Crime & Thrillers Books

Book SynopsisSUSAN HILL has been a professional writer for over fifty years. Her books have won awards and prizes including the Whitbread, the John Llewellyn Rhys and a Somerset Maugham, and have been shortlisted for the Booker. Her novels include Strange Meeting, I'm the King of the Castle, In the Springtime of the Year and The Mist in the Mirror. She has also published autobiographical works and collections of short stories as well as the Simon Serrailler series of crime novels. The play of her ghost story The Woman in Black is one of the longest running in the history of London's West End. In 2020 she was awarded a damehood (DBE) for services to literature. She has two adult daughters and lives in North Norfolk.Trade ReviewStunning * Ruth Rendell *Exhilarating...addictive...fascinating * Independent *A master storyteller * Sunday Telegraph *THE VARIOUS HAUNTS OF MEN1. 'I loved this book. Masterly and satisfying. The result is stunning' Ruth Rendell2. 'This book must be judged as a potential successor to the great sequence of detective writing by P.D. James and Ruth Rendall ... excellent' Daily Telegraph4. 'Gripping ... and subtle' Daily Mail * reviews *Fans of Hill's earlier work like The Woman in Black will appreciate that she can still weave a jolly good story... Minor characters acquire an extra dimension in Hill's experienced hands... Crime fans on the look out for intelligent examples of the genre will enjoy The Risk of Darkness * Time Out *

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Book SynopsisA gripping legal thriller from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author and creator of Sooley and The Judge''s List._______________________________________Michael Brock is a man in the fast lane.He''s a rising star at Drake & Sweeney, a giant Washington law firm. No time to waste, no time to help those in need. No time for a conscience.But when a violent encounter with a homeless man stops him cold, Brock is forced to confront the truth about who he really works for. What he finds is a shocking violation of the rights of the homeless, with Drake & Sweeney at the centre, and suddenly his conscience begins to stir.To do the right thing, Brock must put himself in the firing line and uncover his employer''s most dangerous secrets.But is he willing to risk it all?_______________________________________''A master at the art of deft characterisation and the skilful delivery of hair-raising crescendos'' - Irish Independent''John Grisham is the master of legal fiction'' - Jodi Picoult''The best thriller writer alive'' - Ken Follett''John Grisham has perfected the art of cooking up convincing, fast-paced thrillers'' - Telegraph''Grisham is a superb, instinctive storyteller'' - The Times''Grisham''s storytelling genius reminds us that when it comes to legal drama, the master is in a league of his own.'' - Daily Record''Masterful - when Grisham gets in the courtroom he lets rip, drawing scenes so real they''re not just alive, they''re pulsating'' - Mirror''A giant of the thriller genre'' - TimeOutTrade ReviewNo one does it better than Grisham. This latest novel is as unputdownable as ever. * Daily Telegraph *Fluent and fascinating. Few writers have so much to say, the skills to make reading what they say an irresistible pleasure -- and the clout to be able to say it to an audience of millions. * Independent *Compelling... Grisham is more adept at getting the reader to turn the page than almost any writer working today. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisJames Ellroy was born in Los Angeles. He is the author of the Underworld U.S.A Trilogy: American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood's A Rover, and the L.A. Quartet novels: The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz. He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. He lives in Colorado.Trade ReviewEllroy is the author of some of the most powerful crime novels ever written * Frank Rich, New York Times *The most distinctive crime writer of his generation * John Williams, Sunday Times *Ellroy has produced some of the best crime fiction written this century, Hammett and Chandler included * Chris Sullivan, Loaded *

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Book SynopsisA REYKJAVIK MURDER MYSTERY.It is a few days before Christmas and a Reykjavik doorman and occasional Santa Claus, Gudlauger, has been found stabbed to death in his hotel room in a sexually compromising position.Trade ReviewGripping, authentic, haunting... The best new series I've read this year comes from Iceland. Arnaldur Indridason is already a literary phenomenon - and it's easy to see why ... I can't wait for the next -- Harlan CobenKeeps you guessing right until the end * Mail on Sunday *Once again Indridason demonstrates that the best Scandinavian crime writers can hold their own against their British and American rivals * Spectator *Outstanding * Irish Times *Morosely, intelligently, Erlendur unravels the mystery. With Voices, Indridason proves that his Gold Dagger victory for Silence of the Grave last year was no fluke * The Times *

