Whether it's Scandi noir, police procedural, whodunnits, cosy crime or international thrillers, we've got you covered.
Crime & Thrillers Books
Canongate Books Sword of Shadows
Book SynopsisA quest to find the ancient sword Excalibur quickly turns into a hunt for a determined killer for Crispin Guest.London, 1396. A trip to the swordsmith shop for Crispin Guest, Tracker of London, and his apprentice Jack Tucker takes an unexpected turn when Crispin crosses paths with Carantok Teague, a Cornish treasure hunter. Carantok has a map he is convinced will lead him to the sword of Excalibur - a magnificent relic dating back to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - and he wants Crispin to help him find it. Travelling to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall with Carantok and Jack, Crispin is soon reunited with an old flame as he attempts to locate the legendary sword. But does Excalibur really exist, or is he on an impossible quest? When a body is discovered, Crispin''s search for treasure suddenly turns into a hunt for a dangerous killer.
£21.84
Canelo A Litter of Bones
Book SynopsisYour next crime fiction obsession' Michael WoodA missing child. A tormented detective. A ticking clock.Ten years ago, DCI Jack Logan stopped the serial child-killer dubbed ''Mister Whisper,'' earning himself a commendation, a drinking problem, and a broken marriage in the process.Now, he spends his days working in Glasgow''s Major Investigations Team, and his nights reliving the horrors of what he saw.And what he did.When another child disappears a hundred miles north in the Highlands, Jack is sent to lead the investigation and bring the boy home. But as similarities between the two cases grow, could it be that Jack caught the wrong man all those years ago?And, if so, is the real Mister Whisper about to claim his fourth victim?The explosive debut Scottish crime thriller from number one bestselling author, JD Kirk. Perfect for fans of L.J. Ross, Chris Brookmyre, and Stuart Macbride.Praise for A Litter o
£9.49
Canongate Books Quick on the Draw
Book SynopsisFormer police detective Alex Quick finds it impossible to refuse when a young family friend begs for her help in discovering which of his friends is a thief. Following a dinner party he''d held at his uncle''s grand Venetian apartment, a pair of valuable items went missing, only to turn up at a London pawnbrokers. But why would a wealthy guest, a member of the glamorous Anglo-Italian jet-set, need to steal in the first place? Before Alex can discover more, one of the dinner party guests is found murdered. Could there be a connection to the theft? As she heads to Venice to pursue her investigations further, Alex receives news that another person present that night has disappeared and the case spirals into something altogether darker and deeper.
£12.34
Canongate Books False Pride
Book SynopsisLooking forward to a peaceful weekend, Bea Abbot''s plans are disrupted by the unexpected arrival of one of her clients, bearing a brown leather briefcase full of expensive jewellery. Magda Summerleys has been working as a housekeeper for wealthy art expert Lucas Rycroft who, she says, entrusted her with the briefcase for safekeeping - and who seems to have disappeared without trace.Drawn into the tangled affairs of the dysfunctional Rycrofts, Bea soon discovers that other members of the family are determined to get their hands on the jewels - by whatever means necessary. Also caught up in the chaos is her ex-husband Piers, who had been commissioned to paint Lucas Rycroft''s portrait. Then a body is discovered at Lucas''s home .and events begin to spiral out of control.
£12.34
Canongate Books Stone Cold Stone Dead
Book SynopsisAn unwelcome blast from the past puts Patrick and Ingrid back in harm''s way . . .Nicholas Haldane was dead, but he wouldn''t lie down. And now Julian Hardy, the man who hired him in a bid to destroy Richard Daws, a top official in the National Crime Agency, is out of prison and has changed his surname to Mannering.Patrick Gillard, working for the agency but within the Avon and Somerset force with his wife Ingrid Langley, receives a request from MI5, for whom he used to work, to investigate Mannering. They are then called in when his cleaner makes a shocking discovery.Meanwhile, an enigmatic couple calling themselves Simon and Natasha Graves turn up in the village, intent on pestering Patrick''s recently widowed mother. Could there be a connection to Mannering?Patrick and Ingrid are soon embroiled in a deeply personal and disturbing case.
