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The Girl Who Disappeared
by James LingardEmily falls passionately in love with working class Walter, despite fierce opposition from her class conscious father. She sees marriage as a partnership of equals and resolves to elope to escape such a male dominated society. Emily’s actions will see her struggle to survive the subsequent devastation brought about by the war, as she and her four year old son are thrown into the midst of danger and death. The family experience rationing and the terror of bombing. Their air raid shelter is destroyed by a direct hit. When Walter volunteers for the army, Emily and her son are evacuated to a rat infested cottage in a farming community near Hebden Bridge. The war changes Walter into an efficient army officer who demands to be obeyed. Emily worries that she might have a rival for his affections. How can she restore their loving relationship? The Girl Who Disappeared is a moving love story about one woman’s enduring resilience, a story full of quiet humour and surprising twists and turns.
Death Deserved (Blix & Ramm #1)
by Thomas Enger Jørn Lier HorstPolice officer Alexander Blix and celebrity blogger Emma Ramm join forces to track down a serial killer with a thirst for attention and high-profile murders, in the first episode of a gripping new Nordic Noir series…‘Grim, gory and filled with plenty of dark twists … There’s definitely a Scandinavian chill in the air with this fascinating read that loses none of its terror and fun in translation’ Scottish Sun‘A stunningly excellent collaboration … a brutal tale of fame, murder, and reality TV that gets the pulse racing’ Russel McLean‘An exercise in literary tag-teaming from two of Norway’s biggest crime writers with a bold new take on the serial-killer-as-twisted-artist … the start of a series with potential’ Sunday Times ________________Oslo, 2018. Former long-distance runner Sonja Nordstrøm never shows at the launch of her controversial autobiography, Always Number One. When celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits Nordstrøm’s home later that day, she finds the door unlocked and signs of a struggle inside. A bib with the number ‘one’ has been pinned to the TV.Police officer Alexander Blix is appointed to head up the missing-persons investigation, but he still bears the emotional scars of a hostage situation nineteen years earlier, when he killed the father of a five-year-old girl. Traces of Nordstrøm soon show up at different locations, but the appearance of the clues appear to be carefully calculated … evidence of a bigger picture that he’s just not seeing…Blix and Ramm soon join forces, determined to find and stop a merciless killer with a flare for the dramatic, and thirst for attention.Trouble is, he’s just got his first taste of it… ________________‘Everything about this crime novel sings, the relationship between Blix and Emma, which is complex, but also the relationship between Blix and Fosse and Kovic. The past bleeds into the present and the clever melding of the strands of the story and the slow reveal of details that propel the story is masterly. This tale often surprises or shifts in subtle ways that are pleasing and avoid cliché. As the opener for a new series this is a cracker, long live the marriage of Horst and Enger’ New Books Magazine‘Death Deserved is a fast-moving, punchy, serial killer investigative novel with a whammy of an ending. If this is the first in the Blix and Ramm series, then here’s to many more!’ LoveReading‘A clever, gripping crime novel with personality, flair, and heart’ Crime by the Book
Sister (Oslo Detectives)
by Kjell Ola DahlThe Oslo Detectives are back in another chilling slice of Nordic Noir … Frølich searches for the mysterious sister of a young female asylum seeker, but when people start to die, everything points to an old case and a series of events that someone will do anything to hide…‘Impossible to put down’ Guardian‘Absorbing, heart-rending and perfectly plotted’ Denzil Meyrick‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character that finely balances shocking twists with the coppers’ complicated personal lives’ Sunday Times ________________Suspended from duty, Detective Frølich is working as a private investigator, when his girlfriend’s colleague asks for his help with a female asylum seeker, who the authorities are about to deport. She claims to have a sister in Norway, and fears that returning to her home country will mean instant death.Frølich quickly discovers the whereabouts of the young woman’s sister, but things become increasingly complex when she denies having a sibling, and Frølich is threatened off the case by the police. As the body count rises, it becomes clear that the answers lie in an old investigation, and the mysterious sister, who is now on the run…A dark, chilling and up-to-the-minute Nordic Noir thriller, Sister is also a tense and well-plotted murder mystery with a moving tragedy at its heart, cementing Kjell Ola Dahl as one of the greatest crime writers of our generation. ________________‘Kjell Ola Dahl’s novels are superb’ William Ryan‘Suspenseful, beautifully and clearly written, with a sure-footed plot, this is a book that thrills’ Live & Deadly‘Dark, stylish and suspenseful … the perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Readers Digest‘If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail
