Search Results for: anne perry

DARK TIDE RISING is the 24th compelling mystery in the William Monk series, from the master of Victorian crime, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry. ‘Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries are marvels of plot construction…truly remarkable’ New York Times.

When Kate Exeter is kidnapped on the shore of the Thames, Commander William Monk is enlisted by her desperate husband to save her. Kate’s captors are demanding a ransom for her safe return and Monk and his most trusted men must arrange a secret handover in the dark slums of Jacob’s Island. But on the night someone betrays them and a brutal skirmish breaks out, leaving death and destruction in its wake . . .

Who is to blame for what went wrong? Monk senses tensions mount and no one knows who to trust. Then a whistle blower claims that the ransom money was embezzled funds that incriminate Kate’s husband, and the case takes on a whole new meaning…

TWENTY-ONE DAYS is the first in an exciting new generation of Pitt novels, featuring Daniel Pitt, by New York Times bestseller and queen of Victorian crime, Anne Perry.

1910. Sir Thomas Pitt’s son, Daniel, is in the middle of his first case as a barrister when he is summoned to the Old Bailey for an important trial. Renowned biographer Russell Graves is charged with the brutal murder of his wife and Daniel must assist in his defence.

When the jury finds the accused guilty, Graves insists he has been framed. He is writing a shocking exposé of a powerful figure, revealing state secrets so damning that someone might well have wanted to silence him. With the reputations of those closest to him at stake, Daniel has twenty-one days to uncover the truth and ensure that an innocent man isn’t sent to the gallows . . .

‘Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries are marvels of plot construction’ New York Times

A CHRISTMAS RETURN is the 15th novella in the festive series by Anne Perry, the queen of Victorian crime.

As the festive season approaches, Charlotte Pitt’s grandmamma, Mariah Ellison, is facing Christmas alone. When she receives an unexpected gift, memories are sparked of a Christmas in Haslemere long ago, when her beloved friend Cullen Wesley died and a local villager was brutally murdered, with no killer brought to justice.

The unsolved case has resurfaced and Cullen’s grandson, Peter, begs for Mariah’s help to solve the crime that led to his grandfather’s death. Mariah can’t resist a friend in need and she returns to Haslemere to investigate the murder and heal old wounds. But evil still lurks in the picturesque village and she’ll need all her wits about her to see that justice is done.

A Christmas Return is the enthralling new festive tale from the pen of Anne Perry, the master of Victorian crime.

A Christmas Message is Anne Perry’s 14th novella in her festive series.

Christmas 1900.

Victor Narraway, Thomas Pitt’s former boss and his new wife Vespasia are travelling by train from Jaffa to Jerusalem. Although enjoying their time together and the interesting people they meet, Vespasia soon becomes concerned that someone is watching their every move.

When one of their new acquaintances is found murdered, the only clue is a mysterious piece of parchment written in a foreign tongue, and a message imploring Narraway to continue the stranger’s quest. Sensing its importance, Narraway and Vespasia decide to fulfil their dead friend’s wish.

Continuing to Jerusalem with the parchment in hand, they quickly find themselves embroiled in danger. With Vespasia’s fears suddenly realised and a watcher on their trail, will Narraway and Vespasia’s fates follow that of their friend or can they make it to the Holy Land unscathed?

A Christmas Message is the tantalising new festive tale from the pen of Anne Perry, the master of Victorian crime.

Westminster is struck by a deadly killer…

In Anne Perry’s tenth Victorian mystery featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, a murderer strikes at Members of Parliament crossing Westminster Bridge. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Harriet Smart.

‘[Anne] Perry once again demonstrates her true and lively passion… Her finely drawn characters couldn’t be more comfortable within the customs and sensibility of their historical period’ – New York Times Book Review

In the few minutes it takes to cross Westminster Bridge, Sir Lockwood Hamilton has his throat slit and is tied to a lamppost with his evening scarf. The killer vanishes without being seen. Inspector Thomas Pitt thinks the motive might have been personal… or political. When a second Member of Parliament is murdered in the same way, politics seems certain to be the reason. Soon the suspect list includes anarchists and suffragettes. Public outrage mounts and fear grips London and Parliament after a third lamppost murder. Deep in his own investigation, Pitt must rely on his wife, Charlotte, and Great-aunt Vespasia to explore the drawing rooms of the upper class for clues to the mystery. With burning social issues swirling around them, the three of them must solve the case before another MP falls victim to the Westminster cutthroat.