£12.34
Gallic Books Wild Dog: Sinister and savage psychological
Book Synopsis[A] deservedly award-studded delight Strong Words Magazine ‘A smart, scathing and bleakly funny cross of folk horror, satire and historical fiction’ Toronto Star ‘Reads like a modern fairy tale’ New York Journal of Books 'Eerie and sensual' The Guardian 'So original, so beautifully done, and sinister and savage. I didn’t want it to end' Chris Whitaker Franck and Lise, a French couple in the film industry, rent a cottage in the quiet hills of the French Lot to get away from the stresses of modern life. In this remote corner of the world, there is no phone signal. A mysterious dog emerges, looking for a new master. Ghosts of a dark past run wild in these hills, where a German lion tamer took refuge in the First World War … Franck and Lise are confronted with nature at its most brutal. And they are about to discover that man and beast have more in common than they think. A literary sensation in France, Wild Dog is a dark, menacing tale of isolation, human nature and the infinite savagery of the wild. Trade Review[A] deservedly award-studded delight Strong Words Magazine ‘A smart, scathing and bleakly funny cross of folk horror, satire and historical fiction’ Toronto Star ‘Reads like a modern fairy tale’ New York Journal of Books WINNER OF THE PRIX LANDERNEAU DES LECTEURS 2018 'Wild Dog details a disturbing continuum of savagery, both animal and human. At once eerie and sensual, it’s a timely reminder that, no matter how sophisticated we believe ourselves to be, we are no match for nature' The Guardian 'The suspense seeps from each exquisitely crafted sentence, taking the reader into a world replete with complex emotional and moral dilemmas . . . a raw, brutal and magnificent literary experience' European Literature Network 'Whether you are a regular reader or just looking for your 2020 holiday reading I urge you to take a look at Wild Dog. It is a true five star read' Whispering Stories ‘Holds the reader in suspense until the very last page’ L’Express ‘A magnificent allegory for the ways in which the modern world wears us down … A unique voice’ Le Figaro ‘A hymn to space and calm’ Libération ‘Proof of Serge Joncour’s immense talent and understanding of human subtleties’ Marie Claire ‘An ode to nature’ Le Point ‘Joncour is a magician’ Le Temps
£8.54
Cassava Republic Press Unbury Our Dead with Song
Book SynopsisUnbury our Dead With Song is a novel about four talented Ethiopian musicians - The Diva, The Corporal, the Taliban Man and Miriam, who are competing to see who can sing the best Tizita (popularly referred to as Ethiopian blues). Taking place in an illegal boxing hall in Nairobi, Kenya, the competition is covered by a US educated Kenyan journalist, John Thandi Manfredi, who writes for a popular tabloid, The National Inquisitor. He follows the musicians back to Ethiopia in order to learn more about the Tizita and their lives. As he learns more about the Tizita and the multiple meanings of beauty, he uncovers that behind each of the musicians, there are layered lives and secrets. A love letter to African music, beauty and imagination.Trade ReviewThe tale of the Tizita is the essence which binds the story, but as you turn the pages, stratums of Africa are revealed in all their beauty, cruelty and hope. If you are someone who is stirred by the sound of a song, or feel an ache in your heart over a farewell, and you enjoy a well-crafted and honest book - please put this one on your reading list. The New African
£10.79
Mirror Books The Weight of Small Things
Book Synopsis'A beautifully written book with a charming, young narrator, combined with a surprisingly dark and unusual whodunnit. It's a touching, powerful and twisty read, packed with intrigue. Will appeal to fans of Joanna Cannon's The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.' S.J. Harris, author of The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder'Powerful writing...' Woman's Way Magazine'With devastating purity and clarity, nine year old Frankie Appleton is likely to enter your hearts in this poignant and emotional read.' Love Reading Nine-year-old Frankie Appleton likes to count gates.One day she hopes to design the perfect gate - a gate to keep the bad things out.Little does she know that the bad things have already got in.Now her mother is dead, and the only other person with a house key has disappeared.Frankie thinks she knows who it is. But first she has to prove it.A delicately brutal exploration of what lies behind closed doors, and of the secrets and lies that form the fabric of every family, The Weight of Small Things is as charming as it is chilling.Trade Review'A beautifully written book with a charming, young narrator, combined with a surprisingly dark and unusual whodunnit. It's a touching, powerful and twisty read, packed with intrigue. Will appeal to fans of Joanna Cannon's The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.' S.J. Harris, author of The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder'One of the best books I've read this year' Dave, 5 stars'Extremely current and highly readable' Beverley, 5 stars'Brutally honest, frank and beautiful' Natalie, 5 stars
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group Random in Death
Book SynopsisIt''s the best night of her life. It''s the last night of her life.Sixteen-year-old Jenna Harbough''s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It''s the best night of her life. It''s the last night of her life.Minutes later, Jake''s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it''s no use. It''s time to call Lieutenant Eve Dallas.Who could want this level-headed teen, passionate about her music, dead? Was she targeted or could she have been the victim of a random attack? And if she was, who''s next.....?
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group 1989
Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERKaren Pirie returns . . . Pre-order Past Lying, the eagerly-awaited new Karen Pirie thriller, publishing October 2023___________1989. The world is on the brink of revolution and journalist Allie Burns is a woman on a mission. When she discovers a lead about the exploitation of society''s most vulnerable, Allie is determined to investigate and give voice to the silenced.Elsewhere, a ticking clock begins the countdown to a murder. As Allie begins to connect the dots and edges closer to exposing the truth, it is more shocking than she ever imagined. There''s nothing like a killer story, and to tell it, Allie must risk her freedom and her life . . .The brand-new unmissable, heart-stopping thriller from number one bestseller, Val McDermid___________Praise for the Allie Burns series''McDermid is at her considerTrade Review1989, by reigning queen of UK crime Val McDermid, is a sequel to her change-of-pace 1979 , the memorable beginning to a quintet of books set in a Glaswegian tabloid office . . . This is every bit as accomplished as its predecessor, with the same crisp sense of an increasingly distant era * Financial Times *One of Britain's most successful crime novelists . . . The novel evokes glorious nostalgia for those who recall mobile phones like house bricks and laptops the size of suitcases * Sunday Times *A book of many parts . . . [McDermid is] subverting the crime genre to her own ends. How the remaining three volumes will turn out is anyone's guess * The Times *There is a great deal to enjoy in this novel . . . McDermid remains a masterly setter of a scene and developer of a storyline. There is an agreeable warmth to much of the book, and the evocation of the world of journalism and politics of the late 20th century is convincing . . . [A book] that will be deeply enjoyed * Scotsman *Studded with a wealth of period detail . . . It whips along like bushfire * Herald *McDermid convincingly recreates the grim era of AIDS, Lockerbie and Hillsborough while providing several juicy mysteries for the reader to gnaw on * Daily Mirror *Praise for 1979 * - *The Queen of Crime has done it again . . . Irresistible -- Patricia CornwellMcDermid is at her considerable best here * Guardian *A supremo of the genre at the height of her powers . . . An unmissable new series -- Peter JamesAllie is a fabulous character, I'll go wherever she takes me and I'm dying to see what she does next -- Marian KeyesMcDermid can do edge-of-seat suspense better than most novelists . . . An excellent opener to what promises to be an outstanding series * Spectator *A tour-de-force . . . The Queen of Crime has delivered another masterpiece -- David BaldacciPacked full of Val McDermid's trademark brilliance, 1979 is a thrilling snapshot of a fascinating era -- Jane HarperWhile "gripping" is an adjective over-used in book reviews, it's a fitting description of a sensational novel. A surefire bestseller from one of Britain's most accomplished writers * Sunday Express *A nail-biting new series * Observer *Allie Burns is off to a flying start, and well worth following down the decades * Scotsman *A new series from Val McDermid promises to be an event - and 1979 delivers . . . A marvellous new character to follow through the years to come -- Mick Herron
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Bridge
Book SynopsisRead the mind-bending masterpiece from the multi-award-winning author of Apple TV''s smash hit literary adaptation SHINING GIRLS, starring Elizabeth Moss.''Addictive, fascinating and compelling page-turner'' Guardian''A high-concept page-turner'' Herald''Beukes puts cerebral propositions into breakneck thrillers'' Spectator----THERE ARE INFINITE REALITIES.SHE'S LOOKING FOR ONE . . .Bridge's maverick scientist mother Jo is dead.Now she's examining everything Jo left behind.Which is when she finds her big secret: the dreamworm.Is it a drug? A gateway to other worlds?Jo believed so.Bridge is desperate to see her mother again. Will do anything, risk anything. Including search for her in those other realities.What she doesn''t know is that others are after Jo''s secret. And some believe anyone it touches must be destroyed.
