Crime & Thrillers Books

Book SynopsisNumber One bestseller Jeffery Deaver returns with a new Kathryn Dance thriller.Trade ReviewDevious, diabolical and devilish ... It's Dance's toughest case, and one of Deaver's best books. * New York Times *Devious, diabolical and devilish ... It's Dance's toughest case, and one of Deaver's best books. * New York Times *The best psychological thriller writer around. * The Times *The best psychological thriller writer around. * The Times *If you want thrills, Deaver is your man. * Guardian *If you want thrills, Deaver is your man. * Guardian *Deaver never disappoints. * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisAWARD-WINNING CRIME FICTION WITH SOUTH AFRICAN SOULWinner of the 2011 Boeke Prize in South Africa and shortlisted for the 2010 CWA International Dagger for Best Translated Crime Novel of the Year.Trade ReviewWhat makes Deon Meyer's novel so outstanding is its setting - the new South Africa, where jaded white detectives are still getting use to working with black and coloured (in the country's parlance) colleagues . . . Meyer gives rare insights into the texture of everyday life in a country still troubled 20 years after the release of Nelson Mandela. * The Sunday Times *This terrific, action-packed thriller has superbly drawn characters and an enthralling setting. Deon Meyer is one of the best crime writers on the planet. * Mail on Sunday *Deon Meyer is the undisputed king of South African crime fiction, and THIRTEEN HOURS demonstrates why. * The Times *South African thrillers arrive with racial baggage, and it's a mark of Meyer's talent to see just how well the issues are balanced with a smashing story. Imposing a strict time limit and a tight location on his plot, he ramps up the suspense to an unbearable degree. Best of all, his sharply drawn characters really feel part of the new South Africa, where loyalties and beliefs must always be questioned. * Financial Times *What makes this novel so outstanding is its setting... and Meyer's superlative talent for suspense... This is a vigorous, exciting novel that combines memorable characters and plot with edge-of-the-seat suspense. * The Sunday Times *Far and away South Africa's best crime writer * The Times *gripping and suspenseful crime novel set in a violent, post-apartheid South Africa * Culture Magazine (The Sunday Times) *A cracking read from one of Africa's finest * Shots ezine *One of the sharpest and most perceptive thriller writers around * Peter Millar, The Times, on DEVIL'S PEAK *Far and away the best crime writer in South Africa * Matthew Lewin, Guardian, on BLOOD SAFARI *One of the most exciting thrillers I've read for a long time. * Lady Antonia Fraser *Blood Safari is my first exposure to the man billed by his publishers as the "king of South African crime thrillers". For once the publicity spinners are not guilty of hyperbole -- Meyer is simply excellent. * Business Day on BLOOD SAFARI *Pulsating and gripping * The Sunday Times on BLOOD SAFARI *I rushed through it like one of Meyer's beloved BMW motorbikes in overdrive. A fantastic read. I know Cape Town well and he did glorious justice to the city's mosaic * Tim Butcher, author of Richard and Judy bestseller BLOOD RIVER, on DEVIL'S PEAK *'A moving, expertly constructed story of a broken man's redemption' * The Sunday Times on DEVIL'S PEAK *Out of post-apartheid South Africa comes a thriller good enough to nip at the heels of le Carré * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on HEART OF THE HUNTER *A Christmas Choice for best thrillers in 2007 * The Times on DEVIL'S PEAK *A glimpse of the soul of the new South Africa in all its glory, and with all the gory details of its problems and corruption...I marvelled at the intricacy of the plotting, I smiled at Christine's cheeky ingenuity, I felt Thobela's pain and Benny's desperation, and I was stunned by a denouement of awesome power and accomplishment * Guardian on DEVIL'S PEAK *My favourite South African thriller writer * James Mitchell, Tonight, South Africa, on DEVIL'S PEAK *'Meyer is a gifted writer...believable and disturbing' * Tangled Web on DEVIL'S PEAK *'Deon Meyer, who writes in Afrikaans, portrays a world of terrifying uncertainty, in which those who fought for liberation from apartheid are having to come to terms with the knowledge that freedom is not enough to wipe out cruelty. A thoughtful and exciting novel' * Times Literary Supplement on DEVIL'S PEAK *This guy is really good. Deon Meyer hooked me with this one right from the start. HEART OF THE HUNTER is a thriller with some weight attached and that is a rare find. * Michael Connelly on HEART OF THE HUNTER *HEART OF THE HUNTER is a brilliant book. Deon Meyer does an excellent job of developing a whole range of characters who are affected by the changes in South Africa in different ways. And Thobela, a giant of a man in search of redemption, is a wonderful hero. * Michael Ridpath, author of THE PREDATOR, on HEART *Meyer weaves an impressively tangled web and taut narrative keeps the reader guessing until the last couple of pages * Heat***, on DEAD AT DAYBREAK *Like post-war Germany, post-apartheid South Africa offers fertile ground for reflective fiction ... Senior editor at Little, Brown, Judy Clain, a fellow South African, says, "Meyer has an extraordinary landscape - a changed world where the ghosts of the past play a huge role." * Publishers Weekly, on HEART OF THE HUNTER *With simmering racial tensions, a bounty of natural resources, and a government whose members worked both sides of the cold-war fence, South Africa should prove fertile ground for many fine spy thrillers to come. Don't be surprised if quite a few of them are written by Meyer. * Booklist (starred review) on HEART OF THE HUNTER *A fascinating portrayal...a black, assegai-wielding former freedom fighter who turns into a vigilante and goes on a killing spree; a high-class tart; and a policeman who drinks to drown the screaming that's waiting inside his head: "One day it will come out and I am scared that I am the one who will hear it." It does come out and he is the one who hears it, winding up the tension to a gripping, shocking climax. Highly recommended. * Jessica Mann, Literary Review, on DEVIL'S PEAK *A sombre but terrifying thriller, and some parts will ignite even those readers with the iciest of hearts...Meyer plays the best of mind games with his readers * Mail & Guardian, South Africa, on DEVIL'S PEAK *Tough in-your-face crime writing that spares nothing in language, visceral scenes of blood and mayhem (for Meyer is adroit at choreographing descriptions of slaughter), and never wavers from the compelling pace of the story. It also has a mean line in humour that comes through in the snappy dialogue. * Sunday Independent, South Africa, on DEVIL'S PEAK *an explosive mixture * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *the staccato story slips back and forth between the various strands at a breathless clip, doling out huggest of plot in just the right amounts to have us salivating to know more * Metro Scotland *[Benny Griessel is] 'a gem of a protagonist... This is my favourite novel of the year so far.' * Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine *

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Book Synopsis ''A cracking read that will chill you to the bone'' Sun''Thoroughly gripping'' GuardianMia and Michelle couldn''t look more alike - or act more differently.Mia''s always been the glamorous one, the one everyone wants to get close to. And now she''s a model, on the edge of fame. But Mia can''t resist the illegal thrills that come with it. When disaster strikes, Mia''s mousy look-alike sister has to pretend to be her. Michelle saves her career, and turns out to have star quality too. She''s even got someone to fall in love with her - a man Mia wants almost as much as she wants to be a supermodel. That''s something Mia will never, ever forgive . . .''Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel'' Martina Cole on Forget-Me-Not''One of the bad girls of gritty crime'' Daily Mirror on The DriverTrade Review'A cracking read that will chill you to the bone.' * Sun *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel. * Martina Cole on FORGET ME NOT *'A glamorous nightclub hides a seedy underworld that Heller knows only too well.' * Daily Express on THE CLUB *Gripping . . . powerful writing. * Scotland on Sunday on FORGET ME NOT *Cracking page-turner . . . a gritty compassionate account of life on the margins. * Manchester Evening News on FORGET ME NOT *Alarming . . . beguiling . . . exhilarating. * Scotsman on THE FRONT *

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Book Synopsis''One of the bad girls of gritty crime'' Daily Mirror When you play with fire, everyone gets burned . . .Joe Weeks is new to the Grange Estate. Tolerant, doesn''t mind a bit of weed, doesn''t try to pull other men''s women. Live and let live is his motto . . .Eddie Quinn is the hardest man on the estate. Everyone knows that it''s a bad idea to cross him, or his pit bull. But everyone also knows he''s honest, as drug dealers go. Joe''s pleased when Eddie offers him a job.But then he meets Katya. A prostitute. A slave. And desperate to escape from Eddie. ''A cracking read that will chill you to the bone'' Sun on Two-Faced''Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel'' Martina Cole on Forget-Me-NotTrade Review'A cracking read that will chill you to the bone.' * Sun *'One of the bad girls of gritty crime, Heller has written a blinder.' * Daily Mirror *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel. * Martina Cole on FORGET ME NOT *'A glamorous nightclub hides a seedy underworld that Heller knows only too well.' * Daily Express on THE CLUB *Gripping . . . powerful writing. * Scotland on Sunday on FORGET ME NOT *Cracking page-turner . . . a gritty compassionate account of life on the margins. * Manchester Evening News on FORGET ME NOT *Alarming . . . beguiling . . . exhilarating. * Scotsman on THE FRONT *Gritty, shocking and with a fab twist, this is a real thriller * Closer *

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Book Synopsis''One of the bad girls of gritty crime'' Daily Mirror It''s a world where crime is almost respectable - until passion ignites a disaster.Things start going wrong the day Johnny Conroy meets Ruth Hynes. He just wants to show his mates that he can pull hard-man Frankie Hynes'' daughter, but before he knows it he is part of the Hynes family. And the Hynes family business, which is stealing cars. And there is no way he is ever going to get out of the marriage or the business alive . . .The only good thing in their hellhole of a marriage is his daughter Angel, as nice as her name is and as innocent. And the only thing keeping Johnny sane is his secret life.But then Angel grows up and meets Johnny''s new employee Ryan. He loves Angel - but the family secrets involve him, too. And they are about to explode. ''A cracking read that will chill you to the bone'' Sun on Two-Faced''Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel'' Martina Cole on Forget-Me-NotTrade ReviewLOST ANGEL is a shining example of the rule that the best crime fiction isn't just about crime; it's also about family, relationships, love . . . and hate. From The Godfather to The Sopranos, these are the stories that grip us most intensely. And Heller is at the top of her game with this one -- it's captivating from first page to last. * Jeffery Deaver *'Domestic baggage has never been so deadly.' * Daily Mirror *'Lost Angel is a shining example of the rule that the best crime fiction isn't just about crime; it's also about family, relationships, love . . . and hate. From The Godfather to The Sopranos, these are the stories that grip us most intensely. And Heller is at the top of her game with this one -- it's captivating from first page to last.' * Jeffery Deaver *A hectic pace . . will please fans of Martina Cole. * Bella *'A hectic pace . . will please fans of Martina Cole.' * Bella *Domestic baggage has never been so deadly. * Daily Mirror *'What a brilliant read, I could have devoured it in one sitting. It is a total page turner, good paced, action, lies, secrets, betrayal.' * alwaysreading.net *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel. * Martina Cole on FORGET ME NOT *Cracking page-turner . . . a gritty compassionate account of life on the margins. * Manchester Evening News on FORGET ME NOT *'All those Mandasue Heller fans will certainly not be disappointed as we see her make a return to her brilliant skills as an absolutely exceptional writer. This one is certainly a book you will want to get your hands on as soon as it's released and I for one recommend it highly. 5/5' * bestcrimebooks.co.uk *'[LOST ANGEL] had me captivated . . . Recommended!' * notesoflife.co.uk *'A cracking read that will chill you to the bone.' * Sun on TWO-FACED *'One of the bad girls of gritty crime, Heller has written a blinder.' * Daily Mirror on TWO-FACED *'A glamorous nightclub hides a seedy underworld that Heller knows only too well.' * Daily Express on THE CLUB *Gripping . . . powerful writing. * Scotland on Sunday on FORGET ME NOT *What a brilliant read, I could have devoured it in one sitting. It is a total page turner, good paced, action, lies, secrets, betrayal. * alwaysreading.net *All those Mandasue Heller fans will certainly not be disappointed as we see her make a return to her brilliant skills as an absolutely exceptional writer. This one is certainly a book you will want to get your hands on as soon as it's released and I for one recommend it highly. 5/5 * bestcrimebooks.co.uk *[LOST ANGEL] had me captivated . . . Recommended! * Notesoflife.co.uk *The characters are believable, as is the plot and it's told at a pace that lets the story unfold without being too quick or too slow . . . a well written book that I found hard to put down once started. * Shots *