Fallen Angels (Varg Veum)
by Gunnar StaalesenEver-dogged Bergen PI Varg Veum has to dig deep into his own past as he investigates the murder of a former classmate. Vintage, classic Nordic Noir from international bestselling author Gunnar Staalesen.'Mature and captivating’ Herald Scotland‘One of the finest Nordic novelists - in the tradition of Henning Menkell’ Barry Forshaw, Independent‘Masterful pacing’ Publishers Weekly________________When Bergen PI Varg Veum finds himself at the funeral of a former classmate on a sleet-grey December afternoon, he’s unexpectedly reunited with his old friend Jakob – guitarist of the once-famous 1960s rock band The Harpers – and his estranged wife, Rebecca, Veum’s first love.Their rekindled friendship is thrown into jeopardy by the discovery of a horrific murder, and Veum is forced to dig deep into his own adolescence and his darkest memories, to find a motive … and a killer.Tense, vivid and deeply unsettling, Fallen Angels is the spellbinding, award-winning thriller that secured Gunnar Staalesen’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost crime writers.________________Praise for Gunnar Staalesen‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin‘The Norwegian Chandler’ Jo Nesbø‘Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!’ Mari Hannah‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times‘Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style’ Sunday Times‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent
Beast (Six Stories)
by Matt WesolowskiElusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…‘Matt Wesolowski brilliantly depicts a desperate and disturbed corner of north-east England in which paranoia reigns and goodness is thwarted. It's a big ask to come up with a new vampire tale, but Wesolowski achieves it magnificently. He is an exceptional storyteller' Andrew Michael Hurley‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven‘Beautufully written, smart, compassionate – and scary as hell. Matt Wesolowski is one of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North________________In the wake of the 'Beast from the East' cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old Vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as 'The Vampire Tower', where she was later found frozen to death.Three young men, part of an alleged 'cult', were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a 'prank gone wrong'. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton's death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible.Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, the tragic and chilling legend of the ‘Ergarth Vampire… Both a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society's desperation for attention, Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…________________‘Endlessly inventive and with literary thrills a-plenty, Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers‘A gripping and incredibly powerful novel of our times – the Six Stories series just keeps getting better and better’ Kevin Wignall‘Creepy, exciting and very well written’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir‘Such a fantastic, creepy read!’ Elodie Harper‘Absolute genius’ Louise Beech‘Edgy and dark’ From Belgium with Book Love‘Wesolowski is on addictive, chilling and macabre form’ Tattooed Book Geek‘Visually stunning and chillingly complex. Five stars are not enough’ The Book Trail‘The epitome of a page-turner’ The Book Review Café‘Excellently chilling, fantastically dark’ The Reading Closet‘A spectacular read’ Emma’s Bookish Corner
Mexico Street (Chastity Riley)
by Simone BuchholzHamburg state prosecutor Chastity Riley investigates a series of arson attacks on cars across the city, which leads her to a startling and life-threatening discovery involving criminal gangs and a very illicit love story...'Another brilliant adventure in the company of Chastity Riley, the coolest character in crime fiction. Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Doug Johnstone'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver ________________Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn’t empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan – prodigal son of the Bremen clan – is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide.Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri’s background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards...________________‘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
Deep Dark Night (Lori Anderson #4)
