Top list: Crime

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There’s a serial killer on the loose, bent on working his way through the alphabet. And as a macabre calling card he leaves beside each victim’s corpe the ABC Railway Guide open at the name of the town where the murder has taken place.

Having begun with Andover, Bexhill and then Churston, there seems little chance of the murderer being caught – until he makes the crucial and vain mistake of challenging Hercule Poirot to frustrate his plans…

A vivid, unforgettable story of an unlikely sisterhood—an emotionally powerful and haunting tale of friendship that illuminates the plight of women in a traditional culture—from the author of the bestselling The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and When the Moon Is Low.

For two decades, Zeba was a loving wife, a patient mother, and a peaceful villager. But her quiet life is shattered when her husband, Kamal, is found brutally murdered with a hatchet in the courtyard of their home. Nearly catatonic with shock, Zeba is unable to account for her whereabouts at the time of his death. Her children swear their mother could not have committed such a heinous act. Kamal’s family is sure she did, and demands justice.

Barely escaping a vengeful mob, Zeba is arrested and jailed. As Zeba awaits trial, she meets a group of women whose own misfortunes have also led them to these bleak cells: thirty-year-old Nafisa, imprisoned to protect her from an honor killing; twenty-five-year-old Latifa, who ran away from home with her teenage sister but now stays in the prison because it is safe shelter; and nineteen-year-old Mezhgan, pregnant and unmarried, waiting for her lover’s family to ask for her hand in marriage. Is Zeba a cold-blooded killer, these young women wonder, or has she been imprisoned, as they have been, for breaking some social rule? For these women, the prison is both a haven and a punishment. Removed from the harsh and unforgiving world outside, they form a lively and indelible sisterhood.

Into this closed world comes Yusuf, Zeba’s Afghan-born, American-raised lawyer, whose commitment to human rights and desire to help his motherland have brought him back. With the fate of this seemingly ordinary housewife in his hands, Yusuf discovers that, like Afghanistan itself, his client may not be at all what he imagines.

A moving look at the lives of modern Afghan women, A House Without Windows is astonishing, frightening, and triumphant.

Andrea Penrose presents Book 7 in the Wrexford & Sloane Mystery series.

As inventive as Agatha Christie, as hilarious as P.G. Wodehouse – discover the delightful detective stories of Edmund Crispin. Crime fiction at its quirkiest and best.

When a decapitated head is seen floating down the river in the Devon village of Aller, the rural calm is shattered. Soon the corpses are multiplying, and the entire community is involved in the hunt for the murderer.

Whilst many chase false trails, it is left to Gervase Fen, Oxford don and amateur criminologist, to uncover the sordid truth…

""Horowitz dazzles with the brilliant third entry in his Susan Ryeland series . . . . [He is] is at the top of his game here, linking past and present in a virtuoso finale worthy of Agatha Christie."" — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Murder links past and present once again in this mind-boggling metafictional mystery from Anthony Horowitz featuring detective Atticus Pünd and editor Susan Ryeland, stars of the New York Times bestsellers Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders.

Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, in search of a new life back in England.

Freelancing for a London publisher, she's given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pünd continuation novel called Pünd’s Last Case. Worse still, she knows the new writer. Eliot Crace is the troubled grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot is convinced she was murdered—by poison.

To her surprise, Susan enjoys reading the manuscript which is set in the South of France and revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, days before she was about to change her will. But when it is revealed that Lady Margaret was also poisoned, alarm bells begin to ring.

The more Susan reads, the clearer it becomes that Eliot has deliberately concealed clues about his grandmother’s death inside the book.

Desperately, Susan tries to prevent Eliot from putting himself in harm’s way—but his behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Another murder follows . . . and suddenly Susan finds herself to be the number one suspect.

Once again, the real and the fictional worlds have become dangerously entangled. And if Susan doesn't solve the mystery of Pünd’s Last Case, she could well be its next victim.

No sooner is Maomao settled back in the royal capital than she’s dragged off to a meeting of the named clans, and despite the posh surroundings, intrigue is the order of the day. Old grudges come to the surface, new ones threaten to break out into fights, and...is that a hint of love in the air? Maomao will have to navigate the twisting politics and conflicting priorities of the different clans—including hers—if she wants to survive one of the liveliest meetings around!

The new cosy crime novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author. NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, and Cara Horgan. Season 3 coming in 2026!

