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A Certain Justice: An Adam Dalgliesh Novel (Adam Dalgliesh #10)
by P.D. JamesNew York Times BestsellerWhen distinguished criminal lawyer Venetia Aldridge defends a young man for the brutal murder of his mother, she views the case as simply another opportunity to demonstrate her brilliance in the courtroom. But within weeks of the trial Aldridge is found dead at her desk, a bloodstained barrister&’s wig on her head. And as Commander Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard attempts to make sense of events, the murders continue, inexorably spiraling into fresh complexities of horror.
A Certain Malice
by Jake PageA bizarre murder leaves two teenagers dead in a desert arroyo, their naked bodies side by side, face up under the New Mexican sun. Near them, etched in stone, is a symbol unlike any Native American marking. What does it signify? The puzzle is made to order for Mo Bowdre's quirky and capacious intelligence. But Bowdre, a wildlife sculptor and occasional sleuth, may be in over his head, as he becomes embroiled in a possible case of ritual killing--and a certain malice. . . .From the Paperback edition.
A Chain of Evidence (The Fleming Stone Mysteries #2)
by Carolyn WellsA Manhattan lawyer turns to master detective Fleming Stone to prove his beautiful neighbor innocent of murder in this classic locked-room mystery A respectable young attorney in New York City, Otis Landon has barely settled into his new living quarters when an incident occurs in a neighboring apartment that he cannot, in good conscience, ignore. Robert Pembroke, a vicious, miserly man, has been murdered behind locked doors. The only people who had access to the victim were his servant and his niece. The latter, Miss Janet Pembroke, seems the suspect most likely to have eliminated her uncle with a hatpin, but her obvious distress and gentle demeanor convince Landon she is innocent. Besides, he may be falling in love with her. Obsessed with proving Miss Pembroke's innocence, Landon follows a perplexing chain of evidence that includes a railroad schedule, a key to a safe deposit box, ticket stubs to a music hall performance, and a monogrammed handkerchief. But with time running out and no solution in sight, he must turn to Fleming Stone, the only detective smart enough to make sense of it all. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
A Change of Art (Miracles and Mysteries of Mercy Hospital #4)
by Leslie GouldJoy is delighted when sisters Gabrielle and Claire Fleury include her in planning an art auction for the hospital. But things take a drastic turn when valuable paintings are stolen! This old-time Charleston family's perfect image begins to crack, especially when Abrielle and Claire's long-lost sister, Belina, appears. Could she have something to do with the missing paintings? Or is someone out there with a grudge against the Fleury family? Meanwhile, Joy struggles with her relationship with her own sister, Hope, who plans to move to Charleston. Their clashing personalities make it difficult for the pair to get along. Will Hope's unexpected move help the sisters find the bond they've always lacked... or drive them further apart? Four talented women from very different walks of life witness the miracles happening around them at Mercy Hospital and soon become fast friends. Join Joy Atkins, Evelyn Perry, Anne Mabry, and Shirley Bashore as, together, they solve the puzzling mysteries that arise at this Charleston, South Carolina, historic hospital--rumored to be under the protection of a guardian angel. Come along as our quartet of faithful friends solve mysteries, stumble upon a few of the hospital's hidden and forgotten passageways, and discover historical treasures along the way! This fast-paced series is filled with inspiration, adventure, mystery, delightful humor, and loads of Southern charm!
