On the Radar — This week’s new books offer a veritable feast of crime fiction delights. Amongst the fascinating goodies on offer we bring you the latest from crime author Emlyn Rees, who also happens to be commissioning editor at indie publisher Exhibit A Books. There’s a new murder mystery set in Iceland and two debut novels as well which take us to England and the Emerald Isle…

That Summer He Died by Emlyn Rees
In 2011, Rees made his crime fiction debut with Hunted, which he followed up earlier this year with the short story Hostage. In his latest, James Sawday seems to have the perfect life – good job, nice home, and a girlfriend who loves him. He’s an investigative journalist for a magazine and his job takes him around the world, but his latest assignment takes him back to a life he’s spent years trying to get away from. The seaside town of Grancombe is being terrorised by a serial killer who has just claimed a third victim. A killer who likes to chop his victims’ hands off. For James, the memories of a similar situation 10 years earlier begin to haunt him again but he has to dig deep if he’s to save his sanity and his own life. That Summer He Died is out now.
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Chilled to the Bone by Quentin Bates
Quentin Bates is back with the third book in his Gunnhildur mysteries, set in Iceland – a series which is sure to delight fans of fellow Brit turned Nordic noir writer, Michael Ridpath. A ship-owner has been found murdered and tied to the bed in a swanky Reykjavik hotel room. On first inspection, it doesn’t seem to Sergeant Gunnhildur Gisladottir that foul play is involved, even though the scene itself does look decidedly embarrassing. The she stumbles across a discreet local bondage society that likes to blackmail and exploit participants. Could this be linked to a gangster who has returned to Iceland after spending many years abroad, and the loss of a government laptop containing some highly confidential data? Gunnhildur discovers that her clear cut case is anything but. Chilled to the Bone is out today.
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My Criminal World by Henry Sutton
By day, Henry Sutton is a senior lecturer at the University of East Anglia in Norwich where he teaches creative writing. He is also the author of eight novels, and co-wrote First Frost under the pseudonym James Henry, which formed the basis of the TV series A Touch of Frost with David Jason as police detective Jack Frost. His solo crime fiction debut tells the story of David Slavitt, a struggling crime writer who is trying to juggle the demands of normal life, whilst keeping his marriage afloat and trying to find that certain something that will get him what he wants – to be published. Just how far is he prepared to go? My Criminal World is out today.
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Crocodile Tears by Mark O’Sullivan
In the winter of 2010 the recession in Ireland already had the county in its icy grip. Property tycoon Dermot Brennan has been found dead in his Dublin home. DI Leo Woods – a 56 year old former UN peace keeper with a drug habit and a face disfigured by Bells Palsy – has been assigned the case with DS Helen Troy. She is an ambitious young officer with a tendency to be impetuous. The pair must work their way through a long list of suspects and an increasing tangled web to discover the truth. Crocodile Tears is out on 25 April.
Pre-order now on Amazon