Search results for ""author anna smith""

Crime reporter Rosie Gilmour returns from hiding in Bosnia to a story of a brutal execution. University lecturer Tom Mahoney was shot at point blank range and the killing has all the signs of a hit. But who would want to kill a retired lecturer? Rosie throws herself into the investigation, looking for a witness that has gone missing. A witness that might hold the key to the story. But she has her own reasons to stay hidden. As Rosie digs deeper, she finds the story has connections to the Ministry of Defence and MI6 and Mahoney's past is darker than anyone could imagine. Rosie's running out of time to find out the truth, before Mahoney's killers silence her for good.'Anna Smith is the real deal . . . Rosie Gilmour is a captivating character who drags the reader along at breakneck speed' Daily Express

Read more less

A gritty, page-turning thriller perfect for fans of Martina Cole. Refugees are disappearing in Glasgow. The mutilated body of one has been found, but the police aren't interested. Can crime reporter Rosie Gilmour uncover the truth before the killer comes for her?Steeped in its own problems, Glasgow's mushrooming underclass is simmering with resentment and the sudden flow of Kosovan refugess into the city; and one by one, refugees are disappearing. The authorities assume the refugees have vanished into the black economy, until the mutilated body of an Albanian man is fished out of the River Clyde.Asylum seekers and refugees with no roots and no families are easy pickings. But why is there no urgency from the authorities to find out what's happening? Rosie Gilmour's instincts tell her there's more to this story, but after six weeks on the frontlines in Kosovo, is her sympathy for the refugees clouding her judgement?'Gripping and compelling' KIMBERLEY CHAMBERS'An action packed novel with current political undertones that make for a riveting read' EUROCRIME

Read more less

Private investigator Billie Carlson is back in the next gripping instalment of this utterly addictive series. WILL SHE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH?PI Billie Carlson is in Cleveland, Ohio, following a lead on the whereabouts of her son, Lucas. But when the trail goes cold, she is forced to return to Glasgow and a life of waiting and praying that one day she might see him again.Back in the office and ready to throw herself into work, she picks up a call from Lars, an old friend from her teenage years in Sweden. He tells her some devastating news. His younger sister, Astrid, was found dead in the Highlands, frozen to death with traces of drugs and alcohol in her system.The police are convinced that Astrid killed herself, but Lars knows his sister would never do such a thing. He begs Billie to investigate and to accompany Astrid's body back to Sweden. Billie quickly agrees and soon finds herself involved in a web of institutional corruption linked to the dark recesses of the criminal underworld. Can Billie find out what happened to Astrid, or will she be silenced by those desperate to keep her from finding out the truth?******************************************What readers are saying about If I Should Die'Another absolute page-turner' 5* reader review'Stunning writing, gritty plot, this book has it all' 5* reader review'I love the characters!' 5* reader review'Great read. Couldn't put it down' 5* reader review'Full of tension throughout' 5* reader review'Gripping from the start right up to the end' 5* reader review

Read more less

KING OF RUIN. KING OF DUST AND SHADOWS. KING OF DEATH. HE WILL RULE ALL. THE KING IS COMING. Marith Altrersyr – father-killer, dragonlord, leader of the blood-soaked Amrath Army – is keeping his promises. He is determined to become King of all Irlast and take back the seat of his ancestors. Only Thalia, once high priestess of the Lord of Living and Dying, the holiest woman in the Empire, might stop Marith and his army’s deadly march. But she is torn between two destinies – and if she was to return home, what would she fi nd there? A city on the brink of ruin: diseased, despairing, dying? Crawling through a tunnel deep under the ruins of her city, Landra Relast vows vengeance. Her family has been burned, her home destroyed, and now Marith – once her betrothed – must die. But as Landra cuts through the wasteland left in the wake of Marith’s army, she finds that she is not the only one who wishes him ill…

Read more less

PI Billie Carlson takes on a thrilling new case in the next instalment of this gripping series. For fans of Martina Cole and Marnie Riches.Life has changed for Private Investigator Billie Carlson. After years of chasing down every lead possible, she''s finally found her son, Lucas, and brought him safely home to Glasgow.One afternoon, Billie gets a call from an unknown number. The man on the end of the phone refuses to tell her his name, but he explains that his brother, Omar, is being held in prison after stabbing two men outside a block of flats. He wants Billie to investigate what happened that night and find out any information that might help Omar.Reluctantly, Billie takes on the case. But as she starts to untangle what happened that night, she can''t shake the feeling that she''s being watched. With Lucas depending on her, Billie is determined to avoid any dangerous encounters. But trouble seems to have a way of tracking her down . . .

