Top list: Crime

This stunning blend of historical romance and time-traveling adventure has captured the hearts of millions of readers around the world and catapulted author Diana Gabaldon to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Outlander

introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills—as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love.

In 1945, former combat nurse Claire Randall returns from World War II and joins her husband for a second honeymoon. Their blissful reunion is shattered when she touches a boulder in an ancient stone ruin and is instantly transported to 1743

Scotland, a place torn by war and raiding border clans. Will Claire find her way back to her own time, or is her destiny forever linked with Clan MacKenzie and the gallant Jamie Fraser?

*SOON TO BE A MAJOR NETFLIX TV SERIES STARRING TESSA THOMPSON AND PRODUCED BY JESSICA CHASTAIN*

‘Stunning, addictive … this book should not be missed!’ Samantha Downing, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

‘This is great … Keeps you guessing all the way through’ Jane Fallon

‘Alice writes the twisty sort of novel that leaves you breathless and unsure about everything and everyone… Warning – could cause sleepless nights!’ Adele Parks, Platinum

‘The ultimate rollercoaster reading experience’ Woman & Home

‘Dark, twisted, and oh-so-good’ Prima

‘We gulped down this intense thriller in one heart-in-our-mouth afternoon – it's that good!’ Sun on Sunday Fabulous

'Cleverly plotted and tightly written, this deliciously dark thriller will leave readers breathless… Feeney’s best book yet’ Daily Express

‘A pacy thriller full of lies’ My Weekly

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If there are two sides to every story, someone is always lying…

Jack: Three words to describe my wife: Beautiful. Ambitious. Unforgiving.

Anna: I only need one word to describe my husband: Liar.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Anna’s ex-husband, DCI Jack Harper, is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation.

Someone is lying, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

**************************************************

Readers LOVE Alice Feeney:

‘An absolute must for thriller fans!’

‘I loved every page of this book’

‘Absolutely enthralling’

‘Best psychological thriller I have read’

‘This book completely sucked me in. I couldn’t put it down’

‘It's dark, disturbing, beautifully written and finished it in almost one sitting’

From New York Times Bestseller and BookTok sensation Rina Kent comes a captivating age-gap billionaire romance filled with power, desire, and betrayal.

Nothing is fair in war.

Jonathan King is every bit his last name.

Powerful. Untouchable. Corrupted.

He’s also my dead sister’s husband and way older than me.

When I first met him as a clueless child, I thought he was a god.

Now, I have to confront that god to protect my business from his ruthless grip.

Little did I know that declaring a war on the king will cost me everything.

When Jonathan covets something, he doesn’t only win, he conquers.

Now, he has his sights on me.

He wants to consume not only my body, but also my heart and my soul.

I fight, but there’s no escaping the king in his kingdom…

Reign of a King is the first part of a duet.

©2020 Rina Kent (P)2020 Rina Kent

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time.

I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill - but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parents' killers.

When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar - yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone.

Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampires and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies…

Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves.

I need to find the girl. I need to discover who killed my parents. And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…

The New York Times best-selling, brilliantly crafted crime-thriller sequel to the no.1 debut of 2019, A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER.

A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER IS

THE WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS' CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 AND

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2020

“Nail-biting, taut and pacy. Jackson [is] a homegrown thriller writer to watch.… – Guardian

Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective anymore.

With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way& and this time EVERYONE is listening.

But will she find him before it’s too late?

Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, Eva Dolan, C L Taylor, We Were Liars and Riverdale

Praise for A Good Girl's Guide to Murder:

'A taut, compulsively readable, elegantly plotted thriller' – Guardian

'A fiendishly-plotted mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.' – Laura Purcell, bestselling author of The Silent Companions

'There is a lot to really enjoy in this story and there is great energy to the writing, as well as some fine characterization' – Peter James, award-winning and no.1 bestselling crime thriller author of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series

'Twisty, compulsive and so, so clever' – Savannah Brown, author of The Truth About Keeping Secrets

'That ending! Pure genius' - Yasmin Rahman, author of All the Things We Never Said