What readers are saying about Bethlehem Road:

‘These are a great set of books. Pitt is a really likeable hero‘

‘I could not put it down. One of her best works’

‘Gripping read‘

A secret so shocking it will lead to murder including, quite possibly, Pitt’s own…

In Anne Perry’s ninth crime novel featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, an unsolved murder will take the acclaimed Victorian policeman into the gravest danger. Perfect for fans of C. J. Samson and Ann Granger.

‘Descriptions of London’s Upstairs/Downstairs society [are] historically illuminating’ – St. Petersburg Times

When Thomas Pitt is required to reopen a murder case in Hanover Close, he doesn’t know how perilous it will become. Three years earlier Robert York, who worked for the Foreign Office, was murdered. Pitt believes a mysterious woman may hold the key to his death, and his suspicion deepens when one of the York household’s maids dies suddenly – soon after talking to him. Then Pitt himself is arrested for the murder of the woman he’d been seeking. Only Charlotte and her sister Emily can stand between Pitt and the gallows.
Charlotte and Emily find a way to delve deep into the confidences of the York family and their household, but with Pitt in prison and a murderer among the inhabitants of Hanover Close, they are playing a deadly game…

What readers are saying about Silence in Hanover Close:

‘Excellent read… you will struggle to put it down‘

‘Another excellent book in the Thomas Pitt series; easy to read and well researched into the social life of Victorian era’

‘Five stars‘

With only Inspector Pitt believing in the accused’s innocence, can he hope to uncover the truth in time?

In Anne Perry’s eighth Victorian mystery, featuring Inspector Thomas Pitt, Charlotte Pitt’s sister is charged with murder. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Sarah Perry.

‘Perry gets the Victorian mood just right… Settle in with this one on a rainy day’ – Booklist

As Inspector Thomas Pitt works to resolve the case of a dismembered woman, his brother-in-law, George March, Lord Ashworth, is poisoned. The police’s main suspect: Charlotte’s sister, Emily. Convinced of her innocence, Charlotte and Pitt take on the March clan with the help of her formidable Great-aunt Vespasia, attempting to break through their wall of deceit and silence. When Emily finds Sybilla March, George’s suspected mistress, strangled by her hair, the case would seem hopeless for anyone but the Pitts. Their pursuit of the truth takes them down a path of corruption, depravity, and murder, from the elegant townhouses lining fashionable Cardington Crescent to the horrifying slums of London.

What readers are saying about Cardington Crescent:

‘This has been the best read of the Thomas Pitt series. Didn’t want to put the book down‘

‘A wonderful read, kept me guessing who the murderer was right up until the end!’

‘A fascinating plot and a good portrayal of the Victorian era’

From the slums of Devil’s Acre, to the elegant drawing rooms of Callander Square, there is always something to investigate…

In Death in the Devil’s Acre, Anne Perry’s seventh mystery featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, the Devil himself seems to be at work in the dark slums of Victorian London. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Harriet Smart.

‘Rich in plot development, believable characters and period detail, this entry will only add to the already sizable ranks of Perry’s admirers’ – Publishers Weekly

A serial killer is loose in Devil’s Acre. The murders are brutal, but it is the killer’s grizzly signature that shocks even Inspector Thomas Pitt, no stranger to death and violent crime. The victims are stabbed and sexually mutilated. When Pitt recognises one of the dead as a blackmailing footman from a case on Callander Square, his investigation takes him from the slum brothels to the high reaches of Victorian society and into a world where upper-class women descend to depravity to relieve their boredom.

Despite Pitt’s warnings, his wife Charlotte is determined to pursue her own investigation in the elegant drawing rooms of Callander Square. As Pitt and Charlotte approach the same dangerous conclusion from differing paths, no one is spared – not even Pitt.

