the mutilated corpses of Chinese immigrants are somehow tied to the disappearance of a narcotics-addicted street urchin. Told with sublime historical detail, keen plotting, and a warm heart, this marvelous sequel grants us new glimpses into the life of a young, vibrant, brilliant Mycroft Holmes." Lyndsay Faye, bestselling author of The Gods of Gotham "The authors have masterfully captured the Victorian idiom. By dropping in clever references to the canon in this Mycroftian prequel, the overall chronology is linked seamlessly. Detailing the complex relationship of the Brothers Holmes and their extraordinary powers of observation--Mycroft's low-key omnipresent talent vs. Sherlock's pure performance art--is very satisfying, filling in blanks we never thought would be completed. Lovely reading... an excellent addition to Holmesian literature." Michael F. Whelan, "Wiggins", Baker Street Irregulars "As a BSI for nearly a half-century I am fussy about pastiches and cannot praise Mycroft and Sherlock too highly. The tone is spot on, and the characters--nicely tweaked from Doyle's portrayal--come to compelling life in this rousing adventure." Otto Penzler, The Mysterious Bookshop "Queen Victoria charges Mycroft with an impossible mission while a 19-year-old Sherlock investigates his first case; the death of a young boy; supposedly an opium addict, but Sherlock's acumen tells him otherwise. The two stories twist around each other until cleverly tangling into one. The fractious brothers are a Victorian Odd Couple, bickering and competing their way into the darkest corners of London's drug trade. The book is smart, fun and paced like a 100-meter sprint. Mycroft and Sherlock is a worthy addition to the Sherlock Holmes legend and lore." Joe Ide, author of the IQ novels and winner of the Shamus, Macavity and Anthony Awards, NYT Critics Best Books 2016, Washington Post's Best Thrillers 2016 "I've written dozens of mysteries, but I've consciously stayed away from creating a hero who might be described as Holmesian. Here's the thing: I'm not smart enough to write a Holmesian character, though I am self-aware enough to accept this sad fact. Nor do I have a keen eye for observational detail. Because of these limitations, my detectives have the qualities I can manage and are armed only with a sharp tongue and some moxie. Fortunately, Kareem and Anna are braver, and oh so much smarter, than I... I love these mysteries. I love the era. I love the language. On some level I resent Kareem and Anna as they deliver all the ingeniousness that eludes me while still imbuing Mycroft with a sharp tongue and moxie all his own. It doesn't seem fair." Rob Thomas, writer/producer, Veronica Mars, iZombie "Fans will want to read this sturdy pastiche" - Kirkus Reviews "In a sequel that takes place two years following the events detailed in the authors' outstanding Mycroft Holmes (2015), Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse again nail the historical ambience, the dialogue, and the plotting, effectively paying tribute to Arthur Conan Doyle but also adding large dollops of humor and romance. This is a wonderful mystery in what one hopes will be a long-running series." -Booklist Starred Review "Fans of Conan Doyle will appreciate the period accuracy, but a much wider audience will enjoy the intelligent treatment of race and social standing as part of a well--plotted, intriguing mystery." -Library Journal - Starred Review "Engrossing, emotional...fun... Readers will find plenty of reasons to celebrate this latest Sherlockian adventure." -BookPage "Mycroft and Sherlock has a well laid out plot with many twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. And for Sherlock Holmes fans, it is a perfect edition to sit next to Conan Doyle on the library shelf." -New York Journal of Books "Here is a Victorian London both as seamy as you could wish for and more diverse than you might expect, through which Sherlock Holmes's smarter older brother strides with sleek authority, solving a tantalising mystery (with just a little help from his sibling). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has scored another slam-dunk Holmesian hit." James Lovegrove, New York Times bestseller "The smoke of the London Underground, the funk of the Devil's Acre, the vapors of opium. The atmosphere rises off the pages in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse's sequel to their hugely entertaining Mycroft Holmes. Now, in Mycroft and Sherlock, the Holmes brothers--each brilliant in his own way--must solve a case that lays bare the dark heart of Imperial London: a fraternal duo in a story paced like a whirlwind ride through the night." - Martin Rosenstock "A clever pastiche in the world of Sherlock Holmes that expertly captures the tone of the originals while creating a world all their own"..."Updates the canon by presenting us with newfound depths, both to the characters and to the situations they find themselves in. I absolutely loved this book" - Criminal Element "This book gave me so much to think about when it comes to the Holmes brothers." - Editing Everything "An energetic and clever tale about the young Holmes brothers--sure to thrill fans!" Lois H. Gresh, New York Times bestselling author "A worthy addition to the groaning shelves of new Holmes stories, "Mycroft and Sherlock" stands tall." - Seattle Times "Well-written, strongly paced, a chewy mystery. A must for any Sherlock Holmes fan, and just downright fun for any fan of Victorian mysterious fiction." - Bookgasm "The book's a thriller as well as a mystery, with interesting major and minor characters, and it offers an intriguing look at Victorian London." -Sherlockians and Doyleans "Mycroft and Sherlock adds yet another wrinkle to the Holmes-canon that is equally refreshing and a return to classic Holmesian mystique and intrigue." - Electric Literature "another phenomenal novel...Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse continue to raise the bar for historical fiction that aims to make a point while it entertains" - CrimeReads "The titular characters are beginning to embody their canonical selves in this book, and it was a lot of fun to read" - Interesting Though Elementary "Mycroft and Sherlock is a worthy story bringing the two Holmes brothers together. It's time to stop comparisons with Arthur Conan Doyle. Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse stand on their own, carrying on the proud Sherlock Holmes tradition. " - John Koenig, Stuff I Like

