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Winterkill (Dark Iceland #6)
by Ragnar JónassonTHE STUNNING FINAL INSTALMENT OF THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING DARK ICELAND SERIES‘Jónasson is an automatic must-read for me … possibly the best Scandi writer working today’ Lee Child‘The best crime writer in the world today … truly a master of his genre’ The Times'The engaging Ari Thor returns in this darkly claustrophobic tale. Perfect mid-winter reading' Ann Cleeves––––––––––––––––A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing…When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer … The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death… As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth … one that will leave no one unscathed.Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing, Winterkill is a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.––––––––––––––––Praise for Ragnar Jónasson‘A stunningly atmospheric story. Ari Thór Arason returns in this pitch-perfect, beautifully paced crime novel … Ragnar Jónasson is at the top of his game, and a master of the genre’ Will Dean‘Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin 'This is such a tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz ‘A world-class crime writer’ Sunday Times'This is Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jónasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page' Daily Mail’Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James‘A gritty and superb thriller series … Ari Thór is a memorable detective who will go down as one of the greats’ Michael Wood‘A vivid cast of characters, whose fears, ambitions, rivalries and longings are movingly universal’ Oprah magazine‘The darkness and cold are palpable’ The Times’Traditional and beautifully finessed’ Independent‘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‘A chiller of a thriller’ Washington Post‘Required reading’ New York Post‘Bleakly brilliant’ Metro‘Jónasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir’ Express
There's Only One Danny Garvey
by David F. RossA promising young football player returns home to his tiny village, his dreams in tatters and a dark secret haunting his conscience, in a beautiful, unforgettable novel about hope and redemption, when everything seems lost…‘A brilliant, bittersweet story that captures the rawness of strained relationships, set against the struggles of a failing lower-league football team. Ross’s best novel yet’ Stuart Cosgrove––––––––––––––––––––––––Danny Garvey was a sixteen-year old footballing prodigy. Professional clubs clamoured to sign him, and a glittering future beckoned.And yet, his early promise remained unfulfilled, and Danny is back home in the tiny village of Barshaw to manage the struggling junior team he once played for. What’s more, he’s hiding a secret about a tragic night, thirteen years earlier, that changed the course of several lives. There’s only one Danny Garvey, they once chanted … and that’s the problem.A story of irrational hopes and fevered dreams – of unstoppable passion and unflinching commitment in the face of defeat – There’s Only One Danny Garvey is, above all, an unforgettable tale about finding hope and redemption in the most unexpected of places.––––––––––––––––––––––––Praise for David F. Ross‘A real new talent on the Scottish literary scene’ Press & Journal‘By turn hilarious and heart-breaking, more than anything Ross creates beautifully rounded characters full of humanity and perhaps most of all, hope’ Liam Rudden, Scotsman‘David Ross carved out an enduring place for himself among contemporary Scottish novelists’ Alastair Mabb, Herald Scotland‘A warm, funny consideration of reconciliation between middle-aged friends and a celebration of music’s healing powers. Suggest to fans of Nick Hornby’ Library Journal‘Warm, funny and evocative. If you grew up in the eighties, you’re going to love this’ Chris Brookmyre‘Dark, hilarious, funny and heart-breaking all at the same time, a book that sums up the spirit of an era and a country in a way that will make you wince and laugh at the same time’ Muriel Gray‘An astonishing tour de force’ John Niven’This is a book that might just make you cry like nobody’s watching’ Iain MacLeod, Sunday Mail‘Crucially Ross's novel succeeds in balancing light and dark, in that it can leap smoothly from brutal social realism to laugh-out-loud humour within a few sentences’ Press & Journal‘Full of comedy, pathos and great tunes’ Hardeep Singh Kohli
Bound (Sam Shephard #4)
by Vanda SymonWhen 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'If you like taut, pacy thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you’ Liam McIlvanney‘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‘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’ Random Things through My Letterbox
Hotel Cartagena (Chastity Riley #4)
