Top list: Crime

A girl with a secret…Longbill Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn gets ready for prom night, the highlight of any high school experience. But Emily has a secret. And by the end of the evening, she will be dead.

A murder that remains a mystery…Forty years later, Emily’s murder remains unsolved. Her friends closed ranks, her family retreated inwards, the community moved on. But all that’s about to change.

One final chance to uncover a killer…Andrea Oliver arrives in town with a simple assignment: to protect a judge receiving death threats. But her assignment is a cover. Because, in reality, Andrea is here to find justice for Emily – and to uncover the truth before the killer decides to silence her too…

A Sunday Times No.1 bestseller for w/c 20/05/2018, 23/06/2019, 28/06/2020, and 04/07/2021

‘This thriller delivers. It’s twisty, touching and intense. I find it totally absorbing’ Adele Parks, author ofOne Last Secret

‘This first-class detective thriller is a dark, sophisticated gem of a read’ Janice Hallett, author ofThe Appeal

‘An effortlessly accomplished thriller’ The Times

The stunning new thriller from international No.1 bestseller Karin Slaughter, author of , now a major Netflix seriesPieces of Her

“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?

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?

The New York Times No.1 bestselling and multi award-winning YA crime thriller and TikTok sensation that everyone is talking about. Now a major BBC series!

‘A taut, compulsively readable, elegantly plotted thriller', GUARDIAN

'Prepare to be murdered by this book. Dark, dangerous – my heart literally pounded', LAURA STEVEN, author of bestselling Infinite Fates

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth … ?

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

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 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

The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller!

Watch Will Trent on Disney+!

Sara doesn’t think about that night.

About the attack.

About the way it tore her world apart.

About the man who did it, now safely behind bars.

She thought that night was over. Until a new victim appears…

And now a young woman’s life depends on Sara uncovering exactly what happened after that night…

Love crime? Love Slaughter.

Readers are obsessed with After That Night!

‘Perfect storytelling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heart racing, heart breaking, heart warming’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An unputdownable book from a terrific author’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me completely enthralled’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The characters shine through’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A storming tour-de-force of twists, turns and surprises’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I did not want to finish it’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The ending was surprising and explosive’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow wow wow !!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Lots of twists which kept you guessing right until the end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I devoured it in a day’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Couldn’t put the book down’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fantastic from the first page’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Compulsive reading’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After That Night was a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 26/6/22

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?

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.

Memory man FBI agent, Amos Decker, returns in this action-packed thriller to investigate the mysterious and brutal murder of a federal judge and her bodyguard at her home in an exclusive, gated community in Florida from international bestselling author David Baldacci.

Things are changing for Decker. He’s in crisis following the suicide of a close friend and receipt of a letter concerning a personal issue which could change his life forever. Together with the prospect of working with a new partner, Frederica White, Amos knows that this case will take all of his special skills to solve.

As darkness falls, evil comes to light . . .

Judge Julia Cummins seemingly had no enemies, and there was no forced entry to her property. Close friends and neighbours in the community apparently heard nothing, and Cummins’ distraught ex-husband, Barry, and teenage son, Tyler, both have strong alibis. Decker must first find the answer to why the judge felt the need for a bodyguard, and the meaning behind the strange calling card left by the killer.

Someone has decided it’s payback time.

Long Shadows is the seventh Amos Decker thriller. Jump in here, or start the series with Memory Man.

Killer twists. Heroes to believe in. Trust Baldacci.

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 follow-up to her critically acclaimed Lie to Me, J.T. Ellison’s Tear Me Apart is the powerful story of a mother willing to do anything to protect her daughter even as their carefully constructed world unravels around them.

One moment will change their lives forever…

Competitive skier Mindy Wright is a superstar in the making until a spectacular downhill crash threatens not just her racing career but her life. During surgery, doctors discover she’s suffering from a severe form of leukemia, and a stem cell transplant is her only hope. But when her parents are tested, a frightening truth emerges. Mindy is not their daughter.

Who knows the answers?

The race to save Mindy’s life means unraveling years of lies. Was she accidentally switched at birth or is there something more sinister at play? The search for the truth will tear a family apart…and someone is going to deadly extremes to protect the family’s deepest secrets.

With vivid movement through time, Tear Me Apart examines the impact layer after layer of lies and betrayal has on two families, the secrets they guard, and the desperate fight to hide the darkness within.

