Search Results for: val mcdermid

***Discover your next reading obsession with Alex Gray’s bestselling Scottish detective series***

***Don’t miss the latest from Alex Gray. Book 20 in the Lorimer series, QUESTIONS FOR A DEAD MAN, is out now and Book 21, OUT OF DARKNESS, is available to pre-order.***

Whether you’ve read them all or whether this is your first Lorimer novel, STILL DARK is perfect if you love Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LORIMER SERIES:

‘Warm-hearted, atmospheric’ ANN CLEEVES
‘Relentless and intriguing’ PETER MAY
‘Move over Rebus’ DAILY MAIL
‘Exciting, pacey, authentic’ ANGELA MARSONS
‘Superior writing’ THE TIMES
‘Immensely exciting and atmospheric’ ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
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Crime always hides in the shadows . . .

New Year’s Eve should be a time for celebrating. A chance to spend time with loved ones and look forward to the year ahead. For DSI William Lorimer, however, this New Year’s Eve will be one that he will never forget. Called to a house after gunshots are reported, the carnage he finds there will have a powerful impact on his life – leaving him questioning his future with Police Scotland.

Meanwhile, the man who eluded police capture during Lorimer’s last investigation – the Quiet Release case involving the euthanasia of vulnerable patients – is back, and this time he’s aligned with a powerful gangster from Glasgow’s underworld.

As Lorimer struggles to return to duty and stop this mystery killer once and for all, he discovers that there are forces high up within Police Scotland that are protecting the gangster that holds the key to finding the man they are looking for.

Can Lorimer and his team get a killer off the streets for good before more innocent people die?

‘A riveting story of deception and corruption’ Daily Mail

‘A must for all Italy lovers’ David Hewson

Even the most beautiful city on earth has a dark side . . .

It is November 2nd, 2017. All Souls Day. On the Day of the Dead, the citizens of Venice make their way to the cemetery island of San Michele to pay their respects to the departed. When an empty coffin is unearthed in the English section of the graveyard, a day of quiet reflection for Nathan Sutherland becomes a journey into the dark past of a noble Venetian family.

A British journalist, investigating the events of forty years previously, disappears. A young tourist – with an unhealthy interest in Venice’s abandoned islands – is found drowned in the icy lagoon.

A terrible secret is about to be brought to light, and a deadly reckoning awaits on Venice’s Isle of the Dead.

Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones

‘I devoured all Philip’s novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy’ Val McDermid

‘An unputdownable thriller’ Gregory Dowling

‘Pure pleasure’ Literary Review

‘Clever and great fun‘ The Times

‘An irresistible concoction of crime and culture’ Daily Mail

‘Superb – always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid’ Stephen Glover

‘Sinister and shimmering . . . as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself‘ L. S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

‘Gwynne Jones’ entertaining take on his beloved Venice is as delightful as a Spritz by the Rialto – a must for all Italy lovers’ David Hewson

‘It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice… art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax’ Daily Mail

‘The Venetian setting is vividly described’ Literary Review

‘Un-put-downable . . . If you love Venice, you’ll love this because you’ll be transported there in an instant. If you’ve not been to Venice, read this book and then go’ Reader reviewer, 5 stars

***Discover your next reading obsession with Alex Gray’s bestselling Scottish detective series***

***Don’t miss the latest from Alex Gray. Book 20 in the Lorimer series, QUESTIONS FOR A DEAD MAN, is out now and Book 21, OUT OF DARKNESS, is available to pre-order.***

Whether you’ve read them all or whether this is your first Lorimer novel, THE SWEDISH GIRL is perfect if you love Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LORIMER SERIES:

‘Warm-hearted, atmospheric’ ANN CLEEVES
‘Relentless and intriguing’ PETER MAY
‘Move over Rebus’ DAILY MAIL
‘Exciting, pacey, authentic’ ANGELA MARSONS
‘Superior writing’ THE TIMES
‘Immensely exciting and atmospheric’ ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
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Murdered in cold blood . . .