Exclusive to the audiobook: includes an exclusive Q&A between author Robert Thorogood and narrator Nicolette McKenzie!

‘Step aboard for another sparkling Marlow Murder Club yarn … The best thing since Jerome K Jerome!’ Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners

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Verity Beresford is worried about her husband. Oliver didn’t come home last night so of course Verity goes straight to Judith Potts, Marlow’s resident amateur sleuth, for help. Oliver, founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, had hired The Marlow Belle, a private pleasure cruiser, for an exclusive party with the MADS committee but no one remembers seeing him disembark. And then Oliver’s body washes up on the Thames with two bullet holes in him – it’s time for the Marlow Murder Club to leap into action.

Oliver was a rather complicated chap and he wasn’t short of enemies. Judith, Suzie, and Becks are convinced they’ll crack the case in no time. But things are not as they seem in the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, and the gang will need to keep their wits about them, otherwise a killer may sail away scot-free …

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Praise for Robert Thorogood

‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly

'A light-hearted romp with gallons of humour, mystery and brilliant sleuthing' The Sun

‘Full of unexpected twists and turns … we will be enjoying the mysteries of Robert Thorogood for many years to come' Daily Mail

'Fiendishly clever and funny, with delightful and original characters. I loved it!' Roz Watkins

‘Thrilling and heartfelt, gripping and wonderfully humorous … an absolute joy from first page to last' Chris Whitaker

While staying with the Kingston Bruce family, Mrs. Hamilton Betts discovers that her valuable pink pearl is missing. Presuming it to have been stolen by another houseguest, the concerned host contacts the Beresfords for help.

The Glass Room is the fifth book in Ann Cleeves’s Vera Stanhope series – which is now a major ITV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn as Vera.

Sometimes crime strikes too close to home . . .

DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her neighbours keep her well-supplied in homebrew and conversation. But when one of them goes missing, her path leads her to more than a missing friend . . .

Vera tracks the young woman down to the Writer’s House, a country retreat for aspiring authors. Things get complicated when a body is discovered and Vera’s neighbour is found with a knife in her hand. Calling in the team, Vera knows that she should hand the case over. She’s too close to the main suspect. But the investigation is too tempting and she’s never been one to follow the rules. Vera must find a killer who has taken murder off the page and is making it real . . .

Enjoy more of Vera Stanhope’s investigations with Harbour Street, The Moth Catcher, The Seagull and The Darkest Evening.

*The Sunday Times bestseller*

*DISCOVER YOUR NEXT ESCAPE WITH THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR*

‘A tear-those-pages thriller’ ABIGAIL DEAN

‘Secrets galore’ DAILY MAIL

‘Atmospheric, haunting, and beautifully written’ GILLIAN McALLISTER

‘Queen of the destination thriller’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS

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THE PERFECT DAY FOR A HIKE

Seeking the escape of a lifetime, four friends hike out into the beautiful Norwegian wild – nothing between them and the mountain peak but forest, sea and sharp blue sky.

THE PERFECT PLACE TO DISAPPEAR

But there’s a darker side to the wilderness. A woman went missing here one year ago. Now the friends are hiking into the heart of the mystery. And waiting on the trail is someone who’d do anything to keep their secrets buried – and to stop the group walking away alive . . .

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Readers love getting swept away with Lucy Clarke’s destination thrillers:

‘Had me on the edge of my seat’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant . . . kept me guessing the whole way through’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Twists & turns galore, couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Very clever and I was gripped throughout. Will be reading more from Lucy Clarke for sure!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Very evocative and you get really involved with the beautiful setting and characters’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a stonkingly fabulous read!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Hike was a Sunday Times bestseller for w/e 7/05/2023

“Fans of TV’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation should be in heaven” (People) stepping into the world of forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan—she works with the dead, but she works for the living.

“Down time” is not a phrase in Tempe Brennan’s vocabulary. A string of disturbing cases has put her vacation plans on hold; instead, she heads to the lab to analyze charred remains from a suspicious fire, and a mysterious black residue from a small plane crash. But most troubling of all are the bones. Even more disturbing is the fact that bones turns up on a family picnic in North Carolina—but are they animal or human? X-rays and DNA may link the crimes, but they can’t reveal who is closing in on Tempe and her family. And how far they will go to keep her from uncovering the truth?

