Historical crime and mysteries

Book SynopsisOn a busy Friday night in 1964, a woman''s partially clothed body is discovered in London''s Soho Square. She has been raped and strangled. With no one reported missing, her identity remains a mystery. Assuming the victim to be a prostitute, DCI Jackson is inclined to dismiss the case. Detective Sergeant Harry Barnard disagrees.Harry''s partner Kate meanwhile has been despatched to her native Liverpool to work on a magazine feature about the city''s remarkable regeneration, timed to coincide with the release of the Beatles'' movie, A Hard Day''s Night.As Harry''s investigations point to evidence of a cover-up at the highest level, Kate''s assignment leads her to uncover a darker side to 1960s'' Liverpool - and a possible link to the Soho murder victim. Are she and Harry getting into something too deep and dangerous for them to handle?

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Book SynopsisChief Inspector Charlie Woodend and his loyal sergeant tackle a murder with as many suspects as there are clues in this tight puzzler.Swann''s Lake, 1960. When Robbie Peterson, a criminal-turned-club-owner, is found dead in his office, a six-inch nail driven deep into his skull, Chief Inspector Woodend and Sergeant Bob Rutter are brought up from London to investigate. Why was Robbie''s office broken into twice on the day of his funeral? What caused Robbie''s son-in-law to attack his own brother on the night of the murder? As the case unfolds, Woodend uncovers several crimes, but it is only as it draws to a close that he realizes the murder has nothing to do with Robbie''s criminal past-and everything to do with his domestic present.

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Book SynopsisEvie Barnum is in charge of her brother''s museum, a place teeming with scientific specimens and wonders, including Jeffrey, the Lizard Man. When an old friend shows up and begs for her help, but is then found dead in front of the exhibit of the Feejee Mermaid, suspicion for the murder falls on Jeffrey, and Evie becomes determined to solve the mystery of her friend''s murder.

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Book SynopsisThe key to unlocking a series of murders in 1920s'' Worcestershire lies in South Africa - and a devastating 20-year-old secretFebruary, 1927. The remains of an unidentified middle-aged man are found beneath the snow in the grounds of Maxtead Court, home of the wealthy Scroope family. Meanwhile, Margaret Rees-Talbot is preparing for her wedding to the Rev Symon Scroope - to the disapproval of some residents of the small market town of Folbury, who think it''s too soon after the death of Margaret''s father Osbert, found drowned in his bath a few months previously. An accident - or was there more to it than that? Before he died, Osbert had been writing an account of his experiences as a soldier during the Second Boer War. But what really happened in South Africa back in 1902? Could there be a connection to his death? Then a second death occurs. And it becomes increasingly clear to the investigating DI Herbert Reardon that at least one Folbury resident has a shocking secret to hide.

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Book Synopsis1853. When the body of a prostitute is found in Hyde Park, veteran sleuth Charley Field is disinclined to believe the official verdict of suicide. Convinced the woman was murdered, he determines to track down the mysterious client who visited her the day she died. But there is more to this murder than even Charley could have imagined.

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Book SynopsisOctober, 1736. Lured out of retirement to serve as Constable once again, Richard Nottingham finds Leeds very different from the place he remembers. Many newcomers have been attracted by the town''s growing wealth - but although the faces have changed, the crimes remain the same, as Nottingham discovers when a body is found floating in the River Aire, its throat cut. What has changed is the fear that pervades the town. With more bodies emerging and witnesses too frightened to talk, Nottingham realizes he''s dealing with a new kind of criminal, someone with no respect for anything or anyone. Someone who believes he''s beyond the law; someone willing brutally to destroy anyone who opposes him. To stop him, Nottingham will need to call in old favours, rely on trusted friendships, and seek help from some very unlikely sources.