When Kirsty Wilson lands a room in a luxury Glasgow flat owned by Swedish fellow student Eva Magnusson she can’t believe her luck. But Kirsty’s delight turns to terror when she finds the beautiful Swedish girl lying dead in their home and their male flatmate accused of her murder. Kirsty refuses to accept that he is guilty and, inspired by family friend Detective Superintendent Lorimer, sets out to clear his name.

Meanwhile, Lorimer calls on trusted psychologist Solly Brightman to help unravel the truth behind the enigmatic Eva’s life and death. But it is not long until another woman, bearing a marked resemblance to Eva, is brutally murdered. Horrified, Lorimer realises that Kirsty could be right. Is it possible that Glasgow’s finest detective has put the wrong man behind bars?

And is there a cold-blooded killer out there orchestrating the death of the next innocent victim?

‘The perfect gift for quizzers’
VAL McDERMID


‘Outside of a dog, The Book Lover’s Quiz Book is every bookworm’s best friend — inside of a dog . . . well, if you know the rest, you’re going to love this book’
PETER HANINGTON, author of A Dying Breed, peterhanington.co.uk

‘Brilliantly inventive and entertaining questions from the bookworm’s bookworm’
MARK MASON, author of Walk the Lines, Question Time and many more

‘A book quiz quiz book what more could lovers of books, quizzes and quizzes about books desire? And marvellous it is too, Wiggleworth proving himself quite the literary Magnus Magnussen of our social media age’
TRAVIS ELBOROUGH traviselborough.co.uk

‘This is the ultimate literary quiz book and Gary Wigglesworth is the quizmaster to end all quizmasters’
DAVID QUANTICK davidquantick.com

This is a literary quiz book with a difference. Rather than basic sets of questions, The Book Lover’s Quiz Book mirrors the format of Gary’s live quizzes, at the Betsey Trotwood in London and elsewhere. So, there are lots of multiple-choice questions, some amusing answers, clever red herrings, little-known facts about authors and some of the much-loved Say What You See picture round.

Also, there are fixed and variable rounds – fixed ones include ‘Blankety Books’ (one word missing from the title – always with a theme), ‘Literary Links and lists’ (what connects/next in the list etc.) and ‘2 of a Kind’ (name the character and the author that share the same initials). The changeable rounds keep the quizzes fresh and include ‘What the Dickens?’ (real or made-up Dickens names), ‘RomeNo or JuliYess’ (real or made-up Shakespearian insults) and ‘Book Bingo!’ (identify the correct number). There are also more standard rounds such as ‘First Lines’, ‘Working Titles’ and ‘Banned Books’.

The aim of all Gary’s quizzes, and this book, is that people should have fun and be able to guess (if they don’t know) as much as possible.

The word-of-mouth bestselling debut from multi-award-winning bestseller Alex Marwood

That’s us. We’re the girls who killed Chloe. We are the devil now.

One fateful summer morning in 1986, two eleven-year-old girls meet for the first time and by the end of the day are charged with murder.

Twenty-five years later, journalist Kirsty Lindsay is reporting on a series of sickening attacks on young female tourists in a seaside town when her investigation leads her to interview funfair cleaner Amber Gordon. For Kirsty and Amber, it’s the first time they’ve seen each other since that dark day when they were just children. But with new lives – and families – to protect, will they really be able to keep their wicked secret hidden?

An absolutely gripping, ripped-from-the-headlines psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Suspect by Fiona Barton and The Rumour by Lesley Kara

‘[I] devoured every page . . . cleverly plotted and pacy, with all the storylines thundering towards a final, gripping conclusion. I loved it’ Elizabeth Haynes

Praise for Alex Marwood:

‘So good I wish I’d written it myself’
VAL McDERMID

‘Without a doubt, she is one of crime fiction’s brightest stars. Not to be missed’
MEGAN ABBOTT

‘Alex Marwood has become one of my must-read crime writers’
SOPHIE HANNAH

‘Scary as hell’
STEPHEN KING

‘I cancel all engagements for a new novel from Alex Marwood’
ERIN KELLY

‘Crime writing at its best’
LISA JEWELL

‘I can’t wait to see what Alex Marwood comes up with next’
JOJO MOYES

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Don’t miss the shocking new novel from Alex Marwood – THE POISON GARDEN is out now

If you loved The Suspect, don’t miss the second book in the series. The Suspect is now a major ITV drama starring Aidan Turner as Joe O’Loughlin and Shaun Parkes as Vincent Ruiz.