by Steph BroadribbFearless Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson travels to Chicago to trap the head of a notorious crime family, in a high-stakes, nail-biting mission that sees her trapped in one of the city’s tallest buildings during a blackout…‘A real cracker’ Mark Billingham‘My kind of book’ Lee Child‘Like Midnight Run, but much darker … really, really good’ Ian Rankin ________________A city in darkness. A building in lockdown. A score that can only be settled in blood…Working off the books for FBI Special Agent Alex Monroe, Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson and her partner, JT, head to Chicago. Their mission: to entrap the head of the Cabressa crime family. The bait: a priceless chess set that Cabressa is determined to add to his collection.An exclusive high-stakes poker game is arranged in the penthouse suite of one of the city’s tallest buildings, with Lori holding the cards in an agreed arrangement to hand over the pieces. But, as night falls and the game plays out, stakes rise and tempers flare.When a power failure plunges the city into darkness, the building goes into lockdown. But this isn’t an ordinary blackout, and the men around the poker table aren’t all who they say they are. Hostages are taken, old scores resurface and the players start to die.And that’s just the beginning… ________________Praise for the Lori Anderson Series‘This is romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet’ Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express‘If you like your action to race away at full tilt, then this whirlwind of a thriller is a must’ Deirdre O’Brien, Sunday People‘With convincing, gritty local detail, unflinching violence, and a subplot of red-hot romance, all narrated by a likeable, fast-talking heroine, this punchy and powerful adventure will leave you wanting more’ Sunday Mirror‘Stripper-turned-bounty hunter Lori, with her sickly young daughter in tow, gets into high-octane escapes when she sets out to bring her former lover and mentor to justice. Lively’ Sunday Times‘The non-stop twists and turns – plus Lori’s constant dilemma as she is torn between the instincts of motherhood and the need to stay focused on her perilous mission – draw in readers like a magnet and keep them hooked to the action right up to the emotional conclusion’ Burnley Gazette‘Deep Down Dead is an impressive thriller, the kind of book that comfortably sits alongside seasoned pros at the top of their game. Sultry and suspenseful, it marks a welcome first vow for an exceptional new voice’ Good Reading Magazine‘Gripping, entertaining and utterly addictive, this is a cracking start to an enthralling new crime series…’ Lancashire Evening Post‘Suspense, action, romance, danger and a plot that will keep you reading into the wee small hours. I loved it’ Lisa Gray, Daily Record‘Fresh, fast and zinging with energy’ Sunday Mirror
Containment (Sam Shephard #3)
by Vanda SymonDunedin’s favourite young police officer Sam Shephard is drawn into a perplexing investigation when a series of shipping containers wash up on a sleepy New Zealand beach, and a spate of unexplained deaths ensues…‘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 ________________Chaos reigns in the sleepy village of Aramoana on the New Zealand coast, when a series of shipping containers wash up on the beach and looting begins.Detective Constable Sam Shephard experiences the desperation of the scavengers first-hand, and ends up in an ambulance, nursing her wounds and puzzling over an assault that left her assailant for dead.What appears to be a clear-cut case of a cargo ship running aground soon takes a more sinister turn when a skull is found in the sand, and the body of a diver is pulled from the sea … a diver who didn’t die of drowning…As first officer at the scene, Sam is handed the case, much to the displeasure of her superiors, and she must put together an increasingly confusing series of clues to get to the bottom of a mystery that may still have more victims… ________________‘A delightful, twisty read and that leaves you wanting more’ Live & Deadly‘It is Symon’s copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer’s real achievement’ Guardian‘Antipodean-set crime is riding high thanks to the likes of Jane Harper, and 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‘Atmospheric, gripping and incredibly satisfying’ Random Things through My Letterbox‘Entertaining, humorous crime fiction with plenty of heart’ Off-the-Shelf Books
The Waiting Rooms
by Eve SmithSwinging from South Africa to England: one woman’s hunt for her birth mother in an all-too-believable near future in which an antibiotic crisis has decimated the population. A prescient, thrilling debut.‘STUNNING and terrifying … The Waiting Rooms wrenches your heart in every way possible, but written with such humanity and emotion’ Miranda Dickinson ________________ Decades of spiralling drug resistance have unleashed a global antibiotic crisis. Ordinary infections are untreatable, and a scratch from a pet can kill. A sacrifice is required to keep the majority safe: no one over seventy is allowed new antibiotics. The elderly are sent to hospitals nicknamed ‘The Waiting Rooms’ … hospitals where no one ever gets well.Twenty years after the crisis takes hold, Kate begins a search for her birth mother, armed only with her name and her age. As Kate unearths disturbing facts about her mother’s past, she puts her family in danger and risks losing everything. Because Kate is not the only secret that her mother is hiding. Someone else is looking for her, too.Sweeping from an all-too-real modern Britain to a pre-crisis South Africa, The Waiting Rooms is epic in scope, richly populated with unforgettable characters, and a tense, haunting vision of a future that is only a few mutations away.