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Book Synopsis''One of the bad girls of gritty crime'' Daily Mirror She''s hit rock bottom - but she''s going to fight back . . .Amy''s marriage to Mark isn''t the best - he can''t resist the girls, he can''t hold down a job. But she doesn''t want to know just how bad things are until his gambling habit brings the debt collector to her door. He makes it brutally clear how she can pay off Mark''s debts . . .And Amy''s troubles are only beginning. Someone else wants Mark for herself, and she is ready to steal Amy''s man, her self-respect and even her children.As the stakes rise, Amy will either lose everything, or she''ll have to learn how to be as hard and ruthless as her enemies . . . ''A cracking read that will chill you to the bone'' Sun on Two-Faced''Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel'' Martina Cole on Forget-Me-NotTrade ReviewLost Angel is a shining example of the rule that the best crime fiction isn't just about crime; it's also about family, relationships, love . . . and hate. From The Godfather to The Sopranos, these are the stories that grip us most intensely. And Heller is at the top of her game with this one--it's captivating from first page to last. * Jeffery Deaver on LOST ANGEL *A hectic pace . . . will please fans of Martina Cole. * Bella on LOST ANGEL *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel. * Martina Cole on FORGET ME NOT *Cracking page-turner . . . a gritty compassionate account of life on the margins. * Manchester Evening News on FORGET ME NOT *'A cracking read that will chill you to the bone.' * Sun on TWO-FACED *'One of the bad girls of gritty crime, Heller has written a blinder.' * Daily Mirror on TWO-FACED *'A glamorous nightclub hides a seedy underworld that Heller knows only too well.' * Daily Express on THE CLUB *Gripping . . . powerful writing. * Scotland on Sunday on FORGET ME NOT *

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Book SynopsisNumber One New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown returns with another suspenseful thrillerFive years ago a disastrous fire gutted the police headquarters. Seven people died in the flames but thanks to four brave men, most of those inside were rescued. The next day, and forever after, they would be known to the world as heroes.Now, one of them has called Britt Shelley, a hotshot newswoman, offering her the scoop of her career, and asks her to meet him. The next morning she wakes up naked in his bed to find him lying beside her - dead. She remembers nothing of the evening before but, to her horror,the police don''t believe her. As the finger of blame points to her, she realises that she is the next intended victim . . . Praise for Sandra Brown ''Suspense that has teeth'' Stephen King ''Lust, jealousy, and murder suffuse Brown''s crisp thrillTrade ReviewPraise for Sandra Brown * : *'It's a great, entertaining read, with lots of surprising twists and turns, credibly flawed characters and a love affair that's as steamy as a Savannah summer.' * Lisa Scottoline, Washington Post on RICOCHET *'Brown's novels define the term page turner' * Booklist *Millions of readers clamour for the compelling novels of Sandra Brown. And no wonder! She fires your imagination with irresistible characters, unexpected plot twists, scandalous secrets . . . so electric you feel the zing * Literary Guild *'A masterful storyteller, carefully crafting tales that keep readers on the edge of their seats' * USA Today *'If you want romantic suspense that has teeth . . . Sandra Brown is your gal.' * Stephen King *'An edge-of-seat thriller that's full of twists . . . Top stuff!' * Star *'Fast fun' * Cosmopolitan *'Perfectly plotted' * People Magazine *

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Book SynopsisAre your secrets safe . . . ? The blistering new thriller from the author of THE FACE OF DEATH and SHADOW MANTrade ReviewCody McFadyen writes the kind of gut-wrenching, fast-paced thrillers that keep you hooked, and terrified, right to the very end. * Simon Kernick *'Mcfadyen proved with his first two books that lie is an accomplished exponent of the serial-killer thriller and here he once again displays his ability to create terrifying scenarios as he takes the reader down some very dark alleys' * Canberra Times *Not just another scary-as-hell serial killer novel (although it is that in spades)...shocking, gruesome, and terrifying...it may also move you to tears...a perfect book for fans of Deaver, Koontz and King * Amazon.com (Editor's Pick) on THE FACE OF DEATH *Mcfadyen is a supremely gifted storyteller. THE DARKER SIDE is an utterly compelling thriller. * Booklist starred review *This gritty novel is a fun and fast read for thriller fans; recommended * Library Journal *Readers of Cody Mcfadyen's previous books - SHADOW MAN and THE FACE OF DEATH - will recognise descriptions in the reviews of both titles: shocking... gruesome... terrifying... scary... brilliant. Well, I wouldn't argue against his latest serial-killer outing, THE DARKER SIDE, receiving more of the same, and in spades...I found myself desperate to know who the killer was and why he or she was doing it. And surely that is what good thriller writing is all about. * Shots Mag *Cody is one of those rare writers who have the gift of using words to scare you...There are scenes in this book that will chill you to the bone, but once you start it, there's no turning back, you simply have to finish it * Books Monthly www.gatewaymonthly.co.uk *Coldly, stunningly brilliant. Move over Thomas Harris, Mcfadyen has brought a new game to town. * Lisa Gardner on SHADOW MAN *Terrifically good, terrifically scary . . . very hard to put down * San Francisco Chronicle on SHADOW MAN *

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Book SynopsisHodder's biggest fiction launch of 2009: Matt Hilton's debut introducing series character Joe Hunter, Britain's best vigilante - fighting America's worst criminalsTrade ReviewHilton is more adept at humour than Lee Child . . . the series should be electrifying * Daily Mail *Hilton writes well . . . a promising start * Guardian *Hilton hijacks the reader on page one of this white knuckle terror ride - and doesn't let go. * Daily Record *The pace of DEAD MEN'S DUST is a scorcher, with the action beginning right from the start and never flagging. . . As a story character, Joe Hunter takes you in at the deep end and never lets up. Breathtaking. * www.shotsmag.co.uk *A high-voltage, gripping read . . . Fast, ferocious and a thrill a page, this book will have you reading into the wee, small hours. The action is non-stop, the fight scenes authentic and thrilling. The finale in particular is as good as any action scene I've read in recent years. * www.crimesquad.com *If you're looking out for a new hero with muscle and deadly skills then Joe Hunter is your man. It's the most explosive debut I've read since Lee Child's modern day knight in tarnished armour, Jack Reacher, arrived in Killing Floor... It's breathless, page-ripping stuff - and Hunter will be back. * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *A dose of pure rocket fuel. Starts fast, gets faster, and doesn't quit right through to the slam bang finale. Dead Men's Dust is as enjoyable a thriller as you will read this year, and I do mean "Thriller!" My ears are still ringing with gunfire! I loved this book. * Christopher Reich, author of RULES OF DECEPTION *Taut, thrilling, tense - I loved it! * Richard Hammond *Hard-hitting and fast-paced, I was hooked from start to finish * Simon Kernick *'Suffused with testosterone . . . very exciting . . . I liked Joe Hunter. * Zara Husain, Simon Mayo Books Panel *Fun, furious. . . a good read. . . . cracking pace. . . crisp pacey thriller. * Joel Morris, Simon Mayo Books Panel *l enjoyed it. . . classic opening scene. . . last 1/3 really exciting. I was totally caught-up in it. * Boyd Hilton, Simon Mayo Books Panel *

