Historical crime and mysteries

Book SynopsisLucy is on assignment. A wild, reclusive writer awaits her. She wants his life story. He wants her everything. A whirlwind romance takes them to the highs and lows of Deia. But beneath them lie the bodies of a generation and as Lucy unearths the darkness, her own skeletons begin to rattle the closet. Is she doomed to repeat the patterns of her childhood abuse? Can narcissists change their ways? And what is that tapping on Villa Rosa's pipes? AUTHOR: The pandemic has restricted Sarah Walton to the Sussex Downs of late, but she is restless for encounters around the world. A digital pioneer in California, she remains a leading figure in digital innovation and corporate storytelling. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and lectures on Hull University's Online MA Creative Writing. Sarah also teaches her Soul Writing method, that combines meditation, free-writing and creative writing skills. This is her third novel. SELLING POINTS: . A powerful summer read Daphne du Maurier for the 21st century . A passionate journey takes the reader around Mallorca, and the fierce remains of recent Spanish history . A tale of a woman reclaiming herself from male abuseTrade Review"The Silk Pavilion by Sarah Walton is a literary thriller… about toxic relationships, about misogyny, and draws on the Spanish Civil War as a theme. This is a powerful, intense, incredibly frank and uncomfortably erotic portrait of a woman striving to find herself, an intelligent and strong woman who yet has weaknesses that make her vulnerable. The prose is beautiful even when the subject is dangerous." - Crime Time Radio (UK) "Sarah Walton’s latest novel is a surgically emotional study of the perils of deliberate and damaging forgetting for both an individual and a whole country. At its heart it examines the utter tyranny of abuse, the longevity of its implications and the struggles required to confront the pain. As such The Silk Pavilion is a Jungian exegesis that outgrows the thriller genre within which it at first seems to inhabit. Sarah is a supremely superior realist novelist." - Morning Star (UK)"Sarah Walton’s The Silk Pavilion weaves a compelling story around a young British woman and her controlling, narcissistic lover. Using fact, fiction and the historical remnants of the Spanish Civil War, she succeeds in bringing us, with honesty and empathy, this vividly told story. Reads like a thriller but also very much a novel of one woman’s journey of self-discovery and survival. Contemporary, relevant and highly readable." - Grace Nichols, PoetSome Blogger Reaction: "Mesmerizing storytelling… an absolute masterpiece and one I’ll savour over and over again." - @murderjowrote"I couldn't put this book down. Sarah Walton deserves tremendous credit.' - @labibliobecca"This story was an eye-opening, relevant one. I will not be forgetting this book in a long time." - @penfoldlayla"A strange yet intoxicating and addictive read." - @bookmarkonthewall"The Silk Pavilion is beautifully written and one of those stories that doesn’t leave you easily. I still think about it – and about Lucy’s courage. A spectacular read." - @jerasjamboreee"Miguel is one of the most hateful characters I’ve ever come across." - @bookwormblogss"The beautifully written sense of place has you understanding how this is part of the spell, the spell that keeps Lucy in danger’s reach." - @numberslady_reads"Disturbing, chilling and extremely gripping. This is one I highly recommend for the tbr." - @secretworldofabook

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA INTERNATIONAL DAGGER AWARD 2016'Undoubtedly the most powerful work of crime fiction I have read this year' Independent'Vivid and harrowing' Sunday Times'Police procedural, romance, thriller The Murderer in Ruins has a bit of everything and it's one hell of a read.' BücherHamburg, 1947A ruined city occupied by the British, who bombed it, experiencing the coldest winter in living memory. Food and supplies are rationed; refugees and the homeless are crammed into concrete bunkers and ramshackle huts; trade on the black market is rife. A killer is on the loose, and all attempts to find him or her have failed. Plagued with worry about his missing son, Frank Stave is a career policeman with a tragedy in his past that is driving his determination to find the killer. With frustration and anger mounting in an already tense city, Stave is under increasing pressure to find out why - in the wake of a wave of atrocity, the grim Nazi past and the bleak attempts by his German countrymen to recreate a country from the apocalypse - someone still has the stomach for murder. The first of a trilogy, The Murderer in Ruins vividly describes a poignant moment in British-German history, with a riveting plot that culminates in a shocking denouement.Translated from ther German by Peter MillarTrade ReviewUndoubtedly the most powerful work of crime fiction I have read this year * Independent *Vivid and harrowing * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisHow many decades does a man have to run to extricate himself from the consequences of a troubled past? A guerrilla act many years ago still has repercussions for Yu Erlong and his family, colleagues and rivals. From the death of a comrade 30 years ago, to family life and political rivalries, Yu Erlong strives to be fair and just, even when others have less honourable intentions, motivated by personalities and acts separated by many decades. The struggle of a grandfather and grandson to capture a prized red carp mirrors the battle of wits needed when encountering adversaries who reappear after many years. The memories of Luhua, the love he lost, the new life he makes for himself around Stone lake, his friends and his foes, are all beautifully choreographed in Spring in Winter. Spring in Winter, originally published in Chinese in 1981 when it won the prestigious 'Mao Dun Literature Prize', was one of the first novels in China to use the 'stream of consciousness technique' more often seen in Western literature. Author Li Guowen interweaves his enchanting tale against the dramatic backdrop of decades of struggle and fighting that prevailed in China from 1937 until after the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976.