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Book SynopsisIreland. 1925. Like all who seek charitable contributions, Reverend Mother Aquinas is used to being gifted some fairly dubious items. But nothing like this. On opening the evil-smelling trunk, labelled ''old books'', the Reverend Mother is horrified to discover it contains the dead body of one of Cork''s richest merchants, wrapped in decomposing animal hides.Many had reason to loathe the hides and skins merchant: his rebellious, republican son; his frustrated, clever daughter; his neighbours; his business rivals; and those whose unbaptised babies were buried on the site of his new tanning yard. But when suspicion falls on a former lay sister from her convent, the Reverend Mother decides she must help find the real killer.

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Book SynopsisHeld captive by a ruthless gang of kidnappers, Liberty Lane must call on all her investigative skills to discover who has taken her - and why.July, 1847. Now a happily married mother-of-two, Liberty Lane is undertaking very few private investigative assignments. But when she is kidnapped from outside a smart London townhouse, where she had been attending a dinner party with her husband Robert, she must call on all her old investigative skills to discover who has taken her, and why.As Libby tries to formulate a plan of escape, her old friends, former street urchin Tabby and groom Amos Legge, desperately search for her. Convinced that somebody in the Maynard household, where the dinner party was held, knows something about Libby''s disappearance, Tabby keeps watch on the house - and makes a truly shocking discovery.

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Book Synopsis1922. When a leading Hollywood film director is found shot dead, Irish-American investigator Tom Collins is called in by studio boss Mack Sennett, whose troubled star, Mabel Normand, is rumoured to be involved. But Normand has gone missing, and Collins'' search will lead him to a secret so explosive it must be kept silent at any cost.

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Book SynopsisIntroducing thief-taker Simon Westow in the first in a new historical mystery series set in Regency Leeds.Leeds, 1820. Simon Westow makes a good living as a thief-taker. The boy who grew up in the workhouse has become a success, finding and returning the stolen possessions of the rich - for a fee. But when mill owner John Milner hires Simon to find his kidnapped daughter, Hannah, he faces a challenge like no other. With his enigmatic and deadly young assistant, Jane, by his side, Simon''s search takes him through the dark underbelly of Leeds, where poverty, industry and death live cheek by jowl. But he soon comes to understand that the real answers lie in his own past, and an old enemy seeking revenge . . .

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Book SynopsisSimmering tensions, buried memories and old scores are revived at Wychbourne Court when Lady Ansley''s old theatre group reunite to perform the Wychbourne Follies.1926, Kent. Lady Ansley''s old Gaiety Theatre group are reuniting at Wychbourne Court for the weekend. But how will they react when they learn that, thanks to her son Richard, the Follies, which began as a jolly idea for their own amusement, has become a fully-fledged performance to be held in the village at the Coach and Horses Inn?Chef Nell Drury is sure her guests'' reaction isn''t the only thing worrying Lady Ansley. A fascinating group of actors and actresses - from the pompous Hubert Jarrett to the dashing Neville Heydock, it''s not long before simmering tensions, revived old scores, fears and, worst of all, buried memories take centre stage. What happened to Mary Ann Darling, the young Gaiety actress who disappeared thirty years ago? As the performance draws to a close, the real drama is only just beginning.

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Book SynopsisAn ancient and mysterious book leads Crispin Guest into a deadly maze in this latest medieval noir mystery.1394, London. Crispin Guest, Tracker of London, is enjoying his ale in the Boar''s Tusk tavern - until a stranger leaves a mysterious wrapped bundle on his table, telling him, "You''ll know what to do." Inside is an ancient leather-bound book written in an unrecognizable language. Accompanied by his apprentice, Jack Tucker, Crispin takes the unknown codex to a hidden rabbi, where they make a shocking discovery: it is the Gospel of Judas from the Holy Land, and its contents challenge the very doctrine of Christianity itself.Crispin is soon drawn into a deadly maze involving murder, living saints, and lethal henchmen. Why was he given the blasphemous book, and what should he do with it? A series of horrific events confirm his fears that there are powerful men who want it - and who will stop at nothing to see it destroyed.

