On the Radar — Crime publishers can hardly have caught their breath during the Christmas break, with a salvo of new books hitting the shelves during January. The 30th seems to be a particularly big day in the publishing world with numerous titles rolling out from some fairly big hitters, including the likes of Graham Ison, Barbara Nadel and Adrian McKinty. But don’t worry we’ve got some new names for you as well. Read on and enjoy this week’s new books report…
In the Morning I’ll be Gone by Adrian McKinty
DI Sean Duffy is about as disillusioned as a cop can be, trying to solve murders in the middle of 1980s Belfast. In this, his third outing, he is enlisted by MI5 to track down a notorious IRA prisoner who has escaped from the infamous Maze prison complex. From casual bigotry to outright terrorism, the dark force of sectarianism lurks behind every turn and Duffy must solve an old crime as well as keep pace with increasingly inventive and dangerous modern adversaries. The Cold, Cold Ground and I Hear the Sirens in the Street both scored five stars in our reviews. This one’s out on 30 January – watch for our interview with Adrian McKinty soon here on Crime Fiction Lover.
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Agency Rules by Khalid Muhammad
Something of a first here, at least for this site. There can be few more febrile and dangerous places on earth than Pakistan. Torn between a colonial past, the threat of militant Islam, and with a turbulent political system teetering on the very edge of democracy, there must be crime thriller in there somewhere. Perhaps this is it, as main character Kamal Khan seeks to serve his nation in a war that will define Pakistan’s future. Expect this novel, by a writer who describes himself as ‘a mild-mannered business executive’, to attract attention from both crime fiction lovers and observers of world politics. Out now.
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The Tournament by Matthew Reilly
More drama in an Asian setting from Matthew Reilly, but this time the year is 1546 and we’re in for a dangerous journey into the heart of the Ottoman Empire. The powerful and influential Sultan Suleiman (The Magnificent) has conquered much of Eastern Europe, and the fragile kingdoms of the West fear that he has even greater ambitions. But then he issues a challenge. Not one to be fought on a battlefield but on a chessboard. All the great players of Europe are invited to pit their wits against each other in Constantinople, and the English delegation – led by scholar Roger Ascham – includes Elizabeth, the teenage daughter of Henry VIII. The violence isn’t just confined to the ivory pieces however, and Ascham and Bess find themselves trying to solve a brutal murder. Out now.
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Reckless Endangerment by Graham Ison
Graham Ison’s career credentials are impeccable. He spent 35 years with Special Branch, including spells as a diplomatic protection officer, and was minder to two UK Prime Ministers. His Hardcastle novels are hugely popular, as is his series featuring DCI Brock and DS Dave Poole. This is the most recent book featuring Brock and Poole, and the duo are firmly grounded in their West London heartlands as they investigate the mysterious death of the the husband of a glamorous airline stewardess. This police procedural is published on 30 January.
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The Dark Palace by RN Morris
RN Morris made his name with a series of novels featuring Porfiry Petrovich, the detective from Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment. Remaining in historical mode, The Dark Palace is set in 1914 and Europe is in turmoil. Detective Inspector Silas Quinn, who first appeared in Summon Up The Blood, investigates the brutal murder of a young woman. As the cover suggests, cinema, new in those days, plays a role in the story. Expect brilliant period detail, including the dark and murky underbelly of a London struggling to escape Edwardian decadence, but reluctant to embrace modern values, and fearful of an impending war. Published on 30 January.
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Turn Left at Doheny by JF Freidman
Freedman is a screenwriter and director, as well as an established author, but this is his first novel since In My Dark Dreams (2008). Living in Santa Barbara, he admits to being an sucker for classic LA noir, in the movie tradition of Chinatown and Double Indemnity. This book is bang up to date however, and features a seedy hustler who comes to LA to work a scam on a family member, but soon finds that he’s not the only shark in a crowded ocean and could end up being preyed upon himself. To be published on 30 January.
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North of Boston by Elisabeth Elo
Former copywriter and confirmed Massachusetts resident Elo has produced a debut novel which takes place on the high seas. After a fishing boat she’s on is rammed and sunk, heroine Pirio Kasparov sets off to find out why. The incident left her friend Ned down in Davey Jones’ locker and her quest takes her north to the bays of Baffin Island, off Canada. Russian gangs, smuggling, cold water, violent death – you’ll find it all in North of Boston. Out now.
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Regenerate by Wendy Cartmell
Last April, we reviewed the previous Sgt Major Tom Crane novel, Steps To Heaven. The tough and determined military policeman is like a more realistic and fallible version of Jack Reacher. In Regenerate, he’s dealing with a drug smuggling ring that’s shifting heroin from Afghanistan, a dead baby found in a church, and another baby that goes missing. Are the three cases somehow linked? Download the novel and find out.
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Body Count by Barbara Nadel
Body Count is the latest in Barbara Nadel’s hugely successful series featuring the hard-drinking Inspector Ikmen and his colleague Suleyman – two cops in contemporary Istanbul. In the labyrinthine Golden City, where the past always collides with the present, a mutilated corpse has been found in one of the multicultural districts. Ikmen and Suleyman are on the trail of a serial killer. The murder occured on 21 January, and as other murders occur it seems the number 21 could be a significant clue in the case. It’s out now.
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