Recommendations based on "The Stasi Game"

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?

It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die.Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or he’s built a relationship with a local woman, Lena, and he’s gradually turning Trey Reddy from a half-feral teenager into a good kid going good places. But then Trey’s long-absent father reappears, bringing along an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold in the townland, and suddenly everything the three of them have been building is under threat. Cal and Lena are both ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey, but Trey doesn’t want protecting. What she wants is revenge.A nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide.

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

Following from Jo Nesbø's electrifying international best-sellers The Snowman and The Leopard, now comes Phantom, which plunges the brilliant, deeply troubled, now former police officer Harry Hole into a full-tilt investigation on which his own tenuous future will come to depend.When Harry left Oslo again for Hong Kong—fleeing the traumas of life as a cop—he thought he was there for good. But then the unthinkable happened. The son of the woman he loved, lost, and still loves is arrested for murder: Oleg, the boy Harry helped raise but couldn't help deserting when he fled. Harry has come back to prove that Oleg is not a killer. Barred from rejoining the police force, he sets out on a solitary, increasingly dangerous investigation that takes him deep into the world of the most virulent drug to ever hit the streets of Oslo (and the careers of some of the city's highest officials), and into the maze of his own past, where he will find the wrenching truth that finally matters to Oleg, and to himself.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLYNew York Times bestselling author Peter F. Hamilton’s riveting new thriller combines the nail-biting suspense of a serial-killer investigation with clear-eyed scientific and social extrapolation to create a future that seems not merely plausible but inevitable.A century from now, thanks to a technology allowing instantaneous travel across light-years, humanity has solved its energy shortages, cleaned up the environment, and created far-flung colony worlds. The keys to this empire belong to the powerful North family—composed of successive generations of clones. Yet these clones are not identical. For one thing, genetic errors have crept in with each generation. For another, the original three clone “brothers” have gone their separate ways, and the branches of the family are now friendly rivals more than allies.Or maybe not so friendly. At least that’s what the murder of a North clone in the English city of Newcastle suggests to Detective Sidney Hurst. Sid is a solid investigator who’d like nothing better than to hand off this hot potato of a case. The way he figures it, whether he solves the crime or not, he’ll make enough enemies to ruin his career.Yet Sid’s case is about to take an unexpected turn: because the circumstances of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to a killing that took place years ago on the planet St. Libra, where a North clone and his entire household were slaughtered in cold blood. The convicted slayer, Angela Tramelo, has always claimed her innocence. And now it seems she may have been right. Because only the St. Libra killer could have committed the Newcastle crime.Problem is, Angela also claims that the murderer was an alien monster.Now Sid must navigate through a Byzantine minefield of competing interests within the police department and the world’s political and economic elite . . . all the while hunting down a brutal killer poised to strike again. And on St. Libra, Angela, newly released from prison, joins a mission to hunt down the elusive alien, only to learn that the line between hunter and hunted is a thin one.Praise for Great North Road“A mesmerizing page-turner.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“A gripping saga that blends wilderness survival, police procedural, political and social intrigue, and dynastic sf into a mammoth tale featuring believable characters and exceptionally skilled storytelling.”—Library Journal (starred review)“A perfect introduction to [Hamilton’s] gifts for character design, dialogue, and sheer, big-idea-driven storytelling.”—Booklist (starred review)“Compelling and original . . . an awesome novel [with] plenty of action.”—SFRevu“One very compelling and entertaining science fiction novel.”—SF Site“Simply brilliant . . . an astonishing achievement.”—Tor.com