£9.49
Little, Brown & Company Final Fantasy XIII: Episode Zero -Promise-
Book SynopsisBefore the unlikely heroes of Final Fantasy XIII banded together, each one had their own story to tell. This series of novellas chronicles the last few days before the Pulse l'Cie changed their lives, providing a deeper look at the characters of the hit game!
£11.39
Kodansha America, Inc A Kingdom of Quartz 2
Book Synopsis In a world where angels protect the people against demons, a young orphan with pitch-black wings may hold the key to the kingdom''s fate. An exquisitely drawn, dark fantasy manga for fans of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Made in Abyss, and Witch Hat Atelier. An orphaned girl named Blue has always dreamed of joining the ranks of the noble Angels, servants of the floating palace who protect the Quartz Kingdom against demons. Yet, Blue is not like the other children at the orphanage. Where their fledgling angel wings are downy white, Blue''s are pitch black, giving rise to whispers that she is cursed. One day, the orphanage comes under attack by a host of demons. Angels swoop down from the palace to drive the demons back, but Blue watches in horror as they are cut down one after another. Just when all seems lost, Blue feels a dark power welling up inside of her. It may be enough to avenge her friends...but will the cost prove too great?
£12.59
Oldcastle Books Ltd Dead Flowers
Book SynopsisShe doesn't trust the police. She used to be one of them.Trade ReviewOld murders, family secrets and long-told lies are the ingredients of this splendid, gripping crime debut -- William RyanTension builds slowly but surely in this dark gripper -- Jon Wise * Sunday Sport *I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the little nostalgic glimpses back in time and how the characters interact with their own hopes and desires is brilliantly told -- Peter Donnelly * The Reading Desk *Highly recommended -- Gillian S * Netgalley *I'm halfway through Dead Flowers and absolutely loving it. Great characters and I'm particularly enjoying the 1970s storyline. And Elvis the dog is great! -- Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange
£8.99
Hodder & Stoughton The Secrets of Blythswood Square
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Death on the Tiber
Book SynopsisRome is in chaos. The empire of a mobster chief is falling apart following his death. Rivals, fearsome relatives and associates are taking up position to vie for the spoils. With hideous murders in the streets of Rome, a lone female traveller arrives with an agenda of her own. But when her corpse is dragged out of the river bearing signs of foul play, Flavia Alba is drawn in, concerned about her fellow Briton''s fate. Alba''s quest to find the killer becomes deeply personal when she discovers a man at the centre of the plot is an old adversary of hers. Will she be obsessed by revenge? Can she let the past go, or will it consume her?
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Thirteen Problems
Book SynopsisA weekly dinner partyTen amateur sleuthsThe Tuesday Night Club murdersOn a quiet Tuesday in St Mary Mead, a group of friends gather for dinner.A policeman, a clergyman, a solicitor, an author, an artist, and an unassuming lady with a shrewd gaze Miss Jane Marple. Conversation naturally turns to crime.Each recounts a seemingly unsolvable mystery. Each thinks they know the answer.But it's the one they least expect who understands the true nature of each wicked actNever underestimate Miss MarpleBillions of readers can't be wrong.'Dreda Say MitchellThe plots are so good that one marvels . . . most of them would have made a full-length thriller.'Daily MirrorTrade Review‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson ‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis ‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci ‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Sleeping Murder
Book SynopsisA strange houseA ghost from the pastAs soon as she moves into Hillside, Gwenda knows there's something strange about this house.A sealed room. A hidden door. The apparition of a young woman being strangled.But strangest of all this all seems quite familiar.As her friend Jane Marple investigates, the answer seems to lie in a crime committed nearly twenty years ago.The killer may have gotten away with murder. But Miss Marple is never far behind.Never underestimate Miss MarpleReading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.'Tana FrenchMiss Marple is spry, shrewd and compassionate.'Sunday TelegraphTrade Review‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson ‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis ‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci ‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Hangmans Holiday
Book SynopsisThe ninth book in Dorothy L Sayers'' classic Lord Peter Wimsey series, introduced by crime writer David Mark - a must-read for fans of Agatha Christie''s Poirot and Margery Allingham''s Campion Mysteries. +1>''D. L. Sayers is one of the best detective story writers'' Daily TelegraphPoisoned port . . . Pet cats in peril . . . Purloined pearls . . . Lord Peter Wimsey solves the mysteries of the man who was blown into the fourth dimension and the murder in fancy dress. He pursues miscreants across several countries and into unexpected hiding places. Dorothy L. Sayers'' other detective, Montague Egg, encounters a fugitive murderer and uncovers a killer in an Oxford cloister. The travelling salesman extraordinaire solves puzzles with a unique combination of matter-of-fact practicality and brilliant deduction.''She brought to the detective novel originality, intellTrade ReviewShe brought to the detective novel originality, intelligence, energy and wit.I admire her novels . . . she has great fertility of invention, ingenuity and a wonderful eye for detail.She combined literary prose with powerful suspense, and it takes a rare talent to achieve that. A truly great storyteller.
