Crime, Thriller & Mystery

The Man Upstairs has the sickness again, and Frank Miller’s life is back on the line.

Frank Miller, hero of the hardboiled mystery series by The Man Upstairs, finds himself posted to London to find a missing night club singer. He tracks her down to a series of seedy clubs, singing under an assumed name, and in the employment of a powerful company. The highlight of her set is The Poisoned Eye of a Loving God.

The song is expected to be a huge hit, though the lyric is unfinished.

People around town are dying, and Frank discovers that the singer’s ex, Billy Fortune, a notorious gangland figure, is looking for her. For years she used her singing career as a front for Billy’s activities, but now wants to escape her past and make it on her own terms.

But as Frank digs deeper into the case, he finds a darker mystery, tied in to why he was hired to take on the case in the first place. The unfinished song might just hold the key. As the truth slowly emerges, the reality of Frank’s situation becomes diabolically apparent.

The Man Upstairs wants Frank dead.

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Death of a Debutante In 1870s London, Scotland Yard’s famous Detective Department is still in its infancy. Lord Riley Rochester, younger son of a marquess, is one of its first detective inspectors.
When a debutante is murdered in the home of Lord Ashton, Riley’s vengeful superior hands him the investigation, hoping to see him fail. As Riley and his sergeant, Jack Salter, delve into the circumstances surrounding Emily Ferguson’s death, it quickly becomes apparent that his own class expect him to exonerate its members from all blame. But the murder was committed at a society event, and Riley’s conscience won’t allow him to ignore the evidence that points to one of the guests—or hosts—being the killer.
Everyone has something to hide and tempers fray as a heatwave holds London in its sweltering grasp. When a second death occurs, Riley fears he may be incapable of preventing a terrible miscarriage of justice. Will he and Jack manage to uncover the true identity of the killer without endangering those whom Riley holds most dear…
Death of a Courtesan Detective Inspector Rochester and his sergeant, Jack Salter, are called to a high-end brothel to investigate the murder of one of its inhabitants. Her throat has been cut from after the customers had left for the night and the doors had been locked, and no one admits to hearing a thing.
As Riley and Jack delve into the beautiful young victim’s background and the reasons for her fall into prostitution, an increasing number of suspects with compelling reasons for wanting her dead emerge. Riley is astounded to discover that his nemesis, Chief Inspector Danforth, is one of the brothel’s regular visitors. He was there on the night of the murder, spent an hour alone with the victim and must be viewed as a suspect. Riley could be forgiven for revelling in Danforth’s downfall after all the insults he has suffered at the chief inspector’s hands, but his concern is for the reputation of the Detective Department and he does all he can to shield Danforth from public derision.
Unsurprised by the depths of depravity some men willingly sink to in order to find gratification, Riley is unprepared for the damage that could be done to the reputation of his own family if he doesn’t get to the truth. But at what cost to his personal ambitions…
Death of a Prosecutor Inspector Riley Rochester’s latest case strikes close to home. When his friend, notable barrister Sir Robert Glover, is stabbed to death outside his chambers, there are far too many suspects. Sir Robert’s family, those he worked with, shadowy figures from his past and every resentful criminal he ever prosecuted. What’s worse, the case is inextricably linked with a Scotland Yard colleague’s rather slipshod investigation, and Riley must be diplomatic in his dealings with his superiors and fellow officers if he’s to get to the truth.
Riley and his sergeant, Jack Salter, take to the task with their customary professionalism – although Riley’s judgement is clouded by nervous anticipation of Amelia Cosgrove’s response to his proposal of marriage and by the sudden decline in his nephew’s health. Knowing that if his nephew dies Riley will become his brother’s heir, he must come to terms with the fact that he will one day be the Marquess of Chichester whilst simultaneously trying to solve the hardest case of his career to date…

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Home is where the horror is…

Jilted thriller writer Lady Violet Thorn has withdrawn to the Suffolk market town of Montford with two servants and her leading character, the adventuress Ruby Gibson, for company.

Violet’s peace is disturbed when a stranger asks her for help, claiming that a friend is being kept prisoner in her own home. Her visitor seems so afraid that Violet, despite her scepticism, is persuaded to investigate.

A woman is killed outside Violet’s house, then another murdered in the town and, as the deaths mount up, she becomes convinced that they all lead to one place: the increasingly forbidding Haglin House, and whoever lives there…

M.R.C. Kasasian returns with a fresh, witty and totally enthralling take on the classic crime genre, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz, M. C. Beaton and Oscar De Muriel.

