What a time to be alive… The saying reverberates around social media as exasperated people observe a world in chaos, picking out the anomalies and contradictions while ducking insults and blocking racists. But this week we are saying ‘What a time to be alive’ with no hint of sarcasm because of the incredible treats that are now landing on the crime fiction bookshelves of a store near you. A high octane action thriller by Gary Phillips. A murderous black comedy by David Jackson. A getaway driver romp by SA Cosby. Property fraud shenanigans in Spain with Morgan Cry. And the disturbing disappearance of a woman in Norway by Agnes Ratavn. Seriously, we weren’t even sure what order we should put them in. They all look top drawer. Which will you choose?

Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem by Gary Phillips

Gary Phillips is one of the greats when it comes to graphic novels and crime fiction, and his latest promises a wild ride that spans genres. The central character is Matthew Henson, the first black man to reach the North Pole. The setting is 1920s Harlem. His mission is to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a preacher. And his sidekick is America’s first black aviatrix, Bessie Coleman. So, who is he up against? How about the likes of Dutch Schultz, with appearances also by gangster Queenie St Clair and inventor Nikola Tesla. It will land with a bump on 7 July! Read our interview with Gary Phillips and Crista Faust here.
Pre-order now on Amazon

The Resident by David Jackson

We’ve been spending lots more time at home just recently – but what if there was an interloper secretly sharing your personal space? That’s the premise for David Jackson‘s The Resident, out 16 July. Serial killer Thomas Brogan is on the run, a trail of bodies left in his wake. He needs to disappear, and fast – so he breaks into an abandoned house at the end of a terrace. When he climbs up into the loft, Brogan finds he can move all the way along the terrace and sneak into the houses of his neighbours – a pensioner, a middle-aged couple with a huge dog, and a young married couple who particularly intrigue him. Then there’s the voice – the one that tells him when it’s time to kill…
Pre-order now on Amazon

Blacktop Wasteland by SA Cosby

A tasty slice of American noir is about to come our way. Beauregard ‘Bug’ Montage is a hard-working mechanic who loves his wife and family and keeps himself to himself. Once, he was also the best getaway driver east of the Mississippi, but he left that life behind. Or did he? Because when things begin to go wrong in the present day, Bug is sorely tempted to return to his shady past – so when a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can’t-miss opportunity, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back into the driver’s seat. It’s a decision that’s destined to push Bug to the absolute limits. Last year, SA Cosby’s The Grass Beneath My Feet won best short story at the Anthony Awards. Blacktop Wasteland is out on 14 July.
Pre-order now on Amazon

Thirty-one Bones by Morgan Cry

Scottish crime writer Gordon Brown swaps names – and countries – for this thriller. The setting is sunny Spain, where Daniella Coulston makes a reluctant return for her mother’s funeral. The pair had been estranged for more than 20 years so Daniella is shocked to be confronted by a hostile bunch of expats who, along with her mother, Effie, had been running a multi-million-pound property scam. But the money has disappeared and her mother’s accomplices are ready to implicate Daniella in the crime. With the police investigating and an enforcer in town thirsting for blood, Daniella is out of her depth and has nowhere to turn. Thirty-one Bones by Morgan Cry is out now.
Pre-order now on Amazon

The Seven Doors by Agnes Ravatn

Norwegian author Agnes Ravatn wrote one of our favourite books in 2017. Well, that’s when the translation of The Bird Tribunal arrived, anyhow, and we recommended it far and wide. Now a second Ravatn novel is to appear in English, and The Seven Doors is a deep, dark psychological thriller in which university professor Nina escapes her mundane life and marriage by investigating the disappearance of the tenant who lived in the house Nina and her husband let out. The woman who disappears leaves behind a son, and Nina feels a sense of guilt as she tries to get to the bottom of things. What she uncovers may have implications for Nina and her family… It’s out 17 July.
Pre-order now on Amazon