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Lonely Ones
Book Synopsis'One of the best Nordic Noir writers' GuardianA trip behind the Iron Curtain would change their lives forever . . .It begins in 1969. Six young people arrive in Uppsala, Sweden. Different circumstances push the three young couples together and, over the course of a few years, they become friends. But a summer trip through Eastern Europe changes everything, and when their time at Uppsala University is over it also signals the end of something else.Years later, a lecturer at Lund University is found dead at the bottom of a cliff in the woods close to Kymlinge. And chillingly, it is the very same spot where one of the Uppsala students died thirty-five years before.Detective Inspector Gunnar Barbarotti takes on this ominous case of history repeating itself, and is forced to confront an increasingly grave reality.The Lonely Ones is the fourth novel of Håkan Nesser’s quintet about Inspector Gunnar Barbarotti.Trade ReviewThe godfather of Swedish crime * Metro *A master of suspense * Sunday Times *One of the best Nordic Noir writers * Guardian *One of Sweden's best crime writers * Mail on Sunday *
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Net for Small Fishes
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 'What a ride!' India Knight, Sunday Times Summer reads ‘Thrilling… a sumptuous feast of plotting and intrigue’ Mail on Sunday ‘A complete joy’ Bettany Hughes ‘Gloriously immersive’ Guardian ------------------------------------------------- Frances Howard has beauty and a powerful family – and is the most unhappy creature in the world. Anne Turner has wit and talent – but no stage on which to display them. Little stands between her and the abyss of destitution. When these two very different women meet in strange circumstances, a powerful friendship is sparked. Frankie sweeps Anne into a world of splendour that exceeds all she imagined: a Court whose foreign king is a stranger to his own subjects; where ancient families fight for power, and where the sovereign’s favourite may rise and rise – so long as he remains in favour. Anne and Frankie dare to seek a little happiness for themselves in this extravagant, savage hunting ground. But as they gain notice, they also gain enemies; what began as a search for love and safety leads to desperate acts that could cost them everything. Based on the true scandal that rocked the court of James I, A Net for Small Fishes is the most gripping novel you'll read this year: an exhilarating dive into the pitch-dark waters of the Jacobean court.Trade ReviewA superb exploration of female agency, sexuality and class … Anne thrums with life all the way through to her tragic, gruesome end, while Frankie is calculating and alluring … A scintillating novel that plunges you head-first into a darkly compelling chapter of British history * Observer *A powerful take on a fascinating piece of history * The Times *Sumptuous … If you’re feeling bereft after finishing The Mirror and the Light, let Jago transport you back to the Jacobean court -- Lucy Scholes * Daily Telegraph *Rich in intrigue and incident, with a cast of vividly drawn characters and a wealth of detail on every atmospheric page, this is a fabulously engaging read * Daily Mail *Bravura historical debut … Gloriously immersive ... Jago makes her a brilliantly engaging narrator … Jago is excellent on clothes … Throughout the novel, surface detail is deftly handled to convey deeper anxieties and shifts in attitude ... Jago keenly conveys the peril of being a woman of any class in the 17th century … Like all the best historical fiction, A Net for Small Fishes is a gloriously immersive escape from present times, but it’s not escapism * Guardian *Riveting … In a narrative that brims over with colour and invention, Jago summons up Jacobean London with enormous persuasiveness * Sunday Times, Book of the Month *Perfect for those looking for a gripping historical title * i paper *Jago’s thrilling debut is a sumptuous feast of plotting and intrigue at the court of King James, with a feminist slant … A classic historical novel, classily executed * Mail on Sunday *A sensuous evocation of 17th-century noble shenanigans. Jago offers a timely lens through which to reconsider power dynamics in Jacobean England … Seamless and stylish … Set in 1609, 69 years after the Mantel trilogy concludes, so those mourning Cromwell may find much to scintillate here * Irish Times *Will bring wit, wisdom, joy and comfort to your reading pile … There’s no messing about in Lucy Jago’s A Net For Small Fishes. From the first chapter you’re plunged into the dark intrigues, violence, vying for position and cruelty of the 17th century Jacobean court as society beauty Frances Howard meets Anne Turner, whose way with bodices, stockings and eyelashes is unequalled * Stylist *What a tale! Rich in intrigue and incident … A Net For Small Fishes is wonderfully dramatic and movingly tragic. With a wealth of detail on every atmospheric page, as the charismatic, flawed figures of Anne and Frankie try to live and love in the “cesspit” of a royal court, this is historical fiction at its immersive, intriguing best * Sunday Express *Hike up your Jacobean skirts for a romp through the corridors of courtly power … A perfect winter’s tale * Sainsbury's Magazine *A historical gem * independent.co.uk *A magnificent reimagining of a scandal in the Jacobean court … Masques, machinations and murder ensue, as well as affairs, gorgeously described clothes and a dangerous friendship * Tatler, 8 best books of the year so far *Dazzling * Sunday Independent *A terrific first novel, rich in colour, character, place and time. If you like your history spiced with sex, scandal and the sweet sensibilities of female friendship, then this is for you -- Sarah DunantA fabulous book. Frankie and Anne's world is not just brilliantly evoked but brilliantly sustained. Lucy Jago doesn't make a single false step. And it's exciting! -- Andrew MillerThe Thelma and Louise of the seventeenth century: two mis-matched heroines, two grittily textured lives, an outrageous plot (true!), sex, politics, and a gut-wrenching ending -- Lawrence NorfolkFull of colour, intrigue and historical characters we can relate to ... Jago has a great flair for the sensuous image and evokes the heady mix of gaudy glamour and grime that characterises the era with a distinctive, dense poetry. Historical fiction at its scintillating best and most filmic -- Susan ElderkinBrings the early seventeenth century brilliantly to life … Riven with colour and detail * Living Magazine *The attention to detail is wonderful. A really, really great book so early in 2021 * Woman's Way *Unflinching … She lays bare the corruption of the Jacobean court, her sharp prose illuminating its dark corners and the complexities of her subject matter * Lunate.co.uk *We’ve had so much Tudor fiction of the years from authors including Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory, that it’s great to escape to a different era as Lucy Jago takes us to the court of James I * Scotsman *An extraordinary story … The court case of the century … Amazing * talkRADIO *
