2025 ITW Thriller Award Nominees

Congratulations the finalists of the 2025 ITW Thriller Awards have been announced.

BEST STANDALONE THRILLER NOVEL

The Paris Widow by Kimberly S. Belle

The Chamber by Will Dean

Worst Case Scenario by L.J. Newman, 

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak, 

The Truth about the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline, 

BEST STANDALONE MYSTERY NOVEL

Negative Girl by Libby Cudmore, 

The Night We lost Him by Laura Dave

Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett, 

The Life and Death of Rose Doucette by Harry Hunsicker, 

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan, 

Lake County by Lori Roy

BEST SERIES NOVEL

To Die For by David Baldacci, 

The Last Few Miles of the Road by Eric Beetner, 

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves, 

Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner, 

Flashback by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen, 

A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado, 

BEST FIRST NOVEL 

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody, 

After Image by Jaime deBlanc, 

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade,

Blood in the Cut by Alejandro Nodarse, 

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney

BEST AUDIOBOOK 

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth, Narrated by Jessica Clarke

Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom, Narrated by Jon Lindstrom

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall, Narrated by Karissa Vacker

Beyond All Doubt by Hilton Reed, Narrated by George Newbern

Listeen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, Narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Influencer by Adam Cesare, 

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones, 

Darkly by Marisha Pessl, 

49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards, 

Girls Like Her by Melanie Sumrow, 

BEST SHORT STORY 

Not a Dinner Party Person by Stefanie Leder, 

Double Parked by Twist Phelan, 

Jackrabbit Skin by Ivy Pochoda, 

The Doll's House by Lisa Unger, 

And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome by Joseph S. Walker,

Congratulations t all the nominated authors - Winners will be announced at ThrillerFest XX on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown, New York City. 

MWA Announces the 2021 Grand Masters

Today Mystery Writers of America (MWA) announces the recipients of its special awards. The board chose Charlaine Harris and Jeffery Deaver as the 2021 Grand Masters, and the 2020 Raven Award recipient is Malice Domestic. They will receive their awards at the 75th Annual Edgar Awards Ceremony, which will be held April 29, 2021. 

"Mystery Writers of America is thrilled to honour Jeffery Deaver and Charlaine Harris as MWA's 2021 Grand Masters," said MWA President Meg Gardiner. "Over the course of decades, Deaver and Harris have gripped tens of millions of readers while broadening the reach of the genre with transformative books—notably, Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series, and Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels—and while generously encouraging and supporting fellow writers and the reading public. We're delighted to recognize their achievements."

MWA's Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as for a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality. Jeffery Deaver has published more than forty novels since the early 1990's, including two series besides the Lincoln Rhyme novels, numerous stand-alone and short story collections.  On being notified of the honor, Deaver said, "When I was a (relatively) young writer new to this business of penning novels, many years ago, the first professional organization I joined was Mystery Writers of America. Signing on felt to me like coming home—being welcomed into a community of fellow authors willing to share their expertise and offer support in a profession that was largely, well, a 'mystery' to me. Besides, how could I not join? MWA was the real deal; for proof, one had only to look at those in the ranks of the Grand Masters: Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Ellery Queen, James M. Cain . . . and so many others whose works populated my bookshelves. Yet it never once occurred to me, in all my years as a member and my two terms as president, that I might be invited into those very ranks. I wish to express by boundless gratitude to MWA for this honor, which stands, without question, as the high point of my career."

Charlaine Harris has published 13 novels in the Southern Vampire series (adapted into the popular HBO series True Blood), which proved so popular that at one point her novels took half of the top ten slots on New York Times' bestseller list. Her other series include the Aurora Teagarden novels, the Lily Bard (Shakespeare) books, the Midnight Texas trilogy (adapted for television) and numerous others, as well as several standalones. Harris said, "This is like winning the lottery and the Pulitzer Prize in one day. I am so honored and thrilled to join the ranks of revered writers who are Grand Masters. I thank the MWA Board from the bottom of my heart."