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Book Synopsis''Serrailler, Hill''s brilliant detective, is the central character in the great writer''s crime fiction novels'' CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALLHow do you catch a killer who doesn''t exist? One snowy night in the cathedral city of Lafferton, an old woman is dragged from her bed and strangled with a length of flex.DCS Simon Serrailler and his team search desperately for clues to her murderer. All they know is that the killer will strike again, and will once more leave the same tell-tale signature.Then they track down a name: Alan Keyes. But Alan Keyes has no birth certificate, no address, no job, no family, no passport, no dental records. Nothing. Their killer does not exist.''As addictive as Rankin'' ScotsmanTrade ReviewNot all great novelists can write crime fiction but when one like Susan Hill does the result is stunningEagerly awaited by all aficionados of crime fictionThe real joy of the Serrailler series is Serrailler himself…rich in incident and intrigue * Express *Arguably one of the UK’s best crime fiction writers * Pride Magazine *Hill is, as ever, a true writer and a true storyteller… Her writing, never fancy or over-elaborate, is sweet and and clear and true, lifting the story above mass-market mass-killer lit * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisNominated for the Folio Prize and shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historial Fiction, and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize.Set during and just after the First World War, The Lie is an enthralling, heart-wrenching novel of love, memory and devastating loss by one of the UK's most acclaimed storytellers.Cornwall, 1920, early spring.A young man stands on a headland, looking out to sea. He is back from the war, homeless and without family.Behind him lie the mud, barbed-wire entanglements and terror of the trenches. Behind him is also the most intense relationship of his life. Daniel has survived, but the horror and passion of the past seem more real than the quiet fields around him. He is about to step into the unknown. But will he ever be able to escape the terrible, unforeseen consequences of a lie?Trade Review[A] superb, timely novel of the First World War -- John Sutherland * The Times *Helen Dunmore ... is a poet as well as a novelist, who is celebrated for her delicate language and acute observations. The Lie is no exception. This really is an expert novel. * Sunday Times *The bar for book of the year is set sky high by this heart wrenching tale. Daniel has survived the WWI trenches, but returns to Cornwall to find his family gone and home lost. He moves in with a childhood friend, but gets caught up in a lie that has terrible consequences. Tender, touching and totally absorbing. * Sunday Mirror *Never striking a false note, The Lie is one of those rare and arresting novels that make you think and feel with greater lucidity. * Daily Telegraph *The Lie is a tale of memory and loss delivered with quiet aplomb by one of our classiest writers ... Dunmore captures the emotional torment of her hero with tenderness and skill. * Mail on Sunday *Dunmore has brilliantly served up this past to us in a way that does not allow us to forget it * Spectator *With a shocking twist in its tail, The Lie is a novel to re-read. Written with imagination, intelligence and integrity, it is both quiet and memorable. I predict it will outshine, and outlive, many another new rendition of the war to end all wars. * Country Life *An enthralling novel of love and devastating loss … Powerful storytelling. * Good Housekeeping, Book of the Month *Helen Dunmore, an author who has taken time to build up a following and gradually accumulated those much-required prize nominations, knows what she needs to make a story, and how to go about finding it. The result is a moving account of a young man's emotional life, and what brutality and death can do to it ... Dunmore has done her research and expertly so. * Scotland on Sunday *Dunmore writes with disarming simplicity and clarity. Read her novel in a single sitting in a quiet place. * The Times *

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Book SynopsisDeception, blackmail, murder, revenge - these are the themes of stories that move from London to the coast of Spain, from Mauritius to Dublin to Dordogne. Whether his subject is assassination by stealth, the cruel confidence trick or the cold shock of coincidence, Frederick Forsyth is never less than compulsive, the detail always authentic.Ten stories with the master''s touch - a brilliantly readable first collection by an incomparable craftsman of suspense.Trade ReviewA diverting collection of short suspense fiction that should be both surprise and delight Forsyth fans * New York Times Book Review *The ten stories vibrate with drama and the shock of the unexpected... chillingly effective * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisRiktor doesn't like the way the policeman comes straight into the house without knocking. He doesn't like the arrogant way he observes his home.The policeman doesn't tell him why he's there, and Riktor doesn't ask. Because he knows he's guilty of a terrible crime. But it turns out that the policeman isn't looking for a missing person. He is accusing Riktor of something totally unexpected. Riktor doesn't have a clear conscience, but this is a crime he certainly didn't commit.Trade ReviewAn absolute must for any fan of thrillers who wants something a bit dark and disturbing... Fans of both Kathy Reichs and Sophie Hannah should enjoy this book immensely. * We Love This Book *The storytelling is outstanding... Dark, brilliant, and guaranteed to leave you a little queasy * CrimeFictionLover *Unsettling and scarily well written -- Ian Rankin * Guardian *A dark and disturbing thriller - a story of madness which is controlled and kept hidden until anger and rage break that control and the dark depths spring out * Get West London *Another off-kilter winner -- Ian Rankin * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis''Smart characters, shocking twists'' Lisa Gardner''A compelling read with great set pieces and, most of all, that charismatic cast of characters'' Sun''I couldn''t turn the pages quick enough'' Heidi Perks''Terrific, high-octane, really pacy'' Jo Spain______________The Sunday Times bestsellerDID YOU MISS ME?When two dead bodies are found inside a wrecked car on the Golden Gate Bridge, Detective Lindsay Boxer knows it''s no accident.As she investigates, disturbing news reaches her ears: a former police colleague, now unmasked as a ruthless murderer, is back in San Francisco after escaping custody, bent on paying a visit to some old friends...______________More praise for the Women''s Murder Club''Fast-moving, intricately plotted . . . Boxer steals the show as the tough cop with a good heart'' Mirror''I have neve