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Book SynopsisThe new novel by NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, starring brothers Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes. It is 1873, and as the economies of Europe threaten to crumble, Mycroft Holmes finds himself in service to the Crown once again. A distant relative of Queen Victoria has been slain by the Fire Four Eleven killer, a serial murderer who leaves no mark upon his victims, only a mysterious calling card. Meanwhile, Sherlock has already taken it upon himself to solve the case, as his interest in the criminal mind grows into an obsession. Mycroft begrudgingly allows Sherlock to investigate, as Ai Lin--the woman he is still in love with--needs his aid. Her fiance has been kidnapped, and the only man who might know his fate is a ruthless arms dealer with a reputation for killing those who cross him. Mycroft persuades his friend Cyrus Douglas to help find the young man, but Douglas himself is put in harm's way. As Sherlock travels the country on the hunt for the Fire Four Eleven murderer, both he and Mycroft will discover that the greed of others is at the root of the evil they are trying to unearth...Trade Review"Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse's third pastiche (after 2018's Mycroft and Sherlock), their best yet, provides intriguing challenges for both Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes while continuing to present plausible backstories for the brothers....The authors do a stellar job of illuminating the siblings' developing relationship while concocting a clever and twisty plot. Sherlockians will be enthralled." -Publishers Weekly Starred Review "All the usual pleasures--blood and thunder, sibling rivalry, historical walk-ons..." -Kirkus Reviews "The third Mycroft tale is another winner. The Victorian setting is well drawn, the dialog rings true, the period details, both factual and fictive, support a labyrinthine plot including race and class distinctions...Highly recommended, as are its two predecessors." -Library Journal Starred Review "The Mycroft books are notable for...creating deep characters who would have been largely ignored or nonexistent in the actual literature of the age: characters of color" - CrimeReads "The third novel in this cunning series...just might be its best...This fast-paced installment is filled with rich and intriguing character backstories and period details that Sherlocks fans will love." - Barnes & Noble Best New Mysteries "Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse capture the flavor of Arthur Conan Doyle's Victorian London and his characters to a tee." - BookPage "Thoroughly entertaining mystery, with great appeal for Holmesians, in particular, and fans of Victorian mysteries, in general." -Booklist "With a diverse and colorful cast of characters, and two very challenging crimes to solve, The Empty Birdcage is a delightful telling of the relationship between a pair of siblings destined for greater things, while giving some insight of why they become the way they are later in life." -New York Journal of Books "The third book in this superb series again provides an elegant writing style with a captivating mystery. Don't you love abstruse clues left by a serial killer that only geniuses like the Holmes brothers could decipher?" -Otto Penzler, editor of The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories "Could one have ever imagined Sherlock Holmes without Watson? There is a new partnership afoot, of the pre-Watson, young and energetic Holmes brothers. This volume continues the initial pairing of Mycroft and Sherlock to our complete delight." -Michael F. Whelan, president of The Baker Street Irregulars "Another important chapter in the secret, thrilling lives of the brothers as they become Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes! I hope we see many more from the brilliant team of Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse!"--Leslie S. Klinger, editor, New Annotated Sherlock Holmes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse's crackling international intrigue Mycroft & Sherlock - The Empty Birdcage re-animates Conan Doyle's world and makes it their own. Their portrait of Mycroft Holmes, his best friend Cyrus Douglas, the Trinidad born tobacco merchant whose race means he is in a kind of perennial disguise, and Mycroft's younger brother Sherlock broadens the lens through which the world of crime is seen. Through a parallel series of mysteries that stretch from the quiet English countryside to the London docks, the landing stage for a world in violent transition, KAJ and AW bring to the foreground the voices of those whose stories have too long been footnotes and now take their place in the complex, historically vibrant page-turner. - Walter Mosley, NY Times Best-Selling Author & Edgar Award Grandmaster Recipient "What began as a remarkable standalone in Mycroft Holmes has become a series eagerly anticipated by not only the Sherlockian community, but lovers of well-executed historical fiction in general" - Criminal Element "In the third adventure, MYCROFT AND SHERLOCK: The Empty Birdcage, Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse are at the top of their game" - Reviewing the Evidence "Our authors absolutely shine in the way they hint at the canon they're writing towards with this series" - The Frumious Consortium "Waterhouse and Abdul-Jabbar deliver a satisfying one-two punch." - San Francisco Book Review "Nicely done, with style and substance." - Sherlockians and Doyleans "an impressively researched prequel...tracing Mycroft Holmes's journey from virile young bachelor to sedentary brain in a jar remains as riveting as ever" - CrimeReads Year in Sherlock "Brilliantly written and intricately plotted" -Ellery Queen Magazine

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Book SynopsisA dark, addictive thriller, ingeniously plotted with a twist that will make you gasp, LIE IN WAIT is perfect for readers of Angela Marsons or Rachel Abbott.A man is dead. A woman is missing. And the police have already found their prime suspect... Owen Hall drives into a petrol station to let his passenger use the facilities. She never comes back - and what's more, it seems she never even made it inside.When Owen raises a fuss, the police are called - and soon identify Owen himself as a possible culprit - not least because they already have him in the frame for another more sinister crime.Owen's always been a little different, and before long others in the community are baying for his blood. But this is a case where nothing is as it seems - least of all Owen Hall...See what readers are already saying about LIE IN WAIT"An exciting, twisty read that had me hooked from the first page . . . a brilliant summer read." Lisa Hall, #1 Bestselling author of Between You and Me"This is one incredibly clever novel" Bibliomaniac"A psychological thriller in the purest sense . . . Deeply satisfying" Cleopatra Loves Books"Deserves to be read in one sitting . . . His books are some of the best I've ever had the pleasure to read" The Quiet Knitter"A really clever and complex story. Immensely entertaining" Goodreads reviewTrade ReviewThis is an exciting, twisty read that had me hooked from the first page. The characters are unbelievably unreliable which for me, made for a gripping read - I was never quite sure who I wanted to trust, and who was leading me on a merry dance. Combine that with the realisation that ACTUALLY, I had got the characters wrong and my theory about the plot was completely wrong, and basically I HAD EVERYTHING WRONG and this makes for a brilliant summer read * Lisa Hall *Lie in Wait is a dark thriller, extremely cleverly plotted by the author. G. J. Minett is a very clever writer with a natural ability to tell a story that the reader won't forget in a hurry. Long after you have turned the last page you will still be thinking about Lie in Wait and the complex characters he introduces you to in this dark and twisted journey of a book. A great read, this book will keep you turning the pages long into the night * Nudge Books *It's the central character of Owen that really stands out. He's nuanced, with a fully realised range of emotions that underlie each situation he finds himself in. Whether it's arguing with the mysterious 'Willie', or falling over himself to please Abi, Owen's actions never fail to move you...With 'Lie In Wait', Minett has again shown that he can craft a clever tale that will keep even die-hard fans of the genre guessing * If These Books Could Talk *'G. J. Minett is one of my new favorite authors! The Hidden Legacy and Lie in Wait are most definitely must read books! Very intriguing and clever!' * Loud and Proud Book Junkie *'Complicated. Devious. Conversational....the opening chapter - just like 'The Hidden Legacy' - is superb. Gripping, baffling, a little chilling. Intriguing characters, a clever plot and another gripping opening. I shall look forward to book three!' * Buried Under Books *What a gripping novel...an intriguing story with the topics as autism, friendship, love and betrayal. Only at the end did I grasp the fullness of what happened and came to understand how the different characters' influences were necessary for the storyline. Lie in Wait is a well-written and cleverly plotted thriller with a disturbing but also moving undercurrent. * Bits About Books *well written and enjoyed reading the different narratives as they each bring a unique voice to the story. * Charlene Jess *In a game of cat and mouse, all of the traps are set to catch the murderer and it's an absolutely brilliant game that is played in Lie In Wait. I was so sure that I knew what had happened but I had completely walked past all of the clues, such is the clever style of G.J. Minett's writing....only now, a few days after I have read it, do I realise how very good Lie in Wait actually is. * The Book Magnet *What a gripping novel! Only at the end did I grasp the fullness of what happened and came to understand how the different characters' influences were necessary for the storyline. Lie in Wait is a well-written and cleverly plotted thriller with a disturbing but also moving undercurrent. * Bits About Books *Graham Minett offers a dark, gripping, ingeniously-plotted thriller with the publication in paperback of Lie In Wait. * Chichester observer *

