Search results for ""Orenda Books""
Orenda Books The Collapsing Wave
£8.99
Orenda Books The Betrayal of Thomas True
Set in the buried streets of Georgian London and the outrageous underworld of the molly houses, a carpenter hiding a double life searches for a traitor who is betraying the secrets of the mollies. The visceral, raucous, tender and utterly enchanting historical thriller by the award-winning author of The Spirit Engineer. ‘Heartbreaking, beautiful, lyrical. I was captivated from the start … you won't want to put it down’ Catriona Ward ‘A rare gem of a novel. Gloriously gritty … a darkly thrilling romp in 18th century London that simmers with sinister menace and illicit temptation’ Susan Stokes-Chapman ‘Stunning and powerful – an atmospheric thriller that is both heartfelt and meticulously researched. You’ll never forget Thomas True’ Janice Hallett ‘Really very, very good&rsquo
£15.29
Orenda Books The Opposite of Lonely
A body lost at sea, arson, murder, astronauts, wind phones, communal funerals, stalking and conspiracy theories … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as tense, unnerving and warmly funny as ever! ‘A terrific read with all of Johnston’s trademark warmth and wicked wit in the latest gripping outing for this beguiling family’ A K Turner ‘Some of the best female characters in crime fiction. Pitch-perfect balance of dark and light … disturbing, compassionate and brilliantly funny’ Sarah Hilary 'The Skelfs series just gets better and better! Outstanding characters and a gripping plot … Doug Johnstone is one of the greats of Scottish crime fiction' Luca Veste ____________ Even death needs company… The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private-investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever. Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at an illegal campsite and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk. With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, The Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything… Tense, unnerving and warmly funny, The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable Skelfs series, and this time, danger comes from everywhere… _________________________ ‘If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly ‘Authentic female characters … Short, punchy chapters mean that the pace is brisk, and Johnstone’s deft way of portraying old and new characters means that even novice readers of the series won’t be left behind’ Scotsman 'An absolute joy to read … full of such wonderful characters, brilliantly realised, with more peril and intrigue. Certainly the best one yet' James Oswald ‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch’ Gytha Lodge ‘A unique brand of crime fiction boasting rare heart and depth’ Ambrose Parry ‘Some of the most unique characters in crime fiction’ Daily Express ‘Gritty, atmospheric and, above all, profoundly moving. An emotional education in the most unexpected of ways … I loved it’ Sarah Sultoon ‘A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly ‘The Skelfs books are brilliant’ Miranda Dickinson ***SHORTLISTED FOR THEAKSTON’S OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR***
£9.99
Orenda Books His Favourite Graves: The most electrifying, twisted and twisty thriller of the year!
Desperate for reward money – and to rescue his marriage – an embattled sheriff takes incalculable risks to find a missing boy. An edge-of-your-seat, twisted and twisty thriller from New Zealand's King of Crime. `Moves at a furious pace, even as the walls close in … everything you want from a thriller and it leaves you gasping´ Helen Fields `Paul Cleave is an automatic must-read for me´ Lee Child ‘Electrifying’ Crime Monthly magazine ‘Our sympathies to swing one way and then the other, and the final twist is clever’ Literary Review _____________ To catch a killer…Maybe you've got to be one… Acacia Pines, USA. Sheriff Cohen's life is falling apart – his father accidentally burned down the retirement home, his wife has moved out, and his son is bullying other kids at school. When high-school student, Lucas Connor, is abducted, Cohen sees a chance to get his life back on track – to win back his wife and scoop the reward money offered for Lucas's safe return. But as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Cohen's going to have to make the kind of decision from which there's no coming back … a decision with deadly consequences… A furiously paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller exposing the dark underbelly of small-town life, His Favourite Graves is also a twisted and twisty story of father-and-son relationships, and the one last gamble of a desperate man to save everything… _____________ `Uses words as lethal weapons´ New York Times Praise for Paul Cleave `Cleave writes the kind of dark, intense thrillers that I never want to end´ Simon Kernick `A true page-turner filled with dread, rage, doubt and more twists than the Remutaka Pass´ Linwood Barclay `Smart and twisty, this book will get under your skin´ Liz Nugent `Merits comparison with the work of Patricia Highsmith´ Publishers Weekly `The sense of dread builds unstoppably´ Gilly Macmillan `Genuinely haunting and lingers in the memory´ Daily Mail `Full of ideas and intelligence´ Literary Review `A true page-turner´ Guardian `Nerve-shredding' Crime Monthly `Tense, thrilling, touching´ John Connolly `This very clever novel did my head in time and again´ Michael Robotham `This thriller is one to remember´ New York Journal of Books
£9.99
Orenda Books Mirror Image: The present mirrors the past in a chilling Varg Veum thriller
As Bergen PI Varg Veum investigates two different cases, it becomes clear that they are uncannily similar to harrowing events that took place thirty-six years earlier… A gripping instalment of the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. Bergen Private Investigator Varg Veum is perplexed when two wildly different cases cross his desk at the same time. A lawyer, anxious to protect her privacy, asks Varg to find her sister, who has disappeared with her husband, seemingly without trace, while a ship carrying unknown cargo is heading towards the Norwegian coast, and the authorities need answers. Varg immerses himself in the investigations, and it becomes clear that the two cases are linked, and have unsettling – and increasingly uncanny – similarities to events that took place thirty-six years earlier, when a woman and her saxophonist lover drove their car off a cliff, in an apparent double suicide. As Varg is drawn into a complex case involving star-crossed lovers, toxic waste and illegal immigrants, history seems determined to repeat itself in perfect detail … and at terrifying cost... A chilling, dark and twisting story of love and revenge, Mirror Image is Staalesen at his most thrilling, thought-provoking best.
£9.99
Orenda Books The Murmurs: The most compulsive, chilling gothic thriller you'll read this year…
A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed… ‘Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected … a master of his craft’ Herald Scotland ‘A fine, atmospheric chiller couched in Malone’s customary elegant prose’ Douglas Skelton ‘A master storyteller at the very top of his game, Michael J. Malone weaves the most exquisite tale … mesmeric and suspenseful’ Marion Todd ________________ In the beginning there was fear. White-hot, nerve-shredding fear. Terrifying premonitions of deaths. And then they started…The Murmurs… On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die. How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as 'the murmurs'… With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson. And this time, it will never let go… A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors… ________________ ‘Poetic and beautifully crafted, this is a chilling and compelling read’ Caro Ramsay Praise for Michael J Malone 'Vivid, visceral and compulsive' Ian Rankin ‘A gothic ghost story and psychological thriller all rolled into one. Brilliantly creepy … a spine-tingling treat' Daily Record ‘Prepare to have your marrow well and truly chilled by this deeply creepy Scottish horror … A complex and multi-layered story' Sunday Mirror ‘A beautifully written tale, original, engrossing and scary… a dark joy' The Times 'A deeply satisfying read' Sunday Times 'A fine, page-turning thriller' Daily Mail ‘Unsettling, multi-layered and expertly paced’ CultureFly
£9.99
Orenda Books Someone Like Her: The exquisite, heart-wrenching, eye-opening new novel from the bestselling author of No Honour
A young Pakistani woman is the victim of an unthinkable act of vengeance, when she defies convention for love, facing seemingly insurmountable challenges and danger as she attempts to rebuild her life. ‘Stunning, shocking, compulsive reading … A breathtaking masterpiece’ Hazel Prior ‘Pacy, gripping and fast-moving … I literally could not put it down!’ Edel Coffey ‘Rarely has a writer affected me so deeply. Someone Like Her is an epic story of love, power and extraordinary courage’ A.J. West –––––––––––––––––––– Multan, Pakistan. A conservative city where an unmarried woman over the age of twenty-five is considered a curse by her family. Ayesha is twenty-seven. Independent and happily single, she has evaded an arranged marriage because of her family's reduced circumstances. When she catches the eye of powerful, wealthy Raza, it seems like the answer to her parents' prayers. But Ayesha is in love with someone else, and when she refuses to give up on him, Raza resorts to unthinkable revenge… Ayesha travels to London to rebuild her life and there she meets Kamil, an emotionally damaged man who has demons of his own. They embark on a friendship that could mean salvation for both of them, but danger stalks Ayesha in London, too. With her life thrown into turmoil, she is forced to make a decision that could change her and everyone she loves forever. Exquisitely written, populated by unforgettable characters and rich with poignant, powerful themes, Someone Like Her is a story of love and family, of corruption and calamity, of courage and hope … and one woman's determination to thwart convention and find peace, at whatever cost… –––––––––––––––––––– ‘Khan brings passion and a clear eye to this compelling story of female defiance in the face of corruption and violence. If you’re a fan of Khaled Hosseini … this is for you’ Paul Waters ‘A heart-rending and compelling story. Khan treats his characters with love and respect. I couldn’t put it down’ Alice Clark-Platts ‘Breaks your heart but then gradually heals it’ Mira V Shah ‘A dark and frightening story of corruption, oppression, possession and violence yet is beautifully and sensitively written by a brave, bold author’ Michael Wood ‘Tackles deep-rooted societal issues with brutal yet touching honesty’ A.A. Chaudhuri ‘An excellent storyteller’ Soniah Kamal ‘An epic story of love, abuse and revenge … an emotional rollercoaster as Awais Khan confronts societal injustices with unflinching honesty’ Eve Smith ‘Khan lays bare the trauma of women, relegated to second-class citizenship in this compelling tale of brutality and bravery. First-class writing’ Marion Todd ‘Tender and powerful … his best yet’ Sonia Velton ‘Compelling, painful and defiant’ Elyse John ‘Arguably Khan's best work’ Pakistan Daily ‘Kept me turning the pages late into the night’ Aliya Ali-Afzal ‘A gripping and emotive story of ambition, resilience and love’ Heleen Kist ‘Insightful storytelling’ Faiqa Mansab ‘Both timely and timeless’ Saba Karim Khan
£8.99
Orenda Books Black Hearts
A faked death, an obsessive stalker, an old man claiming he’s being abused by the ghost of his late wife, and a devastating spectre from the past. The Skelfs are back in another explosive thriller, and this time things are more than personal… ‘A new outing for the Skelfs deserves dancing in the streets of Edinburgh' Val McDermid ‘Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham ‘A total delight to be returned to the dark, funny, compulsive world of the Skelfs … Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch. Brilliant!’ Gytha Lodge_________________________________________ Death is just the beginning… The Skelf women live in the shadow of death every day, running the family funeral directors and private investigator business in Edinburgh. But now their own grief interwines with that of their clients, as they are left reeling by shocking past events. A fist-fight by an open grave leads Dorothy to investigate the possibility of a faked death, while a young woman’s obsession with Hannah threatens her relationship with Indy and puts them both in mortal danger. An elderly man claims he’s being abused by the ghost of his late wife, while ghosts of another kind come back to haunt Jenny from the grave … pushing her to breaking point. As the Skelfs struggle with increasingly unnerving cases and chilling danger lurks close to home, it becomes clear that grief, in all its forms, can be deadly… _________________________________________ ‘The Skelfs keep getting better and better. Compelling and compassionate characters, with a dash of physics and philosophy thrown in’ Ambrose Parry ‘Expertly written, with poise, insight and compassion … How wonderful to be immersed once more in the world of the Skelfs, three generations of indomitable women who light up Edinburgh's literary pantheon’ Mary Paulson-Ellis ’If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly ‘Dynamic and poignant … Johnstone balances the cosmos, music, death and life, and wraps it all in a compelling mystery’ Marni Graff ‘It’s difficult to come away from Black Hearts without feeling inspired, uplifted and in a way spiritually laundered’ Café Thinking ‘Just when you thought you couldn’t love the Skelfs more, Doug Johnstone finds a way to turn up the heat’ Live & Deadly Praise for The Skelfs series***Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year*** ***Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year*** ***Shortlisted for Amazon Publishing Capital Crime Thriller of the Year*** ‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland ‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer ‘A tense ride strong, believable characters’ Kerry Hudson, Big Issue ‘The power of this book, though, lies in the warm personalities and dark humour of the Skelfs, and by the end readers will be just as interested in their relationships with each other as the mysteries they are trying to solve’ Scotsman ‘Remarkable’ Sunday Times ‘Keeps you hungry from page to page. A crime reader can’t ask anything more’ The Sun ‘A thrilling, atmospheric book, set in the dark streets of Edinburgh. Move over Ian Rankin, Doug Johnstone is coming through!’ Kate Rhodes ‘An unstoppable, thrilling, bullet train of a book that cleverly weaves in family and intrigue, and has real emotional impact. I totally loved it’ Helen Fields ‘This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief ... more, please’ Guardian ‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times ‘Exceptional … a must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly
£8.99
Orenda Books The Bleeding: The dazzlingly dark, bewitching gothic thriller that everyone is talking about…
Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings from Belle Époque France to 21st-century Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart … FIRST in a bewitching new series **Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** `A wonderfully dark, intricately woven historical thriller spanning three generations … it will have you hooked from the very first page' B A Paris `A gripping story of murder and black magic …Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France´ The Times BOOK OF THE MONTH `Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told through three different time frames´ Essie Fox ________________ Three women Three eras One extraordinary mystery…1899, Belle Époque Paris. Lucienne’s two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War Québec. Teenager Lina’s father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina’s life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband – a famous university professor – to death. Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism … and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love… _________________ `This novel is a whirlpool that draws you irresistibly into levels of darkness so much deeper than you can possibly be ready for´ Ambrose Parry `I found myself racing through the book, always wanting one more page, one more chapter. A wonderfully creepy, unsettling read, with a superb twist in its tail´ James Oswald `Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling´ Peter James `I was hooked from the first page – a stunning and beautifully written gothic thriller full of atmosphere, intrigue and delight´ Alexandra Benedict `Brilliant … the last chapters knocked me sideways, and it’s a long time since that’s happened´ Lisa Hall `A dark world of elegance and grotesque … mesmeric´ Matt Wesolowski `Harrowing, compelling, haunting, vivid, twisty and shocking! ´ Noelle Holten `A powerful page-turner´ Livres Hebdo ***NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER IN FRANCE*** FOR FANS OF Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls, Bridget Collins, Anna Mazzola, Essie Fox, Ambrose Parry and Laura Shepherd-Robinson Praise for Johana Gustawsson `A satisfying, full-fat mystery´ The Times `Assured telling of a complex story´ Sunday Times `A real page-turner, I loved it´ Martina Cole `A bold and intelligent read´ Guardian `Utterly compelling´ Woman’s Own `Cleverly plotted, simply excellent´ Ragnar Jónasson `A must-read´ Daily Express `Gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed´ Crime by the Book `A relentless heart-stopping masterpiece´ New York Journal of Book
£9.99
Orenda Books Demon: The bone-chilling, addictive bestseller (Six Stories Book 6)
Scott King investigates allegations of demon possession in a rural Yorkshire village, where a 12-year-old boy was murdered by two young children. Book six in the spine-tingling, award-winning Six Stories series.‘Matt’s books are fantastic’ Ian Rankin‘An exceptional storyteller’ Andrew Michael Hurley ‘Matt Wesolowski is taking the crime novel to places it’s never been before’ Joseph Knox, author of True Crime Story'A stunning new episode of the powerful Six Stories series. A masterful storyteller, Matt Wesolowski is my go-to writer for literary horror' C J Cooke, author of The Lighthouse Witches____________In 1995, the picture-perfect village of Ussalthwaite was the site of one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, in a case that shocked the world.Twelve-year-old Sidney Parsons was murdered by two boys his own age. No reason was ever given for this terrible crime, and the ‘Demonic Duo’ who killed him were imprisoned until their release in 2002, when they were given new identities and lifetime anonymity.Elusive online journalist Scott King investigates the lead-up and aftermath of the killing, uncovering dark stories of demonic possession, and encountering a village torn apart by this unspeakable act.And, as episodes of his Six Stories podcast begin to air, and King himself becomes a target of media scrutiny and public outrage, it becomes clear that whatever drove those two boys to kill is still there, lurking, and the campaign of horror has just begun...____________ ‘Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers‘Matt’s real skill is in finding a deeply human story and twisting it with the paranormal, touching the reader and scaring the wits out of them’ Chris MacDonald‘One of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North‘A wonderful writer’ Chris Whitaker‘I’ll be rereading these books forever’ Sublime Horror‘The master of horror, of mixing folklore with urban myth and real life. Terrifyingly good’ Louise Beech‘A taut and gripping tale that deftly skewers the perfect balance of crime, thriller and horror. Intriguing, disturbing and impeccably crafted – I was riveted from the first page’ Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of Dead RelativesPraise for the Six Stories series: **Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year****Winner of the Capital Crime Best Independent Voice Award**’A captivating, genre-defying book with hypnotic storytelling’ Rosamund Lupton Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever’ Fiona Cummins‘Daisy Jones and the Six gone to the dark side. I couldn’t put it down’ Harriet Tyce‘Bold, clever and genuinely chilling with a terrific twist’ Sunday Mirror‘Insidiously terrifying, with possibly the creepiest woods since The Blair Witch Project’ C J Tudor‘Frighteningly wonderful … one of the best books I’ve read in years’ Khurrum Rahman‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven‘A dark, twisting rabbit hole of a novel. You won't be able to put it down' Francine Toon‘First-class plotting’ S Magazine‘A dazzling fictional mystery’ Foreword Reviews‘Readers of Kathleen Barber’s Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel’ BooklistFor fans of Serial, The Conjuring, C J Tudor, Fiona Cummins, Sarah Pinborough and Catriona Ward
£8.99
Orenda Books No Honour
A young woman defies convention in a small Pakistani village, with devastating results for her and her family. A stunning, immense beautiful novel about courage, family and the meaning of love, when everything seems lost… ‘A compelling and compassionate story’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Story Keeper ‘A shocking portrait of lives lived under the shadow of threat and prejudice. A brave book’ Vaseem Khan, author of the Inspector Chopra series 'A bold, gifted storyteller, dealing with a gritty, thorny issue of female honour. Compulsive reading' Qaisra Shahraz MBE, author of The Holy Woman ‘Beautifully written and immersive, No Honour starts with a powerful opening that propels you into the shocking themes. A must-read’ Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium _______________ In sixteen-year-old Abida’s small Pakistani village, there are age-old rules to live by, and her family’s honour to protect. And, yet, her spirit is defiant and she yearns to make a home with the man she loves. When the unthinkable happens, Abida faces the same fate as other young girls who have chosen unacceptable alliances – certain, public death. Fired by a fierce determination to resist everything she knows to be wrong about the society into which she was born, and aided by her devoted father, Jamil, who puts his own life on the line to help her, she escapes to Lahore and then disappears. Jamil goes to Lahore in search of Abida – a city where the prejudices that dominate their village take on a new and horrifying form – and father and daughter are caught in a world from which they may never escape. Moving from the depths of rural Pakistan, riddled with poverty and religious fervour, to the dangerous streets of over-populated Lahore, No Honour is a story of family, of the indomitable spirit of love in its many forms … a story of courage and resilience, when all seems lost, and the inextinguishable fire that lights one young woman’s battle for change. _______________ ‘So powerful’ Heat magazine ‘Addictive, brave and powerful’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us ‘Deeply emotional’ Eastern Eye ‘A stunningly written, immensely important book’ A. A. Chaudhuri ‘Perfectly paced story structure and eloquent dialogue … shocking, deeply moving and hugely important’ Carol Lovekin ‘A truly heart-wrenching tale of the human spirit’s quest for love, freedom and survival’ Tim Glister ‘It will shake you, anger and sadden you, but also restore hope in the power of love to triumph over evil, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles’ Tony Frobisher,Daily Times ‘Soul deep, mind-blowing and heart-wrenching … you are left reeling’ Faiqa Mansab ‘Khan is a masterful storyteller’ Aliya Ali-Afzal ‘Beautiful, striking and eye-opening’ Louise Beech ‘Khan writes about the dance between fathers and daughters, men and women, authority and no authority, and No Honour is a page-turner’ Soniah Kamal ‘Tense and gripping’ Polly Crosby ‘Beautifully rendered, moving and insightful … this book is not always an easy read but it is a compelling and rewarding one’ Neema Shah ‘Spectacular… a joy from start to finish’ Charlie Carroll ‘Hypnotic, atmospheric and by the end, so hopeful’ Sarah Sultoon ‘This book is devastating, vitally important and beautifully written. Astonishing’ Rob Parker ‘Insightful and sympathetic to the unique experiences of women, whilst evoking the atmosphere of Lahore … hard to put down’ Alex Morrall ‘An epic, gut-wrenching story of love and survival in the face of barbaric oppression’ Heleen Kist ‘A gripping, horrifying, compulsive read’ Jennie Godfrey ‘This is a book that will stay with me for a long time … I was horrified by what I was reading but literally couldn't put this book down’ Madeleine Black ‘A compelling, brave and uplifting read for our time’ Eve Smith ‘Compelling main characters make it memorable and the heavy subject matter in handled the way it should have been – with empathy’ Mashable
£8.99
Orenda Books The Ice Swimmer
The discovery of a body in the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour spark an investigation that takes the Oslo Detectives right to the heart of the government … with life-shattering results. The godfather of Nordic Noir is back… ***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** ‘Fiercely powerful and convincing’ LoveReading ‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character’ The Times ‘Lena Stigersand, one of the decent, talented, hard-working Oslo police detectives in Dahl’s ensemble procedural series, takes center stage in this excellent sixth instalment … fans of Scandinavian noir will be eager for Dahl’s next book’ Publishers Weekly **Book of the Month** ____________________ When a dead man is lifted from the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour just before Christmas, Detective Lena Stigersand’s stressful life suddenly becomes even more complicated. Not only is she dealing with a cancer scare, a stalker and an untrustworthy boyfriend, but it seems that both a politician and Norway’s security services might be involved in the murder. With her trusted colleagues, Gunnarstranda and Frølich, at her side, Lena digs deep into the case and finds that it not only goes to the heart of the Norwegian establishment, but it might be rather to close to her personal life for comfort. Dark, complex and nail-bitingly tense, The Ice Swimmer is a simply unforgettable instalment in the critically acclaimed Oslo Detective series, by the godfather of Nordic Noir. ____________________ ‘If you want your worst fears about what goes on inside a cop's mind confirmed, meet Kjell Ola Dahl's Oslo sleuths, Gunnarstranda and Frølich … impossible to put down’ Guardian ‘A chilling novel about betrayal’ Sunday Times ‘If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail ‘More than gripping’ European Literature Network ‘The perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Reader’s Digest ‘Dramatic, fast-paced and character-focused’ Crime Review ‘Skilful blend of police procedural and psychological insight’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘I have read many clever and thrilling crime novels through my life, but often they have nothing to do with real life. If I don’t believe in them, they don’t impress me. But when Kjell Ola Dahl tells his stories, I believe every single word’ Karin Fossum 'Kjell Ola Dahl's novels are superb. If you haven't read one, you need to – right now' William Ryan
£8.99
Orenda Books Big Sister
Recently widowed and caring for his young son, Andy Boyd thinks his life is over, until he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Anna. And that was his first mistake … A startling, emotive and stark psychological thriller from one of Scotland’s bestselling crime writers… ‘A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots 'Strong female characters, honest, pithy dialogue and ever-present empathy for the victims make this a deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times ‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin _________________ Some secrets should never be kept… Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match … and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it. A dangerous mistake that could cost him everything. A brave, deeply moving, page-turning psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie marks a stunning departure for one of Scotland’s finest crime writers, exploring the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets, even if it kills them… _________________ ‘Malone tackles the taboo subject of female violence against men with insight and compassion (for Anna is no one-dimensional witch), while creating all the hallmarks of a fine, page-turning psychological thriller’ Daily Mail ‘A mystery involving some disturbing account anomalies at Andy’s bank is appropriately overshadowed by Malone’s painful depiction of a man in turmoil’ Publishers Weekly 'It’s a tough high-wire act, balancing believability with surprise, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. Excellent stuff’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Disturbing but compulsive … I loved it’ Martina Cole ‘Bristling with unease, this is domestic noir at its very darkest, twisting the marriage thriller into a new and troubling shape’ Eva Dolan ‘A deeply personal thriller that will keep the reader turning those pages, with twists and turns designed to keep the heart pumping’ Russel D. McLean ‘A tightly wound page-turner with real emotional punch’ Rod Reynolds ‘A dark and unnerving psychological thriller that draws you deep into the lives of the characters and refuse to let go’ Caroline Mitchell ‘A chilling tale of the unexpected that journeys right into the dark heart of domesticity’ Marnie Riches ‘Emotionally intelligent and engaging’ Caro Ramsay ‘A story that I won’t forget in a hurry. Malone is a massive talent’ Luca Veste ‘A disturbing and realistic portrayal of domestic noir with a twist … a shocking yet compelling read’ Mel Sherratt ‘Malone perfectly balances storytelling with a brutal commentary on a dysfunctional relationship’ Sarah Ward