Previous Grand Masters include Barbara Neely, Martin Cruz Smith, William Link, Peter Lovesey, Walter Mosley, Lois Duncan, James Ellroy, Robert Crais, Ken Follett, Martha Grimes, Sara Paretsky, James Lee Burke, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, P.D. James, Ellery Queen, Daphne du Maurier, Alfred Hitchcock, Graham Greene, and Agatha Christie, to name a few.

The Raven Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. For 2021, Mystery Writers of America selected the Malice Domestic mystery conference, founded in 1989 and held every spring since. Malice Domestic focuses primarily on traditional mysteries, their authors and fans, and also presents the Agatha Awards, with six categories. "Who says Friday the 13th is an unlucky day?" said Verena Rose, currently chair of the Malice Domestic Board of Directors. "Certainly, not me. This morning I received a call from Greg Herren, Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America, letting me know that Malice Domestic has been selected to receive the Raven Award in 2021. What an absolutely, amazing surprise and as the Chair, I can't wait to give my fellow Board members the news. This is an honor we are beyond thrilled to receive." Previous Raven winners include Left Coast Crime, Marilyn Stasio, Kristopher Zgorski, Dru Ann Love, Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas, Sisters in Crime, Margaret Kinsman, Kathryn Kennison, Aunt Agatha's Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Oline Cogdill, The Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Chicago, Once Upon a Crime Bookstore in Minneapolis, Mystery Lovers Bookstore in Oakmont, PA, Kate's Mystery Books in Cambridge, MA, and The Poe House in Baltimore, MD.

The Edgar Awards, or "Edgars," as they are commonly known, are named after MWA's patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are presented to authors of distinguished work in various categories. MWA is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. The organization encompasses some 3,000 members including authors of fiction and non-fiction books, screen and television writers, as well as publishers, editors, and literary agents. For more information on Mystery Writers of America, please visit the website: www.mysterywriters.org

                                                                                                                                                                            

MWA 2020 Grand Master, Raven, & Ellery Queen Awards Recipients

Mystery Writers of America (MWA) have announced the recipients of its three special awards. The board chose Barbara Neely as the 2020 Grand Master, the 2020 Raven Award recipient is Left Coast Crime, and Kelley Ragland will receive the Ellery Queen Award at the 74th Annual Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on April 30, 2020.

“Mystery Writers of America is thrilled that Barbara Neely is MWA’s 2020 Grand Master,” MWA board president Meg Gardiner said. “Neely is a groundbreaking author, and MWA is delighted to recognize her work, in which she tackles tough social issues with an unflinching eye and a wry sense of humor.”

MWA’s Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as for a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality. Barbara Neely is best known for her Blanche White mystery series, and her debut, Blanche on the Lam, received the Agatha Award, Anthony Award, and the Macavity Award for best first novel, as well as the Go on Girl! Award from Black Women’s Reading Club. Neely published her first short story, “Passing the Word” (1981) in the magazine Essence. Her Blanche White novels, which featured the first black female series sleuth in mainstream American publishing, followed a decade later beginning with Blanche on the Lam (1992), followed by Blanche Among the Talented Tenth (1994), Blanche Cleans Up (1998), and Blanche Passes Go (2000) and are beloved by fans in part because of her unique heroine—an amateur detective and domestic worker who uses the invisibility inherent to her position to her advantage in her pursuit of the truth.

“MWA Grand Master! I hope this doesn’t mean I have to relinquish my position as Empress Regnant of the Multiverse,” Neely said on learning of the award.

Neely’s nomination cited the stories of Blanche White for containing themes and issues that extends beyond mystery and into political and social commentary. “Blanche allows Neely to explore the female beauty. There are other issues that Neely is able to tackle through her writing—such as violence against women, racism, class boundaries, and sexism”. Barbara Neely is quoted as saying, ‘That as a feminist mystery writer it is not enough to create strong women, and that maybe the term ‘feminist mystery writer’ is being used too loosely.’”

Neely was born in 1941 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. According to her biography, she was the only child of African-American descent to attend her elementary and high school in this heavily German influenced community. She attended the University of Pittsburgh where she earned her master’s degree in Urban and Regional planning before beginning a career in the public sector. Neely served as director of Women for Economic Justice, worked in the Philadelphia Tutorial Project, became the director of a YWCA, and headed a consultant firm for non-profits. In addition, she became a radio producer for Africa News Service, and later, a staff member at Southern Exposure magazine.