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Book SynopsisA moving and heartwarming World War I saga. For readers of Catherine Cookson and Dilly Court. 'When I'm the farmer,' began Mairi, and then she stopped, for she would never be the farmer. She was a girl.Ever since she was nine years old, Mairi McGloughlin has known she wants to be a farmer, but by the law of the land it's her scholarly brother Ian who will someday inherit. The next best thing might be to marry a farmer, and charming, confident Jack could be the perfect answer. But then there's Robin, her brother's best friend, more a man of books than of the land - and yet there's something about him. . .But with the outbreak of the Great War, their choices change completely and neither Mairi, Ian or Robin can hope to escape unscathed.As the world around them changes, only the land and love remain constant. But can it be enough to see them through?Previously published as Harvest of Courage.Trade ReviewA beautiful story . . . Ramsay's love of this stunning corner of Scotland shines through in an emotional story that explores a small farming community caught up in the rigours of war . . . Full of Ramsay's natural warmth, superbly drawn characters and wonderful storytelling, this is t he ideal curl-up-and-relax book for long winter nights * Lancashire Post *This wonderful panoramic novel sweeps you up and carries you along to the end. Lovely! * Katie Fforde, on the previous work of Eileen Ramsay *An unpredictable ending, a few surprises along the way and several tear jerkers - I enjoyed every minute of it. * Historical Novel Review, on the previous work of Eileen Ramsay *Good old-fashioned storytelling, wonderfully satisfying...This is a curl up and enjoy book * The Bookseller, on the previous work of Eileen Ramsay *Captivating romance . . .The beautiful Scottish setting only adds to this poignant and poetic journey . . . This book is as unique as it is exquisite. * Daily Record, on the previous work of Eileen Ramsay *As always, Ramsay's prose is vivid and flowing, and the pages just fly by * Choice, on the previous work of Eileen Ramsay *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE RICHARD AND JUDY SEARCH FOR A BESTSELLER COMPETITION'A blistering debut from a major new voice. I couldn't put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance' ERIN KELLY'Debut novels don't come better than this one, which begs the question - Caz Frear, where have you been?' RICHARD MADELEY 'Taut, gripping, surprising and original - a fabulous read' JUDY FINNIGAN'Caz Frear's ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut' LYNDA LA PLANTE'BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended' MARIAN KEYES'An astonishingly confident and individual voice' ANN CLEEVESWHAT I THOUGHT I KNEWIn 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared and Dad knew something about it?Maryanne Doyle was never seen again.WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOWIn 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle.Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad's pub. Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle's disappearance and Alice Lapaine's murder - FACTConnection?Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone? FOR FANS OF ERIN KELLY AND BELINDA BAUER, GET READY FOR THE SUSPENSE NOVEL OF THE YEAR.'A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night' FIONA CUMMINS, author of Rattle'Impossible to put down' ALEX GRAY'The best debut I've read in a very long time' WILLIAM RYAN'An incredibly strong and confident voice that has hit the page fully-formed' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of Distress Signals'A perfect storm of a crime novel . . . one of the best novels in this genre' LIZ LOVES BOOKSTrade ReviewDebut novels don't come better than this one, which begs the question - Caz Frear, where have you been? * RICHARD MADELEY *Taut, gripping, surprising and original - a fabulous read * JUDY FINNIGAN *Caz Frear's ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut * LYNDA LA PLANTE *BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended * MARIAN KEYES *A blistering debut from a major new voice in Crime Fiction; I couldn't put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance. Frear is brilliant on conflicting loyalties and guilty consciences * ERIN KELLY *An astonishingly confident and individual voice * Ann Cleeves *I can't wait for the next adventure of the tough, Cat Kinsella - Sweet Little Lies was one of the best debut crime novels I've ever read! * REBECCA CHANCE *Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny * THE INDEPENDENT *Sweet Little Lies is a tremendous debut. Caz Frear delivers on a compelling premise with taut prose, snappy dialogue, and a fresh, confident voice. Highly recommended! * ALAFAIR BURKE *Impossible to put down. What can I say? Bloody brilliant! Wish I had been as good a writer when I started, that's for sure. I wish this lady a very happy and successful future. Love her characters, that is [Caz Frear's] main strength, I think and her dialogue is terrific. Really authentic and sometimes made me laugh out loud * ALEX GRAY *A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night * FIONA CUMMINS, author of Rattle *Sweet Little Lies won Richard and Judy's 'Search for a Bestseller' competition, and it's easy to see why from the very first page: Caz Frear has an incredibly strong and confident voice that has hit the page fully-formed. It's difficult to stand out as a debut when you've written a police procedural - there's so many of them - but in Frear's confident hands (and Detective Constable Cat Kinsella's company) this one definitely does. Bonus: I laughed. A LOT * CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD *The best debut I've read in a very long time * WILLIAM RYAN *Sweet Little Lies is a perfect storm of a crime novel. With its wonderfully divisive characters and a beautifully layered plot, it is without doubt worthy of its competition win and one of the best novels in this genre I have read this year. Caz Frear has created an engaging and wittily observant main protagonist in Cat Kinsella then saddled her with an intriguing moral dilemma. If you like your crime brilliantly unpredictable you are in the right place * LIZ LOVES BOOKS *The plot is brilliantly played out with a few curveballs, offering us suspense and a great surprise twist at the end which I definitely didn't see coming! Sweet Little Lies is a brilliant debut novel from an author I'm definitely wanting to read more from very soon, if you love crime thrillers then Caz Frear with Sweet Little Lies is your next stop! * EMMA'S BOOKERY *I think "page turner" is probably the best description for Sweet Little Lies . . . This one is well worth popping onto your holiday reading pile this summer! * MY CHESTNUT READING TREE *Written with the assurance of a seasoned author, Sweet Little Lies is a superb page-turner, packed with impressive police procedural, a fascinating, festering, twisting mystery that weaves tantalisingly between past and present, and a plot that thrills and confounds to the final showdown. A remarkable debut from an exciting new author . . . * LANCASHIRE EVENING POST *Caz Frear has produced a confident and accomplished debut, mixing police procedural and domestic noir to good effect and building up a cast of strong characters to carry an intriguing plot that turns into one of the best murder stories I've read for a long time. Her writing voice is darkly lyrical and the story has layers within layers that gradually peel off to reveal unexpected truths in places I hadn't even thought to look. She plays totally fair with her readers at all times, which makes each revelation even more satisfying than the last. Sweet Little Lies proves that quality writing and strong storytelling will always combine to produce an unbeatable result. This is a book that deserves to be a resounding success * CRIME REVIEW *I have hit the debut writer jackpot lately and Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear is another book that FLOORED me! WOW! This book . . . where do I begin without giving anything way? Caz does a flawless job with this book! She had me questioning everything, everyone and every possible possibility! * STEPH AND CHRIS BOOK REVIEW *For a debut novel, Sweet Little Lies is superb . . . Caz Frear has written a fantastic first novel, the writing kept me hooked from start to finish and unable to put the book down until I'd read the last word * BOOKISH OUTSIDER *On the surface Sweet Little Lies is a book about disappearance, suspicion and murder, but it's also a book about family and the weird and wonderful dynamics that exist between the mind of a very human detective and the sweet little lies everyone else believed . . . Lot of twists and unexpected revelations. Sit back and enjoy! * BREAKAWAY REVIEWERS *This police procedural works at a level where clues are revealed and mysteries are unravelled all leading to the finale which is mind blowing and unexpected . . . * BOOK REVIEWS BY SHALINI *I didn't work this mystery out, the murderer and the reasons why the murder happened were cleverly hidden. I would love this to become a series . . . * STEPH'S BOOK BLOG *Sweet Little Lies is a promising debut novel by an author to watch . . . I really enjoyed Sweet Little Lies and don't hesitate to recommend it to lovers of mystery and crime * BUT BOOKS ARE BETTER *Cat is a complex and troubled character, determined to do the right thing, even if that means having to betray family or keep secrets from those who trust her. What starts of as a relatively slow novel, soon gathers pace, and the ending will (probably) leave you open mouthed. It was certainly unexpected * THE WELSH LIBRARIAN *It was one of the better crime novels I've read and it deserves an afternoon of your time * ARTISITIC BENT *Sweet Little Lies is a sharp, intelligent novel which offers a more emotive side to the usual police investigation novels, because DC Cat Kinsella's own family may be snarled up in their most recent case: the murder of Alice Lapaine, and an older case involved Maryanne Doyle * SNAZZY BOOKS *#SweetLittleLies is a tense and suspenseful debut from Caz Frear and definitely one for the watching! Secrets and lies are the main themes underlying the plot and oh what twisted secrets and lies they are indeed . . . by the time I had turned the last page, I was already wondering when the next in the series is going to be published! A cleverly crafted plot and realistic overview of Police procedures and dark humour will ensure that you are not going to be disappointed when you pick this one up off the shelf! * CHAPTER IN MY LIFE *Five must-read crime thrillers: Another writer to have come up with an outstanding debut recently is Caz Frear. Sweet Little Lies won the Richard and Judy competition for a new bestseller and it's easy to see why. This is a police procedural, with a team of credible and interesting detectives, a great sense of place and a brilliant central character in Cat Kinsella. Sweet Little Lies is a book about identity and about families, the ones that work and the ones that are destructive and dangerous. Frear has an astonishingly confident voice for a new writer and there's a dark humour that lifts the storytelling to a different level. I hope this is the beginning of a series * RADIO TIMES *This book is filled to the brim with secrets and lies which kept me on my toes waiting for the next revelation. There are a few surprises along the way and this really helped to keep the momentum going right until the very end * RAE READS *As far as crime novels go, this is by far my favourite, and the book itself has become one of my favourites of the year. I can't wait to read more by Caz Frear! * THE BEAUTY OF READING *I was captured by this great book from the very beginning . . . I think the mystery here was one of those most engaging ones I've come across lately. I needed to know what had happened. How exactly was everything connected? And unlike recent disappointments, I absolutely loved the way the author crafted the book's third and final act. The twists and turns weren't obvious and the explanations were complex, but it all made sense in the end * THE MISSTERY *As premises go, this one is great for a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Cat narrates this story and it's a delicate balance between work and home, what she knows from the investigation and what she knows, or maybe just suspects, from her personal life. Cat is a great narrator with a sharp eye (befitting of her role) and a sharp tongue to match. I read a lot of thrillers but very few from inside the police control room, and this one was brilliant for whizzing you straight to the heart of the action and watching the investigation unfold * THE BOOKBAG *Caz Frear hasn't just written a perfect crime thriller, she's added her amazing dry wit throughout to make it stand out from the crowd . . . Sweet Little Lies is an outstanding debut novel and I'd love to see Cat Kinsella make an appearance in more novels. With her fresh and witty writing, Caz Frear gives an overdue wake up call to tired crime fiction, encouraging readers back to crime fiction after having their heads turned by the overloaded psychological thriller genre * THE BOOK MAGNET *I thought this was an extremely well-rounded novel, great characters and a great plot! . . . a dark story, one that got darker as the reveal came . . . a brilliant debut novel from Frear * KEEPER OF PAGES *The plot is well-crafted and revealed at a pace that held my attention throughout. Caz Frear is certainly an exciting new voice on the crime thriller scene; I mean what a way to start! Sweet Little Lies is a terrific read and I really do hope that we'll be seeing more from her in the not too distant future * WOMAN READS BOOKS *If you're a fan of murder mysteries then you'll absolutely love this. It's about a detective who believes her own father has something to do with a missing girl, whilst also trying to figure out the case of a dead woman. I'm trying not to give too much away but this is honestly one of the best books I've read in a long time - even better than Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train * THE AUBURN AGENDA *I'd definitely recommend this complex, convincing and deeply satisfying thriller about family bonds, and how far we would go to protect the ones we love, in spite of everything * BACK TO THE BOOKS *I adored this novel. The plot is great, but it's our lead character, Cat and her voice . . . which in essence reflects Caz Frear's writing that I really loved * DEBBISH, favourite books of 2017 *With brilliant characterisation alongside inspired plotting this is a book that you will not want to put down until you turn that last page. I'm not at all surprised that it won the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition 2016, it is very hard to believe that a book that ticks all the boxes so decisively is a debut novel * CLEOPATRA LOVES BOOKS *A cracking thriller, original, pacy, gripping with some fantastic characters that for some inexplicable reason got under my skin. With a complex but plausible plot, some fabulous dialogue and humour thrown in, Sweet Little Lies really does deserve all the high praise it has received * COMPULSIVE READERS *Caz Frear not only writes with confidence, but has also managed to plot a very twisty tale. With just the right mix of humour, darkness and well-written narrative, Sweet Little Lies is an impressive crime novel filled with unreliable characters and plenty of intrigue * OFF THE SHELF BOOKS *Caz Frear's debut novel is a winning mix of the procedural and the domestic. The story is gripping and the writing filled with insights into dysfunctional families and the lies people tell, just to keep the peace. But the greatest achievement is Cat herself. Flawed detectives are nothing new, but here's one you'll fall in love with from the very first page and stay with until the final twist. Sweet Little Lies is an honest to goodness triumph * PAUL BURSTON'S BLOG *With a host of flawed but believable characters, this is a suspenseful police procedural, and with Cat's wry humor added, it's a sure winner. Don't miss this one. Highly recommended * AUNTIE M WRITES *Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear is my pick of the year for many reasons. Not least because every single character matters. Each one of them, regardless of how minor, is painted with such care. It has been months since I read the book, yet I can still recall Maryanne's school friends gossiping about her in the café, and the barmaid in the pub with the tattoos. DC Cat Kinsella, the protagonist, is smart, relatable, and funny, but never clichéd. The story is about a missing girl, Maryanne, whose body turns up many years later. Cat's dad lied about knowing her and now her body has been found near his pub. As Cat pieces together Maryanne's missing years she fears her father is involved. A great read, often humorous and always gripping. I look forward to reading Caz Frear's next book * DEAD GOOD BOOKS, Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones picks Sweet Little Lies as one of her books of the year *Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone? * Cosmopolitan.co.uk, the ten most popular books of 2017 *A truly satisfying - and gritty - mystery * Kirkus Reviews, Starred review *There's something about the tried-and-true police procedural that always keeps me coming back for more-and finding an author who can write a police procedural in as fresh, modern a way as can Caz Frear is a genuine treat * Crime by the book *Frear manages the suspense skillfully and drives both strands forward with meticulous investigative work * Crime Reads *

