Late October 1909, and the season of ghouls and things that go bump in the night has descended on the village of Littleton Cotterell. Lady Hardcastle and her trusted lady's maid, Florence, find themselves hosting a colourful cast of actors whose spooky moving picture, The Witch's Downfall, is being shown to mark Halloween. But things take a macabre turn when the first night's screening ends with a mysterious murder, and the second night with another...One by one the actors turn up dead in ways that eerily echo their film. With the police left scratching their heads, Lady Hardcastle calls upon her amateur sleuthing skills to launch an investigation, with Flo's able assistance. Surrounded by suspects both human and supernatural, Lady Hardcastle must use a little trickery of her own to unmask the murderer.

'One of the most reliable thriller writers in the world' Daily Mail To do what is right, she risks losing everything... 1937 Sibil Hellinger is enjoying market day in the small Spanish town of Guernica when clouds of German planes suddenly fill the sky. As the bombs rain down, Sibil escapes with her sister but her mother is tragically killed. 1944 The world is at war and Sibil has grown into a beautiful young woman fuelled by a dark rage. Working with her father, a scientist and member of the undercover German resistance, she is the perfect spy to fight back against those responsible for her mother's death - the Nazis. To avenge the family she lost and protect those she loves, she must risk everything. From the bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris, Fire in the Sky comes an absorbing novel of bravery, danger, love and women's unbelievable reserves of strength. PRAISE FOR THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS 'A truly outstanding novel, brilliantly written, that captured me and held me in its grip from page one. The Black Swan of Paris reminds us of the power of love, hope and courage' Heather Morris, #1 bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz 'Emotional and powerful' Pam Jenoff, bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris 'Beautifully written and completely absorbing. ' Noelle Salazar, bestselling author of The Flight Girls 'An extraordinarily suspenseful, emotional read' Kelly Rimmer, bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say

Murder and family secrets, a touch of romance and deeply-felt revenge - with the twist of all twists - make up the perfect page-turning thriller, One Good Deed, from one of the world's bestselling thriller writers, David Baldacci. 'One of his finest books. Great character, great story, great portrait of an era' Bill Clinton In 1949, Aloysius Archer arrives in the dusty Southern town of Poca City. He has nothing but a handful of dollars, the clothes he's wearing and an appointment with his new parole officer. After his wartime experiences in Italy and a prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit, Archer is looking for a fresh start and a peaceful life. On his first night of freedom, Archer meets local business tycoon Hank Pittleman, who promises Archer handsome compensation to work as his debt collector. Yet Archer takes on more than he bargains for, as he becomes embroiled in a long-running feud between the drought-struck town's most dangerous residents. When one of them dies, the authorities label Archer as their number one suspect. A bloody game is being played above and below the law. Everybody playing has a deeply buried secret, and Archer must uncover them all - if he's to avoid going back behind bars.

***A TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR*** 'A joy from start to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR 'Thrilling... Deserves to be huge' - EMMA STONEX This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Spy. July 1794, and London is filled with rumours of revolution. The war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with America are on a knife edge. Laurence Jago, Foreign Office clerk, is ever more reliant on opium - the Black Drop - to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter, whose contents could lead to the destruction of the British Army, has been leaked to the press and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk - a supposed suicide - and it seems clear where the blame truly lies. But Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, can Laurence find the true culprit without ending up on the gallows himself?

Golden Hill and The Alienist meet Gangs of New York in this sweeping historical crime drama set in 18th century New York. New York, 1799: Justy Flanagan, lawyer, soldier, policeman, has returned to his native city, bloodied and battered after fighting in the Irish Rebellion against the English. Determined to hunt down the man who murdered his father, his inquiries lead him to Wall Street and the fledgling stock market there. But as his investigations into the past move ahead, the horrific murders of young slave women in the present start to occupy his time. Convinced that there is a link between his father's murder, the deaths of the young women, and a massive fraud that nearly destroyed New York's economy, Justy can trust no one. As the conspiracy deepens, it becomes clear that those involved will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Justy is forced to choose: will he betray his father's memory, compromise his integrity, and risk the lives of his closest friends, to get to the bottom of a tale so dangerous, it could change the landscape of America forever?