What readers are saying about Death in the Devil’s Acre:

‘Anne Perry scans the width and depths of Victoria society with skill and efficiency, bringing her characters to life so vividly‘

‘As always, Anne Perry excels‘

‘Five stars‘

A tidy solution to a murder makes Inspector Pitt uneasy – is there more to this case than meets the eye?

In the sixth acclaimed mystery from Anne Perry, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt must discover the truth of a young gentleman’s sordid murder – or an innocent man will hang. Perfect for fans of C. J. Samson and Ann Granger.

‘The period detail remains fascinating, and [Perry’s] grasp of Victorian character and conscience still astonishes’ – Cleveland Plain Dealer

The naked body of an aristocratic youth turns up in the sewers beneath Bluegate Fields, one of London’s most notorious slums. But Arthur Waybourne had been drowned in his bath, not in the Thames. More shocking still is the discovery that the boy had been violated and infected with syphilis before his murder. Despite Inspector Thomas Pitt’s efforts to investigate the crime, the family closes ranks, leaving him to wonder what they are hiding.

All evidence points to Arthur’s tutor, Jerome, as the murderer, but Pitt and his wife, Charlotte, don’t believe the answer is so simple. But if not Jerome, then who? To learn the truth, Charlotte uses her familiarity with the upper classes to draw aside the curtain of lies, while Pitt defies his superior and the boy’s family to follow a trail that leads him into the foulest streets of London through a web of deceit. In a race against time, Thomas and Charlotte must find the real killer to save Jerome from the hangman’s noose.

What readers are saying about Bluegate Fields:

‘A thought-provoking whodunit’

‘Yet again Anne Perry keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. Her knowledge of Victorian London is remarkable‘

‘Another winner for Anne Perry – five stars‘

Will the dangerous persistence of Charlotte and the quiet patience of Inspector Thomas Pitt make it possible to solve this most macabre and chilling mystery?

Anne Perry’s Rutland Place is the fifth novel featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, which sees the duo uncovering the darkest and most desperate secrets hidden in fashionable Rutland Place. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Sarah Perry.

‘When Anne Perry puts Thomas and Charlotte Pitt on the case, we are in exemplary Victorian company’ – New York Times

Charlotte Pitt’s mother has lost a locket holding a comprising picture. Arriving at her mother’s home at Rutland Place to help her search, Charlotte discovers that other residents of the exclusive neighbourhood have suffered similar unexplained small thefts. Then Mina Spencer-Brown, a woman known for prying, dies from poisoning. It seems likely that Mina’s snooping had led to her murder, but what secrets had she stumbled upon? And whose?

As Thomas Pitt patiently struggles to break down the protective silence of London’s high society, Charlotte works behind its closed doors to help unravel a mystery revealing sordid secrets and the chilling, dark corners of human behaviour.

What readers are saying about Rutland Place:

‘Once started, impossible to put the book down‘

‘Brilliant as usual’

‘Another excellent murder mystery – five stars‘

The doctors insist that Lord Augustus’ death was natural. But as far as the police are concerned, there’s certainly nothing natural about what happens next…

In the fourth Victorian mystery featuring Inspector Thomas Pitt, the detective is faced with a frightening case of bodies that won’t stay buried. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Harriet Smart.

‘Perry has a wonderful feel for period and remains utterly convincing’ – Guardian

Lord Fitzroy-Hammond of Resurrection Row has been dead and buried three weeks when he turns up sitting atop a hansom cab. Grave robbing, though a crime, isn’t Inspector Thomas Pitt’s usual work. But when the macabre joke is repeated, and the man’s corpse is found sitting in the family pew following his second burial, and other disinterred bodies appear, Pitt begins to wonder if a message is being sent.

A new mother, Charlotte Pitt only takes a cursory interest in the case until she hears Thomas mention her late sister’s husband as a possible suspect. As Pitt follows leads into the slums and rookeries, she too is drawn into the politics and horrors of greed and exploitation. For Pitt and Charlotte, what begins as a bizarre mystery becomes a deadly pursuit through the London underworld of pornographic photographers, brothels, and sweatshops.