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Book SynopsisFollowing heroic victories on the battlefield, a former soldier faces his greatest challenge from the enemy within. Yu Erlong, a veteran guerrilla captain of the Chinese Communist Party, returns to a remote place to confront his past. Stone lake was where he grew up in poverty on a fishing boat and then fought against the Kuomintang and the Japanese for control of his motherland. It was also the scene of the shooting of his beloved wife, Luhua. Thirty years after that cowardly murder, Erlong, with flowers in hand, is determined to find Luhua's remains and solve the mystery of who pulled the trigger. The second volume of Li Guowen's award-winning Spring in Winter explores a web of personal relationships against the backdrop of four decades of tumultuous political change in China, from the civil war in the 1930s to the end of the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s.

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Book SynopsisThe feisty, fiery Kopp sisters are back in another unforgettable romp by HWA-longlisted international bestseller Amy Stewart. When deputy sheriff Constance Kopp notices how many young women are being jailed over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility, and moral depravity, she smells a rat. But what can she do to fight the forces of sexism? And how will her principles fare when her own sister, Fleurette, starts misbehaving? Against the backdrop of the First World War, and drawn once again from the true story of the Kopp sisters, Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions is a spirited page-turner that will delight fans of historical fiction and light-hearted detective fiction alike.Trade Review“Perfect for book groups.” * Booklist *“Constance's ability to hold her own in male-dominated investigations and courtrooms, as well as her determination to present the facts, makes her a welcome ‘vision of an entirely different kind of woman’, hopefully with more tales to come. Lively and admirable female characters emboldened by their circumstances, impeccably realized and given new life by Stewart.” * Kirkus *“The cases here are based on the experiences of real women, a technique that Stewart has employed in previous volumes. Collectively, the story lines intersect to create an intriguing window into women's rights and the social mores that women challenged on the eve of World War I. VERDICT A lovely addition for series fans and aficionados of historical fiction.” * Library Journal *“Stewart’s third novel in her clever and original Kopp Sisters series continues the thorn adventures of Constance Kopp.” * Publishers Weekly *'As with its predecessors, the appealing central character hooks us in to a lively, absorbing story that happens to be (mostly) true.' * Sunday Herald *'[A] quirky crime-busting outing … An original, often funny, historical fiction series.' * Weekend Sport *‘[The] compelling continuing story of one of the great early characters of the women’s independence movement.’ -- John Cleal * Crime Review *‘Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions has strong storytelling, believable characters, often uncomfortable truths and the compelling continuing story of one of the great early characters of the women’s independence movement.’ * Crime Review *

