Historical crime and mysteries
Allison & Busby Inspector Colbecks Casebook
Book SynopsisAn eagerly awaited collection of brand new, specially commissioned short stories from the Master of historical crime fiction, featuring his quick witted Railway Detective, Inspector Colbeck.Trade ReviewTold with great colour and panache a wonderful sense of inhabiting the period. In Colbeck and Leeming, Marston has created a fine pair This is how history mysteries should be: fine storytelling, marvellous characters reminiscent of the great authors of the mid-Victorian period, and a sneaky mystery, too. 'In this specially commissioned collection of short stories featuring Edward Marston's hugely popular detective Robert Colbeck, the resourceful investigator faces a host of baffling conundrums' GOOD BOOK GUIDE 'Highly recommended' Antipodean Holmesian Society
£9.49
Bonnier Books Ltd The Mistress of Dara Island
Book SynopsisThe captivating new novel from the author of Those Hamilton Sisters and The Girls of Lake Evelyn for readers of Lucinda Riley. A tropical paradise is her birthright ... but will its dark secrets destroy her dreams? In the 1960s, a tropical island in the Coral Sea hides dark secrets behind its primordial beauty. Thalia - Tally - Ramsey has grown up barefoot, wild and free on the island purchased by her maternal grandfather. It is a paradise with two faces: an idyllic honeymoon resort for the rich and famous; and an untamed coastline with steeply rising peaks covered in impenetrable jungle. Tally has always known she will one day become the Mistress of Dara Island in her mother Nerissa's stead. A belief founded on her mother's promise. But as she matures, her determination and wilfulness bring her into conflict with her ruthless father, 'Bullshark' Richard Ramsey, a powerful figure feared by everyone, including his wife. Ultimately, Tally must face the heartbreaking realisation that
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Died in the Wool Final Curtain Swing Brother
Book SynopsisCommemorating 75 years since the Empress of Crime’s first book, the fifth volume in a set of omnibus editions presenting the complete run of 32 Inspector Alleyn mysteries.
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers The Witness for the Prosecution
Book SynopsisAgatha Christie's classic short story collection, including one of her most enduring and shocking thrillers, The Witness for the Prosecution.1920s London.A murder, brutal and bloodthirsty, has stained the plush carpets of a handsome London townhouse. The victim is the glamorous and enormously rich Emily French. All the evidence points to Leonard Vole, a young chancer to whom the heiress left her vast fortune and who ruthlessly took her life. At least, this is the story that Emily's dedicated housekeeper Janet Mackenzie stands by in court. Leonard however, is adamant that his partner, the enigmatic chorus girl Romaine, can prove his innocence.Trade Review“With the long terrible shadow of the Great War falling across the rackety, feral 1920s, The Witness for the Prosecution is a compelling story of deceit, desire, murder, money and morality, innocence and guilt, heartbreak and most painful and dangerous of all, love. At the centre of this dark and tangled net is the astonishing character of Romaine, a noir heroine for all our times.” Sarah Phelps
£9.49
Allison & Busby Feast for the Ravens
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£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Child of the Ruins
Book SynopsisAnna and Ingrid have survived World War II. Now they must live through the Berlin Airlift.
£8.99
Canongate Books Murder Most Treasonable
Book SynopsisSpies, secrets and suspicious circumstances: Friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan races against time to solve impossible crimes and uncover a traitor in this gripping historical mystery set in medieval London.London. March, 1382. Deep in the shadows, a clandestine organization known as the Secret Chancery operates under the sinister leadership of John of Gaunt''s Master of Secrets. When two clerks from this covert group meet their demise in suspicious circumstances, friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan is urgently summoned to unravel the truth behind their deaths.A puzzling question lies at the heart of the investigation: how did the killer manage to navigate a labyrinth of locked doors, leaving no trace behind? As Brother Athelstan delves deeper into the mystery, a terrifying threat also emerges: the possibility of treason. King Richard''s spies in France are also dying, almost as if someone''s discovered exactly who they are . . .Brother Athelstan
£13.29
Transworld Murder at Holly House
Book SynopsisDiscover the book everyone is talking about - this fun and festive mystery is perfect for fans of Murder on the Christmas Express, Murder Under the Mistletoe and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot's Christmas.''The feel-good factor is off the scale'' The TimesYour new festive fave' My WeeklyA crime Christmas stocking must!' Yorkshire LifeA village of secrets.Yorkshire, 1952. Christmas is fast approaching when a dead stranger is found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the snow-covered village of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer?A mystery that can't be solved.Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. But as is often the way for him, things don't go according to plan.A Christmas to remember.When the local doctor's husband is murdered, Grasby begins to realize that everyone in Elderby is hiding something.And if he can't uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price...Praise for Murder at Holly House''A quintessential slice of Yuletide murder mystery'' Sun''A fun book. Playful. One to make you smile'' Stuart MacBride, Sunday Times bestselling crime thriller author of The Dead of WinterIntricately plotted and laced with deliciously dark humour' The Sunday PostA complete joy of a historical Christmas crime novel' Miranda Dickinson, Sunday Times bestselling author of Fairytale of New YorkA hugely entertaining story with an authentic period feel' The Herald''Vintage crime from a true master of the genre!'' 5* Reader Review''Wonderful, imaginative and difficult to put down...a real festive treat!'' 5* Reader Review''An intriguing mystery peppered with some delightful touches of humour.'' 5* Reader Review''The plot was immersive and the pacing was superb. There are twists and turns, secrets and lies. All you really need for a romp in the snow!'' 5* Reader Review''Who doesn't love a Christmas murder mystery?'' 5* Reader ReviewWaterstones Thriller of the Month, November 2024Denzil Meyrick, Audible bestseller, November 2024