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Book SynopsisGovernment girl Louise Pearlie is thrilled to be posted to London, but her journey across the Atlantic proves to be anything but plain sailing.February, 1944. Washington D.C. With the war entering its most dangerous phase, Louise Pearlie is thrilled to be reassigned to the London office of the OSS. But in order to take up her new post, she must make a perilous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in the SS Amelia Earhart.Accompanying her on the voyage to Liverpool are an eclectic group of passengers, including the aloof Blanche Bryant, whose husband, Eddie, died in mysterious circumstances on the ship''s voyage out to New York three months before. Most of the same crew and passengers are on the return voyage, and one question remains: was it really suicide?When the body of one of the passengers is found on deck, it''s clear that German bombs and raging storms aren''t the only threats to Louise''s safety. Can she expose a brutal killer before the ship docks in England?

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Book Synopsis For fans of Kate Morton and Tracy Rees comes a captivating novel about two women, separated by centuries, whose fates are bound together by one haunting secret. *** ‘A fascinating tale with intriguing twists.’ Barbara Erskine‘I was hooked from the first pages.’ Gill Paul‘Atmospheric and compelling’ Sarah Morgan‘You just can’t put it down. Brilliant!’ Katie Fforde *** ‘I see it all again: the silver moon swimming beneath the water and the golden gown billowing out about her…’ 1765: Lady Isabella Gerard asks her maid to take her new golden gown and destroy it. Its shimmering beauty has been tainted by the actions of her husband the night before. Three months later: Lord Eustace Gerard stands beside the lake looking down at the woman in the golden gown. As the body slowly rolls over to reveal her face, it’s clear this is not his intended victim… 1996: Fenella Brightwell steals a stunning gown from a stately home. Twenty years later and reeling from the end of an abusive marriage, she wonders if it has cursed her all this time. Now she’s determined to discover the history behind the beautiful golden dress…Trade Review Praise for The Woman in the Lake: ‘A gorgeous novel, so fresh and original. And the tension! I was on the edge of my seat.’ Jenny Ashcroft ‘With its intriguing premise and engaging characters, this fresh take on the time-slip novel completely won me over.’Kate Riordan ‘Kept me turning the pages right to the very end’ Katherine Webb ‘A sumptuous, spell-binding story full of mystery, secrets, heartbreak and magic that will keep you guessing.’ Red Online ‘Cornick ably interweaves genres, eras and narratives in this romantic suspense novel with paranormal elements… Romance fans will be most satisfied.’ Publishers Weekly Praise for Nicola Cornick: ‘There is much to enjoy in a sumptuous novel that slips between present day and 1557.’ Sunday Mirror ‘Ms. Cornick is first-class, queen of her game.’ Romance Junkies ‘A rising star.’ Publishers Weekly ‘Fans of Kate Morton will enjoy this gripping tale.’ Candis ‘This compelling yet poignant and at times frightening story calls out to every historical fiction lovers out there to read it and enjoy its glory forever’ Book Stop Corner ‘Her books are fabulous’. New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn

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Book Synopsis‘[This] romance-cum-murder mystery moves at a brisk pace.’ The Sunday Times ‘A perfect blend of gothic mystery, drama and romance.’ Cressida McLaughlin ************************************************************* A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of murder. Who can save Pale Harbour from itself? 1846. Desperate to escape the ghosts of his past, Gabriel Stone takes a position as a minister in the remote Pale Harbour, but not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. As soon as Gabriel steps foot in town, he can’t escape the rumours about the mysterious Sophy Carver, a young widow who lives in the eerie Castle Carver: whispers that she killed her husband, mutterings that she might even be a witch. But as strange, unsettling events escalate into murder, Gabriel finds himself falling under Sophy’s spell. As clues start to point to Sophy as the next victim, Gabriel realises he must find answers before anyone else turns up dead. ************************************************************* Everyone is spellbound by Hester Fox! ‘This debut recalls Georgette Heyer, with extra spookiness’The Times ‘a story that tingles with danger, dark mystery, hints of the supernatural, and a sultry, simmering romance. Ideal reading for fans of thrills and chills…’Lancashire Evening Post ‘Beautifully written… The Witch of Willow Hall will cast a spell over every reader’Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me ‘Steeped in Gothic eeriness it’s spine-tingling and very atmospheric.’Nicola Cornick, author of The Woman in the Lake ‘With its sense of creeping menace… this compelling story had me gripped from the first page… ’Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller ‘Creepy, tense, heartbreaking and beautifully, achingly romantic.’Cressida McLaughlin ‘I could NOT put this thing down!’ ‘The ULTIMATE page turner!’ ‘What a story! It absolutely captivated me’ ‘Historical fiction with a side of romance and major helping of creepiness, this debut novel hits the mark!’ ‘The book pulls you in from the beginning with many twists and turns. I didn't want to put it down, and could not wait to see what was going to happen next.’Trade ReviewPraise for The Widow of Pale Harbour:‘[This] romance-cum-murder mystery moves at a brisk pace.’ The Sunday Times ‘A perfect blend of gothic mystery, drama and romance. I loved every page, and struggled to put it down.’ Cressida McLaughlin ‘a story that tingles with danger, dark mystery, hints of the supernatural, and a sultry, simmering romance. Ideal reading for fans of thrills and chills…’Lancashire Evening Post Praise for Hester Fox:‘Beautifully written, with an intriguing plot full of suspense and mystery, The Witch of Willow Hall will cast a spell over every reader’ Lisa Hall, bestselling author of Between You and Me ‘Steeped in Gothic eeriness it’s spine-tingling and very atmospheric.’ Nicola Cornick ‘Creepy, tense, heartbreaking and beautifully, achingly romantic.’ Cressida McLaughlin ‘The Witch of Willow Hall is so spookily good I feel haunted by it. It was literally the first thing on my mind when I opened my eyes this morning. I absolutely loved it from start to finish!’ Sarah Bennett, author of the Butterfly Cove series