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Orenda Books Block 46
The hunt for a serial killer takes criminal profiler Emily Roys and true-crime writer Alexis Castells from London to Sweden, and back into the past, to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, in the first instalment an addictive, award-winning new series from the Queen of French Noir ***Winner of Balai de la Découverte and Nouvelle Plume d’Argent Awards*** ***International Number One Bestseller*** ‘Dark, oppressive and bloody, but it’s also thought-provoking, compelling and very moving’ Metro ‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling’ Peter James ‘A bold and intelligent read’ Laura Wilson, Guardian ___________________ Evil remembers… Falkenberg, Sweden. The mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer, Linnea Blix, is found in a snow-swept marina.Hampstead Heath, London. The body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's.Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again. Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light. ___________________ ‘A terrific, original duo’ The Times ‘Multi-layered, superbly plotted, brimming with mystery, tension and bone-chilling violence, and with two very different – but equally fascinating – lead female characters, Block 46 is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted … this is a book that has the power to shock and the artistry to impress long after the last page has turned’ Lancashire Post ‘Utterly compelling’ Woman’s Own ‘A bold and audacious debut from a very talented writer. Heralds the beginning of a thrilling new series’ R J Ellory ‘Viscerally brutal yet delicately beautiful, like blood spatter on fresh snow. An unbelievable debut’ Matt Wesolowski ‘A truly unique and chilling blend of Nordic Noir’s dark atmosphere … gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed’ Crime by the Book ‘A real page-turner, I loved it’ Martina Cole ’A great serial-killer thriller with a nice twist … first rate’ James Oswald ‘Cleverly plotted, simply excellent’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘A must-read’ Daily Express ‘There’s a touch of Hannibal Lector in this one, and the final plot twists are harsh and sudden. You’ll want to double check the door locks and keep a few extra lights on, as you read … the suspense is brutal’ Kingdom Books
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Orenda Books The Mine
An investigative reporter sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company in Northern Finland, whose activities have caused an environmental disaster. Timely, atmospheric and chilling Nordic Noir from one of Finland’s finest writers… ‘Tuomainen writes beautifully’ Publishers Weekly ‘Clever, atmospheric and wonderfully imaginative’ Sunday Mirror ‘A simple story told with passion and elegant sadness’ The Times ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A hitman. A journalist. A shattered family. A mine spewing toxic secrets that threaten to poison them all… In the dead of winter, investigative reporter Janne Vuori sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company, whose illegal activities have created an environmental disaster in a small town in Northern Finland. When the company’s executives begin to die in a string of mysterious accidents, and Janne’s personal life starts to unravel, past meets present in a catastrophic series of events that could cost him his life. A traumatic story of family, a study in corruption, and a shocking reminder that secrets from the past can return to haunt us, with deadly results, The Mine is a gripping, beautifully written, terrifying and explosive thriller by the King of Helsinki Noir. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Dark, captivating and troubling’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Beautifully executed … mesmerising’ Australian Crime 'Antti Tuomainen again creates a powerful book, set firmly within the boundaries of strong themes and unforgettable characters, with the huge dose of beautiful sensitive style, masterfully translated from Finnish by David Hackston' Crime Review 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ’Antti Tuomainen is a wonderful writer, whose characters, plots and atmosphere are masterfully drawn’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘One of the most compelling, emotionally satisfying and beautifully realised crime thrillers that I have encountered this year. The clarity and deceptively simple style of Tuomainen’s prose is utterly compelling’ Raven Crime Reads
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Orenda Books Faithless
The death of a woman whose body was found in an Oslo dumpster has eerie similarities to a cold case in northern Norway, prompting the Oslo Detectives to launch an investigation that soon becomes personal… **Winner of the Riverton Award** **Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award** **Shortlisted for the Martin Beck Award** **Winner of the Brage Literary Award** ‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character that finely balances shocking twists with the coppers’ complicated personal lives’ The Times 'Dahl has an international reputation for skilfully plotted police procedurals that are drenched in the minutiae of detection. This is a fine example of his talent, featuring two of his most famous detectives … If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail ‘Skilfully orchestrated tension’ Barry Forshaw, Independent ____________________ When the body of a woman turns up in a dumpster, scalded and wrapped in plastic, Inspector Frank Frølich is shocked to discover that he knows her … and their recent meetings may hold the clue to her murder. As he begins to learn more about the tragic events surrounding her death, Frølich’s colleague Gunnarstranda deals with a disturbingly similar cold case involving the murder of a young girl in northern Norway. An unsettling number of coincidences emerge, and Frølich is forced to look into his own past to find the answers … and to catch the killer before he strikes again. Dark, brooding and utterly chilling, Faithless is a breath-taking and atmospheric page-turner that marks the return of an internationally renowned and award-winning series, from one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. ____________________ ‘A chilling novel about betrayal, written in a hard-boiled style’ Sunday Times ‘Dark, stylish and suspenseful, Faithless is the perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Reader’s Digest ‘If you want your worst fears about what goes on inside a cop's mind confirmed, meet Kjell Ola Dahl's Oslo sleuths, Gunnarstranda and Frølich … impossible to put down’ Guardian ‘I have read many clever and thrilling crime novels through my life, but often they have nothing to do with real life. If I don’t believe in them, they don’t impress me. But when Kjell Ola Dahl tells his stories, I believe every single word’ Karin Fossum ‘Fans of procedurals … will snap this one up’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A formidable talent’ Booklist ‘Superb … utterly convincing’ Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW ‘Kjell Ola Dahl’s novels are superb. If you haven’t read one yet, you need to – right now’ William Ryan
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Orenda Books Snowblind
FIRST IN THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING DARK ICELAND SERIES OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD A murder takes place in the isolated Icelandic town of Siglufjörður, where an avalanche has cut off all communication and the unrelenting snow threatens rookie police officer Ari Thór Arason first investigation… ‘A modern Icelandic take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom…’ Ian Rankin ’Ragnar J&?oacute;nasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James ‘Seductive … Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully’ Ann Cleeves ________________Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel.Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights. ________________ ‘His first novel to be translated into English has all the skilful plotting of an old-fashioned whodunnit although it feels bitingly contemporary in setting and tone’ Sunday Express ‘A chiller of a thriller’ Washington Post 'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended' Lee Child ‘Required reading’ New York Post ’Morally more equivocal than most traditional whodunnits, and it offers alluring glimpses of darker, and infinitely more threatening horizons’ Independent ‘A truly chilling debut, perfect for fans of Karin Fossum and Henning Mankell’ Eva Dolan ‘A stunning murder mystery by one of Iceland’s finest writers’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘There is a young pretender beavering away, his eye on the crown: Ragnar Jónasson…’ Barry Forshaw ‘As dazzling as its title implies’ William Ryan ‘An isolated community, subtle clueing, clever misdirection and more than a few surprises combine to give a modern day Golden Age whodunnit. I look forward to the next in the series’ Dr John Curran ‘The best sort of gloomy storytelling’ Chicago Tribune ‘The prose is stark and minimal … bleakly brilliant’ Metro ‘A chilling, thrilling slice of Icelandic Noir’ Thomas Enger ‘This classically crafted whodunit holds up nicely, but Jónasson’s true gift is for describing the daunting beauty of the fierce setting, lashed by blinding snowstorms that smother the village in “a thick, white darkness” that is strangely comforting’ New York Times
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Orenda Books Thirty Days of Darkness
A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series. ‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid ‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean ‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR **Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Nov
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Orenda Books The Moose Paradox: The outrageously funny, tense sequel to the No. 1 bestselling The Rabbit Factor
Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company. Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series. ‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan ‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell** _______________________________ Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late… Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever… ________________________________ ‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times ‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times ‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the YearPraise for The Rabbit Factor Trilogy**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Last Laugh Award** ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian ‘Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites ‘A triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express
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Orenda Books Yule Island: The No. 1 bestseller! This year's most CHILLING gothic thriller – based on a true story
An art expert joins a detective to investigate a horrific murder on a Swedish island, leading them to a mystery rooted in Viking rites and Scandinavia's deepest, darkest winter. The Queen of French Noir returns with a chilling, utterly captivating gothic thriller, based on a true story. FIRST in a new series. ‘A dark, dark slice of Scandi Noir’ Heat magazine *Book of the Month* ‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying’ Peter James ‘Remember her name. Johana Gustawsson has become a leading figure in French crime fiction [and] Yule Island is impossible to put down’ Le Monde ***Winner of the Cultura Ligue de l'Imaginaire Award 2023*** ________ Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she's asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found. Emma must work alone, and the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide? As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants. When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman's tragic death somehow hold the key? Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia's deepest, darkest winter… ________ PRAISE FOR JOHANA GUSTAWSSON ‘Wonderfully dark and intricately woven … will have you hooked from the very first page’ B A Paris ‘Johana Gustawsson has become the queen of the French thriller genre’ Le Point ‘Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told’ Essie Fox `A gripping story of murder and black magic …Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France´ The Times ‘A wonderfully creepy, unsettling read, with a superb twist in its tail‘ James Oswald ‘Bewitching and wonderfully gothic’ Sunday Express ‘Johana Gustawsson brilliantly illuminates the depths of the human heart’ Le Figaro `A whirlpool that draws you irresistibly into levels of darkness so much deeper than you can possibly be ready for´ Ambrose Parry ‘Ethereal, romantic and as cold as death, this nerve-shattering and powerful novel immerses us in a cruel and thrilling Nordic tale where love smashes against the rocks of madness’ La Fringale culturelle ‘A stunning and beautifully written gothic thriller’ Alexandra Benedict ‘Johana Gustawsson has no equal when it comes to hooking us with stunning twists and unexpected leaps in time’ Les Echos 'A bold and intelligent read' Guardian 'Utterly compelling' Woman's Own `Brilliant … the last chapters knocked me sideways, and it’s a long time since that’s happened´ Lisa Hall `A dark world of elegance and grotesque … mesmeric´ Matt Wesolowski 'Cleverly plotted, simply excellent' Ragnar Jónasson 'A must-read' Daily Express
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Orenda Books Halfway House: The nerve-shatteringly tense, searingly funny new thriller from the author of Netflix hit, THE CRY
On her first shift at an Edinburgh halfway house for violent offenders, a young woman is taken hostage … and that's just the beginning… The twisty, shocking, darkly funny thriller by award-winning author Helen FitzGerald. 'A new novel from Helen Fitzgerald is always a major event … magnificent' Mark Billingham ‘Outrageous, hilarious and dark as hell – this is Helen FitzGerald on absolute top form’ Doug Johnstone ‘[Lou] is irresistible and very funny … The set-up is fascinating, the narrative is both fast-moving and convincing’ Literary Review _______ They’re the housemates from Hell… When her disastrous Australian love affair ends, Lou O’Dowd heads to Edinburgh for a fresh start, moving in with her cousin, and preparing for the only job she can find … working at a halfway house for very high-risk offenders. Two killers, a celebrity paedophile and a paranoid coke dealer – all out on parole and all sharing their outwardly elegant Edinburgh townhouse with rookie night-worker Lou… And instead of finding some meaning and purpose to her life, she finds herself trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse where she stands to lose everything – including her life. Slick, darkly funny and nerve-janglingly tense, Halfway House is both a breathtaking thriller and an unapologetic reminder never to corner a desperate woman… __________________________ ‘Tense, claustrophobic and laugh-out-loud funny … an amazingly talented writer’ Michael Wood ‘A genius combination of horror, humour and humanity' B M Carroll Praise for Helen FitzGerald **Shortlisted for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year** 'Sharp, shocking and savagely funny’ Chris Whitaker ‘Dark, dark, deliciously dark' Amanda Jennings 'Wickedly funny, breath-stealingly tense and utterly chilling' Miranda Dickinson 'The main character is one of the most extraordinary you'll meet between the pages of a book' Ian Rankin 'Sublime' Guardian 'A dark, comic masterpiece' Mark Edwards 'Urgent, angry, absolutely terrifying’ Erin Kelly 'Tantalisingly powerful' The Times 'The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist' Heat 'FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth' Daily Telegraph 'Domestic life is rarely served up quite so dark as this’ Sun