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Book SynopsisThe unnervingly good sixth psychological thriller from bestselling crime writer Sophie Hannah, not to be missed for readers of Clare Mackintosh and Paula Hawkins.''Jaw-droppingly assured'' Daily Express''A first-class whodunnit'' Scotsman Don''t go into the other woman''s house . . . It''s 1.15 a.m. Connie Bowskill should be asleep. Instead, she''s logging on to a property website in search of a particular house: 11 Bentley Grove, Cambridge. She knows it''s for sale; she saw the estate agent''s board in the front garden less than six hours ago.Soon Connie is clicking on the ''Virtual Tour'' button, keen to see the inside of 11 Bentley Grove and put her mind at rest once and for all. She finds herself looking at a scene from a nightmare: in the living room, in the middle of the carpet, there''s a woman lying face down in a huge pool of blood. In shock, Connie wakes her husband Kit. But when Kit sits dTrade ReviewAn assured psychological thriller of murderous domestic deceit. * Financial Times *A beautifully written and entirely gripping take from beginning to end. * Heat *As addictively creepy as her previous thrillers * Independent on Sunday *Sophie Hannah scores on all counts . . . Confidence oozes from every taut chapter . . . Hannah's relish of every delicious twist and tweak is one of the very few things that are clear in this cryptic game of hide and seek. * Scotsman *Jaw-droppingly assured. Simon Waterhouse...is destined to be up there with the Poirots, the Marples and the Sherlock Holmeses of detective fiction if Hannah keeps up this standard of writing. This reader was left speechless with admiration. * Daily Express *Hannah's latest psychological thriller combines quirky police procedural with shrewdly observed domestic deceit. Told with confidence and panache, Hannah challenges the reader to work out who the paranoiac of the piece really is. * Independent *Sophie Hannah's excellent psychological thrillers derive much of their appeal from her knack for coming up with the sort of opening situation that instantly puts the reader in the literary equivalent of an armlock . . . Hannah is very good indeed at giving a modern twist to the familiar woman-in-peril theme. * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThe brilliantly chilling seventh crime thriller from the queen of psychological suspense - a must-read for fans of Clare Mackintosh and Paula Hawkins.''Utterly chilling'' Observer''Truly hair-raising'' Independent on Sunday Some secrets are so dark you keep them even from yourself . . .When Amber Hewerdine consults a hypnotherapist as a desperate last resort, she doesn''t expect that anything much will change.She doesn''t expect it to help with her chronic insomnia . . .She doesn''t expect to hear herself, under hypnosis, saying words that mean nothing to her: ''Kind, cruel, kind of cruel'' - words she has seen somewhere before, if only she could remember where . . .She doesn''t expect to be arrested two hours later, as a result of having spoken those words out loud, in connection with the brutal murder of Katharine Allen, a woman she''s never heard of . . .Trade ReviewA rich mix of the dark and the diverting. Brilliantly believable * Sunday Times *Another triumph for one of the very best crime writers out there. Stunningly clever and compelling. * Heat *Hannah excels at dissecting human behaviour, and the way she describes little acts of cruelty can send real chills down the spine. * Psychologies *Cool, calculating and utterly chilling, KIND OF CRUEL is another compulsive book from Hannah, to be gulped down with all the lights on and someone to grab when the sense of menace grows too great. * Observer *Hannah has outdone herself with KIND OF CRUEL . . . Her trademark precision-layered structure creates a multi-dimensional maze that holds at its centre a revelation which is truly hair-raising, even by Hannah's standards. * Independent on Sunday *An audacious puzzle of a novel that is impossible to second guess . . . Crime novels are often dismissed in literary circles for not being literary enough. Yet KIND OF CRUEL is exactly the intelligent, reflective and stunningly written novel that has "literary" critics swooning and judging panels lining up to reward. * Sunday Express *Hannah concocts a mystery of satisfying complexity in which frequent clichés of the genre (the locked room, for example) are turned inside out. If that were all her novels did, they would be admirably cerebral but uninvolving. Unfortunately for her rivals, Hannah does texture, depth and character with similar panache. * Scotsman *Intricately plotted and pleasingly sinister . . . guaranteed to get under the skin. * Good Housekeeping *A terrific reading experience. Everybody loves Sophie Hannah. * Gaby Logan Show, BBC Radio 5 *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Agatha Christie''s mysteries, as well as Clare Mackintosh and Paula Hawkins, the ninth psychological thriller from Sophie Hannah is a literary mystery and a puzzle that''s impossible to solve . . . ''Fiendishly clever'' Sunday Express''Exceptional'' Elle Knowing the secret will kill you.All she wanted to do was take her son''s forgotten sports kit to school.So why does Nicki Clements drive past the home of controversial newspaper columnist Damon Blundy eight times in one day? Blundy has been murdered, and the words ''HE IS NO LESS DEAD'' daubed on his wall - in red paint, not blood. And, though Blundy was killed with a knife, he was not stabbed. Why?Nicki, called in for questioning, doesn''t have any of the answers police are looking for. Nor can she tell them the truth, because although she is not guilty of murder, she is far from innocent. And the words on the wall are disturbTrade ReviewRiveting . . Her best twists and solution yet * Heat *The queen of psychological crime . . . Fiendishly clever . . . Hannah is masterly at leading the reader down the wrong path and here she excels once again. * Sunday Express *The genius of Hannah's domestic thrillers - along with the twistiest plots known to woman - is that she creates ordinary people whose psychological quirks make them as monstrous as any serial killer. * Guardian *The queen of the ingenious plot twist * Good Housekeeping *Hannah has revived the apparently exhausted detective genre by inventing a new style. You could call it every-day Gothic or ordinary extremism. But whatever label you stick on her books, they stay with you because you are likely to share or at least understand the motives of the killer. * Spectator *There is an admirable, complicated cleverness about [Hannah's] stories . . . Think Agatha Christie at her best but updated to a time of Twitter and online dating. * Independent on Sunday *Each of Hannah's characters is incredibly psychologically developed, full of light and shade: a challenge to understand. If you want a tale to keep you on your toes, give your brain a jolt, and cause a series of heart attacks, THE TELLING ERROR is for you. Hannah proves once again that she deserves the accolade of Queen of Crime. * Stylist *Difficult to put down. Hannah is terrific on complex, tangled, forbidden or impossible relationships that result in murder. * The Times *An exceptional storyteller - this is exactly the sort of crime read that can lead to missed tube stops and sleepless nights. * Elle *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BESTSELLING AND CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF SPARE ROOM, GANGLAND GIRLS TRLIOGY and the FLESH AND BLOOD SERIESDreda Say Mitchell was awarded an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen''s 2020 New Year''s Honours List''A gripping and thrilling read by a wonderful lady and fab author'' Kimberley ChambersDaisy Sullivan''s father was one of London''s most infamous gangsters. Haunted by his violent death, she vowed to live a respectable life. That is, until the day her mum, who abandoned her when she was young and who she barely remembers, barges back into her life.Daisy discovers her mum is the head of one of London''s most feared underworld families - the Kings. She is drawn into their next criminal act - a bank job that turns out to be no ordinary robbery.Soon she is running for her life. The only person she can trust is up-and-coming gangland bad boy, Ricky Smart.And she''ll have to use eTrade Review'The action in this thriller comes as fast as bullets, and the tale takes several surprising turns.' * Pride *'A great read written by a great girl' * Martina Cole *'A fine piece of British crime fiction, with an underworld theme that's sure to appeal to readers of Roberta Kray.' * Booklist *'Dreda Say Mitchell confirms her position as a hot new name in crime writing with this taut novel.' * Elle *'Awesome tale from a talented writer.' * Sun *'A narrative drive that overcomes all disbelief, with a cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter and a vitality of language that leaps from every page.' * Independent *'Running red hot in the London gangster stakes, Dreda Say Mitchell has come up with another East End sizzler . . . Dreda guns you down from the very start.' * Northern Echo *'A fine entertainment.' * Telegraph *'Mitchell outguns Martina Cole for pure, shocking East End gangster grit. *****' * Mirror on HIT GIRLS *'A brutally realistic and dangerously addictive second novel by Eastender Dreda Say Mitchell. * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisSara Paretsky's new bestseller and the fifteenth in the series pits V.I. Warshawski against a right-wing political pundit with powerful connections in a riveting novel that combines contemporary issues and suspense in Paretsky's unique way.Trade ReviewBoth Paretsky and her sharp-tongued justice-seeker, V.I. Warshawski, remain formidable in the masterfully suspenseful fifteenth novel in this superb and adored Chicago-set series . . .V.I. reigns as crime fiction's spiky, headstrong warrior woman of conscience, and Paretsky, classy champion of the powerless, has never been more imaginative, rueful, transfixing, and righteous. * Booklist, starred review *Plotted with all Paretsky's customary generosity, this standout entry harnesses her heroine's righteous anger to some richly deserving targets, all linked together in a truly amazing finale. * Kirkus, starred review *She is writing with the kind of passion for social justice that inspired Chandler and Hammett * Joan Smith, Sunday Times *The thing about Sara Paretsky is, she's tough . . . she doesn't flinch from examining old social injustices others might find too shameful (and too painful) to dig up * The New York Times *Paretsky's eye is sharp but it's not just about satire. BREAKDOWN is also a propulsive rush of a thriller. Somehow she packs in politics, great characters, nifty wisecracks and a breakneck story. That takes some doing. * Metro *Joy and rapture - Vic's back, Paretsky's heroine, V.I. Warshawski, is the thinking woman's private detective; intelligent and brave, yet just as vulnerable and muddled as the rest of us . . . Don't miss * Saga Magazine *The usual pleasure points are ticked: gutsy liberal opinions; hidden urban connections; public issues and personal pains; plust appearances from cousin Petra and the dogs . . . this is a solid additon to an involving series. * Financial Times *Smart and sharp-tongued Chicago detective Warshawksi is looking for her cousin's curfew-breaking child (wrong - sorry, Sara!) when she finds a man's corpse impaled on a steel stake in a cemetery. America's travails are laid as bare as those entrails in the subsequent investigation. * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisThe Ultimate Secret. The Ultimate Agent. Nathaniel Cade returns.For 140 years, Nathaniel Cade has been the President''s Vampire, sworn by a blood oath to protect the President and America from their supernatural enemies. Cade''s existence is the most closely guarded of White House secrets: a superhuman covert agent who is the last line of defense against nightmare scenarios that ordinary citizens can only dream of.When a new outbreak of an ancient evil - one that Cade has seen before - comes to light, he and his human handler, Zach Barrows, must track down its source. To ''protect and serve'' often means settling old scores and confronting new betrayals . . . as only a century-old predator can.Trade ReviewCade is a wonderful creation . . . Slick, fast-moving fun * Guardian on BLOOD OATH *Terrific . . . Cade seems destined to become a hero the world will find hard to forget * Daily Mail on BLOOD OATH *BLOOD OATH is exactly how I like my Presidential thrillers. With vampires. * Brad Meltzer *Witty, exciting, and compulsively readable * John Connolly on BLOOD OATH *Dracula meets West Wing (or even 24) - what is there not to like? * sffworld.com on BLOOD OATH *A political-thriller concept with bite * LA Times on BLOOD OATH *A super cool read . . . Blood Oath is fascinating and entertaining, and adds new blood to the current vampire craze * Bookbitch.com *An irresistible page-turner that makes one realize that, no matter how tough the War on Terror may be, at least it's not the War on Horror . . . unnervingly realistic . . . dazzlingly clever . . . And as an added bonus, readers finally learn the truth behind the failed assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan and that mysterious 18 1/2 -minute gap in the Watergate tapes. * Washington Post *Farnsworth has written a rollicking Washington thriller about this "Drac Bauer" -- Nathaniel Cade * New York Post (Required Reading) *Reminded me of reading a great Robert Ludlum spy thriller, but with supernatural elements thrown in . . . fantasy, mystery and thriller fans alike will love this one * The Vampire Librarian *24 meets Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger novels meets Fringe meets Blade . . . addictively fun and entertaining * Fantasy Book Critic *Do you ever get a giddy feeling when you know you have come across something that is truly great? That is how I felt after reading BLOOD OATH by Christopher Farnsworth * Fiction Finder *Combines action, suspense, mystery, and horror . . . a page turner from the very beginning . . . Highly recommended * Monster Librarian *Given the popularity of vampires, it is not surprising that they are appearing more frequently in crime and thriller titles, either as detectives or villains. The latest is Christopher Farnsworth's fast-moving thriller Blood Oath, which features vampire Nathaniel Cade, a Secret Service agent sworn to protect the American president from supernatural threats. Great fun...the characters are sufficiently well developed to ground the storyline. A good dose of humour also helps to move the story along. * Canberra Times *Absolutely first-class entertainment . . . edge of the seat stuff, and terrific fun * Books Monthly *Surprising and engrossing . . . Pulp fiction at its very best * Totalscifionline.com *An entertaining debut novel . . . a refreshing change * Lovevampires.com *A brilliant central idea * sfrevu.com *Tense, fast-moving, with amusing uses of improvised weapons . . . a rattling good read * Reviewingtheevidence.com *A fun, thrilling, fast-paced, topsy-turvy ride that kept me hooked from beginning to end . . . one of those books that I enjoyed far more than I expected to * geekybloggersbookblog.com *. . . it's hard to beat Cade and company riding to the rescue * Kirkus Review *

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Book SynopsisA strikingly beautiful young woman is found dead in her Florence apartment. She lies on her bed, naked, a black rose between her legs. And the murders do not stop there: shortly afterwards, a woman is burned to death in a church, and a man is shot on the Ponte Vecchio. Chief Superindendent Michele Ferrara is all too familiar with the dark side of Florence. But he has never seen anything of this magnitude before - he is up against a mysterious, powerful enemy who would do anything to hide his identity, and manages to controls events at every turn. As more violent deaths occur, Ferrara has to face the most dangerous investigation in his entire career and must confront deadly secrets from his own past . . .Originally published in Italian as Le rose nere di Firenze.