by Simone BuchholzChastity Riley and her friends are held hostage in a hotel bar by twelve armed men set on revenge, in a searing, breathtakingly original new thriller from the ‘Queen of Krimi’_____________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 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, stunning thriller that will leave you breathless._____________‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Russel McLean‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator‘A real blast of adrenaline’ Big Issue‘Sharp and unrelenting’ CultureFly‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Financial Times‘Deeply moody, atmospheric and evocative’ Blue Book Balloon‘An unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover
The Assistant
by Kjell Ola DahlA 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 Nordic Noir thriller set in interwar and prohibition-era Norway. ‘A stylish standalone thriller … Dahl ratchets up the tension from the first pages and never lets go’ Sunday Times‘Cleverly braiding together past and present, the who and why of murder and betrayal are unpicked. The detail is impressive’ Daily Mail––––––––––––––––––––––––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.––––––––––––––––––––––––Praise for Kjell Ola Dahl’s The Courier‘Absorbing, heart-rending and perfectly plotted …’ Denzil Meyrick‘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
Psychopaths Anonymous
by Will CarverWhen 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 author Will Carver.‘Cements Carver as one of the most exciting authors in Britain. After this, he’ll have his own cult following’ Daily Express'Will Carver is an exhilarating and audacious new voice in literary crime fiction' Sarah Pinborough‘A new Will Carver novel is always something to look forward to, and this is no exception. Striking and unusual, and dark as ever’ S J Watson–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Praise for Will Carver‘Gobsmacking, beyond dark, and so much fun. I would join Will Carver’s cult. He’s the most original writer around…’ Helen FitzGerald‘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‘Twisty-turny and oh-so provocative, this is the type of book that will stick a sneaky foot out to trip you up’ Liz Robinson, LoveReading‘Deliciously fresh and malevolent story-telling … a laminate-you-to-your-chair, page-whirring dive into a small British town that is turned on its head over the course of a few days. If you like something fresh and unusual, grab this book’ Craig Sisterson‘It's going to take something special to top this as my book of 2020. Original, thought provoking and highly recommended’ Mark Tilbury‘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‘Utterly mesmerising…’ Crime Monthly
No Honour
by Awais KhanA 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‘Addictive, brave and powerful’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us‘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._______________‘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 deft novel about survival, physical and emotional, in Pakistan … and a fascinating plunge into unfairness, sexism, patriarchy and misogyny … a page-turner’ Soniah Kamal‘A deeply engaging story that keeps you hooked from the first sentence to the end … a masterful story of courage in the face of seemingly impossible odds’ Sopan Deb‘An absolute belter of a novel … Hypnotic, atmospheric and by the end, so hopeful’ Sarah Sultoon ‘A compelling, brave and uplifting read for our time’ Eve Smith‘Rich with wounding truths, numinous matters and cultural nourishment … you are left reeling from an experience that is soul deep and mind blowing and heart wrenching’ Faiqa Mansab‘A powerful, beautifully written novel. With surgical precision, Awais Khan exposes a culture poisoned by misogyny … A strong contender for the best novel of 2021’ Alan Gorevan‘Spectacular… a joy from start to finish’ Charlie Carroll‘Khan is an icon, pioneer and inspiration. This book is devastating, vitally important and beautifully written’ Rob Parker‘Insightful and sympathetic to the unique experiences of women, whilst evoking the atmosphere of Lahore … hard to put down’ Alex Morrall‘A gripping, horrifying, compulsive read with two rich, compelling lead characters’ Jennie Godfrey
The Beresford
by Will CarverEverything stays the same for the tenants of The Beresford, a grand old apartment building just outside the city … until the doorbell rings… Will Carver returns with an eerie, deliciously and uncomfortably dark standalone thriller._______________Just outside the city – any city, every city – is a grand, spacious but affordable apartment building called The Beresford.There’s a routine at The Beresford.For Mrs May, every day’s the same: a cup of cold, black coffee in the morning, pruning roses, checking on her tenants, wine, prayer and an afternoon nap. She never leaves the building.Abe Schwartz also lives at The Beresford. His housemate, Sythe, no longer does. Because Abe just killed him. In exactly sixty seconds, Blair Conroy will ring the doorbell to her new home and Abe will answer the door. They will become friends. Perhaps lovers. And, when the time comes for one of them to die, as is always the case at The Beresford, there will be sixty seconds to move the body before the next unknowing soul arrives at the door.Because nothing changes at The Beresford, until the doorbell rings…Eerie, dark, superbly twisted and majestically plotted, The Beresford is the stunning standalone thriller from one of crime fiction’s most exciting names.