________________‘If the themes are dark and topical, the writing is exquisite. Breath held, I got to the finale with my heart in my mouth. Eve Smith weaves a complex and clever tale, merging countries and timelines; the result is a superb and satisfying novel’ Louise Beech‘Smith creates visceral worlds that spring to life on the page and each chapter reveals new and exciting plot developments... Her work portrays an essence of Margaret Atwood and George Orwell’ Reviewer No 9‘Stunning dystopian debut. A prescient and alarming tale that seems just a whisper from reality’ Suzy Apsley‘This is THE book of our time. Literally unputdownable & unforgettable. Such a book, you owe it to yourself to order it immediately. WOW!’ Phillipa’s Quick Book Review Podcast‘With the current coronavirus going on, this book is so timely ... It’s a wealth of information and a wealth of warnings. My god this book makes you think. It really makes you think. Great interwoven story of the creators of the drugs and how they can be used for evil reasons. And warning, the first chapter will have you weeping’ Goodreads
Ash Mountain
by Helen FitzGeraldSingle-mother Fran returns to her sleepy hometown to care for her dying father when a devastating bush fire breaks out. A heartbreaking disaster-noir thriller from the bestselling author of The Cry.________________Fran hates her hometown, and she thought she’d escaped. But her father is ill, and needs care. Her relationship is over, and she hates her dead-end job in the city, anyway.She returns home to nurse her dying father, her distant teenage daughter in tow for the weekends. There, in the sleepy town of Ash Mountain, childhood memories prick at her fragile self-esteem, she falls in love for the first time, and her demanding dad tests her patience, all in the unbearable heat of an Australian summer. As past friendships and rivalries are renewed, and new ones forged, Fran’s tumultuous home life is the least of her worries, when old crimes rear their heads and a devastating bushfire ravages the town and all of its inhabitants… Simultaneously a warm, darkly funny portrait of small-town life – and a woman and a land in crisis – and a shocking and truly distressing account of a catastrophic event that changes things forever, Ash Mountain is a heart-breaking slice of domestic noir, and a disturbing disaster thriller that you will never forget…________________Praise for Helen FitzGerald‘The plotting is intricate and beautifully handled, and the narrative pace is absolutely breakneck … a wonderful, energetic, hard-hitting and deeply funny novel’ The Big Issue‘Shocking, gripping and laugh-out-loud hilarious’ Erin Kelly‘The main character is one of the most extraordinary you’ll meet between the pages of a book’ Ian Rankin‘A dark, comic masterpiece which manages to be both excruciatingly tense and laugh out loud funny at the same time’ Mark Edwards‘Outrageous, extremely funny and ultimately devastating’ Ambrose Parry‘Fabulously transgressive and completely unique’ Mark Billingham‘The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist’ Heat‘FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth’ Daily Telegraph
The Coral Bride (Detective Moralès #2)
by Roxanne BouchardIn this beautiful, lyrical sequel to the critically acclaimed We Were the Salt of the Sea, Detective Moralès finds that a seemingly straightforward search for a missing fisherwoman off Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula is anything but …‘Wonderfully atmospheric … I genuinely couldn’t put this book down’ Gill Paul'You might want to grab this release if you've read everything by Louise Penny and need more Quebecois noir to feed your crime-loving tendencies’ Crime Fiction Lover_________________When an abandoned lobster trawler is found adrift off the coast of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, DS Joaquin Moralès begins a straightforward search for the boat’s missing captain, Angel Roberts – a rare female in a male-dominated world. But Moralès finds himself blocked at every turn – by his police colleagues, by fisheries bureaucrats, and by his grown-up son, who has turned up at his door with a host of his own personal problems.When Angel’s body is finally discovered, it’s clear something very sinister is afoot, and Moralès and son are pulled into murky, dangerous waters, where old resentments run deep.Exquisitely written, with Bouchard’s trademark lyrical prose, The Coral Bride evokes the power of the sea on the communities who depend on it, the never-ending struggle between the generations, and an extraordinary mystery at the heart of both._________________Praise