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Book Synopsis''All you have to do is find out why Harry is prepared to blame an innocent man. That''s the thread. Follow it. You''ll reach the Silent Ones. This is your way - our way - of making a difference.'' With this challenge from Father Edmund Littlemore, Anselm returns to the Old Bailey. The man in the dock is Littlemore himself. He is charged with grave offences against Harry Brandwell who, it seems, is both a victim and a liar. But he''s the only link to these others who''ve chosen silence over their right to justice. Unknown to Anselm, Robert Sambourne, a journalist, has been investigating Littlemore''s background. And he''s a man with a troubled past, always on the move, from Boston in the USA to Freetown in Sierra Leone, finally running from a London police station rather than explain himself. More disturbingly, Robert uncovers details of a carefully planned scheme to entice Anselm back into court, exploiting his reputation for honesty to secure a shock acqTrade ReviewThe Silent Ones, a superior work with interlocking elements of courtroom drama, psychological study and corruption exposé, might best be called a moral thriller. Mr. Brodrick...tells his complex story from several characters' points of view. Deeds, motives, sins and crimes are all up for analysis from various angles. The result is an unpredictable work, by turns shocking, poignant, enlightening and inspired * Wall Street Journal *Another masterpiece * The Lady *Secrets and lies by omission play out amid expertly executed plot lines and deeply thought-provoking situations . . . Sophisticated prose elevates this timely, painful tale * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2022The girl who... survivedThe girl who... inspiresThe girl who... has something to hidePeople can''t bring themselves to say what happened to her. They just describe her as ''the girl who... you know...''. But nobody really knows, no one sees the real LeahLeah is the perfect survivor. She was seven years old when she saw her mother and sister killed by a troubled gang member. Her case hit the headlines and her bravery made her a national sweetheart: strong, courageous and forgiving.But Leah is hiding a secret about their deaths. And now, ten years later, all she can think of is revenge. When Leah''s dad meets a new partner, stepsister Ellie moves in. Sensing Leah isn''t quite the sweet girl she pretends to be, Ellie discovers that Leah has a plan, one she has been putting together ever since that fateful day. Now that the killer - and the only one who kTrade ReviewSparky writing effortlessly carries a gripping story and a subtle moral. * Morning Star *If there's a teen reader in the house, treat them to The Girl Who..., a page-turning novel about a young girl who witnesses a murder - you'll want to borrow it yourself. * Waitrose Magazine *

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Book SynopsisBY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY, CAROL AND STRANGERS ON A TRAIN ''Bears Highsmith''s unique, unsurpassed mixture of unsettling psychological insights'' THE TIMES ''The original, the best, the gloriously twisted Queen of Suspense'' MARK BILLINGHAM ''Highsmith''s novels are peerlessly disturbing . . . bad dreams that keep us thrashing for the rest of the night'' NEW YORKER Sydney Bartleby has killed his wife. At least, he has thought about it, compulsively, repeatedly, plotting schemes, designing escapes, forging alibis. Of course he has; he''s a thriller writer. He even knows how to dispose of her body. But when Alicia takes a long, unannounced holiday, Sydney descends into the treacherous world of his own fantasy.A masterpiece of noir fantasy in which Highsmith revels in eliciting the unsettling psychological forces that lurk beneath the surface of everyday lifeTrade ReviewBears Highsmith's unique, unsurpassed mixture of unsettling psychological insights, moods of tension and malice, and an ending of brilliant ambiguity * The Times *Highsmith is a giant of the genre. The original, the best, the gloriously twisted Queen of Suspense -- Mark BillinghamHighsmith was every bit as deviant and quirky as her mischievous heroes, and didn't seem to mind if everyone knew it -- J. G. Ballard * Daily Telegraph *A Suspension of Mercy, a masterpiece of noir fantasy. With this novel, Highsmith revels in eliciting the unsettling psychological forces that lurk beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life. For eliciting the menace that lurks in familiar surroundings, there's no one like Patricia Highsmith * Time *Highsmith's novels are peerlessly disturbing . . . bad dreams that keep us thrashing for the rest of the night * New Yorker *It's a curious and absorbing novel, almost unique in its fantastic and ironic tone -- Anthony Boucher * New York Times *A literary hall of mirrors in which reality and fiction are constantly reflected and, ultimately, confused -- Andrew Wilson

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of Eve Green (a Richard & Judy pick) and Let Me Tell You About A Man I Knew, a compelling, wonderful historical gothic novel about lies, love and ghosts set against the backdrop of a Britain on the cusp of the First World War.Trade ReviewBrilliant characterisation, beautiful and mesmerising story: like entering a dream. I was spellbound and couldn't do anything else but keep reading -- Jill DawsonA gorgeous, darkly gothic treat -- Amanda CraigHouse of Glass may start as a ghost story but turns into something much more profound: a lyrical examination of how women carve lives out of a male-dominated society, even with a war looming that will change everyone. I was surprised and moved -- Tracy ChevalierMagical and often extremely moving. A gem * Daily Mail *Moody and atmospheric - and just as compelling [as Daphne du Maurier] . . . Tense, thrilling and a true page-turner * Image magazine *Fletcher's prose is dreamily sensual, full of the light and heat of an English summer, an eerie contrast to the shadows of the oncoming First World War . . . House Of Glass is a beautifully written, gloriously Gothic story of gardens, ghosts and old, uneasy grudges -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *With echoes of Daphne du Maurier, House of Glass is a mesmerising ghost story set in a dilapidated country house where things go bump in the night * Good Housekeeping *A very satisfying read with a clever twist. I loved it * Four Shires *Offers readers many of the pleasures of her earlier work . . . The novel is haunted by secondhand memories of empire and by trees and flowers transplanted from warmer climates, its version of England sustained and undermined by dependence on faraway places * Guardian *As her heroine faces increasing dangers, Fletcher neatly changes the direction in which her story is heading. What seems initially a tale of the supernatural develops into something more * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the Full Light of the Sun follows the fortunes of three Berliners caught up in a devastating scandal of 1930s'' Germany. It tells the story of Emmeline, a wayward, young art student; Julius, an anxious, middle-aged art expert; and a mysterious art dealer named Rachmann who are at the heart of Weimar Berlin at its hedonistic, politically turbulent apogee and are whipped up into excitement over the surprising discovery of thirty-two previously unknown paintings by Vincent van Gogh.Based on a true story, unfolding through the subsequent rise of Hitler and the Nazis, this gripping tale is about beauty and justice, and the truth that may be found when our most treasured beliefs are revealed as illusions. Brilliant on authenticity, vanity and self-delusion, it is a novel for our times.Trade ReviewA completely fascinating novel about the early 20th century art world and its many dubious machinations. Expertly researched, compellingly narrated and full of potent resonance today -- William BoydClare Clark casts her spell of time and place with casual elegance and no apparent tricks - yet caught me up in this juicy story of colossal art fraud, the passions and intrigues of her vivid and moving characters - and the truly terrifying rise of the Nazi party, with all its contemporary echoes. The atmosphere of this book lingers on -- Laline PaullI loved In the Full Light Of The Sun, a novel about deception, self-deception, truth, love and lies that will enthral anyone fascinated by Van Gogh, the art world and Berlin in the 1920s. Written with verve and assurance it is both engaging and humane -- Amanda CraigIn her gripping new novel Clare Clark paints a picture of Weimar Berlinin which surface glitter hides sinister and bitter truths. Page by page she brings secret lives into the light; nothing: not love, not art, not politics, is what it seems, and few escape the brutal forces that emerge -- Stella TillyardAn engrossing read * Image magazine *A wonderful novel: passionate, intelligent, humane, it held me from the first page to the last. Van Gogh's fleeting genius - achingly out of reach, the pull so strong - is wonderfully evoked; and the house of cards that was the Weimar Republic provides the perfectly rendered backdrop for a story about our willingness to deceive in the pursuit of beauty -- Rachel SeiffertA fascinating tale . . . Clark's historical worlds are meticulously researched * The Times *With great skill and sympathy, Clark evokes a febrile society in which politics, love and art offer no certainties, and the ground always threatens to open beneath her characters' feet -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *Clark excels . . . a gripping and ultimately moving story about art, artifice and authenticity -- Neil Armstrong * Mail on Sunday *An irresistible story . . . as compelling as it is expansive * Guardian *A Vanity Fair of delusion, greed and much suffering, it is brilliantly evoked, sophisticated and beautifully written -- Elizabeth Buchan

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Book Synopsis''ONE NIGHT, NEW YORK transports the reader to the glitter and the danger of old New York. A page-turner with style.'' ERIN KELLY''ENTHRALLING'' THE TIMES, BEST NEW HISTORICAL FICTIONA THRILLING DEBUT NOVEL OF CORRUPTION AND MURDER, SET IN THE NIGHTCLUBS, TENEMENTS AND SKYSCRAPERS OF 1930s NEW YORK - FROM THE WINNER OF THE VIRAGO/THE POOL NEW CRIME WRITER AWARD.At the top of the Empire State Building on a freezing December night, two women hold their breath. Frances and Agnes are waiting for the man who has wronged them. They plan to seek the ultimate revenge.Set over the course of a single night, One Night, New York is a detective story, a romance and a coming-of-age tale. It is also a story of old New York, of bohemian Greenwich Village between the wars, of floozies and artists and addicts, of a city that sucked in creatives and immigrants alike, lighting up the world, while all around America burned amid the heat of the Great Depression.''An atmospheric portrait of a city in the grip of the Great Depression as well as a compelling crime story'' GUARDIAN''Thompson''s impressive debut delivers a beautifully detailed and multifaceted account of Jazz Age New York'' IRISH TIMES''An assured debut so evocative you can almost smell the bathtub gin wafting off the pages'' RED MAGAZINETrade ReviewLara Thompson's portrayal of stubborn, brave Frances is enthralling; this page-turning thriller marks her as a writer to watch -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction *An atmospheric portrait of a city in the grip of the Great Depression as well as a compelling crime story * Guardian *From its breathless opening pages, ONE NIGHT, NEW YORK transports the reader to the glitter and the danger of old New York. A page-turner with style * Erin Kelly *Thompson's impressive debut delivers a beautifully detailed and multifaceted account of Jazz Age New York * Irish Times *An assured debut so evocative you can almost smell the bathtub gin wafting off the pages * Red Magazine *When the final credits go up on this dark debut, it's like surfacing into daylight after a session in an old-fashioned cinema. With its film noir edginess, this story of 1930s speakeasy New York begins with a dizzying scene atop the Empire State Building - two women, lovers, about to push a man who embodies the corruption of the times to his death * Sainsbury's magazine *With atmospheric strokes, Thompson, a film expert, draws an unforgettable picture of New York as if it were part of a black and white movie and paints a delicate canvas of thrills and emotions * CrimeTime *Evocative * Crime Monthly *Atmospheric * i paper *From the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression to a New York changing forever as the tenement-dwellers are forced to make way for the skyscrapers, this is an elegantly written debut. It's a novel about gangsters and their pet politicians, of Greenwich Village artists and nightclub musicians, of corruption and violence - a wonderful recreation of an era that's both scintillating and horrifying -- Mat Coward * Morning Star *A riveting novel which transports us back to 1932 in the city that never sleeps * Daily Express *