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Book SynopsisA gripping, twisty new thriller from the bestselling author of The Ice Beneath Her, perfect for fans of Will Dean's Dark Pines.A case as cold as the season. A profiler who can't remember. A killer ready to strike again. Psychological profiler Hanne Lagerlind-Schön and her partner, investigator Peter Lindgren are invited to the small, sleepy industrial town of Ormberg to investigate a cold case: ten years earlier a five-year-old girl's remains were found in a cairn near the town. But when a recurring memory problem resurfaces, Hanne struggles to keep track of the case. She begins keeping a diary, noting down everything she is likely to forget to keep up appearances so she doesn't lose her job. When the body of a woman is found at the cairn and one of Hanne's shoes is found nearby covered in the victim's blood, can Hanne's diary hold the key to what happened? How does this new murder connect to their old one? How can you put together what happened when the pieces keep fading away?Trade ReviewA dark and gritty thriller, as a true Nordic Noir should be * Lilja Sigurðardóttir *After She's Gone was deservedly recognised as the Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year. Camilla Grebe has succeeded in writing a gripping, atmospheric tale that tackles a number of burning contemporary issues in a compelling way. Highly recommended * Adam Hamdy *

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Book SynopsisOne of the most beloved and defining novels written by the master of adventure and global sensation, Wilbur Smith. 'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorThe discovery of a lifetime comes with a high price . . . For millennia an ancient civilisation has been hidden, deep in the Botswana cliffs. Dr Ben Kazin has only a blurred photograph to prove it, but with the backing of his old friend, Louren Sturvesant, he is determined to uncover the archaeological find of a lifetime. But a whispered curse and a chance encounter with a local tribe lead him to discover much more than city foundations. The curse, it seems, is real, and will link Ben, his oldest friend, and the woman they both love with a forgotten leader from two thousand years ago, in a city of glory and honour that subsequently disappeared without a trace.What happened to that ancient civilisation? And what is it that connects that lost empire to Ben, and the violent dangers he must face in the present day?

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Book Synopsis'Mind-blowing. It kept me guessing from the beginning to the end' Reader review * * * * *The pitch-black bestselling psychological thriller for fans of Friend Request by Laura Marshall and I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll.Alex Taylor wakes up tied to an operating table. The man who stands over her isn't a doctor.The choice he forces her to make is utterly unspeakable.But when Alex re-awakens, she's unharmed - and no one believes her horrifying story. Ostracised by her colleagues, her family and her partner, she begins to wonder if she really is losing her mind.And then she meets the next victim.So compulsive you can't stop reading.So chilling you won't stop talking about it.Don't Wake Up is a dark, gripping psychological thriller with a horrifying premise and a stinging twist . . .Readers are completely gripped by Don't Wake Up:'A gripping read right up to the end . . . fast-paced, well written and exciting' * * * * * 'Full of twists . . . one of the best books I've read in a while' * * * * *'A perfect balance of suspense, drama, crime and mystery. A superbly executed book I could not stop reading!' * * * * *'Couldn't put it down' * * * * *'An outstanding debut novel' * * * * *'One of my favourite reads this year' * * * * *'Gripping, fascinating, slightly terrifying, and moved at a quick pace. Overall a great psychological thriller' * * * * *'This is a fantastic novel that will hook you right in and leave you suspecting every single character' * * * * *Trade ReviewMakes the heart beat faster * Mojo Mums *Just reading the back of this book sent shivers down my back. So much is packed into this incredible story, I wanted to find out who the doctor was but wasn't sure if I did as it would mean the end of the story. A story that will really pull you in * Echoes in an Empty Room *This is compelling, compulsive reading with a truly twisted heart and mind at its centre. A must for those who love psychological thrillers. * Buried Under Books *Don't Wake Up is an engrossing read that successfully challenges perceptions and prejudices and does a good job of concealing its secrets * Crime Review *Lawler creates a diverse cast of characters and toggles between them seamlessly to create an exciting narrative... Readers will look forward to her next psychological thriller * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe hit BBC series Sherlock has introduced a whole new generation of fans to Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective. In this unique collection, Sherlock co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have selected their all-time favourite Sherlock Holmes adventures, providing readers a curated masterclass in crime fiction.Each of the tales in this first of two volumes, from Sherlock’s first appearance in A Study in Scarlet to the classic Adventure of The Speckled Band, is a potent mix of murder, suspense, cryptic clues, red herrings, and revenge – a ground-breaking combination of forensic science and bold storytelling. Sherlock Holmes established new rules for what a fictional hero could be, and provided a template for detective stories we still follow today.With introductions by Steven and Mark for each story, this collection is the perfect introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes and the ultimate gift for fans of the show it inspired.The selected stories for volume one:A Study In Scarlet The Sign of FourA Scandal in Bohemia The Red-Headed League A Case of Identity The Man with the Twisted Lip The Blue Carbuncle The Speckled Band

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Book Synopsis"My masters will follow the example of Rome... our mighty empire bestraddling the whole of civilization!"It is AD 79, and the TARDIS lands in Pompeii on the eve of the town's destruction. Mount Vesuvius is ready to erupt and bury its surroundings in molten lava, just as history dictates. Or is it?The Doctor and Donna find that Pompeii is home to impossible things: circuits made of stone, soothsayers who read minds and fiery giants made of burning rock. From a lair deep in the volcano, these creatures plot the end of humanity - and the Doctor soon finds he has no way to win...Trade ReviewThis is so much more than merchandise...these novels are connecting us together even now. All the way across time and space -- Russell T DaviesTarget books offered much more than just a window into Doctor Who: they were a formative part of my reading experience -- Alastair ReynoldsTarget writers performed quite a invaluable service in 'saving' these stories...so don't think of this book as just another novel. It's a slice of Who history -- Stephen BaxterIt became a ritual, saving pocket money, then deciding which Target book to go for. I devoured them -- Mark Gatiss

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Book Synopsis'What a ride!... The story is stunning.' James Church, author of the Inspector O series Agent 10483 carried out his missions perfectly. Too perfectly. When a top agent in The Organization receives a disturbing notebook written by the mysterious 10483, supposedly dead for years, he realizes that something went terribly wrong. Is 10483 a psychopath who outwitted his handlers for years? Or was he manipulated by his superiors to carry out the most monstrous assassinations in the history of the state of Israel? And why was he the only agent to receive three envelopes with targeted killing assignments instead of one, as part of a lethal and top secret operation? Was he responsible for locking up his victims and staging their deaths, or was he himself merely the victim of a brilliant scientist whose cutting-edge discoveries enabled her to manipulate his brain waves? Compelling and scary in equal measure, Nir Hezroni’s dark thriller is a chilling exploration of the mind of a master killer.Trade Review‘With crisp writing, a claustrophobic atmosphere and plenty of twists and turns along the way, Three Envelopes marks Nir Hezroni as a talent to be watched.’ * Mark Dawson, author of the John Milton series *‘What a ride! An intelligence world of cracked mirrors, weird echoes and haunting dreams. The story is stunning. It will bend your mind six ways to Sunday and then some. The writing, precise as a laser, runs circles around what you thought you knew was real.’ * James Church, author of the Inspector O series *'Nir Hezroni's Three Envelopes isn't your average thriller. Imaginative, fast-paced and originally strange. It reads like a spy-thriller gone mad or out of control.' * D. A. Mishani, author of The Missing File *‘Hezroni’s superior thriller debut will send chills up the spines of even jaded genre fans.’ * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *‘This book has a clever plot and plays upon the fear that there are hidden persons out there prepared to do us harm for obscure reasons… There are passages that make you gasp in horror.’ * Crime Review *'This thriller will delight those who enjoy the twisted world of international espionage. Fans of Jason Matthew’s Red Sparrow or those looking for a darker, more technical Daniel Silva read-alike will also appreciate this disturbing tale.' * Library Journal *'A furious, hard-edged thriller...very fine and very dark.' * Booklist *‘One of the most brilliant Israeli thrillers I have read in a long time…I simply could not put it down.’ * Jerusalem Post *‘An intelligent thriller, which raises heavy questions...[This is written] in persuasive yet eloquent prose usually found in canonical works rather than in sophisticated thrillers.’ * Ha’aretz *