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Book SynopsisOver two hundred years ago Bookholm, the City of Dreaming Books, was destroyed by a catastrophic firestorm. Optimus Yarnspinner, who witnessed this disaster, has since become Zamonia''s greatest writer and is resting on his laurels at Lindworm Castle. Spoilt by his monumental success and basking in adulation, he one day receives a disturbing message that finally reinvests his life with meaning: a cryptic missive that lures him back to Bookholm. Rebuilt on a magnificent scale, the city is once more a vibrant literary metropolis and Mecca of the book trade teeming with book fanatics of all kinds. On the track of the mysterious letter that brought him there, Yarnspinner has scarcely set foot in the city before he falls prey to its spirit of adventure. He is reunited with old friends like Inazia Anazazi the Uggly and Ahmed ben Kibitzer the Nocturnomath, but he also encounters the city''s new marvels, which include the mysterious Biblionauts, the warring Puppetists, and the city''s latest craze, the Invisible Theatre. Yarnspinner strays ever deeper into the Labyrinth of Dreaming Books, which seems to wield a strange power over Bookholm''s destinies. He is eventually drawn into an irresistible maelstrom of events far more sensational than any of the adventures he has previously embarked upon.Trade ReviewIt’s a fun read, packed with Moers’s typical wordplay, not to mention his lovingly detailed illustrations…catnip for anyone with a passion for languages -- James Lovegrove * Financial Times *Moers fans will find everything they love: strange lifeforms, ample digressions, learned allusions, a plethora of anagrams, and the disturbing illustrations that are just as fine as they are humorous * Büchercheck *Yarnspinner is a popstar, the Michael Jackson of the printed word: in short, a hero * NDR [North German Broadcasting] Kultur *

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Book SynopsisSimon Kernick, the UK''s answer to Harlan Coben, has written a thriller jam-packed withaction, tension and twists and turns. A heart-stopping read from page one, this is perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Stuart MacBride and Peter James.''Another accomplished race against time with a delightfully morally ambiguous hero.'' -- Sunday Mirror''Simon Kernick writes with his foot pressed hard on the pedal. Hang on tight!'' -- Harlan Coben''Great plots. Great characters. Great action.'' -- Lee Child''If you''re looking for a fast-paced, believable book that you can''t put down, then this is the one'' -- ***** Reader review''A fast-paced page-turner'' -- ***** Reader review''A cracking good read'' -- ***** Reader review''This book has me hooked from the moment I Trade ReviewAnother accomplished race against time with a delightfully morally ambiguous hero. * Sunday Mirror *Simon Kernick writes with his foot pressed hard on the pedal. Hang on tight! * Harlan Coben *Great plots. Great characters. Great action. * Lee Child *Lots of action, lots of tension, lots of spills. Heart stopping read from page one! * Ian Harvey-Brown *'Another excellent gritty, fast paced thriller from Simon Kernick featuring Tina Boyd. * Suzanne Bellingham *

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Book Synopsis*JO NESBO HAS SOLD OVER 50 MILLION BOOKS WORLDWIDE*''A tense, violent and hugely absorbing walk on the murky side of Oslo'' Sunday MirrorSonny''s on the run. Sonny is a model prisoner. He listens to the confessions of other inmates and absolves them of their sins. But then one prisoner''s confession changes everything. He''s been lied to his whole life. After learning the truth about his disgraced father, Sonny needs to break out of prison and make those responsible pay for their crimes. Sonny wants revenge, whatever the cost.''Excellent...an intricate, disturbing picture of rampant corruption'' The TimesWatch out for The Jealousy Man, the new Jo Nesbo book, out nowTrade ReviewAn expertly plotted, compelling and gripping white-knuckle ride… Nesbo deserves to be crowned the king of all crime thriller writers * Sunday Express *A cat-and-mouse chase between a young prisoner and a troubled detective, this is a tense, violent and hugely absorbing walk on the murky side of Oslo * Sunday Mirror *Nesbo never fails to deliver a cracking narrative – and this is one of his best * Mail on Sunday *An excellent novelist... Nesbo paints an intricate, disturbing picture of rampant corruption within prison and the police service... The strong action is tempered by tenderness -- Marcel Berlins * The Times *Gripping from start to finish -- John Williams * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisAllan Quatermain is a Victorian Indiana Jones - he triumphs over deserts, snowy mountains, tribal warfare and witches, and unearths the mythical treasure of King Solomon''s mines. This faithful but unpretending record of a remarkable adventure is hereby respectfully dedicated by the narrator to all the big boys and little boys who read it. I offer apologies for my blunt way of writing. I can but say in excuse of it that I am more accustomed to handling a rifle than a pen. This is the strange history of our journey into the heart of Kukuanaland; a trek into the interior of the dark continent to find a lost friend and discover the diamond mines of King Solomon.In the course of a long life of close shaves, I never had such shaves as those which I have recently experienced. - Allan Quatermain, of Durban, Natal, Gentleman One of the great page-turners in English literature' GuardianTrade ReviewOne of the great page-turners in English literature -- John Sutherland * Guardian *I can distinctly remember handling the book as if it might somehow give me, a boy in Africa, magical access to the African adventures it contained. It still does now. I need only pick up this book and, like the door to Solomon's treasure chamber, a mass of stone rises from the floor and vanishes into the rock above -- Giles Foden * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA VINTAGE MURDER MYSTERYRediscover Gladys Mitchell one of the ''Big Three'' female crime fiction writers alongside Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.A friend staying with distinguished psychoanalyst and sometime detective Mrs Bradley is alarmed by a chance meeting with a pale young man who claims his uncle is being poisoned - is there a detective who could help discover the culprit? Mrs Bradley is soon on the case, but upon investigation it seems the uncle is in the best of health. But then the old man does indeed die suddenly, followed by his nephew, and Mrs Bradley finds herself in the murderer''s firing line.Opinionated, unconventional, unafraid... If you like Poirot and Miss Marple, you'll love Mrs Bradley.Trade ReviewAmong the most revered names in British mystery fiction * Washington Post *One of the "Big Three" female mystery novelists, judged the equal of Dorothy L Sayers and Agatha Christie, but that's not quite accurate - she's more like a mad combination of both * Independent *The marvel is that although Miss Mitchell has been so prolific, she has also been so good -- Edmund Crispin