Previous Grand Masters include Martin Cruz Smith, William Link, Peter Lovesey, Walter Mosley, Lois Duncan, James Ellroy, Robert Crais, Ken Follett, Martha Grimes, Sara Paretsky, James Lee Burke, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, P.D. James, Ellery Queen, Daphne du Maurier, Alfred Hitchcock, Graham Greene, and Agatha Christie, to name a few.

The Raven Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. Left Coast Crime will receive the 2020 Raven Award. Left Coast Crime is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors, first held in San Francisco in 1991. It is an all-volunteer organization that raises money each year to support a local literacy organization with funds collected through silent and live auctions, and the annual Quilt Raffle. The Left Coast Crime Permanent Committee is Bill and Toby Gottfried, Noemi Levine, Janet Rudolph, Lucinda Surber, and Stan Ulrich.

“We are all agog here at Left Coast Crime by the news that we have been awarded the Raven Award by Mystery Writers of America,” said Surber. “We are truly thrilled and honoured to be recognized. Since 1991 Left Coast Crime has been holding annual conventions where readers, authors, critics, librarians, publishers, and other fans can gather in convivial surroundings to pursue their mutual interest in the mystery/crime genre. We strive to create an inclusive environment with many opportunities to build warm and caring friendships through a variety of programming.”

Previous Raven winners include Marilyn Stasio, Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas, Kristopher Zgorski, Dru Ann Love, Sisters in Crime, Margaret Kinsman, Kathryn Kennison, Jon and Ruth Jordan, Aunt Agatha’s Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Oline Cogdill, Molly Weston, The Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Chicago, Once Upon a Crime Bookstore in Minneapolis, Mystery Lovers Bookstore in Oakmont, PA, Kate’s Mystery Books in Cambridge, MA, and The Poe House in Baltimore, MD.

The Ellery Queen Award was established in 1983 to honor “outstanding writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry.” This year the Board chose to honour Kelley Ragland, associate publisher and editorial director of Minotaur Books. Ms. Ragland came to Minotaur Books in 1993.

On learning she would receive the Ellery Queen Award, Ragland said, “I’m honoured and not a little bit stunned to have been recognized by MWA with the Ellery Queen Award. To be added to a list that includes such inspiring professionals in our community, especially St. Martin’s own Ruth Cavin, is truly humbling. My work with mystery authors at Minotaur Books, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, and within the mystery community—what I have always found to be the most supportive, generous, and dedicated slice of the publishing world—is a source of great joy to me. Thanks to MWA for this recognition, and their support of all facets of the mystery community, including publishers, writers—especially new writers—and readers.”

Fresh out of college and newly relocated to NYC after growing up in the Midwest, Kelley Ragland started as an editorial assistant at St. Martin’s Press in 1993, became an editor in 1998, and took part in the creation of the St. Martin’s Publishing Group’s crime and suspense imprint, Minotaur Books, in 1999. She became Editorial Director of Minotaur in 2009 and Vice President and Associate Publisher in 2015. Over her twenty-six years at SMPG, she has worked with such authors as Jeffrey Archer, Kelley Armstrong, Linda Barnes, Steve Berry, Allison Brennan, Chelsea Cain, Andrew Gross, Charlaine Harris, Louise Penny, Dana Stabenow, Olen Steinhauer, and many others.

Previous Ellery Queen Award winners include Linda Landrigan, Robert Pépin, Neil Nyren, Janet Rudolph, Charles Ardai, Joe Meyers, Barbara Peters and Robert Rosenwald, Brian Skupin and Kate Stine, Carolyn Marino, Ed Gorman, Janet Hutchings, Cathleen Jordan, Douglas G. Greene, Susanne Kirk, Sara Ann Freed, Hiroshi Hayakawa, Jacques Barzun, Martin Greenburg, Otto Penzler, Richard Levinson, William Link, Ruth Cavin, and Emma Lathen.

The Edgar Awards, or “Edgars,” as they are commonly known, are named after MWA’s patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are presented to authors of distinguished work in various categories. MWA is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. The organization encompasses some 3,000 members including authors of fiction and non-fiction books, screen and television writers, as well as publishers, editors, and literary agents. 