What readers are saying about Resurrection Row:

‘A wonderfully gruesome novel from Anne Perry… Her research into the murky world of [grave digging] cannot be faulted‘

‘This one has a particularly ingenious plot and I was delighted to see that the interesting and mildly eccentric Aunt Vespasia was back again’

‘Another thrilling read from Anne Perry’

In the posh London street of Paragon Walk, an unspeakable crime is committed…

In New York Times bestseller Anne Perry’s third mystery featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, something deadly lurks in the stifling shadows of Victorian London. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Ann Granger.

‘When it comes to the Victorian mystery, Anne Perry has proved that nobody does it better’ – San Diego Union-Tribune

When young Fanny Nash dies in the arms of her sister-in-law, Jessamyn, Inspector Pitt is assigned to investigate her rape and murder. Every man of Paragon Walk is under suspicion, even Pitt’s brother-in-law, Lord George Ashworth, who was the last to have seen her. Could the charming, enigmatic Frenchman be a killer? Fanny’s cruel brother? Or wealthy Dilbridge, who hosts wild, decadent parties?

As Pitt digs deeper, Paragon Walk’s aristocratic haughtiness gives way to fear, its calm to hatred. Keeping her sister Emily company in this difficult time, inquisitive Charlotte finds herself in the midst of the deadly mystery. In the drawing rooms of her sister’s neighbours, she uncovers unsavoury intrigues and bitter rivalries that may prove fatal…

What readers are saying about Paragon Walk:

‘Anne Perry really gets into the era with these novels, includes something for everyone, murder, romance and history‘

‘A cracking read‘

‘One of Anne Perry’s best‘

Are the upper-class residents of Callander Square as innocent as they claim?

In New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry’s second Victorian Inspector Pitt mystery, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt find that everyone in Callander Square has something to hide – but someone will kill to keep a secret. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Sarah Perry.

‘Murder fans who prefer their crimes with a touch of class should heat some scones and nestle back for the afternoon’ – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When the bodies of two infants are dug up in the Callander Square gardens, the upper-class residents resent the intrusion of Inspector Thomas Pitt into their well-ordered lives. They dismiss it as the desperate act of some low-born girl, but Pitt is not convinced that the case should be so easily dropped.

Also intrigued by the mystery, and able to move in the places to which Thomas would never gain access, Charlotte probes into the lives and secrets of the residents – secrets that could lead even the most upright aristocrat to kill. But will the Pitts solve the mystery in time to save the innocent residents of Callander Square from the murderer among them?

What readers are saying about Callander Square:

‘Perry blends period detail, detection, and rot-beneath-the-genteel-surface social commentary with great skill‘

‘This is one of those rare books that you have to read in one go‘

‘Loved this story from beginning to end‘

A deadly killer stalks the streets of Victorian London…

The Cater Street Hangman is the opening novel in Anne Perry’s bestselling Victorian crime series, introducing us to her acclaimed characters Inspector Thomas Pitt and Charlotte Ellison. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Harriet Smart.

‘Give her a good murder and a shameful social evil, and Anne Perry can write a Victorian mystery that would make Dickens’ eyes pop out’ – New York Times Book Review

A killer is strangling young women in Cater Street, leaving their swollen-faced bodies in the dark shadows of this genteel neighbourhood. When the Ellison family’s maid becomes the murderer’s third victim, young Inspector Thomas Pitt is assigned to the case. He must break through the walls of upper-class society to get at the truth, and his investigation gradually peels away its veneer, exposing secrets and desires until suspicion becomes more frightening than truth.

Outspoken Charlotte Ellison, struggling to remain within the confining expectations of Victorian manners, has no trouble expressing herself to the irritating policeman. As their relationship shifts from antagonism to something more complicated, Thomas and Charlotte must work together to solve the mystery before the Cater Street hangman strikes again.