Jack Blackjack stands accused of killing a priest in the wickedly entertaining new Bloody Mary Tudor mystery. April, 1555. A priest has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside - and Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder. As well as clearing his name, Jack has his own reasons for wanting to find out who really killed the priest - but this is an investigation where nothing is as it seems. Was it a random attack by a desperate outlaw, or do the answers lie in the murdered priest's past? As he questions those who knew the dead man, Jack is faced with a number of conflicting accounts - and it's clear that not everyone can be telling him the whole truth. But Jack is about to be sidetracked from the investigation . with disastrous consequences.

"It's time to let bygones be bygones. Water under the bridge, right? What happened . happened a long time ago." When Langham's literary agent receives a cryptic letter inviting him to spend the weekend at the grand Cornish home of successful novelist Denbigh Connaught, Charles Elder seems reluctant to attend. What really happened between Elder and Connaught during the summer of 1917, nearly forty years before - and why has it had such a devastating effect on Charles? Accompanying his agent to Connaught House, Langham and his wife Maria discover that Charles is not the only one to have received a letter. But why has Denbigh Connaught gathered together a group of people who each bear him a grudge? When a body is discovered in Connaught's study, the ensuing investigation uncovers dark secrets that haunt the past of each and every guest - including Charles Elder himself .

Paris, September 1940.

After three months under Nazi Occupation, not much can shock Detective Eddie Giral. That is, until he finds a murder victim who was supposed to be in prison. Eddie knows, because he put him there. The dead man is not the first or the last criminal being let loose onto the streets. But who is pulling the strings, and why?

This question will take Eddie from jazz clubs to opera halls, from old flames to new friends, from the lights of Paris to the darkest countryside – pursued by a most troubling truth: sometimes to do the right thing, you have to join the wrong side…

June 1890. Leeds is close to breaking point. The gas workers are on strike. Supplies are dangerously low. Factories and businesses are closing; the lamps are going unlit at night. Detective Inspector Tom Harper has more urgent matters on his mind. The beat constable claims eight-year-old Martha Parkinson has disappeared. Her father insists she's visiting an aunt in Halifax - but Harper doesn't believe him. When Col Parkinson is found dead the following morning, the case takes on an increasing desperation. But then Harper's search for Martha is interrupted by the murder of a replacement gas worker, stabbed to death outside the Town Hall while surrounded by a hostile mob. Pushed to find a quick solution, Harper discovers that there's more to this killing than meets the eye - and that there may be a connection to Martha's disappearance.

Londoner Jack Blackjack finds himself a stranger in a strange land when he's accused of murder in rural Devon in this eventful Tudor mystery. July, 1556. En route to France and escape from Queen Mary's men, Jack Blackjack decides to spend the night at a Devon tavern, agrees to a game of dice - and ends up accused of murder. To make matters worse, the dead man turns out to have been the leader of the all-powerful miners who rule the surrounding moors - and they have no intention of waiting for the official court verdict to determine Jack's guilt. But who would frame Jack for murder . . . and why? Alone and friendless in a lawless land of cut-throats, outlaws and thieves, Jack realizes that the only way to clear his name - and save his skin - is to unmask the real killer. But knowing nothing of the local ways and customs, how is he to even begin? As Jack's attempts to find answers stirs up a hornet's nest of warring factions within the town, events soon start to spiral out of control . . .

ENGLAND, 1930. Grieving widows are a familiar sight on London's Necropolis Railway. So when an elegant young woman in a black veil boards the funeral train, nobody guesses her true purpose.

But Rachel Savernake is not one of the mourners. She hopes to save a life - the life of a man who is supposed to be cold in the grave. But then a suspicious death on the railway track spurs her on to investigate a sequence of baffling mysteries: a death in a blazing car; a killing in a seaside bungalow; a tragic drowning in a frozen lake. Rachel believes that the cases are connected - but what possible link can there be?

