Psychological thriller

Book SynopsisRichie Segal's prospects are pretty miserable and, what's more humiliating, his wife's career is on the up. Richie knows he is a good salesman, but he just can't seem to land an account. He's starting to drink again and worry about whether Paula is seeing that old high school flame or maybe someone new. At thirty-four, he's a little young for a mid-life crisis, but that's what it feels like. And then there are those unwelcome memories of the neighbourhood bully, Michael Rudnick, and what he did to Richie when he was eleven. . . Just when Richie is about as low as he can get, he runs into Rudnick on the street and knows exactly what he needs to do. Suddenly things seem to be going much better. That is until they get much, much worse. In the classic tradition of Jim Thompson and Patricia Highsmith, Hard Feelings is a gripping, original novel of paranoia, obsession, and revenge.Trade Reviewa tale that reads like James M Cain modernised by Bret Easton Ellis. It will make you squirm -- Maxim Jakubowski * Guardian Unlimited *In his psychological thriller Hard Feelings...Starr has plumbed the shallows of his brittle characters and their selfish lives, depicting them in a hard-edged style that is clean, cold and extremely chilling * New York Times Book Review *Jason Starr is the first writer of his generation to convincingly update the modern crime novel by giving it provocative new spins and Hard Feelings is his most accomplished thriller yet. It might be new-school noir but like the classics of the genre it has a brutal escalation of tension, pungent dialogue, a hardboiled simplicity and grace, and a whopper of an ending. It's also darkly funny and a pure pleasure to read. As you race through it you realize that Jim Thompson has just moved to Manhattan -- Brett Easton EllisConvincing and entertaining . . . Hard Feelings dances a mesmerizing tango between reality and its menacing shadow * Time Out New York *a gripping novel of paranoia and obsession that's damn near impossible to put down -- Jim Driver * Time Out *

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Book SynopsisMickey Prada is a nice kid. Perhaps too nice. He works in a neighbourhood seafood market in Brooklyn putting fish on ice. He's got a nice girlfriend. He even delayed college a year, to look after his sick dad who's gradually losing his marbles and has a tendency to go walkabout. But Mickey's got a little problem. A customer at the fish store, Angelo Santoro, keeps asking Mickey to place bets for him and Angelo keeps losing. As Angelo gets further in the hole, his bad luck is turning out to be Mickey's too. Now Mickey's got his bookie after him and Angelo's showing him the butt of his pistol rather than paying him back. So when his best friend, Chris, asks Mickey to join him on a can't-lose caper, Mickey decides to go along. But, sure-fire schemes often have a way of backfiring, and this one is sending Mickey into an uncharted part of Brooklyn, where fish like Chris and Mickey have trouble...Trade Reviewa hard-knuckled writer -- Marilyn Stasio * New York Times Book Review *From the first page of this noir thriller, you know things are only going to get worse, but you can't stop reading * Newsweek *Jason Starr's Tough Luck [is] the kind of book you read with a wince, but you read it straight through because you can't put it down. Starr [is] a terrifically taut writer * The Baltimore Sun *Tough Luck, an enthralling character study, is perfect car-crash literature; spiritual sustenance for the "inner rubber-neck" in all of us -- Paul Kane * New Mystery Reader Magazine *Starr has total control of his plot, and he's so relentlessly clever that poor Mickey's life becomes a mesmerizing exercise in personal decline in which every piece smartly falls into place. An unsettling read, but hard to put down * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisTimes are tough for David Miller, a journalist for a second rate financial magazine who hates his boss, is tired of supporting his girlfriend's partying lifestyle, and recently lost his sister to cancer. But things are about to get much worse. When he loses his wallet in a neighborhood bar, he finds himself being blackmailed by junkies, lying to his family and friends, and stumbling into a crime that may cost him his life.Trade ReviewJason Starr is terrific and Twisted City is one of his best. Starr knows what James M. Cain knew: that a whole world of evil lies right on the edge of the everyday world and you can cross the border in a city minute. His stuff is tough and real and brilliant -- Andrew KlavanJason Starr is one of the new voices of noir fiction, a writer capable of taking noir from what it has always been toward whatever it can become. He's got his own slant, his own slashing style, and the moral honesty true noir requires. I could go on, but just look at the proof, Twisted City -- Daniel WoodrellDemonic, demented and truly ferocious and a flat out joy to read. In other words, a total feast. Like it?...I plain worshipped it -- Ken BruenStreamline as a model's hips, dark as the inside of a dog's gut, Twisted City is a hip, white collar update on the James Cain, Jim Thompson style novel with a seasoning all its own. Jason Starr is a unique talent, and Twisted City is one unique book -- Joe R. LansdaleTo the obsessive emotionality of a Cornell Woolrich and the gleeful nihilism of a Charles Willeford, Jason Starr adds his own 21st-century urban weirdness. Funny, sick and harrowing, often all at once, Twisted City more than lives up to its title, and I enjoyed it tremendously -- Scott Phillips

