The Burning Mind with M G Gardiner

M. G. Gardiner was born in Oklahoma and raised in Santa Barbara, California. She graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law School. She practiced law in Los Angeles and taught writing at the University of California Santa Barbara. She's a former collegiate cross-country runner and a three time Jeopardy! champion. She lives in Austin Texas and is the author of the Jo Beckett series and the Evan Delayne series.  She has won many awards for her writing, including the 2009 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Procedural Novel and the 2012 Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense audiobook of the year.  Her latest novel is The Burning Mind (aka Phantom Instinct) is out today.

The Burning Mind is about perception.  A catastrophic shootout leaves two damaged survivors who must work together to stop a killer.  Hunting him down, and coming out alive, depends on accurate perception—by the survivors, the cops, and the people the killer has in his sights.  Because almost nobody believes he exists.

And things may literally not be what they seem.

Perception involves a balance of vision, insight, memory, and judgment.  And that balance can be skewed—by darkness, bias, lies, and bad neural wiring.  In The Burning Mind, perception can’t be trusted.  How do you tell truth from lies when you can’t believe what you see?

A shootout in a trendy L.A. club leaves bartender Harper Flynn’s boyfriend dead, Sheriff’s Deputy Aiden Garrison shattered, and two gunmen engulfed in flames.  But if the case is closed, why is Harper still afraid?

Certain that a third gunman escaped and is targeting survivors, Harper pins her last hope on the only person willing to listen.  But a traumatic brain injury has left Aiden with a rare and terrifying disorder: a delusion that random people are actually the same person in disguise.

Fregoli syndrome is a kind of face blindness—a glitch in perception—that can cause Aiden to think his worst enemy is coming at him, camouflaged as a friend, family, or stranger.  So the authorities no longer believe anything he says.  He himself hardly believes anything he says anymore.  Because his own eyes deceive him. 

As Harper and Aiden dig deeper into the case, Harper fears that the attack might have deliberately targeted her.  And now her only ally is unstable, paranoid, and mistrustful because he sees the same enemy everywhere he looks.

Worse, Aiden starts to fear that Harper is an enemy too.  She’s an ex-thief.  The cops don’t care that she’s gone straight, or that she’s a Navy veteran with security clearance.  They don’t trust her.  When Aiden learns about her past, he doesn’t either.

The story is about trust, betrayal, and fatal secrets.  Harper and Aiden are wounded warriors, broken and drawn to one another.  But their wounds make them dangerous.  They have to choose whether to risk trusting their hearts and their instincts.  The killer is closing in.  And he’ll turn every one of their faults against them, to put Harper, Aiden, and those they love in the line of fire.

You can find out more information about M.G Gardiner and her books on her website.  You can also follow her on Twitter at @MegGardiner1 and find her on Facebook.  You can also read her blog.

The Burning Mind by M G Gardiner is out now £6.99 (Penguin)

Books to Look Forward to from Penguin and Michael Joseph

Fall From Grace is the latest missing persons case in the David Raker series by Tim Weaver.  It is due to be published in August 2014.  You don't really know anybody.  Not even the ones you love...When Leonard Franks and his wife Ellie leave the clamour of London for a dream retirement on the seclusion of Dartmoor, everything seems perfect.  But then the dream shatters.  Late on a January afternoon, only two years into their new life, Leonard leaves the house to fetch firewood - and never returns.  Nine months later, he's still missing.  With the police investigation dead in the water, Ellie and her family turn to David Raker.  Raker tracks down missing people for a living.  He knows how they think.  But nothing can prepare him for what he's about to find.  Because, behind Leonard Franks' disappearance, lies a deadly secret, buried so deep it was never meant to be found.  And, by the time Raker starts to uncover the truth, it's not just him in danger - it's everyone he's ever cared about...

The stakes are higher than ever in Damage.  Jeff Hinkley, undercover investigator for the British

Horseracing Authority, is looking into the shady activities of a racehorse trainer.  But as he's tailing his quarry through the Cheltenham Racing Festival, the last thing he expects to witness is a gruesome murder.  Could it have something to do with the reason the trainer was banned in the first place - the administration of illegal drugs to his horses?  Days later, it's discovered that many more horses test positive for prohibited stimulants, a scandal that could throw horse-racing into disrepute.  It's no surprise when the BHA receives a demand - pay up or face the consequences.  In order to limit the damage to the sport, it's critical that Jeff find the perpetrator ...but he'll soon learn he's up against someone who will stop at nothing to prevail...  Damage is by Felix Francis and is due to be published in September 2014.