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton The Attenbury Emeralds
Book Synopsis''A delight.'' - Irish Times''A pitch-perfect Golden Age mystery . . . a gem of a period puzzle'' - Financial TimesThirty years ago, Lord Peter Wimsey encountered the Attenbury emeralds. The recovery of Lord Attenbury''s magnificent gem made headlines - and launched the shell-shocked young aristocrat on his career as a detective. Now it is 1951: a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Then the new Lord Attenbury - the grandson of Lord Peter''s first client - seeks his help again, this time to prove who owns the gigantic emerald that Wimsey last saw in 1921. It will be the most intricate and challenging mystery he has ever faced . . .Trade ReviewA pitch-perfect Golden Age mystery; not a pastiche but a gem of a period puzzle that belongs on the shelf beside the Wimsey originals. * Financial Times *A delight. The mystery is intriguing - and, more crucially, Paton Walsh perfectly captures Sayers's voice. * Irish Times *Jill Paton Walsh, assuming the mantle of Dorothy L. Sayers, convinces on all counts . . . Sayers would not have recognised that it wasn't her own work. * London Times *An absolute treat: civilised, intelligent and spellbinding * Daily Express *A great deal of fun * Times Literary Supplement *Sayers's fans won't be disappointed, and newcomers are in for a treat * Guardian *Walsh's writing meets the standards of excellence set by Sayers, using the mystery novel as a means to demonstrate that traits of endurance, honestly, and loyalty are always appealing. Wit matched with intelligence marks the soul not only of a good sleuth, but also of the very best mysteries. Watched over by the ghost of Dorothy L. Sayers, The Attenbury Emeralds has soul. * Huffington Post *Walsh does a seamless job of carrying on original author Dorothy L. Sayers' sparkling mix of prose and people (and this from a critic who usually hates this sort of thing). * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Walsh successfully recreates the tone and personalities of the originals and plausibly depicts the main characters later in life. Fans of literate period mysteries will clamour for more. * Publishers Weekly *We must admit - heretical as it may be - that we quite prefer the continuations to the originals. * Denver Post *Channelling the authority Sayers employed right up to her final book, Walsh shows that she has the full measure of the imperishable Lord Peter and the hyper-intelligent Harriet Vane * Express *A crime puzzle with deeper layers which makes for an entertaining and satisfying read * Historical Novels Review *
£9.49
Minotaur Books,US A Traitor in Whitehall
Book SynopsisFrom Julia Kelly, internationally bestselling author of The Last Dance of the Debutante, comes the first in the mysterious and immersive Evelyne Redfern series, A Traitor in Whitehall.Kelly spins an Agatha Christie-esque mystery . . . thoroughly delightful and well-researched.Susan Elia MacNeal1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as The Parisian Orphan as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father's old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms.However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister's aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, un
£14.24
Little, Brown & Company The House of Silk
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£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers Inc No Shred of Evidence
Book SynopsisIn this absorbing new entry in the acclaimed New York Times bestselling series, Scotland Yard’s Ian Rutledge is caught up in a twisted web of vengeance and murder.On the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder.Trade Review"It's that melancholy tone, the legacy of the trenches, that gives Todd's polite rural mystery such uncommon depth." -- Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review on NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE "Fans already mourning the end of "Downton Abbey" can easily get their English fix by following Rutledge and Hamish on their rounds." -- Wilmington Star News on NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE "Poirot was one name, Holmes was another, and Rutledge deserves to be in that classic pack of crime solvers." -- Suspense Magazine on NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE "NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE is the latest in Charles Todd's consistently rewarding historical mysteries about British Detective Inspector Ian Rutledge. Over the course of a dozen and a half books, Todd has brilliantly, gradually revealed the many sides of this complex, melancholy man." -- Seattle Times Book Review "The mother and son team, who write as Charles Todd, deftly capture the atmosphere of post World War I England in this complex mystery which will appeal to fans of British mysteries." -- Iron Mountain Daily News on NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE
£11.39
John Murray Press Maisie Dobbs
Book SynopsisA favorite mystery series of Hillary Clinton (as mentioned in What Happened, The New York Times Book Review, and New York Magazine)A New York Times Notable Book of the YearAgatha Award Winner for Best First NovelMacavity Award Winner for Best First NovelAlex Award WinnerFiercely independent Maisie Dobbs has recently set herself up as a private detective. Such a move may not seem especially startling. But this is 1929, and Maisie is exceptional in many ways.Having started as a maid to the London aristocracy, studied her way to Cambridge and served as a nurse in the Great War, Maisie has wisdom, experience and understanding beyond her years. Little does she realise the extent to which this strength of character is soon to be tested. For her first case forces her to uncover secrets long buried, and to confront ghosts from her own past . . .''In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift'' Alexander McCall SmithTrade ReviewSue Baker's 'Quarterly Highlights' * Publishing News *'In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift. Maisie Dobbs has not been created - she has been discovered. Such people are always there amongst us, waiting