Under The Marsh by G R Halliday #UnderTheMarsh @gr_halliday @vintagebooks #BookReview #DCMonicaKennedy

Twelve years ago DI Monica Kennedy caught the notorious serial killer Pauline Tosh, imprisoning her for life.

When Pauline asks Monica to visit her at the remote Highlands Carselang prison, the detective thinks she's playing games.

But then Pauline hands her a hand-drawn map with a cross marking the desolate marsh lands near Inverness and Monica can't ignore it - she was always convinced there were more victims out there.

And when a body is discovered it looks like they've found a new name from Pauline's kill list.

But things are never that simple...

Under The Marsh by G R Halliday was published on 21 July 2022 by Vintage. 

I discovered G R Halliday and his lead character DI Monica Kennedy late last year and this series immediately became a firm favourite. Under The Marsh is the third in the series and I'm desperately hoping that book four will be along soon. 

Once again this author serves up a crime novel filled with thrills and unexpected events, in the beautifully described setting of the Scottish Highlands. 

Pauline Tosh was sent to prison for life twelve years ago. DI Monica Kennedy was the officer responsible for bringing this serial killer to justice. When Monica receives a request from Pauline, asking to see her, Monica is intrigued and goes to see her. She's very wary though, Pauline has always claimed to be innocent and was well known for her devious behaviour. 

Pauline hands over a map with a cross marking a spot on marsh land near to Inverness. Monica cannot ignore this and upon investigation, a body is discovered. Is this another of Pauline's victims? Why would she suddenly expose herself when she's always denied the murders?

However, all is not as it would seem to be and Monica and her team soon find themselves involved in a multi layered case that uncovers far more than they ever expected.

Monica is a great character and this author expertly includes her personal life into the story. This adds so much, revealing Monica's flaws and worries to the reader, making her appear so real. She's not just a police officer, she's a mother and daughter too, and her concerns for her child and her mother are tightly woven into the plot. 

Once again, the sense of place is outstanding. The reader is so clearly shown the desolate and isolated marsh lands, the streets of Inverness and the feelings of local communities. It's a fine art and one that this author does so very well. 

Another twisted tale of murder and misdeeds, led by one of my favourite characters. Highly recommended. 

G.R. Halliday was born in Edinburgh and grew up near Stirling in Scotland. 

He spent his childhood obsessing over the unexplained mysteries his father investigated, which has been a major inspiration for his writing. 

He now lives in the rural highlands outside Inverness, where he is able to pursue his favourite pastimes of mountain climbing and swimming in the sea, before returning home to his band of semi-feral cats.

www.grhalliday.com

Twitter @gr_halliday

Instagram @gr_halliday_author

The Fascination by Essie Fox BLOG TOUR #TheFascination @essiefox @OrendaBooks #BookReview #HistoricalFiction

 

Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

The Fascination by Essie Fox was published in hardback by Orenda Books on 22 June 2023. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review, as part of this Blog Tour 

I have been a fan of Essie Fox's writing for well over ten years, I've read all of her novels and have been so excited about delving into her latest; The Fascination. 

Fans of historical fiction, with an incredible gothic feel, populated by colourful characters who creep into your head will love this. If you like Laura Purcell's writing, then this author is for you. 

Fox takes her readers back to Victorian England, the story is set in and around London, taking in the travelling fairs so popular then, along with some of the darkest corners of central London, where anything is permissible, especially if you have status and money. 

Narrated in turn by three main characters; twin sisters Tilly and Kaziah Lovell, and Theo Seabrook; an orphan brought up by a vicious uncaring grandfather who resents him and eventually puts him out on the street when he finds himself a new wife who bears him a son. 

Tilly and Kaziah may be twins, born on the same day, and facially they are very alike, but Tilly stopped growing at five years old. Forever destined to be fairy like, she's the perfect fit for her father's travelling show where he sells an elixir to gullible crowds.

Theo finds employment with Doctor Summerwell, at the Museum of Anatomy. It is here that he can continue his fascination with the freakish, bizarre and strange that began when he discovered his grandfather's atrocious private collection years ago. 

When Tilly and Kaziah cross paths with Theo, another obsession begins for him, and this will eventually lead all three of them into danger, whilst also gaining the friendship and support of amazing characters such as Captain and his 'family'.

Essie Fox is a master in all things Victorian Gothic and The Fascination is one of those books that really transports the reader. The writing and the language are beautifully structured, the characters are so well created, they almost jump from the page. The description of London in this era is just marvellous, with the dangers fully explored, and the evil and wicked deeds carried out in the name of entertainment for the wealthy. 

There's a real magical feel to this story, with hints of sorcery and lots of superstition, suspicion and twisted minds. It's a story to savour. A wonderful, evocative read. Highly recommended

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her
writing.