In a romantic and suspenseful collection of the New York Times bestselling trilogy, love's unbreakable bonds are put to the test. When her boyfriend, Tristan, died, Ivy thought she'd lost everything, even her faith in angels. But now she's discovered that he's her gaurdian angel - his presence is so strong that she can feel the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart. Ivy needs Tristan now more than ever because he knows she's in terrible danger. Only Ivy's guardian angel can save her now that his killer is after her. But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he must leave her behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her just when he's finally reached her again?

The political situation at court has changed: the birth of Gyokuyou’s son has seen her elevated to the status of Empress, and meanwhile Jinshi is no longer able to continue his pretense at the rear palace. Although all seems peaceful after the destruction of the Shi clan, threats continue to loom—not least a potential plague of insects—and Maomao, as ever, somehow finds herself caught up in them.

When Jinshi orders an expedition to Gyokuyou’s homeland, Maomao heads west. But is there something lurking in the shadows of the glittering city? And will Maomao be able to discover what it is before it’s too late?

I stare down at the sunken patch of earth with awful dread. Caring hands take hold of the little girl, lifting her out of the dirt and debris, cradling her gently. A woman old enough to be her abuelita, one fist clutching a rosary, closes the child’s eyes. Her tears wash runnels through the caked mud on her granddaughter’s face as she gives her one final kiss.

When an underground safe house collapses in Santa Carina Valley, California, FBI Agent Susan Parker is called to lead the investigation. Still reeling from her husband's murder and struggling to rebuild her life as a single mom to her young daughter, Susan is now faced with her toughest case yet.

As Susan digs deeper, she uncovers a chilling truth – this was no accident, but a cold-blooded mass murder. The trail leads to a mysterious figure known as ‘The Saint,’ a supposed savior with a twisted hatred and deadly agenda.

With a ruthless killer targeting the vulnerable, can Susan unmask The Saint before more lives are lost? Or will she become the next casualty?

A heart-stopping and propulsive thriller that will keep you furiously turning the pages, The Safe House is perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Lisa Regan and A.J. Rivers.

Readers are loving the FBI Agent Susan Parker series:

“The very epitome of page-turner with a chilling storyline that grips from the first and kept me guessing right up to the heart-racing denouement… STUNNER.” Reader review, ??????????

“I devoured this book in 1 day! A suspenseful thriller with plenty of twists.” Reader review, ??????????

“Captivating and nail-biting… literally gave me the chills… full of twist and turns… you are always left guessing… story was gripping and gut wrenching. Susan is an amazing protagonist! … I am hooked and can't wait for the next one! Must read!” Reader review, ??????????

“Consumed me, transporting me to a realm of pulse-pounding suspense that lingered long after I finished reading… be prepared to sleep with the lights on...” Reader review, ??????????

“Kept me guessing to the end.” Reader review, ??????????

“Fast and intense.” Reader review, ??????????

“I couldn't put it down… read this in one sitting... Highly recommended for anyone in search of a pulse-pounding read that will keep them up late into the night.” Reader review, ?????

“A pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat… Fans of Robert Dugoni, Gregg Olsen, and Lisa Regan will be riveted by this electrifying novel that delivers twists, turns, and heart-stopping suspense at every corner.” Reader review, ?????

“Loved it! ... Great characters, a story full of twists, and a surprising ending.” Reader review, ?????

“I was on the edge of my seat… I even held my breath at one point. There is a ton of mystery, suspense and action. It was a thrilling roller coaster ride.” Reader review, ?????

“I couldn't put it down and read during every free second I could spare... Wow! I loved this!” Reader review, ?????

“I loved this book and the twists were fabulous and unpredictable.” Reader review, ?????

“Oh wow! This was a page-turner! The twists and secrets we uncover in this book had me constantly turning the page!” Reader review, ?????

“An excellent who-dun-it murder mystery!!... kept me entertained and on my toes the whole time. great ending!!!” Reader review, ?????

“Wow!! I think this might be the most terrifying and delicious serial murder story I have read.” WendiReviews, ?????

“Suspenseful amazing gripping and twisty…a page turner.” Reader review, ?????

The audiobook is narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick, Olivia Vinall and Helen Keeley and also features Olivia Dowd, Paul Panting, Joe Gaminara and Heather Long.