Death or Glory IV is by Michael Asher and is due to be published  in November 2014.  Italy, 1943 – SAS Captain, Tom Caine, is being held captive by Nazis forces.  Whilst imprisoned he befriends another member of the SAS – one who has heard a rumour.  The operative knows the location of an ancient codex.  A codex he claims will lead them to the location of the original texts of Tacitus’s Germania.  Caine is deployed by the Nazis to find the codex and retrieve the texts on a mission that will most certainly bring about his death, and refusal is not an option.  Caine has little choice but to begin his most deadly campaign yet.

The Eye of Heaven is the outstanding new Fargo Adventure from Clive Cussler and is due to be published in September 2014.  Baffin Island: Husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are on a climate-control expedition in the Arctic, when to their astonishment they discover a Viking ship in the ice, perfectly preserved - and filled with pre-Columbian artifacts from Mexico.  How can that be?  As they plunge into their research, tantalizing clues about a link between the Vikings and the legendary Toltec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl - and a fabled object known as the Eye of Heaven - begin to emerge.  But so do many dangerous people.  Soon the Fargos find themselves on the run through jungles, temples, and secret tombs, caught between treasure hunters, crime cartels, and those with a far more personal motivation for stopping them.  At the end of the road will be the solution to a thousand-year-old mystery - or death. 

The brilliant retelling of the Wars of the Roses continues with Trinity, the second gripping novel in the new series from historical fiction master, Conn Iggulden.  1454: King Henry VI has remained all but exiled in Windsor Castle, struck down by his illness for over a year, his eyes vacant, his mind a blank.  His fiercely loyal wife and Queen, Margaret of Anjou, safeguards her husband's interests, hoping that her son Edward will one day know the love of his father.  Richard Duke of York, Protector of the Realm, extends his influence throughout the kingdom with each month that Henry slumbers.  The Earls of Salisbury and Warwick make up a formidable trinity with Richard, and together they seek to break the support of those who would raise their colours in the name of Henry and his Queen.  But when the King unexpectedly recovers his senses and returns to London to reclaim his throne, the balance of power is once again thrown into turmoil.  The clash of the Houses of Lancaster and York will surely mean a war to tear England apart.  Trinity is due to be published in September 2014.

Havana Storm is by Clive Cussler and is due to be published in November 2014.  While investigating a toxic outbreak in the Caribbean Sea that may ultimately threaten the United States, Pitt unwittingly becomes involved in something even more dangerous—a post-Castro power struggle for the control of Cuba.  Meanwhile, Pitt’s children, marine engineer Dirk and oceanographer Summer, are on an investigation of their own, chasing an Aztec stone that may reveal the whereabouts of a vast historical Aztec treasure.  The problem is, that stone was believed to have been destroyed on the battleship Maine in Havana Harbour in 1898, which brings them both to Cuba as well—and squarely into harm’s way. The three of them have been in desperate situations before . . . but perhaps never quite as dire as the one facing them now. 

Dead Men's Bones is the fourth novel in James Oswald's phenomenal Inspector Mclean series set in Edinburgh.  A family lies slaughtered in an isolated house in North East Fife ...Morag Weatherly and her two young daughters have been shot by husband Andrew, an influential politician, before he turned the gun on himself.  But what would cause a rich, successful man to snap so suddenly?  For Inspector Tony McLean, this apparently simple but high profile case leads him into a world of power and privilege.  And the deeper he digs, the more he realises he's being manipulated by shadowy factions.  Under pressure to wrap up the case, McLean instead seeks to uncover layers of truth - putting the lives of everyone he cares about at risk.  Dead Men’s Bones is by James Oswald and is due to be published in July 2014.

DI Helen Grace returns in Pop Goes the Weasel, the new thriller from M. J. Arlidge.  The body of a middle-aged man is discovered in Southampton's red light district - horrifically mutilated, with his heart removed.  Hours later - and barely cold - the heart arrives with his wife and children by courier.  A pattern emerges when another male victim is found dead and eviscerated, his heart delivered soon afterwards.  The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse; revenge against the men who lead sordid double lives visiting prostitutes.  For Grace, only one thing is certain: there's a vicious serial killer at large who must be halted at all costs...  Pop Goes the Weasel is due to be published in September 2014.