Read more less

THE WHITE-KNUCKLE FOLLOW UP TO FIGHT BACK - GRIPPING FROM START TO FINISH!'MARTINA COLE FANS WILL LOVE THIS' SUNDAY MIRRORPhysically and emotionally battered after the shocking events of Fight Back, Glasgow gang leader Kerry Casey must pick herself up and get straight back into the fray. When London gangsters William 'Wolfie' Wolfe and his tough-talking daughter Hannah approach her with millions of pounds worth of stolen diamonds and offer her an alliance in return for helping to sell them, she jumps at the chance to have someone on her side for a change. But there were more than diamonds in the loot Wolfie stole, and its former owners will stop at nothing to get it back. Kerry and Hannah must stay one step ahead of their new enemies - while Kerry spots the opportunity to settle an old score of her own...

Read more less

A three-year-old girl is snatched from a beach in Spain. Nobody heard a sound. Nobody saw a thing. Rosie Gilmour's much-needed holiday is cut short when the abduction story breaks and she's sent to cover it. Her instincts tell her something's wrong: such a crime must surely have its witnesses, and the girl's mother's story doesn't add up. With a child's life at stake, Rosie must dig deeper into the seedy depths of the area, making dangerous enemies. As she closes in on the truth, she realises the penalty for missing this particular deadline could be her own death.'Perfectly paced and neatly plotted' Daily Mail

Read more less

Rosie Gilmour is chasing an explosive new story that will take her deep into Glasgow's sectarian underworld. But has she got in over her head?Crime reporter Rosie Gilmour is on the trail of missing barmaid Wendy Graham. Wendy's boyfriend is a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force - and before she vanished, she levelled a horrifying accusation against one of his mates.Determined to get justice for a woman she is sure has paid the ultimate price for breaking the silence of the UVF brotherhood, Rosie will find herself at the mercy of the most vicious gangsters she's ever encountered. Has she met her match this time?'If you haven't come across Rosie yet, this jet-propelled and cleverly plotted story will suck you in from page one and send you searching for her earlier adventures' Crime Review

Read more less

A gripping gangland thriller that sees heroine crime boss Kerry Casey in jail - for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole and Jessie Keane'MARTINA COLE FANS WILL LOVE THIS' DAILY MIRRORKerry Casey is still reeling from the bombshell that her lover, undercover cop Vinny Burns, has gone missing in Spain. She's pregnant with his baby and will do anything to find him.One night, driving along a country road, Kerry and her Uncle Danny are ambushed by gunmen. In the confusion that follows, shots are fired and two men are murdered. Kerry and Danny can only look on as the bodies are dragged from their assailant's car and placed in their own.The police arrive in minutes. With cocaine, dead bodies and guns in the car, it looks like an open-and-shut case.Kerry's been framed. She is forced to wait out her fate inside a women's prison, still not knowing what has happened to Vinnie. On the outside the Casey gang are hunting down the men who did this to her and they will stop at nothing to find them.

Read more less

A decomposed body washes up on a beach near Glasgow. The victim: Tracy Eadie. Junkie. Prostitute. Fourteen years old.Rosie Gilmour, tabloid journalist and crusader for justice, receives evidence linking police officials with Tracy's disappearance. Digging deeper, Rosie uncovers a sickening network of corruption and abuse, leading back to the very top of the establishment. And to powerful figures who want their secrets kept hidden. Rosie has found the story of a lifetime. Yet living to tell it will be her greatest challenge.'Anna Smith expertly unveils Glasgow's underbelly in this page-turner. Her knowledge of the city's underclass shines out of every page' News of the World

Read more less

'MARTINA COLE FANS WILL LOVE THIS FAST-PACED THRILLER' SUNDAY MIRRORThey came for her family. Now she's coming for them. This nail-biting thriller introduces Glasgow's newest gangland mistress, Kerry Casey.Kerry Casey thought she'd made a life away from the dirty dealings of her gangster family. Her father wanted to make them legit - her brother Mickey had other ideas, and now it's got him killed. When Mickey's funeral turns into a bloodbath at the hands of a group of anonymous shooters and Kerry's mother is killed in the crossfire, Kerry finds herself at the head of the Casey family, and desperate for revenge.Running a crime empire is not a job she ever asked for, and not one she wants, but Kerry is determined to fulfil her father's wishes and make the Caseys go straight. First, though, she will find the men who murdered her mother, and she will take them down, no matter what it costs.