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Orenda Books The Fascination: The INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ... This year's most bewitching, beguiling Victorian gothic novel
The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of The Somnambulist. 'Makes skilful use of the tropes of Victorian gothic fiction… a story of society’s outsiders seeking acceptance and redemption' Sunday Times Book of the Month ‘Mysterious, sometimes shocking, full of surprises and twists … brimming with Victorian wonders!’ Sean Lusk ‘A magical, macabre masterpiece’ A.J. West ‘Fascinating and immersive’ Anna Mazzola ________________________________Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions… Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’. Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name. Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts. But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know… Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath… ________________________________ ‘Essie Fox follows in the footsteps of Angela Carter and AS Byatt with an adult fairy tale that delves into the darkest compulsions of human nature … an opium trance of a novel, a vivid fantasmagoria’ Noel O’Reilly ‘Deliciously dark, full of twists and surprises’ Liz Hyder ‘Filled with gothic darkness and glorious hope’ Liz Fenwick ‘Rich, dark and heady … a glorious gothic carnival’ Kate Griffin ‘Truly unexpected and original’ Kate Forsyth ‘Beautifully researched, full of horrors and delights … a chilling, thrilling slice of Victorian gothic’ Bridget Walsh ‘A cast of characters Dickens would be proud of’ Frances Quinn ‘A dizzying potion of a novel’ Polly Crosby ‘A twisty, gothic treat … wild and wonderful cast of characters’ Rebecca John ‘Rich in peril, tempered with strange, theatrical beauty’ Kate Mascarenhas ‘A wonderful, captivating carnival’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Haunting and emotive’ Gill Paul ‘A gorgeously gothic slice of Victoriana’ Katherine Clements ‘Beautifully controlled … exceptional storytelling, exquisitely told’ Nydia Hetherington ‘A beautiful, haunting tale peopled by a thrilling set of living, breathing characters … very fine historical fiction’ Emma Carroll ‘So inventive and surprising … beautiful writing, unforgettable characters’ Juliet West ‘A sumptuous, gothic treat that will reel you in and not let you go until the final page. Bravo!’ Caroline Green ‘Essie Fox is the mistress of gothic Victoriana … utterly beguiling and rendered in exquisite detail … a wonderful, captivating carnival of a novel’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Wonderfully vivid and touching … extraordinary’ Adele Geras ‘I loved this story of a group of wonderful “others” fighting to find their place and purpose in a glittering, but unforgiving, Victorian England’ Marika Cobbold ‘Atmospheric, gripping and ultimately uplifting’ Karen Coles ‘Richly detailed, beautifully written … a fascinating read’ Michael J Malone ‘The very best kind of gothic’ Lianne Dillsworth ‘Masterful’ Louise Swanson ‘A kaleidoscopic, twisting, devilish novel guaranteed to dazzle and delight. I was utterly beguiled’ Dan Bassett, Bookseller
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Orenda Books Tasting Sunlight: The breakout bestseller that everyone is talking about
An extraordinary bond develops between an angry teenage runaway and a middle-aged woman running a large farm on her own, as they work the land and slowly heal … the sublime, achingly beautiful debut that everyone is talking about… ‘A stupendous debut. A triumph. Don’t miss it’ Louisa Treger ‘Tasting Sunlight reminded me of reading Sally Rooney's Normal People. It takes a writer of immeasurable talent to make you feel that intensely, merely by evoking ripening late summer fruit and the sound of rain on dusty ground’ Elizabeth Haynes ‘A sensory joy; a novel of quiet, understated beauty … Original, luminous and intense, it’s a mesmerising read' Iona Gray 'Powerful, original and engaging. I loved it' Susie Boyt ***Over 400,000 copies sold in Germany******THREE YEARS on the German Bestseller List*** ________________________________ Teenager Sally has just run away from a clinic where she to be treated for anorexia. She’s furious with everything and everyone, and wants to be left in peace. Liss is in her forties, living alone on a large farm that she runs single-handedly. She has little contact with the outside world, and no need for other people. From their first meeting, Sally realises that Liss isn’t like other adults; she expects nothing of Sally and simply accepts who she is, offering her a bed for the night with no questions asked. That night becomes weeks and then months, as an unlikely friendship develops and these two damaged women slowly open up – connecting to each other, reconnecting with themselves, and facing the darkness in their pasts through their shared work on the land. Achingly beautiful, profound, invigorating and uplifting, Tasting Sunlight is a story of friendship across generations, of love and acceptance, of the power of nature to heal and transform, and the goodness that surrounds us, if only we take time to see it… ____________________________________ ‘Written with beautiful simplicity, this sensitive and profound story examines how we heal and help each other, delivered with deep insight and huge heart’ Doug Johnstone ‘A truly special book. Powerful, lyrical and profoundly affecting, Ewald Arenz spins a tale of friendship, restoration and possibility, with utmost heart and care. I loved it!’ Miranda Dickinson ‘An exquisitely written, heart-warming story … the smells, tastes, sounds and rhythms of nature are described with sensuous clarity, so you feel as if you are there, picking potatoes from the earth, tending the bees, and tasting the pears. Just beautiful!’ Gill Paul ‘Told with honesty and a clear-sighted understanding of human nature … I loved it’ Michael J. Malone 'The simple minutiae of everyday life becomes intricate and essential: rituals that connect one woman to the land and her heritage, and show a lost, younger one a different truth. Moving and heart-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting' Carol Lovekin ‘Breathtakingly beautiful' Louise Beech ‘A simply wonderful, heartwarming read…’ Fiona Sharp, Bookseller ‘A story that breaks your heart, and fills it too’ Bookly Matters ‘The perfect story for our time … uplifting, healing and truly exceptional’ Random Things through My Letterbox ‘Poignantly, gently and profoundly evocative’ TripFiction ‘Beautiful, at times brutal, and honest … I absolutely loved it’ Claire Clarke ‘A special, beautiful novel’ Café Thinking ‘An absolute joy’ Danielle Louise ‘It touched my soul' Live & Deadly 'A very special story that will leave no one untouched … the author's love of nature shines through' Bilt 'Ewald Arenz has, in the most exquisite way possible, showed how two wounded souls can heal one another … a triumph' Peter Etzel, Nurnberger Zeitung ‘Raw and tender, brutal and gentle, striking and perceptive all at once’ Doppelpunkt ‘It’s rare for a friendship between women to be written with such enchanting, impressive honesty. And by a man. Bravo!’ Stadtmagazine
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Orenda Books Keep Her Sweet: The tense, shocking, wickedly funny new psychological thriller from the author of The Cry
When a middle-aged couple downsizes to the countryside for an easier life, their two daughters become isolated, argumentative and violent … A chilling, vicious and darkly funny psychological thriller from bestselling author Helen FitzGerald. ‘Sharp, shocking and savagely funny. Helen Fitzgerald is a wonderfully original storyteller’ Chris Whitaker ‘A new novel from Helen Fitzgerald is always a major event … magnificent’ Mark Billingham ‘I devoured Keep Her Sweet … shite parenting and a dysfunctional sister relationship goes to fatal extremes’ Erin Kelly–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Desperate to enjoy their empty nest, Penny and Andeep downsize to the countryside, to forage, upcycle and fall in love again, only to be joined by their two twenty-something daughters, Asha and Camille.Living on top of each other in a tiny house, with no way to make money, tensions simmer, and as Penny and Andeep focus increasingly on themselves, the girls become isolated, argumentative and violent.When Asha injures Camille, a family therapist is called in, but she shrugs off the escalating violence between the sisters as a classic case of sibling rivalry … and the stress of the family move. But this is not sibling rivalry. The sisters are in far too deep for that.This is a murder, just waiting to happen…Chilling, vicious and darkly funny, Keep Her Sweet is not just a tense, sinister psychological thriller, but a startling look at sister relationships and they bonds they share … or shatter. –––––––––––––––––––––––––‘A wonderful book about a toxic family … funny, shocking and full of heart. FitzGerald at her coruscating best' Doug Johnstone ‘Definitely one for those who love deadly dysfunctional families, whip-smart writing, and their stories dark, dark, deliciously dark’ Amanda Jennings ‘A novel rippling with power and intensity. A true page-turner’ Michael Wood ‘Wickedly funny, breath-stealingly tense and utterly chilling … a book you’ll want to talk about’ Miranda Dickinson ‘Helen Fitzgerald has an uncanny ability to balance savagery and hilarity … an absolute banger of a book’ Matt Wesolowski 'A crazy but addictive, dark and funny, read’ Louise Beech ‘Dark humour sings from the pages’ Russel McLean ‘A fascinating and original tale of a family in rapid decline’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘You will canter through this psychological thriller’ Café Thinking Praise for Helen FitzGerald*Worst Case Scenario was Guardian, Telegraph, Herald Scotland AND The Week BOOK OF THE YEAR**Sunday Times TOP 40 Crime Novels in the Last 5 Years**Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2020* ‘The main character is one of the most extraordinary you’ll meet between the pages of a book’ Ian Rankin‘Sublime’ Guardian ‘This darkly, funny, shocking and surprisingly emotional thriller is unlike anything you’ve ever read before’ Fabulous ‘A dark, comic masterpiece which manages to be both excruciatingly tense and laugh out loud funny at the same time’ Mark Edwards ‘Urgent, angry, absolutely terrifying, yet suffused with the humanity and humour you expect from a Helen Fitzgerald novel’ Erin Kelly‘Tantalisingly powerful’ The Times‘Ash Mountain is the author at her masterly best … I loved it!’ Louise Candlish‘The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist’ Heat‘FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth’ Daily Telegraph‘Domestic life is rarely served up quite so dark as this – but that only makes you hungry for more’ The Sun
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Orenda Books This is How We Are Human
When the mother of an autistic young man hires a call girl to make him happy, three lives collide in unexpected and moving ways … changing everything. A devastatingly beautiful, rich and thought-provoking novel that will warm and break your heart… ‘One of the best writers of her generation’ John Marrs, author of The One ‘A brilliant premise, executed beautifully … such a moving, tender and unexpected read’ Catherine Isaac, author of Messy, Wonderful Us ‘I guarantee you will not read anything like it this year … you will fall in love with this book’ Miranda Dickinson, author of Our Story ‘Incredibly moving, gripping, and full of heart … The novel everyone will be talking about this year’ Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife _______________ Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming, fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely. Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy … she wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money. Of her nursing degree. Paying for her dad’s care. Getting through the dark. When these three lives collide – intertwine in unexpected ways – everything changes. For everyone. A topical and moving drama about a mother’s love for her son, about getting it wrong when we think we know what’s best, about the lengths we go to care for family … to survive … This Is How We Are Human is a searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core that will warm and break your heart. _______________ ‘Every now and then you read a book that takes your breath away. This is How We Are Human does just that … you feel from the first page to the last’ Liz Fenwick, author of The River Between Us ‘A writer of beautiful sentences, and they are in abundance. This sensitive subject is treated with the utmost care’ Nydia Hetherington, author of A Girl Made of Air ‘Such a complex and emotive book’ Claire King, author of The Night Rainbow ‘It had me gripped from the start and changed the way I see the world. Beautiful, bold and compelling – another fearless story from Beech’ Katie Marsh, author of Unbreak Your Heart ‘A searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core’ LoveReading ‘This book is just what the world needs right now’ Fiona Mills, BBC ‘Oh, Sebastian, I’ll never forget him. Heart is always at the core of Louise’s books and this one is no exception’ Madeleine Black, author of Unbroken ‘What a brave and prejudice busting story this is … brava’ S. E. Lynes, author of Can You See Her ‘A convincing, bittersweet tale of misplaced kindness, a myriad types of vulnerability, and unexpected consequences … All the stars and more’ Carol Lovekin, author of Wild Spinning Girls ‘A tender, insightful read’ Michael J. Malone, author of A Song of Isolation ‘An exceptional book that will make you laugh, cry and feel better for having read it’ Audrey Davis, author of Lost in Translation ‘The most exquisite and moving story I have read in a very long time’ Book Review Café ‘I don’t know of another writer who portrays characters so true, flaws and all … mesmerising, the characters are beautiful but, more importantly, they’re REAL’ J. M. Hewitt, author of The Quiet Girls For fans of Maggie O’Farrell, David Nicholls, Ali Smith and JoJo Moyes.