Gone for Good is a suspense-filled mystery from David Bell.  No secret is ever truly gone for

good...Elizabeth Hampton has not spoken to her family in weeks when she gets the phone call.  Her mother has been found dead under suspicious circumstances.  But who would want to kill a kind old woman who stayed at home to care for her son Ronnie's special needs?  And just why did her mother recently change her Will?  The police tell Elizabeth that this is not only a murder investigation - but that her brother Ronnie is the prime suspect.  Desperate to prove her brother's innocence, Elizabeth begins to unravel family secrets and dark double lives - leading to the dangerous truth behind her own identity...  Gone for Good is due to be published in August 2014.

The Devil's Workshop is the third historical thriller in Alex Grecian's Scotland Yard Murder Squad series.  April, 1890.  London wakes to the shocking news of a mass prison escape.  Walter Day and the Scotland Yard Murder Squad now face a desperate race against time: if they don't re-capture the four convicted murderers before night settles, they'll vanish into the dark alleys of the London's criminal underworld for ever.  And in the midst of this mayhem and fear, the city's worst nightmare is realised: Jack the Ripper haunts the streets of London once more... The Devil’s Workshop is due to be published in July 2014.

Don't Look Back is the brilliant new thriller from Gregg Hurwitz and is due to be published in September 2014.  After the breakup of her marriage, Evie takes the holiday of a lifetime.  A few weeks of hiking, rafting, and jungle adventure at an eco-lodge in Mexico sound ideal.  But what should have been the perfect pick-me-up soon turns into a nightmare.  Nothing is quite what it seems.  There are secrets hidden that can't be allowed to leave their jungle hiding place.  And which their keeper will kill to protect.  If she is ever to see her son again, Evie will be forced to find reserves of strength, courage, and ingenuity she never dreamt existed.  Or die trying.  With great pace and pitch-perfect characterisation,

Phantom Instinct is the new thriller from the acclaimed Edgar Award-winning writer, M. G. Gardiner and is due to be published in October 2014.  Harper Flynn nearly died when gunmen attacked the L.A. club where she worked.  A year later, Harper tries to rebuild her life - but is failing.  Because not only is she convinced there was a third gunman who escaped, but she also believes that he is targeting the survivors.  The only person who will listen is Sherriff Deputy Aiden Garrison, who tried to save her life that night.  But Harper's only ally has a secret of his own - one that makes him suspicious and highly volatile..

Books to Look forward to from Penguin and Michael Joseph

King Henry V - the great Lion of England - is long dead. In 1437, after years of regency, the pious and gentle Henry VI, the Lamb, comes of age and accedes to the English throne. His poor health and frailty of mind render him a weakling king - Henry depends on his closest men, Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom. Yet there are those, such as the Plantagenet Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be led by a strong king if she is to survive. With England's territories in France under threat, and rumours of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real. As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who, or what, can save the kingdom before it is too late?  War of the Roses: Stormbird is by Conn Iggulden and is due to be published in October 2013.  It is the start of a new series.

 

Tell No Lies is by Greg Hurwitz and was published in August 2013.  Sharing a room with

criminals is an occupational hazard for probation counsellor Daniel Brasher. But he's ready to move on; he's looking forward to leaving it behind for good. That was the plan at least. Until, before leaving work for the evening, Daniel finds a letter in his pigeonhole. Inside is a note: 'admit what you've done or you will bleed for it. you have 'till november 15 at midnite' But the message was meant for someone else and picked up late by Daniel. With the deadline past, the intended recipient is already dead. Further warnings herald a series of gruesome, seemingly inexplicable murders. Then a note is addressed to Daniel himself. And with the clock ticking he must discover who wants him dead. And why, or become the next victim.

Husband and wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are in Mexico when they come upon an astonishing discovery – the skeleton of a man clutching an ancient sealed pot, and within the pot a  Mayan book larger than anyone has ever seen.  The book contains astonishing information about the Mayans, their cities, and about mankind itself. The secrets are so powerful that some people would do anything to possess them – as the Fargos are about to find out.  Before their adventure is done, many men and women will die for that book – and Sam and Remi may just be among them.  The Mayan Secrets is by Clive Cussler and Thomas Perry and is due to be published in November 2013.

