Yes, every week On the Radar brings you a cabaret of… death. Rarely does a mystery not involve murder and it comes in many forms, in many places. Our first book this week is all about entertainment – 1930s style – as the illusionist Joseph Spector tackles a new case in Tom Mead’s Cabaret Macabre. There are new thrillers from Linwood Barclay and Simon McCleave, a fascinating cybercrime novel from Simon Hayes and we have what looks like an on-point suspense novel set at a music festival from Louise Mumford.
The choice is yours…
Cabaret Macabre by Tom Mead
Magician-turned-detective Joseph Spector is back for a third outing in Tom Mead’s Cabaret Macabre, published on 1 August. It’s 1938, and in Hampshire a feud between two men is about to take a fatal turn. Victor Silvius is confined in a private sanatorium after attacking prominent judge Sir Giles Drury and when Sir Giles begins receiving threatening letters, he’s convinced that Silvius is the culprit. But Silvius’ sister Caroline is convinced that her brother is about to be killed, so she turns to Scotland Yard’s Inspector Flint for help. Meanwhile, Spector’s skills are needed by the Drurys – and when a body is found in their snowbound ancestral home, Spector and Flint find themselves on a collision course.
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I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay
Canadian crime author Linwood Barclay is top of the list for many fans of twisty psychological thrillers, so they’ll be glad to know that 1 August will see the arrival of I Will Ruin You. Teacher Richard Boyle is hailed a hero after talking down a student intent on blowing up the school but making the headlines has its downsides too, because Richard’s brief time in the media spotlight puts him on the radar of a deranged blackmailer with a score to settle. As Richard battles to keep his reputation intact, he uncovers a dark undercurrent in the town he calls home, and begins to doubt that anyone in his life can be trusted to help him.
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Last Night at Villa Lucia by Simon McCleave
Psychological thrillers are also British author Simon McCleave‘s stock in trade, and on 1 August he adds to his growing list of them with Last Night at Villa Lucia. Divorcee Cerys moved to Tuscany following a messy split from her husband, and after a year in the sun she is hoping that a new crop of visitors to Villa Lucia will lighten her mood. Those hopes falter when a guest is found dead in the infinity pool, and as the police arrive to investigate, Cerys discovers that her guests had secrets they’d rather not share. Can she uncover the truth about what happened on that fateful night before the paradise she’s built crumbles?
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Zero Ri$k by Simon Hayes
Ready for a Christmas read? Well, this financial and political thriller could be just the present you’re looking for! Rob Tanner is getting into the festive spirit with a rare day off from his life-consuming work as chief operating officer at one of the country’s largest banks when an urgent call sends him back to the office. A sneaky cyber Santa has got into the bank’s mainframe and his machinations have ensured that a thousand accounts have seen their balances increased tenfold. It’s the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, and Tanner finds himself in the eye of a ‘Black Swan’ storm that no one could have predicted. Ho ho ho. The print and Kindle versions of Zero Risk by Simon Hayes are out now, with the Audiobook arriving on 25 July.
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The Festival by Louise Mumford
You’ll never look at Glastonbury the same again after reading Louise Mumford’s The Festival, out on 1 August. Libby is over the moon to win tickets to the best music festival of the year, Solstice, and she and her pal Dawn head deep into the Welsh countryside for a midsummer weekend of sun, fun and festivities. It’s a dream come true, but as temperatures rise, the music gets louder and the atmosphere turns frenetic, Dawn goes missing and Libby is convinced that something bad has happened to her friend. With the wild party raging around her, Libby begins to fear that she might be in danger too…
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