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Orenda Books Hotel Cartagena
Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her friends are held hostage in a hotel bar by twelve armed men set on revenge, in a searing, breathtakingly original, and unexpectedly moving new thriller from the ‘Queen of Krimi’ ***WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022******WINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award*** ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space … a palpable hit’ Independent ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet ‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times ____________________ Twenty floors above the shimmering lights of the Hamburg docks, Public Prosecutor Chastity Riley is celebrating a birthday with friends in a hotel bar when twelve heavily armed men pull out guns, and take everyone hostage. Among the hostages is Konrad Hoogsmart, the hotel owner, who is being targeted by a young man whose life and family have been destroyed by Hoogsmart’s actions. With the police looking on from outside their colleagues’ lives at stake and Chastity on the inside, increasingly ill from an unexpected case of sepsis, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation and a devastating outcome for the team all live streamed in a terrifying bid for revenge. Crackling with energy and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, Hotel Cartagena is a searing, relevant thriller that will leave you breathless. _____________________ Praise for the Chastity Riley series 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour … there’s a fizz, a poetry and a sense of coolness’ New Zealand Listener ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland ‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver ‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski ‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ NB Magazine ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly ‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute ‘By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun’ Sunday Times ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve and the story itself is gripping and pacey’ Rosie Goldsmith ‘A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters’ Judith O’Reilly ‘Constantly surprising an original, firecracker of a read’ LoveReading
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Orenda Books Girls Who Lie
When a depressed, alcoholic single mother disappears, everything suggests suicide, until her body is found on the lava fields. Icelandic Detective Elma and her team are thrust into a perplexing, chilling investigation in book two in the award-winning, international bestselling Forbidden Iceland series… ‘Chilling and addictive, with a twist you won't see coming. I loved it!' Shari Lapena ‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Complex, gripping and moving’ The Times ‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara _____________ When single mother Maríanna disappears from her home, leaving an apologetic note on the kitchen table, everyone assumes that she’s taken her own life … until her body is found on the Grábrók lava fields seven months later, clearly the victim of murder. Her neglected fifteen-year-old daughter Hekla has been placed in foster care, but is her perfect new life hiding something sinister? Fifteen years earlier, a desperate new mother lies in a maternity ward, unable to look at her own child, the start of an odd and broken relationship that leads to a shocking tragedy. Police officer Elma and her colleagues take on the case, which becomes increasingly complex, as the number of suspects grows and new light is shed on Maríanna’s past – and the childhood of a girl who never was like the others… Breathtakingly chilling and tantalisingly twisty, Girls Who Lie is at once a startling, tense psychological thriller and a sophisticated police procedural, marking Eva Björg Ægisdottir as one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction. _______________Praise for Eva Björg Ægisdottir***WINNER of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger*** ‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this … subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central character and the possibilities of great stories to come’ Ann Cleeves ‘Not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times ‘Beautifully written, spine-tingling and disturbing … a thrilling new voice in Icelandic crime fiction’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray ‘Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times ‘Eva Björg Aegisdóttir is definitely a born storyteller and she skilfully surprised me with some amazing plot twists’ Hilary Mortz ‘An unsettling and exciting read with a couple of neat red herrings to throw the reader off the scent’ NB Magazine ‘Chilling and troubling … reminiscent of Jorn Lier Horst‘s Norwegian procedurals. This is a book that makes an impact’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times ‘The twist comes out of the blue … enthralling’ Tap The Line Magazine For fans of Ragnar Jonasson, Camilla Lackberg, Ruth Rendell, Gillian McAllister and Shari Lapena
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Orenda Books The Assistant
A seemingly straightforward investigation into marital infidelity leads a PI and his ex-con assistant on a murderous trail, in a sophisticated, riveting, cunningly plotted historical thriller set in interwar and prohibition-era Norway. ‘An expertly crafted unravelling of mixed loyalties, love, lust, lies and trust, set against the background of a world increasingly on the edge of all-out war’ John Harvey 'Dark, gritty and compulsive … feels like a classic of the genre' William Ryan ‘A stylish standalone thriller … Dahl ratchets up the tension from the first pages and never lets go’ Sunday Times –––––––––––––––––––––––– Oslo, 1938. War is in the air and Europe is in turmoil. Hitler’s Germany has occupied Austria and is threatening Czechoslovakia; there’s a civil war in Spain and Mussolini reigns in Italy. When a woman turns up at the office of police-turned-private investigator Ludvig Paaske, he and his assistant – his one-time nemesis and former drug-smuggler Jack Rivers – begin a seemingly straightforward investigation into marital infidelity. But all is not what it seems, and when Jack is accused of murder, the trail leads back to the 1920s, to prohibition-era Norway, to the smugglers, sex workers and hoodlums of his criminal past ... and an extraordinary secret. Both a fascinating portrait of Oslo’s interwar years, with Nazis operating secretly on Norwegian soil and militant socialists readying workers for war, The Assistant is also a stunningly sophisticated, tension-packed thriller – the darkest of hard-boiled Nordic Noir – from one of Norway’s most acclaimed crime writers. For fans of Sebastian Faulks, Lars Mytting, Mick Herron and Robert Harris. –––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Kjell Ola Dahl doesn’t write novels; he creates experiences by executing a strong sense of place of a spellbinding period that leaves its readers craving more' Books Technica ‘Political, or intelligence thrillers are ten a penny. Dahl does something altogether different … lush, detailed and personal’ Café Thinking Praise for Kjell Ola Dahl’s The Courier ‘Absorbing, heart-rending and perfectly plotted …’ Denzil Meyrick ‘Cleverly braiding together past and present, the who and why of murder and betrayal are unpicked. The detail is impressive’ Daily Mail ‘A dark but richly described backdrop and a relentless, underlying tension drive this sad story. Fans of Nordic Noir will be satisfied’ Publishers Weekly ‘Skilfully juggles three Oslo timelines … simply superb plotting and essential reading’ The Times ‘A truly eloquent and rewarding tale’ LoveReading ‘This stunning and compelling wartime thriller is reminiscent of the writing of John Le Carré and William Boyd’ NB Magazine ‘Masterful, detailed plotting… Dahl has given a complex, human face to such an inhuman tragedy’ Crime Fiction Lover
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Orenda Books Betrayal
A stunning standalone thriller from the Queen of Iceland Noir. ***Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel*** ‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermidWhen aid worker Úrsula returns to Iceland for a new job, she’s drawn into the dangerous worlds of politics, corruption and misogyny … a powerful, relevant, fast-paced standalone thriller. ____________________ Burned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again. But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again? As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher… ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Praise for Lilja Sigurdardóttir ‘Tense and pacey’ Guardian ‘Highly unusual’ The Times ‘Smart writing with a strongly beating heart’ Big Issue ‘Deftly plotted’ Financial Times ‘Breathtakingly original’ New York Journal of Books ‘Taut, gritty and thoroughly absorbing’ Booklist ‘A stunning addition to the icy-cold crime genre’ Foreword Reviews
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Orenda Books Good Samaritans
Shortlisted for Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards Longlisted for the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize THRILLER OF THE YEAR in GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND DAILY EXPRESS 'Totally addictive. Like Fight Club, only darker' S.J. Watson 'I loved this book. Dark and at times almost comical, a great blend of crime thriller and the darkest imaginable domestic noir' Sarah Pinborough Dark, deviant and disturbing domestic noir ... one of the most entrancing, sophisticated and page-turning psychological thrillers of the year... _________________ One crossed wire, three dead bodies and six bottles of bleach... Seth Beauman can't sleep. He stays up late, calling strangers from his phonebook, hoping to make a connection, while his wife, Maeve, sleeps upstairs. A crossed wire finds a suicidal Hadley Serf on the phone to Seth, thinking she is talking to The Samaritans. But a seemingly harmless, late-night hobby turns into something more for Seth and for Hadley, and soon their late-night talks are turning into day-time meet-ups. And then this dysfunctional love story turns into something altogether darker, when Seth brings Hadley home... And someone is watching... Dark, sexy, dangerous and wildly readable, Good Samaritans marks the scorching return of one of crime fiction's most exceptional voices. _________________ 'So dark, so cool' Lisa Howells, Heat Magazine 'Will Carver's invigoratingly nasty novel ... is a bleak vision of life: not the whole truth of it, thank god, but true enough to impart to the reader the thrill of genuine discomfort, presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon's most unflinching romans dues and just as horribly addictive' Jake Kerridge, The Telegraph 'Carver weaves these strands together for an unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn' Laura Wilson, Guardian 'Must Read!' Daily Express 'Beautiful, gripping and disturbing in equal measure, a postcard from the razor's edge of the connected world we live in' Kevin Wignall 'Possibly the most interesting and original writer in the crime-fiction genre, and I've loved his books for years. Good Samaritans is his best to date - dark, slick, gripping, and impossible to put down. You'll be sucked in from the first page' Luca Veste 'Oh My God, Good Samaritans is amazing. I'm a little in love with your writing Will Carver' Helen FitzGerald, Author of The Cry
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Orenda Books The Man Who Died
When Finnish mushroom entrepreneur Jaakko discovers that he has been slowly poisoned, he sets out to find his would-be murderer … with dark and hilarious results. The critically acclaimed standalone thriller from the King of Helsinki Noir… ***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** ***Shortlisted for the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award*** ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Deftly plotted, poignant and perceptive in its wry reflections on mortality and very funny' Irish Times ‘Told in a darkly funny, deadpan style … The result is a rollercoaster read in which the farce has some serious and surprisingly philosophical underpinnings' Guardian ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A successful entrepreneur in the mushroom industry, Jaakko Kaunismaa is a man in his prime. At just thirty-seven years of age, he is shocked when his doctor tells him that he’s dying. What’s more, the cause is discovered to be prolonged exposure to toxins; in other words, someone has slowly but surely been poisoning him. Determined to find out who wants him dead, Jaakko embarks on a suspenseful rollercoaster journey full of unusual characters, bizarre situations and unexpected twists. With a nod to Fargo and the best elements of the Scandinavian noir tradition, The Man Who Died is a page-turning thriller brimming with the blackest comedy surrounding life and death, and love and betrayal, marking a stunning new departure for the King of Helsinki Noir. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘The deadpan icy sensibility of Nordic noir is combined here with warm-blooded, often surreal, humour. Like the death cap mushroom, Tuomainen’s dark story manages to be as delicious as it is toxic' Sunday Express 'An offbeat jewel … relentlessly funny’ Don Crinklaw, Publishers Weekly 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘A bizarre, twisty, darkly comic novel about a man investigating his own murder … a tightly paced Scandinavian thriller with a wicked sense of humour’ Foreword Reviews ‘Smart, sensitive, and engaging, and guaranteed to be unlike anything else in your crime fiction library … the perfect blend of thrills, investigation, character development, and comedy’ Crime by the Book ‘Hugely entertaining and satisfying … like Carl Hiassen transported to Finland. It’s full of black comedy and has an unlikely hero in Jaakko, who you’ll root for to the very end’ Kevin Wignall, author of A Death in Sweden ‘A delightful mad caper of a story, which will make readers snort out loud with laughter and would have made an excellent 1930s screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Combines a startlingly clever opening, a neat line in dark humour and a unique Scandinavian sensibility. A fresh and witty read’ Chris Ewan ‘Dark and thrilling, funny and intelligent, this Fargo-like novel contains lethal doses of humour … and mushrooms' Sofi Oksanen, author of Purge ‘A book I will never forget’ Matt Wesolowski ‘This one is a winner right from the first sentence’ Booklist ‘Antti Tuomainen is a wonderful writer, whose characters, plots and atmosphere are masterfully drawn’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
