Crime & Thrillers Books

Book SynopsisThis stunning, atmospheric thriller set in war-torn Europe won the CWA Gold Dagger and has now been reissued with the Javier Falcon series.A Portuguese bank is founded on the back of Nazi wartime deals.Over half a century later a young girl is murdered in Lisbon.1941. Klaus Felsen, SS, arrives in Lisbon and the strangest party in history where Nazis and Allies, refugees and entrepreneurs dance to the strains of opportunism and despair. Felsen's war takes him to the bleak mountains of the north where a brutal battle is being fought for an element vital to Hitler's blitzkrieg.Late 1990s, Lisbon. Inspector Ze Coelho is investigating the murder of a young girl with a disturbing sexual past. As Ze digs deeper he overturns the dark soil of history and unearths old bones. The 1974 revolution has left injustices of the old fascist regime unresolved. But there's an older, greater injustice for which this small death in Lisbon is horrific compensation, and in his final push for the truth, Ze musTrade ReviewCompulsively readable… rich in history and intrigue, love and death. Bold, inventive and wholly successful… Wilson unmistakably delivers the goods.’ Literary Review ‘This is vintage suspense writing; sharp, cold, mean and funny.’ Alan Furst ‘A gripping and absorbing drama that spans Europe from wartime Berlin to contemporary Lisbon.’ Val McDermid ‘A class act…For once a novelist influenced by Raymond Chandler is not shown up by the comparison.’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThe sixth book in the Verlaque and Bonnet mystery series set in the charming town of Aix-en-Provence.

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Book SynopsisDetective Kubu’s world is shattered when his father is violently murdered. Defying orders, he sets off on the killers’ trail … with shocking consequences… ‘This fifth mystery featuring Detective Kubu is another fast-moving procedural notable for its warm characterizations and vivid sense of place. A natural for fans of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency' Booklist ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James 'Impossible to put down. Kubu’s painstaking detecting skills make him a sort of Hercule Poirot of the desert … This series can be recommended to a wide gamut of readers’ Library Journal _______________ 'There's no easy way to say this, Kubu. Your father's dead. I'm afraid he's been murdered.’ Faced with the violent death of his own father, even Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu, Botswana CID's keenest mind, is baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? The picture becomes even murkier with the apparent suicide of a government official. Are Chinese mine-owners involved? And what role does the US Embassy have to play? When grief-stricken Kubu defies orders and sets out on the killers’ trail, startling and chilling links emerge, spanning the globe and setting a sequence of shocking events in motion. Will Kubu catch the killers in time … and find justice for his father? Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, A Death in the Family is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption and greed, as a complex series of murders present the opera-loving, wine connoisseur detective with his most challenging – and personal – case yet. _______________ ‘The perfect combination of “I don’t want it to end” and “I can’t put it down”. Great African crime fiction’ Deon Meyer ‘My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written...’ New York Journal of Books ‘Richly atmospheric … a gritty depiction of corruption and deception’ Publishers Weekly ‘Under the African sun, Michael Stanley’s Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will – a must read’ Yrsa SigurðardóttirTrade Review'A wonderful, original voice - McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly' Peter James * 'Under the African sun, Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will - a must read' Yrsa Sigurdardottir * 'Detective David "Kubu" Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written ...' New York Journal of Books * 'Kubu returns with a vengeance - but what is prowling in the darkness of Botswana is more dangerous than the four-legged predators. Then there are the Chinese who just may be the most dangerous of all ... I love it!' Charles Todd, award-winning author of the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford mysteries

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Book SynopsisSOMEONE NEW IS PLAYING GODThe Frankenstein story updated to the 21st century by the great American storyteller Dean Koontz.In a powerful reworking of one of the classic stories of all time, Dr Frankenstein lives on, seemingly indestructible, more malignant than ever.Frankenstein''s first monster, Deucalion, has spent two hundred years trying to put an end to his creator. Now he learns that a new Frankenstein clone, Victor Helios, is out there again, somewhere.Terrifyingly, with each incarnation the sinister doctor draws closer to the possibility of succeeding in his ambition to create a new human race which he will control. He has found an enigmatic backer and is working in a secret location.Together with the two ex-cops who helped him destroy the previous Victor, Deucalion is drawn to the small Montana town where Victor''s grotesque new creations are taking shape.Victor''s New Race is spectacularly different, a product of cutting-edge technology and stem-cell circuits, and when thingTrade Review'A modern Swift … a master satirist.' Entertainment Weekly 'If Stephen King is the Rolling Stones of novels, Koontz is the Beatles.' Playboy 'Dean Koontz writes page-turners, middle-of-the-night sneak-up-behind-you suspense thrillers. He touches our hearts and tingles our spines.' Washington Post Book World 'Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. Serious writers might do well to study his technique.' New York Times Book Review 'Koontz is writing right where popular culture swells into something larger, just as it did for Homer, Shakespeare, and Dickens. He's got the gift.' Australian 'Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition.' USA Today