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********1592. England and Spain are at war, yet there is peril at home, too. The death of her trusted spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham has left Queen Elizabeth vulnerable. Conspiracies multiply.The quiet life of John Shakespeare is shattered by a summons from Robert Cecil, the cold but deadly young statesman who dominated the last years of the Queen's long reign, insisting Shakespeare re-enter government service. His mission: to find vital papers, now in the possession of the Earl of Essex.Essex is the brightest star in the firmament, a man of ambition. He woos the Queen, thirty-three years his senior, as if she were a girl his age. She is flattered by him - despite her loathing for his mother, the beautiful, dangerous Lettice Knollys who presides over her own glittering court - a dazzling array of the mad, bad, dangerous and disaffected. When John Shakespeare infiltrates this dissolute world he discovers not only that the Queen herself is in danger - but that he and his family is also a target. With only his loyal footsoldier Boltfoot Cooper at his side, Shakespeare must face implacable forces who believe themselves above the law: men and women who kill without compunction. And in a world of shifting allegiances, just how far he can trust Robert Cecil, his devious new master?Trade ReviewEnjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *A historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *A historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *A colourful history lesson . . . exciting narrative twists. * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********The Elizabethan navy has a secret weapon: an optical instrument so powerful it gives England unassailable superiority at sea. Spain will stop at nothing to steal it and seize the two men who understand its secrets - its operative William Ivory, known as the 'Queen's Eye', and its inventor, the maverick magician Dr Dee.With a second Armada threatened, intelligencer John Shakespeare is sent north to escort Dr Dee to safety. But his mission is far from straightforward. Dee's host, the Earl of Derby, cousin to Elizabeth, is dying in agony, apparently poisoned. Who wants him dead and why? What lies behind the lynching of the recusant priest Father Matthew Lamb? And what exactly is the connection between these events and the mysterious and beautiful Lady Eliska? While Shakespeare attempts to untangle a plot that points to treachery at the very highest reaches of government, he also faces serious accusations far closer to home. With so much at stake, must he choose between family and his duty to Queen and country?Moving from the Catholic heartlands of Lancashire to a vagabond camp in the heart of England, and from the deck of Admiral Frobisher's flagship off the Brittany coast to the secret meetings of Elizabeth's closest associates, Traitor is award-winning writer Rory Clements' most intriguing and compelling novel to date.Trade ReviewJohn Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths. -- Barry ForshawJohn Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths. -- Barry ForshawA colourful history lesson ... exciting narrative twists. * Sunday Telegraph *A colourful history lesson ... exciting narrative twists. * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********England may have survived the Armada threat of 1588, but when Spanish galleys land troops in Cornwall on a lightning raid seven years later, is it a dry-run for a new invasion? Revenge for the sacking of Spanish shipping and ports? A warning shot to Drake and Hawkins? Or is there, perhaps, a more sinister motive?The Queen is speechless with rage at Spain's temerity. Sir Robert Cecil demands answers. But as John Shakespeare tries to get a grip on events, England's secret defences begin to unravel as one by one his network of spies is horribly murdered. But what has all this to do with Thomasyn Jade, a girl driven to the edge of madness by the foul rituals of exorcism? And what is the link to a group of priests held prisoner in the bleak confines of Wisbech Castle?From the pain-wracked torture rooms of the Inquisition in Seville to the marshy wastes of fenland, from the wild coasts of Cornwall to the sweat and sawdust of the Elizabethan playhouses, and from the condemned cell at Newgate to the devilish stench of brimstone and fear as demons are driven out by unspeakable means, THE HERETICS builds to a terrifying climax that threatens the life of the Queen herself.Trade ReviewRory Clements again brings to life the dark side of Elizabethan England. * Daily Mail *Rory Clements again brings to life the dark side of Elizabethan England. * Daily Mail *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisIncludes BONUS short story*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********England is a Judas nest of conspiracyIt is 1582, and the conflict between Protestant and Catholic threatens to tear the country in two. While Queen Elizabeth I holds the reins of power, there are those whose loyalty lies with her imprisoned cousin, Mary Queen of Scots.On his first major mission for Sir Francis Walsingham, the young John Shakespeare is ordered to discover a conspiracy to free the Stuart queen from Sheffield Castle. All too soon, he realises that the tentacles of the plot reach deep into his native Warwickshire and threaten his own friends and family. His duty lies with Elizabeth - but how far will he go to protect those he loves?Trade Review*GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Reader Recommends*: I could not put down THE QUEEN'S MAN by Rory Clements * Good Housekeeping READER RECOMMENDS **GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Reader Recommends*: I could not put down THE QUEEN'S MAN by Rory Clements * Good Housekeeping READER RECOMMENDS *The sixth in Rory Clements' enjoyable series of Elizabethan thrillers featuring John Shakespeare ... Clements has the edge when it comes to creating a lively, fast-moving plot. * The Sunday Times *The sixth in Rory Clements' enjoyable series of Elizabethan thrillers featuring John Shakespeare ... Clements has the edge when it comes to creating a lively, fast-moving plot. * The Sunday Times *Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness. * Daily Mail *Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness. * Daily Mail *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********In London's smoky taverns, a conspiracy is brewing: a group of wealthy young Catholic dissidents plot to assassinate Elizabeth, free Mary Queen of Scots - and open England to Spanish invasion. But the conspirators have been infiltrated by Sir Francis Walsingham's top intelligencer, John Shakespeare.Shakespeare, however, is torn: the woman he loves stands accused of murder. In a desperate race against time he must save her from the noose and the realm from treachery. And then it dawns that both investigations are inextricably linked - by corruption very close to the seat of power . . .Trade ReviewAn exuberant plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit ....Clements delivers a bawdy, engaging romp of book. * The Times *An exuberant plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit ....Clements delivers a bawdy, engaging romp of book. * The Times *Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness. * Daily Mail *Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisLondon, 1871. Traveller, photographer and sometime intelligencer Adam Carver is asked by a friend from the Foreign Office to find Dolly Delaney, a West End dancing girl who has been involved with a diplomat and since disappeared.What seems a straightforward case soon proves otherwise. Carver is discomfited to come across alluring daguerreotypes of Dolly and he seeks answers from one of her fellow dancers, the feisty Hetty Gallant. Soon, Carver and his stoical manservant Quint are drawn north to York, where they are implicated in a shocking death. The pair flee across the Channel, but soon encounter new treacheries in Berlin, the imposing and dangerous capital of the nascent Germany.Carver's Truth is both a compelling murder mystery and a splendidly full-blooded portrait of mid-Victorian England.Trade ReviewThis is the second outing for Nick Rennison's hero, and Carver's Truth does not disappoint. The trail of the missing Dolly Delaney has danger, unexpected twists and villains aplenty. The dialogue is wonderful ... Carver's Truth is gripping escapism at its best. * The Times *With his impressive knowledge of the Victorian world, the author confects a rattling good story of political shenanigans, sexual hypocrisies - and even murder. * Daily Mail *A richly textured, thoroughly relishable helping of ripe Victoriana * The Sunday Times on Carver's Quest *It's entertaining stuff - knowing, but never too knowing - and Rennison's love of Victorian slang reflects a broader linguistic flair * Guardian on Carver's Quest *It's got the lot: mystery, murder, theft, blackmail, infamy, treachery, bandits, a beautiful maiden, heroes, villains, romance and adventure in bucket loads -- Sarah Broadhurst * Bookseller on Carver's Quest *Bristles with an energy and inventiveness that positively leap off the page... Readers may well be looking to spend more time in the company of Carver and Quint -- Barry Forshaw * Crimetime.co.uk on Carver's Quest *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling authorAdam Sabir has discovered the missing quatrains of Nostradamus, and the events they foretell are coming true. But there's one prophecy he can't fully decipher, and it warns of the imminent arrival of the Third Antichrist. Sabir's every move is the Corpus Maleficus, an ancient cabal devoted to serving the Antichrist. Disfigured, orphaned, groomed for cruelty and violence, they are prepared to do anything to stop him. As Sabir puzzles over the riddle, a descendant of the Mayans embarks on a dangerous journey. He must deliver a sacred codex to the Palace of the Masks. Only then can the secret of Nostradamus' prophecy be revealed...Trade ReviewYou will be immersed in a head-spinning thriller from page one - just sit back and enjoy the ride. * The Sun on The Templar Prophecy *