What readers are saying about The Cater Street Hangman:

‘I love reading Anne Perry – her description of Victorian life conjures up lifelike images and you really feel you are there‘

‘Engrossing murder mystery‘

‘You have a treat ahead of you as the rich characters expand and evolve’

Allotment wars!

Lord Bellington, Carsely’s biggest landholder, has enraged locals by saying he is going to sell off their allotments to make way for a new housing development. So when he turns up dead, poisoned by antifreeze, nobody mourns his passing.

On another fine summer’s day Agatha visits Carsley’s allotments where everything looks peaceful and perfect: people of all ages digging in the soil and working hard to grow their own fruit and veg. Agatha feels almost tempted to take on a strip herself . . . but common sense soon prevails. She doesn’t really like getting her hands dirty.

She is introduced to three oldtimers who have just taken over a new strip; Harry Perry, Bunty Daventry and Josephine Merriweather are lamenting the neglected condition of the patch. But as Harry starts to shovel through the weeds and grass his spade comes across something hard so he bends down and tries to move the object. And then he starts to yell . . .

The body is that of Peta Currie, a newcomer to the village – but who would want to murder her? Blonde and beautiful she’s every local male’s favourite. And then Lord Bellingham’s son engages Agatha to do some digging of her own and very soon Agatha is thrown into a world of petty feuds, jealousies and disputes over land. It would seem that far from being tiny gardens of Eden, Carsley’s allotments are local battlefields where passions – and the bodycount – run high!

Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:

‘Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure’ Anne Robinson

‘M.C. Beaton’s imperfect heroine is an absolute gem’ Publishers Weekly

‘The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine’ Booklist

From New York Times bestselling author Tasha Alexander comes the third Lady Emily mystery.

A deadly dance between two implacable enemies . . .

At her friend Ivy’s behest, Lady Emily Ashton reluctantly agrees to attend a house party at the country estate of Lord Fortescue, a man she finds as personally odious as he is politically powerful. But on arrival she finds him to be the least of her problems. Among the guests is Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who had once been linked romantically with Emily’s fiancé, Colin Hargreaves, and she makes no secret of that fact, tormenting Emily for her own amusement.

Annoying for Emily – but then matters turn deadly serious when Lord Fortescue is found murdered and his protégé, Robert Brandon – Ivy’s husband – is arrested for the crime. Emily’s efforts to clear her friend’s name take her to Vienna, a place of glittering balls, sordid back streets, chic cafes . . . and home to her nemesis, the Countess von Lange.

Praise for Tasha Alexander

‘A thoroughly enjoyable adventure with both historical texture and emotional depth’ Anne Perry

‘Captivating characters are superbly brought to life in this riveting historical . . . [a] cleverly plotted and suspenseful mystery‘ FreshFiction

‘A captivating addition to the adventures of an irresistible Victorian iconoclast’ Booklist

‘Immediately engrossing and thoroughly entertaining . . . Alexander writes with a fullness and richness that leaves the reader extremely satisfied’ Crimespree

‘Sometimes touching, sometimes funny and always absorbing, this Victorian-era mystery hits all the right notes‘ Romantic Times

‘Enchanting… Alexander keeps readers guessing until the very end‘ Publishers Weekly

‘Tasha Alexander is one to watch – and read… despite her cliffhanger climaxes and witty repartee, there’s a depth of sensitivity that sets her apart‘ The Huffington Post

From New York Times bestselling author Tasha Alexander comes a stunning novel of historical suspense set in Victorian England, meticulously researched and with a twisty plot that involves stolen antiquities, betrayal, and murder

Lady Emily’s first mystery . . .

For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was just an easy way to escape her stifling home life and overbearing mother. So when her new husband dies on safari soon after the wedding, she feels little grief. After all, she barely knew the man.

Now, nearly two years later, she discovers that Philip was a far different man from the one she had married so cavalierly. His journals reveal him to have been a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who, to her surprise, was deeply in love with his wife. Emily becomes fascinated with this new image of her dead husband and immerses herself in his intellectual pursuits, studying Greek and spending time in the quiet corridors of the British Museum.

But there, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries – and as she sets out to solve the crime she discovers even more surprises about the husband she never knew . . .