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Book SynopsisA gripping psychological thriller by a former police psychologist. Perfect for fans of Nicci French, Tana French and S. J. Watson.HE''S WATCHINGA gunman is stalking the wards of a local hospital. He''s unidentified and dangerous, and has to be located. Urgently. Police Firearms Officer Aden McCarthy is tasked with tracking him down. Still troubled by the shooting of a schoolboy, Aden is determined to make amends by finding the gunman - before it''s too late.SHE''S WAITINGTo psychologist Imogen, hospital should be a place of healing and safety - both for her, and her young niece who''s been recently admitted. She''s heard about the gunman, but he has little to do with her. Or has he?As time ticks down, no one knows who the gunman''s next target will be. But he''s there. Hiding in plain sight. Far closer than anyone thinks...Trade ReviewA classic and very exciting countdown-to-disaster story ... Kavanagh expertly weaves these narratives together to make a comprehensive whole ... skilful. * Daily Mail *This cleverly-structured story never lets up ... very tense indeed. Hard hitting, and with real heart ... this is a fantastic thriller. * Sunday Mirror *A clever, fast-paced whodunnit that had me guessing right up to its thrilling climax. * Woman and Home *Very dark. Very tense. * Bella Magazine *A fast paced and gripping novel. * Beauty Balm *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the CWA International DaggerHOW DO YOU SOLVE A MURDER WITHOUT A BODY?Keeping watch under the windows of the Paris flat belonging to a politician''s nephew, ex-special investigator Louis Kehlweiler catches sight of something odd on the pavement. A tiny piece of bone. Human bone, in fact. When Kehlweiler takes his find to the nearest police station, he faces ridicule. Obsessed by the fragment, he follows the trail to the tiny Breton fishing village of Port-Nicolas in search of a dog. But when he recruits evangelists' Marc and Mathias to help, they find themselves facing even bigger game. A THREE EVANGELISTS NOVELTrade ReviewOne of today's few truly original writers of crime fiction: disturbing, unruly, droll and poetic * The Times *Few contemporary crime thrillers can match Vargas's soaring imaginative flights -- Joan Smith * Sunday Times *This is wonderful, quirky stuff, a world away from formulaic crime fiction -- Andrew Taylor * Spectator *Vargas is an addictive writer whose surreal touches create a curiously solid world. Her occasional whimsy somehow turns into comment both trenchant and funny -- Jane Jakeman * Independent *A cool, clever, original and deeply humane crime writer * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisMulti-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman will take you right to the heart of the action in this page-turner of a WW2 adventure novel, set around Singapore. Laden with tension, explosive developments and unforgettable scenes, this is perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith. ''One of our foremost writers of naval fiction'' - Sunday Times''Masterly storytelling'' - The Times''Exciting'' -- ***** Reader review''I was unable to put it down'' -- ***** Reader review''An edge-of-your-seat story'' -- ***** Reader review********************************************************************One fateful crossing and the Sigli was never seen again.The Sigli had been just an old passenger launch, but when the Japanese invaded Singapore during World War II everything that could float was pressed into service.Crammed wit

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Book SynopsisThanks to his direct naval experience, multi-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman is expertly placed to take you to the heart of the action in this all-action, non-stop tale of naval warfare. With his vivid characterisation and atmospheric storytelling, you''ll feel you are in the midst of events yourself! Perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith.''One of our foremost writers of naval fiction'' -- Sunday Times''Mr Reeman writes with great knowledge about the sea and those who sail on it'' -- The Times''Stirring stuff!'' -- ***** Reader review''Very hard to put down and the reader gets drawn into the action'' -- ***** Reader review''Fantastic'' -- ***** Reader review''Gripping from beginning to the end'' -- ***** Reader review''This is a book that you will not want to put down'' -- ***** Reader review*******

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Book SynopsisMulti-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman will take you right to the heart of the action in this page-turner of a historical adventure novel. Laden with tension, explosive developments and unforgettable battle scenes, this is perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith.''One of our foremost writers of naval fiction'' - Sunday Times''Masterly storytelling'' - The Times''Gripping and a book you just can not put down...'' -- ***** Reader review''An edge-of-your-seat story'' - ***** Reader review''Highly recommended'' -- ***** Reader review********************************************************************December 1917: Germany opens the final, bitter round of the war with a new and deadly weapon in the struggle for the seas - the Vulcan.When she sails from Kiel Harbour, she is, to all appearances, a harmless merchant vessel

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Book SynopsisHMS Temeraire: latest and most advanced of Britain''s nuclear submarines. When Temraire''s trials are cut short and she is ordered to the Far East to reinforce the fleet against a threat from Red China, her captain, David Jermain, knows that this is no routine exercise in flag-waving. And once in Asian waters, he and his submarine find themselves involved in a hidden undeclared conflict beneath the sea. While the politicians haggle over a situation which could hold the seeds of full-scale war, Commander Jermain must keep his faith in himself and in his new ship''s potential - even when ordered to take the Temeraire to the edge of a catastrophe.