£8.54
Pan Macmillan The Lake House
Book SynopsisThe Lake House by Kate Morton is the mysterious and enchanting fifth novel from the number one bestselling author of The House at Riverton and The Secret Keeper.June 1933, and the Edevane family’s country house, Loeanneth, is polished and gleaming, ready for the much-anticipated Midsummer Eve party. Alice Edevane, sixteen years old and a budding writer, is especially excited. Not only has she worked out the perfect twist for her novel, she’s also fallen helplessly in love with someone she shouldn’t. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks light up the night skies, the Edevane family will have suffered a loss so great that they leave Loeanneth forever.Seventy years later, after a particularly troubling case, DC Sadie Sparrow is sent on an enforced break from her job with the Metropolitan Police. She retreats to her beloved grandfather’s cottage in Cornwall, but soon finds herself at a loose end. Until one day, Sadie stumbles upon an abandoned house surrounded by overgrown gardens and dense woods, and learns the story of a baby boy who disappeared without a trace.Meanwhile, in the attic writing room of her elegant Hampstead home, the formidable Alice Edevane, now an old lady, leads a life as neatly plotted as the bestselling detective novels she writes. That is, until a young police detective starts asking questions about her family’s past, seeking to resurrect the complex tangle of secrets Alice has spent her life trying to escape . . .
£8.99
C & T Publishing Crafting a Getaway
Book SynopsisA lot has changed at Rankin's General. Valerie is the new manager and her cousin Rollie has moved on to open a B&B with his librarian lady friend Catherine. Their new inn seems to be the perfect venue for the Gasper's Cove Crafters latest scheme- a weeklong sewing and crafting retreat. The Crafters are enthusiastic and start to organize and advertise, but the morning that classes are due to start, they find out their event has been double-booked with a food truck rally, a corporate getaway, and a top-secret romantic weekend. It's chaos. Valerie knows it's up to her to restore order. But how? She's already lost all extension cords, someone's fiancé, and at least two event managers, maybe one to murder. Just when she's about to give up, help arrives from a most unexpected source, but at what price? Valerie's most ambitious project yet may be her last. The fourth book in this cozy mystery series is set in a world of a crafter's retreat, a food truck rally, a secret romantic weeken
£11.69
Bonnier Books Ltd Devils Breath
Book Synopsis*** A BBC2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK ***'A BLOOMING GOOD READ' - THE TIMES'A MUST FOR LOVERS OF CRIME FICTION THAT'S JUST A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE NORM' - HEAT magazine'[THIS IS LIKE] SHERLOCK HOLMES MEETS GARDNER'S QUESTION TIME' - NISH KUMAR on BBC2's Between the Covers'WITH EUSTACIA ROSE, JILL HAS CREATED AN UTTERLY UNIQUE CHARACTER AND HAS ENSURED THAT THE DETECTIVE GENRE TURNS A NEW LEAF. MYSTERY, MURDER, AND MULCH. WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE.' - ADIL RAY OBEI've always been better with plants than people . . . Eustacia Rose is a Professor of Botanical Toxicology who lives alone in London with only her extensive collection of poisonous plants for company. She tends to her garden with meticulous care. Her life is quiet. Her schedule never changes. Until the day she hears a scream and the temptation to investigat
£9.49
Titan Books Ltd Mike Hammer - Masquerade for Murder
Book SynopsisMike Hammer, the iconic PI created by hard-boiled crime master Mickey Spillane and written by New York Times bestseller Max Allan Collins, returns in Masquerade for Murder. After Mike Hammer witnesses Wall Street superstar Vincent Colby getting clipped by a speeding red Ferrari, the shaken victim's stockbroker father hires Hammer to find the driver. But the toughest private eye of them all soon is caught up in a series of bizarre, seemingly unconnected slayings marked by a forbidden martial arts technique. What do a lovely redhead, a short-tempered bartender, an exotic call girl, a murdered police inspector and a movie stuntman have to do with a scheme that might have transformed young Colby into a psychological time bomb?Trade Review“For readers of a younger age, Collins may become as synonymous with the Hammer character as Spillane was and is for seasoned fans. If that happens, it will be because he has earned it. My guess is that Spillane, if he were alive, would be overjoyed by that occurrence. Read MASQUERADE FOR MURDER and see why.” —BookReporter “Spillane fans will be pleased to see how well Collins captures the brash tone but everyman personality of the latter-day Hammer without trying to imitate the character’s infamous vigilante crusades of earlier years. Spillane (1918–2006) would be proud of how well Collins has maintained his legacy.” —Publishers Weekly “Honestly, having writer Max Allan Collins turn in another Mike Hammer novel in this Legacy series is like our enjoying the gift that never stops giving...Blood flows as is the norm in any Hammer caper with a conclusion we soundly approved of. We think you will too.” —Pulp Fiction Reviews “Collins at his best, vintage Hammer, and indistinguishable from classic Mickey Spillane–as if Spillane never really left.” —Borg.com, Best of 2020 “One-time king of American pulp fiction Mickey Spillane left a stock of literary fragments for Max Allan Collins to expand into full-length novels. And a first-rate job he makes of it.” —Daily Mail
£16.19
Titan Books Ltd Death Stranding: The Official Novelization -
Book SynopsisMysterious explosions have rocked the planet, setting off a series of supernatural phenomena known as the Death Stranding. Spectral creatures that devour the living have pushed humanity to the brink of extinction, causing countries to fall and survivors to scatter and live in pockets of isolation. Sam Porter Bridges, the legendary porter with the ability to return from the world of the dead, has been entrusted to save mankind from the brink of destruction. Plagued by haunting visions, and tracked by Higgs, a man who longs to see humanity extinct, Sam must finally discover the truth behind the Death Stranding and fate of this world.