for Roxanne Bouchard:‘Colourful, authentic characters with the kind of flavour that can only be inspired by real locals. So good it’ll make you want to pack your bags and drive straight to the seaside’ Journal de Montréal‘Lyrical and elegiac, full of quirks and twists’ William Ryan‘Asks questions right from page one’ Quentin Bates‘An isolated Canadian fishing community, a missing mother, and some lovely prose. Very impressed by this debut so far’ Eva Dolan'A tour de force of both writing and translation’ Su Bristow'The translation from French has retained a dreamily poetic cast to the language, but it's det-fic for all that, as DS Joaquin Morales, transplanted from balmy Mexican shores to a remote Quebecois fishing community, investigates a woman's death at sea. This is the first book by Bouchard, renowned Canadian playwright and author, to be translated into English' Sunday Times'Characters are well-drawn, from Moralès, the cop, and his sturdy inspector, Marlène, to the husky fishermen who were Marie's devoted suitors three decades ago. There's a comic element: the chef at the bistro, a mine of misleading information; the alcoholic priest who was never ordained - and the appalling undertaker who was once a used-car salesman and never forgot the spiel … An exotic curiosity, raw nugget’ Shots Mag
The Big Chill (The Skelfs #2)
by Doug JohnstoneRunning private investigator and funeral home businesses means trouble is never far away, and the Skelf women take on their most perplexing, chilling cases yet in book two of this darkly funny, devastatingly tense and addictive new series!Haunted by their past, the Skelf women are hoping for a quieter life. But running both a funeral directors’ and a private investigation business means trouble is never far away, and when a car crashes into the open grave at a funeral that matriarch Dorothy is conducting, she can’t help looking into the dead driver’s shadowy life. While Dorothy uncovers a dark truth at the heart of Edinburgh society, her daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah have their own struggles. Jenny’s ex-husband Craig is making plans that could shatter the Skelf women’s lives, and the increasingly obsessive Hannah has formed a friendship with an elderly professor that is fast turning deadly. But something even more sinister emerges when a drumming student of Dorothy’s disappears and suspicion falls on her parents. The Skelf women find themselves sucked into an unbearable darkness – but could the real threat be to themselves?Following three women as they deal with the dead, help the living and find out who they are in the process, The Big Chill follows A Dark Matter, book one in the Skelfs series, which reboots the classic PI novel while asking the big existential questions, all with a big dose of pitch-black humour.
A Song of Isolation
by Michael J. MaloneIn this breathtakingly brutal and intensely topical psychological thriller, a man is accused of child sexual abuse, and his life and that of his actress girlfriend are thrown into turmoil…‘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‘Beautiful, lyrical prose takes the reader through a perfectly constructed, often harrowing tale’ Denzil Meyrick_________________Film star Amelie Hart is the darling of the silver screen, appearing on the front pages of every newspaper. But at the peak of her fame she throws it all away for a regular guy with an ordinary job. The gossip columns are aghast: what happened to the woman who turned heads wherever she went?Any hope the furore will die down are crushed when Amelie’s boyfriend Dave is arrested on charges of child sexual abuse. Dave strongly asserts his innocence, and when Amelie refuses to denounce him, the press witch hunt quickly turns into physical violence, and she has to flee the country.While Dave is locked up with the most depraved men in the country and Amelie is hiding on the continent, Damaris, the victim at the centre of the story, is isolated – a child trying to make sense of an adult world.Breathtakingly brutal, dark and immensely moving, A Song of Isolation looks beneath the magpie glimmer of celebrity to uncover a sinister world dominated by greed and lies, and the unfathomable destruction of innocent lives … in an instant._________________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‘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‘Malone is a poet, there are wonderful lyrical passages here and very skilful storytelling. Some issues are not spoken about enough, Malone raises a couple of those issues and sensitively but realistically addresses them…’ New Books Magazine‘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
Betrayal
by Lilja SigurdardóttirBurned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again.But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again?As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher…Exploring the harsh worlds of politics, police corruption and misogyny, Betrayal is a relevant, powerful, fast-paced thriller that feels just a little bit too real…
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