After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she

worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, and then book publishers George Allen & Unwin, before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. 

Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

www.essiefox.com

Fearless by M W Craven #Fearless @MWCravenUK @LittleBrownUK #BenKoenig #BookReview @BethWright26

 

Five million reasons why Ben Koenig had to disappear. Only one to bring him back . . .

Ben Koenig is a ghost. He doesn't exist any more.

Six years ago it was Koenig who headed up the US Marshal's elite Special Ops group. They were the elite unit who hunted the bad guys - the really bad guys. They did this so no one else had to.

Until the day Koenig disappeared. He told no one why and he left no forwarding address. For six years he became a grey man. Invisible. He drifted from town to town, state to state. He was untraceable. It was as if he had never been.

But now Koenig's face is on every television screen in the country. Someone from his past is trying to find him and they don't care how they do it. In the burning heat of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a town called Gauntlet, and there are people in there who have a secret they'll do anything to protect. They've killed before and they will kill again.

Only this time they've made a mistake. They've dismissed Koenig as just another drifter - but they're wrong. Because Koenig has a condition, a unique disorder that makes it impossible for him to experience fear. And now they're about to find out what a truly fearless man is capable of. Because Koenig's coming for them. And hell's coming with him .

Fearless by M W Craven is published in hardback on 29 June 2023 by Constable and is the first in a new series to feature Ben Koenig. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

M W Craven is well known and well loved for his fabulous Washington Poe series. I adore those books and eagerly await publication of the next in the series.  I was intrigued to discover that Fearless was set in the US, and was curious to see how the author dealt with that. 

I was hooked from page one. I said to someone last week that Fearless is like Jack Reacher on acid, and it really is. It's a fast-paced, tension filled rollicking ride of a read set in the desert with a lead character who I think it going to become a cult figure in crime fiction. 

With Craven's trademark short, snappy chapters and told from Koenig's point of view, this is a story that hurtles you head first into action, whilst being privy to the main character's innermost thoughts really enables you to get to know him. 

I'm not going to talk too much about the plot, that's the author's job, not mine. However, I will say that Ben Koenig is a US Marshall who was in charge of the Special Operations Team. For the past six years, he's been 'invisible', took himself away from life and lived undercover, with a price on his head. 

However, he's now being hunted openly, with his face on television for all to see. When his boss gets in touch, Ben agrees, reluctantly to get involved in the case of an abducted girl, he's doing this as a favour, because basically he's a good bloke and wants to help a mate.  

Ben then goes on a whirlwind of a journey, there's violence, death and danger along the way, and it's absolutely breath taking, and heart pounding at times. I was so impressed by the author's depiction of life in a US desert and his superb knowledge of all things military. 

Oh, and Ben has one other major feature. He never feels fear. This is not always an advantage for him and adds such depth to what is already a stonker of a read. 

Bravo M W Craven, I loved it and Ben Koenig is my new hero!

M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the
army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .

The Puppet Show, the first in a two-book deal he signed with the Little, Brown imprint, Constable in 2017, was released to critical acclaim in hardback in 2018. It has been sold in numerous foreign territories and the production company Studio Lambert, creators of the award-winning Three Girls, have optioned it for TV. The sequel, Black Summer, follows in June 2019.

M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.

Website: mwcraven.com

Twitter: @MWCravenUK

The Moose Paradox by ANTTI TUOMAINEN T. DAVID HACKSTON PAPERBACK BLOG TOUR @ANTTI_TUOMAINEN T. @COUNTERTENORIST @ORENDABOOKS #THEMOOSEPARADOX

 

Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction?

Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late…

Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever…

The Moose Paradox by Antti Tuomainen was published in paperback by Orenda Books on 22 June 2023. It is translated by David Hackston

To celebrate paperback publication, I'm delighted to re-share my review here on Random Things today, part of the Orenda Blog Tour 

I read and reviewed the first in this series; The Rabbit Factor, back in November of last year. I was absolutely transfixed by lead character Henri and his mathematics obsession, his naivety and his humour struck such a chord with me and I've been so looking forward to this one, the next in the series. 

I'm really not sure how he does it, but The Moose Paradox is even better than book one. I had never imagined that I could get so involved with a character who owns and manages a children's fun park, but I have and I love Henri and his team of quirky staff members so much. 

It really felt like Henri was in the best place as The Rabbit Factor ended, but he's obviously not as this begins with him in another risky situation. Poor Henri seems to attract every shyster and conman in Finland and the re-appearance of an unseen, but major character from the first book just throws his life into total and utter chaos. 

Yes, it's crime fiction, there are some real rogues in this story and Henri fears for his life more than once. However, this is also laugh-out-loud funny as Tuomainen develops the plot and Henri gets himself into more and more crazy situations. 

