Zaffre

'Dark, compelling, and wickedly smart, Secret Dinner is a deliciously twisted thriller about friendship and ambition with a mind-blowing end. It seizes your breath from the first page and refuses to let go! Raphael Montes is a spectacular talent.' Lisa Jewell, author of None of This is True'By turns gory, shocking, macabre and often very funny, you won't be able to put it down. Just be grateful you're not on the menu...' Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent PatientAs Dante and his friends leave their small town for the rush of the big city, they can only think of the endless possibilities. But Rio de Janeiro is not the easiest place to live in and the rent is due every month. As a kind gesture turns rotten, Dante and his crew have to figure out a way to make money, and to make it fast. They find their answer through a new website, offering authentic dinners to foreign travellers and Rio's elite. How hard can it be?When a joke addition to the menu sees them make all the money they need in one night, Dante is faced with a question he never thought he would be: how much money is enough to stop cooking human flesh?'Four desperate friends. One irresistible idea. But how many survivors? Secret Dinner is delectable and diabolical, a zesty blend of Parasite, Sweeney Todd, and Fight Club.' A. J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window'The translator Zoë Alexandra Perry brings Brazil's top thriller writer to American readers with this fast-paced tale of four broke 20-somethings lured into the world of Rio's shady elite. What begins as a jokey get-rich-quick scheme - catering exclusive dinner parties - quickly morphs into something much more sinister.' The New York Times'Raphael Montes is a mixture of Alfred Hitchcock's suspense with Quentin Tarantino's black comedy.' - The Guardian

REVISED AND EXPANDED PAPERBACK EDITIONWhen Pam Rollins decides to shake things up after her kids leave the nest, she makes two major changes: starting yoga classes and joining a dating app. After her daughter urges her to connect with other singles, Pam meets a minotaur who is ready to sweep her off her feet.Alistair Reid is the kind of swoon-worthy monster that every woman dreams of. He's kind, funny, and a wonderful dad.The only problem is they live states apart and have thriving lives of their own.However, as romance blooms, it becomes harder to envision a future without each other in it. Will Alistair and Pam discover that their hearts can grow together despite the distance between them?

Eight months after helping to prevent a devastating attack on Britain's nuclear deterrent, ex-SAS hero David Hawkins is down on his luck. But when an act of reckless violence costs him his job, Hawkins is recruited by MI6 for a highly sensitive mission. The job: infiltrate a gang of cut-throat mercenaries led by a notorious former Regiment officer. Six believes this team is planning a once-in-a-century heist. Now they want Hawkins to find out who else is involved - and why. But as he gets closer to the target, Hawkins uncovers an even more deadly plot. One that threatens to upend the world order and trigger a terrifying new conflict between East and West . . .

The multi-million copy bestseller Wilbur Smith is back with his most thrilling novel yet'I don't believe I've ever read an author whose work I've loved as much' Conn IgguldenHidden in the shadows, an evil will rise . . . Piay, appointed Nomarch of Memphis by the God-Pharoah Rameses, has transformed his city, rebuilding the famous white walls, feeding the once starving citizens and returning the wealth plundered by the barbarian Hyksos. But when a murdered scribe is found sealed inside the city's newly-constructed vault - with the mark of Anubis, god of death, scrawled next to him in blood - panic tears through the people. Piay calls on the only man in Egypt he knows can discover the truth: his mentor, the great sage Taita. But soon after Taita's arrival in Memphis, the bloody mark of Anubis appears again. Taita and Piay are pitted against a criminal mastermind turned warlord. The pair's adversary has a simple, brutal aim: restore the Red Pretender's kingdom - and obliterate Rameses's forces. Drawn into a desperate battle of wits, can Taita and Piay finally reunite the two kingdoms? Or will the shadow of the Red Pretender tear Egypt apart once agai? ho will survive the battle in the house of the two pharaoh? eaders love House of Two Pharaohs'A real page turner' *****'Twists and turns in every chapter' *****'Thrilling, captivating and enjoyable' *****Praise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King

A single terrible mistake cost David Hawkins everything. His marriage. His relationship with his daughter - and his career in the SAS. Now Hawkins is a man on the downward slope of life. Banished from the Regiment, relegated to a desk job at one of Britain's biggest private defence contractors, haunted by the memories of the past. But when a talented young engineer dies in mysterious circumstances, Hawkins is sent down to Plymouth to investigate. Working alongside the company's new cyber-security expert, Alex Millar, Hawkins must find out who murdered the engineer - and why. What begins as a straightforward case soon turns into a deadly manhunt, as Hawkins and Millar pursue their quarry from the streets of Liverpool to the Firth of Clyde, in a frantic race against time to expose a deadly conspiracy targeting the heart of the UK's defences. Win, and they'll prevent a terrifying attack. Fail, and Britain will be at the mercy of its deadliest enemy...