for somebody like Ms. Winspear to come along and reveal them. And what a revelation it is!' * Alexander McCall Smith *It's a long time since I've read a crime novel that begins as well as Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs ... well written ... [Jacqueline Winspear] is set fair for a very bright future as a crime novelist. * Simon Brett, Daily Mail *Feisty, working-class heroine Maisie is a deliberate throwback to the sleuthettes of old-fashioned crime writing and will appeal to all those fans who pine for uncomplicated characters and a strong demarcation between good and bad. The well-plotted story, its characters and the picture of London between the wars are decidedly romantic. American readers loved it; many Brits will, too. * The Guardian *Maisie Dobbs is a welcome and unusual addition to the crowded world of literary detectives ... A very readable whodunnit * Sainsbury's Magazine *Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is a welcome addition to the sleuthing scene. Simultaneously self-reliant and vulnerable, Maisie isn't a character I'll easily forget * Elizabeth George *Much more than just another detective story... thought-provoking * Newbooksmag *Readers sensing a story-within-a-story won't be disappointed. But first, they must prepare to be astonished at the sensitivity and wisdom with which Maisie resolves her first professional assignment * New York Times *A wry and immensely readable beginning to what promises to be a vivid new addition to crime fiction * Mail on Sunday *Even if detective stories aren't your thing, you'll love Maisie Dobbs * New Woman *The book is much more than a cosy mystery - it is also about women's growing emancipation and the profound changes to society after the First World War. * Mail on Sunday's You *
£9.49
Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd The Streets of Babylon A London Mystery
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£7.99
Random House USA Inc The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches
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£14.45
Random House USA Inc Perfume
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£11.13
Penguin Putnam Inc The Other Side of Silence 11 Bernie Gunther Novel
Book SynopsisWhen Bernie Gunther takes on a blackmail case and gets involved in the affairs of British spies, the former detective risks exposing his own dark past in this thrilling novel hailed by The New York Times Book Review as “one of Kerr’s best.” Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, 1956. Having gone into hiding in the French Riviera, Bernie Gunther is working as a concierge at the Grand-Hôtel under a false name. His days and nights consist of maneuvering drunks to their rooms, shooing away prostitutes in search of trade, and answering the mindless questions posed by the absurdly rich guests—needless to say, he’s miserable. Now, the man who was once a homicide detective and unwilling SS officer in Hitler’s Third Reich is simply the person you turn to for touring tips or if you need a bridge partner. As it just so happens, a rich and famous writer needs someone to fill the fourth seat in a regular game at
£14.40
Penguin Putnam Inc A Study in Scarlet Women
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£13.88
Random House USA Inc PERFUME
Book SynopsisThe year is 1738; the place, Paris. A baby is born under a fish-monger’s bloody table in a marketplace, and abandoned. Orphaned, passed over to the monks as a charity case, already there is something in the aura of the tiny infant that is unsettling. No one will look after him; he is somehow too demanding, and, even more disturbing, something is missing: as his wet nurse tries to explain, he doesn’t smell the way a baby should smell; indeed, he has no scent at all.Slowly, as we watch Jean-Baptiste Grenouille cling stubbornly to life, we begin to realize that a monster is growing before our eyes. With mounting unease, yet hypnotized, we see him explore his powers and their effect on the world around him. For this dark and sinister boy who has no smell himself possesses an absolute sense of smell, and with it he can read the world to discover the hidden truths that elude ordinary men. He can smell the very composition of objects, and their history, and where they have been, he has no need of the light, and darkness is not dark to him, because nothing can mask the odors of the universe. As he leaves childhood behind and comes to understand his terrible uniqueness, his obsession becomes the quest to identify, and then to isolate, the most perfect scent of all, the scent of life itself.At first, he hones his powers, learning the ancient arts of perfume-making until the exquisite fragrances he creates are the rage of Paris, and indeed Europe. Then, secure in his mastery of these means to an end, he withdraws into a strange and agonized solitude, waiting, dreaming, until the morning when he wakes, ready to embark on his monstrous quest: to find and extract from the most perfect living creatures—the most beautiful young virgins in the land— that ultimate perfume which alone can make him, too, fully human. As his trail leads him, at an ever-quickening pace, from his savage exile to the heart of the country and then back to Paris, we are caught up in a rising storm of terror and mortal sensual conquest until the frenzy of his final triumph explodes in all its horrifying consequences. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance and the haunting power of a grown-up fairy tale, Perfume is one of the most remarkable novels of the last fifty years.
£22.88
Penguin Putnam Inc A Curious Beginning
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries returns once more to Victorian England and introduces intrepid adventuress Veronica Speedwell.... London, 1887. After burying her spinster aunt, orphaned Veronica Speedwell is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as with fending off admirers, Veronica intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.But fate has other plans when Veronica thwarts her own attempted abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron, who offers her sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker, a reclusive and bad-tempered natural historian. But before the baron can reveal what he knows of the plot against her, he is found murdered—leaving Veronica and Stoker on the run from an elusive assailant as wary partners in search of the villainous truth.