Henri wants that Moose Chute, he wants it desperately, he's convinced that it's the perfect attraction for his visitors and he really needs to fend off the competition. However, the suppliers have other ideas and the unwanted meddling from someone who should have his back, but doesn't makes the acquisition of this seemingly harmless piece of play equipment something of a dangerous, nearly on deadly, nightmare!

I absolutely adore this series. The writing is sublime, perfect in pace and sense of danger. The dry wit, the complexities of Henri and his relationships with others are just beautifully created. 

Welcome back Henri, I'm so looking forward to seeing what happens next. 

**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell**

Praise for Antti Tuomainen

‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre

‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan

‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent

‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times

 

‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times

 

‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the Year

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary
debut in 2007 as a suspense author in 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the 'King of Helsinki Noir' when Dark as My Heart was published. 

With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. 

Palm Beach Finland was an immense success, with Marcel Berlins (The Times) calling Tuomainen 'the funniest writer in Europe'. 

Little Siberia (2020), was shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger, the Amazon Publishing/Capital Crime Awards and the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year. 

The Rabbit Factor (2021), the first book in Antti's first ever series,is in production by Amazon Studios with Steve Carell starring.

The Moose Paradox, book two in the series is out in 2022.

Twitter @antti_tuomainen

David Hackston is a British Translator of Finnish and Swedish literature and drama. 

Notable publications include The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, Maria Peura’s coming-of-age novel At the Edge of Light, Johanna Sinisalo’s eco-thriller Birdbrain, two crime novels by Matti Joensuu and Kati Hiekkapelto’s Anna Fekete series (which currently includes The Hummingbird, The Defenceless and The Exiled, all published by Orenda Books). 

He also translates Antti Tuomainen’s stories. 

In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation. 

David is also a professional countertenor and a founding member of the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki. 

Follow David on Twitter @Countertenorist

Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown #Giveaway #Homecoming @IsabelAshdown @orionbooks @Leodora_ #Prize #Win #Competition

 

Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for.

Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'

A mesmerising, character-rich thriller with a long-buried secret vibrating at its core: this is Isabel Ashdown at her heart-stopping best, for readers who enjoyed Big Little Lies, Doctor Foster or Little Fires Everywhere.

Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown was published in paperback by Orion on 22 June 2023.

I'm delighted to offer one paperback copy as the giveaway prize today. Entry is simple, just fill out the competition widget on the blog post.  UK entries only please.

GOOD LUCK!

A copy of Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown

Isabel Ashdown is the author of nine novels, including her Amazon Bestseller LITTLE
SISTER and award winning debut GLASSHOPPER. 

Two of her novels have been shortlisted in the prestigious Dead Good Reader Awards, and in several translations her dark family dramas continue to hook readers across the globe. Her recent 'ingenious thriller' (Sunday Times) 33 WOMEN was an Amazon Bestseller within its first month of sale, and her latest HOMECOMING is out now in eBook and audio (paperback June 2023).

Isabel was born in London, grew up on the Sussex coast, and now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in Dorset. She is a full-time novelist, a Royal Literary Fund associate and an occasional creative writer tutor and festival speaker.

You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or via her newsletter at www.isabelashdown.com

Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Madsen t. Megan E Turney #ThirtyDaysofDarkness @JennyLundMadsen @OrendaBooks #BookReview

 

Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong.

 When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration.

But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah…

 Atmospheric, dramatic and full of nerve-jangling twists and turns, Thirty Days of Darkness is a darkly funny, unsettling debut Nordic Noir thriller that marks the start of a breath-taking new series.

Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Madsen was published in hardback and digitally by Orenda Books on 25 May 2023. It is translated by Megan E Turney. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

This review was originally published in the June Edition of the National Federation for Occupational Pensioners Magazine. 

Thirty Days of Darkness is a thrilling crime novel, it’s also packed with humour and lightness. The perfect combination that produces an extremely satisfying read. 

Hannah Krause-Bendix is a literary author from Denmark. Her novels are critically acclaimed, but sell very little copies. Hannah is a snob, she considers crime fiction, and the authors that write it to be beneath her. 

Her nemesis is a best-selling crime fiction author. Adored by his fans, his books sell millions of copies. When Hannah claims that she could write a crime novel in thirty days, her agent sends her to a small Icelandic town to do just that. 

Whilst the town of Húsafjöður is certainly small, and very isolated, it doesn’t stay quiet for very long. The body of a local fisherman’s son is pulled from the water, and Hannah becomes caught up in what she believes is a murder. Not only does this give her great material for the novel that she really doesn’t want to write, but it also exposes her to some dangerous and potentially deadly situations. 

Hannah is an amazing character, fuelled by alcohol, cigarettes and a very sharp tongue, there are laugh out loud moments woven between the bleakness of the the Icelandic setting and the progressive dangers of the murder case. 