<p><b>THE UTTERLY BRILLIANT FIFTH BOOK IN THE <u>HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN INVESTIGATES</u> MYSTERY SERIES </b>- NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER IN HARDBACK, EBOOK AND AUDIOBOOK!<br><br>It's 1961 and the Queen is planning her state visit to Italy aboard Britannia. But before she goes, an unreliable witness claims to have seen a brutal murder from the royal train. Did it really happen, and could the victim be a missing friend of Princess Margaret's new husband, Tony Armstrong Jones? <br><br>The Queen and her assistant private secretary, Joan McGraw, get to work on their second joint investigation, little imagining that this time it will take them all the way to Venice in a tale of spies, lies and Cold War skulduggery.<br><br><u>PRAISE FOR S.J. BENNETT'S HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN INVESTIGATES MYSTERY SERIES:<br><br></u>'A witty whodunit starring our very own HM The Queen as an amateur sleuth' - <b><i>Good Housekeeping<br></i></b>'A flawless gem. A perfect score on the '3 Cs': charm, character and comedy' - <b>CJ Wray</b><br>'A pitch-perfect murder mystery' - <b>Ruth Ware<br></b>'A masterclass from start to finish' - <b>Ian Moore</b><br>'Written with wit and brio' - <b><i>Daily Express</i></b><br>'Miss Marple with a crown' - <b><i>Daily Mirror</i></b><br>'Absolute perfection!' - <b>Isabelle Broom</b><br>'Delightfully charming' - <b>Adele Parks</b><br>'Pure confection' - <b><i>New York Times</i></b><br>'Warm &amp; witty' - <b><i>Woman&amp;Home</i></b><br>'A delightful read' - <b><i>BBC Radio 2</i></b><br>'I loved it' - <b>Joanne Harris</b><br>'A total joy' -<b> Nina Stibbe</b><br>'Charming' - <b><i>Guardian</i></b><br>'What a hoot!' - <b><i>Saga</i></b></p>

<p>Detective Jack Warr is haunted by the gruesome legacy of serial killer Rodney Middleton and reeling from a series of events that has left him deep in depression. Refusing the Met-offered counselling service, Jack instead finds solace instead through renewing a dangerous friendship with the artist and master forger, Adam Border.<br><br>When a body is discovered nailed to a giant cross in a framer's shop, Jack feels a connection to the case even though it is not in his jurisdiction. But is his involvement that of a detective or witness?</p>

<p><b>From the bestselling author of THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ comes a heartbreaking contemporary novel of a dying teenager's final wish, a lonely young man's journey towards connection, and the unexpected friendship they find together. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Jodi Picoult, and John Green.</b><br><br>Jesse is 15. She loves her friends, her little brother and her parents - even when they're arguing, which feels like constantly these days. But most of all, she loves playing video games. Even from her hospital bed.<br><br>Alex is 29. He doesn't love a lot of things. To be honest, he's not really sure he knows how to. His desk at work, as VR games designer, is empty, much like his life feels sometimes.<br><br>Then Jesse makes a wish. A simple one: a video experience made of her life, something to be there, just in case she isn't.<br><br>One loving teenager.<br>One lonely adult.<br><br>Which one will get the happy ending?<br><br><b>Heather Morris is an international no.1 bestseller and has sold over 18 million copies worldwide. This brand-new novel is a fresh direction for her but speaks to all the themes that you know and love her for: hope in the darkest of places, family, love and courage</b>.</p>

<p><b>FROM THE SHADOWS. A NEW EVIL WILL RISE. </b><b>FACELESS. NAMELESS.<br></b><br> Praise for Wilbur Smith<br><br>'A master storyteller' Sunday Times<br><br>'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror<br><br>'Best historical novelist' Stephen King<br><b><br>WILBUR SMITH RETURNS WITH A BRAND-NEW EGYPTIAN SERIES EPIC</b><br><br>Since his appointment as Nomarch of Memphis, by the God-Pharaoh Rameses, Piay has thrown himself into pulling the city back from the brink. The famous white city walls have been rebuilt, the once starving inhabitants fed and every day caravans have arrived from the desert wastes, filled with the many riches looted and hidden by the Hyksos. But when the body of a murdered scribe is found sealed inside the newly constructed city vault - the mark of Anubis, god of death, scrawled next to him in his own blood - panic sweeps the city. Only the wisest man in all Egypt can solve this mystery - Piay's mentor, the great sage Taita.<br><br>Called from his place at the God-Pharaoh Rameses' side, Taita's arrival in Memphis calms the populace, but it isn't long before the mark of Anubis appears again, and again. Taita and Piay are drawn into a battle of wits against a criminal mastermind turned warlord, his aim - with the demise of the Hyksos - to see the kingdom of the Red Pretender restored and the forces of Rameses crushed.<br>Will everything that Taita has fought for be torn asunder? Or will he and Piay finally reunite the two kingdoms? Only time will tell. And time is running out.<br><br><b>Book 4 in <i>The New Kingdom</i> Sequence and book 10 in the Ancient Egyptian series from the master historical adventure writer, Wilbur Smith.</b></p>