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Book Synopsis 2016. The world is on the brink of crisis. Who could have predicted how events would play out? In this satirical thriller, Stanley Johnson, former MEP and father to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, just might have. In Britain, the British Prime Minister Jeremy Hartley is fighting a referendum he thought couldn’t be lost. In the USA, brash showman, Ronald Craig is fighting a Presidential Election nobody thought he could win. In the USSR, Igor Popov, the Russian President, is using both events as part of his plan to destabilise the West.Trade Review'I wish we had been able to take this book into the jungle. Stanley's Kompromat is a superbly funny satire on recent events!' * Georgia Toffolo ('Toff'), ITV's Queen of the Jungle 2017 *'Brilliant.' * The Sunday Times *‘Perfect beach material.’ * Independent *‘It’s brilliant and, who knows, maybe it’s true.’ * Ken Livingstone *'A rollicking work of fiction that sets conniving caricatures of real-life figures amid a diorama of recent world events...Mr. Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament and the father of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, clearly knows all the drills. The author of 25 earlier works of fiction and nonfiction, he has a lifetime’s expertise that adds comic credibility to a caper combining the antic action of Mad magazine’s old "Spy vs. Spy" cartoons with the gonzo humor of Carl Hiaasen.' * Wall Street Journal *‘There are some novelists who, by instincts or study, understand perfectly the independent components of a thriller. Stanley Johnson is one of them.’ * Daily Telegraph *‘This thriller has the makings of a gleeful romp through geopolitical skullduggery, but Johnson (The Commissioner) has laid out something that looks more like an alternative history for our grim and disrupted times.' * Publishers Weekly *‘An enjoyable satire…while still being all too scarily believable.’ * Crime Novel Reader *‘This is a brilliant alternative account of recent and current events.’ * The Chronicle *‘In its complex plotting and intrigue, Kompromat not only suggests that Russia was influencing the US election campaign, but behind the scenes bolstering the fortunes of the Leave campaign. Of course, Kompromat is an entertainment but Johnson is quite chuffed that some of his plot twists have proved prescient.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *

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Book SynopsisThe Only Child is a shockingly unnerving psychological thriller from bestselling Korean author Mi-ae Seo ‘An eerie, electrifying read.’ Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box ‘A chilling, nuanced examination of today’s and tomorrow’s serial killers and the families who spawned them, The Only Child is a valuable addition to the growing list of Korean crime fiction.’ LA Times ‘Fans of Mindhunter and Silence of the Lambs will love this dark, cognitive duel between psychologist and serial killer.’ Jonathan Trigell, author of Boy A Criminal psychologist Seonkyeong has two new people in her life. A serial killer whose gruesome murders shook the world but who has steadfastly remained silent. Until now. A young, innocent looking stepdaughter from her husband’s previous marriage, who unexpectedly turns up at the door after the sudden death of her grandparents. Both are unsettling. Both are deeply troubled. And both seem to want something from her. Can she work out just who is the victim in all of this? Before it’s too late... Trade Review'Wholly absorbing, but without any pandering on the author's part, so that the language, the style, and the mood grow about you, as you slip deeper into the story and realize, quite suddenly, you are immersed. An eerie, electrifying read.' * Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box *'A chilling, nuanced examination of today’s and tomorrow’s serial killers and the families who spawned them, The Only Child is a valuable addition to the growing list of Korean crime fiction available to American audiences.' * LA Times *'In this twisted web of coincidence, criminal psychologist Seonkyeong untangles the pasts and motivations of two new acquaintances...as both become increasingly menacing presences in her life.' -- Vanity Fair'Fans of Mindhunter and Silence of the Lambs will love this dark, cognitive duel between psychologist and serial killer.' * Jonathan Trigell, author of Boy A *'This is one creepy book. Come for the serial killers, criminal profilers and spooky children, stay for the twisting character studies and insight into domestic trauma. But check all the locks first.' * Thomas Mullen, author of Darktown *'For fans of Mindhunter, Mi-Ae Seo’s novel The Only Child feels like true crime but is a tour de force of twisty fiction with a shocking ending you won’t be able to stop thinking about. Family secrets abound in this fine novel of psychological suspense.' * Alma Katsu, author of The Deep and The Hunger *'An addictive and shocking psychological thriller... There is a twist here that has to be read to be believed.' -- Refinery29'Korean author Seo’s U.S. debut is a dark dive into the mind-set of serial killers... Fans of Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs, and Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth will find this admirable.' * Library Journal *‘While much of crime fiction features a parade of children in danger, what about those novels featuring children who are the danger? For those looking to be terrified by sociopathic youths, or those just looking for an all-round nailbiter of a thriller, we recommend The Only Child, in which a behavioural psychologist who studies serial killers becomes the caretaker of a very, very, creepy little girl.’ * CrimeReads best of International Crime Fiction *'With cold precision, Seo creates a chilling and engrossing profile of a next-generation serial killer.' * Kirkus *'The story moves along swiftly; you quickly develop sympathy for the main characters [...] The ending scenes are real page-turners and the final twist was totally unexpected. A gripping psychological thriller which looks at the experiences which make a serial killer, and asks if it's possible to reverse that damage.' * Promoting Crime Fiction *'Korean author Seo makes her debut with a creepy psychological thriller ... Seo stealthily spins an ever-tightening narrative web setting up a doubly shocking climax. It’s a measure of Seo’s skill that she manages to find flashes of humanity in a ruthless murderer. Fans of Netflix’s Mindhunter should feel right at home.' * Publishers Weekly *'This novel feels perfect for fans of the authors Natsuo Kirino and Kanae Minato, plus the films Silence of the Lambs and The Bad Seed. The Korean author’s debut explores nurture vs nature and dark criminal minds as a young and optimistic criminal psychologist is called upon to talk to a convicted killer. It's a great slow-burn read filled with suspense.' * Novel Suspects *'I absolutely loved this debut thriller...expertly plotted, fantastic characters, an absolute pleasure to read... This has a really good chance of being one of my top crime thriller reads this year!' * Independent Book Reviews *'Never in my history of reading thrillers have I ever been invested in the development and safety of every character including the villain...This novel is written with such poise and restraint that I was left all the more speechless in the end.' * Something Bookish *