A Change of Circumstance: A Simon Serrailler Case
by Susan HillIn award-winning author Susan Hill’s electrifying A Change of Circumstance, Simon Serrailler finds himself in devastating new territory as a sophisticated drug network sets its sights on Lafferton. Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler has long regarded drug ops in Lafferton as a waste of time. The small-time dealers picked up outside the local high school can’t or won’t turn in any valuable names, so they’re merely given a fine and the trail runs cold. But when the body of a 22-year-old is found in neighboring Starley, the case pulls DCS Simon Serrailler into the underbelly of an elaborate drug operation that moves narcotics from the cities into the suburbs and right down to villages. The foot soldiers? Vulnerable local kids like Brookie and Olivia, whose involvement gives Simon a bitter taste of this new landscape. It’s a harsh winter in Lafferton, and with struggles both at home and on the job, DCS Serrailler soon learns that even the familiar can hold shocking surprises . . . Dark, page-turning, and rich in mood and character, Susan Hill’s A Change of Circumstance lands brilliantly as another gripping entry to the Serrailler canon, sure to enthrall fans and newcomers alike. “Modern crime writing with a dark, fierce edge.” —Daily Mail
A Change of Heart
by Helen MccloyGirzel Graeme looked on her father as the embodiment of all that was wise and good. But now her father lay in a hospital hovering between life and death, and the evil that struck him down reached out to claim his daughter.What terrifying secret did her father's past conceal? What horrifying act could he have committed? And what nameless danger threatened his daughter as she followed the lure of a fabulous jewel into a labyrinth of deceit, on the trail of a mysterious man who could save her faith in her father - or destroy both it and her.
A Change of Heart: An Amish Gathering Novella (Amish Gathering Novellas)
by Beth WisemanFollow one year in an Amish community with three heartwarming tales of old friends and new beginnings. "A Change of Heart" is one novella from this collection.Leah is no good at cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening—the skills that young women need to make a proper Amish wife. All she wants to do is write stories, but she's sincerely tired of being a disappointment. Will she ever find someone who accepts her just as she is?
A Charitable Body (Charlie Peace #9)
by Robert BarnardRobert Barnard, the internationally acclaimed Diamond Dagger-winning crime writer, dissects family bonds at their best and worst in this stunning novel of suspense. What an honor--to become trustee of an English stately home museum. Yorkshire Detective Inspector Charlie Peace's wife, Felicity, is initially thrilled when she's asked to join the board that oversees Walbrook Manor, an eighteenth-century mansion that's now part of a charitable trust. She's in for some surprises. With its shabby salons and drafty hallways, Walbrook shows signs of the financial burden it caused its recent owners, members of the related Quarles and Fiennes families, known more for feuds than for affectionate familial ties. They are known also for shadowy intrigues, great and small, some of which may emerge now that Walbrook and its archives are open to the public. The revelations could be devastating . . . and dangerous. Rupert Fiennes and Sir Stafford Quarles represent two lines of Walbrook's lords of the manor. Rupert seems relieved to have relinquished the estate to charitable hands, while Sir Stafford clings with perhaps unseemly pride to his position as chairman of the Walbrook Manor Trust Board. A tentative peace reigns, but when the wreck of a car and the remains of a body turn up in a nearby lake, it soon becomes clear that one of Walbrook's grimmest secrets may date to the years between the two world wars and may involve something much worse than mere malice. With police resources focused on more timely cases, Charlie and Felicity are left to discover that old sins are never forgotten, that "family" means more than a slot on the ancestral tree, and that sometimes there can be a good reason for murder. Suspenseful, witty, and, as always, superbly insight-ful, A Charitable Body shows acclaimed master of mystery Robert Barnard at his clever best.
A Charlie Salter Omnibus: A Charlie Salter Mystery
by Eric WrightEric Wright’s popular detective, Charlie Salter, is introduced in this collection of the first three books in the well-loved mystery series: The Night the Gods Smiled, Smoke Detector, and Death in the Old Country. Self-righteous and outspoken, Salter has gotten himself shunted to routine duties from what he considers the "real" police work of investigation. However, circumstances give him the chance to redeem himself, and his intelligence and sensitivity guide him through the cases that follow. Interwoven in the detective work, Charlie’s wry humour and perception and his personal relationships and family life add extra dividends and enjoyment for the reader.
A Charmed Death (Bewitching Mysteries #2)
by Madelyn AltMaggie O'Neill is learning about her empathetic powers and is still working at Enchantments. She and her friends who have alternative religious beliefs try to investigate the death of a girl named Amanda. Amanda seems to have it all, so why was she murdered?