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Book SynopsisChristmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the British people are weary and demoralised and The Nightingale Hospital is suffering too. Millie is recently widowed and dealing with the demands of her family's estate. It's not long before her old world of The Nightingale begins to beckon, along with a long-lost loveJess is struggling with her move from East London to the quiet of the countryside.Effie finds herself exiled to a quiet village, but the quiet doesn't last for long as she soon finds excitement in the shape of a smooth-talking GI. As Christmas approaches, even the shelter of the countryside can't protect the girls from heartache. Trade ReviewIt was a perfect winter read as I sat in front of a roaring fire, mug of tea and a box of choccies to hand. I was soon deep in the world of nurses and country living. The characters are likeable and realistic and the author strikes a perfect balance between the hard, grudging work that nurses do and the camaraderie that comes from pulling together. It doesn’t shy away from the awfulness of war but deals with it in a way that’s informative without being too upsetting and certainly made me wonder at the bravery of people during those trying times. That said there is humour and warmth on every page. * Frost *great story-telling * Choice Magazine *Written in a heart-warming and easy-going style, it is a perfect book to curl up with on a winter’s afternoon. * Nursing Standard *Written in a heart-warming and easy-going style, it is a perfect book to curl up with on a winter’s afternoon’ 5* review * Nursing Standard *

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Book SynopsisThe exquisitely-researched standalone prequel series to Dorothy Dunnett''s revered Lymond Chronicles, following the ancestors of Francis Crawford of Lymond in Continental Europe.The Unicorn Hunt is Book Five in The House of Niccolo series.-----------------------------''Rich, newly wed, with a palatial banking house, a busy fleet, a small army, why should Nicholas vander Poele choose to travel to Edinburgh?''That is the question on everyone''s lips in the Autumn of 1468 - especially those of his enemy, Simon de St Pol of Kilmirren, who seeks nothing less than the destruction of the House of Niccolo and its cunning head.But Nicholas soon proves that there are very good mercantile reasons for expanding his trading empire into the north. They also help to conceal his attempts to discover the true father of the child his vengeful wife insists is not his own.From Scotland to the Tyrol, Cairo to Cyprus, NichTrade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett -- - * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention -- - * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking -- - * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction -- - * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas -- - * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety -- - * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction -- - * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe exquisitely-researched standalone prequel series to Dorothy Dunnett''s revered Lymond Chronicles, following the ancestors of Francis Crawford of Lymond in Continental Europe.To Lie With Lions is Book Six in The House of Niccolo series.-----------------------------''We are going to the Westmann Isles. We are going to tamper with Nature, defy law and cheat pirates. We are going to sail the stiffening ocean to Iceland.''It is 1471 and Nicholas de Fleury has confounded the Lions of Europe - the courts of England, France, Burgundy, Venice and Cyprus. The very future of the continent hinges on the fate of his bank, the enigmatic House of Niccolo.Yet Nicholas'' attention appears to lie elsewhere. Having overcome the schemings of his wife, Gelis, he now seeks a truce. He looks north to the lands of ice and fire, and new treasure to wrestle from the hands of rivals.And, in Edinburgh, there is a play to perTrade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett -- - * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention -- - * The New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking -- - * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction -- - * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas -- - * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety -- - * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction -- - * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe exquisitely-researched standalone prequel series to Dorothy Dunnett''s revered Lymond Chronicles, following the ancestors of Francis Crawford of Lymond in Continental Europe.Spring of the Ram is Book Two in The House of Niccolo series.----------------------------- ''Catherine de Charetty, having chosen a lover just after the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, was much put out to learn that, at nearly thirteen, she did not possess all the required qualifications . . .''Yet her secret suitor, Pagano Doria, claims he will wait and spirits her away from Bruges, first to Florence and then eastwards. On their trail is Nicholas vander Poele, her step-father, conducting his own journey to the fabled city of Trebizond, a Byzantine outpost on the Black Sea.Known as the treasure-house of the East, Trebizond in 1461 is the ideal location for Nicholas to open the House of Niccolo''s new trading post. However, the Trade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett -- - * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention -- - * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking -- - * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction -- - * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas -- - * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety -- - * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction -- - * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Quincunx is an epic Dickensian-like mystery novel set in 19th century England, and concerns the varying fortunes of young John Huffam and his mother. A thrilling complex plot is made more intriguing by the unreliable narrator of the book - how much can we believe of what he says? First published in 1989, The Quincunx was a surprise bestseller and began a trend for pastiche Victorian novels. It remains one of the best.

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Book SynopsisThe Brimstone Wedding - a masterful mystery about love and madness by bestseller Barbara Vine''Intriguing, absorbing and compelling'' SpectatorJenny''s marriage is loveless, and she is having an affair. She works at an old people''s home, where she is especially fond of Stella, a gracious, dignified woman dying of cancer - whose own secrets parallel Jenny''s - with the difference that she may have been involved in murdering her lover''s husband . . . Both a finely crafted mystery and a disturbingly honest depiction of the kinship between love and madness, The Brimstone Wedding tells an unsettling story about the power and the poison of love. If you enjoy the crime novels of P.D. James, Ian Rankin and Scott Turow, you will adore this book.''The Rendell/ Vine partnership has for years been producing consistently better work than most Booker winners put together'' Ian Rankin''A superb and original writer'' Amanda Craig, Ex