Read more less

PI Billie Carlson takes on a thrilling new case in the next instalment of this gripping series. For fans of Martina Cole and Marnie Riches.Life has changed for Private Investigator Billie Carlson. After years of chasing down every lead possible, she''s finally found her son, Lucas, and brought him safely home to Glasgow.One afternoon, Billie gets a call from an unknown number. The man on the end of the phone refuses to tell her his name, but he explains that his brother, Omar, is being held in prison after stabbing two men outside a block of flats. He wants Billie to investigate what happened that night and find out any information that might help Omar.Reluctantly, Billie takes on the case. But as she starts to untangle what happened that night, she can''t shake the feeling that she''s being watched. With Lucas depending on her, Billie is determined to avoid any dangerous encounters. But trouble seems to have a way of tracking her down . . .

Read more less

The death of a young Pakistani bride in Glasgow gets Rosie Gilmour's antennae twitching. She is sure this tragic accident was anything but - but she is not prepared for where her investigation will take her...Rosie has her hands full navigating the sensitivities of this case - the girl's grieving family and the tensions between the white and Pakistani communities in the city - when she is contacted by two prostitutes in serious trouble. One of their clients has died on the job, and they've gone on the run - with his briefcase. The briefcase contains dozens of rough diamonds, and now some thoroughly brutal people are on their trail.On the surface this has nothing to do with the death of the young girl. But Rosie has spent years looking beneath Glasgow's surface into its murky depths, and if anyone can discover the connection between one girl's forced marriage and a ring of diamond smugglers, it's her.'Chilling and compelling' Kimberley Chambers

Read more less

Rosie Gilmour is hot on the trail of a ring of baby-sellers and people-traffickers. The problem is, her main suspect is a dead man. Or is he?A money-laundering accountant disappears in Romania. The hitman hired to disappear him is found dead in a Glasgow flat. And the owner of the flat, the accountant's widow, claims she knows nothing about it.Crime reporter Rosie Gilmour isn't convinced by Helen Lewis's innocent facade - she is convinced Helen was the one who ordered the hit on her husband, and she's going to prove it. But when she discovers that Helen's husband worked for a ring of gangsters selling babies from Romanian orphanages, her focus shifts. Now she has two sets of criminals to bring to justice - she'd better pray they don't catch up with her first.'Plenty of action, chills and thrills [with a] quite enchanting finale' Crime Review

Read more less

A beautiful model's death uncovers an ugly conspiracy stretching all the way to Westminster in Rosie Gilmour's darkest case to date.When Scots supermodel Bella Mason plunges to her death from the roof of a glitzy Madrid hotel, everyone assumes it was suicide. Except that one person saw exactly what happened to Bella that night, and she definitely didn't jump. But Millie Chambers has no one she can tell - an alcoholic and now sectioned by her bullying politician husband, who would believe her? And that's not all Millie knows. Being close to the heart of Westminster power can lead to discovering some awful secrets...Back in Glasgow, Rosie's research into Bella's life leads to her brother. Dan is now a homeless heroin addict, but what he reveals about Bella's early life is electrifying: organised sexual abuse in care homes across Glasgow. Bella had tracked him down so that they could tell the world their story. And now she's dead.As Rosie's drive to expose the truth leads her closer to Millie and the shameful secrets she has kept for so many years, it becomes clear that what she's about to discover could prove fatal: a web of sexual abuse linking powerful figures across the nation, and the rot at the very heart of the British Establishment...'Provocative, shocking and utterly harrowing . . . grips like a vice' Daily Record

Read more less

A sadistic killer with a grudge against Rosie Gilmour is on the loose in Glasgow. Thomas Boag escaped from his first court appearance facing charges on a brutal murder. He's suspected in the disappearances of two other people. Now he's out for revenge.Rosie tries to distract herself with a new story: refugees trafficked into Glasgow and used as modern-day slaves - or worse. But this investigation soon leads her into dangerous territory as it takes her up against some of Glasgow's nastiest characters, and all the while, somewhere out there, Boag is laying his trap...'Another searingly-paced and all-too-believable look at the darker side of life from a quite brilliant writer' Crime Review

Read more less

A Sword of Bronze and Ashes combines the fierce beauty of Celtic myth with grimdark battle violence. It's a lyrical, folk horror high fantasy. Kanda has a good life until shadows from her past return threatening everything she loves. And Kanda, like any parent, has things in her past she does not want her children to know. Red war is coming: pursued by an ancient evil, Kanda must call upon all her strength to protect her family. But how can she keep her children safe, if they want to stand as warriors beside her when the light fades and darkness rises? FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Read more less

