On the radar – This week our radar has gone into overdrive detecting an interesting mix of crime fiction from both sides of the pond, including a crime fighting teddy bear! Yes, I did say teddy and no I’m not completely mad. Here at CFL, we aim to bring you something a little out of the ordinary and it has to be said, our first book certainly fits that bill. We also bring you a serial killer targeting the teenage residents of Chalk Valley, British Columbia, and a treasure hunt in Brighton that unleashes more than the participants anticipated. For that and all of this week’s book news, read on…

Normal for Norfolk by Mitzi Szereto and Teddy Tedaloo
Ursine photojournalist, Thelonious T Bear finds himself very much in the wrong place at the wrong time when he accepts an assignment that takes him into the wilds of the Norfolk countryside. Expecting nothing more than to discover the ‘real’ England, he finds himself up to his neck in gastro-pubs, crazed Audi drivers, and a spate of pub landlord murders. As far as DCI Horatio Sidebottom of Norfolk CID is concerned, Thelonious is his bear. Throw in a few East End hoods, a celebrity chef and some very strange characters, and Normal for Norfolk could be the perfect way to kick start your summer break.
Buy now on Amazon

Chalk Valley by Dan Johnstone
A remote mountain valley in British Columbia is being terrorised by a serial killer targeting teenagers. Inexperienced detective John McCarty is chosen to head the task force hunting the murderer. Meanwhile, miles away from Chalk Valley, traffic cop Dave Kreaver has just found a van crashed at the side of the road and an unconscious teenage girl inside. Convinced that the driver was the serial killer, Keaver finds that his gut insticts fall on deaf ears and his superiors want him to back off. Operating alone and without official sanction, can Kreaver stop the Chalk Valley Killer before he kills again?
Buy now on Amazon

The Wreck of the Margherita by Bill Todd
Brighton on the England’s south coast, and a giant cargo ship has shed its load in the English Channel during a storm. Danny Lancaster and his mates decide a spot of beachcombing may be in order, but their treasure hunt unearths more than they bargained for. A network of gangsters, dodgy politicians and a missing lap dancer are just the tip of the iceberg. Before his first case is out, Danny will be turning to his old platoon commander for help and relying on his army training when the real storm finally breaks and people start to die.
Buy now on Amazon

Off The Grid by PJ Tracy
Ten miles off the coast of Florida, Grace MacBride, a partner at Monkeewrench Software, manages to prevent the attempted assassination of a retired FBI agent. Within hours, there’s a series of gruesome murders in the same Minneapolis neighbourhood Monkeewrench is based in. There’s a link between these crimes, but what is it? Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are charged with trawling through the evidence. However, as they begin to dig deeper it soon becomes clear that Grace and her colleagues may be in the killer’s direct firing line.
US readers can pre-order now on Amazon.com, we don’t have a UK link as yet.