<p><b>THE <u>FIRST BOOK IN A BRAND NEW CRIME SERIES FOR 2025</u> FROM<i> SUNDAY TIMES</i> BESTSELLING CREATOR OF DETECTIVE JANE TENNISON, LYNDA LA PLANTE.<br></b><br>The husband of a prominent and infamously ruthless barrister is found in horrific condition after a robbery and brutal assault. Now in a coma, a major investigation is launched using the newly formed, experimental Metropolitan Police Serious Crime Analysis Unit.<br><br>Jessica Russell is an experienced CSI with degrees in psychology and criminology with an exceptional Masters in Investigative psychology and behaviour analysis. But Jessica's first job as team leader of MSCAN is entirely new to her: to bring together a team of three trusted officers.<br><br>Between them, the team has dealt with every kind of murder and major crime scene - their expertise ranges from forensic DNA to blood spatter analysis, digital forensics and beyond.<br><br>Now they must piece together the complex puzzle at the heart of this brutal crime. If it was a robbery gone horrifically wrong, what was so important to have been stolen?<br><br><u>Praise for Lynda La Plante:</u><br><br>'The UK's most celebrated female crime author' - <b><i>DAILY MAIL</i></b><br><br>'DC Jack Warr is clearly destined for higher things' - <b>PETER ROBINSON</b><br><br>'Lynda La Plante practically invented the thriller' - <b>KARIN SLAUGHTER<br><br>'</b>La Plante excels in her ability to pick out the surprising but plausible details that give her portrayal of everyday life in a police station a rare ring of authenticity' - <i><b>SUNDAY TELEGRAPH</b></i></p>

<p><b>SOME NIGHTMARES YOU CAN'T WAKE UP FROM . . . <br><br>The stunning new crime thriller from the master of Scandinavian noir, Lars Kepler - available now!</b><br><br>An alarm sounds in the middle of the night for a burglary in progress at a winter-closed campsite in Bredäng, outside Stockholm.<br><br>The police spot a light in one of the farthest caravans and when the officers open the door they are greeted by a horrific sight. Floors, walls and furniture are completely covered in blood. A man has been killed with an axe and brutally dismembered.<br><br>On the floor lies a young man sleeping with a severed arm as a pillow. He is arrested and taken to Kronoberg prison, identified as seventeen-year-old Hugo Sand, the son of a famous writer.<br><br>Hugo suffers from a rare sleepwalking condition that is activated by nightmares. He is either the perpetrator or a witness, but claims to remember nothing from the night.<br><br>Detective Joona Linna contacts her old friend Erik Maria Bark to use hypnosis to try to find out what happened inside the caravan. So begins the sleepless hunt for a serial killer who is only just getting started . . .<br><br><b>From the 17 million copy global bestseller Lars Kepler, author of <i>The Mirror Man</i>, comes the most anticipated crime thriller of 2025 - perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, Ragnar Jonasson and Alex North.</b><br><br><u>Praise for </u><u>Lars Kepler</u><u>:</u><br><br>'Fast and furiously paced . . . I lapped it up' - <b><i>EVENING STANDARD</i></b><br><br>'Chilling, nerve-shredding, clever, and impossibly dark' - <b>CHRIS WHITAKER</b><br><br>'A rollercoaster ride of a thriller full of striking twists' - <b><i>MAIL ON SUNDAY</i></b><br><br>'As dark and chilling as a Swedish winter' - <b>GREGG HURWITZ</b><br><br>'A non-stop rollercoaster of suspense' - <b>JEFFERY DEAVER</b><br><br>'Ferocious, visceral storytelling' - <b><i>DAILY MAIL</i></b><br><br>'Thrilling' - <b><i>SUNDAY TIMES</i></b></p>