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Book SynopsisA gripping standalone thriller from the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author of the Logan McRae series.Beware of the darkWelcome to the Misfit Mob where Police Scotland dumps the officers it can't get rid of, but wants to. Officers like DC Callum MacGregor, lumbered with all the boring go-nowhere cases. So when an ancient mummy is found at the Oldcastle tip, it's his job to track down its owner.But then Callum uncovers links between his mummified corpse and three missing young men, and life starts to get a lot more interesting.No one expects the Misfit Mob to solve anything, but right now they're all that stands between a killer's victims and a slow lingering death. Can they prove everyone wrong before someone else dies?Trade Review‘Wickedly twisty plotting and dazzling displays of black humour’ Library Journal Praise for Stuart MacBride: ‘Dark and gripping. A riveting page-turner’ Independent on Sunday ‘MacBride is a damned fine writer’ Peter James ‘A satisfyingly compelling thriller’ Sunday Mirror ‘Skilful storytelling … strong characterisation … intriguing and engrossing’ Guardian ‘MacBride’s thrillers just keep getting better’ Express ‘Exciting … a guaranteed bestseller’ Literary Review ‘Unmissable … superb storytelling’ Sun ‘Crime fiction of the highest order’ Mark Billingham ‘A terrific writer … Logan McRae is a delight’ The Times

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Book SynopsisThe No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling seriesThe fifth book in S. J. Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth IPerfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPARIS, 1585A KING WITHOUT AN HEIRHeretic-turned-spy Giordano Bruno arrives in Paris to find a city on the edge of catastrophe. King Henri III lives in fear of a coup by the Duke of Guise and his fanatical Catholic League, and another massacre on the streets.A COURT AT WAR WITH GODWhen Bruno's old rival, Father Paul Lefèvre is found murdered, Bruno is drawn into a dangerous web of religious politics and court intrigue. And watching over his shoulder is the King's mother, Catherine de Medici, with her harem of beautiful spies.A DEADLY CONSPIRACY IN PLAYWhen murder strikes at the heart of the Palace, Bruno finds himself on the trail of a killer who is protecting a terrible secret. With the royal houses of France and England under threat, Bruno must expose the truth or be silenced for goodPraise for S. J. ParrisA delicious blend of history and thriller' The TimesAn omnipresent sense of danger' Daily MailColourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death' Sunday TimesPacy, intricate, and thrilling' ObserverVivid, sprawling Well-crafted, exuberant' Financial TimesImpossible to resist' Daily TelegraphTwists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes' Stuart MacBrideIt has everything intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate MosseThe period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn IgguldenA brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I' Andrew TaylorTrade Review‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times Praise for S. J. Parris: ‘A tight plot combines with subtly-realised characters and an omnipresent sense of danger … My pleasure in the vividly textured backdrop and a cracking story was accompanied by an uneasy shudder’ Daily Mail ‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death.’ Sunday Times ‘Vivid, sprawling … Well-crafted, exuberant’ Financial Times ‘Successful historical thrillers need three elements: a killer plot that weaves seamlessly into the history; an engaging protagonist; and an atmospheric sense of place. Parris nails all three – Conspiracy is a gem. The Times ‘This latest addition to the series will no doubt repeat its predecessors’ success… The authentically febrile air of suspense that Parris generates, as well as a shoal of red herrings and some impish, what-if plotting. The drawing-room style denouement, conducted as it is in a salon at the Tuileries Palace, is also executed with knowing relish.’ Observer ‘I can thoroughly recommend Conspiracy, which twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride ‘Impossible to resist … Parris creates a convincing sense of the past, woven with so much intrigue that the head fairly spins’ Daily Telegraph ‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse ‘Parris writes with confident ease of Tudor London … The dialogue balances nicely on a tightrope of period phrases and cut-to-the-chase colloquialisms. More, please’ The Times ‘Full of surprises … an imaginatively satisfying addition to the many real intrigues surrounding the imprisoned Mary Stuart and the threats to Elizabeth’s security’ TLS ‘Fascinating … The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping’ Conn Iggulden A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’ Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The American Boy