'This book was a delight from start to finish. I laughed. I cried. And I very much enjoyed attempting to solve the case with Pip (who I now want to be my best friend). I didn't guess the twist, and I don't think many people will. Holly Jackson has absolutely killed it with her debut!' – Aisha Busby, author of A Pocketful of Stars and contributor to the award-winning A Change is Gonna Come

'Prepare to be murdered by this book. Dark, dangerous and intricately plotted – my heart literally pounded. I haven't been this addicted to anything since Serial. Holly Jackson is the next big thing, I promise' – Laura Stevens, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay

'Twisty and compelling' – Fiona Noble, Bookseller

***KITTY'S BACK! I BET YOU'D LOOK GOOD IN A COFFIN IS OUT NOW***

Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone.

I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of Sweetpea, My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

Don't miss Katy Brent's new wickedly witty novel, The Murder After the Night Before, available now!

Readers LOVE How to Kill Men and Get Away With It!

‘I literally couldn’t put this book down, I was just so engrossed in Kitty and what the heck she was going to do next!!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book has got to be my favourite so far this year.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘There are just so many good things I could say about this book. I absolutely tore (pun intended) through this read. Everyone needs to go read it.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Being a man I really shouldn't like this book. Well I didn't like it. I loved it! Oh I just couldn't stop reading this.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘How to Kill Men was an absolute treat to read, sending out American Psycho and Promising Young Women vibes.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘AMAZING!!! Where has Kitty been all my life?’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is one of the most clever books I have read in quite a while.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A well-rounded cast of characters, quick pace, and thrilling twists make this one of my favourites of the year!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence.

""As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.""

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

Performed by David Cui Cui, Khaya Fraites, Zeke Alton, Alejandro Ruiz, Aure Nash, Bradley Foster Smith, Holly Adams, Megan Dorminy, Natalie Van Sistine, Michael John Casey, Rayner Gabriel, Shanta Parasuraman, Tanja Milojevic and Wyn Delano."

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2024

WINNER OF GOODREADS MYSTERY & THRILLER BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

'I was totally gripped' DOUGLAS STUART

'Immersive and enthralling' PAULA HAWKINS

___________

Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.

Some said the family deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.

Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.

Now, fifteen years later, the Van Laars' teenage daughter has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.

Some say they are.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-

‘Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced … I can't remember the last time I felt so entangled in a novelist's coils’ Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures

'A beguiling novel with a relentless grip. You won't be able to put it down' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground

'At once an immersive family saga and utterly propulsive mystery. Beautifully written' Emilia Hart, author of Weyward

‘A masterful literary thriller’ Lucy Clarke, author of The Hike

‘Riveting from page one to the last breathless word … This book flew by at lightning speed, but will stick with me for a very long time’ Rebecca Makkai, author of I Have Some Questions For You

‘Dickensian in scope … Very entertaining’ Vogue, Best Picks for Summer 2024

The God of the Woods debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list on 21 July 2024.

READERS ARE SAYING…

'I simply couldn't put it down!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An excellent page-turner' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I didn’t see the end coming' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I strongly urge everyone to read it and experience the magic for themselves' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'My top read for 2024 so far. Actually, top read full stop' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A fascinating story with lots of ups and downs… I did like the conclusion, very clever!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Loved this book from page one! … A book not to be missed!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I cannot think of when I have read anything so evocative' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A riveting read. If you're looking for intriguing characters, a beautifully crafted, slow and atmospheric mystery that feels incredibly intense, then this is the one for you' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Though her main duty is still looking after Consort Gyokuyou, Maomao finds time to help her friends and acquaintances in the rear palace, including Xiaolan, who will need a job after her term of service ends, and Consort Lishu, who’s convinced she’s seen a ghost! When complications arise with Gyokuyou’s pregnancy, however, Maomao knows she’s not skilled enough to handle a situation that could threaten the life of both mother and child. She knows someone who is, but they haven’t been welcome in the rear palace for a very long time… Meanwhile, Maomao begins to discern what seem to be links between otherwise unrelated incidents in the rear palace. But what if her dawning knowledge makes her the next victim?

