On the Radar — 2017 is off to a flying start, and January could see some of the year’s biggest crime releases, with the 26th a big day on the publishing calendar. This week we lead off with Perfect Remains, a debut from Helen Fields, which is set in Edinburgh. But there’s lots more, including five books by British women authors. Enjoy.
Perfect Remains by Helen Fields
This is the first in a new series featuring DI Luc Callanach. He has moved from Interpol in Lyon and is finding his feet with Police Scotland in Edinburgh. The book opens in the Scottish Highlands where a smouldering female body is identified as Elaine Buxton from scraps of clothing and teeth. Another woman soon goes missing but this is no whodunnit. An early reveal of the killer twists this story into a psychological whydunnit. Debutant Helen Fields has 13 years of work as a criminal barrister under her belt and now runs her own film making company. Expect a tense psychological thriller with a tight story and graphic scenes of torture. Out 26 January.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
The author of The Kind Worth Killing and The Girl with a Clock for a Heart returns with his third crime novel, and Her Every Fear is a standalone novel showing the author’s knack for interesting set-ups. Kate Priddy has swapped apartments with her cousin Corbin. She’s in his Boston pad, and he stays at her place in London. Only thing is, Corbin’s neighbour Audrey has been murdered and the police want to talk to him. Did Corbin suggest switching homes to get away because he’s guilty? Or is there another explanation. Out now.
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Watch Her Disappear by Eva Dolan
We welcome back DI Zigic and DS Ferreira from the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit for their fourth outing. Eva Dolan’s opener Long Way Home marked her out as a special talent and the subsequent books have confirmed her status as one of the top contemporary UK crime writers. Serbian Zigic and fiery Portuguese Ferreira are called in after the brutal murder of a trans woman, Corinne Sawyer, born Colin. Hate crime or something more personal? This is a must-read for 2017 and you can expect a superior police procedural that explores another contentious social issue with sensitivity and intelligence. It arrives 26 January.
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Uncoiled Lies by Liz Mistry
The Bradford-based detective DCI Gus McGuire returns in this second novel by Liz Mistry, who spoke to us about her inspiration during New Talent November 2016. It follows on from her debut, Unquiet Souls, and the bodies of prostitutes are being found in the city. There seems to be a turf war going on between rival gangs, tensions are running high in Bradford’s immigrant communities, but it looks like there might be a link between the current murders and an old case. It comes out on 26 January for Kindle.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
A hashtag of #wftthatending, coupled with cute satin eye masks sent out to reviewers with early copies, make it clear that Sarah Pinborough’s latest is set to shock. Several of the characters featured suffer from trouble sleeping, and readers may suffer the same fate as they follow the skewed love triangle at its heart. Single mum Louise has a surreptitious snog with a stranger in a bar – an indiscretion that leads to all manner of shenanigans after she realises the guy in question also happens to be her new boss, and married to the lovely Adele. But all is not as it seems… Out 26 January, and watch for our review.
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The Girl Before by JP Delaney
Our telly schedules are crowded with property programmes these days, so it was only a matter of time before they inspired a crime novel. The Girl Before, by the mysterious JP Delaney, features an incredible, state-of-the-art, starchitect-designed London property as a major player. Jane is single and wanting a new start after the stillbirth of her daughter – One Folgate Street seems like the answer to her prayers, but just how far would you go to live in the house of your dreams? And what on earth happened to Emma, the woman who lived (and died) there previously? Find out 26 January and watch for the review.
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Her Husband’s Lover by Julia Crouch
Here’s a book that does exactly what it says on the tin, because it features a wronged wife and the woman who caught her husband’s attention. But don’t expect anything run of the mill here – Crouch sets her stall early on, creating a literally explosive opening that sees three people dead in a car collision, two of them children. Louisa Williams survives to tell the tale and to be stalked to the point of madness by former model Sophie, her husband’s lover and the mother of his baby. Prepare for a fair few shocks along the way as this tale unfolds. Out 26 January.
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Before the Dawn by Jake Woodhouse
Inspector Jaap Rykel is back in this third instalment of the Amsterdam Quartet series. It’s a gruesome opening – a woman’s body is washed up on a small Dutch island with her hands tied and her head wrapped in clingfilm. The Amsterdam Murder Squad is called in to help the local force. They seem to have a killer and a confession but soon another body appears on the other side of the country. Rykel is pulled into a sprawling case with a large cast of characters. The series opener, After the Silence, was a vivid evocation of Amsterdam and was published in 2014 – reviewed here. It arrives on 26 January.
Pre-order now on Amazon