Rich, ruthless and obsessed with her own dark notions of justice, she will not rest until she has discovered the truth. To find the answers to her questions she joins a house party on the eerie and remote North Yorkshire coast at Mortmain Hall, an estate. Her inquiries are helped - and sometimes hindered - by the impetuous young journalist Jacob Flint and an eccentric female criminologist with a dangerous fascination with perfect crimes...

Mortmain Hall is at once a gripping thriller and a classic whodunit puzzle: a Golden Age Gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.

New York, 1947:

The city that never sleeps.

A killer who'll never stop.

Award-winning author Ray Celestin's The Mobster's Lament is both a gripping crime novel and a vivid, panoramic portrait of 1940s New York as the mob rises to the height of its powers . . .

Fall, 1947.

Private Investigator Ida Davis has been called to New York by her old partner, Michael Talbot, to investigate a brutal killing spree in a Harlem flophouse that has left four people dead. But as they delve deeper into the case, Ida and Michael realize the murders are part of a larger conspiracy that stretches further than they ever could have imagined.

Meanwhile, Ida’s childhood friend, Louis Armstrong, is at his lowest ebb. His big band is bankrupt, he’s playing to empty venues, and he’s in danger of becoming a has-been, until a promoter approaches him with a strange offer to reignite his career . . .

And across the city, nightclub manager and mob fixer Gabriel Leveson’s plans to flee New York are upset when he’s called in for a meeting with the ‘boss of all bosses’, Frank Costello. Tasked with tracking down stolen mob money, Gabriel must embark on a journey through New York’s seedy underbelly, forcing him to confront demons from his own past, all while the clock is ticking on his evermore precarious escape plans.

From its tenements to its luxury hotels, from its bebop clubs to the bustling wharves of the Brooklyn waterfront, Ray Celestin masterfully recreates 1940s New York in this edge-of-your-seat crime thriller.

The second in the delightfully witty and diverting new crime series set in Tsarist Russia from the award-winning Michael Pearce. A dreamy province of Tsarist Russia. An ambitious young lawyer of Scottish-Russian descent anxious to make his way. And the One-Legged Lady goes missing. A nasty case of kidnapping? Not quite, for the One-Legged Lady is just the popular name of one of the most important ikons in the district. Exactly how important, the sceptical Dmitri, whose task it is to track her down, comes to see. Who has taken her and for what reason? Is it someone interested in adding to his art collection? Is it, as some darkly suggest, just the monastery cashing in on its assets? Or has it something to do with a wave of popular feeling at a time of famine? The sinister Volkov, from the Tsar's Corps of Gendarmes, suspects the latter -- which means trouble for some innocent people unless Dmitri gets there first Dmitri finds, to his surprise, that the ikon, which he had taken merely as an irrelevant relic from the past, raises some awkward issues about the present and that the One-Legged Lady is very much alive and kicking. Dmitri and the One-Legged Lady is the second novel in the

OUT NOW IN CINEMAS AND NOMINATED FOR FOUR OSCARS A cool, cruel, rediscovered classic of American noir adapted for cinemas by Guillermo del Toro, starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara 'Read and shudder. And relish' Guardian 'A creepy, all-too-harrowing masterpiece' Washington Post Stanton Carlisle, employed as a carny at a travelling circus watches their freak-show geek - an abject alcoholic, the object of the voyeuristic crowd's gleeful disgust and derision - and wonders how a man could fall so low. There's no way in hell, he vows, that anything like that will ever happen to him. Unlike the tragic figure he sees before him, Stan is young, clever and ambitious and quick to learn from the other carnival acts. Initially teaming up with a beautiful but vulnerable woman as part of a double act in which he mesmerises her, Stan soon leaves his circus days behind him, becoming a successful spiritualist who exploits the weak and the wealthy. But even the very best con-men can meet their match.... With a new introduction from James Smythe, Nightmare Alley is a forgotten classic of Depression-era America: a brilliant, horrifying, compulsive journey into the true darkness of the human mind.

