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The Harry Palmer Quartet
by Len DeightonThe first four ‘Secret Files’ from the master of fictional espionage, Len Deighton, containing the international exploits of Britain’s uber-cool sixties spy, Harry Palmer, together in one e-bundle for the first time.
All the Tea in China: A Charlie Mortdecai novel (Mortdecai)
by Kyril BonfiglioliAll the Tea in China - a Mortdecai novel by Kyril Bonfiglioli, soon to be a major film starring Johnny Depp'One of the funniest writers ever' UncutAfter committing a crime anyone but a close relative might forgive, Karli Mortdecai Van Cleef leaves Holland double-quick with his uncle's buckshot lodged firmly in the seat of his breeches. Discretion being the least-idiotic part of valour he decides to hide far away in London, among the tea shops and opium dens. On savouring these Eastern delicacies and knowing an opportunity when he sups upon one, young Karli throws in his lot with an opium clipper bound for China's high seas.Life on the ocean waves, however, is full of perils for an officer and his sensitive digestive tract: mountainous waves, an encounter with a malodorous slave ship, the captain's wife's pulse-racingly brief wardrobe, several hordes of pirates, mutiny, the ship's cook's fondness for curry - to name but a few.All the Tea in China is a swaggering, rip-snorting, buckler-swashing tale about one of the men who - for a reasonable fee - made Britain great.'For those who have learnt to relish his elegant, nasty thrillers, Bonfiglioli is a name hard to forget. This farrago represents a change from the thrillers - a good clean salt-water yarn for the decadent' Irish Press'Shows his customary inventive comedy and zest for language' Sunday Times'Bonfiglioli deserves better than cult status' IndependentKyril Bonfiglioli was born on the south coast of England in 1928 of an English mother and Italo-Slovene father. After studying at Oxford and five years in the army, he took up a career as an art dealer, like his eccentric creation Charlie Mortdecai. He lived in Oxford, Lancashire, Ireland and Jersey, where he died in 1985. He wrote four Charlie Mortdecai novels, and a fifth historical Mortdecai novel (about a distinguished ancestor).
Lord Peter Wimsey: The Complete Short Stories
by Dorothy L SayersDiscover Dorothy L. Sayers' inimitable Golden Age detective in this newly published collection of the complete Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Presented in chronological order, these short stories see Lord Peter Wimsey bringing his trademark wit and unique detection skills to all manner of mysteries. From poisoned port to murder in fancy dress, Wimsey draws on his many skills - including his expertise in fine wine and appreciation of fine art - to solve cases far and wide, some even taking him to foreign countries and unexpected hiding places in pursuit of miscreants and murderers.Containing 21 stories taken from Lord Peter Views the Body, Hangman's Holiday, In the Teeth of the Evidence and Striding Folly, now published together for the first time in one volume, this is the ultimate collection for fans of classic detective fiction and Dorothy L. Sayers.'She brought to the detective novel originality, intelligence, energy and wit.' P. D. James
The Wintringham Mystery: Cicely Disappears
by Anthony Berkeley A. Monmouth PlattsRepublished for the first time in nearly 95 years, a classic winter country house mystery by the founder of the Detection Club, with a twist that even Agatha Christie couldn’t solve!
