Sneak Preview of GB Williams’ Next Book, PLAY the GAME
PLAY THE GAME will be published on 29th November by Diamond Crime. Coincidentally, 29th November is also Gail B Williams' birthday! CHAPTER ONE “I need a library.” What Elaine actually needed was a bibliothèque. It was one of the few French words that had stuck in her mind, mostly because it had sounded a lot more fun than any discotheque could. Unfortunately, her French was extremely limited. She could ask “où est la bibliothèque?”, and she did, several times. The problem was, she didn’t understand a word of the answers and relied on hand signals instead. This would be [...]
Sneak Preview of Paul Durston’s Explosive New Novel – ‘If I Were Me’
I sit cross-legged. “Hi, Joel. There was an incident. Petrol tanker overturned, fire, deaths, injuries. Only down the road. I was badly burnt. I’m getting better but I’m doubting my memory again. Like ages ago. I sometimes feel like I’m not all there. Like I’m disconnected. Maybe it’s because I’m on my own too much or because I don’t have a routine. Anyway, look. It’s cold up here. I won’t be away for so long, promise. I’ll be back soon. Take care, Joel. Happy New Year. Love you.” I head home.
Sneak Preview of the 2nd Novel in Jeff Dowson’s Bristol Thriller Series
I took him by surprise. Reached across the desk, grabbed his jacket collars with both hands, pulled him out of his chair, then pushed down and slammed his forehead onto the desk top. I hauled him upright and let go. He fell back into the chair, which tipped over and deposited him on the floor. I moved around the desk. Malone rolled over and looked up at me. He couldn’t see straight and was having trouble focusing. “Jesus...” he groaned. “Tell me what you know about Alfie Barnes,” I said.
BUTCHER CITY. A Sneak Preview of Jennifer Lee Thomson’s new DI Duncan Waddell Novel
Waddell exited the car. The rain was coming down from a grey sky in big, fat, angry drops. A droplet of ice-cold water trickled its way down the back of his neck and he shivered. If it wasn't Baltic enough, a gust of wind that would have unfurled yer knitting almost knocked him on his backside.
Sneak Preview of Jeff Dowson’s The Bristol Thrillers
Closing the Distance Marvin Starratt was a despicable human being. An assessment Judge Chambers heartily agreed with and sent him down for eleven years. Apologising to the court, the public gallery and the journalists on the press bench for not being able to incarcerate him longer. “Unhappily, this is the maximum sentence I can impose,” he said. “I can only recommend that you are made to serve the full term.” I watched from the public gallery. Starratt had beaten up and raped a client of mine. And four other women, over a period of seven months. I helped find him [...]
Sneak Preview of Breaking Free by GB Williams
CHAPTER ONE “So, what you’re saying is that you’ve been helping my husband lie to me. For twenty-five years.” Twenty-five years. A quarter of a century. A lifetime. The lifetime of their friendship. Much of what she had listened to this afternoon made no sense. Yet, simultaneously, it was the keystone, the puzzle-piece that made everything else fit. Elaine scrutinised the two women at the table with her. A corner table in a wine bar, the three of them occupied a small round table. Unnoticed by Elaine, they had positioned themselves such that if she made a move, they could [...]
Sneak Preview of “Do Sleeping Dogs Lie?” by Gwyneth Steddy
Gwyneth Steddy's first novel, Do Sleeping Dogs Lie? which is already listed for The First Novel Prize by Crime Cymru, will be published by Diamond Crime on May 2nd 2022. Chapter One Friday 12th April 1989 “You’re taking the piss…” Duncan Gallagher glanced across at his old friend in the passenger seat, then returned his eyes to the road. You couldn’t be too careful in these back lanes. Trevor Mulholland snorted with laughter. “Serious, the man couldn’t do a deal to save his life. All I did was wait for him to give in. And sure enough the oul fool [...]
Sneak Preview of Thorne Moore’s “Fatal Collision”. Coming to Diamond Crime this Spring
Part 1 She was out there, the woman, standing on the pavement, staring at my house. Staring with unmistakable hatred. The hood of her raincoat shielded most of her face, but I could feel that hatred coming at me in waves from eyes that burned out of the shadows. I was convinced those eyes were pinning me in place, transfixed by my own inability to understand or get a grip on the situation. On any situation. What was I supposed to do? Challenge a woman for standing on a public pavement, doing nothing? She had the right to stand wherever [...]
Sneak Preview of Phil Rowlands’ New Thriller, TimeSlip
March 1943 North Beach Bridlington, Yorkshire It was the worst night since the catastrophic storms over New Year. Huge waves battered the shoreline, howling winds and icy rain whipped and twisted, and cracking thunder and jagged lightning echoed around the sides of the bay. It was not a night to brave the elements, but two policemen dressed in heavy capes and helmets, one shorter with a slight limp, were almost at the end of the deserted promenade, their bodies leaning into the ferocious gale, metal-toed-and-heeled boots clicking and sliding on the saturated surface. They stopped at the top of [...]
The Fortieth Step – Promise: A Taster from Stephen Timmins’ third John Hannay thriller
1940 The club servant finished fitting the Black Out drape to the last of the high Georgian window. He left the room, bowing his head towards the tall, straight backed, silver–haired man who nodded back at him then turned away, his clear grey eyes looking through and beyond the panelled walls of the London club. Although he didn't appear as though he would understand the meaning of the word 'nervous', he seemed... nervous. He started as one of the men seated in front of him, watching him with affectionate amusement, spoke. “Come on, Dick. You’ve been havering for the [...]