The arrival of a high-ranking spy for the Emperor Severus spells trouble for Libertus in this gripping historical mystery set in 2nd century Britain. On a misty day in February, CE 194, Libertus, pavement maker by trade and now reluctant councillor, is summoned to meet his patron at the local public baths. Marcus Septimus is concerned because a distant cousin from Rome has announced his impending arrival and Marcus is convinced he is a spy for the Emperor Severus, despatched to Glevum to investigate reports of an 'act of treason.' Meanwhile, Libertus has concerns of his own. The local money-lender has been seeking his counsel, but before they can meet, a violent and untimely death occurs . and before long Libertus finds himself a prisoner of his new-found rank, fighting for the truth amidst accusations of treason and murder

If these walls could talk . . . 'Intricate murder mystery... gripping.' WOMAN 'A compelling who, how and why dunnit.' THE SUN 'A gripping murder mystery.' WOMAN'S WEEKLY 'A novel that has the deliciously febrile atmosphere of a silent film.' THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Spookily atmospheric, a page-turner murder mystery.' CHOICE MAGAZINE 'The Thirty-One Doors is a novel for those who miss the Golden Age crossword-puzzle-type crime fiction.' LITERARY REVIEW Scarpside House is famed for its beauty, its isolation, and its legendary parties. Tonight, it hosts the Penny Club soiree. An annual gathering of lucky men and women from all walks of life, coming together to celebrate their survival against the odds. But this year their luck is running thin. Accidents do happen, after all . . . And some are long overdue . . .

From the coast of West Africa to the streets of Europe, the peculiar Augustus "Bones" Tibbetts is unknowingly pulled into various financial plots and schemes. As part of Edgar Wallace's Sanders of the River collection, Bones in London follows the endearing military man as he haplessly juggles business and politics. Augustus Tibbetts, also known as Bones, has left the coast of Africa for the bustling streets of England. As the new managing director of Schemes Ltd., he suddenly finds himself at the center of multiple mishaps. Along with his trusted assistant Miss Winfield, the duo encounters questionable characters and unexpected ploys. Despite the circumstance, Bones stays true to his nature and finds a way to come out on top. Wallace uses the affable protagonist to highlight corrupt business practices within London. It is an issue that affects both upper and lower-class citizens making it relatable to a broader audience. With Bones' unique perspective and eccentric voice, he balances the dark tone with genuine humor and heart. Bones in London is one of many entries in the author's vast catalog, which includes Bones (1915), Lieutenant Bones (1918), and Bones of the River (1923). Each book is a serialized version of short stories originally published in The Weekly Tale-Teller, The Windsor Magazine, and The 20-Story Magazine. For more than a century, these classic titles have delivered mystery and intrigue for readers of all ages. Wallace's work was integral to the creation of contemporary crime drama. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bones in London is both modern and readable.