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Book Synopsis'One of the greatest anti-heroes ever written' LEE CHILDAs Berlin prepares for the 1936 Olympic Games, Bernie is caught between violently opposing factions in a story that comes full circle in 1950s' Cuba.Berlin 1934. The Nazis have been in power for just eighteen months but already Germany has seen some frightening changes. As the city prepares to host the 1936 Olympics, Jews are being expelled from all German sporting organisations - a blatant example of discrimination. Forced to resign as a homicide detective with Berlin's Criminal Police, Bernie is now house detective at the famous Adlon Hotel. Two bodies are found - one a businessman and the other a Jewish boxer. As Bernie digs to unearth the truth, he discovers a vast labour and construction racket designed to take advantage of the huge sums the Nazis are spending to showcase the new Germany to the world. It is a plot that finds its dramatic and violent conclusion twenty years later in pre-revolutionary Cuba.Trade Review'Kerr's period detail is utterly convincing... a sophisticated thriller that brings the war and its aftermath to life' Independent. * Independent *'Kerr brilliantly evokes the edgy atmosphere of the post-war period in one of the most gripping and accomplished detective novels published so far this year' Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *'The pace is cracking, the dialogue crisply Chandleresque, the characterisation refreshingly stereotype-free. Kerr's research, historical and geographical, is all but faultless' The Times. * The Times *'The scope and breadth of Philip Kerr's historical research, and the subtle complexity of plot structure, are worthy of Le Carre. The fast-paced, crack-a-minute delivery smacks of Chandler. The comparisons are inevitable, but Kerr parries the plaudits with ease' Irish Examiner. * Irish Examiner *'One of the great achievements of contemporary crime fiction' Observer. * Observer *