£15.20
Atlantic Monthly Press Dont Forget Me Little Bessie
£18.99
Grove Atlantic Smoke and Embers
£18.99
Kensington Publishing Thus with a Kiss I Die
Book SynopsisThe delightfully irreverent eldest daughter of the not-so-ill-fated Romeo and Juliet returns to sleuth another day in fair Verona, in this hugely entertaining historical mystery series with a refreshingly bold premise.?Woe, for I am the bug that meets the windshield''s might,No longer the speeding glass, smooth, clean and bright . . .?You?re right. I, Rosie Montague of Verona, am lousy at iambic pentameter and Shakespeare speak, but you get the point: Sometimes you?re the windshield and sometimes you?re the bug. I, who for my whole life, have cruised along, unruffled by life?s trials, am suddenly smashed flat and speeding recklessly up the WhattheHellHappened Highway.Why? you ask . . .I?m 20-years-old and by my own design, never been wed, free as no married woman ever is. I?m beautiful, but without conceit, for Juliet, my legendary Mamma is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the earth. Just ask Romeo, my legendary Papà. (Rumors of their deaths were premature.) I was heartwhole until I fell (literally) in love with Lysander of the House of Beautiful. But our love was not to be, for I was thwarted by Escalus, the Prince of Verona . . . who had designs on me.I?m trapped.Then! I?m presented with a solution. Escalus?s father, Prince Escalus the Elder, appears to me. He tasks that I find his killer. Did I mention Elder is a ghost?Given that I only recently dispatched Verona?s first serial killer, I?m less than pleased. Yet Elder promises to unite me with my One True Love, so I gather clues. Meanwhile, revolution threatens, for beneath Verona society?s glittering surface lurk dark shadows?and an enemy eager to make me a tragic heroine in my ownright . . .
£20.80
Birlinn General To the Shades Descend
Book SynopsisGlasgow, 1931. After a devastating crime, Dr Jack Cuthbert finds himself working at the intersection between rising British fascism, anti-Semitism and the infamous Glasgow razor gangs. To solve the case, Cuthbert needs to rely on all the expertise he can gather from those around him. But who can he trust?
£9.49
Minotaur Books The Laws of Murder
Book SynopsisWith all the humanity, glamor, and mystery that readers have come to love, the next Charles Lenox Mystery, The Laws of Murder, is a shining confirmation of the enduring popularity of Charles Finch''s Victorian series.It''s 1876, and Charles Lenox, once London''s leading private investigator, has just given up his seat in Parliament after six years, primed to return to his first love, detection. With high hopes he and three colleagues start a new detective agency, the first of its kind. But as the months pass, and he is the only detective who cannot find work, Lenox begins to question whether he can still play the game as he once did.Then comes a chance to redeem himself, though at a terrible price: a friend, a member of Scotland Yard, is shot near Regent''s Park. As Lenox begins to parse the peculiar details of the death an unlaced boot, a days-old wound, an untraceable luggage ticket he realizes that the incident may lead him into grave personal d
£15.29
Legend Press Ltd The Cygnet Prince
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£9.49
Vinci Books Ltd. The Killing at Crowswood Castle
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£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Disorderly Knights The Lymond Chronicles Book
Book SynopsisBefore George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . PERFECT for fans of A Game of Thrones.''She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.'' The Times Literary SupplementThe Disorderly Knights is the third book in the series-----------------------------''The trouble about Mr Crawford is that he puts up with his enemies and plays merry hell with his friends''Summer, 1551, and Francis Crawford of Lymond is in Malta to assist the Knights of St John defend the island from an invading Turkish fleet. But under a weak leader there is dissension in the ranks of the Knights - and the chances of repelling invasion look slim.Here Lymond meets Knight Grand Cross Graham Reid Malett - known as Gabriel - a fellow Scot famed for hiTrade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction * New York Times *
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers The Savage Garden The Seeds of Sin Were Planted Long Ago
Book SynopsisThe No.1 bestselling novel and Richard & Judy Summer Read: a haunting tale of murder, love and lost innocence for fans of Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Jed RubenfeldTrade ReviewAcclaim for ‘The Savage Garden’: ‘An intriguing puzzle, elegantly written… a pleasure to read… the atmosphere of an Italian summer and of the mysterious garden are beautifully captured’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Mills writes beautifully; leading us gently and atmospherically through the Tuscan renaissance garden… an unusual, captivating novel that is a cut above the norm’ The Times ‘Unputdownable… hugely atmospheric’ Daily Mirror ‘Entertaining… Mills weaves together two murder mysteries in his elegantly contrived plot’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Mills has done his research… there are potent mysteries, a beautiful heroine and a charismatic old lady who knows a lot more than she’s saying, which is enough to keep the reader, like Adam, rearranging the puzzle pieces until they all slot into place’ London Lite ‘A fine sense of period and place, a well-managed narrative, crisp prose and fascinating information… Mills is one to watch’ Spectator ‘Mills juggles the mysteries of three periods, switching between centuries with a conjuror’s skill… the book is beautifully written, giving life to the figures in their Tuscan landscape’ Literary Review ‘A mesmerizing piece of writing… Mills is a skillful writer and combines all the disparate strands into a striking tapestry’ Independent ‘An intriguing historical thriller which confirms him as a first-class and unusual crime writer’ Daily Mail ‘A beautifully penned, high-brow crime thriller’ City AM 'To be savoured… Mills weaves together an intriguing mixture of love, loss and divided loyalties' Guardian ‘Very well-written with memorable characters’ Birmingham Post ‘A keen sense of loss and longing suffuses “The Savage Garden”… a romantic and gracefully executed literary puzzle. Mills creates an enchanting vision of wooded glades and grottoes, temples and reflecting pools… a tantalizing mystery’New York Times
£12.34
Canongate Books The Conspiracies of the Empire
Book SynopsisThe legendary Judge Dee Renjie returns, in this lyrical combination of mystery, history and ancient Chinese politics from the author of the renowned Inspector Chen mysteriesIn Tang dynasty China, Empress Wu - seductive, ambitious and vindictive - rules with an iron fist. Her premier minister, Judge Dee Renjie, is honored to be trusted by her. But when she orders him to carry out an urgent investigation into the disappearance of disgraced poet Luo Binwang, he can''t see why the matter is of such vital importance.Luo Binwang joined a doomed uprising against Her Majesty, and vanished after the final, bloody battle. Is he missing - or dead? Either way, now that the rebellion has been mercilessly quashed, what harm could a poor, elderly poet do?Traveling out of the great capital of Chang''an, accompanied by his loyal manservant Yang, Judge Dee launches a painstaking investigation, in the hopes of achieving what the empress'' secret police could not.