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Quinn, Saskia Maarleveld, and Tessa Woodward, editor of The Briar Club.

Return to the world of the Farseers…

Robin Hobb’s best loved characters, Fitz , The Fool and Nighteyes the wolf, face new adventures and trials in the first book of The Tawny Man trilogy.

When Assassin’s Quest closed, Fitz was living in self-imposed exile. Wracked with pain, he had chosen to discard the magical gifts that had seen him survive the wonders and torments of navigating the legendary city of the Elderlings, and of raising a dragon.

Now, in this the first of a new trilogy, we are returned to the world of the Six Duchies and the lives of those who managed to survive the events of the first Assassin trilogy.

Fifteen years have passed and events are about to sweep Fitz out of his quiet backwater life and into the main political current again. Persecution of the Witted has become rampant throughout the Six Duchies despite Queen Kettricken’s effort to damp it. The Witted themselves have begun to strike back. So when 15 year old Prince Dutiful disappears, is it only because he is nervous about his betrothal ceremony to an Outislander princess, or has he been taken hostage by the Witted? Worse, is he perhaps another ‘Piebald Prince’, a Farseer tainted by Wit magic? As the desperate situation worsens, Kettricken has no choice but to summon Fitz to Buckkeep, for who better to track the young prince down than another gifted with the Wit, together with his bonded companion, the wolf Nighteyes?

I have a wolf in my head—her name is Esme, and she likes killing things.

I’m Lucy. Your average accountant turned alpha werewolf. An affair with the wrong succubus sent me tumbling into a magical realm I'd never even dreamed existed. I was just adjusting to pack life when I was asked to mercy kill the current alpha. I'm not a total bitch, so I did what he asked, but it's left me as alpha of a pack I don't know, full of people who resent that I still live and breathe while the old alpha doesn't.

I'm still trying to find my way in this violent new world when my third in command, Mark, gets brutally murdered right under my damn nose. To regain control of the pack, I'm going to need to find the killer and bring him to vigilante justice—luckily Esme is more than happy to get her paws dirty.

Of course, that's when the werewolf council show up to question me, and things get a little dicey. Thank goodness I have Greg Manners, former dragon brethren and general ass kicker, along to back me up. Now I just need to unravel who'd kill Mark, which it turns out, is a really long list. Mark was a very naughty boy. Now I'm hip deep in suspects, and I need to move fast—before the killer strikes again....

Don't miss all the books set in the Other Realm:-

The Glimmer Series

Glimmer of the Other

Glimmer of Hope

Glimmer of Death

Glimmer of Deception

The Other Wolf Series

Protection of the Pack

Guardians of the Pack

Saviour of the Pack

The Court Series

Challenge of the Court

Betrayal of the Court

Revival of the Court

The Other Witch Series

Rune of the Witch

Hex of the Witch

Coven of the Witch

Familiar of the Witch

Destiny of the Witch

***Don't miss the second book in the series, Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man), out now!***

Put the kettle on, there’s a mystery brewing…

'Vera Wong is my new favourite sleuth' Elle Cosimano

Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective?

Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy ‘detective’ work on the internet (AKA checking up on her son to see if he’s dating anybody yet).

But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer.

Nobody spills the tea like this amateur sleuth.

USA Today Bestseller and Edgar Award Winner

Readers LOVE Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers

'This is the perfect book for fans of found family, humour and mystery – full of warmth, heart, good food and well-meaning meddling' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fans of The Thursday Murder Club and other cosy mysteries with great characterisation will love this book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This was ABSOLUTELY my cup of tea' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I need a Vera (and her cooking) in my life! This book is potentially my favourite read of the year' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘DARK AND TWISTY’ Riley Sager

‘LOVED EVERY MINUTE’ Joshilyn Jackson

You’ll never find her. Don’t even try.

When a local mother and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, suddenly vanish, their close-knit suburban community is rocked by fear and suspicion. How could such a terrible thing have happened in their small town?