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Book SynopsisBefore George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . PERFECT for fans of A Game of Thrones.''She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.'' The Times Literary SupplementQueen''s Play is the second book in the series-----------------------------''The crossroads may not be of your own seeking, but at least the road you choose will be your own''It is 1548 and seven-year-old Mary Queen of Scots, betrothed to her cousin the Dauphin, heir to the French throne, has been dispatched to France. But far from home and vulnerable, surrounded by the double-dealing and debauchery of a dangerous and unpredictable court, she suffers a series of ''accidents''. Her mother, Scotland''s Queen Dowager, orders Francis Crawford of Lymond Trade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisAndrew Taylor is the author of a number of crime novels, including the ground-breaking Roth Trilogy, which was adapted into the acclaimed drama Fallen Angel, and the historical crime novels The Ashes of London, The Silent Boy, and The American Boy, a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and a 2005 Richard & Judy Book Club Choice.He has won many awards, including the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award (the only author to win it three times) and the CWA's prestigious Diamond Dagger.Trade ReviewThere are echoes of Agatha Christie in the complex plot set in 1934, but Taylor's portrait of desperate lives is infused with a sharp sense of class and politics as British society fractures under the threat of a world war * The Times, Top 100 Crime & Thrillers since 1945 *Taylor is the modern master of a very Dickensian underworld... A sense of brooding evil pervades the complex plot, handled with great assurance * Independent *The period atmosphere, as in all Taylor's work, is flawless. He simply gets better and better * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAs a gun-wielding bank robber, Noel ''Razor'' Smith was top of the criminal tree, enjoying the excitement and benefits of a dangerous and adrenalin-filled career. But he''d also spent the greater part of his adult life in prison, an environment where respect and basic survival were guaranteed only to those prepared to use the most brutal violence. In his new book, Smith takes the story on from his highly acclaimed memoir A Few Kind Words and a Loaded Gun, and describes how he came to realize that the game wasn''t worth the candle. In his mid-forties he applied to enter Grendon, then the only prison in Britain offering intense therapeutic treatment to hardened criminals. He went from a brutal high-security prison, HMP Whitemoor, to an institution where he was encouraged to investigate just why his life had been given over to violence and crime. Smith paints an unforgettable portrait of the hardened and severely damaged inmates of Grendon, many of them guilty of famous crimes, and their attempts to turn round their lives. And in particular his own arduous five-year journey to re-enter society as a straight citizen.Trade ReviewA unique insight into how someone goes about changing the vile and destructive habits of a lifetime. A gripping read -- Will Self * The Times *Provocative, funny and thoughtful * Observer *It's saddening, angering and informative stuff * Metro *I can't put it down. Smith's accounts of life beyond the windowless walls [of prison] ... are chilling beyond belief -- Mark Ellen * Word *

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Book Synopsis1793: the thunder of cannon fire echoes across the English Channel, chilling the stoutest hearts . . .The opening skirmishes of the French Revolutionary War send ageing frigate HMS Themis into waters swarming with enemy ships of the line. Instructed to survey the French coastline, she''s soon in the thick of the action: cutlasses slash and bayonets skewer, cannons splinter decks and sever limbs. Onto the smoky deck strides young Lieutenant Charles Hayden. With an English father and a French mother, the Admiralty are reluctant to give Hayden his first command. Instead, he is to act as a bulwark between the Themis''s tyrannical Captain Hart and a mutinous crew. Steering a course between the cowardly captain and the treacherous crew, English common sense and French pride, Hayden must first master his wits before challenging the might of the French naval war machine.

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Book SynopsisTHE NAIL-BITING, PULSE-RACING THRILLER FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NICCI FRENCH''Extraordinary. It carried me with it on the breathless ride'' 5***** Reader Review''Had me totally hooked and kept me guessing until the end'' 5***** Reader Review''Gripping, entertaining . . . A real page-turner'' 5***** Reader Review______ The clock is ticking - and the search hasn''t even begun . . . Nina Landry has given up city life for the isolated community of Sandling Island. At night, the wind howls. Sometimes they are cut off by the incoming tide. But for Nina, it is home. It is safe.But when Nina''s teenage daughter Charlie fails to return from a sleepover on the day they''re due to go on holiday, the island becomes a different place altogether. A place of secrets and suspicions. Where no one - friends, neighbours, even the police - believes Nina''s instinctive fear that her daughter i

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Book SynopsisAsta''s Book is a classic double-detective story by crime master Barbara VineFor a good, absorbing, well-told story, you could hardly better the unveiling of Asta''s secret'' Sunday TimesIt is 1905. Asta and her husband Rasmus have come to East London from Denmark with their two little boys. With Rasmus constantly away on business, Asta keeps loneliness and isolation at bay by writing a diary. These diaries, published over seventy years later, reveal themselves to be more than a mere journal. For they seem to hold the key to an unsolved murder and to the mystery of a missing child. It falls to Asta''s granddaughter Ann to unearth the buried secrets of nearly a century before.''A dazzling domestic thriller'' Guardian''Obsessively readable'' Sunday Telegraph''Engrossing . . . a mixture of biography, true crime and romance people with vivid minor players and red with herrings'' Independent on Sunday'Trade ReviewSimply put, Vine is one of the greatest writers ever * Scott Turow *Simply put, Vine is one of the greatest writers ever * Scott Turow *