The Abbey Court Murder: An Inspector Furnival Mystery (Inspector Furnival Mysteries Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Annie Haynes“A crime of a peculiarly mysterious nature was perpetrated some time last night in a block of flats called Abbey Court.”Lady Judith Carew acted furtively on the night of the Denboroughs’ party. Her secret assignation at 9:30pm was a meeting to which she took a loaded revolver. The Abbey Court apartment building would play host to violent death that very night, under cover of darkness. The killer’s identity remained a mystery, though Lady Carew had a most compelling motive - and her revolver was left in the dead man’s flat…Enter the tenacious Inspector Furnival in the first of his golden age mysteries, first published in 1923. Though there are many clues, there are just as many red herrings and the case takes numerous Christie-esque twists before the murderer can be revealed. This new edition, the first printed in over 80 years, features an introduction from crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.“Annie Haynes does, in The Abbey Court Murder, what all writers of mystery stories aspire to do, and so few carry off successfully… It is a first-rate story… the plot thickens with every page, leading us on to the final climax in a state of unfluctuating interest.” Bookman
The Crow's Inn Tragedy: An Inspector Furnival Mystery (Inspector Furnival Mysteries Ser. #Vol. 3)
by Annie Haynes“I cannot understand why Mr. Bechcombe apparently offered no resistance. His hand-bell, his speaking-tube, the telephone—all were close at hand. It looks as though he had recognized his assassin and had no fear of him.”The corner house of Crow’s Inn Square was the most dignified set of solicitors’ chambers imaginable. But this monument to law and order nonetheless becomes the scene of murder - when the distinguished lawyer Mr. Bechcombe, despite giving strict instructions not to be disturbed, is strangled in his own office.Inspector Furnival of Scotland Yard has to wrestle with fiendish clues, unearth priceless gems and tangle with a dangerous gang before he can solve this case, his third and final golden age mystery. Originally published in 1927, this new edition is the first printed in over 80 years, and features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.“What could be better to whet the appetite of the mystery-loving reader? A capital piece of work... exactly the sort of mystery story that everyone is asking for and will eagerly devour.” Sketch
The House in Charlton Crescent: An Inspector Furnival Mystery (Inspector Furnival Mystery #Vol. 2)
by Annie HaynesProtruding from the dead woman’s breast was the gold and jewelled dagger she had shown them half an hour before. And, looking horribly incongruous among the laces of her fichu, a deep stain was spreading.Elderly cantankerous widow Lady Anne Daventry summons a private detective, Bruce Cardyn, to her London home. He is tasked to find out one thing: just who is trying to kill her? Any number of relations have a financial interest in her death. Then there is Lady Anne’s recently dismissed private secretary, her lady’s maid and the butler…Despite Cardyn’s efforts, Lady Anne is murdered and Inspector Furnival, in his second golden age mystery, is on the case, with Cardyn playing Watson. Originally published in 1926, this new edition is the first printed in over eighty years. It features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.“Miss Haynes’ new book shows all the merits of its predecessors. Careful plot, a villain concealed, natural setting, observation of character—for all these it scores points.” Morning Post.
The Red Lamp
by Mary Roberts RinehartA haunted seaside mansion - a series of suspicious deaths...Perfect gothic crime fiction for fans of Shirley Jackson 'Showcases her extraordinary gift for sustaining high levels of tension ... reminiscent of Shirley Jackson ... and she excels at the tantalising tease' Publishers Weekly William Porter has just inherited a seaside manor. As an academic, he doesn't believe the rumours that it is haunted - nor is he suspicious of the circumstances behind the inheritance - after all, lots of people die suddenly from heart attacks, and his uncle Horace was just unlucky. His wife, however, refuses to live in the main house and will only move into the lodge elsewhere on the grounds. And she may be right: soon after they arrive, Porter sees a shadowy figure illuminated by the red glow of Horace's writing lamp, the very light that shone on the scene of his death. Even Porter's scepticism is tested to the limit when a rash of murders occurs across the countryside. And if Porter isn't very careful, he risks implicating himself in the crimes he hopes to solve.
The Butterfly Picnic
by Joan Aiken'For sheer enjoyability this tops almost anything' The TimesIntelligent and spirited Georgia March flies to the beautiful Greek island of Dendros to meet her cousin Sweden, but upon arrival finds her cousin Sweden’s body lying in a pool blood . . .Georgia has come to the paradise island of Dendros in search of a new life, a new job, and a way to forget about her lost lover. Instead, her adventure begins with tragedy and takes her to a mountain-top fortress – home to a powerful multi-millionaire, his jet set friends and a school for unusual children. In this stunning Greek hideaway Georgia is hired as a teacher, but as she gets to know the children and their unconventional parents she becomes ensnared in a deadly international mystery. Our not-so hapless heroine must survive a series of bizarre brushes with death, but also deal with the attentions of a strangely charming man – is he really the wickedest man on the island? Somebody certainly wants her gone as she inches closer and closer to uncovering the truth about Sweden’s death . . . Joan Aiken reveals a strong heroine, a breathtaking backdrop and shocking plot twists – The Butterfly Picnic has all the elements of a holiday romance with a dark underside of suspense.