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Book SynopsisGuardian Best Book of 2020 Irish Times Best Crime Fiction of 2020 Times Book of the Month Mail on Sunday Thriller of the Month The Spectator Crime Fiction of the Month Crime Time Book of the Year 2020 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Heron The first time I met Harold Challenor, he frisked me for weapons - I was ten years old. Bent is the explosive story of the rise and fall of SAS commando, and notorious Detective Sergeant, Harold 'Tanky' Challenor. During the Second World War, Challenor was parachuted behind enemy lines into Italy and France, performing remarkable feats of bravery. In the grimy underbelly of 1960s Soho, he was a ferocious and controversial presence, mediating between factions of club owners and racketeers, and cultivating informers. But just how far will he go to break the protection gang that has a grip on his manor? It can be a fine line that divides hero and villain. PRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS 'Brilliant' The Times 'Feverish energy' Guardian 'Wonderfully vivid' Mail on Sunday'Sophisticated, dizzying' GQ'Vivid and visceral' The Times'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric' Guardian'Original' Mail on Sunday'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter' Irish Times 'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose' The Spectator 'Vibrant, colourful, and complex' Irish Independent 'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans' NB Magazine 'Definitive confident and energetic' Crime Time 'Brilliant manic energy' Jake Arnott 'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining' Lucy Caldwell 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Herron 'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric' Susanna Jones 'Snappy, thoughtful, moving' John King 'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured' Stav Sherez 'Happy days!' Mark Timlin 'Utterly brilliant' Cathi Unsworth 'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this' Paul WilletsTrade ReviewBrilliant. Bent compellingly re-imagines a shocking true story of bravery and deception with all the manic energy and terrifying presence of its subject -- Jake Arnott, author of The Long Firm TrilogyA wildly stylish and hugely entertaining read, Bent brings the worlds of sixties Soho and Nazi-occupied Italy thrillingly to life. It's taut, evocative and laugh-out-loud funny and, like its anti-hero, Challenor, slick, pacy and just crooked enough to keep you guessing, right up until its gut-punch of an ending -- Lucy Caldwell, winner of the Dylan Thomas PrizeVivid, stylish, funny -- Mick HerronFrom the cool spine of Italy to the burning heart of London, Bent merges war and peace as it shows how our traumatised heroes helped shape Britain in the decades following the Second World War. While the Sixties swing, one man's need for order is undercut by a seething anger and some righteous violence. Written with love and respect, Bent is a snappy, thoughtful, moving novel -- John King, author of The Football FactoryBent makes me remember Fridays bunking off work early, slipping and sliding on mashed fruit and veg through a deserted old Covent Garden, down to Berwick Street market to buy a few ex-jukebox 45's for half a dollar each, then to the Nellie Dean for a couple of pints of Guinness, followed by a nap in Soho square gardens if the weather was clement. Shoot off home to change into something sharper, and back up for an all-nighter at the mingo, all pilled up and glassy eyed. We were far from innocent, but they seemed like innocent times. Not bent at all. Happy days! -- Mark Timlin, author of the Sharman novelsPerhaps the most notorious copper of the post-War era, Harold 'Tanky' Challenor has taken many literary guises, his contradictory, charismatic presence and catchphrase 'You're nicked, me old beauty' muscling its way into work by Joe Orton and Jake Arnott. But no one has delved so deeply into what turned a Wartime hero of the SAS into a peacetime detective whose attempts to 'clean up Soho' led to igimony and the epithet most readily applied to him Bent until Joe Thomas braved his way into Tanky's skull, effectively channeling Challenor in this vivid recreation of the events that forged and then destroyed his reputation. Utterly brilliant -- Cathi Unsworth, author of That Old Black Magic and Bad Penny BluesHad James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel about a corrupt 1960s Soho copper, they'd have written something like this. Bent has left its Size 12 boot-prints across my memory -- Paul Willetts, author of Members Only, filmed as The Look of Love

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Book SynopsisIn the early 1920's, immaculate gentleman, Jacques Doucet descends into the world of anarchist art, the occult and the dark turmoil of his past - involving the death of his beloved Madame R. A disastrous journey leads the couturier and patron of the arts to confront the celebrated bohemians of the city, including Max Jacob, Andre Breton and Picasso. When troubled Doucet acquires the world's most dangerous painting, it causes him to hack at the root of Picasso's darkest secrets, unveiling modern art's incredible genesis.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive edition of Minette Walters' thrilling tale of courage and defiance during the time of the Black Death, featuring The Last Hours and The Turn of Midnight.England, 1348: A deadly plague is spreading across the land, and people are dying by the thousands. In Dorset, young Lady Anne takes control of her lands with her trusted steward, Thaddeus Thurkell, at her side. Compassionate and resourceful, she decides to quarantine the estate, bringing some two hundred serfs inside the moated walls. But in such a confined space, conflicts soon arise...As time passes, the people of Develish have no way of knowing who, if anyone, has survived. And with dwindling stores, they soon have no choice but to leave their relative safety. But what awaits Lady Anne and her people in the desolate wasteland beyond the walls?'Wonderful and sweeping' Kate Mosse'Enthralling' Julian Fellowes'Vividly wrought and powerful' Elizabeth FremantleTrade ReviewWonderful and sweeping, with a fabulous sense of place and history. * Kate Mosse on The Last Hours *An enthralling account of a calamitous time, and above all a wonderful testimony to the strength of the human spirit. I was caught from the first page. * Julian Fellowes on The Last Hours *Atmosphere, imagination and narrative power of which few other writers are capable. * The Times on The Turn of Midnight *A vividly-wrought and powerful story... Minette Walters has brought her impressive skill as a writer of psychological crime to create a dark and gripping depiction of Medieval England in the jaws of the Black Death. * Elizabeth Fremantle on The Last Hours *Stunning * Daily Express on The Turn of Midnight *A must-read... eloquent, absorbing, absolutely fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. * LoveReading on The Turn of Midnight *