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Book Synopsis''An outstanding debut'' CHERIE JONES, author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps her House''Vivid and authentic'' LEONE ROSS, author of This One Sky Day''Cacophonic, alive and heartbreaking'' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, author of The Mercies''A gripping page-turner'' CAMILLE HERNÁNDEZ-RAMDWAR, author of Suite as Sugar and Other StoriesAs featured on BBC''s Cultural Frontline podcast At eighteen years old, Dinah gave away her baby son to the rich couple she worked for before they left Jamaica. They never returned. She never forgot him.Eighteen years later, a young man comes from the US to Kingston. From the moment she sees him, Dinah never doubts - this is her son.What happens next will make everyone question what they know and where they belong.A powerful story of belonging, identity and inheritance, What a Mother''s Love Don''t Teach You bTrade ReviewA cacophonic, alive, heart-breaking story of a particular place and time, made universal by its truths and wisdom about love. * Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies *Pulses with the colour and cadence of Jamaican culture in a multi-layered story told with empathy and intelligence. It is both an elegy of great elegance and a testament to the resilience and optimism of Jamaican people. Sharma's skilled storytelling drew me into the heads and hearts of the residents of Jacks Hill and Lazarus Gardens and did not let me go. I'll never forget this cast of characters or the voice of this accomplished writer - an outstanding debut. * Cherie Jones, author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House *Imagine yourself on your front porch with your neighbour, in the cool of the afternoon when all your housework is done; get yourself a little coconut water and allow Sharma Taylor to tell you about all the goings-on of this neighbourhood of Kingston. Girl, if you see drama! Drama, girl! ! And this being the Caribbean, nobody's going to walk on by when they hear a good story being told, and before you know it, you have the whole cast of characters on the porch with you, everyone clamouring to tell their side of the story - the Jamaican dialogue in this novel is a particular strength. As one of the characters proclaims, about a particularly good spliff: "Is de real stuff, dis, my yute!" Rich and exuberant. * Claire Adam, author of the Desmond Elliot Prize-winning Golden Child *Truth-telling! Taylor's debut is tender, violent and uncompromising in turns. A vivid and authentic Jamaica that tells a tale too often hidden, for fantasies of sun, sea and sand. * Leone Ross, author of This One Sky Day *An arresting first novel. As if to nod to the Jamaican national motto "Out of Many One People," Taylor's novel gives voice to multiple perspectives on how class, race and gender are lived in this "exotic" Caribbean island and at what cost to human relationships. * Lisa Allen-Agostini, author of the Woman's Prize longlisted The Bread the Devil Knead *A sharp polyphonous story in which Taylor skillfully moves the reader through a world pulsing with pain, love, power, violence and tenderness. We are reminded of that tension between where we come from and what we gravitate towards, what steers us and why. An exciting read. * Yewande Omotoso, author of The Woman Next Door *Takes us on a wonderful multifaceted journey through the lives, loves, pleasures and atrocities of the folks of Lazarus Gardens and Jacks Hill. There is an impressive choral quality to What a Mother's Love Don't Teach You, with voices that shift with remarkable ease and seamlessness, between lyricism, humour and rawness. A very impressive achievement. * Jacob Ross, author of The Bone Readers *Warm, wise, unflinching. Taylor's skill with character and voice shines in this immersive story of living and loving under the shadow of betrayal. * Karen Lord, author of Redemption in Indigo *An astonishing book. In riveting, irresistible prose, Sharma Taylor's genre-crossing novel (a love story, a crime story, a yard fiction) tells a tale of Jamaica and America, of class, colour, race, history and the dignity of the dispossessed. The authenticity of its detail produces a searing truth that convicts us. The largeness of its vision challenges our ideas of what it means to be human. * Curdella Forbes, author of A Tall History of Sugar *Sharma Taylor's accomplished debut novel transports the reader from the rarefied air of Kingston's Jacks Hill to the gritty reality of inner city Lazarus Gardens. Told by an unforgettable cast of characters, each speaking searing truths of their own Jamaica, these compelling voices will linger long after the last page. What a Mother's Love Don't Teach You is a fine achievement. * Diana McCaulay, author of Daylight Come *In the opening chapter of What A Mother's Love Don't Teach You, Dinah describes her home, the tenement yard at Lazarus Gardens, as a place where, "is like everyday, the water have to decide if to come inside." In essence, the novel is about just that: choices. Written in alternating voices - sometimes Jamaican patois, sometimes Standard English - Sharma Taylor reveals how and why the choices of the denizens of Lazarus Gardens necessarily differ from the choices of Jamaica's uptown folk. Taylor's great accomplishment is how she captures the darkness of the ghetto while never dimming the vivacity, determination and exuberance displayed by its people. This is a thrilling read. * Celeste Mohammed, author of Pleasantview *This forceful novel offers a collision of pasts and present, mothers and sons and lovers, offered up in language that eloquently highlights our divisions and the (rare) possibilities of true connection. This is a character-led novel where pace is as important as tone and place comes singing off the page. Somehow Taylor has managed to create a work that is polyphony and cacophony and gloriously, simultaneously, symphony. * Stella Duffy, author of Lullaby Beach *Taylor portrays a complex web of Jamaican characters in settings ranging from tenement yards to mansions with an authenticity that radiates throughout the novel. Set in an important time in the island's history, it's a colourful portrayal of a young man searching for his soul, the two mothers desperate to claim him, and the ultimate sacrifice one has to make. A wonderful debut novel. * Gillian Royes. author of the Shad series *Sharma Taylor's live-wire debut is a crackling, earthy and colourful social realist polyphony that brings to life the bullet-strewn Jamaica of the 1980s. * Rob Doyle, author of Threshold *Sharma Taylor writes in extra high definition: colour, language, landscape and atmosphere. But it is her laser-like, yet careful study of the inner thoughts and emotions of her characters that fascinates. An astonishing first novel. * Esther Phillips, Poet Laureate of Barbados *Sharma Taylor's What a Mother's Love Don't Teach You explores essential aspects of Jamaica's Social Psychological Environment which Marlon James's A Brief History of Seven Killings leaves unpainted. In short, these two works could usefully be read together. May Sharma's work meet the kind of success that Marlon's work has. * Erna Brodber, author of Nothing's Mat *Voices are strong, resilient and compelling, right from the start, with sharp, vivid imagery. An ambitious novel about the Caribbean in the eighties, but also well before then and even now. What kind of Jamaica have we made, what may we yet inherit? * Robert Edison Sandiford, author of And Sometimes They Fly *This novel, a page-turner in every way, is skilfully plotted and brilliantly written. Taylor's unforgettable characters, vivid portrayal of human ruthlessness counterpoised with communal solidarity and generosity, and deft use of the Jamaican vernacular are some of the many striking features of this superb novel. * Nigel Thomas, author of Spirits in the Dark *Echoes the dilemma of having to give up home and family to find hope elsewhere. Precious things wagered in pursuit of better might never be regained. Taylor's intimate portrayals of this dissonance is communicated through authentic voices full of universal truth, love and forgiveness. * Roland Watson-Grant, author of Sketcher *A beautifully crafted debut, rich with rhythmic, lyrical patois and surprising revelations * Jacqueline Crooks *I was knocked out by this novel. It's a fantastic, enthralling story of clashing cultures: very funny and then utterly heartbreaking. The vibrant and terrifying world of Kingston in the eighties is totally gripping and the dialogue is so alive that I find it hard to believe it's a first novel * Mick Kitson, author of Sal *Sharma Taylor's debut novel What A Mother's Love Don't Teach You is a brilliant examination of lives in Jamaica. Taylor writes powerfully about those lives, trapped in often distressing social circumstances, with wit and a searingly analytical eye. Always, though, her empathy with the characters comes through, so the reader is ensnared by her artistry and is willing to seek to understand each character, no matter how superficially evil. The true power of the work comes from its thorough grounding in the Jamaican experience, the cascade of similes that enlighten and the descriptions of the physical landscapes. All of these combine to create an impression on the reader that is not only visual but profoundly emotional. An extraordinary first novel * Ronald A. Williams, author of A Death in Panama *Jamaican literature has a future. Her name is Sharma Taylor. * Kei Miller, author of THE CARTOGRAPHER TRIES TO MAP A WAY TO ZION *What a Mother's Love Don't Teach You is both heartbreaking and illuminating . . . Sharma's voice is vital and necessary * Shivanee Ramlochan, award-winning editor and poet, author of Everyone Knows I Am a Haunting (shortlisted in 2018 for the Forward Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection) *As Sharma Taylor's debut proves with fevered intensity, some threads remain unbreakable despite the cruel vicissitudes of fate. Guiding her novel with a tension-laced economy, Taylor offers a prismatic cast of figures swirling around Dinah and her estranged son. In the voices of gang leaders and snake-tongued statesmen, redoubtable matriarchs and kiss-teeth gossips, the multiple worlds of 1980s Jamaica soar to life, vividly and dramatically realised. What a Mother's Love Don't Teach You joins a formidable contemporary canon that refuses to portray the Caribbean as idyllic pastiche. It's a tender triumph * Caribbean Beat *

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Book SynopsisThe first book in the Angelique De Xavier series, from multi-award-winning author Chris Brookmyre.We all make life choices. Some cause more mayhem than others.Back when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they''d do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they''re having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them.Nervous new father Ray takes refuge from his responsibilities by living a virtual existence in online games. People say he needs to grow up, but everybody has to find their own way of coping.For some it''s affairs, for others it''s the bottle, and for Simon it''s serial murder, mass slaughter and professional assassination.PRAISE FOR CHRIS BROOKMYRE''In the pantheon of great crime writers''Elly Griffiths ''KeepsTrade ReviewThis novel has plenty of verve and dash, with Brookmyre more in your face than a smack from an outraged lover whose bottom you've pinched * Irish Times *Brookmyre offers a brilliantly scathing portrayal of humanity... Sharply satirical and poignantly funny, this is a gripping and highly entertaining read * Time Out *Hilarious, exhilarating entertainment * Glasgow Herald *He really can write, with an exhilarating linguistic fluency and keenly subversive intelligence * Scotland on Sunday *A bit like a literary computer game, this novel has plenty of verve and dash, with Brookmyre more in your face than a smack from an outraged lover whose bottom you've pinched. * IRISH TIMES *Brookmyre offers a brilliantly scathing portrayal of humanity... Sharply satirical and poignantly funny, this is a gripping and highly entertaining read. * TIME OUT *Hilarous, exhilerating entertainment. * GLASGOW HERALD *He really can write, with an exhilerating linguistic fluency and keenly subversive intelligence. * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *

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Book SynopsisItaly, 1944 - this is the setting of one of the most convincing and quietly magnificent stories about man and war that has ever been written. Here, (distilled from the experiences and observations of one who fought with them in the British infantry unit) is the mood of those who fought and died at Anzio. Their task - to seize the Alban Hills and then Rome forty miles away. Instead, for more than four months, they sank into the mud of the Anzio plain and fought for their lives. Nothing has appeared since Erich Maria Remarque''s ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT that can compare with this book''s ability to penetrate the minds of men at war. There are no heroes, no heroines, no victories. This is a faceless, nameless, fragmented war. Even national differences - Britain, Italian, German, American - merge and are forgotten in this larger story of humanity. This story, in fact, does not need to be Anzio; it could be any battlefield where man has faced death.Trade ReviewBeautifully written -- Hew Strachan * Five Books *It has the same gritty authenticity as THE ROAD TO NAB END * The DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisAre the characteristics of an adult killer or his victim visible in the playground or at the school disco? Or are the roots of a motive for murder seeded there? With characteristic brio and humour, Christopher Brookmyre investigates ...Trade ReviewThis is the book I would want if I were marooned on a desert island or lost in space * INDEPENDENT *Brookmyre's antipathies toward the establishment- priests, teachers and crooked officials- are going strong, but are matched with a welcome complexity. * OBSERVER *Brookmyre has lost none of his wit and panache. * SUNDAY EXPRESS *If you're looking for a breath of fresh air in this genre, then look no further. * IRISH EXAMINER *