A Charming Touch of Tarot (The Gin & Tarot Club)
by Melissa HoltzFour friends discover that their new magical skills may not be enough to save them from a stalker hell-bent on turning their lives upside down.Alyssa, Nina, Lanie, and Corinne's friendship is being put to the test. With Nina's marriage falling apart, Lanie acting distant, Alyssa's new romance, and no one quite trusting Corinne, this may be more than their bond can take. But when Nina appears at Alyssa's door, and confesses not just a decades-old secret, but a newfound magical power, the friends know that the only way to face this is together.Someone has been blackmailing Nina for years, but lately the threats to reveal her secret have changed to threats on her life, and on the lives of those she loves. With Alyssa contacting ghosts for insight and Nina getting used to her telepathy skills, they dash from city to city to track down the threat. There's someone out there that will go to any lengths to keep their control over Nina, and it will take all four friends to get out of this without ruining, or losing, their lives. But with the strength of their friendship—and a little help from the beyond—these women are out to prove they're not to be messed with.
A Chateau Under Siege (The Dordogne Mysteries #15)
by Martin WalkerFrance's favourite country cop, Bruno, faces a dangerous threat to the town he polices and the people he protects. Loved by millions, the Dordogne Mysteries are the perfect combination of mystery and escapism.The event of the Périgord tourist season is to be the re-enactment of the liberation of the historic town of Sarlat from the English in 1370. But it all goes wrong when the man playing the part of the French general is almost killed in the heat of the action.The immediate question for chief of police Bruno Courrèges is was this an accident - or deliberate? The stakes rise when Bruno learns that the man, Kerquelin, was running Frenchelon, the secret French electronic intelligence base nearby, after being recruited from a brilliant Silicon Valley career. His old Silicon Valley colleagues have been invited to stay at the luxurious local chateau of Rouffillac as his guests to enjoy the Sarlat show.As he investigates, Bruno discovers that Kerquelin's wound was faked, that he is alive and well and secretly negotiating a massive deal to build a semi-conductor industry in France. But then a whole new and dangerous player emerges, determined to nip the deal in the bud.(P) 2023 Quercus Editions Limited
A Chateau Under Siege: A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel (Bruno, Chief of Police Series #16)
by Martin WalkerWhen an actor in a local play is attacked during a performance, Bruno must learn whether it was an accident, a crime of passion, or an assassination attempt with implications far beyond the small French village.The town of Sarlat is staging a reenactment of its liberation from the British in the Hundred Years War when the play&’s French hero, Brice Kerquelin, is stabbed and feared fatally wounded. Is it an unfortunate prop malfunction—or something more sinister? The stricken man happens to be number two in the French intelligence service, in line for the top job. Bruno is tasked with the safety of the victim&’s daughters, Claire and Nadia, as well as their father&’s old Silicon Valley buddies, ostensibly in town for a reunion. One friend from Taiwan, a tycoon in chip fabrication, soon goes missing, and Bruno suspects there may be a link to the French government&’s efforts to build a chip industry in Europe—something powerful forces in Russia and China are determined to scuttle. Wading through a tangle of rivalries and secrets, Bruno begins to parse fact from fiction—while also becoming embroiled in some romantic complications, and, of course, finding time to put together some splendid meals.
A Chateau Under Siege: a riveting murder mystery set in rural France (The Dordogne Mysteries #15)
by Martin WalkerFrance's favourite country cop, Bruno, faces a dangerous threat to the town he polices and the people he protects.The event of the Périgord tourist season is the re-enactment of the liberation of the historic town of Sarlat from the English in 1370. But it all goes wrong when the man playing the part of the French general is almost killed in the heat of the action.The immediate question for chief of police Bruno Courrèges is: was this an accident - or deliberate? The stakes rise when Bruno learns that the man, Kerquelin, was running Frenchelon, the secret French electronic intelligence base nearby, after being recruited from a brilliant Silicon Valley career.As he investigates, Bruno discovers that Kerquelin's wound was faked, that he is alive and well and secretly negotiating a massive deal to build a semi-conductor industry in France. But then a whole new and dangerous player emerges, determined to nip the deal in the bud.****************************Praise for A Chateau Under Siege'French tourism should raise a glass to [Walker's] Dordogne Mysteries' Daily Mail 'I love these books' 5* Reader Review'A captivating, ingenious slice of escapism' Woman's Own'A fantastic book, a must-read' 5* Reader Review'Atmospheric and wonderfully complex' Lancashire Evening Post'Superb plots. Superb characters. Tantalising cuisine' 5* Reader Review
