I discovered espionage novels during lockdown, maybe to lose myself in a different type of uncertain world. I blasted through the greats, but absolutely loved discovering the contemporary authors writing such stories about new global issues.
There’s something special about Mick Herron’s Slough House series, but do check out Matthew’s The Scarlet Papers. I found it to be an epic tale that spans the last 75 years and numerous historical touchstones. It was an education for me, but more importantly, it was a read I couldn’t put down.
THE BRAND NEW BLOCKBUSTER NOVEL WITH THE HIGH-STAKES THRILLS OF SLOW HORSES AND THE ADRENALINE-SOAKED EXCITEMENT OF BOX 88
**SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH**
'A breathtaking thriller. A classic in the making' PETER JAMES 'A shot in the arm for thriller fans' THE TIMES 'Hugely impressive and compelling' WILLIAM BOYD 'Look out for The Scarlet Papers . . . Engrossing' STEVE CAVANAGH 'The most impressive espionage debut since Mick Herron's Slow Horses' DAILY MAIL 'Magnificent' LITERARY REVIEW 'Superbly constructed and written with flair. This might be the best spy novel of the year' SUNDAY TIMES 'The Cold War is…
I’m proud to be from the north of England, but it remains a contested place, one built on conflict with both itself and those who hold power in government.
I particularly loved this book because although it’s nominally about football, it’s much more interested in exploring a small town at a particular point in time, an approach that I found gave me real insight into present-day struggles, and by extension, it shines a light on my own city.
I very much closed this book feeling that as well as being entertained, I’d learned something important about the value of community and how it endures.
In 1973-74, Britain was in meltdown. The Arab-Israeli War had sent energy prices soaring. Petrol was scarce. Offices were limited to a temperature of 17C and power cuts were frequent. A three-day working week came in as inflation took hold and miners and other workers went on strike. The northern mill town of Rochdale suffered more than most. Its cotton industry was on shut-down in the face of cheap imports, and the football team was a mirror image of the town - tired, defeated, clinging to life. The Rochdale team of 1973-74 are considered the worst to play in the…
Sometimes books are given to me to prepare for events and take me outside of my reading zone.
Tim’s work is very much in the psychological drama sub-genre, one I dip a toe into from time to time. However, starting this one, its addictive nature meant it robbed me of sleep, as I simply wanted to read one more chapter before turning the light off. Add in political conspiracy and a murder mystery, and I was hooked.
Tim’s greatest gift is to ask the reader, “what would you do?” if pushed into an extraordinary situation beyond your control. It’s a question I asked myself constantly as I raced through this book.
THE NEW, UTTERLY UNPUTDOWNABLE THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE HOLIDAY AND THE CATCH.
You wake up, your husband is dead and YOU are the prime suspect. Your children have been taken away, your life sent into freefall - and yet you can barely remember anything about the night you lost everything.
Ten years later you are released from prison. What do you do? Do you accept your fate, your conviction and leave your children to be raised by someone else?
Or do you stop at nothing to find out the truth about what really happened that night - and…
When his former business partner and mentor, Don Ridley, is found dead shortly after asking for his help, Private Investigator Joe Geraghty knows he has to return to Hull and a city he thought was in his past. Weighed down with guilt, Don’s death points to his days with the police and an off-the-books investigation into the unsolved ‘Car Boot Murder’ decades previously. With dangerous secrets and a conspiracy of silence, the city might have had a makeover during Joe’s absence, but some things don’t change in the northern seaport. With his own life on the line, Joe is unable to stop, but powerful people with vested interests will always seek to ensure some stories stay covered in darkness.