For more information on Mystery Writers of America, please visit the website: www.mysterywriters.org

Barry Award Winners - 2018

Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine announced the Barry Award Winners  at the Bouchercon Opening Ceremonies that took place on Thursday 6^th September 2018. Congratulations to all the winners and nominated authors.

Best Novel 

The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne (Putnam)

Best First Novel 
The Dry by Jane Harper (Flatiron)

Best Paperback Original 
The Deep Dark Descending by Allen Eskens (Seventh Street)

Best Thriller 
Unsub by Meg Gardiner (Dutton)

2018 DAVID Award Nominees: Deadly Ink

The David Award nominees for the best mystery published in 2017:

The Case of the Absentee Father by E. J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen

Unsub by Meg Gardiner

The Black Kachina by Jack Getze

The Persian Always Meows Twice by Eileen Watkins

Blind to Sin by Dave White 

Congratulations to the nominees

Deadly Ink Conference attendees vote every year for the best mystery novel of the year before. Voting will take place during the Deadly Ink Conference in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Winner will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday 11 August 2018.

The Murder Room and Curtis Brown Creative Team Up For A Crime Writing Weekend

Orion and Curtis Brown Creative have recently and are excited to announce a new partnership to run a crime writing course. The course will be a collaboration between Curtis Brown's creative writing school, and Orion's major new digital publishing initiative, The Murder Room, which will be launched in September.


The course will be held at Foyles, Charing Cross Road, London, on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th November 2012. 30 new crime-writers (selected on the strength of work submitted) will take part in practical teaching sessions with the two tutors, crime-novelists Harry Bingham and Meg Gardiner. The weekend will feature a special guest talk from best-selling author Steve Mosby, and a group discussion with Orion's Deputy Publishing Director Bill Massey and Curtis Brown literary agent Gordon Wise.

Curtis Brown Creative launched last year and has run three highly successful courses for debut novelists. The Crime Writing Weekend is its first partnership with a publisher.

Anna Davis, Director of Curtis Brown Creative said: "We're thrilled to be offering this dynamic course with Orion, the market-leaders in crime fiction.. The weekend will benefit hugely from their expertise in publishing new and established crime writers."

The Murder Room website launches in September as Orion's online community for readers of crime fiction. From the Golden Age detective novel to best of noir and espionage fiction, The Murder Room will publish hundreds of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles in ebook for the first time.

Julia Silk, Editor of The Murder Room said: "Just as we hope that the Murder Room will inspire a new generation of crime readers, we know that our collaboration with Curtis Brown Creative will be a fantastic way to encourage new crime writers. The agency has always been at the forefront of discovering and nurturing talent, and we are delighted to be their partner for the Crime Writing Weekend."

To find out more about the Crime Writing Weekend with The Murder Room and Curtis Brown Creative and to apply for a place on the course, go to www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk

To find out more about The Murder Room go to www.themurderroom.com

To find out more about Orion's crime list, go to www.orionbooks.co.uk

CrimeFest - Final Day and Round Up!

Okay, this is my final post about CrimeFest. 

So what did I wear at the gala dinner?  When packing for Bristol I was not sure what I was going to wear so I bought along with me an alternative top to go with the black trousers that I was going to wear.  In the end, I went with a pair of black trousers, a green bustier and a brown silk jacket.  I know that Ali Karim took some pictures so as soon as I manage to get him to let me have copies I will post them.  

Prior to the dinner a reception took place which was hosted by Million for a Morgue.  This was a fundraiser to raise funds for a state of the art morgue  at the University of  Dundee.  Professor Sue Black whom I have heard speak before was extremely passionate in explaining why the facility was needed.

In order to raise funds 1o crime writers have put themselves forward in support of the venture and the crime writer that garners the most votes will have the morgue named after them.  The ten crime writers are Val McDermid, Lee Child, Jeffrey Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Kathy Reichs, Jeff Lindsay, Stuart McBride, Mark Billingham, Peter James and Harlan Coben.  Luckily for us three of them (Lee Child, Jeffrey Deaver and Peter James) were in attendance at the reception and used the opportunity to “pitch” to all of us their different reasons why we should vote for them.  I must admit that I did like one of Jeffery Deaver’s reasons which was that he looked the most like a mortician!  More information about the Million For A Morgue campaign can be found here.