The suspense builds throughout the novel as Hannah discovers more hidden secrets, building to a reveal that is both unexpected and utterly brilliant. 

So dark, so atmospheric, so funny and so very tense. This is the perfect balance of murder, mayhem and humour. 

Jenny Lund Madsen is one of Denmark’s most acclaimed scriptwriters (including the
international hits Rita and Follow the Money) and is known as an advocate for better representation for sexual and ethnic minorities in Danish TV and film. 

She recently made her debut as a playwright with the critically acclaimed Audition (Aarhus Teater) and her debut literary thriller, Thirty Days of Darkness, first in an addictive new series, won the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel of the year and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key Award. 

She lives in Denmark with her young family.

Conviction by Jack Jordan BLOG TOUR #Conviction @JackJordanBooks @RandomTTours @simonschusterUK #BookReview

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 

 When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

 Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

 Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

Conviction by Jack Jordan is published today; 22 June 2023 by Simon and Schuster. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour. 

I raced through this book, it's a tense, thrilling story that leads the reader through a twisty tale of intrigue and mystery. 

A courtroom thriller with a huge difference, and one populated by characters who are difficult to trust. I love an unreliable narrator, and I think the lead character, Neve, is a fabulous creation. 

Neve is a barrister and she's been given the job of defending Wade Darling. Wade is accused of murdering his wife and two children, after burning down their home. This is a massive, high-profile case that everyone is talking about and could secure Neve's future. She can imagine the letters QC after her name already. 

However, Neve has her own secrets and it's clear that someone else knows about them. She's approached by a man that she names 'The Messenger' and is told that she has to lose the case. Wade must not go free. If he does, then her secret will be revealed and those closest to her will die. 

The reader is, at first, unaware of what Neve's secret is. The author cleverly and gradually reveals the full background throughout the story and it's clear to see just why Neve is worried. As a barrister though, she knows that she should ensure that her client gets the best representation. Her moral dilemma is massive and I was never quite sure just which way she would go. 

Packed with surprises and reveals to shock the reader. I was so impressed by this book, Jack Jordan has created a story full of retribution and blackmail. Highly recommended. 

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Do No Harm, Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. 

Jack's novel Do No Harm was a Saturday Times Bestseller and was longlisted for a Dead Good Reader Award in 2022.

To find out more, follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram  

T:@JackJordanBooks 

I: @jackjordan_author

Eleven Liars by Robert Gold #ElevenLiars @books_gold @BooksSphere #BenHarper #BookReview

 

Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees the flames in the churchyard. The derelict community centre is on fire. And somebody is trapped inside.

 With Ben's help the person escapes, only to flee the scene before they can be identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?

 Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.

 And when the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody has something to hide.

Eleven Liars by Robert Gold was published in hardback by Sphere on 30 March 2023. My thanks to the publisher who sent the book for review. 

This is the second in the Ben Harper series from Robert Gold. I read and reviewed the first; Twelve Secrets back in March this year and was so impressed. I've been looking forward to Eleven Liars for a while and desperately hoping that the author would produce another story to thrill.  I read this on holiday, finding it difficult to put it down. It's another cracker from an extremely talented author. 

Ben Harper is a journalist, he lives in the small town of Haddley and is well known in the area. He recently re-investigated the murder of his brother and the subsequent death of his mother, uncovering a tragic set of consequences.

Ben is walking home when he discovers a fire in the derelict community centre that sits beside the local church. When he realises that someone is inside, he manages to help them to escape. The person runs away and Ben could only spot a pair of bright orange trainers. He doesn't know who it was. 

When a skeleton is found in the remains of the fire, and the identity of this person is revealed, a whole new investigation opens up for Ben. People very close to him have lived their lives believing one thing, whilst the evidence is mounting up to prove that they've been misled for many years. 

Teaming up once more with DC Dani Cash, Ben is determined to discover the truth and to ensure that whoever is responsible for hiding the body faces justice. 

Once again, this author has delivered a thriller that takes many an unexpected twist along the way. His characterisation is impeccable, with people who the reader will despise, some that the reader will suspect and others that will totally surprise. 

His plotting is magnificent, with hints and reveals places perfectly along the way. It's a tense, tightly woven story that kept me gripped. Highly recommended. 

Originally from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Robert Gold began his career as an intern at the
American broadcaster CNN, based in Washington DC. 

He returned to Yorkshire to work for the retailer ASDA, becoming the chain's nationwide book buyer.

He now works in sales for a UK publishing company.

Robert now lives in Putney and his new hometown served as the inspiration for the fictional town of Haddley in his thrillers, Twelve Secrets, an Irish Times bestseller, and Eleven Liars.

Twitter @books_gold