You can never escape the past. Especially on the moors... After the National Crime Agency cracks a major drug gang, junior barrister Julia McGann finds herself defending the violent enforcer Terrence Bonner. This high-profile case is a coup for her, but almost immediately things start to go wrong. Intruders break into her house and then a young girl turns up at her door with a horrifying story to tell. Three months later, DCI Craig Gillard and his team struggle with the shocking murder of a much respected local headmaster, found dead in his own car. The baffling crime fills the newspapers but yields few clues. As Gillard sifts the evidence, a pair of blood-spattered gloves seems important. Why were they used for both the murder, and for the burglary at Julia’s house? What secrets is the barrister hiding... and what happened on the Derbyshire Moors two decades ago that could be the key to these shocking events? A story of deceit, vengeance and blackmail, bestseller Nick Louth will leave you reeling in this unputdownable, unpredictable crime thriller.
Stephen Whalby loves to walk the moor. He considers it his, although he and his young wife Lyn are merely tenants in a flat nearby. But the senseless and frightening murder of a young woman invades Stephen's sense of privacy and pollutes his beloved moor with suspicion and dread. And then a second murder captures his imagination in an unpredictable and fascinating way . . .
Connie splashed through puddles, the rain slapping her face. Everywhere was tarmac and concrete, fog and drizzle, but no sign of her child. ‘Have you seen my daughter? Please, you must’ve seen her?’ Connie’s face crumpled, preparing to cry. But there wasn’t time for tears, she told herself, she had to find her child. Manchester, England, 1965: In an instant Connie’s life has changed. She only left her daughter Kathy alone for a moment but that was enough for her to vanish without a trace. As Connie desperately searches for her, she has to put the news reports of other missing children to the back of her mind. She is determined to find her safe. She will bring her daughter home. As local farmer Ronald listens to the news, he is shocked by what he hears. He has spent his life away from the spotlight, quietly tending to his farm. But when a young couple begin acting suspiciously on his land, he knows that trouble is about to reach his door. And then he sees her. A girl in a bright red coat who looks completely lost. Ronald knows he needs to help keep her safe and find her family. But on the wild and desolate farmland, Ronald has buried his own dark secret. Can he risk it coming to light to save her life? Inspired by a real-life true crime story, this is an unforgettable and totally gripping mystery thriller perfect for fans of Gregg Olsen, Elly Griffiths and Found. What readers are saying about The Hidden Child: ‘OMG WHAT A READ!!!! I literally devoured this book in one sitting. Emotional, heart-breaking… This book had me reading late into the night… I loved everything about this book.’ Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this book; I was completely gripped right from the start and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished. The storyline is so electric and unpredictable that I was completely blown away by the plot twists and I sat on the edge of the seat.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow. This novel blows any thriller I’ve read in recent times right out of the water… I genuinely can’t express enough how much I enjoyed this book.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this twist on the true crime thriller with a fictional storyline woven around real-life criminals… unputdownable… will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended!’ Mychestnutreadingtree, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This author has gained a forever reader with me! Because she is damn good at what she does and that's making me glued to my Kindle and forgetting about life! The story grips you from the start and keeps you hanging on till the end.’ Netgalley reviewer ‘There were several times I found myself heartbroken, near tears, and anxious and then with only a turn of the page I’d find myself ranting and raving. To say this pulled me into the story and kept me engaged doesn’t give the full effect this story had on me… Loved this book!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
When barrister Rex Graves invites a group of friends to Gleneagle Lodge, he doesn't anticipate the arrival of an old flame—much less a dead body or serial killer. Rex's houseguest and colleague Alistair, who recently made an unsuccessful attempt to convict a man for the notorious Moor Murders, now finds himself under the same roof as the killer. Rex must use his skills of intellect, observation, and logic to save Alistair's career and bring the murderer to justice. Praise: "Traditional mystery fans will appreciate the retro Agatha Christie style."—Publishers Weekly "A welcome diversion from today's style of writing...The writing is crisp and the story fast-paced. Challinor doesn't waste time on empty filler, but gets right to the topic at hand."—BellaOnline "C.S. Challinor delivers a racier cozy in Murder on the Moor...skillfully choreographed."—Washington Post "Contemporary in setting but classic in style and voice, it'll have you guessing to the very end. 4 stars." —RT Book Reviews
It begins with a ghost story around a campfire. Teenagers out on a walking trip, trying to act brave in front of each other. But as the walk gets underway and the boys begin to fall out, odd things start to happen. Noises in the night. A severed rabbit’s foot outside someone’s tent. Soon, the boys begin to disappear. As panic sets in and a storm approaches, the remaining boys must band together to face a darkness not even the local ghost stories could help them predict.
