Political / legal thriller

Book SynopsisMichael Dobbs, author of the No. 1 bestseller that inspired the hit Netflix series House of Cards, returns to the subject that made him a household name - the human drama and scandal in Westminster. First Lady is a compelling and witty novel of power, seduction and revenge, perfect for fans of John Grisham and Philip Kerr.Virginia Edge: mid-thirties, attractive, self-sufficient, ambitious. This is the story of her transformation from dutiful political wife to masterful manipulator of the entire political process at Westminster. She is a woman who is driven by the failings of men and the greed of others to take over their system and undermine it, to repay them in kind. In this battle she has two great allies - the intuition and determination of a wronged wife, and the blind ineptitude of Westminster men.Praise for Michael Dobbs:''Brilliant... Full of magnificently dark political characters'' Daily Mail<Trade Review'Dobbs' writing is highly polished and divertingly sophisticated' * Sandra Howard, Spectator *'It's barbed and breakneck, often very funny and hugely entertaining' * The Times *'It is brutal, coruscating stuff' * Sunday Telegraph *

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A New York Times Editor's Choice A Herald's Best Summer Book'An unusual and accomplished first novel . . . moves in intriguing leaps and twists.' Economist'Gorgeous' New York Times'Grapples with the complexity of familial love.' Marie ClaireFrench teenager Margot is the illegitimate daughter of a prominent stage actress and an influential politician. The comings and goings of their unconventional family, in a small Parisian apartment, cast her whole life under a veil of secrecy and shame.One summer, Margot decides to exercise her own agency when she meets a well-regarded journalist whose trust seems surprisingly easy to gain. But as Margot is drawn into an adult world, she learns how one impulsive decision can change the contours of her life, and the lives of those around her, in ways she could never have imagined. In this simmering debut Sanaë Lemoine explores private and public faces, truth and deceit, love and persuasion. The Margot Affair is a novel about the bone-deep bond between mothers and daughters, the devotion and betrayal of friendship and the dangers of pushing beyond the boundaries of a life lived in the shadows.

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Book SynopsisA Times 'Best New Thriller' for May 2022 'Enthralling ... Sharp dialogue and flashes of dry wit' Financial Times 'Ben Creed has a genuine gift for conjuring up Stalin's Leningrad in all its beauty and misery' The Times 'A cleverly constructed thriller' Sunday Times 'A fantastically tense atmosphere ... A spine-tingling page-turner' The Sun ___________Leningrad, winter 1952. An invisible killer known as Koshchei – a nightmare of Slavic folklore – stalks the streets, leaving a distinctive and gruesome mark upon its victims.Three thousand kilometres away in a Gulag labour colony, threatened by the vicious criminals who rule the camp and tormented by the Arctic cold, former militia lieutenant Revol Rossel is close to death.But then a brutal saviour descends from the skies: the state security interrogator who years ago ruined his life is back, tasking Rossel with tracking down the murderer.As the hunt continues, the two men uncover riddle after riddle, including a clue to finding a weapon of unimaginable power – a weapon the Kremlin's scheming plotters will kill for...Trade Review'A cleverly constructed thriller' * Sunday Times. *'A fantastically tense atmosphere, thickly spread with historical detail, makes this a spine-tingling page-turner' * The Sun *'Enthralling ... The dark story is leavened with sharp dialogue and flashes of dry wit' * Financial Times *'Ben Creed has a genuine gift for conjuring up Stalin's Leningrad in all its beauty and misery' * The Times *PRAISE FOR CITY OF GHOSTS: 'A highly assured and entertaining debut ... Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park [...] may have a true heir' The Times. 'A worthy successor to Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko ... A fine and often moving thriller' Financial Times. 'Reminded me of Gorky Park, only I liked this tense, complex thriller even better' James Patterson. 'Gripping ... An excellent start to a new historical crime series' -- Vaseem Khan

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Book SynopsisWHAT CAN SEE WATCHES, WHAT CAN HEAR LISTENS - the gripping first instalment of the Kanha and Colbey Thriller series. When Chief Whip Esme Kanha learns of the sudden death of the Minister for Personal Information, she bitterly regrets missing his desperate calls the previous evening. Unconvinced by the verdict of suicide, and suspicious that corrupt colleagues played some part in the man's death, she decides to investigate - but she must tread carefully in a near-future world dominated by technology, where 'what can see watches, what can hear listens, and what can be followed is tracked'. Meanwhile, Big Tech executive Henri Lauvaux arrives in London. His mission: to ensure the new minister, Harry Colbey, will not prove as problematic as the last. As the West inexorably slides towards an Orwellian 'Big Brother' future, Harry Colbey and Esme Kanha join forces in a deadly cat-and-mouse game against political corruption - at great cost to themselves.Trade Review'I love books that show me behind the closed doors of the corridors of power. And this book does it brilliantly. Read and enjoy!' -Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC, author of 'Unlawful Killings: Life, Love and Murder: Trials at the Old Bailey'; 'From a stunning opening, through twists and turns of political and commercial intrigue, the page turning tension of this chilling near-future thriller never lets up' -G.D Sanders, author of 'The Taken Girls'; 'Dirty Geese is a taut thriller for our times. In a backstabbing Westminster, chief whip Esme Kanha and new minister Harry Colbey must pick their way through a political landscape mined by AI and patrolled by a wolfish, dissolute PM. Lou Gilmond expertly conjures up a shiny, fake tech future that is becoming more jarringly real by the day' -Martin Hickman, author of 'Dial M for Murdoch'; 'This book grabbed me from the very start. A tense, clever, suspenseful page-turner with characters that jump off the page, and a chilling and plausible contemporary premise' -Aliya Ali-Afzal, author of 'Would I Lie To You?'

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Book SynopsisPhotojournalist Sophie Medina must figure out how the death of a Supreme Court justice and the murder of a homeless man are related before she becomes an assailant''s next target.International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school friend Father Jack O''Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER from complications due to hypoglycemia.His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie''s acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation''s highest court - and on the American justice system - if word got out. Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend''s dark secret, Sophie searches a collectio

