Recommendations based on "The Girl in the Castle She could save everyone. If only someone believed her..."

‘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,

WINNER OF THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023'Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn't love this series more' Chris Whitaker'Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime' Paul Finch'I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .'Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life . . .Praise for The Botanist:'Unputdownable, gripping, clever and with a rich seam of trademark Craven humour running through it' Imran Mahmood'A sinful treat' Vaseem Khan'Fast, furious, and utterly enjoyable.' Keith NixonPraise for M W Craven:'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan, Author of the Malabar House series and the Baby Ganesh Agency series'M. W. Craven is one of the best crime writers working today. Dead Ground is a cracking puzzle, beautifully written, with characters you'll be behind every step of the way. It's his best yet.' Stuart Turton'Fantastic' Martina Cole'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint hearted!'David Mark'A gripping start to a much anticipated new series' Vaseem Khan'Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read.' Michael J. Malone'Nothing you've ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe' Keith Nixon

Part blistering espionage thriller, part riveting police procedural, and part piercing expose on social injustice, "The Girl Who Played with Fire" is a masterful, endlessly satisfying novel. Mikael Blomkvist, crusading publisher of the magazine "Millennium," has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation. On the eve of its publication, the two reporters responsible for the article are murdered, and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to his friend, the troubled genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, convinced of Salander's innocence, plunges into an investigation. Meanwhile, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous game of cat and mouse, which forces her to face her dark past.""

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year #1 NYT Bestseller #1 USA Bestseller #1 WSJ Bestseller From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Black Widow comes the thrilling new summer blockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon. A heart-stopping tale of suspense, Daniel Silva’s runaway bestseller, The Black Widow, was one of 2016’s biggest novels. Now, in House of Spies, Gabriel Allon is back and out for revenge – determined to hunt down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, a shadowy ISIS mastermind known only as Saladin.   Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London’s glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.  The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martel’s enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriel’s skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror. Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves swiftly from the glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.   But House of Spies is more than just riveting entertainment; it is a dazzling tale of avarice and redemption, set against the backdrop of the great conflict of our times. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is “quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the master of the novel of international intrigue comes a riveting new book as timely and unsettling as tomorrow's headlines.It is summer 1999 in Russia, a country on the threshold of anarchy.  An interim president sits powerless in Moscow as his nation is wracked by famine and inflation, crime and corruption, and seething hordes of the unemployed roam the streets.For the West, Russia is a basket case.  But for Igor Komarov, one-time army sergeant who has risen to leadership of the right-wing UPF party, the chaos is made to order.  As he waits in the wings for the presidential election of January 2000, his striking voice rings out over the airwaves offering the roiling masses hope at last—not only for law, order, and prosperity, but for restoring the lost greatness of their land.Who is this man with the golden tongue who is so quickly becoming the promise of a Russia reborn?  A document stolen from party headquarters and smuggled to Washington and London sends nightmare chills through those who remember the past, for this Black Manifesto is pure Mein Kampf in a country with frightening parallels to the Germany of the Weimar Republic.Officially the West can do nothing, but in secret a group of elder statesmen sends the only person who can expose the truth about Komarov into the heart of the inferno.  Jason Monk, ex-CIA and "the best damn agent-runner we ever had," had sworn he would never return to Moscow, but one name changes his mind.  Colonel Anatoli Grishin, the KGB officer who tortured and murdered four of Monk's agents after they had been betrayed by Aldrich Ames, is now Komarov's head of security.Monk has a dual mission: to stop Komarov, whatever it takes, and to prepare the way for an icon worthy of the Russian people.  But he has a personal mission as well: to settle the final score with Grishin.  To do this he must stay alive--and the forces allied against him are ruthless, the time frighteningly short. . . . Praise for Icon“Vintage Forsyth, intricate, exact and gripping.”—The New York Times Book Review“Another strong performance by a writer who knows exactly what he's about, and who here catalyzes narrative with another memorable protagonist, the stealthy and daring Monk.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“One of his best works for a long time, which provides an all-too-real look at a chilling new millennium.”—The Sunday Times, London

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE The start of a gripping new crime thriller series introducing ex-SAS trooper Jack Tate! ‘Looking for breakneck pace and a relentless hero? Alex Shaw has you covered’ James Swallow Don’t miss the explosive start to the Jack Tate series. When the lights go out...British MI6 agent, and former SAS trooper, Jack Tate is trying to escape his past when he witnesses a terrorist attack of unthinkable scale. An electro-magnetic pulse knocks out the US power grid, killing anything with a computer processor, throwing the whole country into darkness. You have to escape the past.Under the cover of the blackout, a clandestine operation aims to assassinate prominent public figures on US soil. Looting and violence spreads across the country. And Jack Tate’s past comes back to haunt him. As the only intelligence operative on the ground, he is hurled into a mission that will put him – and the people he loves – in immediate danger. You have to defeat the enemy.With the fate of the United States on the line, only he can prevent the horror of a new world war. Perfect for fans of James Deegan, Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney, this is an explosive action thriller you won’t be able to put down. ‘Compelling and authentic. An explosive new series with an uncompromising hero’ Tom Wood ‘Jack Tate is a powerful character, a true Brit hero. A cracking start to a new series!’ Alan McDermott ‘Alex Shaw is a master of the action thriller. Grabbed me from the first page and never let go’ Michael Ridpath ‘Riveting thriller with an original plot and surprising twists. Tate is totally convincing as a classic Brit operative. Great drama and characterisation’ Duncan Falconer