£8.54
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Extinction Trials
Book SynopsisThe end... is only the beginning. After a mysterious global event known only as 'The Change', six strangers wake up in an underground research facility where they learn that they're part of the Extinction Trials – a scientific experiment to restart the human race. But the Extinction Trials harbours a very big secret. And so does the world outside. From A.G. Riddle, the Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with nearly five million copies sold worldwide in twenty languages, comes an epic standalone adventure with a surprise ending unlike anything you've ever read before.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR A.G. RIDDLE: 'This is apocalyptic sci-fi at its best. Plot and character are masterfully woven together and the action – which is anything but frozen – sling-shots from stage to stage like an intergalactic spaceship' Daily Mail, on The Solar War. 'A complex, multi-stranded narrative spanning 700 pages that reads like a superior collaboration between Dan Brown and Michael Crichton' * Guardian, on Pandemic *
£8.54
Bonnier Books Ltd Killing Jericho: The helter-skelter 2023 crime
Book SynopsisWHEN THE FAIR COMES TO TOWN, A KILLER'S GAME BEGINS...'One hell of a ride' - THE TIMES'Revelatory' - VAL MCDERMID'A must-read' - JANICE HALLETT'A genuine triumph' - IAN MOORE'What more could a reader ask for?' - JOHN CONNOLLY'A thrilling helter-skelter' - SARAH PINBOROUGH'A fantastically gothic thriller' - SJ WATSON'An absolute cracker' - T.M. LOGAN'A first-class thriller' - CHRIS WHITAKER'A blisteringly new brand of hero' - SARAH HILARY'Agatha Christie meets Se7en' - TINA BAKER'Furiously-paced and full of twists' - ALEX SMITH'Addictively dark' - HEAT_________________________________________Scott Jericho thought he'd worked his last case. Fresh out of jail, the disgraced former detective is forced to seek refuge with the fairground family he once rejected.Then a series of bizarre murders comes to light - deaths that echo a century-old fairground legend. The police can't connect the victims. But Jericho knows how the legend goes; that more murders are certain to follow.As Jericho unpicks the deadly mystery, a terrifying question haunts him. As a direct descendant of one of the victims in the legend, is Jericho next on the killer's list?From the award-winning author of The Outrage comes Killing Jericho, the gothic, helter-skelter thriller debut that introduces crime fiction's first ever Traveller detective, Scott Jericho.What readers are saying about the most exciting thriller of 2023:'I read it all in one go just could not bear to put it down' ***** Liz W, Netgalley'A perfect thriller' ***** Kyle W, Netgalley'Simply stunning' ***** Bev H, Netgalley'Holy ****, this is good!' ***** Marieke D, Netgalley'Full of mystery and suspense with twists that kept me guessing' Aria H, Netgalley
£9.49
Bonnier Books Ltd The Twelve Days of Murder
Book SynopsisFind the truth. Solve the murder. Never reveal your secret.Twelve years ago, eight friends ran an exclusive group at university: The Murder Masquerade Society. The mysteries they solved may have been grisly, but they were always fictional - until their final Christmas Masquerade, when one of the group disappeared, never to be seen again.Now, the remaining members of the group receive an invitation to a reunion masquerade, to be held in a beautiful and remote country house in Scotland. When they arrive they are each assigned a new identity themed around the Twelve Days of Christmas - they become Lady Partridge or Mr Gold; Lord Leapworth or Doctor Swan. The game begins, and it feels just like old times.Until the next morning, when Lady Partridge is found hanging from a pear tree.
£9.49
Ian Fleming Publications Limited You Only Live Twice
Book SynopsisMeet James Bond, the world's most famous spy, in these landmark 70th anniversary reissues of Ian Fleming's classic series. The tragic end to his last mission has left 007 a broken man of little use to the British Secret Service. M decides that the only way to snap his best agent out of his torpor is to send him on an impossible mission to Japan.
£9.49
Ian Fleming Publications Limited The Man with the Golden Gun
Book SynopsisMeet James Bond, the world's most famous spy, in these landmark 70th anniversary reissues of Ian Fleming's classic series. Bond may have a license to kill, but "Pistols" Scaramanga has a talent for it. He's a KGB-trained assassin who's left a trail of dead British Secret Service agents in his wake. His weapon of choice? A gold-plated Colt .45.