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Book SynopsisA thrilling page-turner involving downsizing, blackmail and murder in the Manhattan business world.Trade ReviewA furiously paced, compulsive thriller... there are affinities with John Grisham's The Firm, but a greater compliment is that The Job also reminds me of Glengarry Glen Ross, David Mamet's hymn to the salesman * The Times *Slickly plotted, with dialogue crisper than a fresh pretzel, and cynically observant of modern mores. The Job rattles towards its conclusion like a runaway train. Like a good salesman, Kennedy really knows how to close * Esquire *Kennedy has again employed his Big Apple chutzpah, a lot of careful reseach and above all, his ability to tell a story that hardly ever slots down from express train speed to construct another highly entertaining page turner * Irish Times *Intoxicatingly readable * Kirkus Reviews *What begins as an everyday tale of takeover, downsizing and outplacement in the ruthless Manhattan business world rapidly mutates for our ad sales hero Ned Allen into something altogether sinister and cut-throat. Slickly plotted, with dialogue crisper than a fresh pretzel, and cynically observant of modern mores. THE JOB rattles towards its concluison like a runaway train. Like a good salesman, Kennedy really knows how to close. * ESQUIRE *A furiously paced, compulsive thrille... there are affinities with John Grisham's THE FIRM, but a greater compliment is that THE JOB also reminds me of GLNGARRY GLEN ROSS, David Mamet's hymn to the salesman. * THE TIMES *Kennedy has again employed his Big Apple chutzpah, a lot of careful reseach and above all, his ability to tell a story that hardly ever slots down from express train speed to construct another highly entertaining page turner. * IRISH TIMES *Excellent... one of the best reads of the year. * Frances Fyfield *

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Book SynopsisIn the picturesque Tuscan hill town of Scandicci, the body of a girl is discovered. Scantily dressed, she is lying by the edge of the woods. The local police investigate the case - but after a week, they still haven''t even identified her, let alone got to the bottom of how she died.Frustrated by the lack of progress, Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara, head of Florence''s elite Squadra Mobile, decides to step in. Because toxins were discovered in the girl''s body, many assumed that she died of a self-inflicted drugs overdose. But Ferrara quickly realises that the truth is darker than that: he believes that the girl was murdered.And when he delves deeper, there are many aspects to the case that convince Ferrara that the girl''s death is part of a sinister conspiracy - a conspiracy that has its roots in the very foundations of Tuscan society...Originally published in Italian as La Loggia Degli Innocenti.Trade ReviewNeat plotting, distinctively Italian characters and a good pace make A Death in Tuscany an enjoyable read, with the added bonus of its Florentine setting Sunday Telegraph A Death in Tuscany is not to be devoured in one sitting. Rather it is one of those books one hates to finish Irish Times The plot is intricately woven, with enough gasp-worthy twists to sustain a reader to the end Financial Times When you have a former cop who both knows procedure and can craft a suspenseful mystery with intriguing characters, you have something pretty rare. This is the case with Michele Giuttari Booklist The plot is clever and fast-moving, the atmosphere, not surprisingly, authentic The Times

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Book SynopsisHe's alive. Simon Darcourt, professional assassin par excellence, only now behaving more like an amateur serial killer with attitude. And it's up to Angelique De Xavier to bring his particular brand of mayhem to a halt.Trade ReviewBrookmyre is back to what he does better than anyone else: bloodgushing action married to razor-sharp, foul-mouthed satire that shows he doesn't so much have his finger on the pulse of popular culture as an open razor to its carotid artery' Daily Express 'A bracing read from a writer who rugby-tackles contemporary issues with vim and black wit * The London Paper ‘A cult classic in waiting’ *Aberdeen Press & Journal 'A thriller that entertains to the final page * Financial Times ‘Prepare for a few hours of remote-control-free, evil brilliance’ Daily Record ‘Brilliant and hilarious’ *Guardian

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Book SynopsisIn THE SIXTH LAMENTATION, William Brodrick introduced Father Anselm, the barrister turned monk who found himself plunged into the tangled history of occupied Paris. Now Father Anselm is brought back to his own past, and someone else's secrets.Trade ReviewThe Gardens of the Dead held me spellbound and fascinated. It is something of a tour de force to set up such a throroughly unprepossessing villain...keep us rooting for his downfall for four hours and then turn the tables to such an extent that our hearts bleed for him as the last of the many tangled knots are teased apart * The Times *A good, twisting mystery * Sunday Telegraph *As this labyrinthine tale unfolds, Brodrick is able to bring off a truly impressive sleight-of-hand: while we read on, agog for the next revelation, it becomes apparent that we're being treated to character studies quite as rich as that in many a more ostensibly "literary" novel * Daily Express *An ultimately superior murder mystery * Daily Mirror *

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Book SynopsisA hugely moving and intelligent novel from the bestselling author of The Sixth Lamentation and The Gardens of the Dead, A Whispered Name reaches into the mysteries of one man's past and casts light on the long shadows war leaves behind.Trade ReviewImpressive . . . Brodrick captures brilliantly the sickening nature of the soldier s' task in having to execute one of their own . . . He uses this emotive material to its full potential, spinning out an interior drama that is every bit as gripping as the events themselves . . . Brodrick tells his story skilfully, pacing it well, building up the tension and revealing just enough to keep the pages turning . . . There are some brilliantly evocative and poignant descriptions of the trenches . . . He has succeeded in telling a passionately human story about a most inhuman moment in history * Irish Times *Sensitively wrought . . . Brodrick's exploratory novels are refreshing and restorative, his style is thoughtful and precise; his integrity powerful. You feel better for having read them. Maybe you are * Spectator *'The horrors of Passchendaele in 1917 run through this exquisite novel. Just how much can a man take before he must simply walk away? And what kind of strength enables one man to lay down his life for another? * Matthew Lewin, Guardian *Brodrick writes very well about inner movements of tension and realisation. This is an ambitious book in the way that it balances these profound questions with an intricate and pacy plot, and in its scope, tracing lives spanning nearly a century * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Corduroy Mansions in Pimlico: a temple of Arts and Crafts architecture, with comforting, weathered brickwork and frankly frivolous dormer windows, it is home to a delightfully eccentric cast of Londoners.In the top flat lives William, with a faithful ex-vegetarian dog named Freddie de la Hay and a freeloading son who he hopes will soon fly the nest. Four lively young women share the first-floor flat, including twinset-and-pearls Caroline from Cheltenham, Dee, vitamin addict and avid subscriber to Anti-oxidant News, and Jenny, a put-upon PA. And round the corner lives Oedipus Snark MP, possibly the world''s only loathsome Lib Dem, who has succeeded in offending everyone he knows, and many others besides. But what dark revenge is being plotted by his mother, Berthea Snark, and by his girlfriend, Barbara Ragg...?Trade ReviewQuirky and original . . . told with warmth, wit and intelligence, and McCall Smith's cast of characters are beautifully observed. It's a page-turner with many happy endings. Perfect * DAILY EXPRESS ** 'Bags of warmth and wisdom and easy, accomplished writing that begs for a comfy chair’ *Kate Saunders, THE TIMES ** 'Richly illustrates McCall Smith's absolute mastery of the art of storytelling * THE LADY ** 'The author's gentle humour and playful teasing-out of moral dilemmas great and small are there in abundance’ *SCOTSMAN ** 'The seriousness is always sugar-dusted in McCall Smith's delight in the ridiculous and his perfectly paced humour * DAILY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisThe second book in the Jasmine Sharp series, from author Christopher Brookmyre.Is the devil merely the name we give the worst in ourselves?When private investigator Jasmine Sharp is hired to find Tessa Garrion, a young woman who has vanished without trace, it becomes increasingly clear that there are those who want her to stay that way. What begins as a simple search awakens a malevolence that has lain dormant for three decades, putting Jasmine in the crosshairs of those who would stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.Uncovering a hidden history of sex, drugs, ritualism and murder, Jasmine realises she may need a little help from dark places herself if she''s going to get to the truth. But then needs must...Trade ReviewChristopher Brookmyre is, hands down, one of the funniest, savviest crime writers around... Without shying away from the darker elements of crime thrillers - evil, violence and plenty of gore - Brookmyre's work shimmers with a sense of unfettered fun * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisToday, she walks in on her husband and best friend having an affair. Tomorrow, her body is found. Seven years ago, Theresa and Jackie meet in a maternity ward. Sleep-deprived new mothers; instant friends. Then they become neighbours on Hot Springs Drive - a nice street in a nice neighbourhood, filled with flower boxes and emerald lawns. The story ends like this: in the depths of a sweltering heatwave, Theresa discovers that her husband and Jackie are having an affair. The next day, Theresa's body is found. The truth lies somewhere between the picket fences and pink blossoms, where friendships twist into tragic jealousies and barbecues hide bed hopping and bloodshed. By summer's end, the residents of Hot Springs Drive will never be the same... An unputdownable, unmissable, vicious blade of a novel that peels back the fragile veneer of two suburban families and the deadly secrets roiling between them.

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Book SynopsisWhen a woman''s body is found on a lonely patch of scrubland, Detective Lucy Harwin is called to the scene. The victim''s clothes have been wrenched to expose her, and her feet are bare. Lucy and her team have only just started investigating who could have wanted local mother Melanie Benson dead, when a young woman is discovered strangled in a dark alley. As more bodies appear in the run-down seaside town, the small community is gripped by fear, and the pressure to solve the case becomes unbearable. But with each victim dying in a different way, Lucy struggles to find a link between the murders. Are these random killings, or part of the same plan? Just as she thinks she''s getting close, Lucy starts to suspect the killer is watching her. Can she find the murderer before they strike again, or will she be next?An absolutely gripping serial-killer thriller that will have your heart pounding as you race through the pages. If you love Kathy Reichs

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Book Synopsis''The Branded pulls you straight into the story, snares you, and won''t let you escape until you turn the last page'' Patricia GibneyDuring an unprecedented heatwave, the body of a young girl is found in a submerged suitcase in Loch Acorrymore on Achill Island. DS Lucy Golden is tasked with identifying her and returning her to her family. With the help of her team, they discover that the girl was a runaway, who had spent some time in a homeless shelter. She has been murdered and an investigation is launched.Despite some promising leads, Lucy''s enquiries seem to be going nowhere until another the body with connections to the homeless shelter is discovered in what initially appears to be a suicide. Lucy knows that there is no such thing as coincidence, but the race is on to find the link between the two victims before the trail goes cold. As Lucy is drawn deeper into the case, she realises that these murders may be a whole lot more sinister th

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Book Synopsis''The Branded pulls you straight into the story, snares you, and won''t let you escape until you turn the last page'' Patricia GibneyDuring an unprecedented heatwave, the body of a young girl is found in a submerged suitcase in Loch Acorrymore on Achill Island. DS Lucy Golden is tasked with identifying her and returning her to her family. With the help of her team, they discover that the girl was a runaway, who had spent some time in a homeless shelter. She has been murdered and an investigation is launched.Despite some promising leads, Lucy''s enquiries seem to be going nowhere until another the body with connections to the homeless shelter is discovered in what initially appears to be a suicide. Lucy knows that there is no such thing as coincidence, but the race is on to find the link between the two victims before the trail goes cold. As Lucy is drawn deeper into the case, she realises that these murders may be a whole lot more sinister than first thought. Can Lucy keep a clear emotional head and get to the truth before more girls end up dead?Praise for The Branded''Even better than her first [book]. . . a breathless crime novel, imbued with a sense of place'' Westmeath Examiner''Such a good, interesting read'' Belfast Telegraph''DC Lucy Golden returns in another nail-biting Irish thriller'' Peterborough Telegraph

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Book Synopsis''Animal lovers will delight'' Ann Granger''A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine'' Barbara NadelDriving home from a ceramics evening class, Clarice Beech reflects on the absence of one of her students, Colin Compton-Smythe. Later, Emily, Colin''s daughter, telephones to say her father has died during routine surgery. Distraught, Emily opens up to Clarice about his wretched childhood and the day five-year-old Colin returned home to discover Avril, his mother, gone. Colin never believed she would have left without him and had been trying to find out more about Avril''s disappearance all those years ago.Clarice readily agrees to accompany Emily to Colin''s funeral. On arriving at the stunning Victorian Gothic manor house, with Bellatrix, the majestic stone Siamese cat reposing at its entrance, Clarice soon becomes drawn into the fractious world of the Compton-Smythe family: Colin''s argumentative father Ralph and his equally combative partner Tessa, their daughter, Dawn, being stalked by an ex-lover and, most unsettling of all, Ernestine, Ralph''s emotionally unpredictable sister. And then there''s Johnson, Ralph''s menacing manservant.Clarice discovers the nearer she gets to the truth, the greater she is in danger as somebody is intent that the mystery of the missing wife should never be resolved.

