Recommendations based on "City of Ghosts A Times 'Thriller of the Year'"

‘A perfect contradiction, existing in the shades of grey that real life is so often painted in . . . A story that’s as furious as it is tender’ Emily Henry ‘A roar of rage, a pacy page-turner, I loved it with all my broken heart. Read it. You’ll love it’ Marian Keyes ‘A propulsive plot and characters that roar off the page, this is a novel that’s unafraid to take on societal misogyny while being satirical and even funny at the same time’ Guardian‘An addictive, fast-paced crime novel like nothing you’ve ever read before’ Red magazine * * * The The The PunisherWith newfound powers the time has come to take matters into their own hands…Widowed Nessa lives alone in her house near the ocean. In the quiet hours, she hears voices belonging to the dead – who will only speak to her.On the cusp of fifty Harriett’s marriage and career imploded, but her life is far from over – in fact, she’s undergone a stunning metamorphosis.Jo spent years at war with her body. The rage that arrived with menopause felt like the last straw – until she discovers she’s able to channel it.Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio discover the abandoned body of a teenage girl. The police have written off the victim. But the women have not. Their own investigations lead to more bodies, and a world of wealth where the rules don’t apply – and the realisation that laws are designed to protect villains, not the vulnerable.Now three women will avenge the innocent and punish the guilty. IT’S TIME.* * *Readers and authors are GRIPPED by The ‘A proper smash-the-patriarchy read with tension and a compelling plot to boot . . . Loved it’ Harriet Tyce‘An exceptionally well-written, vivid, and powerful piece of work’ Reader review, ‘Powerful and original’ Tammy Cohen‘STUNNING! Feminist writing at its absolute best. 10 stars’ Reader review,

Don’t miss the new, devastatingly good thriller from Helen Fields, The Institution. Coming March 2023 – available to pre-order now! ‘Relentless pace, devilish cleverness and a laser-sharp focus on plot.’ Chris Brookmyre ‘Without doubt, this is one of the best detective series I have read.’ Woman’s Way Magazine

“It’s fascinating to watch this Norwegian author adapt our homegrown monster [the serial killer] to a foreign culture.... When things go wrong, Harry goes on a bender, but when he’s on his game, no one is better than this obsessive detective. He systematically works his way through the intricacies of a plot that speeds along like a bullet train.”—New York Times Book ReviewDetective Harry Hole is on the trail of a diabolical serial killer terrorizing Oslo in another electrifying thriller in the Harry Hole series from the author of The Snowman.In the heat of a sweltering Oslo summer, a young woman is found murdered in her flat—with one of her fingers cut off and a tiny red star-shaped diamond placed under her eyelid. An off-the-rails alcoholic barely holding on to his job, Detective Harry Hole is assigned to the case with Tom Waaler, a hated colleague whom Harry believes is responsible for the murder of his partner. When another woman is reported missing five days later, and her severed finger turns up adorned with a red star-shaped diamond ring, Harry fears a serial killer is at work.But Hole's determination to capture a fiend and to expose Waaler's crimes is leading him into shadowy places where both investigations merge in unexpected ways, forcing him to make difficult decisions about a future he may not live to see.

The New York Times No.1 bestseller delivers ‘a scorching read’ (John Grisham). One of the great unsolved mysteries of World War II is – to some people – a secret worth killing for…The greatest remaining mystery of World War II will be solved…West Berlin, 1987: Spandau Prison is being torn down. Amongst the rubble, the diary of enigmatic Nazi Rudolph Hess is found, and the secrets it reveals plunge the world into chaos.The Spandau Diary- what was in it? Why did the secret intelligence agencies of every major power want it? Why was a brave and beautiful woman kidnapped and assaulted to get to it? And why did a chain of deception and violent death lash out across the globe, from survivors of the Nazi past to warriors in the new conflict now about to explode?