The Embroidered Sunset
by Joan Aiken'Miss Aiken’s book is immensely enjoyable – her gift for gothic romantic charm is as effectively deployed as ever' TLSLucy Culpepper doesn’t take no for an answer. An aspiring pianist she dreams of being taught by the renowned Max Benovek and will defy all odds – life threatening illness, a missing great aunt, and a disgruntled uncle – to achieve it.After finding out her Uncle Wilbie has used up her college fund, Lucy discovers a selection of enchantingly beautiful paintings in the attic. Being the miserly man he is, Wilbie wants to keep any possible profits for these paintings and bargains on sending Lucy to England to find the artist – Great-aunt Fennel. Knowing Benovek lives in London she snaps up the opportunity and undertakes the adventure of a lifetime. But though Benovek proves easy to find and immediately takes Lucy to heart, she sets off to Yorkshire only to find that her old aunt Fennel has vanished. Lucy’s search entangles her in a mystery of murder and deceit . . . can they discover who is the real aunt Fennel?Awardwinning author Joan Aiken brings a shocking finale to a witty and entertaining plot full of unexpected twists and turns in modern suspense novel, The Embroidered Sunset.
The Five-Minute Marriage
by Joan AikenDelphie Carteret is forced into a dangerous marriage of convenience in Joan Aiken’s stunning regency drama, The Five Minute Marriage. Delphie has been disinherited from her family’s life of luxury and wealth, and as her mother's health and wits deteriorate she has no choice but to seek help from distant relatives. However when she arrives at the family’s grand house she discovers part of their fortune is rightfully hers, and the only way to obtain her inheritance is through a sham marriage to her cousin.Unknowingly Delphie has tangled herself in a web of family rivalry and deceit which goes back for generations. Other members of the family are not just in debt but in the Marshalsea - the debtors' prison described by Dickens. Forced to maintain the charade of her marriage, Delphie is finally drawn into a dramatic fight for her life, and a surprisingly romantic finale on the roof of the family mansion . . .Joan Aiken has woven together an enchanting plot of romance and rivalry that will grip readers till the very end. Fans of Georgette Heyer should definitely make this novel their next read.
Hercule Poirot 3-Book Collection 1: Two Bestselling Mysteries
by Agatha ChristieThe first three Hercule Poirot books see the former Belgian policeman tempted out of retirement to solve a series of outlandish murders in Britain and France, assisted by the redoubtable Captain Hastings, setting him on the path to becoming the World's Greatest Detective!
Last Movement
by Joan Aiken'Joan Aiken has produced a beauty . . . enjoyment rises up from every one of its 250 pages. Here is a pleasure of a book' The TimesHelikon is a unique spa on the Greek island of Drendos, run by the enigmatic Dr. Adnan from Aiken’s earlier novel, The Embroidered Sunset. In this tranquil setting outstanding musical performances combine with soothing medical treatments offer to treat a myriad of ailments, but can they heal the past?Stage manager ‘Mike’ Meiklejohn accompanied by her ailing mother and playwright Lady Julia Saint with her amnesic partner arrive at the luxury spa centre in the hope that their troubles will be healed – but their stay in this Greek idyll is soon shattered by two horrifying murders. As the women’s paths intertwine they plan to stage an opera performance of Hamlet, but the longer they spend at Helikon the more they learn about the secrets their loved ones are hiding from them . . . Full of suspense and surprise Last Movement is a holiday romance with a dark edge from awardwinning author Joan Aiken.