£19.79
HarperCollins Publishers The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie
Book SynopsisA comprehensive and authorised biographical companion to the works of Agatha Christie covering books, films, TV and plays revised and updated edition.Agatha Christie was the author of over 100 plays, short story collections and novels which have been translated into 103 languages; she is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Many have tried to copy her but none has succeeded. Attempts to capture her personality on paper, to discover her motivations or the reasons for her popularity, have usually failed. Charles Osborne, a lifelong student of Agatha Christie, has approached this most private of persons above all through her books, and the result is a fascinating companion to her life and work.This professional life' of Agatha Christie provides authoritative information on each book's provenance, on the work itself and on its contemporary critical reception set against the background of the major events in the author's life. Illustrated with many rare photographs, this comprehensivTrade Review‘Charles Osborne deserves a medal – his own writing slips down a treat, and I was surprised to find (this book) a pleasure’– Sunday Telegraph ‘A delightful bedside companion’– The Tablet
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd The Wrecker
Book SynopsisPrivate detective Isaac Bell returns in Clive Cussler''s The Wrecker.1907: train wrecks, fires, and explosions sabotage the Southern Pacific Railroad''s new express line . . .The desperate railroad hires the fabled Van Dorn Detective Agency, who send their best man, Isaac Bell. He quickly discovers that a saboteur calling himself the Wrecker is attacking the Southern Pacific with accomplices recruited from down-and-outs - who are killed afterward. The Wrecker strikes wherever he pleases, causing untold damage and loss of human life. Who is he? What does he want? Is he an anarchist? A revolutionary? A criminal mastermind?Whoever he is, whatever his motives, the Wrecker knows how to create havoc. And Bell is convinced he is building up to a grand act unlike anything he has committed before. If the Wrecker isn''t stopped in time, more than a railroad is at risk - the future of the entire country is on the line . . .Bestseller Clive
£11.39
Allison & Busby Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident
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£18.70
Little, Brown Book Group The Chelsea Strangler The Eleventh Thomas
Book SynopsisThe eleventh historical adventure from Susanna Gregory featuring 17th-century spy Thomas ChalonerIn the sapping summer heat of 1665 there is little celebration in London of the naval victory at the Battle of Lowestoft. The King, his retinue and anyone with sufficient means has fled the plague-ridden city, its half-deserted streets echoing to the sound of bells tolling the mounting number of deaths. Those who remain clutch doubtful potions to ward off the relentless disease and dart nervously past shuttered buildings, watchful for the thieves who risk their lives to plunder what has been left behind.At Chelsea, a rural backwater by the river, with fine mansions leased to minor members of the Court avoiding the capital, there are more immediate concerns: the government has commandeered the theological college to house Dutch prisoners of war and there are daily rumours that those sailors are on the brink of escaping. Moreover, a viciouTrade ReviewGregory's Restoration London is vividly portrayed, and I was immersed in it. Yet, while skilfully done, it never overwhelms her very real and relatable characters, whether they are fictional or real historical figures. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a standalone novel, and found it a pacy and engrossing historical mystery. And, as with the best mysteries, I didn't guess the end. A very fine read. * Historical Novel Society *
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group The Executioner of St Pauls
Book SynopsisIn another historical adventure from Susanna Gregory, Chaloner the spy investigates a murder in a plague-ravaged 17th century LondonThe plague raging through London in 1665 has emptied the city. The only people left are those too poor to flee, or those who selflessly struggle to control the contagion and safeguard the capital''s future.Amongst them, though, are those prepared to risk their health for money - those who sell dubious ''cures'' and hawk food at wildly inflated prices. Also amongst them are those who hold in their hands the future of the city''s most iconic building - St Paul''s Cathedral.The handsome edifice is crumbling from decades of neglect and indecision, giving the current custodians a stark choice - repair or demolish. Both sides have fanatical adherents who have been fighting each other since the Civil Wars. Large sums of money have disappeared, major players have mysteriously vanished, and then a unidentified skeleton is discovereTrade ReviewSusanna Gregory has an extraordinary ability to conjure up a strong sense of time and place * Choice *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Lancelot Legends of Camelot 4 Arthur the King
Book SynopsisA mighty warriorA faithful friendAn immortal loveAs Arthur forges a union in Britain, across the sea a royal son is denied his birthright. The Romans are gone and war is coming to Gaul.In an age of cruelty and barbarism, Lancelot - known as Clothar - has been raised to champion justice and righteousness, but as his boyhood world in Gaul disintegrates, he seeks sanctuary in a new home: Britain.There he finds Arthur Pendragon, newly crowned High King, who, dreams, like Clothar himself, of living in a better world. The friendship of these men, and the love they share for a woman, will grow into Britain''s most enduring legend.Discover the most authentic telling of the Arthurian legend ever written
£11.24
Headline Publishing Group Nightshade Hugh Corbett Mysteries Book 16