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Book SynopsisWith the suspense of Karen Rose, and the sensual thrills of Sylvia Day, this is an addictive story of forbidden love and cold-blooded revenge. ‘‘Not for the faint-hearted’ CLOSER Ella, sweet Ella, you were meant to be mine. You can’t begin to imagine all the things I want to do to you. When the time is right, I will come for you . . . A series of hand-delivered letters leaves Ella scared for her life. Someone is watching her. Wanting her. Someone promising revenge. Desperate for the nightmare to end, Ella will do anything to discover the truth. Even join forces with a man who comes with his own danger warning . . .Trade Review‘Not for the faint-hearted … you’ll be guessing until the very end’Closer

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Book SynopsisThe stunning new novel from the rising star of the crime writing genre, Vanishing Point sees DI Jack Brady investigating the horrific deaths of young women in Whitley Bay – and uncovering a sadistic and powerful trafficking ring that has its roots in the highest echelons of power… “Moaning, she lifted her aching head up off the cold tiled floor. In the background the razor sharp noise of dripping water echoed again and again. All she knew was that she was hurting. Really hurting. That was when she realised that her tongue was missing…” Early on a Sunday morning in the North East seaside resort of Whitley Bay, a headless female torso washes up on the beach. Two days later, the body’s missing head appears a mile down the coast – and with that, DI Jack Brady is plunged into one of the most harrowing cases of his career. If you like Peter James, you’ll love Danielle Ramsay.

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Book Synopsis ‘Utterly compelling.’ – Judy Finnigan In a family built on lies, who can you trust? Audrey Bailey will never forget the moment she met Ralph Templeton in the sweltering heat of a Bombay café. Her lonely life over, she was soon married with two small children. But things in the Templeton household were never quite what they seemed. Now approaching 70, and increasingly a burden on the children she’s never felt close to, Audrey plans a once-in-a-lifetime cruise around the Greek isles. Forcing twins Lexi and John along for the ride, the Templetons set sail as a party of three – but only two will return. On the night of her birthday, Audrey goes missing…hours after she breaks the news that the twins stand to inherit a fortune after her death. As the search of the ship widens, so does the list of suspects – and with dark clues emerging about Audrey’s early life, the twins begin to question if they can even trust one another…Trade Review‘An utterly compelling story of loss and betrayal. I loved it’Judy Finnigan ‘A clever, tense thriller’Heat ‘A gripping debut. You won’t be able to put this down’Bella ‘Compelling…fans of Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty will enjoy this’Candis

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Book Synopsis ‘A page-turning whodunit.’ – Ruth Ware, bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10 She always trusted her husband. Until he died. Clara Solberg’s world shatters when her husband and four-year-old daughter are in a car crash, killing Nick while Maisie is remarkably unharmed. But when Maisie starts having nightmares, Clara becomes obsessed that Nick’s death was far more than just an accident. Who wanted Nick dead? And, more importantly, why? Clara will stop at nothing to find out the truth – even if it makes her question whether her entire marriage has been a lie…Trade Review‘Brilliant, intense, and utterly addictive. Be prepared to run a gauntlet of emotions!’ -B A Paris, bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors ‘With Every Last Lie, Mary Kubica spins an utterly mesmerising tale of marriage and secrets. Haunting, psychologically deft and full of hairpin turns… it’ll have you rapt until its final pages’ - Megan Abbott, author of You Will Know Me ‘Single White Female on steroids’ – Lisa Scottoline ‘Grabs you from the moment it starts’ – Daily Mail ‘Gets right under your skin and leaves its mark. A tremendous read’ – The Sun 'Sensational' – Metro 'Fans of GONE GIRL will embrace this' – Lisa Gardner ‘Memorable and riveting’ – Lovereading.co.uk ‘Stunning – Kubica is an author to watch.’ – We Love This Book