'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, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • When this relentless rogue FBI agent comes knocking, her adversaries will have to answer—with their lives—in this thrilling Jane Hawk novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Corner. “Koontz continues the incredible saga of the robust character of Jane Hawk, and it’s as terrific as the others in the series.”—Associated Press “We’re rewriting the play, and the play is this country, the world, the future. We break Jane’s heart, we’ll also break her will.”   She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal. But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now. As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door. Don’t miss any of Dean Koontz’s gripping Jane Hawk thrillers: THE SILENT CORNER • THE WHISPERING ROOM • THE CROOKED STAIRCASE • THE FORBIDDEN DOOR • THE NIGHT WINDOW Praise for The Forbidden Door “Compelling and enthralling.”—New York Journal of Books “Mind-blowing. . . [a] gripping series . . .  a thrill ride. [Dean Koontz is] able to distract you for hours.”—Bookreporter “Koontz is on another roll with a new series that boasts a juicy premise and a compelling star. . . . Pure gold.”—Booklist

‘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

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * First time in print: the bonus story "Busted" Karin Slaughter's novels featuring detective Will Trent are utterly riveting and masterfully drawn. Her latest thriller, Unseen, pits detectives, lovers, and enemies against one another in an unforgettable standoff between righteous courage and deepest evil. Will Trent is a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent whose latest case has him posing as Bill Black, a scary ex-con who rides a motorcycle around Macon, Georgia, and trails an air of violence wherever he goes. The cover has worked and he has caught the eye of a wiry little drug dealer who thinks he might be a useful ally. But undercover and cut off from the support of the woman he loves, Sara Linton, Will finds his demons catching up with him. Although she has no idea where Will has gone, or why, Sara herself has come to Macon because of a cop shooting: Her stepson, Jared, has been gunned down in his own home. Sara holds Lena, Jared's wife, responsible: Lena, a detective, has been a magnet for trouble all her life, and Jared's shooting is not the first time someone Sara loved got caught in the crossfire. Furious, Sara finds herself involved in the same case that Will is working without even knowing it, and soon danger is swirling around both of them. In a novel of fierce intensity, shifting allegiances, and shocking twists, two investigations collide with a conspiracy straddling both sides of the law. Karin Slaughter's latest is both an electrifying thriller and a piercing study of human nature: what happens when good people face the unseen evils in their lives. Praise for Unseen "Slaughter's most powerful book to date . . . No one writes like Slaughter. . . . Her words fairly growl on paper but yet her descriptions of relationships are tear inducing. This may make her an anomaly but she is the best damn anomaly writing books today. Make sure you read Unseen."--The Huffington Post "Compelling . . . [Slaughter] balances a complex plot with believable twists while sensitively exploring her realistic characters' emotions and problems."--South Florida Sun-Sentinel "An emotional roller coaster ride . . . fast-paced and edge-of-your seat . . . Slaughter is brilliant."--Wichita Falls Times Record News "Superb and emotionally wrenching . . . The despicable nature of the crimes being investigated only serves to enhance Will's innate goodness and humanity. Current series fans will be delighted, and newcomers to Slaughter's work will find a new obsession."--Library Journal "Slaughter plunges readers into the action from the get-go with her electrifying ability to write suspenseful, riveting confrontations between cops and criminals, all while deepening the backstories of her longtime series leads. Another intense read, on multiple levels, from the ever-reliable Slaughter."--Booklist "Tense and densely plotted . . . The twisted plot and shocking reveals remind readers why Slaughter remains a dominant voice in crime fiction."--Publishers Weekly

The Kindle Best seller returns with the first in a gripping new crime series. A Stranger. A promise. A deadly game. Danny and Sharon Evans are desperate for answers. Why did their seemingly happy daughter try to take her own life? When a stranger approaches Danny, saying he knows who's to blame, Danny is tempted, despite Sharon's reservations. And when his new friend offers them revenge, how can he walk away? But little does Danny know he is being invited to play a terrible game. A game that won't just change lives - it will end them. DI Joel Norris knows this is no ordinary case when two seemingly unconnected murders hit his desk within a matter of days. But how far is he willing to go to solve the puzzle? Dark, gripping and unforgettable, The Friend will keep fans of Harlan Coben and Mark Billingham on the edge of their seats.