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Book SynopsisHalf the man, twice the lawyer.In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he''s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he''s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk - and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than he expected. Because he knows so much - maybe too much - he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won''t stop until justice is served.*******************What readers are saying about THEODORE BOONE''I thoroughly enjoyed the story'' - 5 stars''Brilliant'' - 5 stars''A great read'' - 5 stars''I loved it'' - 5 stars''Fantastic series'' - 5 starsTrade ReviewNot since Nancy Drew has a nosy, crime-obsessed kid been so hard to resist. * The New York Times *Gripping... I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. I think everyone will be enthralled by Theodore Boone. * Scholastic News *There's a new kid on the young fiction block, and this one really does have serious powers: Theodore Boone, half-boy, half-lawyer... fans will be pleased to know there will be more of Theo's adventures to come. * Sunday Express *If you aspire to turn your children into lawyers who will keep you in your old age, John Grisham's Theodore Boone, his first novel for young people, might be for you. * Sunday Times *Nobody does legal fiction better. * Daily Express *A master of his craft. * Guardian *It's good, and makes me realise why people find Grisham's other books so easy to read. * William Leith, Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisThey found him in a small town in Brazil, near the border with Paraguay. He had a new name, Danilo Silva, and his appearance had been changed by plastic surgery. The search had taken four years. They'd chased him around the world, always just missing him. It had cost their clients $3.5 million. But so far none of them had complained.Trade ReviewAll the ingredients of suspense, drama and meticulous attention to detail that have made Grisham's novels bestsellers... A terrific read * Sunday Mirror *A narrative triumph and a stylish joy, this novel has me gasping for more of the new, satirical Grisham. * Daily Telegraph *Excellent * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA storm is coming for Sean Dillon & company in the mesmerizing new thriller of murder, terrorism and revenge from the Sunday Times bestselling author.It begins with the attempted assassination of the ex-President of the United States.Only the presence of Sean Dillon and the fellow members of the Prime Minister's Private Army' prevents it becoming a bloodbath. Soon they are on the trail of the perpetrators, confident they will catch them.What Dillon & Co don't realize is that they have just sprung a trap that will lead them to almost certain death.For there is a new Master pulling the strings for al Qaeda in London, and this time he's going to make sure the hated enemy is destroyed once and for all.A storm is coming for Sean DillonTrade Review‘Open a Jack Higgins novel and you’ll encounter a master craftsman at the peak of his powers … first-rate tales of intrigue, suspense and full-on action.’ Sunday Express ‘With fresh plots, interesting characters and vibrant settings, Jack Higgins has firmly cemented his reputation as one of the world’s most successful thriller writers.’ The Strand Magazine ‘A thriller writer in a class of his own.’ Financial Times

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of John le Carré, a gripping and suspenseful spy thriller from the master of the modern spy thriller' (Mail on Sunday)Mark and Benjamin Keen have not seen their father, Christopher, for more than twenty years.Hoping for a reconciliation, Christopher reappears, but he has only just begun to shed light on his life in the secret service when he is murdered in cold blood by an unidentified assassin.Was his death connected to his MI6 past? Did Christopher uncover a dangerous conspiracy involving his elder son? And what were his links to Moscow, Afghanistan and the Russian mafia in London?To discover the truth and avenge their father's death the brothers are drawn into the legacy of his life as a spy.And inheritance can be deadlyTrade ReviewPraise for The Hidden Man: ‘confirms that Cumming is a man put on earth to perpetuate the spy thriller’ Daily Telegraph ‘Cumming's depiction of contemporary intelligence work rings painfully true. Disquieting, brutal, riveting. I hardly dared put the book down’ Literary Review ‘The dialogue is bitingly sharp, the characterisation first-class’ Sunday Telegraph ‘A must read’ Tatler Praise for A Foreign Country: ‘We are in Smiley country, but with extra 21st century nuance … Cumming has an exquisite touch and we should treasure him’ Daily Mail ‘A thriller that has everything you could ask for – a twisty, sexy plot, topical themes, memorable characters and plentiful spy lore’ Sunday Times, Books of the Year ‘Refreshing, plausible and effective … Best of all is the sheer pace of the narrative’ Spectator ‘You are likely to be up for most of the night to find out how this novel ends. It grips from the first page … A fast-moving treat’ The Scotsman

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “The Racketeer is guilty of only one thing: keeping us engaged until the very last page.”—USA Today • In the history of the United States, only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five. His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no sign of forced entry or struggle. Just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.   One man, a former attorney, knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and why. But that man, Malcolm Bannister, is currently residing in the Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. Though serving time, Malcolm has an ace up his sleeve. He has information the FBI would love to know. Malcolm would love to tell them. But everything has a price—and the man known as the Racketeer wasn&r

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In “Grisham’s most addictive courtroom thriller” (The Seattle Times), justice is fighting for its life—and the jury is caught in the crossfire of greed and corruption.They are at the center of a multimillion-dollar legal hurricane: twelve men and women who have been investigated, watched, manipulated, and harassed by high-priced lawyers and consultants who will stop at nothing to secure a verdict. Now the jury must make a decision in the most explosive civil trial of the century, a precedent-setting lawsuit against a giant tobacco company. But only a handful of people know the truth: that this jury has a leader, and the verdict belongs to him.He is known only as Juror #2. But he has a name, a past, and he has planned his every move with the help of a beautiful woman on the outside. Now, while a corporate empire hangs in the balance, while a grieving family waits, and while lawyers are plunged into a battle for their careers, the truth about Juror #2 is about to explode.

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Book SynopsisThe fifth book in the epic Masters of Rome series.Gaul. 54 BC. Julius Caesar sweeps across Gaul, brutally subduing the united tribes who defy the Republic. But, at home, his enemies are orchestrating his downfall and disgrace. Vindictive schemers like Cato and Bibulus, the spineless Cicero, the avaricious Brutus. Even Pompey the Great, Caesar''s former ally.But all have underestimated Caesar. And when the Senate refuse to give him his due he marches upon his own country, an army prepared to die for him at his back. For rome is his destiny - a destiny that will impel him triumphantly on to the banks of the Rubicon, and beyond, into legend, as the noblest Roman of them all.Trade ReviewIncomparable . . . Engrossing . . . Breathtakingly detailed . . . McCullough has triumphed again * Chicago Tribune *Hail, Colleen McCullough! She once again gives Caesar his due . . . Caesar reveals Julius Caesar and the author at the height of their powers . . . With all its Machiavellian machinations and its eye for entertaining history, McCullough latest novel merits the allegiance of her legions of fans * Columbus Dispatch *A thoroughly Romanized epic novel . . . Her version of history marches through the tumultuous years from 54 to 48 B.C. withoutmissing any of the significant military and political landscape . . . McCullough also fleshes out the marbled-over characters of Pompey, Cato, Cicero, Brutus, Mark Anthony and others as they try to deal with the near-infallible Caesar. And Caesar himself . . . [is] brilliant, ambitious, ruthless and fascinating * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTrue Blue is a gripping ride, full of pace, action and tension from David Baldacci, one of the world’s favourite storytellers.Mace Perry was a maverick cop on the DC police force who lost everything when she was framed for a crime she didn’t commit. She spent two years in prison and now she’s trying to rebuild her life. But first she’s determined to hunt down the people who set her up. Even with her police chief sister by her side, she needs to work in the shadows. There are those with power out there just looking for a reason to put her back behind bars and she needs to find the reason why.A female partner at a city law firm is found murdered and it seems her fate is entangled with Mace’s story. As the investigation deepens, Mace finds herself drawn into both the public and private world of the nation’s capital as dark secrets begin to emerge. If she’s to prove her innocence, she will need all her skills to reveal the truth, confront her enemies and regain her life.Trade ReviewThe page-turner of the season * The Times *Baldacci is still peerless * Sunday Times *One of the world's biggest-selling thriller writers, Baldacci needs no introduction . . . Brilliant plotting, heart-grabbing action and characters to die for * Daily Mail *Baldacci inhabits the skin of his creations - tripping us up with unexpected empathy and subtle identification * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisSOON TO BE AN ORIGINAL AMAZON PRIME SERIES______________________________________'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it.' LEE CHILD____________________________________Detective Alex Cross is stretched to breaking point as two killers hit Washington, DCA controversial senator is found murdered in his bed. On the other side of town, a young girl has been savagely killed. Under pressure to solve both cases, Cross is faced with an impossible choice.No one in Washington is safe, but can Cross discover the truth before the killers set their sights on their ultimate target?____________________________________'Alex Cross is a legend' HARLAN COBEN'Fine, full-blooded entertainment from start to finish' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Captivating . . . As always, Patterson provides a fast-paced thriller full of surprising but realistic plot twists . . . Cross is one of the best and most likable characters in the modern thriller genre' SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER'The master storyteller of our times' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer . . . Simply put: nobody does it better.' JEFFERY DEAVER'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind.' MICHAEL CONNELLY'One of the greatest storytellers of all time' PATRICIA CORNWELL'A writer with an unusual skill at thriller plotting.' MARK LAWSON, GUARDIAN'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' IAN RANKINTrade ReviewFine, full-blooded entertainment from start to finish. * Publishers Weekly *Captivating . . . As always, Patterson provides a fast-paced thriller full of surprising but realistic plot twists . . . Cross is one of the best and most likable characters in the modern thriller genre. * San Francisco Examiner *It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer: his uncanny skill in creating living, breathing characters we truly feel for and seamless, lightning-fast plots. I do this for a living, and he still manages to keep me guessing from the first to last page ... Simply put: Nobody does it better. -- JEFFERY DEAVERBehind all the noise and the numbers, we shouldn't forget that no one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it. -- LEE CHILD, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher seriesTwenty years ago, I wrote, "Along Came a Spider is the best thriller I've come across in many a year. It deserves to be this season's no. 1 bestseller and should instantly make James Patterson a household name." A household name, indeed. -- NELSON DEMILLEAlex Cross is a legend. -- HARLAN COBENJames Patterson is The Boss. End of. -- IAN RANKIN, bestselling author of the Inspector Rebus seriesEvery once in a while a writer comes along and fundamentally changes the way people read. He or she is so bright, so innovative, so industrious that what they envision and create becomes the measure by which all others are judged. In 1993 one such writer - James Patterson - began to do just that ... James Patterson is the gold standard by which all others are judged. -- STEVE BERRY, bestselling author of the Colton Malone series