The Great Silence (The Skelfs #3)
by Doug JohnstoneThe discovery of a human foot in an Edinburgh park, the inexplicable circumstances of a dying woman, and the missing daughter of Jenny’s violent ex-husband present the Skelf women with their most challenging – and deadly – cases yet…‘Simply stunning. Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham‘If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly'I LOVE the Skelfs’ Val McDermid_______________Keeping on top of the family funeral directors’ and private-investigation businesses is no easy task for the Skelf women, and when matriarch Dorothy discovers a human foot while walking the dog, a perplexing case presents itself … with potentially deadly results.Daughter Jenny and grand-daughter Hannah have their hands full too: The mysterious circumstances of a dying woman lead them into an unexpected family drama, Hannah's new astrophysicist colleague claims he's receiving messages from outer space, and the Skelfs' teenaged lodger has yet another devastating experience.Nothing is clear as the women are immersed ever deeper in their most challenging cases yet. But when the daughter of Jenny’s violent and fugitive ex-husband goes missing without trace and a wild animal is spotted roaming Edinburgh's parks, real danger presents itself, and all three Skelfs are in peril.Taut, dark, warmly funny and unafraid to ask big questions – of us all – The Great Silence is the much-anticipated third instalment in the addictive, unforgettable Skelfs series, and the stakes are higher than ever._______________‘Mysteries aplenty … a poignant reflection on grief and the potential for healing that lies within us all. A proper treat’ 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‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times ‘Exceptional … a must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers WeeklyPraise 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‘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
The Rabbit Factor (The Rabbit Factor #1)
by Antti TuomainenAn insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen.**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios**'Laconic, thrilling and warmly human. In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest. There is a beautiful rhythm and poetry to the prose … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald_______________Just one spreadsheet away from chaos…What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life._______________'Antti Tuomainen turns the clichéd idea of dour, humourless Scandi noir upside down with The Rabbit Factor. Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites'The Rabbit Factor is 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
Cold As Hell (An Áróra Investigation #1)
by Lilja SigurdardóttirÁróra 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 a gripping series – from one of Iceland’s bestselling authors…**Winner: Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year**'Smart writing with a strongly beating heart' Big Issue––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––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 realizes 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.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Praise for Lilja Sigurðardóttir'Tough, uncompromising and unsettling' Val McDermid'Tense and pacey' Guardian'A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' The Times'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‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading … you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood'A smart, ambitious and hugely satisfying thriller. Striking in its originality and written with all the style and poise of an old hand. Lilja is destined for Scandi super stardom' Eva Dolan'For a small island, Iceland produces some extraordinary writers, and Lilja is one of the best … an enthralling tale of love and crime that stays with you long after you have turned the last page' Michael Ridpath‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommend’ James Oswald'Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns' Sunday Times'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting' LoveReading‘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
The Quiet People
by Paul CleaveSuspicion is cast on two successful crime writers, when their seven-year-old son goes missing. Are they trying to show that they can commit the perfect crime? A memserisingly twisty, dark thriller from number-one bestselling author Paul Cleave…‘You may think you know where it’s going, but you couldn’t be more wrong. A true page-turner filled with dread, rage, doubt and more twists than the Remutaka Pass’ Linwood Barclay‘Paul Cleave is an automatic must-read for me, and The Quiet People shows why – it grabbed me by the throat, shook me around, and left me breathing hard. Fantastic, and highly recommended’ Lee Child‘Gripping from the first page and full of deliciously dark twists and turns. You can’t be a true fan of crime fiction if you’re not reading Cleave’s books’ Tom Wood_________________________________Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful New Zealand crime writers, happily married and topping bestseller lists worldwide. They have been on the promotional circuit for years, joking that no one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.So when their challenging seven-year-old son Zach disappears, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time… Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?Electrifying, taut and immaculately plotted, The Quiet People is a chilling, tantalisingly twisted thriller that will keep you gripped and guessing to the last explosive page.