A Chemical Prison (Inspector Ikmen Mystery 2): An unputdownable Istanbul-based murder mystery
by Barbara NadelA Chemical Prison is the triumphantly accomplished second thriller by award-winning author Barbara Nadel. Perfect for fans of Donna Leon and Jason Goodwin. 'Even better than Nadel's extraordinary first book... tightly organised... the dark, Byzantine plot springs organically from the tensions of race and class in Turkish society, which is treated with a depth and detail unusual in a crime novel' - Evening Standard Inspector Çetin Ikmen and forensic pathologist Arto Sarkissian have been friends since childhood, and their work together in Istanbul's criminal justice system has only served to cement their friendship. When they're both called to a flat to investigate the death of a twenty-year-old, there is no reason to think their relationship will alter. The case, however, is a strange one. Ikmen learns from the neighbours that they have never seen the man enter or leave the flat. The only visitor they're aware of is a solitary, well-dressed Armenian. Stranger still is that the limbs of the body are withered, and the victim seems to have been kept prisoner inside a gilded cage. What is it that's making Ikmen's old friend Arto, himself an Armenian, especially uncomfortable about the case?What readers are saying about A Chemical Prison:'I cannot get enough of her well written stories and addictive characters''The descriptions of the city and its disparate and cosmopolitan groups of inhabitants are fascinating, as are the historical insights into Ottoman history and habits''Gripping from start to finish'
A Chemical Prison: An unputdownable Istanbul-based murder mystery (Inspector Ikmen Mystery #2)
by Barbara NadelA Chemical Prison is the triumphantly accomplished second thriller by award-winning author Barbara Nadel. Perfect for fans of Donna Leon and Jason Goodwin. 'Even better than Nadel's extraordinary first book... tightly organised... the dark, Byzantine plot springs organically from the tensions of race and class in Turkish society, which is treated with a depth and detail unusual in a crime novel' - Evening Standard Inspector Çetin Ikmen and forensic pathologist Arto Sarkissian have been friends since childhood, and their work together in Istanbul's criminal justice system has only served to cement their friendship. When they're both called to a flat to investigate the death of a twenty-year-old, there is no reason to think their relationship will alter. The case, however, is a strange one. Ikmen learns from the neighbours that they have never seen the man enter or leave the flat. The only visitor they're aware of is a solitary, well-dressed Armenian. Stranger still is that the limbs of the body are withered, and the victim seems to have been kept prisoner inside a gilded cage. What is it that's making Ikmen's old friend Arto, himself an Armenian, especially uncomfortable about the case?What readers are saying about A Chemical Prison:'I cannot get enough of her well written stories and addictive characters''The descriptions of the city and its disparate and cosmopolitan groups of inhabitants are fascinating, as are the historical insights into Ottoman history and habits''Gripping from start to finish'
A Chihuahua in Every Stocking (A Barking Detective Mystery)
by Waverly CurtisMove over, Rudolph - let Pepe lead the way! Who would steal a little girl's dog, right before Christmas? After seeing young Sophie's heartbreaking story on the news, P.I. Geri Sullivan and Pepe--her talking Chihuahua--vow to rescue this bonita canine named Chiquita. But tracking the pooch's scent through a Pacific Northwest winter wonderland isn't easy, especially when the trail leads to an elf who's been mortally mauled! Geri and Pepe must save little Sophie's Christmas and find this muy naughty dognapper . . . and stir up a little Christmas magic along the way!
A Child Across the Sky
by Jonathan CarrollAfter his best friend's suicide, a film director gets a glimpse into the beyondLike many young men before them, Weber and Philip went to Hollywood to make their fortune. Weber became one of the most respected directors of his generation, but Philip's talent went unnoticed until he found his calling making horror pictures, a genre in which his gruesome imagination could shine. But everything changes one morning when he calls his old friend Weber to say hello, then kills himself only an hour later. From Philip, Weber inherits a box of three videotapes. The first tape begins with Philip, warning Weber of challenges ahead, mysterious things he couldn't handle but believes that Weber can. Then Weber sees something unbelievable: a first-person view of his mother's last minutes alive before a plane crash took her life in 1960. Weber watches her settle into her airplane seat and read a newspaper, then hears the passengers scream as the jet falls from the sky. Before he died, Philip had unlocked a terrible secret. To understand it, Weber must learn the mysteries of death--no matter the cost. This ebook contains an all-new introduction by Jonathan Carroll, as well as an exclusive illustrated biography of the author including rare images from his personal collection.