Dinner itself was really good fun.  I had on my table the lovely Sophie Calder from Titan Books whom I had met earlier in the evening. Titan Books publish Hard Case Crime, which have some of the loveliest pulp covers for their books.  Rather sadly, I have had to stop reading them on the train to work.  The number of glares and funny looks that I have received whilst reading them is unbelievable. Literary agent Oli Munson (Blake Friedmann) who made good the promise that he had made to me on Twitter and bought me a gin & tonic during the festival, Michael Ridpath former Vice Chair of the Crime Writers' Association, Tom Harper former Chair of the Crime Writer’s Association and fellow Shots contributor Kirstie Long.  There were also three  other ladies on the table whom I rather sadly did not get a chance to talk to.

Some awards were also given out during the evening.  These awards were -

AUDIBLE SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARDS
The Audible Sounds of Crime Awards are for the best abridged and unabridged crime audiobooks first published in the UK in 2011 in both printed and audio formats, and available for download from audible.co.uk, Britain’s largest provider of downloadable audiobooks. Courtesy of sponsor Audible UK, the winning authors and audiobook readers share the £1,000 prize equally and each receives a commemorative award provided by Bristol Blue Glass.

Best-Abridged Crime Audiobook:
Lee Child for The Affair, read by Kerry Shale (Random House Audiobooks)

Best Unabridged Crime Audiobook:
S. J. Watson for Before I Go To Sleep, read by Susannah Harker (Random House Audio with AudioGO)

GOLDSBORO LAST LAUGH AWARD
The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the British Isles in 2011. The £500 prize is sponsored by Goldsboro Books, the book collector’s bookseller. The winner also receives a commemorative award courtesy of Bristol Blue Glass.

Declan Burke for Absolute Zero Cool (Liberties Press)

eDUNNIT AWARD
The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction eBook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the British Isles in 2011. The winning author receives £500, an eReader, as well as a commemorative award courtesy of Bristol Blue Glass.

Denise Mina for The End of the Wasp Season (Orion)

I have to admit that I was really pleased that Declan Burke won the Goldsboro Last Laugh Award.  Absolute Zero Cool was one of my top five favourite books last year and it is without a doubt a zinger of a book.  Dark, witty and incredibly funny I would urge people to read it. 

So did I stay up late after the dinner?  Yes I did. I found myself having a really interesting conversation with Damien Seaman about Noir novels and our favourite ones.  I also caught up with Ali Karim’s really lovely daughter Sophia who attends University in Bristol.  By the time I managed to drag myself off to bed it was 3:00am in the morning.  I even surprised myself by going to bed without a hangover! How good was that!

Getting to bed was not as easy as I had hoped.  Kirstie  (whom I was sharing a room with) had sent me a message to say that her key card for the room was not working properly.  Mine did not work when I wandered up to my room.  The hotel in their infinite wisdom had replaced the cards but had slipped them under the door.  This of course did not help me as I was still down in the bar when this happened. In the end, I managed to track down one of the night staff and got them to open the door.   Unfortunately, the replacement, replacement keys did not work so every time we left the room we had to track down a member of staff to let us in.  You can imagine how happy we were about that.

Sunday morning came too early for my liking but I still managed to get up and head down for breakfast before Kirstie managed to stir. I had a lovely breakfast with Meg Gardiner again.  Such excellent company! I the proceeded to chat with various people before the start of what is in my opinion always one of the best events CrimeFest – Criminal Mastermind.  Criminal Mastermind is based on the original Mastermind programme. The difference is that the specialist topic is always on crime fiction and the general knowledge round also.  Maxim Jakubowski acts a quizmaster.  This year (and unlike I have done for the last couple of years where I have acted as timekeeper and scorer) I acted as timekeeper whilst Liz Hatherell acted as scorer.

