by Philip Eliot | Oct 5, 2025 | Crime Fiction |
A kidnapping plan cribbed from a crime novel goes hilariously wrong for gang boss John Dortmunder—from the Edgar Award–winning author of Bank Shot. When his “friend” Andy Kelp has a plan, career criminal John Dortmunder knows that means trouble. Kelp’s schemes, no matter how well intentioned, tend to spiral quickly out of control. But this one, Kelp swears, is airtight. He read it in a book! The novel featured a kidnapping so brilliant there’s no way it wouldn’t work in real life. Though offended that his usual role as heist planner has been usurped, Dortmunder reluctantly agrees to the scheme. Unfortunately, they kidnap a kid smarter than all of them put together. What’s simple on the page turns complex and chaotic—and there’s no reference guide to help Dortmunder through the madness he’s signed on for. “[Westlake’s] most durable character. Whatever can go wrong in the man’s elaborate attempts at larceny invariably does, and in the most amusing and unexpected ways possible.” —Los Angeles Times “Westlake has no peer in the realm of comic mystery novelists.” —San Francisco Chronicle
by Philip Eliot | Oct 5, 2025 | Thriller & Suspense |
When the body of a homeless man is discovered, carefully tucked between the weathered beach huts of Thorpe Bay on Southend seafront, the residents of Essex hardly bat an eye. That is, until the post-mortem shocks everyone by revealing the victim’s identity: Herbert Tucker, the local MP with a notorious past.As the political and media pressure surges like a rising tide, DS Tomek Bowen is forced to navigate a treacherous undercurrent of lies, betrayal, and scandal. Digging into Herbert’s murky history, Bowen finds himself entangled in a labyrinth of secrets where every shadow conceals a potential suspect—and every clue deepens the mystery.Death’s Kiss is the unforgettable third book in the DS Tomek Bowen Essex Murder Mystery series by Jack Probyn. Filled with twists, peppered with romance and flavoured with ounces of dark humour, this fast-paced British detective novel will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed. Perfect for fans of JD Kirk, JM Dalgliesh, TG Reid, Simon McCleave and Rhys Dylan.___________________________________________________________________________________THE SETTINGCanvey Island, with its low-lying marshes and silent, brackish waters, feels like a place cut off from the rest of Essex. The island’s isolation, surrounded by the dark, slow-moving waters of the Thames, gives it an unsettling stillness. Sea defenses and forgotten corners of the shoreline hint at a past riddled with floods and unspoken tragedies. Here, as the fog and rain rolls in, the island takes on a haunting air, as if the land itself remembers things best left buried beneath its soggy surface.___________________________________________________________________________________MEET THE DETECTIVENow on the wrong side of forty, DS Tomek Bowen has begun to worry more about the little things. Like the food he puts in his body, how many pints he can have without feeling too hungover, and what beard dye to use for his increasingly greying hair. But now he has something more important to worry about: a thirteen-year-old daughter he knew nothing about until recently. Now he’s a father, life and all its delicate intricacies have become infinitely more difficult and troublesome. On an island at constant risk of flooding, will he sink or swim?
by Philip Eliot | Oct 5, 2025 | Thriller & Suspense |
A missing girl, an unsolved murder, and a neighbour with something to hide.Unemployed and alone, Sass Denman’s life takes an unsettling turn when a chance conversation leads her to Sean Tallis, an unconventional private investigator with a penchant for lizards.As they delve into a seemingly routine case, they uncover a missing girl with ties to a cold case from a decade ago. Could the notorious Skin Thief be back?The evidence mounts, and the trail leads them to Sass’s own home, Bosworth House, where each neighbour harbours sinister secrets. From the padlocked cellar door to the incessant arguments in Flat Four, the clues point to a killer lurking uncomfortably close to home.In “The Girl in Flat Three,” the first book in the Denman & Tallis Cotswold Crime Thrillers series by Jacqueline Beard, Sass must navigate a complex web of deceit and danger to discover the truth.Trust no one. The killer is close. Get your copy of “The Girl in Flat Three” today._____________________________________________________Praise for the Denman & Tallis Cotswold Crime Thriller Series? ? ? ? ? I was absolutely hooked from page one.? ? ? ? ? Gritty at times and a page-turning read that I sat up late to finish.? ? ? ? ? Gripping and well thought out story? ? ? ? ? I would have given this book 10 stars if I could.? ? ? ? ? Good psychological thriller, lots of twists and turns? ? ? ? ? A truly gripping thriller!