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Book SynopsisWhen Rona and Craig buy a large Victorian house up from Edinburgh’s Newhaven district – once teeming with fishing boats – they plan to renovate and set it up as a luxury care home. But something is not quite right: disturbing sounds can be heard when the sea mists swirl; their unpredictable neighbour makes it clear that the house was not always a happy family home. And their ‘characterful’ historic pile has a gloomy cellar harbouring relics from days gone by. Back in the 1890s, superstitious fishwives blame young Jessie for the deaths of their menfolk in a terrible storm, and she’s forced into the Newhaven Poorhouse. In those less enlightened times, life was often severe, cruel even, and Jessie is entirely at the mercy of a tyrant matron. But one inmate is not all she seems. Jessie begins to pick at the truth, uncovering the secrets and lies that pervade the poorhouse – and which will have profound and dangerous consequences in the future.Trade Review“A mystery with many twists and turns, thoroughly enjoyable with beautiful characters that capture you and draw you in to read just a bit more!”“Lawrence has produced a well woven story, the historic passages suitably Gothic in feel, the more contemporary passages tense, with an unpredictability of plot that sustains interest and keeps us on our toes.”“An emotional and intriguing story … has everything from a fascinating history, twists to do with families, also unnerving parts to keep you engrossed and guessing!”“So atmospheric and creates such a brilliant sense of place that you can easily imagine yourself there with all the accompanying sights, smells and sounds.”“An interesting read and a poignant one.”“An absorbing read that you don’t want to put down … I had that sad feeling when I finished the last page that it was all over.”“Gripping … A great tale which is both eerie and moving in equal measures … Manages to incorporate the historical with the psychological and weaves a fascinating tale around haunting secrets and painful truths.”“An eerie thriller … perfectly creepy and atmospheric … will help cement Lawrence as a skilled creator of historical mysteries.” -- Matthew Keeley * The Wee Review *“Plenty of intrigue, there is much to enjoy here … tension … smart twists … particularly strong descriptions of food and scents … her cast of characters, most of them women, are all distinct individuals.” -- Louise Fairbairn * Scotland on Sunday *“Fascinating… Lawrence’s skill of storytelling allows for the tension to really build throughout.”“A true highlight of my reading year … It is really beautiful … Sue Lawrence has created such memorable characters and brought to life both time periods with great accuracy and incredible writing.”“Exciting … With secret tunnels, hidden treasures, plenty of mystery, drama and danger.”“Excellent… Intriguing… Full of fear and danger. This page-turning historical novel holds many twists and turns.”“Combines mystery, human interest and a beautifully crafted sense of place … a great read.”“A haunting, moving story.” -- Kirsty Wark"Fast-paced and full of fear and intrigue… Creates a sense of unease in the reader that persists right through to the book's satisfying conclusion."

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Book SynopsisA delicious Victorian crime novel based on a real murder and marking the author's breakthrough into literary historical fiction.

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Book SynopsisA delicious Victorian crime novel based on a real murder and marking the author's breakthrough into literary historical fiction.

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Book SynopsisThe Baker Street Classics Sherlock Holmes collection is a retro-inspired full set of Conan Doyle’s wonderful tales of the inimitable “consulting detective” at work. Featuring original illustrations from editions of the 1920s, this collection will adorn any booklover’s shelf and transport the reader back in time to Holmes’s bustling Victorian London; the misty moors of Dartmoor; the dizzying heights of Reichenbach; and the cozy living room of 221b Baker Street.Trade ReviewThere are few characters from the Victorian era that can possibly have the same resonance today than a certain Sherlock Holmes who, along with his able assistant Dr Watson, and an assorted cast of inept policemen and nefarious villains still regularly seeps into modern life and parlance. The concept of any amateur detective these days being ‘Sherlockian’, the famous deerstalker, violin, pipe and casual drug use, and oft-misquoted lines and ‘catchphrases’ are among the many legacies that show how much Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation will forever be ingrained in the psyche of the nation. And so it was with huge interest that I heard about a new collection of the complete works, released by Baker Street Press. No matter how many times I’ve read the canon, it still fascinates me to this day and demonstrates what a truly remarkable character Conan Doyle created, despite his somewhat hit and miss results outside of the Holmes stories. This collection of nine hardback books is just utterly beautiful to behold. There’s something special, perhaps even more so in this day and age, about holding a quality version of one of your favourite books and simply immersing yourself in it. And this new release delivers more than any that I’ve ever had my hands on. Each of the nine books features the original cover illustrations from the 1920s, which more than makes up for the fact that there are no illustrations inside. Each of the four standalone novels and five collections of short stories are here, acting as the perfect retro antidote to the most recent recreation of the stories, the really quite awful series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, for which I appreciate I’m in a large minority for taking a serious dislike to. The collection begins with A Study in Scarlet, which I have to say isn’t a favourite of mine, neither is The Sign of Four that followed, and for me it’s when the short stories kick in that I find Holmes at his mercurial best, and his frustrating worst, as Conan Doyle struggled to satisfy the insatiable demand at the time for the monster that he had created. Despite ‘killing off’ a character who had become the bane of his life, Conan Doyle thankfully brought Holmes back to life after his seeming demise at the Reichenbach Falls, and the stories have seldom been far from the public’s mind, especially through the films of Basil Rathbone and the peerless depiction by Jeremy Brett in the 1980s and 1990s. I really cannot recommend this new set highly enough to those with even a passing interest in the original stories, through to those who already have several copies of the Sherlock Holmes stories on their bookshelves. If you think you have the definitive version of the books, then think again, as Baker Street Press have outdone themselves with this release. -- https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/book-review/crime/sherlock-holmes-deluxe-classic-series/