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Book Synopsis‘A treat for anyone looking for an antidote to the usual saccharine Christmas fayre.’ NB magazine From the twice CWA Dagger shortlisted author of The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas come twelve thirteen stories to transport you to the macabre world of inexplicable phenomena. As dark winter nights draw in, prepare to lose yourself in the world of the peculiar. With a tale for each day of the festive period and an unlucky thirteenth, Christmas is not the only spirit in these pages. ’Tis the season for sacrificial feasts, cultish communities and sinister rituals. So wrap up warm and get ready to be terrified and delighted as you journey from the spooky to the downright strange.Trade Review‘A treat for anyone looking for an antidote to the usual saccharine Christmas fayre...inventive and original and very entertaining.’ -- NB magazine‘A quick escape from the stresses of Christmas day!’ -- Crime Review‘Starting off strongly with [Moore’s] own irresistible take on the Seven Dwarfs… all featuring some element of the macabre or paranormal and infused with a robust sense of humour… they definitely suit the long, shadowy winter evenings, and it’s a fun collection if you like to get a little spooked but not entirely grossed-out.’ -- Herald‘An indulgence for dark winter nights… transformed folk tales, folk horror… classic ghost stories, tales of supernatural revenge… a gorgeous collection.’ -- Blue Book Balloon blog Praise for The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas: ‘Spooky and sassy.’ Sunday Times Crime Club ‘From a master of the macabre comes a wonderfully weird collection of uncanny tales for the festive season...the ideal gruesome response to all that Christmas schmaltz and sentiment.’ Waterstones Bookseller Favourite

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Book Synopsis'An immensely readable treat!' ALEXANDER McCALL SMITHThe first book in a light-hearted historical adventure series set during the mid-twentieth century............................................................................Ernest Drabble, a Cambridge historian and mountaineer, travels to rural Devon to inspect the decapitated head of Oliver Cromwell - a macabre artefact owned by Dr Wilkinson. Drabble only tells one person of his plans - Harris, an old school friend and press reporter. On the train to Devon, Drabble narrowly avoids being murdered, only to reach his destination and find Dr Wilkinson has been killed. Gripped in Wilkinson's hand is a telegram from Winston Churchill instructing him to bring the head of Oliver Cromwell to London.Drabble has unwittingly become embroiled in a pro-Nazi conspiracy headed by a high-status Conservative member of the British government.And so, Drabble teams up with Wilkinson's secretary, Kate Honeyand, to find the head and rescue Harris who is being tortured for information..............................................................................Praise for Rule Britannia:'A rollicking good read' IAN RANKIN 'Marsh chomps the period bit between his teeth and relates his yarn with winning gusto' NEW STATESMAN'Tremendous stuff! With the arrival of Alec Marsh's first Drabble and Harris thriller, John Buchan must be stirring uneasily in his grave'STANLEY JOHNSONTrade ReviewMarsh chomps the period bit between his teeth and relates his yarn with winning gusto * New Statesman *Tremendous stuff! With the arrival of Alec Marsh's first Drabble and Harris thriller, John Buchan must be stirring uneasily in his grave * Stanley Johnson *A rollicking good read * Ian Rankin *

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Book Synopsis'S.J. Butler writes like a dream and tells tales from the stuff of nightmares . . . This is high-octane crime fiction' TONY PARSONSThe latest unflinching and heart-racing thriller from S. J. Butler, the author of Between the Lines. Perfect for fans of M. W. Craven and Robert Bryndza.When a dead body is discovered in a house near the university, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Hogan and his team are left baffled by the viciousness of the assault. And with very little to go on, the questions quickly mount up. But, when another victim turns up with the same distinguishing mark etched on their skin - one that links the victims to an anarchist group - it becomes clear that a depraved and calculating serial killer is at large. With the murderer always one step ahead, time is of the essence and DCI Hogan must act fast before another life is taken.'Class warfare in all its glory or goriness' TONY MILLINGTONReaders LOVE S. J. Butler's BETWEEN THE LINES:'This story gets hold of you and makes you shudder. Five stars' 5* reader review'An extraordinarily fantastic literary thriller. A huge five star read for me' 5* reader review'Plenty of twists to keep you guessing! Just brilliant' 5* reader review'Gritty, well written, a real page turner' 5* reader review'Makes the reader think more deeply about the themes of identity, loss, perception and self-perception. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'Gem of a debut' 5* reader review'Great twists and turns . . . Can't wait to read more of S. J Butlers books!!' 5* reader review

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Book SynopsisPaperback edition of the bold new historical fantasy of a secret order of Roman monster-hunters.We do not exist. Our task is to hunt monsters that threaten the Empire. We are the Hidden Legion. Aemilius thought he would die heroically in battle like his forefathers, not gutted by a creature out of myth on a lonely mountain pass. But death came for him on terrible wings and claws… and at the last moment, he was saved. And now, somehow, he’s the newest member of the so-called “Hidden Legion,” tagging along with a squabbling crew of heathens, vagabonds, killers, wizards, disgraced nobles and former soldiers, hunting monsters to keep the world safe from chaos. It is the twentieth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus, and a darkness is growing across the Empire. And an unknown enemy is setting traps for the Legion itself…

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Book SynopsisA GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD FINALISTLonglisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2018Crime Book of the Month, Sunday Times, February 2018'I loved this... very tough and very real.' - Margaret AtwoodWhen Stella, a young mother in an Indigenous community, looks out her window one wintry evening and spots someone being attacked on the Break - a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house - she calls the police. By the time help arrives, all that is left of the struggle is blood on the snow. As the search for the victim intensifies, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly - police, family, and friends - tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night, uncovering secrets and resentments long buried and giving blazing testimony to the lived reality of people pushed out to the coldest edges of modern Canada.Trade ReviewA compelling account of the way violent crime warps the lives of several generations. * Sunday Times *Unforgettable. * Lee Maracle, author of Celia’s Song *A tough, close-up look at a side of female life that's often hard to acknowledge: the violence girls and women sometimes display towards other girls and women. * Margaret Atwood *The lives of the girls and women in The Break are not easy, but their voices are complex, urgent, and unsparing. * Madeleine Thien *Reading The Break is like a revelation; stunning, heartbreaking and glorious. Absolutely riveting. * Eden Robinson, author of Monkey Beach *I love a book that takes me to a new place, a world I know nothing about - and so it is with The Break. * RTE Ireland *Vermette, an award-winning poet, brings real lyricism to this hard-nosed tale of a rape on Native American land, and the unwillingness of the local police to investigate. * Sunday Times, Best Summer Reads 2018 *A dazzling debut... The Break is a terrific achievement, combining passages of lyrical prose with a compelling account of the way that violent crime warps the lives of several generations. * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis''Haunting'' NEW YORK TIMES''A shimmering spell of a novel'' EMMA TÖRZS''Partly a young girl''s coming of age, partly a treatise of the wildness of women'' STEPHANIE DANLER_______________________________________________________It''s 1825, generations since the women of Berggrund Island stood accused of witchcraft, many of them put to death. But the shadow of this violent past looms large over the isolated community.Now, the island is overseen by Pastor Silas, a widower with two wild daughters, Beata and Ulrika. The sisters are outcasts: imaginative, rebellious, and consumed by a curiosity about their home''s dark history and the mother they lost. When an enigmatic outsider arrives at their door, his presence threatens their family bond and unearths a buried history to shocking ends...___________________Readers are loving The Blue Maiden''A beautifully told story''''One of the most immersive novels I''ve read in ages''''I loved loved this''''A perfect read for the fall season''''A fantastic Nordic Folk Horror''