A lost child. A shattered past. A life going under . . .

Vincent Ruiz is lucky to be alive. A bullet in the leg, another through the hand, he is discovered clinging to a buoy in the River Thames, nearly unconscious and losing blood fast. It takes six days for him to come out of his coma, and when he does, his nightmare is only just beginning. Because Vincent has no recollection of what happened, and nobody believes him.

A mile away from his body, a boat was found covered in blood – Vincent’s and that of three others. Forensics say at least one of them must be dead. Vincent, a police detective, had signed his service pistol out of the station armoury, despite being on leave. Murder suspects can often fake amnesia, and the investigating team are not sure this case is any different . . .

The only clue is a picture in Vincent’s pocket: a photograph of a young girl, Mickey Carlyle, who disappeared three years ago. And though Mickey is presumed dead, Vincent has the nagging doubt that she is alive and in terrible danger . . .

Although the Joe O’Loughlin books can be read in any order, this is the second book in the series after The Suspect. Next in the series is Shatter.

Praise for Michael Robotham’s thrillers:

‘I love this guy’s books’ Lee Child

‘Will have you turning the pages compulsively’ The Times

‘An absolute master’ Stephen King

‘He writes in a voice with a haunting sense of soul’ Peter James

‘Heart-stopping and heart-breaking’ Val McDermid

‘The real deal’ David Baldacci

‘Superbly exciting . . . a terrific read’ Guardian

‘An irresistible concoction of crime and culture’ Daily Mail

A game of blackmail and betrayal is played among the backstreets and canals of Venice . . .

Carnevale is in full swing, the streets and waterways of Venice are crowded with masked revellers and Nathan Sutherland’s birthday is about to be ruined.

A night at the opera at La Fenice is always a memorable experience – and this time it will be so for all the wrong reasons as the curtain call is interrupted by a fatal stabbing. But why is the dead man carrying one of Nathan’s business cards in his wallet?

The mystery of the murdered stranger takes Nathan on the trail of a lost opera by Monteverdi. But what begins as a harmless treasure hunt leads to ruthless criminals asking the highest of prices for the lost score… and then a second body is found in the sanctuary of Venice’s English church.

The quest for the lost manuscript will bring Nathan back to the stage of La Fenice, where a final confrontation has deadly consequences…

Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones

‘I devoured all Philip’s novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy’ Val McDermid

‘Gwynne Jones’ entertaining take on his beloved Venice is as delightful as a Spritz by the Rialto – a must for all Italy lovers’ David Hewson

‘An unputdownable thriller’ Gregory Dowling

‘It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice… art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax’ Daily Mail

‘Superb – always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid’ Stephen Glover

‘Clever and great fun‘ The Times

‘Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself’ L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

‘The Venetian setting is vividly described… good, fluid writing makes for easy reading’ Literary Review

‘Un-put-downable . . . If you love Venice, you’ll love this because you’ll be transported there in an instant. If you’ve not been to Venice, read this book and then go. If you like intrigue, and a clever plot, you’ll love this book’ Amazon reviewer, 5*****

***Discover your next reading obsession with Alex Gray’s bestselling Scottish detective series***

***Don’t miss the latest from Alex Gray. Book 20 in the Lorimer series, QUESTIONS FOR A DEAD MAN, is out now and Book 21, OUT OF DARKNESS, is available to pre-order.***

Whether you’ve read them all or whether this is your first Lorimer novel, KEEP THE MIDNIGHT OUT is perfect if you love Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LORIMER SERIES:

‘Warm-hearted, atmospheric’ ANN CLEEVES
‘Relentless and intriguing’ PETER MAY
‘Move over Rebus’ DAILY MAIL
‘Exciting, pacey, authentic’ ANGELA MARSONS
‘Superior writing’ THE TIMES
‘Immensely exciting and atmospheric’ ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
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Two murders, twenty years apart. Time for revenge . . .