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Book SynopsisThe summer of 1992 had been exceptionally cold in southern Italy. But that’s not the reason why it is still remembered. On May 23, 1992, a roadside explosion killed the Palermo judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three police officers. A few weeks later judge Paolo Borsellino and five police officers were killed in the center of Palermo. These anti-mafia judges became heroes but the violence spread to the region of Bari in Puglia, where we meet a new, memorable character, Maresciallo Pietro Fenoglio, an officer of the Italian Carabinieri. Fenoglio, recently abandoned by his wife, must simultaneously deal with his personal crisis and the new gang wars raging around Bari. The police are stymied until a gang member, accused of killing a child, decides to collaborate, revealing the inner workings and the rules governing organised crime in the area. The story is narrated through the actual testimony of the informant, a trope reminiscent of verbatim theatre which Carofiglio, an ex-anti-mafia judge himself, uses to great effect. The gangs are stopped but the mystery of the boy’s murder must still be solved, leading Fenoglio into a world of deep moral ambiguity, where the prosecutors are hard to distinguish from the prosecuted.

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Book SynopsisIn a top-secret location deep in the Ural Mountains, Russian President Gennadiy Gryzlov has built his nation''s most dangerous weapon since the atomic bomb-a fearsome tool to gain superiority in Russia''s long-running battle with the West. From inside Perun Aerie-an intricate network of underground tunnels and chambers that is the heart of the Russian cyber warfare program-he is launching a carefully plotted series of attacks on an unsuspecting U.S. and its European allies.The first strike targets Warsaw, Poland, where Russian malware wipes out the records of nearly every Polish bank account, imploding the country''s financial system and panicking the rest of Europe. When Stacy Anne Barbeau, the besieged American president, fails to effectively combat the Russian threat, Brad McLanahan, on some well-earned R&R with his new Polish girlfriend, Major Nadia Rozek, is called back to duty.As the Russians'' deadly tactics escalate - including full-scale assaults on Europe''

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Book SynopsisIn a top-secret location deep in the Ural Mountains, Russian President Gennadiy Gryzlov has built his nation''s most dangerous weapon since the atomic bomb-a fearsome tool to gain superiority in Russia''s long-running battle with the West. From inside Perun Aerie-an intricate network of underground tunnels and chambers that is the heart of the Russian cyber warfare program-he is launching a carefully plotted series of attacks on an unsuspecting U.S. and its European allies.The first strike targets Warsaw, Poland, where Russian malware wipes out the records of nearly every Polish bank account, imploding the country''s financial system and panicking the rest of Europe. When Stacy Anne Barbeau, the besieged American president, fails to effectively combat the Russian threat, Brad McLanahan, on some well-earned R&R with his new Polish girlfriend, Major Nadia Rozek, is called back to duty.As the Russians'' deadly tactics escalate - including full-scale assaults on Europe''s po

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Book SynopsisBusy day for PM Harry White with politics, lunch invite from media lord, rebellion, crisis call from White House. Ends with trip to Glasgow for Rangers vs. Celtic game, where two men have long-awaited plans.

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Book SynopsisAndy Prescott is the most laid-back young lawyer in Austin, Texas. Specialising in traffic law, he operates from a small room above a ramshackle tattoo parlour. He rides a trail bike and spends way too much time drinking beer in the sunshine. Ambition has never been Andy''s strong point - he prefers to take it easy.That is, until one of Texas''s wealthiest men walks into his office. On the spot, billionaire Russell Reeves retains Andy as his lawyer and, in exchange for some easy legal work, pays him more money than he has ever earned before. Andy''s life is transformed.But nothing comes for free. Russell is a desperate man whose sole aim is to save his eight-year-old son, Zach, who is dying from leukemia. He is prepared to do anything - even if it means putting Andy''s life in danger...Trade ReviewThe Common Lawyer is about an overpowering need to right a shocking wrong, and it contains violence, romance and some heart-warmingly managed ethical dilemmas . . . The pace is perfect; the style clean and transparent; the emotional manipulation, effective; and you can see the film from here. It will entertain many people. * TLS *Mark Gimenez writes colloquially smart dialogue but plots like an old master. * The Australian *

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Book Synopsis**Pre-order INVASION: RUSSIA'S BLOODY WAR AND UKRAINE'S FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL now**#1 New York Times Bestseller'It's a superb piece of work, wonderfully done and essential reading for anyone who cares for his country. Amazing research and brilliantly collated.' John Le Carré'Collusion is so essential and ... I wish everyone who is skeptical that Russia has leverage over Trump would read it ... Invaluable.' The New York TimesIn Collusion, award-winning journalist Luke Harding reveals the true nature of Trump's decades-long relationship with Russia and presents the gripping inside story of offshore money, sketchy real-estate deals, a Miss Universe Pageant, mobsters, money laundering, hacking and Kremlin espionage. This book gets to the heart of the biggest political scandal of the modern era, engulfing not just Trump's White House but threatening a global crisis not seen since the Cold War.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!Mark Greaney, the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Tom Clancy?s Jack Ryan novels, delivers another breakneck thriller following the world?s deadliest assassin: the Gray Man . . .After five years on the run, Court Gentry is back on the inside at the CIA. But when his first mission includes a pair of Chinese agents trying to take him down in Hong Kong, Court wants to know why.Court?s high-stakes hunt for answers takes him across Southeast Asia and leads to his old friend, Donald Fitzroy, who is being held hostage by the Chinese. Fitzroy was contracted to find Fan Jiang, a former member of an ultra-secret computer warfare unit responsible for testing China?s own security systems.The first two kill teams Fitzroy sent to find Fan have disappeared and the Chinese have decided to ?supervise? the next operation. What they don?t know is that Gentry?s mission is to find Fan first and get whatever intel he has to the US.After that, all he has to do is get out alive...