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Book SynopsisIn Malacia, a city where change is forbidden and radical ideas are crushed, a war like no other is about to commence… The Brian Aldiss collection includes over 50 books and spans the author’s entire career, from his debut in 1955 to his more recent work.Trade Review‘Britain’s finest science-fiction writer.’ Tribune ‘Once again he demonstrates the power of his imagination.’ Daily Mail ‘It’s a terrific yarn, but more than that; as Aldiss casually throws out ideas and speculations, it’s a reminder of why he’s one of the giants of the field.’ SFX Magazine ‘One of our best novelists.’ William Boyd ‘A rattling good yarn’ Daily Telegraph ‘Brian Aldiss is one of those writers who can stand back and look out across the vast fictional landscape of sciences fiction, and consider himself both a creator and a destroyer of worlds; a mortal God if you will.’ Starburst Magazine 'For decades, Brian Aldiss has been among our most prolific and consistently stylish writers.' Telegraph ‘Frightening, gripping… not one for the squeamish’ Illustrated London News ‘The best of British science fiction writers’ Scotsman

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Book SynopsisAn ingenious thriller in which young Detective Constable Trave uncovers a sophisticated plot at the heart of MI6 to assassinate Churchill and bring the Second World War and the whole Allied effort to an untimely end.It's 1940, and Bill Trave is a Detective Constable in his early thirties working in West London. France has fallen and the capital is being bombed both day and night it seems against all odds that Britain can survive the onslaught. Almost single-handedly Winston Churchill maintains the country's morale, with the German enemy convinced that his removal would win them the War.Albert Morrison, a rich widower forced into early retirement by failing eyesight, is stabbed to death in his Chelsea flat. His only daughter, Ava, tells Trave that she would read the newspapers to him every evening, and the night before his death he had become suddenly excited when she read him an obscure obituary notice.At Morrison's funeral, Ava learns from an old colleague that her father worked for MI6 before the War. The obituary notice was a coded message preparing for an assassination, although it does not specify the target. Trave realizes that there is a Nazi double agent within MI6, with a plan to assassinate Churchill and to set up another agent to take the blame. He is in a race against time to save Churchill, for if he fails, Britain's entire war effort could be at stakeTrade Review‘Tolkien’s writing is quietly impressive; his atmosphere of the blitzed capital superb.’ The Times ‘Jack Higgins fans will enjoy Tolkien’s exciting third suspense novel featuring Det. Insp. William Trave. Heartfelt evocations of the horrors of war, in particular the effects of the bombing raids on Londoners, show Tolkien has upped his game.’ Publishers Weekly REVIEWS FOR SIMON TOLKIEN: ‘Half Christie and half Grisham.’ Los Angeles Times ‘A fine novel. A thinking person’s Da Vinci Code.’ Chicago Tribune ‘A very British thriller … a page turner.’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisEXTINCTION BECKONS. A pandemic unlike any before it is sweeping the globe. Nearly a billion people are already dead – and those the Plague doesn't kill, it transforms at the genetic level. As chaos engulfs the world, the Immari emerge. A clandestine cabal that has spent millennia planning for this moment, the Immari want the Plague to run its course, envisioning a world populated by genetically superior survivors – survivors they can control for their own purposes... With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, geneticist Kate Warner searches for a cure to the Plague. Her journey takes her across the new wastelands of Europe and northern Africa, but it's her research into the past that takes her where she never expected to go...

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Book Synopsis70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct. We survived, but no one knows how. Now the next stage of human evolution is beginning. Will we survive this time? Geneticist Kate Warner and counter-terrorism agent David Vale have prevented a fierce plague from wiping out humanity – but the struggle to survive is far from over. The Atlantis World stretches deep into space and time, harbouring an enemy greater than anyone had imagined. Now Kate and David must race through galaxies, past space stations, and into the past of a mysterious culture whose secrets could save humanity in its darkest hour. This is the blockbusting final instalment in the Origin Mysteries.