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Book SynopsisIt's the year 1260 and the great cathedral - the most ambitious building in all of Christendom - is rising above the streets of Cologne. Far below its soaring spires and flying buttresses, an assassin of unnatural talent surveys his new hunting ground. More shadow than man, the assassin is quick to take his first life. But there is a witness to his crime: a flame-haired thief known as Jacob the Fox. Justly terrified by the black-clad spectre, Jacob runs for his life, convinced that he's pursued by the Angel of Death itself. For all his street-smart cunning, the wily Fox cannot shake off the assassin - a cruel, efficient murderer who favours a pistol-grip crossbow as his weapon of choice. Fate, injury and desperation lead Jacob to seek help from a beautiful clothes dyer, her drunken rascal of a father, and her learned uncle, a man of God who loves a battle of wits almost as much as he loves a bottle of wine. With the threat of an untimely death at the end of a crossbow bolt never far way, Jacob's unlikely cabal find themselves faced with a conspiracy born of an unquenchable thirst for revenge, a conspiracy that threatens to tear Cologne apart and stain the city with blood.

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Book SynopsisLondon, 1732. William Hogarth is called to a murder scene. A woman lies dead, her unborn child ripped from her body. It is a warning. Hogarth painted the future King leaving her bed. He must destroy the painting to survive. But her killers made one mistake. They left the Prince's son alive. Centuries later, one man holds proof of this line of succession and keeps a watchful eye on the Prince's heir. The legacy is a terrible burden, but also an incredible opportunity. During a flight in a private jet, when a fellow passenger speaks of having gained possession of proof of this, the Royal Family's darkest secret, everything changes. Within hours of the flight, three of the seven passengers have been silenced. Who killed them? Why? To keep the secret or expose it? Where is the proof? As the body count rises, Alex Connor ratchets up the tension is this page-turning thriller that brings history into the present with devastating consequences.Trade Review'This is a barn-stormer of a book from page one' Crime Squad. * Crimesquad.com *'[An] exciting tale of dark deeds in the art world' Good Book Guide. * Good Book Guide *'an intricate conspiracy mystery that twists and turns at an amazing pace' Promoting Crime Fiction. * Promoting Crime Fiction *

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Book SynopsisAfter the mysterious death of one Vatican priest and the disappearance ofanother, Father Ian Pearse, an American working on early Christian textsin the Vatican, comes into possession of a mysterious scroll. Hediscovers ingeniously coded letters and the text of an ancient prayer never before found in written form.These reveal a conspiracy, by a sect long-thought dead, reaching deepinto the present Vatican hierarchy. It becomes a race against a ruthless unknown opponent, which takesFather Pearse from the Vatican, via an ancient Greek monastery, to war-torn Bosnia.Trade Review'The Book of Q and The Overseer by New York novelist Jonathan Rabb easily out-manoeuvre Brown in grand and dark ecclesiastical designs.' Boyd Tonkin -- The Independent

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Book SynopsisMary Paterson, or, The Fatal Error is a high-Victorian tale of the tragic life, and sorry end, of poor Mary Paterson: her fall from grace, her unhappy loves - and her final grisly demise at the hands of Burke and Hare, who kept Edinburgh''s anatomists supplied with freshly manufactured corpses. But the melodrama doesn''t stop with Mary lying cold upon the dissecting slab: David Pae''s galloping novel, originally serialised in the Dundee People''s Journal in 1864 and 1865, hounds Burke and Hare to their capture and trial, leads Burke to the gallows, and thereafter follows Hare and his accomplices to their various just deserts. The Scottish writer David Pae was one of the most successful serial novelists of his day. Edited by Caroline McCracken-Flesher, this new edition of Pae''s original and unexpurgated tale not only provides a fascinating window into the popular Victorian imagination but is also a highly entertaining novel in its own right.

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