Detective Sean Duffy investigates the death of an American military veteran in 1982 Ireland and quickly finds himself combatting his romantic instincts, professional misconduct, and powerful men.

The Op, a nameless and methodical investigator, is renowned for his unflinching demeanor, sharp instincts, and willingness to bend the rules to uncover the truth. As he navigates a world of corruption, betrayal, and violence, he faces adversaries ranging from ruthless gangsters to elusive criminals, all while dealing with his own moral ambiguities and the harsh realities of his job. Hammett's hallmark style - spare, direct, and filled with atmospheric...

This beloved collection gathers all of Agatha Christie's short stories featuring the intrepid investigator Miss Marple into one unparalleled compilation of murder, mayhem, mystery, and detection. Described by her friend Dolly Bantry as "the typical old maid of fiction," Miss Marple has lived almost her entire life in the sleepy hamlet of St. Mary Mead. Yet, by observing village life, she has gained unparalleled insight into human nature—and uses...

"Alex Armstrong has changed everything about herself--her name, her appearance, her backstory. She's no longer the terrified teenager a rapt audience saw on television, emerging in handcuffs from the quiet suburban home the night her family was massacred. That girl, Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed Empty Eyes by the media, was accused of the killings, fought to clear her name, and later took the stand during her highly publicized defamation lawsuit that...

After the victim-criminal-investigator trio and the crime scene, the third part of Anatomy of Crime Fiction sets out to investigate the genre's narrative mechanisms. Where do the addictive thriller plots come from? Their stories draw on the most sordid realities, often inspired by news items, which are endless sources of fiction. But many authors are intent on following the evolution of our world, giving new life to their imaginations in digital universes....

Having focused on the victim-criminal-investigator trio, the Anatomy Of Crime Fiction series then blends into the background. The second episode analyses the crucial importance of location in the DNA of any self-respecting thriller. Whether located in grimy backwaters, rain-swept streets or luxury apartments, the setting dictates the content of the narrative, reflecting the authors' social perspective. For many authors, the backdrop is a character...

"Jane and William are enjoying their honeymoon at an exclusive couples-only resort...until Jane receives a chilling note warning her to "Beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours." At dinner that night, five other couples are present, and none of their tables is any nearer or farther away than any of the others. It's almost as if someone has set the scene in order to make the warning note meaningless--but why would anyone do that? Jane has...

A collection of stories that reveal Kinsey's origins-- and Grafton's past. The nine stories that open the book show how fully formed Kinsey was from the beginning. The thirteen stories in the second part, written in the decade following her mother's death, feature Kit Blue, a younger version of Grafton herself, and reflect her troubled family life and the author's journey from anger to understanding and forgiveness.