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Book SynopsisWe all see what we want to see2019: Julianne is preparing a family dinner when her son comes to her and says he's found something on his iPad. Something so terrible, it will turn Julianne's world into a nightmare and make her question everything about her marriage and what type of man her husband is or is pretending to be.1990: Holly is a fresher student at Oxford University. Out of her depth and nervous about her surroundings, she falls into an uneasy friendship with a group of older students from the upper echelons of society and begins to develop feelings for one in particular. He's confident, quiet, attractive and seems to like her too. But as the year progresses, her friends' behaviour grows steadily more disconcerting and Holly begins to realise she might just be a disposable pawn in a very sinister game.A devastating secret has simmered beneath the surface for over twenty-five years. Now it's time to discover the truth. But what if you're afraid of what you might find?Readers loTrade Review‘Devilishly well-plotted, crisply written – and a hell of a lot of fun. What a smashing debut!’ A.J. Finn, #1 bestselling author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW ‘Beguiling, surprising and sometimes shocking. Cleverly crafted with characters who stay with you. Highly-polished debut.’ Jane Corry, author of THE DEAD EX ‘Such a confident debut from Barnaby Walter and the most disturbing thriller I’ve read this year.’Emma Curtis, author of ONE LITTLE MISTAKE and WHEN I FIND YOU. ‘Day one of my holiday lost to B P Walter and his intriguing thriller A Version of the Truth. If you like Peter Swanson, this will be right up your dark, twisted alley’John Marrs, author of THE ONE ‘A Version of the Truth is engaging and sinister in places. Walter has created wonderfully authentic characters, and the writing is superb. Highly recommended.’ Elisabeth Carpenter, author of 99 RED BALLOONS ‘Walter's debut is an assured piece of world-building, with characters both flawed and real, and a crescendo that sweeps you up then crashes you down. Unpredictable, clever & subtly twisted. Loved it.’ Helen Fields, author of PERFECT SILENCE ‘A dark and sometimes disturbing debut; a compelling story with credible characters. Walter emerges as a powerful new voice in the world of thriller writing.’ Diane Jeffrey, author of HE WILL FIND YOU

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Book SynopsisA newest novel in the Inspector Troy series, a tale of Cold War spy dealings centred around Guy Burgess. For readers of John le Carré, Philip Kerr and Alan Furst.It is 1958. Chief Superintendent Frederick Troy of Scotland Yard, newly promoted after good service during Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Britain, is not looking forward to a Continental trip with his older brother, Rod. Rod was too vain to celebrate being fifty so instead takes his entire family on 'the Grand Tour' for his fifty-first birthday: Paris, Siena, Florence, Vienna, Amsterdam. Restaurants, galleries and concert halls. But Frederick Troy never gets to Amsterdam. After a concert in Vienna he is approached by an old friend whom he has not seen for years - Guy Burgess, a spy for the Soviets, who says something extraordinary: 'I want to come home.' Troy dumps the problem on MI5 who send an agent to debrief Burgess - but when the man is gunned down only yards from the embassy, the whole plan unravels with alarming speed and Troy finds himself a suspect.As he fights to prove his innocence, Troy discovers that Burgess is not the only ghost who has returned to haunt him...Trade ReviewFriends and Traitors is a refreshingly irreverent tale of the dark underbelly of spying. A joy to read. -- Michael RidpathLawton's cynical, tenacious chief superintendent of Scotland Yard is one of crime fiction's superlative creations... Friends and Traitors is more than a genre novel. It is a wickedly seductive entertainment and more proof, if anyone needed it, that John Lawton is creating some of our finest, and some of our most enjoyably ambiguous historical fiction. * Washington Post *Superb... Lawton's portrayal of Burgess as far less dangerous than in most accounts adds to the interest of this smart, fascinating historical thriller. * Publishers Weekly *Burgess makes a delicious antagonist in this eighth instalment in the franchise. Lawton, who writes with rueful acumen, puts a human face on the moral and political complexities of the Cold War. * Kirkus *John Lawton finds himself in the same boat as the late Patrick O'Brian - a sublimely elegant historical novelist as addictive as crack but overlooked by too many readers for too long. * Daily Telegraph *John Lawton's books contain such a wealth of period detail, character description and background information that they are lifted out of any category. Every word is enriched by the author's sophistication and irreverent intelligence, by his meticulous research and his wit. * Literary Review *Lawton's gift for memorable atmosphere and characters, intelligent plotting and wry prose put him solidly at the top of anyone's A-list of contemporary spy novelists. * Seattle Times *Lawton's up there with Philip Kerr and Alan Furst. Yes, he's that good. * The Sun *Intricate plotting, colourful characters, and a brilliant prose style put Lawton in the front rank of historical thriller writers. * Publishers Weekly *It's an extraordinary story - both in history and Lawton's bold re-imagining. It's been told many times before, in both fiction and non-fiction, but Lawton has a fresh approach, shaping Friends and Traitors as more of a character study than a standard-issue thriller. * Seattle Times *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award 2019, shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award 2018 and the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award 2018A TELEGRAPH Book of the Year. Meet Jay.Small-time dealer.Accidental jihadist.The one man who can save us all?Javid call him Jay is a dope dealer living in West London. He goes to mosque on Friday, and he's just bought his pride and joy a BMW. He lives with his mum, and life seems sweet.But his world is about to turn upside-down. Because MI5 have been watching him, and they think he's just the man they need for a delicate mission.One thing's for sure: now he's a long way East of Hounslow, Jay's life will never be the same again.The pulse-pounding spy thriller featuring MI5's most unlikely and hilarious new hero Jay Qasim. Fans of Mick Herron and Ben Aaronvotich will love this fast-paced and gripping new crime thriller series.Don't miss the prequel to the series, The Motive, written exclusively for Quick Reads 2021. And keep reading for Jay's next adventure:1. East of Hounslow2. Homegrown Hero3. Ride or DieReaders LOVE the Jay Qasim series:One of the best books I've read in a long time'A modern and timely thriller'Exciting, tense and thoroughly engaging'A MUST read gripping, funny thriller'Fast-paced and topical thriller'A real page-turner'Funny and gripping at the same time'Trade Review‘Educated me about some of the most urgent issues of our time while making me repeatedly snort with laughter’. Telegraph ‘Combining humour and tragedy is one of the hardest literary challenges, but Khurrum Rahman succeeds.’ TLS ‘Told with striking panache. Announces the arrival of a fine, fresh new thriller writer’ Daily Mail ‘A very funny but tense thriller…Think Four Lions meets Phone Shop’ Red ‘As much a coming-of-age story as a full-on action thriller, East of Hounslow is thought-provoking and entirely gripping.’ Guardian ‘Sweary, funny and, above all, an absolutely cracking thriller that you’ll tear through, this is the anti-James Bond that the 21st century needs’ Emerald Street 'East of Hounslow, in which a young Muslim finds himself forced to become an MI5 plant in a group of jihadists, is as British as Nelson’s Colum. A superb and exciting debut novel' Telegraph ‘Clipped dialogues, staccato sentences and the hilariously brilliant prose set the pace of this excellent unputdownable crime thriller. The climax will leave you breathless.’ New Indian Express ‘A brilliant thriller. You’d be mad not to buy this.’Ben Aaronovitch, author of Rivers of London ‘Excellent book. Phenomenal writing.’ BA Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors ‘I loved it. More please’ Mel McGrath, author of Give Me the Child ‘Builds to a heart-constricting climax’ Times Crime Club ‘The best thriller I’ve read in ages’ Stephen Leather