Praise for Tasha Alexander

‘This engaging, witty mix of Victorian cozy and suspense thriller draws its dramatic spark from the endearingly headstrong heroine’s growth in life and love. A memorable debut‘ Booklist

‘Enchanting… Alexander keeps readers guessing until the very end‘ Publishers Weekly

‘Tasha Alexander is one to watch – and read… despite her cliffhanger climaxes and witty repartee, there’s a depth of sensitivity that sets her apart’ The Huffington Post

‘Fans of Anne Perry and Elizabeth Peters will welcome this debut novel‘ The Denver Post

Set amid the beauty and decadence of the Ottoman Empire, Lady Emily’s next adventure is full of intrigue, treachery, and romance.

Looking forward to the joys of connubial bliss, newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, set out toward Turkey for an exotic honeymoon. But on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the sultan’s lavish palace.

Sir Richard St. Clare, an Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople, recognizes the girl as his own daughter who was kidnapped twenty years earlier. Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken father that they’ll find her killer, but as the investigation gains speed, they find that appearances can be all too deceiving.

As a woman, Emily is given access to the forbidden world of the harem and quickly discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless murderer. As the number of victims grows, Emily must rely on her own sharp wit if she is to stop a killer bent on exacting vengeance – no matter how many innocent lives he leaves in his wake.

Praise for Tasha Alexander

‘The fourth book of Alexander’s Victorian-era series has a lush setting and beautiful details. . . . The romance and lovely writing sweep the readers along. [Emily’s] voice and the accurate historical details will keep the reader enthralled‘ Romantic Times

‘The strong female lead and historically accurate details will please readers of Anne Perry, Laurie R. King, and Deanna Raybourn seeking a new fan-favorite author‘ Library Journal

“In this book, despite murder and mayhem and treason (oh my!) it’s all gorgeous gowns, rippling water, veils of silk and veils of hair . . . Whatever Emily decides to do with herself I am only too happy to come along for the ride‘ Fiction Nation

‘Alexander doesn’t miss a beat. Tightly woven plots, flowing prose and three-dimensional characters make Tears of Pearl a must-read. Readers won’t be able to stop themselves from racing through the pages as they search alongside Lady Emily for the killer’ examiner.com

‘Infused with wit and charm, with just the right amounts of danger, romance and detection blended in’ Denver Post

122 fantastic stories from Britain’s best crime writers

For ten years the Mammoth Best British Crime series has been publishing an annual volume of the most outstanding crime and mystery short fiction published in the UK. Over 400 stories by the very best writers in the field have been published. Contributors have included, among many others, Mark Billingham, Liza Cody, Roger Jon Ellory, Reginald Hill, Peter James, Simon Kernick, Alexander McCall Smith, Val McDermid, John Mortimer, Anne Perry, Ian Rankin, Derek Raymond and Andrew Taylor.

On several occasions, stories published in The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime have won some of the most prestigious awards in the field, including the Crime Writers Association Short Story Dagger, The Mystery Writers of America Edgar award and the Anthony award, while countless others have featured on the respective shortlists.

This truly bumper collection of over 120 stories, an omnibus edition of Volumes 7, 8 and 9, showcases as ever the impressive breadth of crime writing, from cosy tales of detection to noir mayhem and psychological suspense and terror. There are puzzles to solve, nagging questions about the nature of the society in which we live, but, above all, there is an abundance of first-class entertainment.