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Book Synopsis'One of the greatest novels of the Second World War' The Times. 'A remarkable find' Antony Beevor. 'A masterpiece' Mail on Sunday. Stalingrad, November 1942. Lieutenant Breuer dreams of returning home for Christmas. But he and his fellow German soldiers will spend winter in a frozen hell – as snow, ice and relentless Soviet assaults reduce the once-mighty Sixth Army to a diseased and starving rabble. Breakout at Stalingrad is a stark and terrifying portrait of the horrors of war, and a profoundly humane depiction of comradeship in adversity. The book itself has an extraordinary story behind it. Its author fought at Stalingrad and was imprisoned by the Soviets. In captivity, he wrote a novel based on his experiences, which the Soviets confiscated before releasing him. Gerlach resorted to hypnosis to remember his narrative, and in 1957 it was published as The Forsaken Army. Fifty-five years later Carsten Gansel, an academic, came across the original manuscript of Gerlach's novel in a Moscow archive. This first translation into English of Breakout at Stalingrad includes the story of Gansel's sensational discovery.Trade ReviewOne of the greatest novels of the Second World War * The Times *Gerlach's truly magnificent novel [...] is a devastating account of the appalling privations suffered by the German army, left to their fate by the foundering, over-stretched Fatherland. A masterpiece * Mail on Sunday *A remarkable find -- Antony Beevor[It] is so deftly handled and well constructed... It is astonishing that [this] is Gerlach's first attempt at fiction' * The Sunday Times *This excellent book will shine a light on the horrors of the Eastern Front for a new generation of English-speaking readers... An absolute gem of a book' * Soldier magazine *[Written with] raw, vivid immediacy, which piles up compelling images and episodes... It is an exceptional, powerful and moving work' * Sunday Times *Anyone who wants an idea of what Stalingrad was really like should read this book... Gerlach records the lives and feelings of soldiers of all ranks' * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *

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Book Synopsis60° SOUTH: NOTHING BUT SEA, ICE AND UNFETTERED STORMS. BUT TWO MILES DOWN, SOMETHING IS STIRRING. Five years ago, Eli Glinn led a mission to recover a 25,000-ton meteorite – the largest ever discovered – from a remote island off the coast of South America. It ended in disaster when their ship foundered and broke apart in a vicious storm. But now, two miles down in dark Antarctic waters, something is growing. A vast, grotesque structure is simultaneously reaching up towards the waves and burrowing deep into the sea floor. Eli Glinn's worst fear has been realised. He has no choice but to return to the Southern Ocean and attempt to annihilate an entity that threatens the existence of the planet. But, as he will discover, the entity has no intention of going quietly.Trade ReviewFor those who like their thrillers flavoured with outlandish science, possible alien threat and potential global extinction, the name, or rather names, to watch is that of writing duo Preston & Child. In fact you might say that Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have cornered this rather exclusive market and their latest, Beyond the Ice Limit, contains all the crowd-pleasing ingredients one has come to expect * Shots Magazine *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEARA TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEARNO ONE WILL FORGET . . .In a grimy flat in Glasgow, a homemade bomb explodes, leaving few remains to identify its maker.Detective Harry McCoy knows in his gut that there'll be more to follow. The hunt for a missing sailor from the local US naval base leads him to the secretive group behind the bomb, and their disturbing, dominating leader.On top of that, McCoy thinks he's doing an old friend a favour when he passes on a warning, but instead he's pulled into a vicious gang feud. And in the meantime, there's word another bigger explosion is coming Glasgow's way - so if the city is to survive, it'll take everything McCoy's got . . .Trade ReviewOne of the great Scottish crime writers . . . Whether it be William McIlvanney, Ian Rankin, Denise Mina or Alan Parks, the way they view - and depict - the world gives great pleasure . . . Like the very best crime novels, The April Dead makes you keenly aware of all the pain out there and (almost) alleviates it * * The Times, Book of the Month * *This is Scottish noir at its gritty darkest, the fourth instalment in Detective Harry McCoy's rocky career. Behind his bloody-minded disrespect for his superiors and sardonic wit, McCoy is a tough and instinctive copper who learned his skills on the beat. A cracking read * * Irish Independent * *Brilliant . . . The April Dead should grace the bookshelves of every crime fan * * Sunday Times Crime Club * *The April Dead may be the grisliest McCoy novel yet, but also, with its pace and urgency, the most exciting * * Wall Street Journal * *Dark and gritty . . . Gripping * * Crime Monthly * *Immensely exciting . . . One of the best police thrillers of the last few years * * Morning Star * *Tightly plotted and fast-moving, this well-wrought historical thriller highlights Parks' keen analysis of Scotland's societal traumas, in particular the failure to cope with domestic violence and child abuse. Tartan noir fans won't want to miss this one * * Publishers Weekly (starred review) * *The lean, muscular prose is matched by a deep dive into character and the seamy side of the city . . . A full-bodied immersion into Glasgow's gritty past * * Kirkus Reviews * *Praise for the Harry McCoy series: Fascinating and dangerous . . . Parks has clearly studied the masters of tartan noir but has his own voice. He shows how, among the welter of violence, a spontaneous act of kindness can have just as great an impact * * The Times, Book of the Month * *An old-school cop novel written with wit and economy . . . Think McIlvanney or Get Carter -- IAN RANKIN

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Book SynopsisPart XIV: Charles Veley and Anna Elliott, Mark Sohn, David Marcum, S. Subramanian, Roger Riccard, Marcia Wilson, Tracy J. Revels, Arthur Hall, GC Rosenquist. Edwin A. Enstrom, Jayantika Ganguly, C.H. Dye, Matthew Booth, Stephen Herczeg, Geri Schear, Liz Hedgecock, Carl Heifetz, Gayle Lange Puhl, Harry DeMaio, I.A. Watson, and Thomas A. Burns, Jr. with a Poem by Jacquelynn Morris and forewords by Will Thomas, Roger Johnson, Melissa Grigsby, Steve Emecz, and David Marcum. 66 Stories New Holmes Adventures in 3 Simultaneously Published Volumes. In 1881, a weary doctor, wounded while serving in the military in Afghanistan, returned to London, only to be introduced to a most unusual young man who was already making a name for himself as the world’s first consulting detective. At that time, they were just in their late twenties, unaware of their legendary futures. They would go on to become two of the most famous and recognizable figures in the world: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson. In 1887, Holmes and Watson’s first investigation as a team, A Study in Scarlet was published. The Sign of Four followed in 1890, and then, in 1891, the world was electrified with the publication of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in the newly-formed Strand Magazine. And the world would never be the same. Through the rest of the Nineteenth Century, and all the way through the Twentieth as well, Holmes and Watson’s fame would grow. The Twenty-first Century is no different . . . . In 2015, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories burst upon the scene, featuring stories set within the correct time period, and written by many of today’s leading Sherlockian authors from around the world. That first anthology, spread over three huge volumes, contained 63 stories and was the largest collection of its kind ever assembled in one place. Response was immediately and overwhelmingly positive, and soon there were calls for additional collections. Now, we proudly present Parts XIII, XIV, and XV, breaking the record of the first three volumes with 66 new adventures of Holmes and Watson.Over 150 contributors (so far) to the accumulated volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories have joined together from around the world to produce over 330 new Holmes adventures, each donating their royalties to the Stepping Stones School and the continuing restoration of Undershaw, as well as to honor Sherlock Holmes, the man described by Watson as “the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known.”All royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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