______________________________‘The sense of dread builds unstoppably … an intense, chilling read' Gilly Macmillan‘Uses words as lethal weapons’ New York Times‘A cinematic, raging, rollercoaster of a plot with a wry humour … The Quiet People is wildly entertaining and will keep you guessing right to the end’ New Zealand Herald‘A superb novel from a champion storyteller’ Crime WatchPraise for Paul Cleave‘Cleave writes the kind of dark, intense thrillers that I never want to end. Do yourself a favour and check him out’ Simon Kernick‘Tense, thrilling, touching. Paul Cleave is very good indeed’ John Connolly‘Compelling, dark, and perfectly paced, New Zealand writer Cleave’s psychological thriller explores the evil lurking in us all, working relentless magic until the very last page’ Booklist‘Relentlessly gripping, deliciously twisted and shot through with a vein of humour that’s as dark as hell’ Mark Billingham‘An intense adrenaline rush from start to finish’ S J Watson‘A riveting and all too realistic thriller’ Tess Gerritsen‘A gripping thriller …I couldn’t put it down’ Meg Gardiner‘This very clever novel did my head in time and again’ Michael Robotham ‘Cleave’s whirligig plot mesmerises’ People‘This thriller is one to remember’ New York Journal of Books‘On almost every page, this outstanding psychological thriller forces the reader to reconsider what is real’ Publishers Weekly – STARRED REVIEW
Quicksand of Memory
by Michael J. MaloneScarred by their pasts, Jenna and Luke fall in love, brimming with hope for a rosy future. But someone has been watching, with chilling plans for revenge … An emotive, twisty, disturbing new psychological thriller by the critically acclaimed author of A Suitable Lie and In the Absence of Miracles.‘Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected, with the skill to keep things grounded. So much so, that the reader can picture themselves in the very circumstances described. Superb storytelling from a master of his craft’ Herald Scotland‘Malone is a poet; there are wonderful lyrical passages here and very skilful storytelling’ NB Magazine______________________________________________Jenna is trying to rebuild her life after a series of disastrous relationships. Luke is struggling to provide a safe, loving home for his deceased partner’s young son, following a devastating tragedy.When Jenna and Luke meet and fall in love, they are certain they can achieve the stability and happiness they both desperately need. And yet, someone is watching.Someone who has been scarred by past events.Someone who will stop at nothing to get revenge…Dark, unsettling and immensely moving, Quicksand of Memory is a chilling reminder that we are not only punished for our sins, but by them, and that memories left to blacken and sharpen over time are the perfect breeding ground for obsession, and murder…________________________________________________________Praise for Michael J. Malone‘A beautifully written tale, original, engrossing and scary … a dark joy’ The Times ‘A complex and multilayered story – perfect for a wintry night’ Sunday Express‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin‘A terrific read … I read it in one sitting’ Martina Cole‘A deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times‘A fine, page-turning thriller’ Daily Mail‘With each turn of the page, a more shocking detail is revealed and some of the people John thought might help him are not who they seem … The domestic noir tale is one that many families will be able to relate to … There is barely enough time to catch your’ Scotsman,br>‘Challenging and emotional … enthrals as it corkscrews to a shocking, yet ultimately rewarding end’ LoveReading‘Malone’s latest is an unsettling, multi-layered and expertly paced domestic noir drama that delves into one family’s dark secrets, shame and lies’ CultureFly‘Engrossing, hard-hitting – even shocking – with a light poetic frosting. Another superb read!’ Douglas Skelton'A dark and unnerving psychological thriller that draws you deep into the lives of the characters and refuses to let go. This is a brilliantly written book; I could not put it down’ Caroline Mitchell‘A chilling tale of the unexpected that journeys right into the dark heart of domesticity’ Marnie Riches
Oldladyvoice
by Elisa VictoriaNine-year old Marina swears like a sailor and thinks like a novelist; but that doesn’t make growing up any less of a mystery.While her mother is in the hospital with a grave but unnamed illness; Marina spends the summer with her grandmother; waiting to hear whether she’ll ever get to go home or be bundled off; newly orphaned; to a convent school. There are no rules here; but that also means there are no easy ways to fend off the visions of sex and violence that both torment and titillate the girl. Presenting a fresh; vivid take on the coming-of-age novel; Oldladyvoice reimagines childhood through the eyes of its one-of-a-kind; hilarious; perceptive; and endearing narrator.
The Older Woman
by Anna Leigh BrooksJess's arrival in the military village has got her heart racing, her adrenaline pumping… Lust, passion and a yearning for love, that's all that she has ever really dreamed of. With a failed marriage behind her and an uncertain future she hopes her move to the small military village not far from her parents will turn out to be for the best. Work hard and party harder seems to be the usual lifestyle for a 19 year old squaddie. He has no intention of settling down, in fact, he craves the excitement of an older woman to fulfil all his wildest fantasies. Will their highly charged and erotic activity be enough to sustain a relationship? Can Jamie be kept a secret and hold onto their passion or will it be too much for either of them? The Older Woman is Anna-Leigh Brook's first novel - an erotic romance that ensues from a chance meeting but will keep you captivated until the end.