Over 1600 pages of outstanding crime fiction by: Lin Anderson, Kate Atkinson, Ian Ayris, Ray Banks, Robert Barnard, Colin Bateman, Mark Billingham, Nigel Bird, Tony Black, Stephen Booth, Paul D. Brazill, Simon Brett, Gerard Brennan, Christopher Brookmyre, Alison Bruce, Ken Bruen, Declan Burke, Col Bury, Tom Cain, Ann Cleeves, Liza Cody, Natasha Cooper, Bernie Crosthwaite, Judith Cutler, Colin Dexter, Martin Edwards, Matthew J. Elliott, Kate Ellis, R. J. Ellory, Chris Ewan, Christopher Fowler, Simon R. Green, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Allan Guthrie, Sophie Hannah, John Harvey, Mick Herron, David Hewson, Reginald Hill, Matt Hilton, Kate Horsley, Peter James, Paul Johnston, L. Kennedy, Bill Kirton, John Lawton, Simon Levack, Michael Z. Lewin, Toby Litt, Peter Lovesey, Phil Lovesey, Stuart MacBride, Adrian Magson, Barry Maitland, Alexander McCall Smith, Keith McCarthy, Val McDermid, Brian McGilloway, Denise Mina, Steve Mosby, Edward Marston, Amy Myers, Barbara Nadel, Stuart Neville, Christine Poulson, Ian Rankin, Sarah Rayne, Peter Robinson, Nicholas Royle, Zoë Sharp, Roz Southey, Sally Spedding, Jay Stringer, Andrew Taylor, Marilyn Todd, Peter Turnbull, L. C. Tyler, Simon Kernick, Nick Quantrill, Sheila Quigley, Louise Welsh, Marc Werner and Kevin Wignall.

‘Delightful… as ever, Bowen does a splendid job of capturing the flavour of early twentieth-century New York and bringing to life its warm and human inhabitants.’ Publishers Weekly

Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Molly Murphy can’t seem to fit in anywhere. Not with the new immigrants pouring in from the Old World and certainly not with the society folk she envies from afar. After bungling a job as a lady’s companion, Molly decides to become an assistant to the notorious private investigator, Paddy Riley. Unfortunately, Paddy’s underworld dealings leave him deader than a doornail and Molly in possession of his detective agency.

Before long, Molly has set off on a journey that will take her through the back alleys of Manhattan and into the bars and lounges of the literary scene, where she spends time with writers, actors, poets, and musicians. It’s quite an eye-opening turn for innocent young Molly, but she’s resolute in her decision to find out exactly what happened that day in the office of Paddy Riley.

Armed with nothing more than her fiery will and matching wild red hair, Molly has no idea of the danger her pursuit may bring in this fascinating, well-researched, and suspenseful second novel in Rhys Bowen’s Agatha-award winning series.

‘An evocative trip through Old New York… in the company of Irish immigrant Molly Murphy, a spirited and appealing guide.‘ SJ Rozan, author of Winter and Night

‘Irish humour and gritty determination… with charm and optimism.’ Anne Perry

‘Molly grows ever more engaging against a vibrant background of New York’s dark side at the turn of the century.’ Kirkus Reviews

Murphy’s Law is the captivating first entry of Rhys Bowen’s New York Times bestselling Molly Murphy series.

Meet Molly Murphy, a resourceful young woman who lives by her own set of laws…

Molly Murphy always knew she’d end up in trouble, just as her mother had predicted. So when she commits murder in self-defence, she flees her cherished Ireland for the anonymous shores of America. When she arrives in New York and sees the welcoming promise of freedom in the Statue of Liberty, Molly begins to breathe a little easier. But when a man is murdered on Ellis Island, a man Molly was seen arguing with, she becomes a prime suspect in the crime.

If she can’t clear her name, Molly will be sent back to Ireland where the gallows await, so using her Irish charm and sharp wit, she escapes Ellis Island and sets out to find the wily killer on her own. Pounding the notorious streets of Hell’s Kitchen and the Lower East Side, Molly undertakes a desperate mission to clear her name before her deadly past comes back to haunt her new future.

‘Irish humour and gritty determination… with charm and optimism.’ Anne Perry

‘Delightful… as ever, Bowen does a splendid job of capturing the flavour of early twentieth-century New York and bringing to life its warm and human inhabitants.’ Publishers Weekly

‘Molly grows ever more engaging against a vibrant background of New York’s dark side at the turn of the century.’ Kirkus Reviews

Seb Rolvenden is a writer who lives in a lighthouse in Essex. On his grandfather’s death he comes into some papers which reveal that Seb’s grandfather, when young, was involved in the sensational disappearance in London of Julian Warbeck, an impressionist painter, and his masterpiece, Ruffian on the Stair.