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Orenda Books Wolves in the Dark
On the path to self-destruction after the death of his girlfriend, things take a turn for the worse, when child pornography is found on Varg Veum’s computer and he must battle to prove his innocence … the chilling new instalment in the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. ‘Mature and captivating’ Rosemary Goring, Herald Scotland ‘Moving, uncompromising’ Publishers Weekly _________________ Reeling from the death of his great love, Karin, Varg Veum’s life has descended into a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, lust, grief and blackouts. When traces of child pornography are found on his computer, he’s accused of being part of a paedophile ring and thrown into a prison cell. There, he struggles to sift through his past to work out who is responsible for planting the material … and who is seeking the ultimate revenge. When a chance to escape presents itself, Varg finds himself on the run in his hometown of Bergen. With the clock ticking and the police on his tail, Varg takes on his hardest – and most personal – case yet. Dark, emotive and compulsive, Wolves in the Dark is the absorbing, shocking next instalment in the addictive Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple … deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters’ lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style’ Sunday Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!’ Mari Hannah ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books Magazine ‘An upmarket Philip Marlowe’ Maxim Jakubowski, The Bookseller ‘Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest’ Quentin Bates
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Orenda Books Hydra
Elusive online investigative journalist Scott King investigates the case of Arla Macleod, who bludgeoned her family to death, in another episode of the chilling, award-winning Six Stories series.‘Bold, clever and genuinely chilling with a terrific twist that provides an explosive final punch’ Deidre O’Brien, Sunday Mirror‘A genuine genre-bending debut’ Carla McKay, Daily Mail'Impeccably crafted and gripping from start to finish’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue________________A family massacreA deluded murderessFive witnessesSix storiesWhich one is true?One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out.As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden ‘games’, online trolls, and the mysterious black-eyed kids, whose presence seems to extend far beyond the delusions of a murderess…Dark, chilling and gripping, Hydra is both a classic murder mystery and an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, that shines light in places you may never, ever want to see again.________________Praise for the Six Stories seriesMatt Wesolowski brilliantly depicts a desperate and disturbed corner of north-east England in which paranoia reigns and goodness is thwarted … an exceptional storyteller' Andrew Michael Hurley‘Beautifully written, smart, compassionate – and scary as hell. Matt Wesolowski is one of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North‘Wonderfully horrifying … the suspense crackles’ James Oswald‘Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever’ Fiona Cummins‘A complex and subtle mystery, unfolding like dark origami to reveal the black heart inside’ Michael Marshall Smith‘Endlessly inventive and with literary thrills a-plenty, Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven‘Readers of Kathleen Barber’s Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel’ Booklist‘A relentless and original work of modern rural noir which beguiles and unnerves in equal measure. Matt Wesolowski is a major talent’ Eva Dolan‘The very epitome of a must-read’ Heat‘Haunting, horrifying, and heartrending. Fans of Arthur Machen, whose unsettling tale The White People provides an epigraph, will want to check this one out’ Publishers Weekly‘For those who like the book they curl up with in their favourite slipper socks to generate a powerful sense of unease, and impel them to check all doors are locked and as many lights turned on as possible, Matt Wesolowski has just the formula to meet your self-scaring needs… ‘ Strong Words
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Orenda Books A Suitable Lie
Recently widowed and caring for his young son, Andy Boyd thinks his life is over, until he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Anna. And that was his first mistake … A startling, emotive and stark psychological thriller from one of Scotland’s bestselling crime writers… ‘A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots 'Strong female characters, honest, pithy dialogue and ever-present empathy for the victims make this a deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times ‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin _________________ Some secrets should never be kept… Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match … and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it. A dangerous mistake that could cost him everything. A brave, deeply moving, page-turning psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie marks a stunning departure for one of Scotland’s finest crime writers, exploring the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets, even if it kills them… _________________ ‘Malone tackles the taboo subject of female violence against men with insight and compassion (for Anna is no one-dimensional witch), while creating all the hallmarks of a fine, page-turning psychological thriller’ Daily Mail ‘A mystery involving some disturbing account anomalies at Andy’s bank is appropriately overshadowed by Malone’s painful depiction of a man in turmoil’ Publishers Weekly 'It’s a tough high-wire act, balancing believability with surprise, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. Excellent stuff’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Disturbing but compulsive … I loved it’ Martina Cole ‘Bristling with unease, this is domestic noir at its very darkest, twisting the marriage thriller into a new and troubling shape’ Eva Dolan ‘A deeply personal thriller that will keep the reader turning those pages, with twists and turns designed to keep the heart pumping’ Russel D. McLean ‘A tightly wound page-turner with real emotional punch’ Rod Reynolds ‘A dark and unnerving psychological thriller that draws you deep into the lives of the characters and refuse to let go’ Caroline Mitchell ‘A chilling tale of the unexpected that journeys right into the dark heart of domesticity’ Marnie Riches ‘Emotionally intelligent and engaging’ Caro Ramsay ‘A story that I won’t forget in a hurry. Malone is a massive talent’ Luca Veste ‘A disturbing and realistic portrayal of domestic noir with a twist … a shocking yet compelling read’ Mel Sherratt ‘Malone perfectly balances storytelling with a brutal commentary on a dysfunctional relationship’ Sarah Ward
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Orenda Books The Abrupt Physics of Dying
When he is hijacked by Islamic terrorists, an oil company engineer is forced to investigate a mysterious illness afflicting a small Yemen village … with shocking results. A stunning debut thriller and first in the addictive, eye-opening Claymore Straker series. ***Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger*** ***Book of the Year in the TELEGRAPH*** 'Just occasionally, a book comes along to restore your faith in a genre and Paul Hardisty's The Abrupt Physics of Dying does this in spades' The Times ‘A stormer of a thriller – vividly written, utterly topical, totally gripping' Peter James ‘Remarkably well-written and sophisticated’ Literary Review ‘A page-turning adventure that grabs you from the first page and won’t let go’ Edward Wilson ____________________ One man. An oil company. A decision that could cost his life. Claymore Straker is trying to forget a violent past. Working as an oil company engineer in the wilds of Yemen, he is hijacked at gunpoint by Islamic terrorists. Clay has a choice: help uncover the cause of a mysterious sickness afflicting the village of Al Urush, close to the company’s oil-processing facility, or watch Abdulkader, his driver and close friend, die. As the country descends into civil war and village children start dying, Clay finds himself caught up in a ruthless struggle between opposing armies, controllers of the country’s oil wealth, Yemen’s shadowy secret service, and rival terrorist factions. As Clay scrambles to keep his friend alive, he meets Rania, a troubled journalist. Together, they try to uncover the truth about Al Urush. But nothing in this ancient, unforgiving place is as it seems. Accused of a murder he did not commit, put on the CIA’s most-wanted list, Clay must come to terms with his past and confront the powerful forces that want him dead. A stunning debut eco-thriller, The Abrupt Physics of Dying will not only open your eyes, but keep them glued to the page until the final, stunning denouement is reached. ____________________ ‘Trenchant and engaging’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald ‘A solid, meaty thriller – Hardisty is a fine writer and Straker is a great lead character’ Lee Child ‘Full of thrills, spills and moral indignation … an outstanding debut’ Jake Kerridge, Telegraph ‘Fast-paced and cleverly written, this novel has bestseller written all over it’ West Australian ‘An exceptional debut, beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heartstoppingly tense and unusually moving. Definite award material' Paul Johnston ‘A thriller of the highest quality, with the potential to one day stand in the company of such luminaries as Bond and Bourne’ Live Many Lives ‘A big, powerful, sophisticated and page-turning thriller – thought-provoking and prescient' Eve Seymour 'A forceful first novel by a writer not afraid of weighty issues and visibly in love with the beauty of the Yemen and desert landscapes his protagonists travel through’ Maxim Jakubowski ‘Searing … at times achieves the level of genuine poetry’ Publishers Weekly STARRED review ‘A fast-paced action thriller, beautifully written’ Tim Marshall, author of Prisoners of Geography
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Orenda Books Deadly Harvest
New recruit to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, Samantha Khama, calls upon Detective Kubu when the hunt for two missing girls hits a dead end … and it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, and his motive is terrifying… ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James ‘The perfect combination of “I don’t want it to end” and “I can’t put it down”. Great African crime fiction’ Deon Meyer ‘My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson _______________ A young girl goes missing after getting into a car with a mysterious man. Soon after, a second girl disappears, and her devastated father, Witness, sets out to seek revenge. As the trail goes cold, Samantha Khama – new recruit to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department – suspects the girl was killed for muti, the traditional African medicine usually derived from plants, sometimes animals, and, recently and most chillingly, human parts. When the investigation gets personal, Samantha enlists opera-loving wine connoisseur Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu to help her dig into the past. As they begin to discover a pattern to the disappearances, there is another victim, and Kubu and Samantha are thrust into a harrowing race to stop a serial killer who has only one thing in mind… _______________ 'A fascinating police procedural … the most complex book in this series. Besides being an intricate crime puzzle that Kubu and his team must untangle, it also looks at societal issues’ St Paul Pioneer Press ‘Compelling and deceptively written...’ New York Journal of Books ‘Richly atmospheric … a gritty depiction of corruption and deception’ Publishers Weekly ‘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
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Orenda Books The Space Between Us: This year's most life-affirming, awe-inspiring read – Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023
When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach … an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors… **Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023** ‘All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller ‘If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it’s this one’ Nina Pottell, Prima ‘The main characters, their lives and their struggles, are portrayed very vividly. I was straight into this, just like a thriller’ Ivo Graham on Between the Covers –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Connecting will change everything… Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes... ...only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered. When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call 'Sandy' and goes on the run. But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine… –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘This had all the makings of a film … such relatable characters. Writing a story about a mixed-race boy in the care system and two women so brilliantly is so impressive’ Sunetra Sarker on Between the Covers ‘So readable and accessible … I was really rooting for the characters’ Alan Davies on Between the Covers ‘A gateway book to SciFi … I loved it’ Sara Cox on Between the Covers ‘A sci-fi novel that is as moving as it is magical and mysterious. Doug Johnstone has hit it out of the park again’ Mark Billingham ‘A delicious, demanding departure from Doug Johnstone’ Val McDermid ‘Science fiction may be a departure for Johnstone, but he’s approached it like the crime thrillers that made his name, prioritising pace, tension and high stakes … a plea for empathy, compassion and perspective, and a celebration of our capacity to connect with one another, shot through with vivid characters and a sense of wonder’ Herald Scotland ‘An entertaining, fast-paced story of first contact … well told, with relatable characters and important themes making for an emotionally engaging read’ Guardian ‘A gloriously hopeful story and a perfect road trip movie just waiting to be made … I can’t recommend this highly enough’ James Oswald ‘An adrenaline-filled ride of a novel, laced with empathy and understanding for our instinctual need to connect' Rachelle Atalla 'Johnstone's mesmeric story artfully puts Scotland centre stage in a sci-fi drama that is as much about the smallness of mankind and the importance of kinship … Pay attention, Steven Spielberg! This could be your next film’ Marnie Riches ‘A clever and unusual read … I was on a journey with these characters, and completely transfixed’ Susi Holliday ‘Doug Johnstone held me spellbound with this mesmerising tale of wonder and hope’ Marion Todd ‘A heart-warming, fast-paced, often tense look at friendships that surpass all boundaries, and an exploration of the very basic need for connection and a place to belong … divine’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews What readers are saying ***** ‘I wish I could adequately convey how much I loved this book’ ‘A beautiful story … it brought me to tears’ ‘A masterpiece … compassionate, full of love and hope’ ‘An out-of-this-world, mesmerising first-contact story about the striking importance and impact of true connection’ ‘Riveting’ ‘High stakes, high adrenaline and somehow so gentle and moving. This is one of the most beautiful, extraordinary books I’ve ever read’ ‘I don’t think I’ll ever forget these characters’