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Book SynopsisFrom the mind of Dean Koontz, the 400 million copy worldwide bestseller, comes this supernatural tale of good and evil, and life and death. Find out why Odd Thomas is the master storyteller's most talked about creation.Strange times need strange heroes.Odd Thomas lives always between two worlds. He can see the lingering dead and knows that even in chaos, there is order, purpose, and strange meaning that invites our understanding but often thwarts it.Intuition has brought Odd Thomas to the quaint town of Magic Beach on the California coast. As he waits to learn why he has been drawn there, he finds work as a cook and assistant to a once-famous film actor who, at eighty has become an eccentric with as long a list of fears as he has stories about Hollywood's golden days.Odd is having dreams of a red tide, vague but worrisome. By day he senses a free-floating fear in the air of the town, as if unleashed by the crashing waves. But nothing prepares him for the hard truth of what he will discTrade Review‘On his day, Koontz can out-King Stephen King’ Daily Sport Praise for the Odd Thomas series: ‘A blend of humour, humanity and horror, the classic Koontz concoction’ The Times ‘Odd Thomas is a superb character’ Independent Praise for Dean Koontz: ‘Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler’ The Times ‘Psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying’ New York Times

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Book SynopsisAn ISIS-style beheading of a journalist, carried out by a New York City group pledging fealty to that rogue state, becomes more than just another case for NYPD Captain Nikki Heat when the killers announce their next target: her husband, magazine writer Jameson Rook. Desperate to ensure his safety, Heat tries to contact Rook, who is supposed to be writing a profile about independent presidential candidate Legs Kline, a sudden favorite for the White House. Except Rook is suddenly nowhere to be found.But as if that one deeply personal case is not enough to plunge Nikki Heat's world into turmoil, there suddenly comes another. It begins when she catches a glimpse of a street person who she swears is her mother-a woman who has been dead for nearly twenty years.

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Book SynopsisIn the dazzling new thriller from the master of dark suspense, the hand of fate reaches out to touch an ordinary man with greatness. So long as he is ready. So long as he is, above all, afraid.Trade ReviewPraise for Dean Koontz: ‘Dean Koontz straddles the genres, and pretty successfully, too … this is a read-at-a-sitting novel – with a terrific final twist’ The Observer on Odd Thomas 'Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler' The Times ‘Psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying’ The New York Times

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Book SynopsisBeautiful, intelligent, fresh out of prison, Madeleine Ellershaw is Matt Helm's latest case. Madeleine may have been imprisoned as a spy, but Helm soon realizes that her story isn't so simple. He's got to figure out why she took the rap for her husband nine years ago, what secrets are hiding in her past, and, most difficult of all: keep her alive.

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Book SynopsisA prim young lady needs a favor: help her father beat a bum drug rap. But when Dad's boat detonates outside Miami Harbor, Matt discovers that young Amy isn't as innocent as she looks. Lured to the Bahamas, he will discover an unlikely pack of fanatics hatching an explosive plan, and that daddy's little girl is surprisingly deadly.

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Book SynopsisASK NOT WHO YOU CAN KILL FOR YOUR COUNTRY. Now retired and happily married, Quarry turns down a million-dollar contract to assassinate a presidential candidate. It's not the sort of assignment you can just walk away from without consequences, but coming after Quarry has consequences, too.Trade Review“Quarry’s Vote,” is Collins as his best, delivering a top notched thriller with a dark, twisted lacing of black satirical humor that weaves itself through his depiction of modern politicos from both sides of the aisles." - Pulp Fiction Reviews"Wonderfully well written...[Collins'] writing has been called 'classic pulp fiction,' but my own take on it is that it is as enjoyable as anything being written contemporaneously." - Gloria Feit

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Book SynopsisHercule Poirot returns in another brilliant murder mystery that can only be solved by the eponymous Belgian detective and his little grey cells'.What I intend to say to you will come as a shock . . .'Lady Athelinda Playford has planned a house party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork, but it is no ordinary gathering. As guests arrive, Lady Playford summons her lawyer to make an urgent change to her will one she intends to announce at dinner that night. She has decided to cut off her two children without a penny and leave her fortune to someone who has only weeks to live . . .Among Lady Playford's guests are two men she has never met the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited . . . until Poirot starts to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murderer to strike. But why does she seem so determined to provoke, in the presence of a possible killer?When the crime is committed in spite of Poirot's Trade Review‘Sparkling second outing for Hannah's reimagined Poirot. The setting (posh Irish country house), the characters (country lawyers, creepy male secretary, stroppy flapper, etc) and the period vocabulary are all spot on, but it's the utter fiendish unpredictability of the plot that makes Sophie the new Agatha’ Sunday Times ‘An ingenious solution to the mystery of Closed Casket represents another satisfying addition to the Agatha Christie canon’ Irish Times ‘Top-class entertainment’ Woman & Home ‘Closed Casket is deviously plotted, deeply satisfying and does the grande dame of crime proud’ Good Housekeeping ‘A brand new (and fiendishly puzzling) case for Hercule Poirot – seriously, what could be more blissful?’ Saga Magazine ‘This mystery is enormously compulsive – keep ‘em coming! 5 stars’ Heat ‘Christie’s boots as a crime writer are hard to fill, but Hannah achieves it quietly and intelligently with Poirot-sized steps once again in Closed Casket… The whole book will not only delight Agatha Christie devotees but anyone who loves a good, well written murder mystery’ Devon Life ‘A brand new (and fiendishly puzzling) case for Hercule Poirot – seriously, what could be more blissful? … Gorgeous’ SAGA ‘This cunningly executed Christie tribute taps into the current vogue for Golden Age crime with its vintage plot, numerous possible motives and neatly contained setting’ METRO 'a literary marriage made in heaven!’ THE TIMES ‘a novel fizzing with ideas and spikey dialogue’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘an absolute gem for murder mystery fans’ CLOSER