Book SynopsisJanuary 1304 and Hugh Corbett, devoted emissary of King Edward I, has been charged with yet another dangerous mission. Scrope, an unscrupulous manor lord, has reneged on his promise to hand over a priceless ornate cross he stole from the Templars during the Crusades. Furthermore, he has massacred as heretics fourteen members of a religious order, whose corpses now hang in the woods near Mistleham in Essex. The King, determined to restore order, sends Corbett to Mistleham in his stead. But as Corbett reaches the troubled village, it becomes obvious that the situation has worsened. A mysterious bowman has appeared, killing townspeople at random. Is one of the Brethren responsible, or have the Templars arrived to wreak revenge? Can Corbett restore Mistleham to peace, and return the treasure to the King, before further blood is shed?Trade ReviewPraise for Paul Doherty and his other novels: 'Resurrectionist magic * New York Times *The best of its kind since the death of Ellis Peters * Time Out *I really like these medieval whodunnits * Bookseller *Historically informative, excellently plotted and, as ever, superbly entertaining * CADS 20 *This rich tale ... seeps authenticity and is written with wonderfully efficient style. A gem of an historical thriller * Huddersfield Daily Examiner *The maestro of medieval mystery * Books Magazine *Doherty dazzles with his story-telling * Nottingham Evening Post *
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group Murders Immortal Mask Ancient Roman Mysteries
Book SynopsisSeptember 314 AD and once more death strikes the sprawling streets of Imperial Rome. When two prostitutes are found murdered - their bodies ripped open and their right eyes gouged out - it''s feared a notorious killer, the Nefandus, has returned. Rumoured to be an imperial officer, he once waged bloody murder amongst Rome''s prostitutes but vanished before his identity could be discovered. Has he reappeared, or is someone working in his guise? Desperate to retain order, the Empress Helena turns to her most trusted agent, Claudia. Helena commands her to discover the truth behind the Nefandus, before Rome descends further into chaos and confusion.Trade ReviewPraise for Paul Doherty and his other novels: 'Resurrectionist magic * New York Times *The best of its kind since the death of Ellis Peters * Time Out *I really like these medieval whodunnits * Bookseller *Historically informative, excellently plotted and, as ever, superbly entertaining * CADS 20 *This rich tale ... seeps authenticity and is written with wonderfully efficient style. A gem of an historical thriller * Huddersfield Daily Examiner *The maestro of medieval mystery * Books Magazine *Doherty dazzles with his story-telling * Nottingham Evening Post *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group A Christmas Beginning Christmas Novella 5 A
Book SynopsisThe fifth in Anne Perry''s series of charming Christmas novellas.For Superintendent Runcorn, Christmas has rarely looked so bleak. Believing that a change of scenery may help him finally forget Melisande Ewart, Runcorn heads for the beautiful, desolate Isle of Anglesey. Any hopes of Christmas passing quietly are dashed, however, when he discovers Melisande is also in Anglesey and, moreover, that she is engaged to another man. Then the local vicar''s sister is found murdered and Melisande''s brother is implicated in the crime. Determined to assist Melisande in her time of need, Runcorn resolves to find the killer. Is it possible in doing so, that he will also win the heart of his one true love?Trade ReviewPraise for Anne Perry's other Christmas novellas: 'This brief work has an almost Jamesian subtlety, and with its powerful message of responsibility and redemption - "We need both to forgive and to be forgiven" - it conveys a moral force in keeping with the season * Wall Street Journal *The tale is redolent with Victorian atmosphere, from the hypocritical snobbishness to the rigid social conventions of the time * Tangled Web *If you don't have a lump in your throat by the time you finish the final few pages, you shouldn't have had all that sherry * Yorkshire Evening Post *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Black City
Book SynopsisCRIMEA, 1914 When the Tzar''s head of security is assassinated, Erast Fandorin is called to investigate: the killer has been overheard mentioning a ''black city'' so Fandorin and his trusty companion, Masa, head to Baku, the burgeoning Russian capital of oil. But from the moment they arrive in the city - a hotbed of corruption and greed by the Caspian Sea - they realise someone is watching their every move, and they will stop at nothing to derail their investigation. Having suffered a brutal attack and with Masa''s life hanging by a thread, Fandorin is forced to rely on the help of an unexpected new ally, and he begins to suspect the plot might be part of something larger - and much more sinister. With war brewing in the Balkans and Europe''s empires struggling to contain the threat of revolution, Fandorin must try and solve his most difficult case yet - before time runs out.Trade ReviewThe Erast Fandorin detective novels are always meaty, packed with historical detail, old-fashioned in the best sense and intricately plotted. Readers can expect prime Akunin - ingenious, twisty, at times digressive, exotic - a challenge to which his translator, Andrew Bromfield, rises magnificently. * Daily Mail *One of the most distinctive characters in historical crime fiction... Twenty years after his debut, Fandorin remains a thoroughly engaging hero * Sunday Times *
£9.49
Random House Publishing Group The Drifters
Book SynopsisIn this triumphant bestseller, renowned novelist James A. Michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of disenchanted youth during the Vietnam era. Against exotic backdrops including Spain, Morocco, and Mozambique, he weaves together the heady dreams, shocking tribulations, and heartwarming bonds of six young runaways cast adrift in the world—as well as the hedonistic pursuit of drugs and pleasure that collapses all around them. With the sure touch of a master, Michener pulls us into the private world of these unforgettable characters, exposing their innermost desires with remarkable candor and infinite compassion. Praise for The Drifters “A blockbuster of a book . . . full of surprise, drama, and fascination.”—Philadelphia Bulletin “Rings with authentic detail and clearly descriptive sights and smells . . . The Drifters is to the generation gap w
£15.19
Counterpoint Savage Liberty: A Mystery of Revolutionary
Book Synopsis
£14.39
Hodder & Stoughton The Candlelight Murders