The longest day. The deadliest sins. *From the bestselling author of Dark Island* All of Daniel Aubrey's books can be read as standalones. The residents of Orkney can't sleep. Through 18-hour summer days, the islands are drenched in unrelenting sunshine. But a killer with a shadowy past is living undetected on the archipelago. As the heat rises, reporter Freya will not rest until she's brought the truth to light. Can she stop the murderer before they strike again? The highly anticipated second instalment of the celebrated Orkney Mysteries series, The Dying Light is perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths and Val McDermid - PRAISE FOR THE DYING LIGHT (ORKNEY MYSTERIES #2) *Longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year* *Selected for the Critics' New Blood panel at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival* PRAISE FOR DARK ISLAND (ORKNEY MYSTERIES #1) *Shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award 2024* *Shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2024* *Longlisted for Scotland's National Book Award - First Book of the Year 2024* 'Daniel Aubrey can do for Orkney what Ann Cleeves has done for Shetland' MARION TODD 'Twists and secrets galore ... A nail-biting thriller you'll never forget' CAROLINE MITCHELL 'A tense read with emotional honesty ... Freya is a triumph' CALLUM McSORLEY 'My debut novel of the year' CHRIS LLOYD 'I couldn't turn the pages fast enough' NASHEEMA LENNON

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST SCOTTISH CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR As the house burns, the hunt for a killer begins... In the dead of night someone starts a fire in a home for underprivileged children in Aberdeen. The flames spread quickly, and one person doesn't make it out alive. But the victim wasn't found in their bedroom; they were discovered locked inside a secret basement underground. As DI Eve Hunter and her team search the blackened ruins, the case takes them into even darker territory. Soon Eve unearths a horrific discovery at the heart of the property - one that turns the whole investigation on its head. Everyone in this home has something to hide, but who has a secret worth killing for? ______________________________________ 'Taut and gripping, with a pace that never slows, From The Ashes is a master-class in police procedurals.' Andrea Mara 'Unmissable and addictive, Masson delivers beautifully crafted punches and red hot twists. Neatly plotted with some stunning characterisations, this is belter of a book.' Helen Fields 'A well-plotted police procedural.' The Herald 'It's clear that DI Eve Hunter is now one of Scotland's premier fictional detectives. Harrowing, absorbing - you won't put this down until the secret of the book's magic is revealed. A triumph for Deborah Masson.' Denzil Meyrick 'Pacy, intelligent and so so satisfying. Another brilliant outing for Eve Hunter who is fast becoming my favourite detective. I can't get enough of Deborah Masson's writing.' Marion Todd 'From The Ashes is a tense and intriguing mystery, expertly delving into the darker side of the Granite City, hooked from from the first page and kept me guessing to the very end!' G. R. Halliday

Pre-order the new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chemist! **** 'Dhand is a fearless writer' Sunday Times Idris Khan is no longer the man he used to be. How can he be? Murder changes people - and it has changed him. But he drags himself through another day at the pharmacy. He's expecting his usual evening ritual - Rebecca's visit for methadone, a flicker of something normal in a world which has gone to hell - but instead, Zidane, his estranged brother, walks through the door. Freshly released from prison, Zidane is back, and his presence is radioactive. Truths are laid bare. New alliances are formed. And Zidane has an offer for Idris that could blow his whole world apart. Now, Idris has a choice to make: leave Leeds forever, or become the very thing he's always feared ... **** Praise for A. A. Dhand: 'Terrific ... dispensing thrills and tension from start to finish' Trevor Wood, author of The Man on the Street 'With an authentic voice, relentless tension and high-octane action, this will have you hooked' CRIME MONTHLY 'Adrenaline-filled, dark and propulsive, this fresh thriller will keep you turning the pages' PLATINUM 'Genuinely gripping' The Times

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK FOR SPRING 2017 When the body of a young girl is found hanging from a tree, the only clue the police have is an airline tag around her neck. It reads 'I'm travelling alone'. In response, police investigator Holger Munch is immediately charged with assembling a special homicide unit. But to complete the team, he must track down his former partner, Mia Kr�ger - a brilliant but troubled detective - who has retreated to a solitary island with plans to kill herself. Reviewing the file, Mia finds something new - a thin line carved into the dead girl's fingernail: the number 1. She knows that this is only the beginning. To save other children from the same fate, she must find a way to cast aside her own demons and stop this murderer from becoming a serial killer. PRAISE FOR I'M TRAVELLING ALONE: 'Terrific . . . Intelligent and gripping . . . May well propel [Bjork] to deserved international fame.' The Times 'This is a simply terrific debut. The characters are completely believable, the plot is scalpel sharp and, as the hunt escalates, it will frighten the wits out of you in an utterly brilliant way.' Sunday Mirror 'Tense, thrilling and genuinely scary.' Heat 'Perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series and Danish crime drama The Bridge.' Crime Scene Magazine 'Samuel Bjork's formidable I'm Travelling Alone is despatched with real �lan . . . Mia's confrontation with both her own demons and a very human one is mesmerising fare.' Independent 'The latest Norwegian crime-writing sensation.' Sunday Times