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Book SynopsisThe thrilling new Orphan X book and SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz''Feels like a missile launch'' DAVID BALDACCI_______ As Orphan-X, Evan Smoak was trained to be a secret government assassin - until he quit. As the Nowhere Man, he''s the guy to call if no one else can help. He''ll save you. But when a woman gets in touch claiming to be his mother, he can''t know if his true family needs help or this is a trap. Has Evan''s past reached out to claim him? Or is someone out to ensure he has no future?_______''A stellar series, and the stories get better with each instalment'' DAILY MAIL Praise for Orphan X ''Outstanding in every way'' LEE CHILD ''Weapons-grade thriller writing'' GUARDIAN ''A stellar series, and the stories get better with each instalment'' DAILY MAILTrade ReviewThere is a 'this time it's personal' feel to this latest in the violent, classy series and the action never flags * Sun *

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Book SynopsisWhen the body of a bushman with puzzlingly young organs is stolen from the morgue and a local witch doctor goes missing, Detective Kubu becomes involved in a life-threatening case. ‘Richly atmospheric … a gritty depiction of corruption and deception’ Publishers Weekly ‘The African Columbo … a smart satisfyingly complex mystery’ Entertainment Weekly ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James _______________ When the body of a Bushman is discovered near the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the death is written off as an accident. But all is not as it seems. An autopsy reveals that, although he’s clearly very old, his internal organs are puzzlingly young. What’s more, an old bullet is lodged in one of his muscles … but where is the entry wound? When the body is stolen from the morgue and a local witch doctor is reported missing, Detective ‘Kubu’ Bengu gets involved. Kubu and his brilliant young colleague, Detective Samantha Khama, follow the twisting trail through a confusion of rhino-horn smugglers, foreign gangsters and drugs manufacturers. And the deeper they dig, the wider and more dangerous the case becomes… A fresh, new slice of ‘Sunshine Noir’, Dying to Live is a classic tale of greed, corruption and ruthless thuggery, set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, and featuring one of crime fiction’s most endearing and humane heroes. _______________ ‘Detective David “Kubu” Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. Compelling and deceptively written’ New York Journal of Books ‘My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Dying to Live is a skilfully plotted story of greed and its consequences; making the case for Detective Kubu absorbing, like the Botswana backdrop' ShotsMag ‘Under the African sun, Michael Stanley’s Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will – a must read’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘Intelligent, dark and compelling - among the best of today’s crime fiction’ Quentin Bates ‘Fascinating, dark and beautifully written … Kubu is a detective worth knowing. More please!’ Northern CrimeTrade Review* 'A wonderful, original voice - McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly' Peter James * 'Under the African sun, Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will - a must read' Yrsa Sigurdardottir * 'Detective David "Kubu" Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written ...' New York Journal of Books

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Book SynopsisSOON TO BE AN ORIGINAL AMAZON PRIME SERIES___________________________________'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it.' LEE CHILD___________________________________The charges: explosiveAlex Cross has never been on the wrong side of the law - until now. Charged with killing in cold blood, Cross is being turned into the poster child for trigger-happy cops.The evidence: shockingCross knows it was self-defense. But, as the case against him builds, even those closest to him begin to doubt his innocence. The People vs. Alex Cross: the trial of the centuryWith his whole life and career on the line, if Cross can't convince his own family that he didn't pull the trigger with intent to kill, how can he hope to persuade a jury?___________________________________'Told with a ferocious power and emotion that is quite impossible to ignore' DAILY MAIL'Fast-paced and action-packed' I NEWSPAPER'Alex Cross is a legend' HARLAN COBENTrade ReviewIt is told with a ferocious power and emotion that is quite impossible to ignore.Fast-paced and action-packed.It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer ... Simply put: Nobody does it better. -- JEFFERY DEAVERBehind all the noise and the numbers, we shouldn't forget that no one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it -- LEE CHILD, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher seriesJames Patterson is The Boss. End of. -- IAN RANKIN, bestselling author of the Inspector Rebus seriesI wrote, "Along Came a Spider is the best thriller I've come across in many a year. It deserves to be this season's no. 1 bestseller and should instantly make James Patterson a household name." A household name, indeed. -- NELSON DEMILLEJames Patterson is the gold standard by which all others are judged. -- STEVE BERRY, bestselling author of the Colton Malone series[Alex Cross] has become one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time, a character for the ages. -- DOUGLAS PRESTON and LINCOLN CHILDAlex Cross is a legend. -- HARLAN COBENPatterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind. -- MICHAEL CONNELYPatterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination. -- NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWPatterson is in a class by himself. -- VANITY FAIR

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Book SynopsisIt’s strike—and counterstrike—as John Dempsey takes the fight to the Russians in a riveting Tier One Thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of American Operator. When shadow warrior and former Tier One Navy SEAL John Dempsey goes undercover to meet with a Vory arms dealer, he thinks he’s laying the groundwork to penetrate the Russian criminal underground. Instead, he walks into a trap orchestrated by Zeta, the secret Russian task force behind a recent assassination attempt on the US President. For Dempsey and his team, the only way out is to lay waste to the Russians, putting a target on Ember’s back. With Ember pitted against Zeta, a dangerous game of strike and counterstrike ensues—sanctioned in the halls of the Kremlin and the White House but disavowed to the world. As the line between espionage, counterterrorism, and spec ops blurs, Ember is ordered to eliminate their ultimate adversary, which means taking the fight against Zeta to Russian soil. But like a phoenix risen from the Cold War embers, Zeta is more capable than anyone imagines, and the Russians retaliate with an operation that will find Dempsey and task force Ember battling for survival.