A Child Is Missing
by David StoutA newspaper editor in upstate New York is drawn into a deadly web of hatred and suspicion when he joins the hunt for a kidnapped little boy in this gritty and evocative thriller from an Edgar Award–winning authorLong Creek in New York&’s Hill County is an angry place—depressed, suspicious, and unforgiving. In the aftermath of a late-November snowstorm, one of the town&’s youngest citizens, five-year-old Jamie Brokow, the son of wealthy divorced parents, is abducted. His family pays the kidnappers their ransom, but the boy is never returned—and soon afterward, Fran Spicer, the local reporter covering the case, dies as the result of a mysterious car crash that the police are all too eager to attribute to alcohol. Will Schafer edits a newspaper in a neighboring county, and he&’s less willing to dismiss the death of his friend Spicer so easily. Schafer won&’t find much local support for his investigation, however—strangers like him are not welcome in Long Creek. Still, he is determined to uncover the truth and see that justice is served, for Fran and for little Jamie. But the hunt could have powerful, unanticipated consequences for everyone involved: Schafer, the townspeople, the police, the devastated family . . . and an odd, disfigured hermit, drawn from his solitude in the forest by the frightened cries of a small child in the night.
A Child Lost: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series)
by Michelle Cox“Mixing Romance and Mystery in a Fizzy 1930s Cocktail!” “A Child Lost is undoubtedly a novel that should not be missed—the story is genius, flawlessly written, and wildly entertaining! A thrilling five stars!” — The Red Headed Book Lover “Once again, Cox delivers the passion and intrigue of Henrietta and Clive with a story that leaps right off the page. A Child Lost is a true thrill . . . ” — Paperback Paris “The characters’ depth and complexity is beautifully written…this is a truly enjoyable and addicting series.” — Nurse Bookie A spiritualist, an insane asylum, a lost little girl . . . When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more complicated, however, when Henrietta—much to Clive’s dismay—begins to believe the spiritualist's strange ramblings. Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however, Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own hands . . . with horrifying results.
A Child Shall Lead Them
by Carole Gift PageSWEET CHARITYWhen social worker Brianna Rowlands set out to locate an orphaned infant's next of kin, romance was the last thing on her mind. But the moment she met dashing attorney Eric Wingate, she was smitten-and so was his cooing newborn niece. If only the three of them could become a real family....Eric couldn't possibly squeeze fatherhood-or marriage-into his hectic agenda. Yet now that his arms had cradled precious baby Charity-and embraced the lovely Brianna-he found himself reluctant to let go. Perhaps somehow-Lord willing-he wouldn't have to....