A Financial Times Best Summer Book of 2022Finalist for the 2022 ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel"Damascus Station is the best spy novel I have ever read." ―General David Petraeus, former director of the CIAA CIA officer and his recruit arrive in war-ravaged Damascus to hunt for a killer in this page-turner that offers the "most authentic depiction of modern-day tradecraft in print." (Navy SEAL sniper and New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr).CIA case officer Sam Joseph is dispatched to Paris to recruit Syrian Palace official Mariam Haddad. The two fall into a forbidden relationship, which supercharges Haddad’s recruitment and creates unspeakable danger when they enter Damascus to find the man responsible for the disappearance of an American spy.But the cat and mouse chase for the killer soon leads to a trail of high-profile assassinations and the discovery of a dark secret at the heart of the Syrian regime, bringing the pair under the all-seeing eyes of Assad’s spy catcher, Ali Hassan, and his brother Rustum, the head of the feared Republican Guard. Set against the backdrop of a Syria pulsing with fear and rebellion, Damascus Station is a gripping thriller that offers a textured portrayal of espionage, love, loyalty, and betrayal in one of the most difficult CIA assignments on the planet.

Finalist -- GoodReads Choice Award -- Mystery/ThrillerHarry Hole returns--or does he?--in a terrifyingly paced, vertiginous new roller coaster of a thriller by the internationally best-selling author of The Snowman and The Redeemer, "the king of Scandinavian crime fiction" (Kirkus).The police urgently need Harry Hole . . . A killer is stalking Oslo's streets. Police officers are being slain at the scenes of crimes they once investigated but failed to solve. The murders are brutal, the media reaction hysterical.But this time, Harry can't help . . . For years, detective Harry Hole has been at the center of every major criminal investigation in Oslo. His dedication to his job and his brilliant insights have saved the lives of countless people. But now, with those he loves most facing terrible danger, Harry is not in a position to protect anyone.Least of all himself . . .

'I was hooked from the start and finished this book in 1 day. I couldn't read it fast enough. It was a whirlwind with plenty of suspense, secrets and betrayal.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐How far would you go to protect your family?Mark Burcham and his wife Amy live the perfect life: they have a happy marriage, a comfortable home in Los Angeles and a beautiful daughter, Tatum. But one night Amy fails to come home from a business trip to Boston, and her office has no record of a client on the east coast.Then Mark gets the worst news of all; Amy has been found dead. But nothing makes sense. Why was Amy still in town, when he’d waved her off at the airport a few days before? Who was the mysterious client she’d been meeting with for months? There’s only one thing Mark knows for certain: his wife was keeping secrets.As he digs deeper into the life Amy tried to keep hidden, Mark realizes that someone is trying to stop him, someone who is watching his every move. And when they threaten Tatum to keep him from discovering the truth, Mark will stop at nothing to keep his family safe…Don't miss this utterly gripping thriller from Steve Frech, perfect for fans of Chad Zunker, Joe Hart and Robert Dugoni.Readers LOVE The Good Husband!'Oh my goodness – what a nail biter! This thriller sucked me in very early on and didn’t let up until the bombshell ending' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This had me hooked from the start… I absolutely loved every second' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A dizzying whirlwind with layer after layer of secrecy that I just couldn't read quickly enough!' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A gripping thriller. Great characters, a fast-moving plot and superb writing make this a great read' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The characters were really well-drawn and the story is really captivating so you might read the book in one sitting' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Totally gripping from the first page ... plenty of action and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Loved the finale that gave me a lump in my throat too ... Excellent as usual!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved this book so much I read it over one weekend. The plot was full pace from the very beginning ... I can’t wait for the next instalment!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely loved this story. It’s a real page turner from start to finish, that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow, what an absolute belter! Love the Max Craigie series and this latest was gripping and such a fantastic page-turner. Great storyline and the banter is great’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * * * * A CASE GONE COLD Six years ago, Beata Dabrowski arranged to meet her lover in Glasgow and was never seen again. There were no leads... until now. AN UNRELIABLE WITNESS Imprisoned gang boss Davie Hardie wants to talk in exchange for his freedom. He knows exactly where Beata is buried, and he’s prepared to take the police to her grave. A KILLER DESPERATE TO ESCAPE But when the mission to locate Beata’s body is hijacked, DS Max Craigie is drafted on to the case. Someone is selling secrets. Max will stop at nothing to expose police corruption and uncover Beata’s murderer... but can you ever really trust a killer to catch a killer? Don’t miss the next book in the DS Max Craigie series! Fans of Ian Rankin and Marion Todd will love this utterly gripping Scottish thriller! * * * * Praise for The Devil You Know ‘A tense and twisty thriller that had me gnawing my fingernails one minute and laughing out loud the next.’ Marion Todd ‘Neil Lancaster is one of the most exciting, innovative crime writers in the UK right now... One of the best police procedurals I’ve read in a long time. Consider me a fan’ M. W. Craven ‘This tale is fast and furious with blue lights and screaming sirens all the way’ The Sun ‘Action-packed & lightning-paced with some of the best dialogue I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of Lancaster and he’s a true rising star in crime fiction. Explosive & compelling’ Helen Fields ‘As hard as it is to believe, these books just get better and better’ Tony Kent ‘A wickedly clever and riveting thriller’ Graham Bartlett ‘Neil Lancaster just gets better and better. This is a gripping read that feels entirely authentic, seasoned with lovely flashes of humour' Cass Green

