by Daniel Woodrell (2011)
In the parish of St. Bruno, sex is easy, corruption festers, and double-dealing is a way of life. Rene Shade is an uncompromising detective swimming in a sea of filth. As Shade takes on hit men, porn kings, a gang of ex-cons, and the ghosts of his own checkered past, Woodrell's three seminal novels pit long-entrenched criminals against the hard line of the law, brother against brother, and two vastly different sons against a long-absent father.
Text: Peter O'Donnell
In her first adventure for British Intelligence Modesty Blaise with her loyal lieutenant, Willie Garvin, must foil a multi-million pound diamond heist. They travel from London to the South of France, across the Mediterranean to Cairo before battling, against impossible odds, a private army of professional killers.
Georges Simenon
A vagrant living under a bridge is assaulted at night, knocked hard enough to fracture his skull, and thrown into the River Seine. Two bargemen from barges moored nearby fish him out of the cold water before he drowns and he ends up in the hospital in a coma. Chief Superintendent Maigret is called to the scene. One of the bargemen, whose boat is moored near the ramp coming down the embankment, reports seeing two men coming back from under the bridge and departing in a red sports car. The man's identity card provides a name and place of birth - coincidentally the same town as Madame Maigret's sister resides. For once, Madame is able to participate to some degree and assist her husband in his challenging work. The vagrant was at one time a practicing doctor, but has been living in Paris as a bum for many, many years. Maigret knows the down-and-out community do not normally commit violence against each other. What is hidden in the doctor's past?
Janet Neel
"The death of shady businessman William Price during what seems to be a bizarre sexual experiment in auto-asphyxia begins the unravelling of a web of deceit, fraud, drug abuse, and domestic violence. Detective John McLeish is distracted by having to work with an old flame whilst his usually supremely confident wife Francesca, currently volunteering at a refuge for women escaping violent partners, finds herself attracted to a new flame. The biggest threat posed by the investigation just might be collateral damage to McLeish's marriage."-- cover page [4].
Simon Brett
Charles Paris is appearing in a provincial production of 'Macbeth'. However, it's not long before he finds himself in the familiar role of private eye - when death strikes.