When the body of a red-haired young man is washed up on the shore of the beautiful Isle of Mull, Detective Superintendent Lorimer’s tranquil holiday away from the gritty streets of Glasgow is rudely interrupted. The body has been bound with twine in a ghoulishly unnatural position and strongly reminds Lorimer of another murder: a twenty year old Glasgow case that he failed to solve as a newly fledged detective constable and which has haunted him ever since.

As local cop DI Stevie Crozier takes charge of the island murder investigation, Lorimer tries to avoid stepping on her toes. But as the similarities between the young man’s death and his cold case grow more obvious, Lorimer realises that there could be a serial killer on the loose after all these years.

As the action switches dramatically between the Mull murder and the Glasgow cold case twenty years earlier, Lorimer tries desperately to catch a cold-hearted killer.

Has someone got away with murder for decades?

THE EXPLOSIVE DEBUT THRILLER. IF LIES ARE DANGEROUS, THE TRUTH CAN BE CATASTROPHIC . . .

‘A hugely exciting new voice in crime fiction’ LUCY FOLEY

‘The new face of domestic noir’ EVENING STANDARD

‘One of the most compelling narrators I’ve ever encountered’ SHARI LAPENA

‘A protagonist to rival Villanelle’ COSMOPOLITAN

It all started with one little lie . . .

Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were eleven years old. They have a lot in common. In their early twenties they both fell in love and married handsome young men.

But Jane never liked Marnie’s husband. He was always so loud and obnoxious, so much larger than life. Which is rather ironic now, of course.

Because if Jane had been honest – if she hadn’t lied – then perhaps her best friend’s husband might still be alive . . .

This is Jane’s opportunity to tell the truth. The question is:
Do you believe her?

‘Chilling and original’ CLARE MACKINTOSH
‘A tense nerve-shredder’ VAL McDERMID
‘You NEED to read this one’ LESLEY KARA
‘Toxic friendships don’t get more toxic than this’ PRIMA
‘Breathtakingly good’ T.M. LOGAN
‘You won’t want to put this one down’ CARA HUNTER
‘This is going to be the next massive thriller’ PANDORA SYKES
‘You’ll be turning the pages deep into the night’ HARLAN COBEN
‘Shockingly intimate and scarily insidious’ LISA GARDNER
‘I read this book with obsession – I loved everything about it’ ASHLEY AUDRAIN
‘A clever, deliciously dark pageturner’ ALICE FEENEY
‘Brilliantly plotted’ ALI LAND
‘Brilliantly twisty’ MICHELLE FRANCES
‘Takes the idea of the unreliable narrator and spins it on its head’ ARAMINTA HALL
‘The perfect pscyh thriller – smart, dark and morally ambiguous’ TAMMY COHEN
‘You won’t be able to put it down’ CHRISTINA DALCHER

‘An unputdownable thriller’ Gregory Dowling

‘It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice… art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax’ Daily Mail

‘Gwynne Jones’s talent for evoking place and atmosphere is clear as ever’ Literary Review

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No happy ever after for Nathan and Federica?

Newlyweds Nathan Sutherland and Federica Ravagnan are looking forward to weeks of sunshine and relaxation on the island of Pellestrina, in a cottage belonging to Federica’s late father, Elio.

The weather is idyllic, the views across the lagoon are spectacular and the seafood is the best in Venice. But when the body of an eminent Venetian lawyer is dredged up by a fishing boat, members of the close-knit island community start to take an unhealthy interest in the two honeymooners, and whispers and rumours begin to circulate about Elio’s association with a recently-deceased gang boss.

As Federica struggles to comes to terms with her father’s troubled legacy, Nathan finds himself dragged into the search for the missing proceeds of an unsolved jewellery heist, and the unwanted centre of attention of the Mala del Brenta – the Venetian Mafia.