£9.49
Monsoon Books A Thousand Years of Rain
Book SynopsisAlex Marek's once idyllic life in southern Thailand is being shattered when the reclusive and sometimes violent offshore oil worker John Hunter tells him of his wild scheme to make money, lots of money, by looting an ancient temple hidden deep in the Thai jungle. And he needs a partner.
£8.54
Straightforward Publishing Comprehensive Guide To Arrest And Detention:
Book SynopsisAn essential reference guide for crime readers and writers.
£8.54
Prototype Publishing Ltd. Along the River Run
Book SynopsisDrinking to excess is living when you’re young. But what happens if living becomes rape… assault… death?!!Lisbon: that city at the mouth of the Tagus, that city that whispers, licks and seduces its visitors, that city that haunts those seeking refuge or its pleasures. Who would wish to escape?It is the start of the millennium and two ‘lads’ from South-East London are trapped in Lisbon among people and experiences set to push them to the limits. Attempting to lie low after a fateful night back home, the friends find themselves navigating an unfamiliar and unnerving new reality. A crime novel inspired by a real-life incident, and distinguished by its sensitivity to subtleties of language and dialogue, Along the River Run is a story of guilt and retribution played out amid the streets, sounds and sights of this bewitching city. Just as the undercurrents of Lisbon’s Tagus are ever present, so the literary undercurrents of the capital as written by Pessoa, Saramago or Sa-Carneiro are there to enrich and pervade the evolving narrative. The novel follows the author’s much-praised earlier book on Lisbon, a cultural exploration in a ‘Cities of the Imagination’ series, setting up authoritative background research for this haunting story of psychological destruction.
£10.80
Black Spring Press Ltd From An Antique Land
Book SynopsisLife in Washington DC is trying to return to normal' after the trauma of September 11, 2001. George W. Bush is President and Hillary Clinton, former First Lady and now Senator for New York, already has her eye on higher things. One morning Su Soeung, who first came to the US as a child refugee from Cambodia receives an intriguing job offer. So begins an extraordinary train of events. Su's efforts to discover thefate of her father who disappeared' during Cambodia's Pol Pot nightmare, seem to be inextricably intertwined with world politics at the highest level. Just how much did the US know about Pol Pot and his band of brothers'? What deals were done between Washington and Beijing? And, in the end, is Su Soeung just a puppet of forces beyond her control? This is Stanley Johnson's 11th and finest literary thriller yet tense, provocative, and deeply resonant of our current times, as conspiracy theory and trauma once again put question marks over the aims of the superpowers.
£15.00
British Library Publishing Tea on Sunday
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Canongate Books A Slant of Light
Book SynopsisWhen students of St Ignatius go missing, painter and amateur sleuth Georgia O''Keeffe must infiltrate the school to figure out what''s going on in this thrilling historical mystery set in 1930s New Mexico from multi award-winning author Kathryn Lasky.New Mexico, 1936. Settling in for a harsh winter alone at her house at the Ghost Ranch, painter and occasional amateur sleuth Georgia O''Keeffe makes the most of the weather before a storm rolls in. But when she finds the ideal spot to capture a particularly nice sunset, Georgia discovers a boy - cold, exhausted and desperate . . .Joseph Reyes is a student at St Ignatius School, and he claims that sinister Sister Angelica and Father Raphael have raped and killed his sister. And she is not the only one who suddenly went missing!Georgia is determined to find out what''s happening at this seemingly peculiar school, but as she investigates she uncovers even more disturbing machinations that link the school to the newly founded Opus Dei institution and its cult-like practices as well as Nazis and hidden spies - not knowing how much she puts herself in danger.Lovers of historical mysteries that feature real-life people will have a blast! "Step aside Miss Marple, Eugenia Potter, and Kinsey Millhone - Georgia O''Keeffe is the new sleuth in town!" (Award-winning author Katherine Hall Page).
£20.89
Image Comics Destro Vol. 1
Book SynopsisTHE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE COBRA THREAT BEGINS HERE. James McCullen Destro XXIV is the man behind M.A.R.S. Industries, the undisputed leader in providing high-tech weapons to world powers...for the right price. But the emergence of Energon has changed everything. As Destro's ambitions grow, the Crimson Twins Tomax and Xamot Paoli emerge to destroy their competition, and Cobra Commander realizes his current ally could be his future greatest enemy. Acclaimed writer Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!) and artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright) change the balance of power in the Energon Universe forever.
£12.59
Zando Satans Affair
Book SynopsisInstant NYT Bestselling AuthorUSA Today Bestselling AuthorViral Booktok SensationEvery Halloween, Satan''s Affair will come to you. We travel the country, offering terrifying haunted houses, thrilling rides and the tastiest food. And with every passing town, I cleanse this world, one execution at a time. I hide within the walls, casting my judgement for those that reek of evil, singing lullabies to their rotting souls. Once you''ve been chosen, there''s no escaping my henchmen?they cater to my every desire. You can run and you can hide, but it only excites me. Come. Take a walk through my dollhouse, where your screams will blend and your cute little pleas will go unanswered. But I can''t promise it''ll be over quickly... Recommended Reading Order for the C&M Universe: Satan''s Affair Haunting Adeline Hunting Adeline Where''s Molly
£12.16
Bonnier Books Ltd The Clues in the Fjord
Book SynopsisHildur Rúnarsdottir is the only police detective working on the isolated west coast of Iceland. She is desperate to forget her traumatic past by burying herself in her cases alongside her new trainee, Jakob Johanson. But Jakob's life has its own complications, and it soon becomes clear that neither can run from their pasts for long. When a local man is found with his throat slit, underneath an avalanche that has buried much of the evidence, Hildur and Jakob must set their own problems aside and unravel the dark secrets to expose a killer . . .
