The Crime Warp

Available here Here's the blurb - and after an introduction  like this I defy you not to buy the book.  Meet Jay. Small-time dealer. Accidental jihadist. The one man who can save us all? Javid – call him Jay – is a dope dealer living in West London. He goes to mosque on Friday, and he’s just bought his pride and joy – a BMW. He lives with his mum, and life seems sweet. But his world is about to turn upside-down. Because MI5 have been watching him, and they think he’s just the man they need for a delicate mission. One thing’s for sure: now he’s a long way East of Hounslow, Jay’s life will never be the same again. With the edgy humour of Four Lions and the pulse-racing tension of Nomad, East of Hounslow is the first in a series of thriller starring Jay Qasim.

Available here The Blurb Undercover ops are always dangerous, but DC Constance Fairchild never expected things to go this wrong. Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He's been executed - a single shot to the head. In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con's shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief... right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through  her  head. There's no place to hide, and no time to cry. So let me introduce you to James Oswald's new lead character. Her name is Constance (Con to her friends but never Connie) Fairchild and she has a raft of demons from her own past to come to terms with but the murder of her firend Pete has left her bereft. The biggest issue at the moment ...

Available here Blurb: 'My name is Alice. And my son is a murderer.' Deborah’s son was killed four years ago. Alice’s son is in prison for committing that crime. Deborah would give anything to have her boy back, and Alice would do anything to right her son’s wrongs. Driven by guilt and the need for redemption, Alice has started a support group for parents with troubled children. But as the network begins to grow, she soon finds out just how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control… They call it mother’s intuition, but can you ever really know your own child? A twisty and unnerving story about the price of motherhood and the unthinkable things we do to protect our children.  Author Bio: Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband and three children. She worked for the NHS for fifteen years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a psychology degree she went to work for the prison se...

Stav Sherez has tonight (announced 19 July, 9pm) scooped the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award for The Intrusions . Now in its fourteenth year, the Award is considered one of the most coveted crime writing prizes in the country. The Intrusions by Stav Sherez was a 2017 Guardian and Sunday Times book of the year, dubbed ‘A Silence of the Lambs for the internet age’ by Ian Rankin. The book was acclaimed by critics for its echoes of Emile Zola and influences from Graham Greene to Dostoyevsky . Stav was presented the award by title sponsor Simon Theakston and broadcaster Mark Lawson at the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. The annual Festival, hosted in Harrogate, is the world’s biggest celebration of the genre. Stav said: “I’m so shocked. Thank you so much for everyone who reads books, everyone who buys books, and talks about them. The world is full of hardships, but we have so much great stuff in culture and it means so muc...

With this deliciously insightful dissection of character and destiny, Fairfax goes from strength to strength. You wouldn’t expect a courtroom drama, even one brimming with authenticity, to keep you on the edge of your seat, but I was consumed from the first chapter.  The male protagonist, Benson, ex-con, confessed murderer and now barrister, leads a cast of intriguing and well-rounded characters. Life is a struggle - I’m old enough to not have to pretend that I can navigate it with confident ease. And it’s not easy for Fairfax’s characters either: violence, intimidation, blackmail, nasty and vindictive enemies, … our past and our secrets do have a tendency to catch up with us.  Benson is called upon to defend Stainsby, a thoroughly repulsive man, against the charge of a horrific murder. But is Stainsby guilty? Will Benson get him off? It’s not only justice that hangs by a thread, but also Benson’s career and very future.  I’m also old enough to know tha...

July would not be July for me without a trip to Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.  Apart form the sheer joy of being surrounded by books of the crime writing persuasion, You're also surrounded by the authors themselves.  Wherever you look there's a spare one hanging around waiting to be nabbed to sign a book or discuss a character or just have a laugh.  The one thing I've noticed about crime writers is that they love to have a laugh. They are also notoriously generous with their time and invariably keen to offer support to fellow writers.  You might arrive on your own, but I guarantee you, you'll leave with a fair few friends, some of them friends for life.  So, whilst I enjoy the craic and mingling, I also love the panels.  They for me as a crime writer myself, offer valuable insights into the industry, current issues and cutting edge writing.  I'm a firm believer in the old adage that through immersing yourse...

  Available here Last year I reviewed the prequel to this The Fifth to Die ( The Fourth Monkey review )  and was blown away by it's complexity and energy.  So, when The Fifth to Die reared its head, I was desperate to read it and boy was I rewarded for my eagerness.  I love serial killer novels - the darker the monster the more my enjoyment increases.  But, what gives me added pleasure is when we really get into the head of the killer with tantalising little insights and hints.  As a crime author myself, I know how difficult it is to immerse yourself in the mind of your bad characters and let them take you where they want to go.  So, hats off to J.D. Barker for pushing the boundaries and creating a truly insightful series of novels (The third one in the series will be released next year I believe) I would recommend reading The Fourth Monkey first for maximum enjoyment.

The Blurb DI Gus McGuire and his team are called in to investigate the disappearance of a teenage boy after his parents return from a weekend away, to find their home trashed and their son missing. But that is just the beginning.    As the investigation unfolds, Gus must discover what links a violent bikers’ gang, a Muslim youth group and a fundamentalist American based Christian church.  Alongside this, two cases from the past come back to haunt DI Gus McGuire and his DS, Alice Cooper. Gus has a lot to juggle, but will he cope? Uncommon Cruelty is the fourth in the DI Gus McGuire series set in Bradford, West Yorkshire and is a gritty, Northern Noir read . Author Bio Liz Mistry grew up in West Calder in Scotland and, after studying at Stirling University, she moved to Bradford, West Yorkshire where she now sets her crime fiction books. Liz is proud to be an honorary Bradfordian and describing Bradford as Warm and Rich and Fearless, she draws o...