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Darker than Amber: Introduction by Lee Child
Darker than Amber: Introduction by Lee Child
Jul 7, 2025 6:23 PM

Author:John D MacDonald

Darker than Amber: Introduction by Lee Child

As we've come to expect from John D MacDonald - bestselling author and the inspiration behind a generation of crime writers - this thriller, with its vivid characterisation, masterful sense of suspense and sardonic take on life, is so gripping, you'll be hard pressed not to finish it in one sitting. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Michael Connelly and John Grisham.

'MacDonald had a huge influence on me . . . Reacher is like a fully detached version of Travis McGee' - LEE CHILD

'The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller' - STEPHEN KING

'To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen.' - KURT VONNEGUT

'. . . my favorite novelist of all time' - DEAN KOONTZ

'It is impossible to capture the liquid beauty of his writing' -- ***** Reader review

'Timeless tales - great when written, and still great today' -- ***** Reader review

'What a writer' -- ***** Reader review

'Go and read them all, you won't regret it' -- ***** Reader review

'They don't do them like this any more' -- ***** Reader review

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Travis McGee isn't your typical knight in shining armour. He only works when his cash runs out, and his rule is simple: He'll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.

Travis McGee and his friend are on a fishing trip when they witness a woman being tossed from a bridge into the open sea. Travis rescues her, but Evangeline is clearly no ordinary victim. Behind her darker-than-amber eyes is a seductive woman with her own agenda.

Now that he's saved her, Travis wants to help Evangeline make a new life. But to do so he must confront a gang of murderers so terrifying they make his blood run cold . . .

First published in 1966, Darker than Amber features an introduction by Lee Child

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Further Praise for the Travis McGee series:

'The consummate pro, a master storyteller and witty observer . . . The Travis McGee novels are among the finest works of fiction ever penned by an American author and they retain a remarkable sense of freshness' - Jonathan Kellerman

'Travis McGee is my favourite fiction detective. He's great because he has a philosophical side - he will fight a bunch of mobsters in a car park and then have a muse about life, the universe and everything' - Tony Parsons

'A dominant influence on writers crafting the continuing series character . . . I envy the generation of readers just discovering Travis McGee' - Sue Grafton

'A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field' - Mary Higgins Clark

'What a joy that these timeless and treasured novels are available again' - Ed McBain

'There's only one thing as good as reading a John D. MacDonald novel: reading it again . . . He is the all-time master of the American mystery novel' - John Saul

Reviews

The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller

—— Stephen King

A dominant influence on writers crafting the continuing series character . . . I envy the generation of readers just discovering Travis McGee

—— Sue Grafton

The consummate pro, a master storyteller and witty observer . . . The Travis McGee novels are among the finest works of fiction ever penned by an American author and they retain a remarkable sense of freshness

—— Jonathan Kellerman

...my favorite novelist of all time

—— Dean Koontz

A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field

—— Mary Higgins Clark

What a joy that these timeless and treasured novels are available again

—— Ed McBain

There’s only one thing as good as reading a John D. MacDonald novel: reading it again . . . He is the all-time master of the American mystery novel

—— John Saul

Terry Hayes' I AM PILGRIM delivers smart, compelling and wildly inventive storytelling, told on an ambitious scale with total command. A masterful novel and a terrific read

—— Chris Ewan

Massive in many senses, but none more so than its ability to exert a vice-like grip on the reader....Destined to be spy thriller of the year

—— Irish Independent

As relevant as today's headlines. A scary trip through the shadowy world of international espionage. Just hope that Pilgrim is on our side. Terrific. No, on second thoughts, better than terrific

—— Mark Timlin

THRILLER OF THE MONTH - If the gizmos and bad guys of James Bond and Jason Bourne are a guilty pleasure, you'll love I Am Pilgrim

—— Good Housekeeping

Fast-paced, slick and full of suspense...It will be the only thriller you need to read this year

—— Yorkshire Post

A rollicking, yet thoughtful spy thriller which looks set to become a summer blockbuster... [I Am Pilgrim] has plenty of action, but at its heart the drama is cerebral and rich in character, a battle of wills and intellect which is more George Smiley than Jason Bourne

—— Tom Tivnan , The Bookseller

[Terry Hayes’] debut novel has been hyped as "the only thriller you need to read this year", and for once that isn't nonsense. I Am Pilgrim makes moussaka of its rivals

—— John O’Connell , Guardian

I Am Pilgrim is going to be big

—— Simon Mayo

I Am Pilgrim is a satisfying and ambitious book, written with skill and verve

—— The Times

Worthy of the hype ****

—— Sunday Mirror

I Am Pilgrim is a fresh new take on the genre...and it’s one you won’t regret picking up

—— David Baldacci

[I Am Pilgrim] has been a fantastic read: a big, solid, chunky, fast-paced, rip-roaring thriller, the love child of a manic union between Jack Reacher and James Bond.

—— Heat

Mr. Hayes’s globe-trotting book has more kicks, twists and winks than anything of its dusty genre has provided in a long time. You will be happily surprised to find a new thriller franchise with brains to match its brawn

—— Janet Maslin , New York Times

Written in a heart-stopping pace, this literary thriller lands somewhere between Homeland and Breaking Bad and then transports you to a different level. It is part spy novel, part psychological thriller. Twists and turns. Emotionally complex characters. Relevant geopolitical issues.

—— Monica Lewinsky , Wall Street Journal
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