On the Radar — The elegant covers on the Kate Shackleton novels by Frances Brody are always eye catching and the latest looks like a real treat, depicting the Yorkshire countryside in a suitably 1920s style right down to that art deco typeface. A Death in the Dales brings the series up to seven. Aside from Yorkshire, we’ve got crime fiction books, and one app, set everywhere from Dublin to Seatle and from London to Lagos – including our first taste of African noir…
Kate Shackleton’s husband was one of the many young men who went off to fight for King and country in 1914, but never returned. It’s now the 1920s and she operates as one of the amateur sleuths so popular in Golden Age crime fiction. When a Yorkshire publican is murdered and the only woman who knows the truth about his death also dies, Kate and her inquisitive niece Harriet are drawn into investigating the mystery. By doing so, they uncover local secrets which have remained buried for a generation. Back in 2012 we reviewed an earlier Kate Shackleton novel, Dying in the Wool, and her latest adventure will be out on 1 October.
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Dublin, 1919. A city at odds with itself, following the failed overthrow of British rule. With the smell of cordite still in the air, and a virtual civil war about to break out, a serial killer is causing mayhem. The legendary Michael Collins features in the narrative, which involves a glamorous Englishwoman whose allegiances are not set in stone. An English journalist, Michael Kant is determined to find the sadistic killer but bitter politics and personal ambitions thwart his efforts. Published on 24 September.
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The heroine of this tale answers to the unlikely name of Estelle Paradise, and we meet her when she wakes in a hospital emergency unit bruised, battered but still with her wits about her. She’s faced with the fact that her baby daughter Mia is missing. But why wasn’t this reported to the New York cops immediately? What part does Estelle’s husband-in-name-only have to play? This is a thriller very much in the mode of the 110mph hit, Gone Girl, and time will tell if it can match the success of Gillian Flynn’s bestseller. Available from 24 September.
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With its punning title, this cosy crime tale is set in St Petersburg, Florida, where the family-owned Webb’s Glass Shop is threatened by the sudden death of its owner. Savannah Webb blows into town to save the store and to investigate her father’s mysterious demise. When his heir-apparent also becomes a customer of the local mortician, Savannah is convinced that a murderer is at work and she’s determined to bring the killer to justice. Out on 29 September.
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The wonderful Helen Mirren had most of the nation on the edges of their seats with her portrayal of DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect (1991-2006), but this prequel sees the young PC Tennison as a probationer cop in a grim police station in East London. La Plante is something of a global brand these days, but in this 1970s-set novel, the future DC becomes involved in her first murder investigation, while battling the misogyny and random sexism which was to dog her career. We took a first look at this title here. Available from 24 September.
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It’s 1975 and Berlin is divided into East and West by a concrete wall. Oberleutnant Karin Müller is a police officer in East Berlin, but the real power in her city lies with the Staatssicherheitsdienst – known and feared the world over as the Stasi. Muller investigates the murder of a girl whose body was found at the foot of the infamous Berliner Mauer, and she realises with increasing apprehension that the girl has been murdered by the secret police. This debut novel portrays the conflict between a principled individual and the amoral Communist state. Published on 1 October.
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Our site has plenty of reviews and features about one of the country’s most talented writing duos. Take your pick from this interview with Mark Edwards, or reviews of From The Cradle and All Fall Down. Now, DI Patrick Lennon returns with the case of a murderer who seems to be targeting vulnerable fans of a boy band. As he tries to penetrate the frenzied hype and pretence of the entertainment and PR industries, he puts his own career – and his reputation for good judgment – on the line. Out on 29 September.
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Here’s the gory end of the crime fiction spectrum with a tale of murder in Seattle. Detective Alice Madison investigates a burglary gone wrong, and amid the carnage she faces the fact that her own personal history is inextricably wrapped up in her ongoing investigation. If this leaves you wanting more crime stories set in Seattle, you could try Past Crimes, by Glen Erik Hamilton, or Jennifer Hillier’s Creep. Blood and Bone is out on 24 September.
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Is there really nothing new under the sun. Well this is the first time we’ve had some African Noir sent in to us. When Weston Kogi, a supermarket security man, returns to Nigeria for a funeral, he cannot resist bigging up his career to his credulous relatives. Soon, they are all convinced that he is a top London detective. Kogi’s braggadaccio rebounds on him, however, as he is kidnapped by one of the rebel factions battling for power in the country. Forced into investigating a murder with skills he simply doesn’t possess, Kogi must learn fast – or pay with his life. Available on 21 September.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Have you ever been to one of those murder mystery role-playing evenings? Well, now you can enjoy the same thing without buying a box full of cards, instructions and so forth. Mysteria is a new app by a developer called Zeta. After downloading it to your iOS or Android tablet to play with friends at your next dinner party. You’ll be guided through what to wear, what music to play and what cocktails to mix, and then the game will give each player a character and begin presenting clues and questions. The first scenario available is called Chicago Shenanigans and as you might guess it’s based around a 1920s theme. Currently, you need eight players to play it.
More information here.