A Child Shall Lead Them (The Joe Burgess Mystery Series #6)
by Kate FloraA Girl's Mutilated Body is Found on a Portland, Maine Hiking Trail in A Child Shall Lead Them, a Murder Mystery Thriller by Kate Flora--Portland, Maine--When a jogger discovers the brutalized body of a young girl along a park trail, the ever cranky and relentless, Detective Joe Burgess catches the case.With the body lacking head and hands, Burgess and his team face complex challenges as they follow a confusing trail leading to human traffickers exploiting children coming to America as asylum seekers.As Joe and his team race the clock to identify the dead girl in time to save other victims, Joe's own niece falls into the hands of the sex traffickers. For detectives hell-bent on finding a killer and busting a trafficking ring . . . it just got personal.Publisher's Note: While this story deals with the harsh reality of sexual slavery and child pornography, there are no explicit scenes and only mild vulgarity. The story emphasizes the personal and professional struggles of those investigating the crime.Winner of the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction"Flora pours on the intensity in this criminal, legal and moral maze." ~Kirkus Reviews"Flora writes cops so convincingly it's hard to imagine she's never worn the badge herself." ~Bruce Robert Coffin, author of Among the ShadowsTHE JOE BURGESS MYSTERIESi>Playing GodThe Angel of Knowlton ParkRedemptionAnd Grant You PeaceLed AstrayA Child Shall Lead ThemA World of Deceit
A Child in the Storm: Read the brand new pulse-pounding emotional page-turner from the bestselling author
by Emily GunnisA cry in the dark. A missing mother. A lifetime's search for the truth...The gripping new novel from the bestselling author is a tense and moving story of cruel separation, shocking betrayal and the triumph of love.'Amazing, I loved it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'An excellent read'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'A real page-turner' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'Plenty of strong female characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced plot' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader1983. Pregnant at seventeen and turned out by her parents, Felicity finds refuge at the women's peace camp at Greenham Common. But when the camp is raided by police and the women arrested, Felicity goes into labour in a cell and her baby is taken away. 2024. Serving time behind bars, Emma is haunted by the night her careless actions caused a tragic accident and left her alone in the world. When her new cell mate Amanda shows her kindness, Emma doesn't think twice about sharing all her secrets, but who can she trust? Adele steps into a nightmare when her daughter vanishes on her way home from school. When the police start to ask questions about her family, Adele is shocked to discover a hidden trail of lies. But can she unravel the secret that will lead to her missing daughter - before it's too late...Your favourite authors are gripped by Emily Gunnis's pulse-pounding novels:'Utterly gripping, taut and powerful. An emotionally charged, compulsive, moving novel Adele Parks'Fast paced, brilliantly plotted and desperately sad at times - all hallmarks of a bestseller' Lesley Pearse'Compelling, twisty, heart-wrenching... A novel that stays with you. I was gripped' Sophie Kinsella
A Child in the Storm: Read the brand new pulse-pounding emotional page-turner from the bestselling author
by Emily GunnisA cry in the dark. A missing mother. A lifetime's search for the truth...The gripping new novel from the bestselling author is a tense and moving story of cruel separation, shocking betrayal and the triumph of love.'Amazing, I loved it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'An excellent read'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'A real page-turner' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'Plenty of strong female characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader'I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced plot' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A Reader1983. Pregnant at seventeen and turned out by her parents, Felicity finds refuge at the women's peace camp at Greenham Common. But when the camp is raided by police and the women arrested, Felicity goes into labour in a cell and her baby is taken away. 2024. Serving time behind bars, Emma is haunted by the night her careless actions caused a tragic accident and left her alone in the world. When her new cell mate Amanda shows her kindness, Emma doesn't think twice about sharing all her secrets, but who can she trust? Adele steps into a nightmare when her daughter vanishes on her way home from school. When the police start to ask questions about her family, Adele is shocked to discover a hidden trail of lies. But can she unravel the secret that will lead to her missing daughter - before it's too late...Your favourite authors are gripped by Emily Gunnis's pulse-pounding novels:'Utterly gripping, taut and powerful. An emotionally charged, compulsive, moving novel Adele Parks'Fast paced, brilliantly plotted and desperately sad at times - all hallmarks of a bestseller' Lesley Pearse'Compelling, twisty, heart-wrenching... A novel that stays with you. I was gripped' Sophie Kinsella
A Child's Book of True Crime: A Novel
by Chloe HooperWith the dark suspense of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and the frank and shocking eroticism of Josephine Hart, this debut novel tells the story of a young teacher's illicit affair and obsession with a historical murder.Tasmanian schoolteacher Kate Byrne is having an affair with the father of her most gifted fourth grader, Lucien. Her lover's wife has just published Murder at Black Swan Point, a true-crime story about the brutal slaying of a young adulteress in a nearby town. Kate herself has become so obsessed with the murder and so convinced that the published account has it all wrong that she sets about writing her own version--this one for children, narrated by Australian animals. Though Lucien's father brings Kate to life sexually in encounters of escalating eroticism, he cannot dull her obsession. Fixated on the crime of passion, Kate is becoming less and less aware of the present and of how her behavior may align her fate with that of the dead girl. Chloe Hooper chillingly captures this young woman's unraveling in an intense, witty, superbly crafted novel.