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Orenda Books Boys Who Hurt
Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma investigates complex case of a man murdered in a holiday cottage, while Sævar discovers something in a discarded box that could help crack the case. The multi-award-winning, NUMBER ONE bestselling Forbidden Iceland series continues… ‘She uses complex plots to explore how monsters are made and demonstrate that “evil can lurk behind the most attractive of smiles”. Her many characters are people not puppets and she delights in pulling the rug from under their –and our – feet. If you have never read Aegisdottir, now is the time to start’ Mark Sanderson, The Times ‘Meticulously plotted, this beautifully written novel has it all: a shocking murder, small-town secrets, a cast of suspicious characters and a compelling female detective … Eva Björg Aegisdóttir at her best’ Lesley Kara
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Orenda Books You Can't See Me: The twisty, breathtaking prequel to the international bestselling Forbidden Iceland series…
A wealthy Icelandic family gathers for a reunion in a remote hotel on the isolated lava fields, but when someone goes missing, dark secrets are exposed and everyone is a suspect … the chilling, gripping prequel to the addictive, award-winning Forbidden Iceland series… ‘A country house mystery worthy of Agatha Christie’ The Times Crime Book of the Month ‘As storms rage, people fall prey to a sinister figure. A canny synthesis of modern Nordic Noir and Golden Age mystery’ Financial Times 'In a Forbidden Iceland novel, there's no terrain more treacherous than the mind … a deep-dark thriller to read with the lights on' A J Finn 'Riveting, exciting, entertaining and packed with intrigue … like Succession on ice' Liz Nugent **WINNER of the STORYTEL AWARD for Crime Book of the Year*** –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The wealthy, powerful Snæberg clan has gathered for a family reunion at a futuristic hotel set amongst the dark lava flows of Iceland's remote Snæfellsnes peninsula. Petra Snæberg, a successful interior designer, is anxious about the event, and her troubled teenage daughter, Lea, whose social-media presence has attracted the wrong kind of followers. Ageing carpenter Tryggvi is an outsider, only tolerated because he's the boyfriend of Petra's aunt, but he's struggling to avoid alcohol because he knows what happens when he drinks … Humble hotel employee, Irma, is excited to meet this rich and famous family and observe them at close quarters … perhaps too close… As the weather deteriorates and the alcohol flows, one of the guests disappears, and it becomes clear that there is a prowler lurking in the dark. But is the real danger inside … within the family itself? Masterfully cranking up the suspense, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir draws us into an isolated, frozen setting, where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted, as the dark secrets and painful pasts of the Snæberg family are uncovered … and the shocking truth revealed. Succession meets And Then There Were None … A Golden Age mystery for the 21st Century, with a shocking twist. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 'A tense, twisty page-turner that you'll have serious trouble putting down' Catherine Ryan Howard 'Your new Nordic Noir obsession' Vogue 'Confirms Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir as a leading light of Icelandic noir … a master of misdirection' The Times Praise for the Forbidden Iceland series **Winner of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime** **Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Capital Crime Award for Best Thriller** 'Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist … I loved it' Shari Lapena 'Beautifully written … one of the rising stars of Nordic Noir'Victoria Selman 'Fans of Nordic Noir will love this' Ann Cleeves 'Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!' Lesley Kara 'Creepily compelling' Heidi Amsinck 'Elma is a memorably complex character' Financial Times 'Exciting and harrowing' Ragnar Jónasson 'Fantastic' Sunday Times 'So atmospheric' Heat
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Orenda Books Beautiful Shining People: Discover this year's most extraordinary, breathtaking, MASTERFUL speculative novel … SFX Book of the Month
A damaged teenage tech prodigy meets an enigmatic waitress in a tiny Tokyo café, sparking an epic journey across Japan that will change everything, forever … a captivating, masterful novel with an extraordinary mystery at its heart… ‘Set against a tech heavy backdrop Beautiful Shining People blooms into an emotional and soulful tale that reckons with the isolation we can all feel as outsiders’ SciFi Now Book of the Month ‘That Beautiful Shining People isn’t just a slipstream novel with pretensions to being literature is in great part down to the deftness and tenderness with which Grothaus draws his central relationship … to let us explore a world of robots and deepfakes that’s just unfamiliar enough to be exotic’ SFX Magazine Book of the Month ‘A fascinating exploration of what it means to be human in a world where everything can be faked … wonderful, insightful and thoughtful’ James Oswald –––––––––––––This world is anything but ordinary, and it’s about to change forever… It’s our world, but decades into the future… An ordinary world, where cars drive themselves, drones glide across the sky, and robots work in burger shops. There are two superpowers and a digital Cold War, but all conflicts are safely oceans away. People get up, work, and have dinner. Everything is as it should be… Except for seventeen-year-old John, a tech prodigy from a damaged family, who hides a deeply personal secret. But everything starts to change for him when he enters a tiny café on a cold Tokyo night. A café run by a disgraced sumo wrestler, where a peculiar dog with a spherical head lives, alongside its owner, enigmatic waitress Neotnia… But Neotnia hides a secret of her own – a secret that will turn John’s unhappy life upside down. A secret that will take them from the neon streets of Tokyo to Hiroshima’s tragic past to the snowy mountains of Nagano. A secret that reveals that this world is anything ordinary – and it’s about to change forever… ––––––––––––– ‘Poetically written, every word of this adventure leaps off the page with passion. A wonderful and enlightening trip’ The Sun ‘Cyberpunk meets bildungsroman – a real joy’ Oscar de Muriel ‘Exquisite world-building, this book had me invested from the very first page. Vivid plot and irresistible characters and a real tug at the soul … you'll drown in it’ Lisa Bradley ‘A life-affirming, epic book about what it is to be human: to live, to dream, to hope, to love … at a time when we most need reminding of these things’ David F Ross ‘Totally engrossing from the start – the story, characters and settings will linger in your imagination long after you're finished … truly wonderful’ Jonathan Whitelaw ‘Masterful … truly breathtaking and achingly beautiful. It builds anticipation and suspense before coming together in a thrilling, captivating conclusion’ The Bookbag ‘Outstanding! Sci-fi showing how the past might impact on the future … a glimpse into a (very plausible) terrifying future’ Michael J Malone What readers are saying… ***** ‘A beautiful, emotional and thought-provoking read’ ‘A striking and strange novel – and a searing statement about the dangerously thin lines between utopia and dystopia’ ‘Just devastatingly beautiful’ ‘My book of the year … no question’ ‘Masterful storytelling’ ‘Grothaus has a bewitching ability to stop time in a moment, and then run seemlessly into action with unstoppable momentum’ ‘Succinctly captured the feeling of Japanese fiction. I was very much put in mind of Haruki Murakami or Toshikazu Kawaguchi’
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Orenda Books Thirty Days of Darkness: This year's most chilling, twisty, darkly funny DEBUT thriller…
A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series. ‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid ‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean ‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR **Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel** **Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award****Winner of the Crime Fiction Lover Award for Best Crime Book in Translation** ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong. When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration. But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah… Atmospheric, dramatic and full of nerve-jangling twists and turns, Thirty Days of Darkness is a darkly funny, unsettling debut Nordic Noir thriller that marks the start of a breath-taking new series. ____________________________________ ‘Dark and atmospheric … a bleak and beautiful evocation of Iceland, and Hannah is a pitch-perfect depiction of the bombastic neurosis that we writers know so very well’ Harriet Tyce ‘Such a clever, original twist on the Nordic Noir tradition – darkly humorous and utterly captivating’ Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ‘A fantastic debut … Darkly funny, tense and a lot of poking fun at crime-writing’ Tariq Ashkanani ‘Delightfully dark’ Antti Tuomainen ‘So atmospheric’ Crime Monthly ‘An absolute gem … a superb mix of humour and dark, twisty crime fiction with an added layer of contemplation regarding what makes books 'literary'. The Icelandic setting is perfectly drawn … Not to be missed' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘Shades of Fargo and Twin Peaks – and there’s no higher praise than that. Absolutely brilliant!’ Rod Reynolds ‘A truly original thriller that perfectly balances humour and suspense’ Vogue ‘A hugely enjoyable read with thrills and laughs, as Hannah sticks her nose in where it’s not welcome’ Michael J. Malone ‘So satisfying … a truly great read’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir ‘A skilful, witty mash-up, playing with tropes of romantic fiction (yes, that popular genre writer turns up in the village and is not so bad after all) and crime fiction (closed community, dark secrets) … really entertaining’ Aly Monroe 'This reminded me somewhat of the more recent, meta efforts of the great Anthony Horowitz’ The Bookbag ‘The most original thriller of the year: realistic, suspenseful and romantic to the very last page. And just when you think you've got the plot figured out, the plot twists again' Politiken
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Orenda Books A Deadly Covenant: The award-winning, international bestselling Detective Kubu series returns with another thrilling, chilling sequel
When a human skeleton is discovered at the site of a controversial new dam in remote northern Botswana, rookie Detective Kubu is drawn into a terrifying local feud, and discovers a deadly covenant that could change everything… ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James ‘Stanley gets everything – the dialogue, the terrain descriptions, the plot beats – right … and with a complex and endearing protagonist’ Publishers Weekly STARRED review ‘A real page turner, perfect for those who like their mysteries complex, and want something a little different’ Strand Magazine _____________________________________ While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the remains of a long-dead Bushman. Rookie Detective David ‘Kubu’ Bengu of Botswana CID and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons. Shortly after the gruesome discoveries, the elder of a nearby village is murdered in his home. The local police are convinced it was a robbery, but Kubu isn’t so sure … and neither is the strange woman who claims that an angry river spirit caused the elder’s death. As accusations of corruption are levelled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families, Kubu and his colleagues uncover a deadly covenant, and begin to fear that their own lives may be in mortal danger… ____________________________ ’My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Great African crime fiction’ Deon Meyer ‘Michael Stanley weaves together the core mystery and the landscape of Africa in magical ways’ Bolo Books ‘Kubu is an excellent, if large, companion for readers entering his unfamiliar land’ Reviewing the Evidence ‘What an outstanding read!’ Kings River Life magazine ‘The African Columbo’ Entertainment Weekly
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Orenda Books The Moose Paradox: The outrageously funny, tense sequel to the No. 1 bestselling The Rabbit Factor
Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company … Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series… ‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan ‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell** _______________________________ Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late… Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever… ________________________________ ‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times ‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times ‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the YearPraise for The Rabbit Factor Trilogy**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Last Laugh Award** ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian ‘Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites ‘A triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Expres
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Orenda Books Cold as Hell: The breakout bestseller, first in the addictive An Áróra Investigation series