Clearly Pellestrina is going to be no honeymoon…

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Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones

‘I devoured all Philip’s novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy’ Val McDermid

‘Superb – always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid’ Stephen Glover

‘Clever and great fun‘ The Times

‘Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself’ L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

‘The Venetian setting is vividly described… good, fluid writing makes for easy reading’ Literary Review

‘Un-put-downable . . . If you love Venice, you’ll love this because you’ll be transported there in an instant. If you’ve not been to Venice, read this book and then go. If you like intrigue, and a clever plot, you’ll love this book’ Amazon reviewer, 5*****

‘The lively, colourful narrative scuds along as briskly as a water taxi…you’ll enjoy the ride‘ Italia Magazine

‘An unputdownable thriller’ Gregory Dowling

‘It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice… art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax’ Daily Mail

‘Gwynne Jones’s talent for evoking place and atmosphere is clear as ever’ Literary Review

‘An impressive, tersely-written account linking old crimes to the political contention in the country at present… Recommended’ The Critic
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To tell the truth is a revolutionary act.

Battered by floods and crushed by overtourism, the city of Venice faces an uncertain future. The election of a new Mayor, therefore, has never felt more important.
As the candidates jostle for position and alliances are made and promises broken, Andrea Mazzon, a controversial writer and historian, emerges as a strong candidate.

Nathan Sutherland, meanwhile, has more important things on his mind as he investigates the case of an elderly British academic who has disappeared while researching the fate of his grandfather during the Great War. The trail leads to a remote Common-wealth war cemetery where, under the ice and snow, Nathan makes a discovery that links the terrible events of a century ago with the electoral campaign in La Serenissima. A campaign that might ultimately set the victor on the road to the Senate – and on the road to murder. . .

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Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones

‘I devoured all Philip’s novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy’ Val McDermid

‘Superb – always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid’ Stephen Glover

‘Clever and great fun’ The Times

‘Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself’ L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

‘The Venetian setting is vividly described… good, fluid writing makes for easy reading’ Literary Review

‘Un-put-downable . . . If you love Venice, you’ll love this because you’ll be transported there in an instant. If you’ve not been to Venice, read this book and then go. If you like intrigue, and a clever plot, you’ll love this book’ Amazon reviewer, 5*****

‘The lively, colourful narrative scuds along as briskly as a water taxi…you’ll enjoy the ride’ Italia Magazine

***Discover your next reading obsession with Alex Gray’s Sunday Times bestselling Scottish detective series***

***Don’t miss the latest from Alex Gray. Book 20 in the Lorimer series, QUESTIONS FOR A DEAD MAN, is out now and Book 21, OUT OF DARKNESS, is available to pre-order.***

Whether you’ve read them all or whether this is your first Lorimer novel, Before the Storm is perfect if you love Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves

‘Before the Storm is classic Alex Gray – warm-hearted, atmospheric . . . with a very interesting twist’ ANN CLEEVES
‘An exciting procedural’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Another brilliant Lorimer adventure’ ***** Reader Review
‘Exciting and unexpected, I hope it’s not too long till the next one’ ***** Reader Review
‘Lorimer is up there with the best’ ***** Reader Review
‘Alex Gray returns with another belter’ THE HERALD

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Your favourite Scottish detective is back with a brand new case, one that threatens to destroy everything.

Inspector Daniel Kohi of the Zimbabwean police force returns home one night to find his worst nightmare has been realised. His family dead, his house destroyed, and in fear for his life, he is forced to flee the country he loves.

Far away in Glasgow, DSI William Lorimer has his hands full. Christmas is approaching, the city is bustling, and whilst the homicide rate has been relatively low, something much darker is brewing. Counter-Terrorism have got wind of a plot, here in Lorimer’s native city, to carry out an unspeakable atrocity on Christmas Eve. They need someone with local knowledge to help them root it out and who better than the head of the Scottish Major Incidents Team.

But the investigation is complicated by a spate of local murders, and by the rumours that someone is passing information to criminal organisations from inside the police force. Soon Lorimer finds himself in desperate need of assistance. Then he meets an extraordinary man – a refugee from Zimbabwe whose investigative skills are a match for Lorimer’s own . . .
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PRAISE FOR THE WILLIAM LORIMER SERIES

‘Immensely exciting and atmospheric’ ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
‘Move over Rebus’ DAILY MAIL
‘Relentless and intriguing’ PETER MAY
‘Convincing Glaswegian atmosphere and superior writing’ THE TIMES