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Book SynopsisThe fourth novel in the bestselling Serpentwar series.The demon is no more . . .The enemy has been routed, yet peace still eludes the Kingdom. Midkemia lies in smouldering ruins following the Demon King's siege.And a new threat is arising from the ashes of war: the fearsome Fadawah, former Commanding General of the Army of the Emerald Queen. He has grasped the fallen reins of command and seeks to forge a personal empire out of the wreckage of the Western Realm.And so it falls to two young men Jimmy and Dash grandsons of the late Duke James, to gather the shards of the broken crown and resurrect the Kingdom to its former glory.Trade ReviewPraise for Raymond E. Feist: ‘Fantasy of epic scope, fast-moving action and vivid imagination’ Washington Post ‘A fine yarn . . . vivid . . . suspenseful . . . the action is non-stop’ Booklist ‘File under guilty pleasure’Guardian ‘Well-written and distinctly above average… intelligent… intriguing.’Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisSmall-town guy meets big-time evil A spine-tingling Odd Thomas novella.THERE'S ROOM AT THE INN, BUT YOU MIGHT NOT GET OUTOdd Thomas and Annamaria need a break from the road. Nestled on a lonely stretch along the Pacific Coast, the warm lights of Harmony Corner welcome them in. The quaint roadside outpost offers everything a weary traveller desires a cosy diner, a handy service station, a cluster of motel rooms and the Harmony family homestead presiding over it all.But Odd has a bad feeling about this place. There's more to the secluded haven than meets the eye and between life and death there is something more frightening than either. Odd has faced evil many times and he will face it again before the night is overTrade ReviewPraise for the Odd Thomas series: ‘One of his finest books, and Odd himself is a superb character’ Independent ‘Odd Thomas is a page-turner … A read-at-a-sitting novel with a terrific final twist’ Observer ‘Humour, humanity and horror, the classic Koontz concoction’ The Times ‘The nice young fry cook with the occult powers is Koontz’s most likable creation.’ The New York Times Praise for Dean Koontz: ‘Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler’ The Times ‘A terrific pursuit story … clever, up-to-the-minute, and riveting’ Guardian ‘There’s surprise after surprise, including a killer finale … a read-in-one-go novel’ Independent on Sunday ‘Psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying’ The New York Times

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Book SynopsisA young drifter finds more than he bargained for when he agrees to deliver a parcel to an English country houseLittle did Anthony Cade suspect that a simple errand on behalf of a friend would make him the centrepiece of a murderous international conspiracy. Someone would stop at nothing to prevent the monarchy being restored in faraway Herzoslovakia.The combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than go in circles until the final murder at Chimneys, the great country estate that yields up an amazing secretTrade Review‘One of the best of Agatha Christie’s early thrillers.’ Charles Osborne ‘A thick fog of mystery, cross purposes, and romance, which leads up to a most unexpected and highly satisfactory ending.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Here’s another capital detective story by Miss Christie, which will keep the reader guessing until the very end, not only as to the identity of the arch villain – the murderer – but also that of the hero, Anthony Cade.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisAgatha Christie's ingenious murder mystery thriller, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.Luke Fitzwilliam could not believe Miss Pinkerton's wild allegation that a multiple murderer was at work in the quiet English village of Wychwood or her speculation that the local doctor was next in line.But within hours, Miss Pinkerton had been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Mere coincidence? Luke was inclined to think so until he read in The Times of the unexpected demise of Dr HumblebyTrade Review‘Suspense, mystery, romance and an agreeable touch of the macabre.’Guardian ‘Contains some clever plotting and enough casting of suspicion to keep you guessing like mad.'Books 'One of Agatha Christie's best mystery novels, a story fascinating in its plot, clever and lively in its characters and brilliant in its technique.'New York Times