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Book SynopsisBack by popular demand, the 1965 bestselling political thriller – ‘What would happen if the president of the U.S.A. went stark-raving mad?’‘THRILLING’ Guardian ‘FIRST-RATE’ Daily Mail ‘COMPELLING’ Bob Woodward ‘A little too plausible for comfort’ New York Times, 1965How can one man convince the highest powers in Washington that the President of the United States is dangerously unstable – before it's too late?Senator Jim MacVeagh is proud to serve his country – and his president, Mark Hollenbach, who has a near-spotless reputation as the vibrant, charismatic leader of MacVeagh’s party and the nation. When Hollenbach begins taking MacVeagh into his confidence, the young senator knows that his star is on the rise.But then Hollenbach starts summoning MacVeagh in the middle of the night to Camp David. There, the president sits in the dark and rants about his enemies, unfurling insane theories about all the people he says are conspiring against him. They would do anything, President Hollenbach tells the stunned senator, to stop him from setting in motion the grand, unprecedented plans he has to make America a great world power once again.MacVeagh comes away from these meetings increasingly convinced that the man he once admired has lost his mind. But what can he do? Who can he tell?Trade ReviewCompelling... It’s a testament to Knebel’s skill that Night of Camp David remains thrilling -- Tom McCarthy * Guardian *This summer I reread Night of Camp David, the 1965 novel by Fletcher Knebel... The book ends with some compelling twists -- Bob Woodward, author of Fear: Trump in the White House * New York Times *Eerily prescient -- Laura Wilson * Guardian *When it first appeared, this first-rate thriller was termed "a little too plausible for comfort". It still is -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisLaw professor Thomas Jackson McMurtrie literally wrote the book on evidence in the state of Alabama. But when a power-hungry colleague uses a recent run-in between McMurtrie and headstrong student Rick Drake to end his career, he is left unsure what to do next. Meanwhile, a devastating trucking accident in Henshaw, Alabama, leaves a young family dead. Drake, now a fledgling lawyer, takes the case against the freight carrier and soon begins to uncover the truth behind the tragedy that is buried in a tangled web of arson, bribery, and greed. On the eve of the trial and with his case unraveling in the midst of a dangerous cover-up that threatens to silence his star witnesses, Drake realizes that only his estranged mentor, Professor McMurtrie, can help him now. With everything to lose and only justice to gain, will McMurtrie and Drake overcome bad blood to defeat a ruthless adversary? Can the Professor turn back the clock and recover all that he’s lost? Revised edition: This edition of The Professor includes editorial revisions.Trade Review“Taut, page-turning, and smart, The Professor is a legal thriller that will keep readers up late as the twists and turns keep coming. Set in Alabama, it also includes that state’s greatest icon, one Coach Bear Bryant. In fact, the Bear gets things going with the energy of an Alabama kickoff to Auburn. Robert Bailey knows his state and he knows his law. He also knows how to write characters that are real, sympathetic, and surprising. If he keeps writing novels this good, he’s got quite a literary career before him.” —Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Rocket Boys and October Sky “Gripping from the first page to the last.” —Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump

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Book SynopsisHell's Corner is the blockbusting finale to David Baldacci's phenomenal Camel Club series.On the night of the State Dinner honouring the British Prime Minister, Oliver Stone witnesses an explosion as the motorcade leaves the White House. A bomb has been detonated in what looks like a terrorist plot directed at the President and the Prime Minister.In the aftermath, British MI5 agent Mary Chapman, an experienced, lethal operative with an agenda of her own, is sent to assist and coordinate the investigation alongside American authorities. Stone, together with Harry Finn, Alex Ford and the rest of the Camel Club, is drawn into the inquiry.But everything is not what it seems, and what happened in the park may not have been the actual plan. It seems the mysterious attackers had another target in their sights, and it's up to the Camel Club to stop them, or face the catastrophic results.Trade ReviewBaldacci is still peerless * Sunday Times *One of the world's biggest-selling thriller writers, Baldacci needs no introduction . . . Brilliant plotting, heart-grabbing action and characters to die for * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Leaving Berlin comes an explosive and richly imagined thriller set in the early days of the Cold War.  SOME SECRETS SHOULD NEVER BE TOLDMoscow, 1961: With the launch of Sputnik, the Soviet Union's international prestige is at an all-time high. And the most notorious of the defectors to the Soviet Union, former CIA agent Frank Weeks, is about to publish his memoir. What he reveals will send shock waves through the West. Weeks' defection in the early 1950s shook Washington to its core – and forced the resignation of his brother, Simon, from the State Department. Simon, now a publisher in New York, is given the opportunity to read and publish his brother’s memoir. He knows the US government will never approve the publication of what is clearly intended as KGB propaganda. Yet the offer is irresistible: it will finally give him the chance to learn why his brothTrade Review‘Kanon is fast approaching the complexity and relevance not just of le Carré and Greene but even of Orwell’ * New York Times *‘Clever, devious and morally complex’ * Sunday Times *‘The perfect combination of intrigue and accurate history brought to life’ -- Alan Furst'Sensational! No one writes period fiction with the same style and suspense – not to mention substance – as Joseph Kanon' -- Scott Turow‘Joseph Kanon owns this corner of the literary landscape and it’s a joy to see him reassert his title with such emphatic authority’ -- Lee Child

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Book SynopsisJohn Lescroart, bestselling author of the Dismas Hardy series, whose recent titles include THE FALL, THE KEEPER and THE OPHELIA CUT, returns with a gripping one-off thriller about a deadly love affair that will enthrall fans of Linwood Barclay and Harlan Coben.Kate is happily married to Ron with two children and a beautiful home in San Francisco.But everything changes when Kate meets Peter. What begins as a passing fancy develops into a dangerous obsession and one intense, passionate encounter.Confident that life can go back to normal, Kate never considers that Peter may not be so willing to move on.Until a masked man fires a weapon into the crowd of a café that Kate is in with her best friend. This tragedy is just the first in a series of horrifying events that will show exactly how fatal the consequences of one mistake can be...Trade ReviewToday's best legal thriller series -- Lee ChildHigh-class...first-rate * Sunday Telegraph *Breathtaking * LA Times *Brilliant * Washington Post *The best legal thriller I have read in years * Brad Thor *

