Hank Thompson is living off the map in Mexico with a bagful of cash that the Russian mafia wants back and many, many secrets. So when a Russian backpacker shows up in town asking questions, Hank tries to play it cool. But he knows the jig is up when the backpacker mentions the money . . . and the family Hank left behind. Suddenly Hank’s in a desperate race to get to his parents in California before anyone can harm them. Along the way he’ll face Federales and Border Patrol, mafiosi and vigilantes, extortionists and drug dealers, and a couple of psychotic surf bums with an ax to grind. From the golden beaches of the Yucatán to the seedy strip clubs of Vegas, Charlie Huston opens a door to the squalid underworld of crime and corruption–and invites the reader to live it in the extreme.
Hank Thompson is living off the map in Mexico with a bagful of cash that the Russian mafia wants back and many, many secrets. So when a Russian backpacker shows up in town asking questions, Hank tries to play it cool. But he knows the jig is up when the backpacker mentions the money . . . and the family Hank left behind. Suddenly Hank’s in a desperate race to get to his parents in California before anyone can harm them. Along the way he’ll face Federales and Border Patrol, mafiosi and vigilantes, extortionists and drug dealers, and a couple of psychotic surf bums with an ax to grind. From the golden beaches of the Yucatán to the seedy strip clubs of Vegas, Charlie Huston opens a door to the squalid underworld of crime and corruption–and invites the reader to live it in the extreme.
Offers an inspirational and compassionate approach to understanding the problems of life, and argues that we should continue to believe in God's fairness.
"This is the smart summer thriller you've been waiting for."--NPR's All Things Considered NAMED A MUST READ BY THE BOSTON GLOBE, BBC.COM, AND NEW YORK POST NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR A compulsively readable psychological thriller set in New York and at Oxford University in which a group of six students play an elaborate game of dares and consequences with tragic result It was only ever meant to be a game played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University; a game of consequences, silly forfeits, and childish dares. But then the game changed: The stakes grew higher and the dares more personal and more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results. Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round. Who knows better than your best friends what would break you? A gripping psychological thriller partly inspired by the author's own time at Oxford University, Black Chalk is perfect for fans of the high tension and expert pacing of The Secret History and The Bellwether Revivals. Christopher J. Yates' background in puzzle writing and setting can clearly be seen in the plotting of this clever, tricky book that will keep you guessing to the very end.
“Huston writes dialogue so combustible it could fuel a bus and characters crazy enough to take it on the road.”—The New York Times Book Review Reluctant hitman Henry Thompson has fallen on hard times. His grip on life is disintegrating, his pistol hand shaking, his body pinned to his living room couch by painkillers–and his boss, Russian mobster David Dolokhov, isn’t happy about any of it. So Henry is surprised when he’s handed a new assignment: keep tabs on a minor league baseball star named Miguel Arenas. Henry has no pity for the slugger and the wicked gambling problem that got him in trouble, but he can’t help liking the guy. After all, Henry used to be just like him: a natural-born ball player with a bright future. But hell, that was long ago. Before Henry did some guy a favor and ended up running for his life. Before his girlfriend and buddies got gunned down by someone on his tail. Before he agreed to buy his parents’ safety with a life of violence. And when Miguel gets drafted by the Mets and is sent to the Brooklyn Cyclones, Henry must head back to New York, back to the place where all his problems began—and where Henry might find a real reason to keep living, a reason that may just cost him his life. Praise for A Dangerous Man “Among the new voices in twenty-first-century crime fiction, Charlie Huston . . . is where it’s at.”—The Washington Post “Huston reminds me of all my favorite writers–Pete Dexter, Robert Stone, Crumley. If there is such a thing as compassionate noir, Charlie has found it. He’s a true marvel.”—Ken Bruen, author of The Guards “Charlie Huston is the real deal.”—Peter Straub
In this charming story of one guy's efforts to get it together when his life is falling apart, award-winning author Fiona Wood introduces an irresistible voice and a delightfully awkward character who is impossible to forget. 1. Kiss Estelle. 2. Get a job. 3. Cheer my mother up. 4. Try not to be a complete nerd/loser. 5. Talk to my father when he calls. 6. Figure out how to be good. Nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a whole heap of problems, including a reversal of family fortune, moving, new-school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and a massive crush on Estelle, the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things....