Single White Failure: A Novel By
by G. J. SibsonLooking back at dating in the early Noughties, you'd think life was easier then. But it wasn’t. In a world without Tinder but inundated with young women brought up on Sex and the City, one man limps and drinks his way through and lives to tell the tale. This is the story of he who dated the Carries and Bridgets. "You could be my perfect man!" VANESSA FELTZ, BBC RADIO "My favourite writer on dating." SAMANTHA BRETT, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD & E!
I'm A Fan
by Sheena PatelIn I'm A Fan a single speaker uses the story of their experience in a seemingly unequal, unfaithful relationship as a prism through which to examine the complicated hold we each have on one another. With a clear and unforgiving eye, the narrator unpicks the behaviour of all involved, herself included, and makes startling connections between the power struggles at the heart of human relationships and those of the wider world, in turn offering a devastating critique of access, social media, patriarchal heteronormative relationships, and our cultural obsession with status and how that status is conveyed. In this incredible debut, Sheena Patel announces herself as a vital new voice in literature, capable of rendering a range of emotions and visceral experiences on the page. Sex, violence, politics, tenderness, humour—Patel handles them all with both originality and dexterity of voice.
Girlcrush: The debut novel from the bestselling author of Women Don't Owe You Pretty
by Florence Given'Dark, funny and wild.'- Chloe Ashby, author of WET PAINT'Girlcrush is a funny, filthy and furious exploration of sexuality, identity and the expectations on us all. It's a rare combination - a page turner with a message.' - Daisy Buchanan'It feels like a ball of energy coming right for you. I loved this debut.' - Emma GannonGIRLCRUSH is a dark feminist retelling of Jekyll & Hyde by bestselling author Florence Given.In Given's debut novel, we follow Eartha on a wild, weird and seductive modern-day exploration as she commences life as an openly bisexual woman whilst also becoming a viral sensation on Wonderland, a social media app where people project their dream selves online.The distance between her online and offline self grows further and further apart until something dark happens that leads her into total self-destruction, forcing Eartha to make a choice; which version of herself should she kill off?Warning this book does include storylines that some readers may find triggering.*Also by Florence Given*Women Don't Owe You Pretty
Your Love Stars: Unlock the secrets to compatibility, love and better relationships
by Jane StruthersIn Your Love Stars, Jane Struthers unlocks the secrets to improving your relationships – from romantic to family, friendships to work, and even with your pets – with the help of astrology.Jane explains that understanding your astrological birth chart, which is a snapshot of the heavens at the moment of your birth, will give insight into your own unique way of giving and receiving love. The book focuses on the zodiac signs occupied by the planets Venus and Mars when you were born, as they have the biggest influence on love and relationships. You don't have to be an expert astrologer to use Your Love Stars as Jane will guide you every step of the way. You can identify your own Venus and Mars signs with the help of a series of easy-to-follow tables and then you're ready to discover how you respond to relationships.Your Love Stars will take you on a fascinating journey as you learn whether you're best suited to close and intense relationships, easy-going and freedom-loving connections, or something in between. The deeper you dive into your birth chart, the more you'll understand how you relate to others, and you'll be on your way to deeper, more fulfilling relationships in no time.
Your Love Stars: Unlock the secrets to compatibility, love and better relationships
by Jane StruthersIn Your Love Stars, Jane Struthers unlocks the secrets to improving your relationships – from romantic to family, friendships to work, and even with your pets – with the help of astrology. Jane explains that understanding your astrological birth chart, which is a snapshot of the heavens at the moment of your birth, will give insight into your own unique way of giving and receiving love. The book focuses on the zodiac signs occupied by the planets Venus and Mars when you were born, as they have the biggest influence on love and relationships. You don't have to be an expert astrologer to use Your Love Stars as Jane will guide you every step of the way. You can identify your own Venus and Mars signs with the help of a series of easy-to-follow tables and then you're ready to discover how you respond to relationships.Your Love Stars will take you on a fascinating journey as you learn whether you're best suited to close and intense relationships, easy-going and freedom-loving connections, or something in between. The deeper you dive into your birth chart, the more you'll understand how you relate to others, and you'll be on your way to deeper, more fulfilling relationships in no time.