A killer is at work in the commuter belt. DCI Gillard needs answers, fast... Promising architect Peter Young is shot dead at his desk. DCI Craig Gillard is quickly on the scene, looking at what appears to be a brutal and highly professional hit. Two weeks later, on the Lincolnshire coast, another body is found on a windswept beach. The man cannot be identified, but sports a curious brand, burned into his neck. Gillard is plunged into a case without answers, finding himself up against dark and mysterious forces. This time lives are on the line, children's lives - and his own. Written at breakneck pace with a jaw-dropping twist you won’t see coming, The Body on the Shore is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza and Mark Billingham.
The shocking true crime story of child murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, Great Britain’s most horrific serial killers. During the early 1960s, just as Beatlemania was exploding throughout the United Kingdom, a pair of psychopathic British killers began preying on the very young, innocent, and helpless of Greater Manchester. Between 1963 and 1965, Ian Brady and his lover and partner, Myra Hindley, were responsible for the abduction, rape, torture, and murder of five young victims, ranging in age from ten to seventeen years old. The English press dubbed the grisly series of homicides “the Moors Murders,” named for the desolate landscape where three of the corpses were eventually discovered. Based in part on the author’s face-to-face prison interviews with the killers, Fred Harrison’s fascinating and disturbing true crime masterwork digs deeply into Brady and Hindley’s personal histories to examine the factors that led to their mutual attraction and their evolution into the UK’s most notorious pair of human monsters. It was during these interviews that new details about the killers’ terrible crimes surfaced, compelling the police to reopen what was arguably the most shocking and sensational homicide case in the annuls of twentieth-century British crime. With a new introduction by the author, meticulously researched and compellingly written, Brady and Hindley is the definitive account of Britain’s most hated serial killers.
When Mary Russell is summoned by her partner and husband Sherlock Holmes to the scene of his most celebrated case, that of the Hound of the Baskervilles, there is more to the matter than a phantom hound. Sightings of a spectral coach carrying a long-dead noblewoman over the moonlit moor have heralded a corpse surrounded by oversized paw prints. As Russell and Holmes anticipate, a rational explanation lies beneath the supernatural events--but one far darker than they ever imagined. Martin's Press.
A brutal murder hints at a terrifying mystery, and this time it’s personal. A body is found on a quiet lane in Exmoor, victim of a hit and run. He has no ID, no wallet, no phone, and – after being dragged along the road – no recognisable face. Meanwhile, fresh from his last case, DCI Craig Gillard is unexpectedly called away to Devon on family business. Gillard is soon embroiled when the car in question is traced to his aunt. As he delves deeper, a dark mystery reveals itself, haunted by family secrets, with repercussions Gillard could never have imagined. The past has never been deadlier. From master storyteller Nick Louth comes the third instalment in the DCI Craig Gillard series. Compelling, fast-paced and endlessly enjoyable, The Body in the Mist is a triumph, perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Angela Marsons and Faith Martin What readers are saying about Nick Louth ‘An unputdownable, heart-thudder of a read’ Carol Wyer, author of Little Girl Lost ‘This was up there with the best thrillers I have ever read.’ ‘Had me hooked from the start! I would definitely recommend this book.’ ‘It grips you from the first page to the last. Excellent.’
DCI Craig Gillard will be pushed to his limits... But will he break? It seems like a routine disappearance, a case of musician’s stage fright. As a senior detective, Craig Gillard isn’t sure why he’s even involved. Until it turns out the woman’s father is the German Minister of Justice, and the British Home Secretary is on the case too. But nothing about the case is simple. How does a woman on a train simply vanish? What do you do when a trail runs cold and the pressure is on? Before long the perpetrator has another target: DCI Gillard himself. What if the detective isn’t just running the case, but is part of it? The victim merely a lure for a bigger fish. The answer is under the bridge. The chilling setting for the biggest challenge of his life. The latest DCI Gillard Crime Thriller is a knockout: fast and completely gripping, perfect for fans of Stuart Macbride, Mark Billingham and Robert Bryndza. Readers are hooked on The Body Under the Bridge ‘I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough, firstly to find out who’d committed the crimes and then if they’d be brought to justice. It’s a cracker of a book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I say this every time but this hands down is my favourite book in the series so far. I was glued from the beginning and kept finding ways to squeeze in one more chapter until I’d reached the end.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is book #5 in the DCI Craig Gillard series and, dare I say this - it is THE best yet! Wow! the content of this plot is absolutely mind-boggling; so intricately woven through the fast-paced investigation, the reader is right there alongside Craig and his team as they navigate all the twists and turns of this cleverly constructed story. Excellent writing, dialogue and characterisation. You just don’t know what’s going to happen next: there really are some extremely harrowing and heart-stopping moments.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The Body Under the Bridge sets a pace few can match. I devoured it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another book in the Craig Gillard series that gets better as the series evolves. There are many surprises and twists in this book making it difficult to put down. A really enjoyable read.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