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Book SynopsisA Financial Times Thriller of the Year Penal Colony No. 74, AKA White Eagle, lies some 600 kilometres north of Yekaterinburg in Russia's Sverdlovskaya Oblast. Imprisoning the country's most brutal criminals, it is a winter-ravaged hellhole of death and retribution. And that's exactly why the Englishman is there. Six years ago, Raglan was a soldier in the French Foreign Legion engaged in a hard-fought war on the desert border of Mali and Algeria. Amid black ops teams and competing intelligence agencies, his strike squad was compromised and Raglan himself severely injured. His war was over, but the deadly aftermath of that day has echoed around the world ever since: the assassination of four Moscow CID officers; kidnap and murder on the suburban streets of West London; the fatal compromise of a long-running MI6 operation. Raglan can't avoid the shockwaves. This is personal. It is up to him to finish it – and it ends in Russia's most notorious penal colony. But how do you break into a high security prison in the middle of nowhere? More importantly, how do you get out? Trade ReviewThe pace is relentless, the action and fight scenes superbly choreographed and Raglan is nicely complex: an action man with inner depths... A cracking, finely crafted thriller' * Financial Times *The Englishman is electrifying proof that high-tension international thrillers are back – and with an absolute vengeance -- William Shaw, author of DeadlandFight scenes, car chases, sex romps, lots of foreign locations and dead goons, and even a Bondesque escape by snowmobile... Vivid and inventive' * Sunday Times *Full of thrills * Literary Review *The pulse-pounding pace just never lets up -- Peter May, bestsellling author of LockdownA sweat-inducing tour de force * The Times *Verve, pace, shocks and intrigue, this is spy thriller writing by an author at the zenith of his powers -- Peter JamesA pulse-pounding thriller in the mould of the Terry Hayes bestseller, I Am Pilgrim * Scottish Field *This spy thriller will get your heart racing... [An] action-packed thriller!' * My Weekly. *A tightly plotted, very well told tale of clandestine campaigns, violent revenge and murky dealings at all levels * SciFi Bulletin. *This non-stop cat and mouse thriller circumnavigates the globe and a cornucopia of action... The Englishman is very good on detail and credible background, the novel has an enigmatic and intriguing hero and excites from page one to a very satisfying end' * Crime Time *Discover full-on heart-pounding action, plus smart, sharp writing in this absolute reading feast of a book... This is the first in what promises to be a smash-hit spy thriller series and I already can't wait for the next book... Shockwaves of action expanded and the storyline tripped me with unexpected developments. Even though I had read the prologue, the ending still came with a whammy' * LoveReading *The action is furiously paced... I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and absolute page turner. It cries out for a sequel. Wholly recommended' * Woman's Way *The narrative goes at breakneck speed but between the action Gilman slowly and deftly unveils Raglan's back-story * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisGruesome, terrifying, pulse-pounding' Stephen KingShortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger Award for Best Thriller of the YearFrightening' Mail on SundayThey thought it was contained. They were wrong. After decades underground in a forgotten sub-basement, a highly mutative organism capable of extinction-level destruction has found its way out.Only Pentagon bioterror operative Roberto Diaz can stop it. With the help of two unwitting security guards, he has one night to quarantine this horror, before it destroys all of humanity.You need to get on this right away' Stephen KingChilling end-of-the-world terror' Linwood BarclayPure entertainment' New York TimesA gripping, fast-paced outbreak thriller' Sci-Fi Nowchilling'Daily MailFrightening' Mail on SundayRiotously entertaining' Blake CrouchTrade Review Praise for Cold Storage: ‘Gruesome, terrifying, pulse-pounding, and also pretty goddamn funny in places. You need to get on this right away.’ Stephen King ‘Jurrassic Park screenwriter Koepp’s jaunty debut … it’s Michael Crichton with laughs’Financial Times ‘You’ll be grinning and gagging in equal measure’ SFX ‘To be simultaneously terrifying and hilarious is a masterstroke few writers can pull off, but Koepp manages in this incredible fiction debut that calls to mind a beautiful hybrid of Michael Crichton and Carl Hiassen. Cold Storage is sheer thrillery goodness, and riotously entertaining’ Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter ‘A thrilling, funny, and unexpectedly moving joy ride’ Scott Smith, New York Times bestselling author ‘You might as well put your plans on ice for the next twenty-four hours, as all you’ll be doing is reading this book. The very definition of ‘thriller,’ David Koepp’s Cold Storage grabs you and shakes you and ultimately leaves you grinning’ Scott Frank, Academy Award-nominated writer of Logan and Out of Sight ‘Cold Storage is The Andromeda Strain on crack: chilling end-of-the-world terror infected with wicked humour. Koepp pulls it off with style. When the real apocalypse arrives, may it be even half as funny as this’ Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author ‘An ultra-flammable combination of science-based horror, primal nightmare-level terror, and unrelenting action, cunningly tied together by indelible characters and a satisfyingly sly, knowing sense of humour’ Steven Soderbergh, Academy Award-winning director of Traffic and Ocean’s Eleven

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Book SynopsisThis is Naomi Mitchison's least successful novel, and new readers should not start here! It is shaped by her own life and fears in her own experience in 1931, and is the first of her novels and stories not to have a historical setting. Mitchison was appalled by the rise of fascism in Germany and Italy, and wanted to warn the world. She was rather dismayed by the results of the Russian Revolution, of which she had once had great hopes. She also poured all her most personal feelings into the novel, and covered a plethora of subjects - not only free love, abortion and rape, but the unmentionable discussion of marital infidelity, trouser buttons and rubber goods. Her own love life was so complex that she divided it between two sisters in the novel! It spent two years being censored by the publisher while she championed it, but it was crowded, over-written, hectic and unbalanced. It is poor, but Mitchison-lovers will find it impossible to put down. Isobel Murray is Emeritus Professor of Modern Scottish Literature at the University of Aberdeen

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Book SynopsisAt the age of 66, Ouyang Wantong, the former governor of Qinghe province, was too young to die. He touched the lives of so many people during his time on Earth. Some of them loved him intimately, while many more held him in the highest esteem. But there were also those who hated him and wished him dead. And now the battle to find his rightful place in the history books has begun…After the Finale is a fictional biography of an extraordinary man who grew up in poverty in China's Mao-era and then rose through the ranks of government during the country's period of reform and opening up. It's a tale of love, leadership, betrayal, corruption, lust, greed and the nature of power amid the rise of the 21st century's new superpower.

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Book Synopsis'Anne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction.' Jo NesbøDon't miss the start of a new series from the bestselling author of Modus______________________Selma Falck has lost everything. Her family has left her and her career as a high-flying lawyer is in ruins. Then one day, the man who is to blame for her downfall rings the doorbell, in desperate need of help. If she can do what he asks, Selma will have a chance at getting her old life back. But when a body turns up, showing links to the case Selma is working, it becomes clear that she has become caught up in something she shouldn't have. And as another person is found dead, Selma must find the killer before it's too late...'Step aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers.' Red MagazineTrade ReviewAnne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction. * Jo Nesbo *Lively, unusual and persuasive. Holt writes with the command we have come to expect from the top Scandinavian writers. * The Times *Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order. * Liza Marklund *Step aside, Stieg Larsson, Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers. * Red Magazine *

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Book SynopsisLook in the mirror. You're nobody. You know pursuing the truth will get you killed. But you refuse to just fade away. You've been designated an enemy of the largest secret national security apparatus in America's history. All assassins' guns are aimed at you. And you run for your life, branded with the code name you made iconic: Condor. Last Days of the Condor is a breakneck, ticking-clock saga of America on the edge of a startling spy world revolution. Set in the savage streets and Kafkaesque corridors of Washington DC, Last Days of the Condor is shot through with sex and suspense, secret agent tradecraft and full-speed action.Trade ReviewA particularly imaginative espionage thriller for the modern times -- Maxim Jakubowski * Lovereading *A fast moving story with great insight into peoples' minds -- Tricia Chappell * Promoting Crime Fiction *if you like your fiction fast and furious, this should be one for you -- Cathy Boyle * Nudge *Lean, edgy and sassy... Grady is a master of the CIA genrewonderful...supremely entertaining and a sad, important look at America today * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisThe final days of the American presence in Afghanistan bring Adam Hayes a summons he can't ignore in the latest electrifying thriller from the world of Robert Ludlum.Adam Hayes has stepped away from the field for the last time. He's promised his wife that he won't put his life on the line any more, and there's nothing that will make him break a promise to his wife. Well...almost nothing. With America withdrawing from Afghanistan and the Taliban closing in, Abdul Nassir reached out to his old friend. Ten years ago, he saved the American's life, and the time has come for repayment. The Afghan is desperate to flee his homeland. Like most of his countrymen, he is petrified by the Taliban takeover, but he also can't trust the Americans. He’s the only eyewitness to a massacre committed by a rogue team of CIA contractors. Not only can he identify the butcher who directed the bloodbath, he also has photographic proof. He’ll only be safe when those pictur

