Spy Out the Land by Jeremy Duns
It might sound strange for a reviewer to describe rough, tough, bloodthirsty crime thrillers as their comfort zone, but it’s good to step away from the genre you know and love occasionally. Welcome to the world of spies, double agents, double-crossing and danger, evoked in…
The Darkest Secret by Alex Harwood
Alex Marwood’s latest domestic noir novel is one of those ones where you’ll definitely feel like screaming, “He’s behind you!” like an overexcited child at a pantomime. There were also times when I wanted to grab a character by the arm and ask, “Can’t you…
Highbridge by Phil Redmond
His name is synonymous with hard-hitting TV dramas like Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks, but can Phil Redmond cut the mustard as a crime fiction writer? On this showing, the answer is an unhesitating ‘yes’. I suppose it’s not surprising that the man behind the…
Coffin Road by Peter May
A brand-new standalone from the pen of Peter May is always going to be near the top of a crime fiction reader’s wish list, and in many ways Coffin Road doesn’t disappoint. It certainly begins dramatically enough, as a man washes up on a beach….
Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan
The gorgeous old-school cover of this book gives a hint of what’s in store here; this is a golden age murder mystery that’ll certainly appeal to lovers of Agatha Christie – or anyone who enjoys a good, old-fashioned whodunnit. Not many people have heard of…
Stephen Fry narrates classic detective fiction
Actor, TV presenter, author and all-around good egg Stephen Fry has lent his vocal talents to two classic detective stories that Audible is giving away as an exclusive Christmas gift to its members. The Coin of Dionysius and The Game Played in the Dark feature the blind detective Max…