Author:William Diehl
When Linda Balfour, a young mother, is found butchered in small-town southern Illinois, a coded inscription stamped in blood on the back of her head brands her mutilated body. For Chief Prosecutor Martin Vail, the Bloody insignia drags up memories he'd like to forget - memories of Bishop Rushman, slashed and dismembered ten years ago by an altar boy, Aaron Stampler. But if Stampler is locked away, he cannot have murdered Linda. With his career - and his life - on the line, Vail needs answers fast before the killer signs someone else's life away.
Spine-tingling
—— New York TimesMove over John le Carre. William Diehl has written a rip-roaring roller-coaster of suspense, riveting from beginning to end
—— Sidney SheldonEnough plot twists, violence, and romance to jumpstart a zombie's pulse... Diehl's fast pacing and smooth mix of humour, tension and malevolence add up to bracing entertainment
—— Publishers WeeklyBrilliant ... This is first class stuff, an unstoppable tale, a real page-turner not to be missed
—— Sarah BroadhurstLinskey delivers a flawless feel for time and place, mixed with unrelenting pace
—— The Times (Top Five Thrillers of the Year)Immensely satisfying, utterly compelling. Prepare to add another name to your must-read list
—— Eva DolanCrumley is a brilliant purveyor of dialogue and a master of melancholy loneliness.
—— Marcel Berlins , The TimesImpressive . . .Gardner's debut begins at speed and scarcely draws breath thereafter.
—— The TimesFew thriller debuts possess the confidence and verve of Frank Gardner's CRISIS . . . a book of exhilarating panache.
—— SUNDAY TIMESA seriously compulsive page turner.
—— PETER SNOWCombines insider knowledge with heart-in-mouth excitement.
—— i-NEWSPAPERAction-packed . . . the book’s title scarcely does justice to such a thrilling read.
—— HUFFINGTON POSTFast moving.
—— THE SUNIrresistible . . . smart, authentic and always entertaining . . . high-voltage storytelling at its best and worthy of Frederick Forsyth or John le Carre.
—— CRIME REVIEWGardner obviously has an up-to-the-minute understanding of contemporary warfare and he is also a very good writer. This is a thrilling adventure.
—— LITERARY REVIEWGardner is a dab hand at ratcheting up the tension . . . a must read.
—— BUSINESS STANDARDA compelling read.
—— SIR JOHN SAWYERS, Former Chief of MI6A journey into the dark underbelly of the British Raj.
—— Charlotte Heathcote , Daily ExpressA promising start to Mukherjee’s atmospheric new historical crime series.
—— Patrick Worth , Compass MagazineEnjoyable tale… Agreeably witty and sharply written, this is an evocative portrait of a multifaceted Calcutta.
—— Literary ReviewThis guy is a real find… Mixes family history with a good helping of imagination.
—— Sue Price , Saga MagazineAn assured novel: well researched and vivid, with a strong plotline, delivered with verve and some appealing wry humour.
—— Laura Wilson , GuardianA vivid sense of history and locale
—— Best Books of 2016, Financial TimesMeticulously researched and delivered in clear, lucid and intelligent prose, Mukherjee is a fantastic addition to the stable of international crime writers, whose books effortlessly cross boundaries and bind readers in a community of excellence and enjoyment.
—— Eastern EyeVividly described, full of humour and humanity, it's a wonderful picture of that time and world, as well as being a perfect murder mystery novel.
—— Liz Anderson , iNewsBursting with lively historical details about post-World War I India, this is a stirring and entertaining mystery
—— Library JournalThis brilliant mingling of real history and fictional invention kicks off a series that does for the Raj what Philip Kerr did for the Reich
—— Karen Robinson , The Times / Sunday Times Crime Club, *Best Books of the Past Five Years*