The crime fiction aficionados that consented to brave the chair were crime writer Peter Guttridge whose specialist topic was the Richard Stark’s Parker novels, crime fiction blogger Peter Rozovsky who chose Dashiell Hammett as his specialist topic; Jake Kerridge, crime fiction reviewer for the Telegraph whose topic was the Albert Campion novels of Margery Allingham and Rhian Davies a crime fiction blogger whose topic was UK debut crime novels since 2010.

The first round was a close race between  the two Peter’s – Guttridge and Rozovsky.  Peter Guttridge had 11 correct answers plus one pass whilst Peter Rozovsky had 10 correct answers and two passes.  Jake Kerridge had 7½ correct answers and two passes. Rhian Davies had in the first round 8 correct answers and 1 passes.  The second round was once again a close race between the two leaders.  Peter Guttridge managed a score of 4 correct answers and 5 passes and whereas Peter Rozovsky had 5 correct answers and 5 passes as well.  Jake Kerridge and Rhian Davies did not do as well and managed to score 1 correct answer and 2 passes and 2 correct answers and 1 pass respectively.  The winner was Peter Guttridge who managed to have 1 less pass than Peter Rozovsky.  Criminal Mastermind is always exciting and a perfect way to end the festival.  Congratulations need to go to all of those that took part.   The questions were tough.  Peter Guttridge’s questions were devised Richard Stark’s (Donald Westlake) son Tod. The questions on Dashiell Hammett were done by his French translator and the questions on Margery Allingham’s Albert Campion novels were done by crime fiction critic Sarah Weinman.

So CrimeFest is over for 2012.  The dates for 2013 have already been announced.  Next year CrimeFest will take place between 30^th May and 2^nd June. One must say a huge thank you to the organisers for organising such a wonderful festival. It was the best so far. Brilliant panels most of them standing room only! Good company and lost of fun. I am looking forward to 2013 already!

Books to look forward to from HarperCollins

Stuart MacBride’s new novel Shatter the Bones is published in January. Mother and daughter singing sensation have been kidnapped just as they have got through to the semi-finals of a reality television style programme. With the ransom demand appearing via different media outlets it is up to DS Logan McRae to solve the kidnapping but with not much to go on time is running out.

The Floating Admiral by The Detection Club. This is a re-issue of an 80-year old novel written by 12 members of The Detection Club. Each member has written a chapter and tells the tale of Inspector Rudge as he investigates the death of a man whose corpse is brought ashore by a sailor. Even with the clues, not everything is as straightforward or clear, as it should be. A unique novel of its time The Floating Admiral is due to be re-published in March 2011.

The Gallows Bird by Camila Läckberg is the fourth psychological Swedish thriller to be translated into English and is due to be published in March 2011. When a woman is found dead in what seems to be a tragic accident it is soon followed by a number of other unexplainable incidents. At the same time a reality television programme is been shot in the town and an unpopular contestant is killed. But as the crew and cast come under suspicion could there in fact be a serial killer on the loose?

Europe is still littered with the darkest secrets of the Cold War. And the most deadly revelation of them all is about to be made. Hard-up Russia expert Dr Sam Gaddis finally has a lead for a book that could set his career back on track. He has staggering new information about an unknown sixth member of the infamous Cambridge spy ring – a man who has evaded detection for his entire life. But when his source suddenly dies, Gaddis is left with just shreds of his investigation, and no idea that he is already in too deep. He is threatened, betrayed, hunted – and alone. To get his life back, he must scour a continent still laced with lies to find the truth behind the Trinity Six. Both Moscow and MI6 will use everything in their power to keep their fragile peace intact. But why murder people to hide secrets that should by now be history? Gaddis starts to understand – far too late – that he is closing in on a discovery that will shake Europe to its foundations. The Trinity Six is by Charles Cumming and is due to be published in February 2011.

The third thriller by Tom Knox following The Genesis Secret and The Marks of Cain is called the Bible of the Dead. When archeologist Julia Kerrigan finds a skull with a hole in its head she shows it to a colleague who is subsequently killed in suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile photographer Jake Thursby whilst in the jungles of south-east Asia is offered a curious assignment by a lawyer who is investigating finds at the 2000-year old Plain of Jars. Finds which the authorities are trying hard to conceal. Meanwhile back in England a professor is brutally and elaborately murdered. The murder remains unsolved but soon the archeologist, lawyer and photographer find that as they pursue their separate quests to discover the truth an underlying pattern begins to emerge which connects all the events. The Bible of the Dead is due to be published in March 2011.