'Araminta is one of the most daring and intriguing writers working today. This is a resonant, razor-laced and dangerously glittering novel' Gillian Flynn

'An absolutely thrilling tale, full of breathless cliffside terror and fresh feminist theory masked in tight, propulsive mystery. I devoured this book' Lisa Taddeo

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If most men say they’re one of the good guys, then why are so many women afraid to walk alone at night?

Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.

So when Mel leaves him, he's floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.

Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.

Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.

As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.

This is what happens when women have had enough . . .

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‘A dark, dazzling shock to the system. One of the Good Guys is clever, composed, exciting and frightening’

Chris Whitaker

'Scorching, smart and soaked in feminist rage, this is a suspense that stays with you long after the last page'

Ellery Lloyd

'It got me by the throat and wouldn’t let go. It’s creepy, thought-provoking, compelling and so very relevant'

Julie Cohen

'A mind-bending tour de force. Araminta Hall has always been one of my favorite writers, but what she has done here is groundbreaking. This thriller is shocking, twisted, dark, and absolutely on-point'

Samantha Downing

'A bold and on-point feminist thriller about gendered violence with Gone Girl twistiness and narrator unreliability'

Victoria Selman

'A dark, original and thought-provoking read. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you thinking long after the last'

Alice Feeney

From the "Queen of Suspense," Mary Higgins Clark, comes a riveting tale of suspense, secrets, and revenge.

Historian Jean Sheridan returns to Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, excited about her twenty-year high-school reunion at Stonecroft Academy. But a dear friend of hers soon becomes the fifth woman in the class to meet a sudden, mysterious end. Then Jean receives a taunting fax about a child she gave up for adoption, whose existence she had kept a secret but whose life may now be in danger. For present at the reunion is The Owl, a murderer on a mission of vengeance against women who once humiliated him...and Jean is his final intended victim.

In the debut of a delightful cozy mystery series, Sarah Fox introduces a charming new heroine who finds herself in a sticky situation: stacking pancakes, pouring coffee, and investigating murder.

Reality television can be murder…

When a reality show brings chaos to the island, including a slew of fans, a pack of ghost hunters, and a parade of food trucks, Patience is sure she’ll never sleep again. She’s looking for solace in the fact the food is good and the fall birders are gone, but news of another local murder quickly tarnishes the silver lining.

Two D-list celebrities are dead at a local B&B, in the room most frequented by her federal agent boyfriend, Sebastian.

Now Patience is on the case, worried the killer might’ve been gunning for him instead.

Unfortunately, her suspect list grows nearly as fast as the number of threats against her. Can she find the killer before he calls cut?

There's a murderer on the loose again . . . but is witchcraft involved?

Southern witch Dylan Apel just can't stay away from murder. When a stranger's body turns up in the school gymnasium, everyone's on high alert. The search is on to discover the person's identity—is it a random hobo or someone connected to the witching world?

With Dylan's super-hot boyfriend Roman Bane on the case, this should be an easy one to solve, right? But when a new witch arrives with the intention of stealing Roman right out from under Dylan's nose, her world is sent topsy-turvy. Things only get worse when Dylan's family is attacked—whoever is committing murder intends Dylan to be next!

Dylan must solve a murder, protect her family and keep the new witch's claws from sinking into Roman—all while running a successful dress shop and staying sane. Will Dylan figure out the killer before she becomes the next victim?

Magic & Misfits: Bentley Smith is determined to prove his mettle by warming up the cold case involving Sheriff Nash's murdered father. Meanwhile, Ember is dealing with the fallout from her refusal to give Aunt Hyacinth the power she craves, which has greater consequences than she anticipated. Will Ember be able to sustain the fairytale life she's built in Starry Hollow or will it all finally crumble to dust?

Magic & Misfortune: When a valuable jewel goes missing, Ember Rose is tasked with tracking it down. When the negative consequences start piling up, throwing one obstacle after another in her way, Ember turns to magic to find the jewel before it can wreak havoc on the entire town of Starry Hollow. Will Ember locate the jewel in time or will the wheel of misfortune roll through town and crush the hopes and dreams of everyone she holds dear—including her own?

Magic & Marriage: When a television show called Natural Selection decides to film in Starry Hollow, the whole town is abuzz. Everyone is excited—except the chosen bachelor's grandmother. The wily old woman hires Ember to join as a bachelorette and disrupt the competition. Ember's uneasy about the job—and her unease only grows when one of the bachelorettes ends up dead. Can Ember and the sheriff find the killer before another bachelorette is eliminated—permanently?