Voices in an Empty House
by Joan Aiken“Gabriel!” But calling was pointless, and he stopped at once, embarrassed by the sound of his voice . . . Nobody was here in the small apartment, nobody but himself.Lonely sixteen-year-old Gabriel, son of a Nobel Prize winner, has gone missing, and with a life-threatening heart condition his family are desperate to find him before it’s too late. Amnesia-stricken stepdad Thomas, spiteful mother Bella, and her sardonic twin brother Bo, all have their own selfish reasons to pursue him to Greenwich Village, New York where he was last seen.But Gabriel doesn’t want to be found . . . Jumping between each character’s perspective over the course of seven years, awardwinning author Joan Aiken expertly pieces together a complex and dynamic family history that leads to every parent’s nightmare in her modern suspense novel, Voices in an Empty House.
The Murder on the Links: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mystery)
by Agatha ChristieBeloved detective Hercule Poirot made his second appearance in this tale of murder, blackmail, and forbidden love.Hercule Poirot rushes to France in response to an urgent and cryptic plea from a client. But the Belgian detective arrives just too late: the man who had summoned him is found dead on a golf course, stabbed in the back with a letter opener and wearing an ill-fitting coat with a mysterious love letter in its pocket. Strange circumstances multiply, culminating in the discovery of a second body stabbed with the same murder weapon. While the local authorities pursue the false leads suggested by the evidence, Poirot relies instead upon his famous "little grey cells" to cut through the confusion and untangle a story of blackmail, forbidden love, and a long-buried secret.
The Murder on the Links: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Poirot #Vol. 1)
by Agatha ChristieOn a French golf course, a millionaire is found stabbed in the back…
The Sea-Crossed Fisherman
by Yashar KemalA tale of greed, hatred and decay from Turkey's legendary novelist Yashar KemalYashar Kemal was an unsurpassed storyteller who brings to life a world of staggering violence and hallucinatory beauty. Kemal’s books delve deeply into the entrenched social and historical conflicts that scar the Middle East. At the same time scents and sounds, vistas of mountain and stream and field, rise up from the pages of his books with primitive force.In a sudden, chance encounter in a coffee-house in a fishing village near Istanbul, Zeynel Celik shoots a local gangster. Only one man intervenes – the village outcast Fisher Selim – and in doing so inadvertently transfers the blame for the murder onto himself. From this one simple act, Zeynel becomes a legendary outlaw in the minds of the people, whereas Fisher Selim, passionate about the sea and haunted by a lost love, is cast as an eccentric oddball. Each is pursued by his own paranoia, memories of the past and hopes for the future, until their paths cross once again on Selim’s boat, and their obsessions come to a resolution. Reflective and lyrical, the novel offers insight into the Turkish mentality while drawing universally valid conclusions, and manages to be both brutally savage and deeply humane.
To Crush The Serpent
by Yashar KemalA staggering, shattering novel from Turkey's greatest novelistSince Halil was shot dead in his own home by his wife Esmé's former suitor, the village has pointed the finger of guilt at the dead man's beautiful widow: she must have arranged the murder. The task of vengeance falls on Esmé's little son, Hassan: year after year he is groomed for it, his devotion to his mother sapped with talk of the unavenged ghost of Halil and his father, doomed to roam the countryisde as a translucent red snake, an insect, a bird. Hassan hears tales against his mother. How long will her innocence protect her?The stark tale of cruelty and vendetta is told in a narrative of relentless tension, reminiscent of Greek tragedy. it is one of Yashar Kemal's most beautiful and haunting novels.
The Complete Tommy and Tuppence 5-Book Collection
by Agatha ChristieGet all five Tommy & Tuppence adventures for the first time in one ebook.
The Anathema Stone (Simon Kenworthy #5)
by John Buxton HiltonThe Derbyshire village of Spentlow, where Chief Superintendent Kenworthy and his wife had chosen to spend their autumn holiday, was in the grip of celebrations organized by the Vicar to commemorate a remarkable incumbent of a hundred years ago. It was also in the grip of a long-standing feud between two prominent families, the Allsops and the Brightmores, and of the machinations of Davina Stott, a precocious, pretty adolescent, who had a lead part in the centenary celebration play. One evening Kenworthy walked home with her from rehearsal. Next morning her body was found on the Anathema Stone. The Anathema Stone, round which superstitions clustered, had originally been part of a Bronze Age barrow, but for the last two hundred years it had lain in Farmer Allsop’s yard. Recently a local archaeological society had tried to make him restore it to the original site, and this had sparked off further feuding in the village. In such an atmosphere the local police found it difficult to extract clear and truthful statements about the murder from this closed community. Kenworthy, anxious though he was to help, was made uncomfortably aware that he was an outsider, and worse, the finger of village suspicion was unmistakably pointing at him. John Buxton Hilton knows his Derbyshire as only the Derbyshire-born can. He also knows how to spin a story remorseless in its unfolding, and alive with vividly drawn characters.