DIVElusive online journalist Scott King investigates the murder of a teenager at an outward bound centre, in the first episode of the critically acclaimed, international bestselling Six Stories series... For fans of Serial 'Bold, clever and genuinely chilling' Sunday Mirror 'Haunting, horrifying, and heartrending. Fans of Arthur Machen, whose unsettling tale The White People provides an epigraph, will want to check this one out' Publishers Weekly 'Wonderfully horrifying ... the suspense crackles' James Oswald 'A complex and subtle mystery, unfolding like dark origami to reveal the black heart inside' Michael Marshall Smith ________________ One body Six stories Which one is true? 1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an outward bound centre. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby. 2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivalled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries' mysterious death. And who's to blame... As every interview unveils a new revelation, you'll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth. A chilling, unpredictable and startling thriller, Six Stories is also a classic murder mystery with a modern twist, and a devastating ending. ________________ Praise for the Six Stories series 'A genuine genre-bending debut' Carla McKay, Daily Mail 'Impeccably crafted and gripping from start to finish' Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue Matt Wesolowski brilliantly depicts a desperate and disturbed corner of north-east England in which paranoia reigns and goodness is thwarted ... an exceptional storyteller' Andrew Michael Hurley 'Beautifully written, smart, compassionate – and scary as hell. Matt Wesolowski is one of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction' Alex North 'Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever' Fiona Cummins 'It's a relentless & original work of modern rural noir which beguiles & unnerves in equal measure. Matt Wesolowski is a major talent' Eva Dolan 'Endlessly inventive and with literary thrills a-plenty, Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction' Benjamin Myers 'Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure' M W Craven 'Readers of Kathleen Barber's Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel' Booklist 'A relentless and original work of modern rural noir which beguiles and unnerves in equal measure. Matt Wesolowski is a major talent' Eva Dolan 'With a unique structure, an ingenious plot and so much suspense you can't put it down, this is the very epitome of a must-read' Heat ‘Wonderfully atmospheric. Matt Wesolowski is a skilled storyteller with a unique voice. Definitely one to watch’ Mari Hannah/div
The “Trouble For Hire” romance series features hot, former military heroes…and these guys truly are the best kind of trouble. All of the books are stand-alones with guaranteed happy endings. Danger, romance, action, suspense, humor…oh, it’s definitely time to find some trouble…The set includes: NO ESCAPE FROM WAR, DON’T PLAY WITH ODIN, JINX, YOU’RE IT, and REMEMBER RAMSEY. NO ESCAPE FROM WAR (Book 1) Warren “War” Channing finally has the chance to nail his beautiful, lying ex. Turns out, the woman who shattered his heart beneath her high heeled shoes is wanted for murder. She’s on the run, and he is just the man to hunt her down and toss her into the nearest cell…. Rose Shadow has cracked the story of a lifetime. She’s uncovered a brutal serial killer who has been hiding in the shadows—only now, she is his next target. The cops think she’s involved in the string of murders because maybe her DNA had been at a crime scene and maybe she’d been spotted by witnesses at another location, but Rose is a reporter, not a killer. But with War on her trail, she’s out of time and options. War is former special ops. He’s the best PI in town. And he’s the man who gave her more pleasure than should be legal…Too bad that he’s also the man who hates her the most. DON’T PLAY WITH ODIN (Book 2) Odin Shaw thought he’d spend his life on a battlefield. But fate had other plans, and now the former Special Forces operative has just landed a new job at his best friend’s PI office. It’s one hell of a life change, and the giant “Viking” is trying to adjust, fast, but then she walks into his life. Maisey Bright wants to hire Odin. She needs him to help her find proof—irrefutable evidence—that her next-door neighbor is a serial killer. Odin figures the case will be a snap. He’ll prove that Maisey’s neighbor is most definitely not a serial killer. He’ll score some extra cash for the PI firm and maybe even score some points with the lovely—but obviously way too crime-enthusiast-obsessed—Maisey. Piece of cake. But as they dig deeper into the disappearances that have plagued the town for the last year, Odin begins to suspect that Maisey may be dead right. He also realizes that he is falling for a woman who now seems be the target of a killer. JINX, YOU’RE IT (Book 3) Jinx lives for his good times. With a ready smile and quick joke, his charm carries him through most rough situations. And when his grin doesn’t work, he just uses the down and dirty skills he acquired working Special Forces to get the job done. Life is easy, his luck is perfect, and nothing will slow him down. Except maybe…her. Alison “Ali” Carter does not have time for handsome playboys—not even the ones with killer blue eyes and abs that last for days. Sure, she might have given in just one time and let her desire for Jinx take over, but she is not about to repeat that mistake, no matter how great the night was. But when trouble follows Ali to the Gulf Coast, Jinx proves to be an unlikely hero as he leaps into action. This time, it’s not about being lucky. This time, it’s about protecting Ali and maybe, just maybe…winning her heart. REMEMBER RAMSEY (Book 4) Second chances and happily-ever-after endings aren’t meant for men like Ramsey Hyde. He’s a criminal mastermind, a cold-blooded heartbreaker, and certainly no one’s idea of a dream guy. Except…once upon a time, this heartbreaker lost his heart. Dr. Whitney Augustine is considered by many to be one of the luckiest women in the world. She survived an attack that should have killed her. But her miraculous rescue came with a twist…she lost the memory of the last six months of her life. Whitney thought that when she returned to her home, her memories would follow…Unfortunately, they didn’t. And the secret to her past? To all of those long nights that she just can’t remember? Well, Ramsey is the key…he’s the one who remembers everything with perfect, scorching clarity.
The classic spy thriller about corruption in the CIA that inspired the hit film and TV show: “A master of intrigue” (John Grisham). Sandwiches are a part of Ronald Malcolm’s every day, but one just saved his life. On the day that gunmen pay a visit to the American Literary Historical Society, he’s out at lunch. The society is actually a backwater of the Central Intelligence Agency, where Malcolm and a few other bookworms comb mystery novels for clues that might unlock real life diplomatic questions. One of his colleagues has learned something he wasn’t meant to know. A sinister conspiracy has penetrated the CIA, and the gunmen are its representatives. They massacre the office, and only learn later of Malcolm—a loose end that needs to be dealt with. Malcolm—codename Condor—calls his handlers at the agency, hoping for a safe haven, instead drawing another attempt on his life. With no one left to trust he goes on the run. But like it or not, Malcolm is the only person who can root out the corruption at the highest levels of the CIA. This “chilling novel of top security gone berserk” earned James Grady his reputation as a Grand Master of the spy thriller, inspiring legions of imitators as well as the classic Sydney Pollack film Three Days of the Condor and the new TV series Condor featuring Max Irons, Mira Sorvino, and Brendan Fraser (Library Journal).
A monumentally devastating plague leaves only a few survivors who, while experiencing dreams of a battle between good and evil, move toward an actual confrontation as they migrate to Boulder, Colorado.