''Gritty, violent and very dark, it is a real page turner. I loved the character of Billie Carlson'' Patricia GibneyThis nail-biting Glasgow-set crime thriller introduces Billie Carlson, an ex-cop turned Private Investigator.WHEN YOU''VE LOST EVERYTHING, YOU''LL STOP AT NOTHINGBillie Carlson left the police force under a cloud. Once a promising young officer she now works as a private investigator, rooting out insurance scams and spying on cheating spouses.One morning a distraught young woman comes into her office saying that her baby has been stolen. Her story seems unbelievable, yet something about her makes Billie want to help - Billie knows what it''s like to lose someone too.To get to the bottom of the case Billie must rattle some dangerous cages and rely on old police friends for inside help. Soon she discovers a network of crime deeper and far more twisted than she ever could have imagined. But is she in way

Read more less

'MARTINA COLE FANS WILL LOVE THIS FAST-PACED THRILLER' SUNDAY MIRRORGangster Kerry Casey has fought her way to the top of the Glasgow crime scene. But can she stay there?Kerry Casey is now a fully-fledged gangland boss. With her business partner Sharon and her wily lawyer Marty at her side, she is busy ridding her organisation of the drug-dealing, people-trafficking scum her dead brother Mickey got them involved with. But her great dream is still to take the Caseys straight.Her plan to turn her organisation around hinges on building a property empire in Spain. But Kerry has some deadly rivals - in Glasgow, on the Costa del Sol, and even further afield. They will never believe she has what it takes to defend her turf, and they won't rest until the Caseys are destroyed.When her enemies strike at the heart of the Casey family, Kerry must prepare for the fight of her life - for her business, her friends and her own survival.'Gritty and hard-edged, it's not for the faint-hearted' SUNDAY MIRROR

Read more less

'Gritty, violent and very dark, it is a real page turner. I loved the character of Billie Carlson' Patricia GibneyThis nail-biting Glasgow-set crime thriller introduces Billie Carlson, an ex-cop turned Private Investigator.WHEN YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING, YOU'LL STOP AT NOTHINGBillie Carlson left the police force under a cloud. Once a promising young officer she now works as a private investigator, rooting out insurance scams and spying on cheating spouses.One morning a distraught young woman comes into her office saying that her baby has been stolen. Her story seems unbelievable, yet something about her makes Billie want to help - Billie knows what it's like to lose someone too.To get to the bottom of the case Billie must rattle some dangerous cages and rely on old police friends for inside help. Soon she discovers a network of crime deeper and far more twisted than she ever could have imagined. But is she in way over her head?'A rattling good start to the series' Trevor Wood'What a standout, don't-mess-with-me character . . . The story had me hooked from start to finish' Dreda Say Mitchell

Read more less

A gripping gangland thriller sees heroine crime boss Kerry Casey in jail - for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole and Jessie KeaneKerry Casey is still reeling from the bombshell that her lover, undercover cop Vinny Burns, has gone missing in Spain. She's pregnant with his baby and will do anything to find him. One night, driving along a country road, Kerry and her Uncle Danny are ambushed by gunmen. In the confusion that follows, shots are fired and two men are murdered. Kerry and Danny can only look on as the bodies are dragged from their assailant's car and placed in their own.The police arrive in minutes. With cocaine, dead bodies and guns in the car, it looks like an open-and-shut case.Kerry's been framed. She is forced to wait out her fate inside a women's prison, still not knowing what has happened to Vinnie. On the outside the Casey gang are hunting down the men who did this to her and they will stop at nothing to find them.

Read more less

Private investigator Billie Carlson is back in the next gripping instalment of this utterly addictive series. WILL SHE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH?PI Billie Carlson is in Cleveland, Ohio, following a lead on the whereabouts of her son, Lucas. But when the trail goes cold, she is forced to return to Glasgow and a life of waiting and praying that one day she might see him again.Back in the office and ready to throw herself into work, she picks up a call from Lars, an old friend from her teenage years in Sweden. He tells her some devastating news. His younger sister, Astrid, was found dead in the Highlands, frozen to death with traces of drugs and alcohol in her system.The police are convinced that Astrid killed herself, but Lars knows his sister would never do such a thing. He begs Billie to investigate and to accompany Astrid's body back to Sweden. Billie quickly agrees and soon finds herself involved in a web of institutional corruption linked to the dark recesses of the criminal underworld. Can Billie find out what happened to Astrid, or will she be silenced by those desperate to keep her from finding out the truth?******************************************What readers are saying about If I Should Die'Another absolute page-turner' 5* reader review'Stunning writing, gritty plot, this book has it all' 5* reader review'I love the characters!' 5* reader review'Great read. Couldn't put it down' 5* reader review'Full of tension throughout' 5* reader review'Gripping from the start right up to the end' 5* reader review