Prophecy the second book in the series to feature philosopher, scientist and heretic Giordano Bruno is due to be published in March 2011. It is Autumn 1583 and also the year of the Great Conjunction where an astrological phen

omenon is believed to herald the death of one age and the dawn of another. When a young maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I is found murdered inside the palace walls with astrological symbols carved into her flesh it is up to Bruno to track down the killer especially since the Queen refuses to believe that it could be someone from her own court. Prophecy is by S J Parris whose first book in the series Heresy was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger in 2010.

House of the Hanged by Mark Mills is a tale of patriotism, passion and murder, unfolding on the French Riviera. Former British intelligence operative Tom Wyndham is currently living quietly in La Rayol, France. But it is 1935 and the war is on the horizon and when someone tries to murder him in his sleep he realizes that his past has come back to haunt him with a vengeance. House of the Hanged is due to be published in July 2011.

In The Whispering Gallery journalist John Steadman finds himself investigating a murder when he witnesses a man falling to his death from the Whisper Gallery also killing a priest in the process. When he subsequently begins to receive parcels in the post containing the body parts of a woman along with enigmatic notes one of which states that he will be the killer’s final victim he ends up setting himself up as bait. The Whispering Gallery is by Mark Sanderson and is due for publication in July 2011.

What the Night Knows is by Dean Koontz and is due to be published in January 2011. When fourteen-year old Billy Lucas confesses to a shocking crime Detective John Calvino who interviews him senses a greater danger. This feeling does not go away and when another killing spree happens Calvino is left wondering how the past is affecting the present.

Autumn Reiniger is celebrating her 21st birthday with a “crime spree weekend” which is an urban reality weekend courtesy of her father. However, unbeknown to him one of the characters is in fact a psychopath who along with a motley crew is determined to turn what was supposed to be a lovely weekend into a nightmare. It is soon up to Jo Beckett and Gabe Quintana to keep everyone safe from the gang. The Nightmare Thief is by Meg Gardiner and is due to be published in June 2011.

The Last Chance is the sequel to The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd. Steve Vali’s attempt to have a romantic getaway with FBI Agent Kate Bannon is thwarted when he becomes involved in helping the FBI track down some rouge agents before the Russians get their hands on them. Unfortunately this is not going to be done quickly or quietly. The Last Chance is due to be published in May 2011.

When a whole family is found murdered in Stockholm Detective Inspector Linna knows that there is only one person who can help. That person is retired hypnotist Erik Maria Bark. Erik is reluctant to return to this line of work due to accusations made against him. He agrees to do so but as he digs deeper into the case it soon becomes clear that the one person who may hold all the answers may also be the culprit. The Hypnotist is by Lars Kepler and is due to be published in May 2011.

Claire Seeber is the author of Fragile Minds. When a bomb explodes outside the Royal Academy of Ballet DCI Silver is finding it hard to come up with and suspects. Meanwhile, for Claudie who is suffering blackouts, when her friend Tess is killed in the explosion she believes that there is a link to her. It is up to Claudie and DCI Silver to get to the bottom of what is happening as soon as possible. Fragile Minds is due to be published in April 2011.

The Killing Hour by Andrew Gross is due to be published in April 2011. When Dr Jay Handler is told of the death of his nephew Evan he is furious because Evan did not get the help that he needed but he also knew that Evan would never commit suicide. As he digs deep to find out the truth he finds himself battling a cult devastating its way through the country.

Games Traitors Play is by Jon Stock. The CIA is under pressure to hunt down Salim Dhar the world’s most wanted terrorist especially since he narrowly fails to kill the US President. It is down to MI6 Officer Daniel Marchant to track him down. But with Dhar disregarding modern technology old customs are being used to pass messages. To discover what is going on an who is shielding Dhar, Marchant must become a double agent but does he have the ability and how far will his loyalties be tested. Games Traitors Play is due to be published in March 2011.