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Book SynopsisAllersmead is a big shabby Victorian suburban house. The perfect place to grow up for elegant Sandra, difficult Gina, destructive Paul, considerate Katie, clever Roger and flighty Clare. But was it?Trade ReviewLively immediately plunges us into an entirely convincing world of bustling family life...exceptionally well observed and gloriously enjoyable...this should be rated as one of her most impressive works * Guardian *One of those ridiculously simple, ridiculously readable novels whose artistry only becomes apparent when you put it down with a sign of regret, having devoured it in one sitting...Lively still displays an economy and an elegance that put younger writers to shame * Sunday Telegraph *Lively's brilliance is of the creeping kind. There is a sense of formality, which falls away as the novel gains pace and builds towards an unforeseen end. She is particularly good at bending language to make it fit her cool and clear voice...Lively succeeds brilliantly in getting a hold on the climate of family life. Slowly we absorb the details that get lost in the bluster and flurry until we are so drawn in, so tightly contained in the dynamics of this one, that the end, when it comes, is simply devastating * The Times *A pleasure to read, hugely enjoyable, consistently absorbing, hilarious * Independent *An involving emotional drama and an insightful examination of changing family values * Easy Living *The complexities and silences of family life are intelligently and subtly explored...a very engaging novel, continuously interesting and often moving * Scotsman *Gorgeous -- David Vann * Guardian Books of the Year *Sympathetic and observant, Lively moves fluidly between present-tense set-piece scenes and silent monologues, placing the novel's revelations where they will be most effective, and allowing implications - about marriage, feminism and personal ambition - to blossom slowly * Sunday Times *Penelope Lively at her best, sharp-eyed but sympathetic, deftly steering the reader from one point of view to another. This novel should delight her regular readers and ensnare new ones * Evening Standard *A very readable, well-paced novel peopled with Lively's customary immaculately observed and impeccably rounded characters * Independent on Sunday *Lively skilfully mingles past and present, as she peels away the layers to uncover a family secret of which no one speaks...Lively's astute skewering of family relations reverberates in the mind long afterwards * Daily Mail *Lively plays her sleight of hand with admirable dexterity. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the writing crisp and the humour wonderfully dry * Tatler *Gripping. An intelligent look at family relationships and the knock-on effects of past events on the present. It's an absorbing tale of mystery and intrigue that will leave you wondering what lies behind even the nicest façade * Woman & Home *A deeply satisfying, eloquent family-fabric novel * Good Housekeeping *

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Book SynopsisIntroducing Bombay CID''s most dogged, dutiful officer, and one of the greatest, most engaging creations in all detective fiction, H.R.F. Keating''s The Perfect Murder: The First Inspector Ghote Mystery includes a preface by Alexander McCall Smith, author of The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency, in Penguin Modern Classics.One crime that couldn''t have happened, one that probably hasn''t. Nothing''s ever easy for Inspector Ghote. In the house of Lala Varde, a vast man of even vaster influence, an attack has taken place. Varde''s secretary, Mr Perfect, has been struck on his invaluable business head. And try as Inspector Ghote might to remain conscientious and methodical, his investigation is beset on all sides by cunning, disdain and corruption. And then there''s another urgent case to be dealt with: the impossible theft of a single rupee . . .H. R. F. Keating (1926-2011) was born at St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. He went to Merchant Taylors, leaving early tTrade ReviewUtterly loveable...Ghote is one of the great creations of detective fiction * Alexander McCall Smith *

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Book SynopsisFor Willi Kufult, prison life means staying out of trouble, keeping his cell clean, snagging a precious piece of tobacco - and dreaming of the day of his release.Then he gets out.As Willi tries to make a new life for himself in Hamburg, finding a job and even love, he still cannot escape his past. Gradually he becomes sucked into a world of drink, desperation and deceit, and with one terrible act, he is ensnared in a noose of his own making...Hans Fallada''s dark and moving 1934 novel brilliantly describes a seedy criminal underworld of shabby lives and violent deeds, showing how our actions always catch up with us.Trade ReviewFallada is a unique novelist, a writer of great sweetness and charm whom historical circumstances forced to take an interest in violent turmoil -- Philip Hensher * Independent *

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Book SynopsisWhen a chance encounter makes him a witness to the abduction of a child, private detective Lew Archer can''t help but be drawn into the case, pursuing a trail that leads all too quickly to murder. While forest fires rage in the hills around Los Angeles, threatening the homes of some of the city''s wealthiest families, Archer unearths a hidden history of failed marriages, runaway children, and a man''s life consumed by a search for the father who abandoned him.Ross Macdonald''s Lew Archer mysteries rewrote the conventions of the detective novel with their credible, humane hero, and with Macdonald''s insight and moral complexity won new literary respectability for the hardboiled genre previously pioneered by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. They have also received praise from such celebrated writers as William Goldman, Jonathan Kellerman, Eudora Welty and Elmore Leonard.Trade ReviewI love the Lew Archer books. -- James EllroyThe finest series of detective novels ever written by an American. -- William GoldmanA more serious and complex writer than Chandler and Hammett ever were -- Eudora WeltyAmerica's greatest crime writer -- Elmore LeonardRoss MacDonald is very important to me. I love the Lew Archer books -- James Ellroy