Karin Slaughter's new novel is an epic tale of love, loyalty, and murder that encompasses forty years, two chillingly similar murder cases, and a good man's deepest secrets. Will Trent is a brilliant agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Newly in love, he is beginning to put a difficult past behind him. Then a local college student goes missing, and Will is inexplicably kept off the case by his supervisor and mentor, deputy director Amanda Wagner. Will cannot fathom Amanda's motivation until the two of them literally collide in an abandoned orphanage they have both been drawn to for different reasons. Decades before—when Will's father was imprisoned for murder—this was his home. . . . Flash back nearly forty years. In the summer Will Trent was born, Amanda Wagner is going to college, making Sunday dinners for her father, taking her first steps in the boys' club that is the Atlanta Police Department. One of her first cases is to investigate a brutal crime in one of the city's worst neighborhoods. Amanda and her partner, Evelyn, are the only ones who seem to care if an arrest is ever made. Now the case that launched Amanda's career has suddenly come back to life, intertwined with the long-held mystery of Will's birth and parentage. And these two dauntless investigators will each need to face down demons from the past if they are to prevent an even greater terror from being unleashed. A masterpiece of character, atmosphere, and riveting suspense, Criminal is the most powerful and moving novel yet from one of our most gifted storytellers at work today.Advance praise for Criminal “Karin Slaughter's best yet by far: All her signature strengths are amplified a hundredfold by the past explaining the present. Reading this book was like watching a great athlete having a career year.”—Lee Child “Fascinating . . . Slaughter delivers another riveting, pulse-pounding crime novel.”—Booklist (starred review)

A Sunday Times top ten bestseller perfect for fans of John le Carré, from the winner of the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the Year and 'the master of the modern spy thriller' (Mail on Sunday). Thomas Kell thought he was done with spying. A former MI6 officer, he devoted his life to the Service, but all it has left him with is grief and a simmering anger against the Kremlin. Then Kell is offered an unexpected chance at revenge. Taking the law into his own hands, he embarks on a mission to recruit the Russian spy he blames for the murder of his girlfriend. Kell tracks his nemesis from Kiev to London, but soon finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse in which it becomes increasingly difficult to know who is playing whom. As the mission reaches boiling point, the threat of a catastrophic terrorist attack looms over Britain. Kell is faced with an impossible choice. Loyalty to MI6 - or to his own conscience?