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A beautiful young woman is found dead in a department store bed.

She’s surrounded by white roses.

Detective Best is called from London to the grey and blustery north to investigate.

After finding out the girl was involved with local spiritualists, he meets a Dead End.

Everyone seems to have a reason for killing the girl – from her maid to her fiancé who happens to be the long-lost brother to the department store owner.

But she’s not the only girl who is missing.

Will Detective Best be able to face his own painful past in order to solve the case?

‘Dead End’ is a gripping historical murder mystery story from acclaimed author Joan Lock.

Praise for author Joan Lock:

“Gripping Victorian mystery” – Publishers Weekly on Dead Born

“Multilayered, ingeniously plotted, atmospheric and suspenseful, with an appealing hero… Lock’s latest Inspector Best novel makes outstanding reading for historical mystery buffs” – Booklist on Dead Letters

Joan Lock’s first book, ‘Lady Policeman’, described her six years as a policewoman in London’s West End during the 1950s. The next, ‘Reluctant Nightingale’, focused on her previous training as a nurse in the Northeast. Nine non-fiction, police/crime books followed including three on Scotland Yard’s First Detectives and the first history of the British Women Police, a subject on which she became an authority. This led to her writing extensively in the Police Press in support of women police when they were having a difficult time during integration and to acting as advisor and participant in the BBC4 TV documentary, A Fair Cop: One Hundred Years Of Women Police, screened in March 2015.

Joan has also written short stories, radio plays (some historical) and radio documentaries. Her crime fiction includes one modern novel, Death In Perspective, and seven Victorian mysteries featuring the charismatic Scotland Yard Detective Ernest Best.

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‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling – I couldn’t put it down.’ – CLARE MACKINTOSH

They’re locked up for your safety.

Now, you’re locked in with them.

How do you find a murderer in a prison full of killers?

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night.

A nurse has been murdered and her daughter has been taken.

And with only five days to find the girl, the clock is ticking for Dr Connie Woolwine to find a killer hiding in plain sight…

Welcome to The Institution. The locked room thriller readers don’t want to leave.

‘This is the best book I’ve read in years!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I don’t think I have ever read anything that gripped me quite so intensely.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolutely mind-blowing suspense thriller.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Terrifyingly brilliant. An absolute must-read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A book that evolves at break-neck speed, taking the reader on a spine-chilling journey.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘If this book isn’t a smash hit I’ll claw my own eyes out!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Tense, exciting, heart-thumping action’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Deliciously creepy, unflinching and addictive.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A first-class locked room thriller.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gobsmackingly good!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Helen Fields’ talent for creating atmospheric thrillers knows no bounds.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A real page-turner; what a ride straight from the outset. I felt physically chilled.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Chilling, claustrophobic and packed with twists and turns.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Original and innovative…a crackingly scary thriller.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Dark, atmospheric, creepy and hauntingly good. Kept me guessing until the end – I loved it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing is all I can say – I loved it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS, A HEARTSTOPPING MYSTERY FROM YOUR NEW CRIME FICTION OBSESSION: BIBA PEARCE.

Debby Morris, mother of two, goes to a Christmas party at historic Hollyhock Manor in Marlow, and never comes home.

A MISSING MOTHER.

Her phone, handbag and Santa’s elf hat are found in a park near the River Thames. The police issue a nationwide search, but Debby is nowhere to be found.

Three weeks later, Debby’s body, still in her elf costume, is discovered five miles downstream from where she disappeared.

A DETECTIVE ON THE BRINK.

Detective Rob Miller is pulled from compassionate leave and put in charge. He’s still reeling from his last botched case, and he knows all eyes are on him — waiting to see if he’ll crack.

Meanwhile, another body is found with their throat slashed . . . and a link is discovered between the two cases that changes everything.

A RACE AGAINST TIME TO STOP A KILLER.

Rob and his team will need to pull out all the stops to catch a twisted killer before anyone else dies.

AN UNSTOPPABLE CRIME MYSTERY THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN.

This gripping page-turner is perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, Mick Herron, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Alex Smith and J.M. Dalgliesh.

MEET THE DETECTIVE
DI ROB MILLER
An ambitious young detective gunning for promotion. He will do anything for his job, but can he also keep his personal life under control? His fourteen-month-old son is still keeping him up at night, but at least he has his dog.

THE SETTING
The Murder Investigation Team is based out of leafy Putney, with its overgrown often-flooded riverbanks. One way the river Thames leads into central London, the other out into the countryside. It’s an idyllic setting that masks a criminal underworld.