'Fiendishly well-plotted, hugely entertaining - one feels Agatha Christie would have been delighted' - LUCY FOLEY, bestselling author of The Hunting Party I'm Mrs Christie. I think you are expecting me... Baghdad, 1928. Agatha leaves England for the far-flung destination, determined to investigate an unresolved mystery: two year ago, the explorer and the writer Gertrude Bell died there from a drugs overdose. At the time, the authorities believed that Bell had taken her own life, but a letter now unearthed reveals she was afraid someone wants to kill her... In her letter, Bell suggests that if she were to die the best place to look for her murderer would be Ur, the archaeological site in ancient Mesopotamia famous for its Great Death Pit. But as Agatha stealthily begins to look into the death of Gertrude Bell, she soon discovers the mission is not without its risks. And she has to use all her skills to try and outwit a killer who is determined to stay hidden among the desert sands... 'A heart of darkness beats within this sparkling series. Fizzy with charm yet edge with menace, Andrew Wilson's Christie novels do Dame Agatha proud' A. J. FINN, bestselling author of The Woman in the Window 'Beautifully written. Both lyrical and compelling. I felt as though I was walking by Agatha Christie's side' JANE CORRY 'An affectionate homage to Agatha Christie's desert dramas with a cheeky nod to Paul Bowles' The Sheltering Sky. A superior blend of fact and fiction, it's a hugely entertaining riot of red herrings, poisonous plots and boiling passions under the white hot desert sun. A must for connoisseurs of Golden Age crime fiction' SEAN O'CONNOR 'There is no reason why this excellent series shouldn't run till the sun don't shine' EVENING STANDARD 'While Wilson tempts providence by inviting comparison with the real Agatha Christie, on the evidence of this book he succeeds admirably' DAILY MAIL 'He shares with the great Dame the gift of sheer readability' S MAGAZINE 'Five stars . . . Brilliantly plotted, stylishly written. A treat!' AMANDA CRAIG

In this action-packed new Bernicia Chronicles adventure from Matthew Harffy, Beobrand finds himself in a dangerous foreign land, caught between warring factions of royalty and the Church. AD 652. Beobrand has been ordered to lead a group of pilgrims to Rome. Chief among them is Wilfrid, a novice of the church with some important connections. Taking only Cynan and his best men, Beobrand hopes to make the journey through Frankia quickly and return to Northumbria without delay. But where Beobrand treads, menace is never far behind. The lands of the Merovingian kings are rife with intrigue. The queen of Frankia is unpopular and her ambitious schemes have made her powerful enemies. Soon Wilfrid, and Beobrand, are caught up in sinister plots against the royal house. After interrupting a brutal ambush, Beobrand and his trusted gesithas find their lives on the line. Dark forces will stop at nothing to seize control of Frankia, and Beobrand is thrown into a deadly race for survival through foreign lands where he cannot be sure who is friend and who is foe. The only certainty is that if he is to save his men, thwart the plots, and unmask his enemies, blood will flow. Reviewers on Matthew Harffy: 'Excellent!' Christian Cameron 'A genuinely superb novel' Steven McKay 'Beobrand is the warrior to follow' David Gilman

Hollywood, 1934. Prohibition is finally over, but there is still plenty of crime for an ambitious young private eye to investigate. Though he has a slightly checkered past, Riley Fitzhugh is well connected in the film industry and is hired by a major producer-whose lovely girlfriend has disappeared. He also is hired to recover a stolen Monet, a crime that results in two murders initially, with more to come. Along the way, Riley investigates the gambling ships anchored off LA, gets involved with the girlfriend of the gangster running one of the ships, and disposes of the body of a would-be actor who assaults Riley's girlfriend. He also meets an elegant English art history professor from UCLA who helps Riley authenticate several paintings and determine which ones are forgeries. Riley lives at the Garden of Allah Hotel, the favorite watering place of screenwriters, and he meets and unknowingly assists many of them with their plots. Incidentally, one of these gents, whose nom de plume is "Hobey Baker," might actually be F. Scott Fitzgerald.

A stunning debut historical thriller set in the turbulent 14th Century for fans of CJ Sansom, The Name of the Rose and An Instance of the Fingerpost. London, 1385. A city of shadows and fear, in a kingdom ruled by the headstrong young King Richard II, haunted by the spectre of revolt. A place of poetry and prophecy, where power is bought by blood. For John Gower, part-time poet and full-time trader in information, secrets are his currency. When close confidant, fellow poet Geoffrey Chaucer, calls in an old debt, Gower cannot refuse. The request is simple: track down a missing book. It should be easy for a man of Gower's talents, who knows the back-alleys of Southwark as intimately as the courts and palaces of Westminster. But what Gower does not know is that this book has already caused one murder, and that its contents could destroy his life. Because its words are behind the highest treason - a conspiracy to kill the king and reduce his reign to ashes...