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Book SynopsisWhen Maude Slocum - beautiful, frightened and angry - comes to Lew Archer's office with a poison pen letter intended for her husband, he reluctantly agrees to help her. As he follows the Slocums around, Archer finds that Mrs Slocum might have the least of the family's troubles. But why is their handsome ex-chauffeur still hanging around?Trade ReviewThe American private eye, immortalised Hammett, refined by Chandler, brought to its zenith by Macdonald * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book Synopsis“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The GuardianThe first-ever English publication of Georges Simenon’s compelling novel about summer escape and elusive obsessions“The island itself. Its throbbing heat as if in a belljar under the sun, the scorpion in his son’s bed, the deafening sound of cicadas.”During his first holiday on the island of Porquerolles, Dr. Mahé caught a glimpse of something irresistible. As the memory continues to haunt him, he falls prey to a delusion that may offer an escape from his conventional existence—or may destroy him. Taut, insightful, and impossible to put down, this is the first English translation of The Mahé Circle, Simenon’s dark, malevolent depiction oTrade ReviewOne of Georges Simenon's most powerful roman durs - the non-Maigret novels in which ordinary lives are suddenly, and at times seemingly inexplicably, unsettled and irrevocably changed. Written in Simenon's spare signature style, it's unputdownably gripping -- John Gray * Guardian *Sublime . . . as good, in its unforced and unemphatic way, as anything in Proust or even Flaubert . . . a sort of masterpiece -- John Banville * New York Review of Books *Extraordinary . . . Simenon is one of the most important writers of the 20th century . . . In 150 high-pressure pages, it gives insights into the world, the mind and the horrible frustration of a French country doctor that most writers would struggle to convey with 10 times the word-count -- Sam Jordison * Independent *

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Book SynopsisAn anthology of Great War short stories by British writers, both famous and lesser-known authors, men and women, during the war and after its endThese stories are able to illustrate the impact of the Great War on British society and culture and the many modes in which short fiction contributed to the war's literature. The selection covers different periods: the war years themselves, the famous boom years of the late 1920s to the more recent past in which the First World War has received new cultural interest.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations Table of ContentsThe Penguin Book of First World War StoriesIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on the Texts1. FrontArthur Machen, 'The Bowmen''Sapper' (Herman Cyril McNeile), 'Private Meyrick—Company Idiot'C. E. Montague, 'A Trade Report Only'Richard Aldington, 'Victory'Anne Perry, 'Heroes'Mary Borden, 'Blind'Katherine Mansfield, 'An Indiscreet Journey'Joseph Conrad, 'The Tale'A. W. Wells, 'Chanson Triste'2. Spies and IntelligenceArthur Conan Doyle, 'His Last Bow'W. Somerset Maugham, 'Giulia Lazzari'John Buchan, 'The Loathly Opposite'3. At HomeRudyard Kipling, 'Mary Postgate'Stacy Aumonier, 'Them Others'John Galsworthy, 'Told by the Schoolmaster'D. H. Lawrence, 'Tickets, Please'Radclyffe Hall, 'Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself'Hugh Walpole, 'Nobody'4. In RetrospectHarold Brighouse, 'Once a Hero'Katherine Mansfield, 'The Fly'Winifred Holtby, 'The Casualty List'Robert Graves, 'Christmas Truce'Muriel Spark, 'The First Year of My Life'Robert Grossmith, 'Company'Julian Barnes, 'Evermore'MapsPlaces of the Western FrontGlossaryMilitary AbbreviationsNotesBiographiesAcknowledgements

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Book SynopsisPublished in English for the first time, and the only Arabic epic named for a woman, The Tale of Princess Fatima recounts the thrilling adventures of a legendary medieval warrior universally known throughout the Middle East and long overdue to join world literature's pantheon of female heroes.A Penguin ClassicA fearsome, sword-slinging heroine who defeated countless men in stealth attacks on horseback, Dhat al-Himma, or Princess Fatima, was secretly given away at birth because she wasn't male, only to triumph as the most formidable warrior of her time. Known alternately as she-wolf, woman of high resolve, and calamity of the soul, she lives on in this rousing narrative of female empowerment, in which she leads armies of more than seventy thousand men in clashes between rival tribes and between Muslims and Christians; reconciles with her father after taking him prisoner; and fends off her infatuated cousin, who challenges her to a battle for the right to maTrade ReviewA gift and a wonder, deftly capturing the nuance and flavour of these tales for a new generation. As someone who's waited untold years to read these stories: thank you, thank you, thank you -- Jason Porath, author of Rejected PrincessesThis powerful epic with its all-conquering heroine brings the world of Arab chivalry to blazing life, in a wonderful translation with a very informative introduction. -- Humphrey Davies, award-winning translator of Naguib Mahfouz, Elias Khoury, and Alaa Al-AswanyAn emotive, dynamic rendering that exquisitely captures the spirit of the original text, the variety of its characters, and the versatility of its messages. The Tale of Princess Fatima has much to tell us about what it has meant -- in different times and places -- to be a hero -- Rachel Schine, University of Colorado BoulderThis engaging and reader-friendly translation brings to life a very important moment in world history, capturing through epic proportions the timeless social issues of race, gender, and class -- Heidi Morrison, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Book SynopsisUnravel the unexpected mystery of the doomed immortals, running out of time.

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Book SynopsisBorn in an impoverished Sikh family in Bihar, Gobind is content to live under the long shadow of poverty. Then, one day, moved by his father' s words, Gobind vows to uplift his life and change his and his family' s fortunes forever. A soldier at heart, he joins the Indian Navy and becomes a shining star, all set to achieve great success.

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Book SynopsisWith the police closing in, enemies circling, and his conscience weighing him down Arjun realises he is no longer just hiding a mistakeâhe is caught in a deadly game of power and deception where every choice has consequences. As the truth edges closer, he must decide whether to keep running or fight.

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