<p><b>Two female lawyers living the high life in the South of France explore the limits of their own corruption when they find themselves at the mercy of their dangerous clients who would prefer to kill them than be exposed.<br><br></b><b>**AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW**<br><br></b><b><i>SUNDAY TIMES </i>THRILLER OF THE MONTH - 'ENTHRALLING'<br></b><br><b>FEATURED IN <i>FINANCIAL TIMES </i>BEST CRIME OF THE YEAR 2024</b><br><br><b>'Chic and gripping' </b>IMRAN MAHMOOD<br><br><b>'A timely and richly nuanced financial thriller' </b>CHRIS PAVONE<br><br><b>'A deeply human drama' </b>ELIZABETH MACNEAL<br><br><b>'Immersive, atmospheric' </b>ROBERT RUTHERFORD<br><br><i>Money wrote the rules on the Côte d'Azur and the real locals were those who understood this.</i><br><br>Vanessa and Kate live a glamorous life in the South of France helping the rich stay richer by hiding their money. While they know it's wrong, that their clients are corrupt, they are professionals and good at their jobs. Plus, there is the money . . .<br><br>When their boss draws them deeper into his web of corruption, the chic veneer of their existence falls away, along with their excuses, leaving both women dangerously exposed to the lures of greed, gambling and hazardous liaisons. Vanessa and Kate become desperate for an escape route, a way to beat the system without destroying themselves, but the only ones available make them worse than those they are seeking to evade. While one woman pulls away from corruption, the other is drawn in. But just how far will each of them go for money - their clients' and their own - before someone is killed?<br><br>Amid the opulence of the Côte D'Azur, <i>Bay of Thieves</i> explores the distorting power of wealth and its ability to destroy beliefs held over a lifetime.<br><br><b><u>Praise for Megan Davis:<br></u>'</b>A<b> sharply written</b>,<b> clever </b>and <b>classy thrill-ride</b> through the streets of Paris. <b>Atmospheric and twisting</b>' <b>CHRIS WHITAKER<br><br></b>'An <b>intelligent, gripping and stylish</b> literary thriller -<b> I couldn't put it down</b>. Megan Davis is a <b>major new talent</b>' <b>SOPHIE HANNAH</b> <br><br>'A <b>well-written, intriguing</b> novel with an <b>excellent</b> sense of place' <b>KAMILA SHAMSIE</b></p>

<p><b>FOR KING. FOR COUNTRY. FOR FAMILY. WILL SHE RISK IT ALL? <br></b><b><br>Praise for Wilbur Smith</b><br><br>'A <b>master </b>storyteller' <i>Sunday Times</i><br><br>'No one does<b> adventure</b> quite like Smith' <i>Daily Mirror</i><br><br>'<b>Best historical</b> novelist' Stephen King<b><br><br>WILBUR SMITH RETURNS WITH A BRAND-NEW <i>SUNDAY TIMES</i> BESTSELLING WORLD WAR II THRILLER</b><br><br>1943. The tide of the Second World War is turning. The Russian victory at Stalingrad - the bloodiest battle in history - has opened the door for the Allies. Now, they must strike decisively at the heart of Hitler's Reich. But military success cannot be guaranteed without total secrecy.<br><br>Special Operations Executive's Saffron Courtney is sailing from the west coast of Scotland to New York on the Queen Mary. Her mission - to identify the mole in the British Embassy in Washington, DC before Churchill and Roosevelt begin the talks that will determine British and American military strategy in the wake of the Russian victory.<br><br>Haunted by the ghosts of her previous mission in the Low Countries, and with dangerous agents on her tail, Saffron must find the spy who could derail the Allied advance. Time is running out. Will Saffron complete her mission? Or will she succumb to the shadows of her past?<br><br><b>A BRAND-NEW BOOK IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY AND THE FOLLOW ON FROM WORLDWIDE BESTSELLERS <i>COURTNEY'S WAR</i> AND <i>LEGACY OF WAR</i>.<br><br>Readers are loving <i>CROSSFIRE</i>:<br><br></b>'The <b>plot twists are excellent</b> and the characters are utterly fascinating' <br><br>'Had me <b>gripped</b> from the beginning'<br><br>'I <b>couldn't put this book down</b>. The heroine is funny, dangerous, clever and fearless and the storyline is <b>riveting</b>'<br><br>'A fantastic storyline from Wilbur Smith and plenty of <b>action and intrigue</b>'</p>