Dead-Nettle (Inspector Thomas Brunt #2)
by John Buxton HiltonIn this splendid turn-of-the-century English whodunit, Police Inspector Thomas Brunt, of Rescue from the Rose and Gamekeeper’s Gallows, is at it again. This time, a newcomer to a Derbyshire village has been brutally murdered on the moors, and the obvious suspect is Lomas the miner who took her off to his remote Dead-Nettle mine workings. Brunt, however, does not trust the obvious. Sooner or later everybody tells him everything – or nearly everything. All he has to do is guess the rest and patiently await his moment. Hilton evokes a special mood as he paints the countryside, details traditional lead-mining lore, village custom and community loyalties, and scenes from the Boer War that illuminate the central character. In this way he portrays Edwardian England at its best, and sometimes worst, as the grisly plot unfolds.
Gamekeeper's Gallows (Inspector Thomas Brunt #1)
by John Buxton HiltonThis is an historical crime mystery set in the High Peak district of Derbyshire in the 1870s. The police detective, Thomas Brunt, who first appeared in Rescue from the Rose, appears here too, but as a much younger man. It might be almost entitled ‘The Search for Amy Harrington’ or ‘The Case of the Missing Girls’; for when Brunt, in search of Amy, makes the long journey to the very remote hamlet of Piper’s Fold he finds that there has been something of a traffic in young girls in this tiny, enclosed community. Brunt’s journey is not assisted by the vagaries of the Cromford and High Peak Railway (a piece of authentic history) which contrived to take five and a half hours to cover thirty-three miles. In this novel the effective boss of the line is the driver Thomas Beresford, a splendid rustic eccentric and a truly comic character. Brunt’s investigation entangles him in an extraordinary web of legend, folklore, rustic customs and secret community loyalties. The story develops excitingly as Brunt picks his way through mysteries and lies, and ends with a pleasing denouement.
Hangman's Tide (Simon Kenworthy #2)
by John Buxton HiltonA savage and macabre murder occurs in East Anglia, on the edge of the Wash. Superindendent Kenworthy, John Buxton Hilton’s eccentric and ingenious policeman, faces the task of unravelling the past of the Margerum family who are rooted in the Fens and evidently connected with the murder. It is in the past history of this large and complicated family, and in a strange and touching romance that took place in the 1920’s, that the secret motivations lie. Kenworthy is perfectly contented to employ ruthless bluff and downright lies to bring pressure that will break the case open. His winger, Detective Sergeant Wright, has the curious role of having to make what he can of it all, building to an ending with a cunning surprise. This splendid story gains its strength from the evocation of the coastal marshes, the character and manoeuvres of Kenworthy and in a strange tale of love recalled from the past.
The Innocents at Home (Simon Kenworthy #15)
by John Buxton HiltonThe rural town of St. Botolph’s Fen End may have a pervert in their midst. Did Henry Gower, the very enthusiastic schoolteacher, carry the demonstrations in his sex education classes just a little too far? So claim four “innocent” schoolgirls. But the weakest of the four buckles and confesses to her parents that they made the story up—but why? Was it boredom, revenge, or just a pure evil in the leader of the group? After all, she’s been seen consulting the town’s ancient herbalist, a local witch of sorts. But when Henry Gower’s body is found mangled in a pond, the unanswered questions grow even more complex. Only Superintendent Simon Kenworthy, with the help of the sexy but hard-nosed young cop Polly Parrott, can sort through the slander and find the true murderer.