READERS LOVE BIBA PEARCE:

‘Slick, clever and beautifully contrived, this is one of the best police procedurals I have read in ages.’ Brown Flopsy Reviews

‘What a twist at the end. I’d never have guessed.’ Bookchatter Reviews

‘There is a twist at the end that I really didn’t see coming. I had to explain to my other half why I was shouting at my kindle.’ Ebookwyrm Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it!’ Aileen G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If you like a police procedural thriller that is accurate and gripping, then this is the book for you.’ Mandy B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I have been eagerly waiting to get my hands on this one and it didn’t disappoint.’ Nigel A.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Was looking forward to this book and I loved it. Story was great. Full of twists and turns. Kept me intrigued.’ Michelle G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An utterly captivating story that I stayed up late into the night to finish.’ Mags N.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gritty and a real thriller which is not for the faint hearted.’ Debra G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another wonderful thriller by Biba Pearce that I couldn’t put down!’ Rita H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absolute gem of a read.’ Anne M.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Believable, likable characters and a fast-paced plot that keeps you hooked I read this book in one day.’ Karen C.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved how it all intertwined and came together nicely. Not one to be missed.’ Carol S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Such a unique book, I loved the plot and oh my god the characters we’re so amazing!!’ Mai H.

ALSO BY BIBA PEARCE
DETECTIVE ROB MILLER MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: THE THAMES PATH KILLER
Book 2: THE WEST LONDON MURDERS
Book 3: THE BISLEY WOOD MURDERS
Book 4: THE BOX HILL KILLER
Book 5: THE SOUTH BANK MURDERS
Book 6: THE SOHO KILLER
Book 7: THE MARLOW MURDERS

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‘McCarthy lays on the grisly detail with a practising doctor’s detached eye.’ -Publishers Weekly

An invitation to spend a week or two with childhood friends over New Year seemed an excellent idea to help Helena’s recovery after her cancer treatment.

Helena had grown up with the Hickmans, had spent many happy holidays with them, and the fact that they lived in a castle surrounded by forest on the edge of a lake made it an even more perfect spot to recuperate.

But when a man is found burned to death in a car on the edge of the castle estate the apparently irrelevant though horrible incident creates unexpected disturbances in the lives of all those living in the castle.

Helena and her partner John Eisenmenger, caught in the middle of it all, cannot understand why. Nor can Detective Constable Sally Felty, navigating her first few months on the job, or her attractive yet elusive superior, Inspector Sauerwine.

But the unpleasantness grows and worse is to come, for there are secrets in the castle — secrets that are of profound importance not only to the Hickmans, but also to the police service’s treatment of a previous case, and to Helena and her past…

A World Full of Weeping is a grippingly complex thriller than keeps the reader in suspense right to the very end.

Praise for A World Full of Weeping:

‘Readers who don’t get enough strong forensic medicine from the likes of Patricia Cornwell or Kathy Reichs … will welcome this first book in a new series from a British pathologist … McCarthy lays on the grisly detail with a practising doctor’s detached eye.’ -Publishers Weekly

‘Richly gothic … uses the classic whodunit format of a closed circle of suspects to good effect. There’s a giddy feeling to the story when we lurch from moments of black farce to savage coincidence … a potent mix.’ – Tangled Web

‘Pathologist McCarthy creates a dark, densely imagined world in the demanding tradition of P. D. James … he peoples it with characters who truly inspire pity and terror, and provides the most unsparing post-mortem ever.’ Kirkus Reviews

‘A whodunit in the classical mould mixes the story of a man coping with the scars of his past and the wounds of the present … McCarthy handles his material with real brio.’ – Crime Time

Keith McCarthy was born in Croydon, Surrey. Educated at Dulwich College and then at St George’s Hospital Medical School, he began practising pathology in 1985 and has done so ever since. Keith is a Consultant Histopathologist in Gloucestershire where he lives with his wife and three daughters.

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GET *EIGHT* ADDICTIVE SCOTTISH CRIME MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT VALUE BOX SET.

Fans of Val McDermid, JD Kirk, TG Reid, Ian Rankin, Caro Ramsey, William Paul, Andrew Raymond and Stuart MacBride will be hooked.

READERS LOVE THE GRIPPING KEITH CALDER MYSTERIES:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Hammond continues to amaze me.’ JTM

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Cracking good read.’ Phil L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fascinating characters.’ Charles V.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Deliciously sharp-witted murder mystery.’ Virginia T.