by Philip Eliot | Oct 5, 2025 | Mystery |
For Lady Eleanor Swift, Paris means champagne at breakfast, romantic walks by the Eiffel Tower… and her deadliest case yet! Newlyweds Lady Swift and Detective Hugh Seldon are honeymooning in the most romantic city on earth. Clifford, her butler,has come along for the trip to make sure everything goes to plan for the happy couple. And Gladstone, the mischievous bulldog, to make sure it doesn’t!But the pair are shocked when, just as they are toasting their new marriage at the best table in their hotel’s opulent restaurant, a man tumbles through the glass roof and lands amid the silverware and coq au vin. Before he dies, he presses a striking pearl brooch into Eleanor’s hands. She has the strangest feeling of déjà vu. Has she met this man before? All too quickly, the local police arrive and immediately accuse the new Mr and Mrs of working with the victim – a thief who’d just robbed the museum down the block.With her new husband by her side, Eleanor races to clear their name and discover who would kill to get their hands on the unusual brooch. Following a clue about a doomed love affair takes the gang from the famous cabarets and cobbled streets of Paris to rubbing shoulders with the aristocracy at the very top of the Eiffel Tower.But soon Eleanor notices a mysterious man in black following their every footstep. Is he friend or foe? And can Eleanor and Hugh unravel the case before the City of Light becomes the city of death?An utterly charming and unputdownable golden age cozy mystery set in Paris. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Catherine Coles and Lee Strauss will adore it.What readers are saying about Death at a Paris Hotel:‘Truly amazing… Absolutely loved this… I genuinely laughed out loud!!… Had me hooked… absolutely perfect.’ NetGalley reviewer, ?????‘I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting… I just could not put it down… absolutely fantastic… LOVE.’ bookwormwhitlock86, ?????‘What a ride, y’all!… Kept me turning pages far past my bedtime.’ The Plain-Spoken Pen, ?????‘I devoured in a single sitting. Fun, exciting, unpredictable… Addictive… A struggle to put down.’ Bookish Jottings, ?????‘Beautiful… Perfect… Kept me guessing… Fabulous!’ Goodreads reviewer, ?????‘5 stars… such a treat!… Loved… Genuinely delightful… exceptional.’ The Sassy Bookworm, ?????‘I immediately LOVED this. Just go read this. Cozy up for a one-day read-a-thon. Why not?!’ NetGalley reviewer, ?????‘Excellent… Very twisty… Couldn’t put the book down… Wonderful… Hair-raising!’ Goodreads reviewer‘Fantastically unputdownable.’ bluewolf-reviews,?????‘A real delight… excellent!’ daisyreads2,?????‘I loved every word!’ Goodreads reviewer, ?????
by Philip Eliot | Oct 5, 2025 | Cozy Mystery |
Running a cozy book café can be murder … especially when the past just won’t stay buried. Callie loves a timeless classic. She thought running a shop in her charming southern town meant quiet days, good tea, and lots of spare time to read. But when a strange journal turns up in a donation box, it leads her straight to the town’s oldest Creole manor—and to the body of a very prominent friend.But the ladies in the dead woman’s bridge club are tight lipped and snooty, the town planner is acting shady, and the bad boy carpenter who worked for the late Alma Jessup has been spreading rumors. Everybody seems to have something to hide. And the more Callie starts poking around, the less sleepy her little hamlet becomes.As Callie, Josh and Maya get tangled up with the quirky townsfolk, the clock begins ticking. More bodies. More books. And of course, more bubble tea. Will the trio be able to get to the bottom of things before time runs out?And just how many secrets can one old mansion hold?Find out in this tight cozy full of southern charm, lovable characters, and a mystery that will have you guessing until the very last moments. Fans of Ellie Alexander, Tonya Kappes, and Katie Gayle say they “can’t put this book down!”