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Book SynopsisSet in Edinburgh in 1690. The body of a wealthy merchant is discovered in his home in the city centre. Was his killing the result of a robbery gone wrong? The vicious mode of his death seems to suggest otherwise. Scotland is in upheaval as political and religious tensions boil, and there is mystery concealed behind the walls of Van Diemen's Land. MacKenzie and Scougall investigate.Trade ReviewPraise for the Series 'Watt conjures up a pungent atmosphere of darkness and period detail.' – Herald 'A whodunnit satisfyingly rich in unfamiliar period detail.' – Morning Star 'Paints the period vividly in a gripping read.' – Edinburgh Evening News

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Book SynopsisThe Providential Origins of Maximiliano Rubin is a story of quiet grief, loud ambition and pragmatic compromise, whose ending is likely to surprise! Inspired by real events, this literary historical fiction novel explores the clash of art, science and religion in 1886 Madrid and comes from one of our best new historical fiction storytellers. Abandoned by his lover, savaged by the critics and hounded by the taxman, Spain's foremost realist writer Benito Galdos perches perilously on the window ledge of his third-floor apartment. Half a mile away, renowned alienist Luis Simarro prepares his attempt to replicate a ground-breaking experimental laboratory technique. In another corner of the city, Father Cayetano, an insane assassin priest, prepares for a showdown with the bishop. In a society scarred by three civil wars in fifty years, and where children are born bearing grudges, any distraction which prolongs the fragile peace is welcome. As the country looks on, the trio of Benito, Luis and Cayetano are ineluctably drawn together to contest the source of madness and the existence of free-will. As their lives and ambitions collide, Benito and Luis come to learn that Cayetano is both more and less than he seems.Trade Review"A debut historical novel set in 19th-century Spain offers a trove of philosophical, social, and political clashes. ;On April, 18, 1886, Cayetano ... a defrocked priest, shot and killed the bishop of Madrid in front of hundreds of witnesses. The murderer and the crime are real, ... Will Cayetano live or die? Enter two protagonists, also (real) historical figures... Benito and Luis are former friends... Fortunes are ever shifting, mistrust abounds.. Luis a scientist... deftly portrayed. Benito a believer in free will ... becomes Battersby’s intuitive hero, holding humane values and puzzling things out... Battersby’s rich details ... transport readers to the turbulent era of his complex protagonists. ;This worthwhile read brings a little-known tragedy to vivid life." - KIRKUS REVIEWS

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Book Synopsis''Historical crime fiction at its most beguiling'' Financial Times''Not to be missed'' SJ BennettIn the hotly anticipated follow-up to The Tumbling Girl, Minnie and Albert take on a new crime-solving quest in the world of a Victorian music hall.The Variety Palace Music Hall is in trouble, due in no small part to a gruesome spate of murders that unfolded around it a few months previously. Between writing, managing the music hall and trying to dissuade her boss from installing a water tank in the building, Minnie Ward has her hands full. Her complicated relationship with detective Albert Easterbrook doesn’t even bear thinking about. But when a new string of murders tears through London, Minnie and Albert are thrown together once more. Strangely, the crimes seem to