A Street Shaken by Light: The Story of William Neilson, Volume I
by James Buchan'An epic voyage well worth taking ... Exhilarating' Marianka Swain, TelegraphOne of Britain's outstanding historical writers delivers a romantic and picaresque masterpiece that tells the fascinating story of William Neilson. In 1720, the young William Neilson leaves Edinburgh to make his fortune in Europe, first sailing to Rotterdam and then on foot to Paris, where he meets and is immediately employed by the banker John Law. A day later he is in the Bastille, but not before he has encountered a young woman of surpassing beauty to whom Neilson will be devoted for the rest of his life.Imprisoned in the Bastille, he has no possibility of seeing or communicating with his beloved. When at last he recovers his freedom, he is despatched at once to sea, bound for the Indies. He will be shipwrecked, become an equerry on the Île-de-France, anon command a disorderly legion in Persia, become a linguist able to hold his own in diplomatic and mercantile circles, all the while anticipating a summons from the Stuart king in exile in Rome, until he is sent back to France, and thence to Scotland in the service of the Young Pretender.This is brilliant, irresistibly entertaining fiction. A whole world of adventure and romance comes alive in the hands of one of our most ingenious storytellers, one of our finest writers.
The Brass Age
by Slobodan Šnajder'Like Olga Tokarczuk, Šnajder has written a novel about a Europe that has lost its diversity and has beendestroyed by fascism, communism and, in recent times, nationalism ... a modern epic' Le Monde'A masterpiece' La RepubblicaThe very next day processions of young men, some still children, began to move around the little town of Nuštar, with drums providing a steady rhythm ... These young men came from German families, Germans living outside the Reich, Volksdeutsche. Some stayed in their houses, some were shut up in the storeroom by their mothers, but as time went on more and more of them followed the drumming ...1769. A hungry year in Germany. Kempf the ancestor departs his homeland with his compatriots in search of a brighter future. Years pass and generations of Germans make Slavonia their home. But in 1940, when Europe is at war once more, this minority, the Volksdeutsch, are called to fight for the Reich, for a land now foreign to them.Among their ranks is Georg Kempf, the narrator's father. Forcibly conscripted into the Waffen SS, he deserts, aware of the danger that this involves. At the end of the war, he falls in love with a committed partisan called Vera despite the unimaginable: if they had met earlier, each one would have had to kill the other.The Brass Age, Slobodan Šnajder's masterpiece, is both a family saga and a powerful historical novel about the destiny of those shackled by history, and the generations doomed to inherit the contradictory fates of their forebears. Šnajder looks to his own biography to capture two hundred years of conflict and dividing ideology. In the process, he reconstructs a world that fell apart.
A Chalice Argent: The Story of William Neilson, Volume 2
by James BuchanThe astonishing story of William Neilson continues.New Year's Eve, 1746. A castle in the depths of France. A thunderstorm. A pair of lovers in a hay-loft. A wounded soldier toppling from his horse.So begins the second instalment of the life of William Neilson, Scottish soldier in French service and Jacobite agent against his will. Around his neck, William carries the most precious jewel on the surface of the earth, but it is not his, and he must carry it to the exiled King of England, Scotland and Ireland in Italy. Before that, he wishes to see for a last time the woman he has loved for more than half his life.The scene shifts from the wastes and marshes of the Sologne, to the disorderly houses and prisons of the Most Serene Republic of Venice and the desolate court-in-exile of James Stuart in Rome. Along the way are sword-fights, love stories, intrigues, assassinations, blasphemies, kidnappings, musical performances, and treacheries.
The Allotments
by Jean IllingworthThe heart of the small Yorkshire town of Kirkby is its allotments, where friendships bloom and the seeds of love are sown. But in every Eden there is a snake and when a plot is discovered that threatens this growing community, the friends need to move fast to nip it in the bud. A story of loneliness and love, community and corruption... and gardening.
The Spanish Girl
by Eugene VeseyThe Spanish Girl is a love story, but one with an unexpected ending. Frank Walsh, a young teacher in 1980s London, is unhappily married to Rania, a young Guyanese girl who was a student in one of his English classes. Rania runs to Frank to escape from her overbearing Muslim family. She is also looking for a surrogate father, her biological father having died when she was a child. Frank takes Rania in. However, he soon realises they are incompatible, their coexistence made unbearable by a clash of personalities and cultures. He feels trapped: he doesn't have the heart to leave Rania, because it would mean sending her back to her oppressive family; it would also mean finding himself alone again. While teaching on a summer school in Dublin, Frank falls in love with Ana, a Spanish girl in his class. He hopes Ana will be his escape route from his unhappy marriage. But his love for Ana hits a wall he never expected. Then someone else unexpectedly comes into his life. He falls in love again, but it's a love far more powerful than anything he has ever experienced or imagined before.