Book Synopsis''As good as Sherlock!!'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Just so entertaining to read!'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''What joy! What a mystery! What a tale!'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the attic, he saw by the light of guttering candles, stretched out on the floor before him, the body of a young man, his throat cut from ear to ear . . . London, 1889: Famous writer Oscar Wilde is the toast of London town. But when the body of a young man of his acquaintance is found in a dark attic room, surrounded by candles, he knows he can''t rest until the killer is behind bars. Appealing to fellow author Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the great Sherlock Holmes, the pair set out to solve the crime.But unravelling a real-life plot is very different to wTrade ReviewPraise for Gyles Brandreth and Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders * - *'Brandreth has poured his considerable familiarity with London into a witty fin de siecle entertainment, and the rattlingly elegant dialogue is peppered with witticisms uttered by Wilde well before he ever thought of putting them into his plays' * Sunday Times *One of the most intelligent, amusing and entertaining books of the year. If Oscar Wilde himself had been asked to write this book he could not have done it any better.' * Alexander McCall Smith *Genius . . . Wilde has sprung back to life in this thrilling and richly atmospheric new novel. . .The perfect topography for crime and mystery . . . magnificent . . . an unforgettable shocker about sex and vice, love and death * Sunday Express *Very funny * Independent on Sunday *Gyles Brandreth and Oscar Wilde seem made for one another . . . There is much here to enjoy . . . the complex and nicely structured plot zips along. * Daily Telegraph *This is to be a series and if they're all as enjoyable as the first, they'll all be surefire best-sellers . . . The plot races along like a carriage pulled by thoroughbreds . . . So enjoyably plausible * The Scotsman *Both a romp through fin-de-siècle London . . . and a carefully researched portrait of Oscar Wilde . . . Very entertaining * Literary Review *Brandreth has the Wildean lingo down pat and the narrative is dusted with piquant social observations. A sparkling treat for fans of Wilde and Sherlock Holmes alike * Easy Living *Wilde as detective is thoroughly convincing. . . . The period, and the two or three worlds in which Wilde himself moved, are richly evoked . . . Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders is an excellent detective story. I'm keenly looking forward to the rest of the series * The District Messenger, Journal of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London *Brandreth knows his Wilde . . . Candlelight Murders is an excellent read, and it seems the scene may be set for others in the same style -- and with the same lead character * Gay Times *This is not only a good piece of detective fiction in its own right, it is highly entertaining, spiced as it is with Wildean sayings, both real and invented and the imagined conversations and intellectual sparring between Wilde and Conan Doyle. Future tales in the series are something to look forward to * Leicester Mercury *Brandreth's accomplishment is evident in the force of Wilde's personality, which fairly leaps off the page...readers will delight in the effortless characterization and deft portrait of late Victorian England. * Stephanie Barron *I always wanted to meet Oscar Wilde and now I feel that I have done, and shared a terrific, bizarre and frightening adventure with him. I recommend the experience. * Anne Perry *This excellent novel . . . I'd be staggered if, by the end of 2007, you'd read many better whodunnits. Brandreth demonstrates supremely measured skill as a story-teller. * Nottingham Evening Post *'The rollocking tale...a witty and gripping portrayal of corruption in late Victorian London,a nd one of which Wilde and Sir Arthur would be proud' * Livewire *PRAISE FOR GYLES BRANDRETH'Not merely, like all the best after-dinner speakers, does he know how to spin a yarn; unlike most politicians, he has a touching access to the secrets of the human heart' * The Times *A fine and sympathetic writer * The Times Literary Supplement *He can tell a story in the way Daphne du Maurier could . . . He creates a world and keeps you there * Sunday Express *
£9.49
Allen & Unwin The Last Hours: A deadly plague is spreading
Book SynopsisA deadly plague is spreading across the land...England, 1348: as the Black Death spreads through the country, people start to die by the thousands. In Dorset, young Lady Anne takes control of her lands, with her trusted steward, Thaddeus, at her side. Compassionate and resourceful, she decides to quarantine the estate against the terrifying pestilence, bringing some two hundred serfs inside the moated walls. But in such a confined space, conflicts soon arise. Ignorant of the world outside, Lady Anne's people wrestle with the terrible uncertainty of their futures. Fearing starvation but fearing the disease even more, who amongst them has the courage to leave the security of the walls?And how safe is anyone when a dreadful event threatens the uneasy status quo...?Trade ReviewAtmosphere, imagination and narrative power of which few other writers are capable * The Times *A staggeringly talented writer. * Guardian *Wonderful 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 *Minette Walters is a master at building engrossing tales around a single, life-shattering event. * Washington Post *A vividly-wrought and powerful story. With The Last Hours, 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 *...as you'd expect from crime queen Minette Walters, blood will be spilled. A well-plotted page-turner. * Sunday Express *Historical novels depend upon the writer's ability to create a credible past world and Walters manages this very well...This is an ideal read for those who just want a good story well told. Snuggle up in a chair on a cold winter night and enjoy. * nudge-book.com *
£9.49
Canongate Books Ltd The Circle
Book SynopsisJuly, 1868. On receiving a commission to look into the suspicious death of Lafayette Baker, Head of the US National Detective Police, private investigators Matthew Grand and James Batchelor leave London for Washington DC, where they find a country still scarred by the Civil War, and unearth a surprising number of suspects who wanted Baker dead.