Don’t miss It's One of Us, the next page-turning thriller from New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison!

Hannah Reed presents the second book in the Scottish Highlands Mystery series.

Librarian-spy Irene's assistant has been kidnapped by the Fae – a fairy faction who will stop at nothing to cause utter chaos. The Masked City is the second entry in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.

Irene is working undercover when disaster strikes. Her assistant, Kai, is snatched away by the dangerous Fae faction, unveiling his secret identity. Kai is a dragon prince – with this act of aggression, the Fae are determined to trigger a war that will hurl all dimensions into havoc.

With the stakes higher than ever before, Irene must navigate a treacherous path into the heart of enemy territory – a dark, alternate Venice under the grim control of the Fae. To prevent the Fae from triggering armageddon, she must find and rescue Kai. She will be forced to blackmail, fight and make an unlikely alliance – or face death . . .

This book also includes a extra, bonus section – with fascinating insights into the library's intricate spy network.

Continue this enthralling journey with The Burning Page, the third book in the series that takes the adventure to new, fiery heights.

Praise for the series:

'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season

'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian

'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series

When one beach closes, another case opens for this amateur island investigator.

Life is improving for Patience following her return to Pony Island. She’s making headway as a concierge counselor, to cautious clients, in a town too small for discretion, and she’s even managing to ignore her ex-boyfriend’s shameless charm and flirtation. Mostly.

But she’s barely recovered from her recent run-in with a killer when body parts begin washing up on the beach, and her parents are named as suspects!

Now, Patience is diving deep into a personal investigation with the help of Sebastian, her current crush and federal agent. And her pesky ex-boyfriend, Adrian, is never far behind. He’s hoping to crack the case and gain favor in the upcoming mayoral election.

Can Patience find the answers she needs before the killer finds her? Or will she be the next to wash ashore?

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.

NOW A MAJOR TELEVISION EVENT FROM NBC, STARRING RUSSELL HORNSBY, ARIELLE KEBBEL, AND MICHAEL IMPERIOLI.

“Deaver’s labyrinthine plots are astonishing”(The New York Times Book Review) in this bestselling thriller featuring a hitman who is out to kill a young girl in Harlem and in order to save her, Lincoln Rhyme has to solve a cold case that’s over 150 years old.

Unlocking a cold case with explosive implications for the future of civil rights, forensics expert Lincoln Rhyme and his protégé, Amelia Sachs, must outguess a killer who has targeted a high school girl from Harlem who is digging into the past of one of her ancestors, a former slave. What buried secrets from 140 years ago could have an assassin out for innocent blood? And what chilling message is hidden in his calling card, the hanged man of the tarot deck? Rhyme must anticipate the next strike or become history—in the New York Times bestseller that proves “there is no thriller writer today like Jeffery Deaver” (San Jose Mercury News).

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?

'Expertly plotted and mesmerising' - Mick Herron A local myth. A deadly threat. Vera Stanhope, star of ITV's Vera, returns for her most shocking case so far . . .

I can't see anything. It's as if this house is on its own in the world, as if I'm on my own in the world and nobody would care if I died . . .

When a body is found on the common outside Rosebank, an isolated care home for troubled teens, DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up to work, and her only clue is the disappearance of fourteen-year-old resident Chloe. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Then, in the isolated wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, near the Three Dark Wives standing stones which have triggered legends across the centuries, a second body is found. As folklore and fact begin to collide, Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth.

But it seems that there are dark secrets in their community - ones that may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed . . .

The Dark Wives is the next thrilling mystery in the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling series from Ann Cleeves.

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'Like Rendell and James before her, like McDermid and Rankin today, Ann Cleeves is one of our secret chroniclers, charting – under cover of a series of expertly plotted and mesmerising crime novels – how we live now' – Mick Herron, author of Slow Horses

'Cleeves's Northumberland novels are strong on atmosphere, combing old-fashioned detective work with a modern take on class' – The Sunday Times

'A thoroughly engrossing thriller' – The Mail on Sunday

'One of Britain's best crime writers' – Daily Express

'A story that keeps you guessing until the end where all the clues are pulled together masterfully' – Reader review

'As stunning on the page as on TV' – Reader review

'The storyline, the characters and the atmosphere of North East England all fit together beautifully' – Reader review