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Book Synopsis'Splendid' Wall Street Journal'A wry, warm and proper rib-tickling slice of dirty Victorian gothic’ Julia Crouch 1876, Victorian London. Minnie Ward, a feisty scriptwriter for the Variety Palace Music Hall, is devastated when her best friend is found brutally murdered. She enlists the help of private detective Albert Easterbrook to help her find justice. Together they navigate London, from its high-class clubs to its murky underbelly. But as the bodies pile up, they must rely on one another if they’re going to track down the killer – and make it out alive . . .The first in a sharp, witty series of Victorian mystery novels, The Tumbling Girl is sure to delight fans of Sarah Waters, Elizabeth Macneal, and Miss Scarlet and the Duke.Trade Review'Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.' Wall Street Journal'Neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit' Sunday Times'This atmospheric debut historical mystery captures the world of music halls and the danger to women in Victorian London' Library Journal (Starred Review)'Walsh’s diligent research pays off in spades here, and her rich and nuanced portrayal of the period will leave readers feeling like they’re on the soggy streets of London. Imogen Robertson readers will be eager for a sequel to this un-put-downable mystery' Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)‘A sparkling novel and a complete delight to read. The characters and world are wild, vivid and enchanting. A wry, warm and proper rib-tickling slice of dirty Victorian gothic . . . I can’t wait to see what Minnie and Albert are up to next’ Julia Crouch, author of The Daughters'A brilliantly written page-turner. A bravura performance tumbling us into a compelling mystery in a vivid, richly imagined world. You can smell the greasepaint and hear the roar of the crowd on every page' Imogen Robertson, author of The Paris Winter‘Beautifully evocative, deftly plotted and with engaging characters, it was a page-turner from beginning to end’ Sheila O’Flanagan, author of What Eden Did Next ‘Brilliant . . . Beautifully written . . . keeps you guessing till the end’ A. J. West, author of The Spirit Engineer ‘An accomplished crime murder mystery, with an addictively gritty plot and truly remarkable cast of characters . . . deliciously dark and compelling’ Essie Fox, author of The Somnambulist‘Minnie Ward is a woman you want to follow through all the wicked twists and turns of Victorian London. Bridget writes wonderfully. It had me on the edge of my seat until the final page’ S. J. Bennett, author of Murder Most Royal‘Smart, funny and expertly plotted, The Tumbling Girl cartwheels off the page . . . A cracking start to a charismatic and distinctive series’ Emma Styles, author of No Country for Girls'I absolutely loved The Tumbling Girl. Bridget Walsh is a fresh and fabulous new voice in historical crime fiction' Elizabeth Chadwick, author of The King's Jewel'One of the most engaging double acts I've read in ages. Delightful, dark and depraved' Trevor Wood, author of You Can Run'A racy and thrilling ride that doesn't let up till the last sentence. Superbly done' Femi Kayode, author of Lightseekers'Walsh resurrects the culture and crimes of Victoriana without cliché or condescension, but with warmth, wit, remarkable texture and rare authority' Tom Benn, author of Oxblood'The Tumbling Girl is gripping, dark and thrilling and takes the reader on a rollercoaster journey from music hall to gentleman's club and back again; all in the company of two engaging protagonists' W. C. Ryan, author of A House of Ghosts

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Book SynopsisAnother whodunnit in the series of Lady Tremayne diaries. The year is 1654. When an anonymous young woman is found hanged from a tree, Lady Jane Tremayne believes she’s been murdered and is determined to investigate the crime. The trail she follows proves to be a perilous one, leading to her being kidnapped and taken abroad, where she expects to be sold as a slave to Corsairs. Avoiding this fate, she returns to England only to find that the man she has married in secret faces a charge of treason and that fresh dangers await not only her but also her best friend, Olivia Courtney. Saving Olivia and her husband becomes a race against time in this fast-paced and adventurous whodunnit.

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Book Synopsis1953, West Yorkshire: A woman, mute and blood-soaked, is found and taken to The Beaumont, a grim mental hospital with a dark past. Named Patient A, her connection to another woman's death is chilling. Counselor Jane Galloway, using unorthodox methods, risks everything to unearth the truth.

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Book SynopsisThe North Atlantic, 14 April 1912. Amid the chaos of the sinking Titanic, a young Eleanor Annenberg meets the eyes of a stranger and is immediately captivated. As the ship buckles around them, she follows him down into the hold and finds him leaning over an open sarcophagus, surrounded by mutilated bodies. She catches but a glimpse of what lies within before she's sucked into a maelstrom of freezing brine and half-devoured corpses. Elle is pulled out of the water, but the stranger - and the secrets she stumbled upon - are lost. Unintentionally, however, he leaves her a gift; one so compelling that Elle embarks on a journey that pulls her into a world of ancient evils, vicious hunters and human prey to find the man who saved her that fateful night. From trench warfare at Cape Helles in 1915 to a shipwreck in the tropical shallows off the Honduran coast, from a lost mine beneath the towering Externsteine in a Germany on the verge of war to the gothic crypts of Highgate Cemetery in London, Elle gets closer to a truth she has sought for most of her life. But at what cost? Gifts, after all, are seldom free.Trade Review‘Soaked in ambience, paced like a wildfire, THE GIFT will have reader clamouring for the next in the trilogy. A rip-roaring old-fashioned-in-the-best way adventure, RA Williams has a knack for period dialogue and eye for the eerie supernatural.’ – GREGG HURWITZ, New York Times bestselling author of the ‘Orphan X’ series; ‘To conceive of a story almost deserving the term ‘epic’ is one thing… to artfully weave its multifarious strands together and do so with scintillating aplomb is another. Where innumerable contemporary authors have drowned in the tumultuous waters of Historical Fantasy, Williams not only remains gloriously buoyant, he seems to thrive amongst its literary eddies, swimming elegantly through his novel’s myriad complexities and myth-soaked depths. He has written an absolute cracker and dextrously laid the foundation for what I am sure will be a hugely popular trilogy.’ – PAUL SPALDING MULCOCK, Yorkshire Times; ‘A gripping and multilayered tale of blood-chilling horror and epic adventure across time and continents, of a woman’s bravery, determination and, above all, love.’ – LIZ FRASER, broadcaster and Amazon bestselling author of Coming Clean

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Book SynopsisAlice is building a new life with husband Henry Jerrard. But someone is playing a deadly game. How can Alice uncover the truth when every wrong turn means risking innocent lives? There are secrets in her new home. This is a game of high stakes she must not lose.A thrilling second historical mystery for the 17th century investigator

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Book SynopsisYehuda from Kerioth was the most able undercover agent that the Temple guard ever produced. After eighteen months of meticulous preparation infiltrating the entourage of a Galilean holy man and would-be king of Israel, Yeshua from Nazareth, he came to Jerusalem at Passover and pulled off his greatest coup. Two days later he was dead. What went wrong? Retired spymaster Solomon Eliades is called back from his vineyard to investigate the death of his protegee. But secrets from his own past – and the search for an inconveniently missing body – put him and his family in danger...