£19.94
Canongate Books Spiteful Bones 14 A Crispin Guest Mystery
Book SynopsisThe restoration of a crumbling manor house leaves Crispin Guest grappling with a troubling discovery in this entertaining medieval noir mystery.Restoring his recently inherited family home is a daunting enough task for young lawyer Nigellus Cobmartin without the addition of any unwelcome discoveries. But when workmen turning the crumbling manor house into a grand home for Nigellus and his companion, John Rykener, uncover a skeleton bound, tied and hidden in the wall - and holding the precious relic that went missing from his father''s estate nearly twenty years ago - Nigellus immediately calls on London tracker Crispin Guest for help.Whose bones are they, and why was the valuable relic buried with the thief? Crispin and Jack are drawn into a mystery of dark secrets, family scandal and old grudges as they attempt to find the truth behind a load of old bones.
£29.82
Hodder & Stoughton The Grove of the Caesars
Book Synopsis'For a totally exhilarating romp through Ancient Rome, Lindsey Davis' latest Flavia Alba novel won't be beaten and offers an immersive experience of a vibrant world full of real, recognisable characters' Mike Ripley, ShotsmagDon't go to the Grove . . .Julius Caesar left his gardens to the citizens of Rome, a peaceful sanctuary across the Tiber. Now the gardens and their sacred grove are dangerous haunts, especially for women alone.'Don't go to the Grove,' people mutter, but when her husband has to leave Rome, it falls to Albia to supervise his building project in an old grotto. Why has someone buried tattered scrolls by obscure philosophers - and does it involve a worse crime than terrible writing?Soon that puzzle is overtaken. A woman disappears from her husband's birthday party; she meets a dire fate, then Albia learns that on the same night, two louche slaves given to her family by the brooding Emperor Domitian also vanished in the gardens. Apparently, it is well known that a killer lurks there.The vigiles have failed to investigate properly for decades and this won't improve when the sinister agent Karus arrives. Albia must co-operate, in order to give the many victims justice and find answers for grieving relatives. But can she herself remain safe? And, after others have failed, can she at last identify the predator who has made the Grove his killing ground?Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series'Lindsey Davis has seen off all her competitors to become the unassailable market leader in the 'crime in Ancient Rome' genre . . . Davis's squalid, vibrant Rome is as pleasurable as ever' - Guardian'Davis's prose is a lively joy, and Flavia's Rome is sinister and gloriously real' - The Times on Sunday'For fans of crime fiction set in the ancient world, this one is not to be missed' - Booklist'Davis's books crackle with wit and knowledge . . . She has the happy knack of making the reader feel entirely immersed in Rome' - The TimesTrade ReviewPraise for The Grove of the Caesars * : *For a totally exhilarating romp through Ancient Rome, Lindsey Davis' latest Flavia Alba novel won't be beaten and offers an immersive experience of a vibrant world full of real, recognisable characters * Mike Ripley, Shotsmag *Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series * : *For fans of crime fiction set in the ancient world, this one is not to be missed * Booklist *Lindsey Davis has seen off all her competitors to become the unassailable market leader in the 'crime in Ancient Rome' genre . . . Davis's squalid, vibrant Rome is as pleasurable as ever * Guardian *Davis's books crackle with wit and knowledge. She has the happy knack of making the reader feel entirely immersed in Rome * The Times *This excellent Roman mystery, enriched by Davis's characteristic wit and thorough understanding of the period, takes a darker turn as Flavia delves into Rome's poorest streets, rife with prostitution, exploitation, thuggery and murder * Sunday Express, S Magazine *Davis's prose is a lively joy, and Flavia's Rome is sinister and gloriously real * The Times on Saturday *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Mad Hatters Holiday The Fourth Sergeant Cribb
Book SynopsisThe beloved Sergeant Cribb series by Peter LoveseyIt''s 1882 and Albert Moscrop, who is spending his holiday in Brighton observing human nature through a telescope, gradually moves into the circle of the Prothero family, who he has been fascinated by - especially the beautiful Zena Prothero, whose husband appears to take her for granted. But through this connection, he becomes involved in a sensational murder. All of Brighton is horrified by the gruesome crime, and the local police seek the help of Scotland Yard''s Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray, who soon find themselves challenged by the strangest case of their careers, one as mystifying as it is macabre.Trade ReviewHis best yet - HRF Keating, the TimesA minor gem, catching to perfection the social atmospherics of Victorian Brighton and at the same time telling an ingenious story of murder and discovery - Publishers WeeklyThe sleuthing is neat and satisfying: in the meantime, Victorian pleasures, permitted and illicit, are rendered up with gusto - Guardian
£9.49