<p>A single terrible mistake cost David Hawkins everything. His marriage. His relationship with his daughter - and his career in the SAS. Now Hawkins is a man on the downward slope of life. Banished from the Regiment, relegated to a desk job at one of Britain's biggest private defence contractors, haunted by the memories of the past.<br><br>But when a talented young engineer dies in mysterious circumstances, Hawkins is sent down to Plymouth to investigate. Working alongside the company's new cyber-security expert, Alex Millar, Hawkins must find out who murdered the engineer - and why.<br><br>What begins as a straightforward case soon turns into a deadly manhunt, as Hawkins and Millar pursue their quarry from the streets of Liverpool to the Firth of Clyde, in a frantic race against time to expose a deadly conspiracy targeting the heart of the UK's defences. Win, and they'll prevent a terrifying attack. Fail, and Britain will be at the mercy of its deadliest enemy...</p>

<p><b>A BATTLE FOR THE HEART OF A COUNTRY AT WAR WITH ITSELF<br></b><b><br>Praise for Wilbur Smith</b><br><br>'A <b>master storyteller</b>' <i>Sunday Times</i><br><br>'No one does<b> adventure </b>quite like Smith' <i>Daily Mirror</i><br><br><b>'Best historical novelist</b>' Stephen King <br><br>South Africa, 1899 - the smouldering hostility between the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State and the British colonies of the Cape and Natal is about to burst into flame. War is coming and no one can prevent it. Colonel Penrod Ballantyne, hero of Abu Klea and Omdurman, is sent to Mafeking, 'the place of stones', to recruit and train men for the fighting ahead. Amber, his wife, the successful novelist, accompanies him - eager to see more of the country her husband is about to risk his life for. But when war is declared, Amber must flee with their baby son and pray for her husband's survival against impossible odds.<br><br>Eight hundred miles to the south, in Cape Town, Ryder Courtney - adventurer, maverick, industrialist - is using his wealth and connections to bankroll the British war effort. His artist wife Saffron, frustrated by stuffy Cairo society, has joined him with their three children. There is peace in the Courtney household, or so Saffron believes, until their eldest son, Leon, stows away on a train to the front line, determined to join his distinguished uncle, Penrod Ballantyne, in changing the course of history. Saffron and Ryder have no choice but to leave the safety of the Cape Colony and follow. Leon is convinced that his parents are without honour and courage. Little does he realise that he has no chance of escaping the people they used to be. <br><br>Two families torn apart, caught up in a battle for the heart of a country at war with itself.<br><b><br>A NEW BOOK IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY FROM WILBUR SMITH IN WHICH THE COURTNEYS AND THE BALLANTYNES COME TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN IN THE SEQUEL TO WORLDWIDE BESTSELLERS THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUN AND KING OF KINGS.<br><br>Readers are loving FIRE ON THE HORIZON:<br><br></b>'Gripping, thrilling and heartwarming'<b> ***** </b>Reader review<br><br>'Great book, hard to put down' ***** Reader review<br><br>'Nobody knew the history of Africa like Wilbur did' ***** Reader review<br><br>'Absolutely brilliant from beginning to end with a nice twist' ***** Reader review <br><b><br>DON'T MISS THE BRAND-NEW NOVEL FROM WILBUR SMITH, CROSSFIRE. AVAILABLE NOW. </b></p>

<p><b>A KILLER IN THE FRAME.<br>A DETECTIVE AT BREAKING POINT . . .</b><br><br><b>Detective Jack Warr should be resting on his laurels. He's just put sadistic serial killer Rodney Middleton behind bars and he's ready to enjoy some time at home with his young family.</b><br><br>Instead, Jack is having violent nightmares that leave his wife Maggie terrified. <br><br>What Jack needs is a break, but instead he finds himself sucked into another grisly case as a man is found horrifically murdered in an art-framer's shop. Jack becomes fascinated by the elaborately staged killing - especially coming straight after the surprise reappearance of charismatic forger Adam Border.<br><br>Could Adam be the <b>victim</b>?<br>Or the <b>murderer</b>?<br><br>Finding the truth will unveil a shocking portrait of a corrupt art world - but will it also expose the secrets Jack is so desperately trying to keep hidden?<br><br><u>PRAISE FOR LYNDA LA PLANTE:</u><br><br>'The UK's most celebrated female crime author' - <b><i>DAILY MAIL</i></b><br><br>'DC Jack Warr is clearly destined for higher things, and I look forward to following his progress' - <b>PETER ROBINSON, No. 1 <i>Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of the DCI Banks series</b><br><br>'A compelling, clever plot with a brilliant cast of diverse characters. Utterly riveting' - <b>RACHEL ABBOTT, million-selling author of ONLY THE INNOCENT</b><br><br>'Lynda La Plante practically invented the thriller' - <b>KARIN SLAUGHTER </b></p>