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Book SynopsisThe year is 1621: a time of paranoia following the English Reformation. In London’s Newgate prison, Elizabeth Sawyer, the mother of eleven children, lies shackled in her cell. Denounced as a witch by her woodland neighbours and condemned to death by the court, Elizabeth has one last chance to make her peace with this world. By way of confession, she tells the prison chaplain three stories about her life. Chaplain Goodcole at first responds with revulsion. Like the court he condemns Elizabeth as wicked and depraved but as her execution draws near, his opinion shifts. Does this ‘ignorant’ countrywoman know something that he doesn’t? Has she indeed made a wonderful discovery, or has he, as his colleagues suspect, fallen under the spell of a wily and malign witch? Based on a true story, this novel is rooted in the struggles of rural women 400 years ago. Exploring different types of power, it unravels the fear and superstitions surrounding any girl or woman who spoke her mind.

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Book SynopsisCan a love born in war survive the peace? A war-time romance, long-held secrets and a suspicious death disturb life in a quiet corner of rural America. And when the secrets are revealed, the pull of the past proves that belonging is more than just where one lives. When her American husband is found dead in a seemingly accidental drowning, Caroline writes home and asks her young cousin Elizabeth to join her. After Elizabeth arrives, Caroline is forced to reveal a secret she has held ever since she first met her husband in Devon during the war, nineteen years ago. Elizabeth’s arrival gives Caroline new hope. However, as suspicions grow around her husband’s death, Caroline realises she can never fully move on from her past. Torn between love and duty, she must make a terrible decision.

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Book SynopsisClare Grant grew up in Yorkshire. She has a BA in English Literature and French from Sussex University and an MA in Heritage Interpretation from Newcastle University. She is a journalist who has worked for local and national newspapers. Clare currently lives in Northumberland.Winterof Shadowsis her debut novel.

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Book SynopsisAnother intriguing whodunnit; the fourth in the Lady Jane Tremayne series. The year is 1657. Jane is living at the home of her closest friend, Olivia Courtney, whose brother, James, agrees to play host to a band of royalists who are conspiring to assassinate one of Cromwell’s Generals. What happens next involves a suspicious death and an act of treachery. After a daring escape this leads to Jane and Olivia’s exile in Bruges where they meet King Charles II. At the same time, Jane fears that an unidentified murderer is at large who poses a threat to Charles’s life.

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Book SynopsisA gripping and claustrophobic Icelandic historical thriller by debut author Samuel M. Sargeant.

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Book SynopsisLondon, 1891. Deliveries. Opium. Regret. The only three things twenty-one-year-old Gabriel Ashmore’s life consists of until four murder victims are found in the increasingly criminal city, all marked with the same black veins. Gabriel is connected to all four. He delivered Erebus to them, a new opium variant on the market, after being forced to provide for his family following the brutal death of his mother four years ago. Fearing his involuntary part in the murders, he becomes embroiled in an amateur investigation led by the wealthy aspiring detective Alexander Wakefield, supported by the Leader of the Opposition, Lord Benedict Granville. However, when they witness the fifth death, they realise nothing is as it seems in the city of veils and shadows. Truths become twisted, secrets are revealed and it soon becomes clear they are not dealing with a single killer, but the greatest criminal plot London has ever seen. 'A darkly enchanting and engrossing read – kept me hooked from start to finish.' James Brogden, critically acclaimed author of Bone Harvest

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Book SynopsisJune 1908: Cross-dressing Dolly Butler is starting a new career as a detective with her very own Soho agency. Her first case takes her into the brutal world of an East End plumage factory where it’s not just birds that are under threat. While Dolly is off sleuthing, her adored lover, Caroline, hides from her violent husband at Dolly’s home. However, when their embittered housemaid becomes aware of Dolly and Caroline’s ‘unnatural practices’, she becomes intent on destroying their happiness. Her scheming, and Dolly’s refusal to confront a friend’s suspicions about Caroline’s mysterious past, puts them all in grave danger. In a page-turning, darkly comic story of obsession, self-delusion and deception, can Dolly save the woman she loves, as well as face the grisly reality of her new line of business – and the truth about herself?