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Book Synopsis''Animal lovers will delight'' Ann Granger''A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine'' Barbara NadelWhen Clarice Beech finds her friend Peter Ramsey dead in his kitchen, she believes he''s succumbed to a fatal heart attack. Peter, who lived in one of the five cottages on Magpie Row in the Lincolnshire Wolds, was a keen supporter of stray cats - which made him very unpopular with the neighbours. And after Chris Morris, an alcoholic neighbour, disrupts Peter''s funeral, insisting Peter was murdered - and he knows who the murderer is - Clarice discovers there''s no shortage of possible suspects among the Magpie Row inhabitants.Who, behind Magpie Row''s idyllic façade, might have had murder in mind? And, after his outburst at Peter''s funeral, where is Chris? And is Clarice, with her mission to tend to Peter''s strays, as well as uncover the truth about her friend''s death, putting herself in danger'

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Book Synopsis''Banks once again demonstrates his extraordinary dark powers of imagination'' Sunday TimesHisako Onada, world-famous cellist, refuses to fly. And so she travels to Europe as a passenger on a tanker bound through the Panama Canal. But Panama is a country whose politics are as volatile as the local freedom fighters. When Hisako''s ship is captured, it is not long before the atmosphere is as flammable as an oxy-acetylene torch, and the tension as sharp as the spike on the cello...Praise for Iain Banks:''The most imaginative novelist of his generation''The Times''His verve and talent will always be recognised, and his work will always find and enthral new readers'' Ken MacLeod, Guardian''His work was mordant, surreal, and fiercely intelligent'' Neil Gaiman''An exceptional wordsmith''ScotsmanTrade ReviewExtraordinary, brilliant, bloody * Fay Weldon *Currents of dark wit swirl through Banks' writing, enriching its buoyancy... and, like Graham Greene, he can readily open the reader's senses to the 'foreignness' of places * Scotland on Sunday *Short, compact and brilliantly crafted * Scotsman *His technical facility with language now matches his instinct for storytelling, and the combination makes him one of the best British novelists * Guardian *What makes Banks a significant novelist is the love and effort that go into his works, and his acute sense of the ways in which people can suffer * Independent on Sunday *Banks is a phenomenon: the wildly successful, fearlessly creative author of brilliant and disturbing non-genre novels (The Wasp Factory, Complicity), he's equally at home writing pure science fiction (like Feersum Endjinn) of a peculiarly gnarly energy and elegance. I suspect we have actual laws against this sort of thing in the United States, but Iain Banks, with the "M" or without, is currently a legal import * William Gibson *

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Book Synopsis''It was a night that would be long remembered. The Florence police would come to call it a night of horror, the start of a new nightmare . . .''After enduring years at the mercy of an infamous serial killer, the people of Florence rejoice at news of his death - until a senator is found brutally murdered.To Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara the case is very much alive. But, with a powerful adversary conspiring against him, he is trapped in a spiral of corruption and deadly speculation. As the truth comes to light, Ferrara is left standing face-to-face with something truly rotten at the heart of the city . . .The Dark Heart of Florence is an evocative, gripping work of detective fiction, and a major bestseller across Europe.Originally published in Italian as I Sogni Cattivi di Firenze.''A crime author with impeccable credentials: Giuttari is no less than the former head of the Florence police force, where he was on the cTrade ReviewNeat plotting, distinctively Italian characters and a good pace Sunday Telegraph on A Death in Tuscany The plot is intricately woven, with enough gasp-worthy twists to sustain a reader to the end Financial Times on Death in Tuscany When you have a former cop who both knows procedure and can craft a suspenseful mystery with intriguing characters, you have something pretty rare. This is the case with Michele Giuttari Booklist

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Book SynopsisFor philosophically minded Isabel Dalhousie, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, getting through life with a clear conscience requires careful thought. And with the arrival of baby Charlie, not to mention a passionate relationship with his father Jamie, fourteen years her junior, Isabel enters deeper and rougher waters. Late motherhood is not the only challenge facing Isabel. Even as she negotiates a truce with her furious niece Cat, and struggles for authority over her son with her formidable housekeeper Grace, Isabel finds herself drawn into the story of a painter''s mysterious death off the island of Jura. Perhaps most seriously of all, Isabel''s professional existence and that of her beloved Review come under attack from the machiavellian and suspiciously handsome Professor Dove. A master storyteller whether debating ethics in Edinburgh or pursuing lady detectives in Africa, here Alexander McCall Smith is as witty and wise as his irresistibly spirited heroine.<

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Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture from Fox Searchlight Pictures, directed by Michael R. Roskam, screenplay by Dennis Lehane, and starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and James GandolfiniTrade ReviewSo beautifully written and so sharp in its details and atmosphere that it's no wonder Lehane's books attract filmmakers with such ease - Irish VoiceLehane is one of the great contemporary American crime writers - Daily MailSophisticated, literary and barbed enough... it makes this book a sentence-by-sentence pleasure. You are in the hands of an expert. And you'll know it - Scotsman on Live by NightExciting, sexy and atmospheric...dark deeds, graceful prose and sassy dialogue - Sunday Times on Live by Night

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Book Synopsis''Complex, tense, compelling'' Lee Child''Hitchcockian...with characteristically twisty action and crackling dialogue'' Guardian Best Crime & Thriller Books of 2017On a Tuesday in May, in her thirty-fifth year, Rachel shot her husband dead. He stumbled backward with an odd look of confirmation on his face, as if some part of him had always known she''d do it.Rachel''s husband adores her. When she hit rock bottom, he was there with her every step of the way as she slowly regained her confidence, and her sanity. But his mysterious behaviour forces her to probe for the truth about her beloved husband.How can she feel certain that she ever knew him?And was she right to ever trust him?Bringing together Dennis Lehane''s trademark insightful and emphathetic characterisation, razor-sharp dialogue, stunning atmosphere and breakneck twists and turns, Since We Fell is a trueTrade ReviewHitchcockian... with characteristically twisty action and crackling dialogue * Mark Lawson, the Guardian's Best Crime Books and Thrillers of 2017 *Complex, tense, compelling, and an emotional and strategic hall of mirrors, where nothing is what it seems - but I would follow Dennis Lehane anywhere * Lee Child *One of the outstanding crime novelists of this century . . . absorbing . . . demonstrating a psychological depth and sensitivity * The Times *terrific . . . a crime writer fully the equal of more ostensibly literary authors * Evening Standard *Sharply different . . . [Lehane] remains one of the great, diabolical thriller kings who seems intimately acquainted with darkness and can make it seep from the page of screen * New York Times *Acclaimed Lehane is at the top of his game with this multi-layered story of a troubled woman who begins to mistrust her perfect husband. The plot oozes tension and the brilliant writing makes this a thriller to lose yourself in * Sunday Mirror *Combines pulp thrills with literary heart and sophistication * Entertainment Weekly *Lehane, is, as ever, a graceful writer, observant of the world that shapes his characters' lives * The Washington Post *With sharply acute characterisation, this is classic Lehane * Guardian *A riveting thriller . . . Lehane's prose knocks most of his crime-writing contemporaries into a cocked hat, and I gulped his novel down with enormous pleasure * Daily Telegraph *Complex . . . filmically arresting * Independent *Lehane is a superior crime writer and this nuanced novel is both a gripping portrait of the psychological wounds we carry inside us and a stealthy, plot-twisting thriller steeped into darkness and violence * Metro *One of America's best writers in any genre * Irish Independent *Lehane has written two books - one, an insightful examination of the search for identity and belonging, and two, a thriller that constantly leaves you guessing - and then smashed them together into one terrific read. Lehane is the master of complex human characters thrust into suspenseful, page-turning situations. In short, I hate him. But I'll read anything he writes * Gillian Flynn *The most thrilling novel I'll read all year. Since We Fell is simmering with emotion, menace, and humour. I loved it * Kate Atkinson *In Since We Fell we see the same enormous talent and literary skill that has characterized his other work. Few use language that has such raw power. His ability to create levels of tension that cause the reader to sweat in a cold room has no peer.This story is hard to put down. The mystery and intrigue never let go; the heart-racing tempo and twists and turns are engaging and unexpected all the way down the track * James Lee Burke *Once you pick up a Dennis Lehane novel you're hooked. It's just that simple. Since We Fell is a complex, compelling, page-turner of a novel from a master storyteller at the top of his game * Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author *One of crime fiction's most exciting and well-orchestrated finales-rife with dramatic tension and buttressed by rich psychological interplay between the characters. Don't be surprised if Since We Fell makes readers forget about that other psychological thriller featuring an unstable heroine named Rachel * Booklist *What seems at the start to be an edgy psychological mystery seamlessly transforms into a crafty, ingenious tale of murder and deception * Kirkus *Splendidly-engineered, wide-ranging plotting and Lehane's intuitive pulse for human frailties make this a compelling read * LoveReading *The mood and pace change directions as quickly as the plot, but Lehane never lets his narrative vehicle veer out of control * Booklist *The author replaces tension with action and pace, keeping the reader relentlessly turning the pages to a propulsive climax * Big Issue *There's something of Hitchcock about the way menace begins to ooze from every situation. Compelling's the word! * Evening Telegraph (Peterborough) *

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Book Synopsis''While My Italian Bulldozer certainly advocates a kind, considerate, some might even say old-fashioned approach to resolving affairs of the heart, it also succeeds in subtly, almost imperceptibly ripping up the traditional rules of the romantic comedy and creating something refreshingly original'' ScotsmanWhen writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative. While there may be no cars available there is something else on offer: a bulldozer.With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts and so begins a series of laugh out loud adventures tTrade ReviewWhile My Italian Bulldozer certainly advocates a kind, considerate, some might even say old-fashioned approach to resolving affairs of the heart, it also succeeds in subtly, almost imperceptibly ripping up the traditional rules of the romantic comedy and creating something refreshingly original * Scotsman *This novel has the usual combination of light-hearted gentleness and forensic acuity, reminding the reader never to underestimate McCall Smith's fundamental seriousness of purpose * Sydney Morning Herald *