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Book SynopsisWhen a mint copy of the final album by Valerian England's great lost rock band of the 1960s surfaces in a charity shop, all hell breaks loose. Finding this record triggers a chain of events culminating in our hero learning the true fate of the singer Valerian, who died under equivocal circumstances just after - or was it just before? - the abduction of her two-year-old son.Trade Review"Like an old 45rpm record, this book crackles with brilliance." David Quantick. "This tale of crime, cats and rock & roll unfolds with an authentic sense of the music scene then and now and a mystery that will keep you guessing." Stephen Gallagher

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Book SynopsisMike Hammer's secretary and partner Velda has walked out on him, and Mike is just surfacing from a four-month bender. But then an old cop turns up murdered, an old cop who once worked with Velda. What's more, Mike's pal Captain Pat Chambers reveals that Velda is in Florida, the moll of gangster and drug runner Nolly Quinn. Hammer hits the road and drives to Miami, where he enlists the help of a horse-faced newspaperman and a local police detective. But can they find Velda in time? And what is the connection between the murdered vice cop in Manhattan, and Mike's ex turning gun moll in Florida?

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Book Synopsis"That cold-blooded human spider spinning his lousy webs of intrigue...”Matt Helm is on vacation in Mexico with nothing on his mind except fishing, when some joker tries to shoot him in the back. Naturally it was no accident. When secret agents get shot at, it never is. So Helm has to go back to work. At least there’s a bonus in the form of his boss’s beautiful daughter, a playmate in peril.

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Book SynopsisGore Vidal was one of America's greatest and most controversial writers. The author of twenty-three novels, five plays, three memoirs, numerous screenplays and short stories, and well over two hundred essays, he received the National Book Award in 1993.In 1953, Vidal had already begun writing the works that would launch him to the top ranks of American authors and intellectuals. But in the wake of criticism for the scandalous content of his third novel, The City and the Pillar, Vidal turned to writing crime fiction under pseudonyms: three books as "Edgar Box" and one as "Cameron Kay." The Edgar Box novels were subsequently republished under his real name. The Cameron Kay never was.Lost for more than 60 years and overflowing with political and sexual intrigue, Thieves Fall Out provides a delicious glimpse into the mind of Gore Vidal in his formative years. By turns mischievous and deadly serious, Vidal tells the story of a man caught up in events bigger than he is, a down-on-his-luck American hired to smuggle an ancient relic out of Cairo at a time when revolution is brewing and heads are about to roll.One part Casablanca and one part torn-from-the-headlines tabloid reportage, this novel also offers a startling glimpse of Egypt in turmoil - written over half a century ago, but as current as the news streaming from the streets of Cairo today.Trade Review"A hell of a lot of fun." -LitReactor "Pour yourself a pina colada and pretend you are baking in the Cairene sun." - Flavorwire "THIEVES FALL OUT is a gourmet tale with fast-food accessibility. It s so tasty I want to go see what else Vidal has on the shelf." - Noir Journal "Thieves Fall Out is an engaging and intriguing novel that most authors would be happy to have in their catalog of works." - Borg "It s the kind of curiosity that Hard Case Crime excels at producing: a peek into the formative years of a gifted and influential writer." -October Country"

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Book SynopsisTwo identical twin sisters - one a sexually repressed defense attorney, the other a former libertine now living a respectable life in suburbia - are about to have their darkest secrets revealed, to the men in their lives and to themselves. As one sister prepares for the thorniest trial of her career and the other fends off ominous advances from a construction worker laboring on the house next door, both find themselves pushed to the edge, and confronted by discoveries about themselves and their lovers that shock and disturb them.

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Book SynopsisJack Ryan risks all in the Soviet Union as the superpowers clash over Star Wars in Tom Clancy's acclaimed fourth international No 1 bestseller now reissued with a new cover.The superpower arms negotiations appear to be making progress. But a US spy satellite reveals that the Soviets are building a massive laser-defence system controlled from an other-worldly array of pillars and domes in the Soviet hills at Dushanbe near the border of war-torn Afghanistan.The Americans need more information. The man to give it is Colonel Mikhail Filitov of the Soviet Union, codename Cardinal, America's highest-placed agent in the Kremlin. But Filitov's cover is about to be betrayed to the KGB, and CIA adviser Jack Ryan must rescue Filitov and bring him to safetyTrade ReviewFrom the reviews of The Cardinal of the Kremlin: ‘The best of the Jack Ryan series!’New York Times ‘The USSR scenes are as good as anything in Gorky Park. Tom Clancy has written a great spy novel.’Bob Woodward, Washington Post