Refusal is by Feliz Francis and is due to be published in September 2013. Sir Richard Stewart, chairman of the horse racing authority, wants Sid Halley to look into some suspicious race results, but Sid gave up the investigating business six years ago and he thought nothing could make him go back. He thought wrong. The following day, Sir Richard is found dead and Sid receives a threatening call from a man with an Irish accent. The man insists that Sid Halley should investigate the alleged race-fixing and it is only when his six-year-old daughter goes missing that Sid realises that he may pay the ultimate price for his refusal. With his life in tatters and his family in mortal danger, Sid is forced to act. Maybe he has underestimated the evilness of his foe, but has his foe underestimated the guile and determination of Sid Halley? Extreme situations demand extreme solutions and Sid is desperate to get his life back, or die trying...

When someone wants to find you badly enough, vanishing is no longer an option. Sarah Keller

is a young single mother living in Oklahoma with her five-year-old daughter, Zoe. Her day job is to hunt out people on the run and bring them to justice. So imagine how it looks when a school bus accident sends Zoe to the ER and tests reveal Sarah can't be Zoe's mother. Sarah has been living a lie for years and finally the truth is coming out. Who is she? Who were Zoe's parents? And why does Zoe's identity bring the FBI down on Sarah's tail in mere minutes? The FBI is the least of her worries, though. Sarah needs to keep Zoe off the grid, but with a sinister religious cult also on the trail, where on earth can they hide? Something deadly lurks in Sarah's past and its resurfacing brings terror to all it touches.  The Shadow Tracer is by M G Gardiner and is due to be published in October 2013.

Never Coming Back is by Tim Weaver and was published in August 2013.  A secret that will change lives forever. It was supposed to be the start of a big night out. But when Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie's house, she finds the front door unlocked and no one inside. Dinner's cooking, the TV's on. Carrie, her husband and their two daughters are gone. When the police draw a blank, Emily asks missing persons investigator David Raker to find them. It's clear someone doesn't want the family found. But as he gets closer to the truth, Raker begins to uncover evidence of a sinister cover-up, spanning decades and costing countless lives. And worse, in trying to find Emily's missing family, he might just have made himself the next target…

Alex Grecian's The Black Country sees the Scotland Yard Murder Squad return in a gruesome historical thriller. When members of a prominent family disappear from a coal-mining village - and a human eyeball is discovered in a bird's nest - the local constable sends for help from Scotland Yard's new Murder Squad. Inspector Walter Day and Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith respond, but they have no idea what they're about to get into. The villagers have intense, intertwined histories. Everybody bears a secret. Superstitions abound. And the village itself is slowly sinking into the mines beneath it. Not even the arrival of forensics pioneer Dr. Bernard Kingsley seems to help. In fact, the more the three of them investigate, the more they realize they may never be allowed to leave. The Black Country is due to be published in September 2013.

Atlantis: Revelation is by Marcus Blake and is due to be published in October 2013.   For millennia, mankind has searched for Atlantis - the ancient lost city, sunk without a trace - and found nothing more than myth. A young man drifts, unconscious, into a quiet Haitian harbour. He wakes to find he can only remember one thing - his name, Achilles. Helped by Marta, a beautiful smuggler, he begins a desperate search for his identity. But soon they are running for their lives, pursued by a covert government agency who will stop at nothing to track them down. The agency knows something Achilles doesn't: he is no ordinary young man. Soon, Achilles will find himself at the centre of a deadly game between two civilizations; the world above, and the world below. What if a place of myth, legend and fables...was real? This is Atlantis: Revelation.

Darkness First by James Hayman is the third book in the McCabe and Savage series and is due to be published in December 2013. In the dark shadows of a summer evening a young woman named Tiffany Stoddard is brutally slain by a remorseless killer's razor sharp blade. Learning that her closest childhood friend was nearly killed in the same incident, Portland Detective Maggie Savage rushes to the scene to join the State Police investigation. Maggie soon discovers the killer's name is Conor Riordan. There's only one problem. Conor Riordan doesn't exist. The only person who can provide a clue as to who Riordan really is, is the victim's eleven-year-old sister, Tabitha. And now Tabitha has turned up missing. Soon Maggie and her long time partner, Detective Sergeant Michael McCabe, find themselves in a desperate race against time to find the missing child before she becomes a vicious killer's next victim.