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Book Synopsis‘I can never make any sense of what happened to you, Ethel. There were people had it in for you and I don’t know why. I think you were a soft target for cruel men.’ Timid Ethel Slater grows up in a squalid terraced house in a railway community in 1950s York. Perpetually at the mercy of the men she encounters, she falls pregnant out of wedlock, retreats into obscurity and gives birth alone at home. When her newborn is found dead in her bedroom a few days later and fatal head injuries are discovered at the post-mortem, Ethel breaks and confesses to the killing. On trial for murder, Ethel is plunged into a legal world she does not understand. The voices of well-meaning neighbours who give evidence are twisted and distorted by their own secrets and fears. Ethel faces the death sentence for a brutal crime she may not have committed. The right questions are asked, but in this secretive and insular community, nobody can ever be sure of the right answers.

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Book SynopsisLondon, September 1888. Jack the Ripper roams the streets. A scream rings out from beneath the stage of the Lyceum Theatre… A young ‘actress’ has been attacked, suffering peculiar bite wounds to her neck; an event that announces a series of strange, vampiric happenings, and thrusts an unwitting Bram Stoker – acting manager of the Lyceum and aspiring author – into the limelight, and the action. Increasingly perplexed by the unsettling behaviour of his 'Guv’nor’, the brilliant but mercurial actor, Henry Irving, and Irving’s acclaimed leading lady, Ellen Terry, Stoker soon starts suspecting the worst. And then, another attack reveals a vicious Prussian baron, returned to London as a vampire seeking revenge… Alive with Gothic intrigue, reversal and surprise, Mr Stoker will keep the reader enthralled and confounded until its final, shocking scene – indeed, until its very last word.

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Book Synopsis"I had read enough mystery stories to know that girls who went out to meet strangers at night never came to a good end..." Stirling, 1877. Lillias Gilfillan, a recently orphaned girl of sixteen, falls in love and elopes with a man who sees her as wealthy and naive: 'a little boat without its oars'. In a sea of rising debt and deception, Lillias must learn quickly, or drown. Glasgow, 1894. Clementina knows little mercy living in a home for 'wayward girls'. With the 'Jingling Devil' always lurking in the shadows and a child growing inside her, can she outrun him and save her best friend in the process? Glasgow, 1919. Mabel is one of the first policewomen in Glasgow, on a mission to find a murderer. In doing so, she finds a web of corruption and now the 'Jingling Devil' wants her dead. 'The Unpicking' spans three generations of 'hysterical women' who take on systemic corruption and injustice, despite all odds.Trade Review"A stirring tribute to resilience, hope and self-belief" - Alastair Mabbott, The Herald.; "Phenomenally good. Donna Moore's third novel is deadly serious. The three characters are strong and brave, for the situations they find themselves in. They use all their energy on trying to make things better; staying alive; but the world isn't cooperating with them. But working together, women can do a lot." - Ann Giles; "With a wonderfully realised cast of characters and fine eye for detail, The Unpicking is grimy, exquisite and utterly compelling!" - Dr Zoe Strachan, University of Glasgow; "An utterly compelling story with three glorious women protagonists you're rooting for as soon as you meet them. I loved it." - Sarah Ward author of The Birthday Girl

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Book Synopsis'Vidich has firmly established himself in the very top flight of espionage writers, with a series of slow-burn character studies putting him in the line of le Carré.' - CrimeReadsA stunning new espionage novel by a master of the genre, Beirut Station follows a young female CIA officer whose mission to assassinate a high-level Hezbollah terrorist reveals a dark truth that puts her life at risk.Lebanon, 2006. The Israel–Hezbollah war is tearing Beirut apart and the country is on the brink of chaos.The CIA and Mossad are targeting a reclusive Hezbollah terrorist. They turn to young Lebanese-American CIA agent, Analise, who has the perfect plan. However, Analise begins to suspect that Mossad has a motive of its own.She alerts the agency but their response is for her to drop it. Analise is now the target and there is no one she can trust.A tightly-wound international thriller, Beirut Station is Paul Vidich's best novel to date.Trade Review'Taut, nuanced spy thriller. Fans of Eric Ambler, Graham Greene, and John le Carré will be eager for more.' -- Publishers Weekly'There is plenty of death to avenge in this tense, fast-moving novel.' -- Kirkus Reviews ***'Mr. Vidich has written his most emotionally involving and suspenseful book yet.' Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal'This well-plotted thriller deftly mixes spy craft with questions about identity and justice.' - The Christian Science Monitor'tense' and 'fast-moving' - Kirkus'Readers unfamiliar with his work will be dazzled by his vision.' - CrimeReads.'Vidich has firmly established himself in the very top flight of espionage writers, with a series of slow-burn character studies putting him in the line of le Carré.'THE BEST ESPIONAGE NOVELS OF 2023 * CrimeReads *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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