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Book SynopsisAn enthralling prequel to his bestselling Roma Sub Rosa series of mysteries set in the Ancient World, Steven Saylor takes readers back to the younger days of Gordianus the Finder. The year is 92BC and Gordianus has just turned eighteen and is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a far-flung journey to see the Seven Wonders of the World.Gordianus is not yet called 'The Finder' - that title belongs to his father, who we meet in these pages. But at each of the Seven Wonders, the wide-eyed Roman encounters a mystery to challenge his powers of deduction. Here is a portrait of a master sleuth in the making, the earliest exploits of the man who will become the most sought-after investigator in Rome. Accompanying Gordianus on this travels is his tutor, Antipater of Sidon, the world's most celebrated poet. Together, teacher and pupil journey to the fabled cities of Greece and Asia Minor, and then on to Babylon and Egypt. They attend the Olympic Games, take part in exotic festivals, and marvel at the most spectacular constructions ever devised by mankind.Praise for Steven Saylor:'Saylor expertly weaves the true history of Rome with the lives and loves of its fictional citizens.' Daily Express'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthrals' Ruth Rendell'With the scalpel-like deftness of a Hollywood director, Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history.' Times Literary Supplement'Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched... this is entertainment of the first order.' Washington Post

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Book SynopsisA complex thriller of ancient and modern betrayal from the author of The English Assassin.

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Book SynopsisA heart-stopping thriller perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Sharon Bolton and Alex Marwood. Twenty-five years ago in the woods by the Hoh River near Seattle, three boys were kidnapped. One never came home. Last night, a family of four was found brutally murdered, the words 'thirteen days' carved near their lifeless bodies. Homicide Detective Alice Madison - a one-time child runaway with a murky past - now spends her life hunting down the very worst humanity has to offer. Madison has a hunch that the two murders are linked . . . and she has thirteen days to prove it. To stop a psychopath, Madison returns to the woods to confront the unsolved mystery of the Hoh River Boys. She must forget her training and follow her instincts to the terrifying end as enemies become allies and, in the silent forest, time is running out to save another life.Discover more Detective Alice Madison with the next instalments of the gripping series - The Dark and Blood and Bone. Trade ReviewThe Gift of Darkness is not just a stunning debut it's a stunning book, full stop . . . read it - immediately. * Simon Toyne *

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Book SynopsisGamble is the latest Dick Francis novel and the first solo novel by Felix Francis.Nick Foxton once won the Grand National, but a terrible accident cut his racing career short. Years later, he is returning to Aintree - as a spectator - when he once more finds himself the centre of attention.Minutes before the big race, Nick''s colleague, financial adviser Herb Kovak, is shot dead and the gunman vanishes into the crowd. The police want answers but Nick can''t explain why anyone would want Herb dead.Yet when he finds a threatening message crumpled in Herb''s coat, Nick begins questioning all he knows about his friend. And on learning that he is the benefactor of Herb''s will, Nick is certain that something is not right.A fact confirmed when Nick discovers he''s next in the killer''s firing line.From Felix Francis, the bestselling co-author (with Dick Francis) of Dead Heat and Even Money comes Gamble, the latest Trade ReviewThe Francis flair is clear for all to see * Daily Mail *The novel confirms Francis's seat at the head of crime fiction * Racing Post *From winning post to top of the bestseller list, time after time * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisDaniel Silva is the bestselling author of The Unlikely Spy, The Mark of the Assassin, The Marching Season, The Kill Artist, The English Assassin, The Confessor, A Death in Vienna, Price of Fire, The Messenger, The Secret Servant,Moscow Rules and The Defector. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, NBC News Today correspondent Jamie Gangel, and their two children, Lily and Nicholas.Trade Review'In true Bauer fashion, shootouts, kidnappings and international terror plots follow him wherever he goes' USA Today 'It is an exciting, entertaining novel with a terrifying message' - Literary Review on, Secret Servant 'Nerve-searing and painfully brilliant' - Patricia Cornwell on, Death in Vienna 'Ranks among the best of the younger American spy novelists' Washington Post 'Shootouts, kidnappings and international terror plots follow Gabriel Allon wherever he goes' USA Today