‘Gerald Hammond’s series about gunsmith Keith Calder is rewarding indeed.’ Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine

‘A gruesome, lightheartedly complex caper in the Scottish lowlands . . . the whole tangled romp has a what-ho!, outdoorsy energy that’s undeniably appealing.’ Kirkus Reviews

‘Ingenious plots, characters with whom you want to spend time and a world to which you eagerly anticipate returning.’ Paul Bishop, author of Deep Water and A Bucketful of Bullets.

IN THIS EIGHT-BOOK BOX SET:

BOOK 1: DEAD GAME
Gunsmith Keith Calder is at a shooting party in the Scottish borders when a fellow guest is shot. His professional expertise means Keith becomes embroiled in this baffling murder. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he’s in himself.

BOOK 2: THE REWARD GAME
Keith’s wife Molly returns to her parked car to find a body inside. Then Keith himself is attacked as he retrieves the car. The Calders are clearly targets, but why? The answers take them far from their rural home to the heart of bustling Glasgow.

BOOK 3: THE REVENGE GAME
In Newton Lauder the canal overflows, exposing a skeleton. The police ask Keith for help, but as he assists them he receives a deadly threat. Can Keith’s hunting instinct lead him to the murderer before he or his wife are killed?

BOOK 4: FAIR GAME
Eccentric millionaire Ray Grass dies in an apparent accident, carrying a loaded gun. Keith knows this is no accident. With a long list of suspects who would benefit from Ray’s death, Keith must find the murderer before he himself becomes a target.

BOOK 5: THE GAME
In a high-class brothel, an incident occurs bearing all the hallmarks of a bloody murder. But with no body and no clues about the apparent deceased, the case looks hopeless. Keith attempts to uncover the truth as a group of powerful politicians attempt to silence him for good.

BOOK 6: COUSIN ONCE REMOVED
On holiday in France, Keith finds a pair of antique duelling pistols. On his return, a politician tries to buy them for a hefty sum. Then an attempt is made on Keith’s life. Is it connected to the pistols? Keith is determined to find out before it’s too late.

BOOK 7: SAUCE FOR THE PIGEON
A burnt-out Land Rover is found with a body in the driver’s seat. Inspector Munro enlists Keith’s help. All evidence points to Keith’s friend Jake Paterson as the culprit. Keith must work quickly to save his friend and bring the true killer to justice.

BOOK 8: PURSUIT OF ARMS
A lorry with a cargo of guns is attacked outside Keith’s workshop, leaving two men dead. Keith starts to investigate, but the case takes a personal turn when a family member is kidnapped. Keith must find the hijackers before it ends in brutal murder.

MEET YOUR NEW FAVOURITE AMATEUR SLEUTH:
Keith Calder is a down-to-earth Scotsman with a total disregard for the law. An itinerant gunsmith, he’s more at home in the Lowlands than the world of police officers that he is unexpectedly thrust into.

THE SETTING
The Scottish Lowlands are a place of wild and rugged beauty, but the sparsely populated moors and valleys make a fertile ground for murder.

GET ALL *EIGHT* OF THESE GRIPPING MYSTERIES IN THIS SUPERB-VALUE PACKAGE.

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‘Plain Jane’ Ziegler has been a district nurse all her life…

All her life, she has been overlooked by difficult patients, disinterested colleagues and even her own family.

So when she discovers a way to commit the perfect crime, Jane seizes the opportunity and begins deliberating who of her many patients is most deserving of her murderous attention.

And when elderly James Walsh tries one to many times to proposition her, Jane seizes her chance.

Although Walsh’s mother seems unconvinced by Jane’s explanation of his death, no one else, least of all Jane’s fellow doctors, seems the least bit surprised.

As the days past, she can’t help thinking that she may indeed have escaped suspicion.

Driven by this knowledge and with a new-found taste for murder, she soon turns her mind to her next victim.

However, when a formal complaint is made against her by bad-tempered Clara Blatter, it seems that she may have picked the wrong woman.

Soon, Jane finds herself under investigation and when she carries out her second murder, the net begins to close in tighter.

When her normally unassuming boss starts to become suspicious, Jane resorts to drastic measures to avoid detection, as her perfect crime quickly turns into a nightmare that could cost her everything.

The Certificate is a heart racing medical thriller that will leave you begging for more.

Praise for Priscilla Masters

‘A natural story-teller’ – Robert Foster, bestselling author of The Lunar Code

‘It is always a joy to discover a crime writer with a sure touch and the capacity to shock’ – Peter Lovesey

‘More than a match for Rendell and Christie’ – Hampstead and Highgate Express

Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire with her husband, a GP in the Potteries. Night Visit was the first of her medical mystery novels, followed by A Fatal Cut and Coming Home. She is also the author of the Joanna Piercy police series.

