On the radar – Our new books report this week is an eclectic mix of crime fiction, ranging from horror and steampunk short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes to death aboard a modern day Viking longship, and on to a case of baby snatching. We also have a murderer who strikes amid suspicions of witchcraft and the supernatural…

Encounters of Sherlock Holmes edited by George Mann
Steampunk isn’t something we’d normally go for, but it’s been a bleak, foggy day here in Blighty, vaguely reminiscent of Victorian London. So when we’re presented with something a bit different, that features Conan Doyle’s great detective, it certainly gets our antennae twitching. This book is a collection of short stories written by authors more commonly known for writing in genres other than crime fiction, and is edited by self-confessed Holmes fan, George Mann. Encounters of Sherlock Holmes, is out on 22 February, and our reviewer, RoughJustice will be sharing his thoughts when the book comes out on general release.
Pre-order now on Amazon

Death on a Longship by Marsali Taylor
Did someone mention Vikings? When Cass Lynch talks her way into skippering a Viking longship, it means heading back to the place she’d run away from as a teenager – the Shetland islands. Her return triggers a chain of events even she couldn’t foresee because a woman is found murdered on deck, and Cass and her family that fall under the suspicion of the officer investigating the case, Detective Inspector Macrae. Cass must use her knowledge of the islands and her sailing skills to clear herself… before she becomes the killer’s next victim. Death on a Longship was actually released back in August, and publishers, Attica Books have just tantalisingly dangled a copy in front of our noses so watch for a review soon.
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The Burning Air by Erin Kelly
For the MacBrides, going down to Far Barn in Devon for Bonfire Night has always been an annual event, but this year things are different. Lydia, the matriarch of the family is dead, daughter Sophie is desperately trying to save her crumbling marriage, and son Felix has brought his new girlfriend Kerry along for the first time. However, there’s something not quite right about Kerry. The trouble is, no-one in the family can quite put their finger on what it is until she’s left looking after Sophie’s baby daughter. The family return to find Kerry and the baby, gone. The Burning Air is out on 17 January.
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The Shadow Collector by Kate Ellis
Lilith Benley and her mother were convicted of the brutal murder of two teenage girls 18 years ago, and rumours circulated that mother and daughter were witches. With Lilith’s return to her old home, those suspicions resurface when a young woman is found dead on a neighbouring farm where a reality television programme is being filmed. DI Wesley Petersen finds himself dealing with a case filled with fragile egos and hidden secrets, but the big question for him is: has Lilith killed again? Then, archaeologist Neil Watson discovers a gruesome wax doll in the home of a woman who was hanged for witchcraft in the 17th century, then falls victim to a near fatal accident. Petersen must work through the evidence to find a killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance and death.
Pre-order now on Amazon