Seeing a book in this, Seb goes off in pursuit of a trail of clues left in his grandfather’s papers, unwittingly alerting others who are also after the lost masterpiece. His enquiries lead him to Jersey and to France, where among Seb’s discoveries is the grave of the Vickybird, a vicious Victorian rentboy and artist’s model whom his grandfather had known in London in the 1890s and who may have been the actual murderer of Julian Rawbeck.

As the mystery deepens a chance encounter leads Seb to the whereabouts of the missing masterpiece – but the painting has one further explosive secret to reveal to him.


Praise for Gary Newman’s Previous Novels

‘In what turns out to be an intriguing case of murder and romance, the author brings London’s East End and India under the Raj vividly to life’ Publishers Weekly

‘The author succeeds admirably in recreating Victorian London, both in character and setting. Fans of Anne Perry and other Victorian mysteries will enjoy.’ Library Journal

‘A most satisfying gothic detective tale’ Booklist

Our dark past brought to life by leading contemporary crime writers

A new generation of crime writers has broadened the genre of crime fiction, creating more human stories of historical realism, with a stronger emphasis on character and the psychology of crime.

This superb anthology of 12 novellas encompasses over 4,000 years of our dark, criminal past, from Bronze Age Britain to the eve of the Second World War, with stories set in ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine Empire, medieval Venice, seventh-century Ireland and 1930s’ New York.

A Byzantine icon painter, suddenly out of work when icons are banned, becomes embroiled in a case of deception; Charles Babbage and the young Ada Byron try to crack a coded message and stop a master criminal; and New York detectives are on the lookout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Deirdre Counihan, Tom Holt, Dorothy Lumley, Richard A. Lupoff, Maan Meyers, Ian Morson, Anne Perry, Tony Pollard, Mary Reed and Eric Mayer, Steven Saylor, Charles Todd, Peter Tremayne

The complete collection of Anne Perry’s masterful Great War series, chronicling the fate of the Reavley family from 1914 to 1918. Perfect for fans of Pat Barker and Sebastian Barry.

1914: No Graves as Yet
In the last idyllic summer of 1914, the battle lines are already drawn. But for Joseph Reavley the summer is shattered by his parents’ deaths in a car accident. His brother Matthew, who works for the secret service reveals that their father, a retired MP, had discovered something sinister, but the evidence has gone missing. And it seems that their deaths may not have been accidental after all…

1915: Shoulder the Sky
It is April 1915 and the world is in the bloody throes of war. Most civilians have little idea of horrors at the Front, and a young war correspondent wants to publish the truth. But then he is found dead in no-man’s land – and it seems that the Germans are not responsible. For Chaplain Joseph Reavley the event has uncomfortable echoes of his own parents’ tragedy, with murder and censorship the dark weapons being secretly employed behind the lines…

1916: Angels in the Gloom
It’s March 1916, and Joseph Reavley is on sick leave, cared for by his sister Hannah. Shanley Corcoran, an old friend, comes to visit. Corcoran confides in Joseph that he’s come very close to completing an invention that will paralyse the deadly German U-boats. Soon afterwards, however, the leading scientist on that project is found murdered, and it’s clear that someone has been betraying secrets to the enemy…

1917: At Some Disputed Barricade
In July 1917, as the sun sets over no-man’s-land, rumours of mutiny grow stronger. After the death of an officer, twelve soldiers are arrested, and it falls to Joseph Reavley to uncover the truth about their involvement. At the same time, his brother Matthew, of the S.I.S, learns of a plot to destroy the only men who can bring about lasting peace…

1918: We Shall not Sleep
It’s 1918, and Joseph Reavley’s regiment has suffered huge losses but all hope that peace is near. Then a young nurse is savagely murdered, and Joseph vows to find her killer. Matthew, is already at the Front to meet a prisoner who claims to be able to identify the shadowy figure betraying his country. If Matthew is able to put a stop to The Peacemaker’s schemes, there will be a chance for lasting peace; if he fails, then freedom and liberty could be all but a distant memory for future generations…