Then, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly reappears. Everyone wants to know what really happened to her. But there are secrets hidden deep in the past – and when the truth about those missing years begins to surface, no one is prepared for what they’re about to find out.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Claire Douglas and Freida McFadden

‘Strap in tight as this is one hell of a ride’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A taut, twisty thriller that kept me turning the pages’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Highly recommended’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me hooked’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

____

Praise for Mary Kubica

‘Kubica’s salacious, thoroughly mysterious characters bear the qualities we all crave in a thriller’

Karin Slaughter

‘A page-turning whodunit’

Ruth Ware

‘Brilliantly propulsive and engrossing, with twists you won’t see coming’

JP Delaney

New York Times bestselling author Faye Kellerman delivers an electrifying crime novel of suspense as a young man’s obsessive investigation into his sister’s death draws him into the path of a sadistic serial killer.

Part 1 of Killing Season centers around a teenaged boy, Ben Vicksburg, seeking retribution for his murdered sister. It is a crime novel, but it is also a story of friendship and family, a tale of a dedicated detective and an obsessed brother on a mission to bring a serial killer to justice.

Murder is a dish best served ice cold...

In the idyllic, small town of Dewstow, Margery and Clementine are eagerly awaiting retirement from their work on the front-line serving meals to the students at Summerview secondary school.

Their peaceful life is shattered when their kitchen manager is found dead in the school’s walk-in freezer. The police are adamant that it’s an open-and-shut case of accidental death. But Margery and Clementine are convinced that something more sinister is afoot and take it upon themselves to investigate.

As the dinner ladies inch closer to the truth, time's running out. Will the perpetrator get their just desserts or is everything just going to go down the pan?

A charming, cosy British mystery, ´The Dinner Lady Detectives´ is ideal for fans of Richard Osman's ´The Thursday Murder Club´ or ´Murder, She Wrote´.

Hannah Hendy lives in a small town in South Wales with her long-suffering wife and two spoilt cats. A professional chef by trade, she started writing to fill the time between shifts.

**Susan Lewis's thrilling new novel Don't Believe a Word, featuring true crime podcast host Cristy Ward is available now!**

A triple murder.

A mother, her daughter and a family friend, are brutally killed at Kellon Manse one quiet summer’s day.

A young girl disappears and has not been seen since.

One suspect.

All fingers point to the husband of one of the victims. Yet he still walks free.

An unsolvable crime.

Cristy Ward has discovered the perfect next feature for her true crime podcast. Who really killed the three women at Kellon Manse?

And is there a chance the missing girl is still alive?

Readers LOVE Nothing to See Here!

'A fantastic read that keeps you guessing until the end' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Gripping. All through the book I had it in my head who I thought the killer was and was completely shocked to find out the truth. Absolutely amazing.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Suspense and red herrings had me reading frantically into the night' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This book was fast paced, thrilling, emotional… Everytime I put my book down I couldn’t stop thinking about it and was desperate to get back into it!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The second part of the series from Diana Gabaldon that explores the power of a love which transcends space and time. A magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves.

I’m Jinx, a run-of-the-mill private investigator...except I’m also a walking, talking lie detector. Oh, and I belong to magical realm known as the Other.

Murder isn’t usually my gig, but when I’m hired to investigate the death of a dryad called Reggie, I agree to help out because I know his grieving widow. It should be an easy case to crack, a mugging gone wrong, but the murder scene photos show it was anything but. Reggie’s death has all the hallmarks of my parents’ murders so I’ll stop at nothing to finding his killers. It’s so important I’d even be willing to tag in Stone to help - if I could find him...

Reggie was into some bad stuff involving a drug called Boost. Take it, and you play Russian roulette because either you get high or you die. As the drug claims another victim, I find myself with a new sidekick who is determined to fight its evil influence and he just happens to be the king of the dragon community.

Now I have two deaths to solve and one suave dragon king along for the ride.

I need to find Reggie’s murderer.

I need to discover who killed my parents.

And I need to keep my distance from the charismatic dragon Emory, who refuses to take no for an answer...

‘Must read!’Closer

‘I love, love, LOVE !’Perfect RemainsReader review

‘A superb debut!’Reader review

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.