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DO YOU LOVE GRIPPING CRIME FICTION? THEN GET THIS BOX SET NOW. THREE MYSTERIES FULL OF GREAT CHARACTERS AND TWISTS AND TURNS

THE AUTHOR HAS SOLD OVER ONE MILLION BOOKS.

GET ***THREE*** ENTHRALLING MYSTERIES IN THIS INCREDIBLE VALUE BOX SET

WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT CALLADINE & BAYLISS:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant, lots of twists and turns.’ Lisa

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Great characters and plots.’ Amanda P.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved it. Couldn’t put it down.’ Sue W.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fantastic read. I love this series of books and characters.’ Booklover Bev

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fast-paced read and an exciting book.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a page turner, I was glued to the story’ Els V.

IN THIS THREE-BOOK BOX SET:

BOOK 10: DEAD WICKED
The first victim is found on waste ground. His tongue has been cut out and stuffed down his throat. Then another body is found dumped in a lake up in the hills. The same gruesome MO. The prime suspect is a criminal Detective Tom Calladine thought he’d seen the last of. But Calladine and Bayliss find everything they believed about this case is wrong.

BOOK 11: DEAD SORRY
Twenty-five years ago, a schoolgirl was attacked. Ambushed by three bullies at her home where she lived with her granny. Now, the mother of one of those bullies is found murdered. Written on the wall in the victim’s blood is the word ‘sorry’. Detectives Calladine and Bayliss discover a link to a pile of bones found at an old house up in the hills. It’s the home of the schoolgirl who was attacked. The pressure is on, and this time Calladine is cracking . . .

BOOK 12: DEAD REAL
A sweltering summer day on the Hobfield housing estate. New tenant Lisa Woodley is horrified when her cat comes home with a human foot in its mouth. The foot belongs to 16-year-old Noah Crosby, whose decomposing remains are found in a rubbish-strewn alleyway. A letter X is carved into Noah’s flesh. Twenty years ago, this was the hallmark of a serial killer who was never caught. Is he back killing again? Detectives Calladine and Bayliss must find the answers before the murderer strikes again.

Love Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, J.D. Kirk, J.M. Dalgliesh or Rachel Abbott? You’ll love this bestselling crime fiction writer.

THE DETECTIVES
Tom Calladine is a detective inspector who is devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful. Having been married and divorced before the age of twenty-one has set a pattern that he finds difficult to escape.

Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, plain-speaking but loyal. She is balancing her professional life with looking after a small child.

THE SETTING
The fictional village of Leesdon is on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. There is little work and a lot of crime. The bane of Calladine’s life is the Hobfield housing estate, breeding ground to all that is wrong with the area he calls home.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS
Book 8: DEAD BAD
Book 9: DEAD GUILTY
Book 10: DEAD WICKED
Book 11: DEAD SORRY
Book 12: DEAD REAL

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He doesn’t want to kill. He needs to.

A female health worker strangled at a municipal park. An elderly woman battered to death in her own home. Then, as Danny Flint and the MCIU start investigating, a third unidentified female is found dead on the M1 motorway.

Already stretched trying to investigate these killings, the MCIU are assigned another case – a young police officer left in a coma and clinging desperately to life after being beaten and kicked unconscious by a gang of football hooligans.

The four separate enquiries are Danny’s toughest challenge to date. But then a link is found that ties the three murders to a house in the centre of Nottingham.

As the net closes in on the killer the investigation takes an unexpected and bizarre twist as more bodies are discovered. With the death toll rising, Danny is left trying to answer a single question – just how far will this deranged killer go to conceal their one deadly lie?

One Deadly Lie – the sixth in the gripping detective series featuring DCI Danny Flint.

What readers are saying about One Deadly Lie:

“It was riveting and suspenseful. The writing is amazing and transported me to the 1980’s! I recommend. This is an awesome book!!” -Booksprout Reviewer

“This is another cracker in this great series. The writing is excellent as usual… I find myself unable to put it down.” -Goodreads Reviewer

“I got totally engrossed in following all the strands and working out how it will be resolved. All in all, a really good read.” -Booksprout Reviewer

“I like the premise of the murder plot. I’m not going to say what it is, but, while it’s not completely novel, the author puts a great spin on it and makes it his own. It certainly holds the attention. I thought it was particularly well done.” -Netgalley Reviewer

“This is a brilliant read. Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously. Recommend reading.” -Booksprout Reviewer

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