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Book SynopsisGritty, complex and effortlessly chilling, Brolly’s Dead Eyed is a grisly crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. DCI Michael Lambert thought he’d closed his last case… Yet when he’s passed a file detailing a particularly gruesome murder, Michael knows that this is no ordinary killer at work. The removal of the victim’s eyes and the Latin inscription carved into the chest is the chilling calling-card of the ‘soul jacker’: a cold-blooded murderer who struck close to Michael once before, twenty-five years ago. Now the long-buried case is being re-opened, and Michael is determined to use his inside knowledge to finally bring the killer to justice. But as the body count rises, Michael realises that his own links to the victims could mean that he is next on the killer’s list… The gripping first novel in a thrilling new crime series by Matt Brolly. Perfect for fans of Tony Parsons, Lee Child and Angela Marsons. Praise for Matt Brolly ‘I would never have guessed that this is a debut novel…Dead Eyed is such an enjoyable read. Tense, dark and with quite a grip, I can't wait for the next.’ For Winter Nights – A Bookish Blog (Top 500 Amazon Reviewer) ‘Matt Brolly is a new star in the making…a very polished first novel and definitely deserves a wide audience.’ Elaine (Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer) 'Dead Eyed is a very engaging and absorbing read… I will certainly be on the lookout for more books by this promising, talented author.’ Relax and Read Reviews ‘Action packed, dramatic and addictive…an unputdownable read.’ Portybelle ‘WOW – what a brilliant debut novel! A tense crime thriller with a fast paced plot that is full of twists, turns and surprises – a story that keeps the reader engrossed to the very end.’ Splashes Into Books ‘One word for this – riveting. Fast paced, full of twisty goodness, a well-drawn and intriguing main protagonist and a well-constructed and horrifically addictive storyline.’ Liz Loves BooksTrade Review‘I would never have guessed that this is a debut novel…Dead Eyed is such an enjoyable read. Tense, dark and with quite a grip, I can't wait for the next.’ For Winter Nights – A Bookish Blog (Top 500 Amazon Reviewer) ‘Matt Brolly is a new star in the making…a very polished first novel and definitely deserves a wide audience.’ Elaine (Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer) 'Dead Eyed is a very engaging and absorbing read… I will certainly be on the lookout for more books by this promising, talented author.’ Relax and Read Reviews ‘Action packed, dramatic and addictive…an unputdownable read.’ Portybelle ‘WOW – what a brilliant debut novel! A tense crime thriller with a fast paced plot that is full of twists, turns and surprises – a story that keeps the reader engrossed to the very end.’ Splashes Into Books ‘One word for this – riveting. Fast paced, full of twisty goodness, a well-drawn and intriguing main protagonist and a well-constructed and horrifically addictive storyline.’ Liz Loves Books

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Book SynopsisWith gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust, Christine Mangan's The Continental Affair is a fast-paced, Agatha Christie-esque caper packed full of romance and suspense.'Reads as if Jean Rhys and Patricia Highsmith collaborated on a script for Alfred Hitchcock; it is an elegant, delirious fever dream of a book.' The Irish TimesMeet Henri and Louise. Two strangers, travelling alone, on the train from Belgrade to Istanbul.Except this isn't the first time they have met.It's the 1960s, and Louise is running.From her past in England, from the owners of the money she has stolen―and from Henri, the person who has been sent to collect it.Across the Continent―from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul―Henri follows. He's desperate to leave behind his own troubles and the memories of his past life as a gendarme in Algeria.But Henri soon realises that Louise is no ordinary traveller.As the train hurtles toward its final destination, Henri and Louise must decide what the future will hold―and whether it involves one another.Stylish and atmospheric, The Continental Affair takes you on an unforgettable journey through the twisty, glamorous world of 1960s Europe.

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