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Book Synopsis''A young woman''s battle for acceptance in a male-dominated world; her misadventures in love; and her torturous journey to track down her real parents in Germany'' Mail on Sunday Best New FictionFrom childhood, Katherine knows she is different, and that her parents are not who they seem to be. But as she grows up and becomes a mathematician, she faces the most human of problems - who is she? What is the cost of love, and what is the cost of ambition? On her quest to conquer the Riemann hypothesis, the greatest unsolved mathematical problem of her time, she turns to a theorem with a mysterious history that holds both the lock and key to her identity, and to secrets long buried during World War II. Forced to confront some of the biggest events of the twentieth century and rethink everything she knows of herself, Katherine strives to take her place in the world of higher mathematics, reclaiming the voices of the women who came before her whoseTrade ReviewKatherine, the narrator of this unusual novel, is an eminent American-Chinese academic fixated on the Holy Grail of mathematics...Chung is smart enough to keep the mathematics to a minimum and concentrate on the human elements in her story: a young woman's battle for acceptance in a male-dominated world; her misadventures in love; and her torturous journey to track down her real parents in Germany * Mail on Sunday, Best New Fiction *An elegantly constructed puzzle of a novel...what had seemed to be a Hidden Figures-style female-genius-in-a-male-world narrative turns into a thrilling back-to-my-roots mystery * DailyTelegraph *The 10th muse, in Chung's world, is the one who got away to pursue her own interests and develop her own mind...In young Katherine's love of science and maths, and her yearning for more connection with her mother, there are strong overtones of Jenny Offill's wonderful debut Last Things...A most memorable heroine, a sympathetic, mesmerising voice who tells a deceptively simple story centred on identity and a never-ending quest for knowledge and truth * Irish Times *A truly spellbinding read * Woman & Home, December Book of the Month *Ambitious, insightful and distinctive, Chung's latest novel is a beautiful exploration of the human condition . . . a spellbinding read * Woman's Own *A complex family history, elegant equations, romance and a heroine who refuses to be sidelined in the male-dominated world of mathematics makes this deft novel an engrossing, emotional read...There are betrayals closer to home, too, jeopardising Katherine's career, as love, ambition and intellectual endeavour come into conflict in this smart, satisfying book * Sunday Express *Katherine looks back at her life in mathematics, a career shaped by her particular time and circumstances in post-war America and Europe. A position that nevertheless speaks all too clearly to our own place and time today. Catherine Chung is brilliant at showing us the forces which either block or encourage Katherine's career * Glasgow Herald *Not only is the writing dazzling, this intelligent novel about a woman ahead of her time is also a proper page-turner * Good Housekeeping *Enthralling * Psychologies *Cleanly feminist-flavoured novel that contains stories within stories in ways that seem to push at the workings of the universe itself * Metro *A unique and refreshing read * Candis *[An] affecting tale . . . pleasingly well-crafted * Daily Mail *The reader's blood boils along with Katherine's. As she fights for recognition, she also embarks on an investigation into her own confused origins...Page-turner, philosophical investigation and statement of intent, The Tenth Muse is an entertaining and provocative contribution to the era of #MeToo * Big Issue *Katherine is determined to be taken seriously. Here, the novel is most trenchant: in railing against the sexism for so long ingrained in academia...There is no dearth of short-changed women in history - in science or in general. The Tenth Muse is keenly aware of how easily the past can be rewritten, achievements and lives subtracted...A panegyric to women who blaze their own paths, and tell their own stories * New Scientist *A RECOMMENDED BOOK FROM:Los Angeles Times * USA Today * O, the Oprah Magazine * Buzzfeed * The Rumpus * Entertainment Weekly * Elle * BBC * Christian Science Monitor * Electric Literature * The Millions * LitHub * Publishers Weekly * Kirkus * Refinery29 * Thrillist * BookBub * Nylon * Bustle * GoodreadsThe cliché that boys are better at math collapses before the diamond-hard mind of a grad student whose relentless attempt to prove a legendary hypothesis exposes a deeper algorithm about herself....Chung spins her captivating novel from stories of actual women who, in her words, "posed as schoolboys, married tutors, and moved across continents, all to study and excel at mathematics * O, the Oprah Magazine *A page-turning intellectual thriller, a family romance, an alternative history of twentieth-century math - I couldn't put it down * Elif Batuman *The Tenth Muse is as ambitious and intriguing as the complex math problems Katherine, the protagonist of this remarkable novel, aims to solve. In this novel -the scope of which is staggering - Chung has crafted a story that is moving, elegant and richly written. Her prose, as it unfolds, becomes an elusive equation readers will yearn to solve * Roxane Gay *Ambitious, mesmerizing, and immersive, The Tenth Muse gives us a character we'd follow anywhere, and journeys well worth following her on. This novel dazzles * Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers *Catherine Chung has written a deft, spellbinding emotional puzzle-box of a book, rich and intricately layered. The Tenth Muse slowly, carefully builds to turn your every expectation on its head, and reading it feels like a glimpse of what mathematics might be in the eyes of its ablest practitioners--both secret and sublime * Téa Obreht *The Tenth Muse is a must-read. This beautiful, captivating novel has it all: A riveting family secret; a heroine ahead of her time; and a brilliant historical narrative that sheds light on the way we live now * J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Saints for All Occasions *A sweeping tale of betrayal, legacy, brilliant women and WWII * USA Today *Two great enigmas form the center of this elegant novel, in which a brilliant mathematician attempts to solve the impenetrable Riemann hypothesis and learn the truth of her family history. Katherine is the daughter of an American G.I. and a Chinese immigrant who disappears when Katherine is a girl. During her childhood, in the nineteen-fifties, in Michigan, her intelligence and mixed heritage alienate many people, and lead her to wonder 'in each situation whether this time it was my femaleness or my Asianness or the combination of both that branded me different'...In the novel's portrait of her perseverance, it pays moving homage to all the 'unhailed, unnamed' women in history whose talents were dismissed * New Yorker *The Tenth Muse centers on Katherine, an aspiring mathematician whose studies take her deep into her family history, and a legacy of genius and empowerment which probes compelling questions about her identity * Entertainment Weekly *Need a metaphor for the unassailable tangle of the self? The Riemann Hypothesis, one of the great unsolved mathematical problems, does nicely in this novel. About 50 years ago, mathematician Katherine was attempting to unpick its knot, and at the same time deal with revelations about her own family heritage * Elle *Can a mathematician also be an accomplished storyteller? The answer is an emphatic yes.... Elegant and absorbing fiction....Her work radiates a love of the subject....Her real subject, beyond the magic of storytelling, is the problem of identity, as shaped by gender, ethnicity, history and choice * Chicago Tribune *Reading The Tenth Muse is like setting out on a boat for a short trip and finding the way back barred by waves that grow taller and taller. And then the boat itself turns out to be a riddle; a paper boat, each leaf bound to the other with equations of fearsome beauty. Arresting in scope and its treatment of time, its prose at turns crystalline and richly balletic, this story pulls puzzle from puzzle--human, historical, and all too contemporary * Helen Oyeyemi, author of Gingerbread *Catherine Chung's first book, Forgotten Country, cut my heart open; I want to read The Tenth Muse right now * R.O. Kwon *Chung masterfully subverts our expectations... Endlessly thrilling. An exquisite story of legacy, selfhood, survival, and integrity... The Tenth Muse is an inspiring tour de force of STEAM proportions: a riveting intersection of mathematics and art * The Rumpus *Chung's impressive, poignant second novel explores the intersections between of intellectual and familial legacies...Chung persuasively interweaves myths and legends with the real-world stories of lesser-known women mathematicians and of WWII on both the European and Asian fronts. The legacy that Katherine inherits may defy the kinds of elegant proofs to which mathematicians aspire, but Chung's novel boldly illustrates that truth and beauty can reside even amid the messiest solutions * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A powerful and virtuosically researched story about the mysteries of the head and the heart * Kirkus, starred review *Chung uses the history and language of mathematics in The Tenth Muse to explore how the past is inextricably tied to the present. Her writing has a beautiful clarity, and the novel has an epic feel, sweeping between decades and continents without ever losing sight of the human lives at stake. This is a timely story about a woman searching for her identity in an inhospitable environment and emerging scarred but triumphant * BookPage (starred review) *In this powerful historical novel, a female mathematician recounts the personal and professional challenges of finding her way in a male-dominated field * Shelf Awareness (starred review) *Katherine looks back at her life in mathematics, a career shaped by her particular time and circumstances in post-warAmerica and Europe. A position that nevertheless speaks all too clearly to our own place and time today. Catherine Chung is brilliant at showing us the forces which either block or encourage Katherine's career * Herald *If you like puzzles, then this mesmerising novel has them all: human, historical and gloriously mathematical. It charts the life of a woman who seeks to conquer the Riemann hypothesis, a quest that could reveal the truth about her own identity and hidden deeds from the Second World War * The Herald *On discovering that the woman who raised her isn't really her mother, young mathematician Katherine begins lookingfor other things that don't quite add up, from unsolved formulas to sexism at her university, MIT. Written in sparse yetlyrical prose, this is an elegantly constructed puzzle of a novel * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis''Ingenious, daring and brilliant'' Guardian COMPLICITY N. 1. THE FACT OF BEING AN ACCOMPLICE, ESP. IN A CRIMINAL ACTA few spliffs, a spot of mild S&M, phone through the copy for tomorrow''s front page, catch up with the latest from your mystery source - could be big, could be very big - in fact, just a regular day at the office for free-wheeling, substance-abusing Cameron Colley, a fully paid-up Gonzo hack on an Edinburgh newspaper.Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances... Praise for Iain Banks:''The most imaginative novelist of his generation'' The Times''His verve and talent will always be recognised, and his work will always find and enthral new readers'' Ken MacLeod, GuardianTrade ReviewIngenious, daring and brilliant * Guardian *Fast moving ... tightly plotted * Sunday Times *A stylishly executed and well produced study in fear, loathing and victimisation which moves towards doom in measured steps * Observer *Compelling and sinister . . . a very good thriller * Glasgow Herald *A remarkable novel . . . superbly crafted, funny and intelligent * Financial Times *From the brilliant opening . . . that lands the reader smack in the middle of the first of a series of cold-blooded murders to the final confrontation on a weather-beaten wild island . . . Complicity is irresistibly compelling * New York Times Book Review *Literate, passionate and well-paced, Complicity succeeds as both an absorbing entertainment and a chilling examination of accountability in a morally bankrupt world * San Francisco Chronicle *An ingeniously constructed tale, done with customary ease, wit and panache. Banks may be a classic story-spinner, purveyor of the proverbial Good Read: but in among all the contrasts, the genre-hopping and the fun, there's a small, serious common purpose to his work * Scotsman *Brutal in the nightmarishness of its gruesome murders and sexual explicitness but never less than a no-holds-barred blitz of a thriller * Daily Mail *An excellent nervy book, both cool and terrifying at its dark centre where the perfect logic of the protagonist is devoid of pity. Banks's muscular style and gruesome imagination make this a fast-moving thriller not to be missed * Daily Telegraph *A cocktail of sex, skulduggery and hi-tech mystery, set most convincingly in a Caledonian newsroom. I shall now read everything Banks has written -- Jeremy Isaacs * Financial Times *

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