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Book SynopsisFirst Among Equals is an exciting political drama, by master storyteller Jeffrey Archer.In the 1960s, four ambitious new MPs take their seats at Westminster. Over three decades they share the turbulent passions and upheavals of the race for power with their wives and families, men and women caught up in a dramatic game for the highest stakes of all. But only one man can gain the ultimate goal – the office of Prime Minister . . .Trade ReviewAnother example of the author’s mastery of the pure art of storytelling * Daily Telegraph *We haven’t had a better novel about Parliament since Anthony Trollope * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis THE BRAND NEW REBUS THRILLER FROM THE ICONIC NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER. ONE OF THE MUST-READ NOVELS OF THE YEAR. ''I loved it - Rebus is one of fiction''s greatest creations'' MARIAN KEYESJohn Rebus stands accused: the once legendary detective is on trial, facing the rest of his life behind bars. How does a hero turn villain? Or have times changed, and the rules with them?Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke tackles Edinburgh''s most explosive case in years, as a corrupt cop harbouring huge secrets goes missing.But is her loyalty to the police or the public? And who can she trust when nobody is truly innocent - including her former mentor Rebus - and a killer walks among them? As the time comes to choose sides, it becomes clear: after a lifetime of lies, the truth will break your heart... * * * * *PRAISE FOR A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES:''I loved

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Book SynopsisCourt Gentry is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA in this latest electrifying thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.When you kick over a rock, you never know what's going to crawl out.  Alex Velesky is about to discover that the hard way. He's stolen records from the Swiss bank that employs him, thinking that he'll uncover a criminal conspiracy. But he soon finds that he's tapped into the mother lode of corruption. Before he knows it, he's being hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the CIA.  Court Gentry and his erstwhile lover, Zoya Zakharova, find themselves on opposites poles when it comes to Velesky. They both want him but for different reasons.  That's a problem for tomorrow. Today they need to keep him and themselves alive. Right now, it's not looking good.

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Book SynopsisAn exhilarating spy thriller inspired by a true story about the precious secrets being kept hidden just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. BERLIN, 1990. On a chilly early morning walk, Emil Grimm finds the body of his neighbour, fellow Stasi officer Lothar, lying dead with a bullet wound to the temple. Despite the appearance of suicide, Emil suspects murder, for as East Germany disintegrates, being a Stasi colonel is more of a liability than an asset. Emil and Lothar were involved in a final clandestine mission – now Emil must finish the job alone, on uncertain ground where alliances seem to be shifting by the day. Meanwhile, CIA agent Claire Saylor, sent to Berlin to assist an Agency action against their collapsing East German adversaries, has just received an upgrade to her assignment: she'll be the designated contact for a high-ranking Stasi foreign intelligence officer. When her first rendezvous goes dangerously awry, she realizes the mission is far more delicate than she was led to believe. Emil and Claire soon find themselves on unlikely common ground, fighting for their lives against a powerful enemy hiding in the shadows. Reviewers on Winter Work: 'An entertaining thriller about a society turned upside down.' Joseph Kanon 'Fesperman belongs in the front rank of American spy novelists.' Charles Cumming 'Into this lethal turmoil, Fesperman injects an acute sense of place, and a mastery of the many consequences of failure.' Graham Hurley 'An engrossing, deep-in-the-weeds thriller.' Kirkus 'Winter Work is just fantastic.' Olen Steinhauer 'Superb spy thriller.' Publishers Weekly 'Fesperman’s smooth, easy style belies its complexity, and makes for an engaging read.' Crime TimeTrade ReviewWinter Work vividly captures those chaotic first months after the Berlin Wall came down, with East Germany in free fall and once feared Stasi officers running for cover – into the hands of their former enemies. An entertaining thriller about a society turned upside down -- Joseph Kanon, New York Times bestselling author of Istanbul Passage and The Good GermanSo fluent, so clever. Fesperman brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of post-Communist Europe. Winter Work confirms that he belongs alongside Joseph Kanon and David Ignatius in the front rank of American spy novelists -- Charles CummingAn engrossing, deep-in-the-weeds thriller * Kirkus *Dan Fesperman has been a fave author of mine since Lie in the Dark: brilliant in conception, and faultlessly delivered. Many books later, he's delivered the same formula in Winter Work. The Cold War is abruptly over. The rules have changed but the war's survivors are struggling to adapt. Into this lethal turmoil, Fesperman injects an acute sense of place, and a mastery of the many consequences of failure. A nastier, more brutal Russia casts a long shadow, with an unmistakeably contemporary resonance. Read, enjoy, and ponder -- Graham HurleyDan Fesperman is one of my favorite thriller writers, and Winter Work is a brilliant addition to his magnificent oeuvre. Intelligently written and plotted, based on fact as gripping as any fiction and only improved by Fesperman's deft writing, Winter Work left me spellbound and hungry for another pass at his older books to relive these intense adventures -- Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling authorFesperman nicely works historical figures such as Markus Wolf, "the Stasi's most renowned spymaster", into the complex plot while painting an evocative portrait of East Berlin, "spying's most storied theme park." The action builds to a deeply satisfying denouement. Cold War-era spy fiction doesn't get much better than this * Publishers Weekly *[In] a recent clutch of novels set in this period. Winter Work [...] is unquestionably the pick of the bunch * The Times *An intelligent, atmospheric spy story perfectly conjuring up the final bad old days of the Cold War * Shots Mag *A fascinating tale which opens a window on one aspect of history that few other spy writers have looked at in depth * Crime Time Review *Classic spy fiction * Sun *Fesperman creates an atmosphere of shadowy menace * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisCharlie Walden picks his way through the issues of the day with satirical good humour, insight and wit. Another entertaining and insightful look at the British court system.

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Book SynopsisFrom the explosive world of Jason Bourne emerges a new hero. The final days of the American presence in Afghanistan bring Adam Hayes a summons he can't ignore in the new electrifying thriller from the world of Robert Ludlum. Adam Hayes has stepped away from the field for the very last time. He's promised his wife that he won't put his life on the line any more, and nothing will make him break that promise. Well... almost nothing. With America withdrawing from Afghanistan and the Taliban closing in, Abdul Nassir reaches out to his old partner, Hayes. Ten years ago, Nassir saved the American's life, and the time has come for repayment. Nassir is desperate to get his family out of the country. He is scared of the Taliban... but he can't trust the Americans either: his daughter witnessed a massacre committed by rogue CIA contractors. That only leaves one man who can get them out of the country: Adam Hayes. Reviews for Joshua Hood 'A worthy addition to the Ludlum bookshelf' Mark Greaney 'The perfect high-octane thriller' Simon GervaisTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR JOSHUA HOOD'S TREADSTONE BOOKS: 'An intense and electrifying espionage adventure ... A worthy addition to the Ludlum bookshelf' Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical. 'Joshua Hood crushes it, proving himself a worthy inheritor of the legacy' Jack Carr, Former Navy SEAL Sniper and author of True Believer. 'The perfect high-octane thriller' -- Simon Gervais, #1 International bestselling author of Hunt Them Down

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