In Sanctus a man throws himself to death. It is not however a suicide but a symbolic act witnessed by the whole world. For some it is what they have been waiting for a they will do anything to stop the citadel from being taken apart. For Liv Adamsen a New York Crime Reporter it is the start of a journey into the heart of her own identity.Sanctus is by Simon Toyne and is due for publication in April 2011.

The savage murder of 8-year old Lauren’s mother turns her world upside down. Her beloved father is imprisoned. As an adult she has a number of problems one of them being her brother Alex’s insistence that their father is innocent. Meanwhile, Sylvia Hall is running away from her boyfriend determined to keep the baby he does not want. Her only help is her best friend Victoria but, Victoria has her own problems to contend with. All three women are connected by tragedy and betrayal. Close Your Eyes is by Amanda Eyre-Ward and is due to be published in March 2011.

Rebellion is the fourth book in the Matthew Hawkwood series. It is October 1812 and both Britain and France are at war but there is also a rebellion brewing. Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood has been seconded to the foreign arm of the Secret Service. He’s to join a colleague in Paris on a special mission that needs his help. If the plan is successful it could lead to a negotiated peace treaty between France and the allies. Failure would mean prison, torture and a meeting with the guillotine. Rebellion is by James McGee and is due to be published in February 2011.

Beverley Barton’s If looks Could Kill is due to be published in February 2011. A number of victims have been found faced down in a river in Tennessee naked except for a black ribbon found around their necks. They are all also redheads. Meanwhile Reve Sorrell (also a redhead) has come to Tennessee seeking answers. As the serial killer leaves another calling card Reve turns to Sheriff Butler to help her with her past unknowing that there is someone close determined to stop her.

Ben Hope has a desperate fight on his hands: to uphold justice, evade capture and prove his own innocence. Whilst visiting a former SAS comrade in Italy, Ben Hope almost runs over a young boy -- and unwittingly walks into his deadliest mission yet. Persuaded by the boy's family to attend a valuable gallery exhibition, Ben is witness to a ruthless attack by a gang of criminals seeking to steal a relatively worthless Goya sketch. In the ensuing bloodbath Ben evades the criminals, but tragically, the young boy is killed. Vowing to track down the criminals, Ben is quickly drawn into a world of treachery and danger where nothing is what it seems. Unwittingly caught up in the machinations of secret political forces, Ben finds himself wrongly accused of the murder of an Italian politician and becomes a fugitive, pursued by the combined forces of Europe's police. The Lost Relic by Scott Mariani is the sixth book in the Ben Hope series and is due to be published in January 2011.

Married

with

one child and a career: Lydia has her life in perfect order – if only everyone else around her could be

as organised as she is. Her unmarried twin sister Elisa is still struggling to find what she wants to do. And her colleagues at the school where she teaches often fail to reach her high standards. But one day, it all falls apart f

rom Lydia. When she is threatened by one of her pupils, her sister is the first person she turns to. But Elisa is powerless to stop the campaign of intimidation that follows. How far will it go? Or is someone else taking advantage of the situation? And what is Elisa’s part in all of this? Twins are close. Aren’t they. Shadow Sister is by Dutch author Simone Van Der Vlgut and is due to be published in January 2011.

Cold Kill is by Neil White and is due to be published in June 2011. When a young woman, Jane Roberts, is strangled and murdered, the police discover that her orifices have been assaulted in a most disturbing way. She is the second woman to be killed in this way within a month and terrifyingly, it seems there is a new serial killer on the loose. Crime reporter Jack Garrett is covering the story for the local paper while his fiancée, Laura McGanity, is one of the detectives on the case. The stresses of both their jobs have taken their toll and recently they have started to grow apart. When Jack starts to receive sinister emails from someone disclosing details of the case, he initially thinks that there is a leak in the murder squad. Meanwhile, retired child psychologist, Rupert Barker, recognises aspects of the murder from his own work and thinks that there are alarming parallels with a young boy that used to be in his care. Barker is murdered before he can share his suspicions with the police. Jack realises that the emails he has been receiving are from the killer. The messages have become more and more explicit and it is clear that his appetite for mayhem and destruction have not been sated – now, he tells Jack, he wants Laura. Caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Jack and Laura must unlock the past if they are to find the killer – but someone out there will do anything to stop them, even if that means killing again and again and again.