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Book SynopsisRebellion in the city, and a Royalist spy in his own ranks - Damian Seeker, Captain of Oliver Cromwell's guard, must eradicate both in this twisty, action-packed historical thriller for fans of CJ Sansom, Rory Clements and The Three Musketeers. 'MacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city' Sunday TimesLondon, 1655, and Cromwell's regime is under threat from all sides. Damian Seeker, Captain of Cromwell's Guard, is all too aware of the danger facing Cromwell. Parliament resents his control of the Army while the Army resents his absolute power. In the east end of London, a group of religious fanatics plots rebellion. In the midst of all this, a stonemason uncovers a perfectly preserved body dressed in the robes of a Dominican friar, bricked up in a wall in the crumbling Black Friars. Ill-informed rumours and speculation abound, but Seeker instantly recognises the dead man. What he must discover is why he met such a hideous end, and what his connection was to the children who have started to disappear from around the city. Unravelling these mysteries is challenging enough, and made still harder by the activities of dissenters at home, Royalist plotters abroad and individuals who are not what they seem...Trade ReviewMacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city * Sunday Times *Excellent at conveying the insecurities and unsettling memories that bedevil Cromwell's dying Protectorate, the author brings a fresh perspective and gold-plated research to a period which has been unfairly eclipsed by the popularity of the Tudors * Daily Mail *MacLean's light touch portrait of a hard man with a softer core is what makes these books so memorable * The Times *Damian Seeker [is] one of the most appealing heroes I've come across in quite some time . . . [the Commonwealth] is paid full service by S. G. MacLean, a fine writer with a terrific grasp of history and character * For Winter Nights *Damian Seeker really comes into his own in this novel . . . the plot navigates the waters of history with masterful effect -- Waterstones booksellerBrilliantly woven into a thrilling plot . . . MacLean's characters are subtle and convincing . . . could challenge C.J. Sansom for dominion of historical crime * Sunday Times on The Seeker *The best historical crime novel of the year * Sunday Express on The Seeker *MacLean achieves the balance of immersing her readers in a time and place without ever making them feel battered over the head by research, while the central mystery is satisfying and plausibly plotted * Highland News on The Seeker *A first class, compelling debut for MacLean's new hero * Crime Review on The Seeker *

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Book Synopsis''Not Le Carré, not Deighton, not Ludlum have surpassed the intelligence, authenticity or engrossing storytelling that established The Mask of Dimitrios as the best of its kind'' The TimesEnglish crime novelist Charles Latimer is travelling in Istanbul when he makes the acquaintance of Turkish police inspector Colonel Haki. It is from him that he first hears of the mysterious Dimitrios - an infamous master criminal, long wanted by the law, whose body has just been fished out of the Bosphorus. Fascinated by the story, Latimer decides to retrace Dimitrios'' steps across Europe to gather material for a new book. But, as he gradually discovers more about his subject''s shadowy history, fascination tips over into obsession. And, in entering Dimitrios'' criminal underworld, Latimer realizes that his own life may be on the line.''A gripping thriller ... still fresh as new'' GuardianTrade ReviewNot Le Carré, not Deighton, not Ludlum have surpassed the intelligence, authenticity or engrossing storytelling that established The Mask of Dimitrios as the best of its kind. * The Times *A gripping thriller ... still fresh as new. * Guardian *A startling, elegant masterpiece of espionage fiction. * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisIt is 1914 and Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson are back in Egypt for another season of archaeological excavation. But this year a new menace hangs over the dig: rumblings of war abound in Europe while over in the East, Turkish and German forces are massing for an attack on the Suez Canal. There are problems closer to home too: their son Rameses, passionately opposed to the war, is collecting white feathers and challenges from the British community of Cairo, their beautiful ward Nefret seems to have become involved with Amelia's detested nephew Percy, while David, the young Egyptian married to their niece Lia, has been interned because of his nationalist sympathies. Even Amelia finds it difficult to concentrate on pyramids when her children are in trouble and Cairo teems with enemy agents, including her old nemesis. Can Amelia unmask the Master Criminal and prevent a bloody uprising in Cairo, rescue Nefret from the attentions of her nephew, defend her son against unknown enemies and prevent Emerson from dashing off to fight in the looming war? If anyone can it's Amelia - but this time she is going to need all the help that she can get; and some of it from a completely unexpected source.Trade ReviewI can't wait for the next Peabody story... I really do think Elizabeth Peters' books are great entertainment. -- Angela Rippon A writer so popular that the public library has to keep her books under lock and key. Washington Post Book World Think Miss Marple with early feminist gloss crossed with Indiana Jones... accomplished entertainment. Guardian

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.Can a man be all bad? When Harry Flashman's adventures as the reluctant secret agent in Afghanistan lead him to join the exclusive company of Lord Cardigan's Hussars and play a part in the disastrous Retreat from Kabul, it culminates in the rascal's finest and most dishonest turn.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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