Áróra returns to Iceland when her estranged sister goes missing, and her search leads to places she could never have imagined. A chilling, tense thriller – FIRST in an addictive, nerve-shattering new series – from one of Iceland’s bestselling authors…‘Icelandic crime writing at its finest … immersive and unnerving’ Shari Lapena‘Best-selling Icelandic crime-writer Sigurðardóttir has built a formidable reputation with just four novels, but here she introduces a new protagonist who is set to cement her legacy’ Daily Mail‘Another bleak, unpredictable classic’ Metro**Winner: Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year**––––––––––––––Icelandic sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries and aren‘t on speaking terms, but when their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to find her sister. But she soon realises that her sister isn’t avoiding her … she has disappeared, without trace. As she confronts Ísafold’s abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begins to probe her sister’s reclusive neighbours – who have their own reasons for staying out of sight – Áróra is led into an ever-darker web of intrigue and manipulation. Baffled by the conflicting details of her sister’s life, and blinded by the shiveringly bright midnight sun of the Icelandic summer, Áróra enlists the help of police officer Daníel, as she tries to track her sister’s movements, and begins to tail Björn – but she isn’t the only one watching…Slick, tense, atmospheric and superbly plotted, Cold as Hell marks the start of a riveting, addictive new series from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.–––––––––––––––––‘Lilja Sigurðardóttir doesn’t write cookie-cutter crime novels. She is aware that “the fundamentals of existence are totally incomprehensible and chaotic”: anything can and does happen … Isn’t that what all crime writers should aim for?’ The Times‘The blinding midnight sun in Iceland’s summer is beautifully evoked as Áróra establishes herself as a heroine to move the heart’ Daily Mail‘Lilja is a standout voice in Icelandic Noir, and this book does not disappoint … Cold as Hell is her best yet’ James Oswald ‘Domestic abuse, high-finance hanky-panky, and illegal immigration all figure in this arresting series launch … sure to please Scandi noir fans’ Publishers Weekly ‘What sets Lilja’s work apart is her ability to thread dark atmospheric tension throughout her writing and to keep the tale so taut … a slick, refreshing, glacial blast of a thriller’ LoveReading‘So atmospheric’ Crime Monthly‘Intricate, enthralling and very moving – a wonderful crime novel’ William Ryan‘Three things we love about Cold as Hell: Iceland’s unrelenting midnight sun; the gritty Nordic murder mystery; the peculiar and bewitching characters’ Apple Books‘Lilja Sigurðardóttir just gets better and better … Áróra is a wonderful character: unique, passionate, unpredictable and very real’ Michael RidpathPraise for Lilja Sigurðardóttir'Smart writing with a strongly beating heart' Big Issue'Tough, uncompromising and unsettling' Val McDermid'Tense and pacey' Guardian'Deftly plotted' Financial Times‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds’ Alexandra Sokoloff'Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns' Sunday Times‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books'Taut, gritty and thoroughly absorbing' Booklist'A stunning addition to the icy-cold crime genre' Foreword Reviews For fans of Katrine Engberg, Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir, Arne Dahl and Sarah Vaughan
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Orenda Books The Big Chill
Running private-investigator and funeral-home businesses means trouble is never far away, and the Skelf women take on their most perplexing, chilling cases yet in Book Two of the darkly funny, devastatingly tense and addictive Skelfs series! ***Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year*** ‘Compelling, compassionate … just brilliant. This series gets better with every book. I cannot get enough of the Skelfs’ Mark Billingham ‘Brilliantly drawn and blackly comic’ Herald Scotland ‘Confirms the Skelfs as a classic crime clan. I can’t wait for the next one’ Erin Kelly ‘I LOVE the Skelfs … The only problem with The Big Chill is that you’ll devour it so fast you’ll feel as bereft as one of the Skelfs’ clients. Doug Johnstone has murdered sleep’ Val McDermid ____________________ Haunted by their past, the Skelf women are hoping for a quieter life. But running both a funeral directors’ and a private investigation business means trouble is never far away, and when a car crashes into the open grave at a funeral that matriarch Dorothy is conducting, she can’t help looking into the dead driver’s shadowy life. While Dorothy uncovers a dark truth at the heart of Edinburgh society, her daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah have their own struggles. Jenny’s ex-husband Craig is making plans that could shatter the Skelf women’s lives, and the increasingly obsessive Hannah has formed a friendship with an elderly professor that is fast turning deadly. But something even more sinister emerges when a drumming student of Dorothy’s disappears and suspicion falls on her parents. The Skelf women find themselves sucked into an unbearable darkness – but could the real threat be to themselves? Following three women as they deal with the dead, help the living and find out who they are in the process, The Big Chill follows A Dark Matter, book one in the Skelfs series, which reboots the classic PI novel while asking the big existential questions, all with a big dose of pitch-black humour. ____________________ ‘Exceptional … Johnstone seamlessly presents their stories with depth, elegance, and a delicate touch of wry humor as they get difficult jobs done with grace and kindness. This is a must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly ‘Emotionally complex, richly layered and darkly funny. An addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet Under‘ Chris Brookmyre ‘Johnstone’s intuitive depiction of this trinity of resilient women is never less than flawless, in this tale punctuated by emotional depth and moments of dark humour...’ Raven Crime Reads Praise for The Skelfs series ***Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year*** ‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland ‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer ‘This dark but touching thriller makes for a thoroughly enjoyable slice of Edinburgh noir’ Mary Paulson-Ellis ‘This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief, as the three tough but tender main characters pick up the pieces and carry on: more, please’ Guardian ‘A tense ride strong, believable characters’ Kerry Hudson, Big Issue ‘They are all wonderful characters: flawed, funny, brave and well set up for a series. I wouldn’t call him cosy, but there’s warmth to Johnstone’s writing’ Sunday Times
£8.99
Orenda Books Psychopaths Anonymous: The CULT BESTSELLER of 2021
When AA meetings make her want to drink more, alcoholic murderess Maeve sets up a group for psychopaths … The dark, unpredictable, electrifyingly original new thriller from critically acclaimed cult author Will Carver.‘Totally insane, and I mean that in the best of ways. Maeve is a brilliant character … Incredibly dark and very funny’ Harriet Tyce, author of It Ends at Midnight‘I fell in love with Carver's murderous Maeve. This is an Eleanor Oliphant for crime fans. Carver truly at his best’ Sarah Pinborough, author of Insomnia‘Another wild ride … a darkly delicious page-turner’ S J Watson, author of Before I Go To Sleep––––––––––––––Welcome to the Club…Maeve has everything. A high-powered job, a beautiful home, a string of uncomplicated one-night encounters. She’s also an addict: A functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an insatiable appetite for killing men. When she can’t find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own. And Psychopaths Anonymous is born. Friends of Maeve. Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group adheres to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve’s drinking spirals out of control. She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group. But Maeve can’t seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man…A scathing, violent and darkly funny book about love, connection, obsessions and sex – and the aspects of human nature we’d prefer to hide – Psychopaths Anonymous is also an electrifyingly original, unpredictable thriller that challenges virtually everything.––––––––––––––––––‘Carver is a smart, stylish writer who has created a uniquely scary personality. We glimpse the world seen through the eyes of a grotesque character who is just normal enough to leave us entertained and disturbed in equal part’ Daily Mail ‘Wickedly fun’ Crime Monthly‘Will Carver’s most exciting, original, hilarious and freaky outing yet … I loved it’ Helen FitzGerald, author of Worst Case Scenario‘So in-your-face it’s almost claustrophobic, it’s also a compulsive and unforgettable reading experience’ LoveReading ‘Carver highlights the dark side of the current era, such as the negative consequences of ubiquitous online porn and society’s disregard for its outcasts … [a] powerful look into the abyss of a psychopathic personality’ Publishers Weekly‘Vivid and engaging and completely unexpected’ Lia Middleton, author of When They Find Her‘Dark in the way only Will Carver can be … oozes malevolence from every page’ Victoria Selman, author of Truly Darkly Deeply‘A wickedly dark and funny novel, with a protagonist you can’t help but root for’ Lisa Hall, author of The Woman in the Woods‘Move the hell over Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk … Will Carver is the new lit prince of 21st-century disenfranchised, pop darkness’ Stephen J. Golds‘Maeve is the best female fictional character since Marla Singer...’ Christopher HooleyPraise for Will Carver‘Cements Carver as one of the most exciting authors in Britain. After this, he’ll have his own cult following’ Daily Express‘A novel so dark and creepy Stephen King will be jealous he didn’t think of it first’ Michael Wood‘One of the most compelling and original voices in crime fiction … The whole thing feels like a shot of adrenaline’ Alex North‘Deliciously fresh and malevolent story-telling … If you like something fresh and unusual, grab this book’ Craig Sisterson‘Weirdly page-turning’ Sunday Times‘Laying bare our 21st-century weaknesses and dilemmas, Carver has created a highly original state-of-the-nation novel’ Literary Review‘Arguably the most original crime novel published this year’ Independent‘At once fantastical and appallingly plausible … this mesmeric novel paints a thought-provoking if depressing picture of modern life’ Guardian‘This book is most memorable for its unrepentant darkness…’ Telegraph‘Unlike anything else you’ll read this year’ Heat
£8.99
Orenda Books I Am Dust
When iconic musical Dust is revived twenty years after the leading actress was murdered in her dressing room, a series of eerie events haunts the new cast, in a bewitching, beguiling, moving and terrifyingly dark psychological thriller… ‘A delicate supernatural thriller of love, loss, murder and the dangers that come with getting what you wish for. Quite lovely in a dark, dark way’ Sarah Pinborough ‘Ghost story, murder mystery, romance. This mesmerising and entertaining book has it all…’ Emma Curtis ‘Haunting, provocative, and true to Beech’s style: packed with pain and heart’ Jack Jordan _________________________________ A haunted theatreA murdered actressThree cursed teenagersA secret that devastates them all… The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer… Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room? Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes. Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games? Is the role of Esme Black cursed? Could witchcraft be at the heart of the tragedy? And are dark deeds from Chloe’s past about to catch up with her? Not all the drama takes place onstage. Sometimes murder, magic, obsession and the biggest of betrayals are real life. When you’re in the theatre shadows, you see everything.And Chloe has been watching… ________ ‘A bold, original concept brilliantly executed … I adored it’ John Marrs ‘A delicate and mesmerising thriller’ Matt Wesolowski ‘Dark and haunting … further cements Louise Beech as one of the most original and exciting authors of the moment’ Claire Allan ‘Loads of twists and turns as the tension ramps up to breaking point’ Gill Paul ‘This book is about believing in yourself and finding out that you had the power all along’ Madeleine Black ‘It kept me reading until my eyes hurt and kept me thinking about it long after I’d finished’ Fionnuala Kearney ‘A work of almost tangible atmosphere and authenticity … poignant and layered’ S. E. Lyne
£8.09
Orenda Books Bound
When the official investigation into the murder of a respectable local businessman fails to add up, and personal problems start to play havoc with her state of mind, New Zealand's favourite young detective Sam Shephard turns vigilante... 'Fast-moving New Zealand procedural ... the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly' Ian Rankin ‘New Zealand's answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times 'A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading' Kate Mosse __________________ The New Zealand city of Dunedin is rocked when a wealthy and apparently respectable businessman is murdered in his luxurious home while his wife is bound and gagged, and forced to watch. But when Detective Sam Shephard and her team start investigating the case, they discover that the victim had links with some dubious characters. The case seems cut and dried, but Sam has other ideas. Weighed down by her dad's terminal cancer diagnosis, and by complications in her relationship with Paul, she needs a distraction, and launches her own investigation. And when another murder throws the official case into chaos, it's up to Sam to prove that the killer is someone no one could ever suspect. __________________ Praise for the Sam Shephard series ‘A really strong mystery with a twist that works very nicely … The family dynamic and Sam’s dealing with the trauma are brilliantly observed’ NB Magazine 'If you like taut, pacy thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you' Liam McIlvanney 'Vanda Symon's work resembles Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice' The Times 'Atmospheric, emotional and gripping' Foreword Reviews 'A plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go' Sunday Times 'Powerful, coolly assured, and an absolute belter of a read' LoveReading 'It is Symon's copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer's real achievement' Guardian 'Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon' Red Magazine 'With a twisty plot, a protagonist who shines and beautifully written observations of the cruellest things this is crime fiction at its best' Kiwi Crime 'Reads like the polished effort of a genre veteran. More, please' Booklist 'Atmospheric, gripping and incredibly satisfying' Anne Cater, Random Things through My Letterbox
£8.99