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Picks and Shovels
Book SynopsisTHE YEAR IS 1986. THE CITY IS SAN FRANCISCO.Here, Martin Hench will reinvent the forensic accountant what a bounty hunter is to people, he will be to tech money but for now he's an MIT dropout odd-jobbing his way around a city still reeling from the invention of a revolutionary new technology that will change everything about crime forever.When Martin is hired by a Silicon Valley startup, Fidelity Computing, to investigate a group of disgruntled ex-employees who've founded a competitor, he quickly realises he's on the wrong side. Martin ditches the greasy old guys running Fidelity Computing without a second thought, utterly infatuated with the electric atmosphere of Computing Freedom. Located in the heart of the Mission, this group of brilliant young women have set out to beat Fidelity Computing at their own game. But they have no idea of the depth of evil they're seeking to uproot. Or the risks they run.In this company-eat-company city, Martin and his friends will be lucky to escape with their lives.
£17.00
Transworld Relight My Fire
Book SynopsisBorn in Limerick and raised in Dublin, C K (Caimh) McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian and TV writer. He performed all around the world, had several well-received Edinburgh shows and supported acts such as Sarah Millican on tour before hanging up his clowning shoes to concentrate on writing. He has also written for numerous TV shows and been nominated for a Kid's TV BAFTA.His debut novel, A Man With One of Those Faces - a comic crime novel - was published in 2016 and spawned The Dublin Trilogy books and the spin-off McGarry Stateside series. They have been Amazon bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic. As C. K. McDonnell, he is the author of The Stranger Times series contemporary comic fantasy series.Caimh lives in Manchester. To find out more, visit whitehairedirishman.com
£9.49
Ackroyd Publishing Death at Tower Bridge
Book Synopsis
£9.89
Ize Press Unholy Blood Vol. 4
Book SynopsisHayan and Euntae are on the hunt for the next Angel of Death, Ash...who they have almost no information on. Before they can follow their only lead, however, Ash finds them firstthey just don't know it. Able to take on the appearance of others with but the brush of her fingertip, Ash successfully steals the mask of her enemy. Her plan? Go on national TV claiming to be Hayan...!
£16.88
Kodansha America, Inc Tank Chair 2
Book SynopsisAn assassin in the world's deadliest wheelchair and his devoted sister carve an ultra-violent path to recovery across a slick, dystopic landscape in this action manga that fans of Chainsaw Man, Battle Angel Alita, and Dorohedoro will kill to read!Fail me again...and you will be graduated.Nagi and Shizuka have managed to avoid a grisly death at the hands of two assassins--siblings from Nagi's past life enrolled at the mysterious ACADEMY. To make safe their escape from this terrifying duo, Shizuka moves them across Guicheng Island, from one safe house to another. But Nagi's whereabouts have reached the ears of the leader of the Academy, an iron-fisted administrator known only as Sensei, who dispatches a prodigy at the art of murder to track Nagi down once and for all: the rampaging rookie, Uzu!
£12.59
HarperCollins Publishers Death in a Lonely Place
Book SynopsisA beautifully written new crime thriller you won't want to miss!In a quiet village, darkness is closing inA rural paradiseDetective Jake Jackson moved to the countryside for a quieter life. And he finally seems to have his wish spending his days immersed in nature, and his evenings lazing by the fire.A terrifying secretBut the return of an old case shatters the calm, and pulls him into the shadowy world of a secretive group serving the extravagant whims of the elite.An enemy closes inAs the web around Jake tightens, he must determine who he can really trust in his small community. Or else he will learn just how far the elite will go to protect their secrets.Praise for Death in a Lonely PlaceLoved this. Multiple layers of delight for crime fiction fans' Lee Child, creator of Jack ReacherAbell is a skilled storyteller and it's easy to fall into the pages of Death in a Lonely Place. Highly recommend' Karin Slaughter, creator of Will Trent''An immersive, intelligent delight with huge atmo
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Redemption
Book Synopsis‘Thrilling, heartfelt, and hugely evocative, Redemption manages to be both intensely exciting and deeply moving. A brilliant achievement’ Alex Michaelides ‘Tense, dark, emotional, and beautifully written, this action-packed gut-punch of a novel is flawless, and one of the best books I’ve read this year’ Andrea Mara THE LATEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER FROM MASTER OF THE MORAL DILEMMA AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER JACK JORDANAaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him. But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the day
£8.99
Canongate Books A Cold Cold World
Book SynopsisA female sheriff tries to fill her late father''s boots and be the sheriff her small Washington State mountain town needs as a deadly snow storm engulfs the town, in this dark, twisty mystery."Riveting" Library Journal Starred ReviewThe world felt pure. Nature made the location pristine again, hiding the scene from prying eyes. As if no one had died there at all.In the months since Bet Rivers solved her first murder investigation and secured the sheriff''s seat in Collier, she''s remained determined to keep her town safe. With a massive snowstorm looming, it''s more important than ever that she stays vigilant.When Bet gets a call that a family of tourists has stumbled across a teen injured in a snowmobile accident on a mountain ridge, she braves the storm to investigate. However, once she arrives at the scene of the accident it''s clear to Bet that the teen is not injured; he''s dead. And has been for some time . . . Investigating a possible homicide is hard enough, but with the worst snowstorm the valley has seen in years threatening the safety of her town, not to mention the integrity of her crime scenes - as they seem to be mounting up as well - Bet has to move fast to uncover the complicated truth and prove that she''s worthy of keeping her father''s badge.
£13.29