Read more less

A Sword of Bronze and Ashes combines the fierce beauty of Celtic myth with grimdark battle violence. It's a lyrical, folk horror high fantasy. Kanda has a good life until shadows from her past return threatening everything she loves. And Kanda, like any parent, has things in her past she does not want her children to know. Red war is coming: pursued by an ancient evil, Kanda must call upon all her strength to protect her family. But how can she keep her children safe, if they want to stand as warriors beside her when the light fades and darkness rises? FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Read more less

Die Weimarer Republik löste dramatische religionskulturelle Veränderungen aus. Die Kirchen erlebten sie als Krisen und Verluste. Doch lagen auch Umbruch und Neuanfang in der Luft: radikale Suche nach dem Unbedingten, pragmatisches Zutrauen zum Kompromiss und individuelle Grenzgänge zwischen den Religionen. Der vorliegende Band dokumentiert diese produktiven Zeiten für christliche Theologie und jüdische Religionsphilosophie.

Read more less

Perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence and R Scott Bakker, The Court of Broken Knives is the explosive debut by one of grimdark fantasy’s most exciting new voices. They’ve finally looked at the graveyard of our Empire with open eyes. They’re fools and madmen and like the art of war. And their children go hungry while we piss gold and jewels into the dust. In the richest empire the world has ever known, the city of Sorlost has always stood, eternal and unconquered. But in a city of dreams governed by an imposturous Emperor, decadence has become the true ruler, and has blinded its inhabitants to their vulnerability. The empire is on the verge of invasion – and only one man can see it. Haunted by dreams of the empire’s demise, Orhan Emmereth has decided to act. On his orders, a company of soldiers cross the desert to reach the city. Once they enter the Palace, they have one mission: kill the Emperor, then all those who remain. Only from ashes can a new empire be built. The company is a group of good, ordinary soldiers, for whom this is a mission like any other. But the strange boy Marith who walks among them is no ordinary soldier. Marching on Sorlost, Marith thinks he is running away from the past which haunts him. But in the Golden City, his destiny awaits him – beautiful, bloody, and more terrible than anyone could have foreseen.

Read more less

A powerhouse grimdark fantasy of bloodshed, ambition, and fate, The House of Sacrifice is the thunderous conclusion to Anna Smith Spark's Empires of Dust trilogy, which began with The Court of Broken Knives. Hail Him. Behold Him.Man-killer, life-stealer, death-bringer, life’s thief.All are bound to Him,His word is law.The night coming, the sudden light that makes the eyes blind,Golden one, shining, glorious.Life’s judgement, life’s pleasure, hope’s grave. Marith Altrersyr has won. He cut a path of blood and vengeance and needless violence around the world and now he rules. It is time for Marith to put down his sword, to send home his armies, to grow a beard and become fat. It is time to look to his own house, and to produce an heir. The King of Death must now learn to live. But some things cannot be learnt. The spoils of war turn to ash in the mouths of the Amrath Army and soon they are on the move again. But Marith, lord of lies, dragon-killer, father-killer, has begun to falter and his mind decays. How long can a warlord rotting from within continue to win? As the Army marches on to Sorlost, Thalia’s thoughts turn to home and to the future: a life grows inside her and it is a precious thing – but it grows weak. Why must the sins of the father curse the child? A glorious, ambitious and bloodily brilliant conclusion that threads together a masterful tapestry of language and story, holding up a piercing reflection on epic fantasy – and those who love it.

Read more less

Finn LOVES adventures and having fun!But when he starts to have 'cheeky worries', a Wise Owl knows just what to do...Cheeky worries are those sneaky thoughts that pop up when you're least expecting it. You might be getting ready for bed, playing with friends at the park or having fun on the bus when suddenly a scary thought pops into your head. Through the character of Finn and a wise owl, this book equips children and adults with a common language to discuss their emotional worlds and worries. It gently introduces psychological principles and evidence-based techniques that help children ages 4-8 develop resilience and deal with anxiety.

Read more less