Books

THE INSIDER Mari Hannah Orion £7.99

DCI David Stone and DS Frankie Oliver are back – and with a vengeance. There’s a murderer on the loose and he’s just killed his fourth victim. It was Joanna Cosgrove’s birthday when she became the latest target; her body left in the rain beside a Northumberland railway line. Like the three previous victims, she was stalked and killed – the question is, by who? And why ? As Stone and Oliver – who we’ve met previously, in The Lost – race around the North East trying to solve the crimes, it becomes apparent there’s a leak in the team; someone’s giving the killer a head start on the investigation. Until they know who, Stone can only trust his partner – but Frankie’s struggling with demons from her past. There’s obviously a lot of history between the cops, but you don’t need to read the first novel to get to grips with their characters and understand the chemistry. With every new chapter I was second guessing the killer’s identity – right up to the satisfying conclusion. A former probation officer, Hannah writes authentically about the force, while vividly describing the area, from the scenic surroundings, to the history, heritage and myths. Review by Lisa Hylton.

Name the first Stone & Oliver book. Entries to Alex Gordon, Insider competition by November 15. LONG ROAD TO MERCY David Baldacci Macmillan £18.99

Oh, wow..Baldacci’s new series featuring tenacious FBI agent Atlee Pine’s a humdinger. You’ll love her! Being posted to Arizona, gives her the chance to probe the disappearance of her twin sister Mercy in 1989. Inside a max security prison she meets her prime suspect, a giant

THE SENTENCE IS DEATH Anthony Horowitz Century £20

I can’t remember any author including themselves in the plot before his 2017 bestseller The Word is Murder. Now the Foyle’s War creator returns as assistant and narrator to PI Daniel Hawthorne as they probe the murder of wealthy divorce lawyer Richard Pryce. Chief suspect is the wife who called Tor, who’s dangerous and adept at devious mind games. But Atlee’s distracted by a tourist disappearing in the nearby Grand Canyon leaving a butchered mule behind. Meanwhile Amos Decker’s latest thrillingcase The Fallen is out in paperback (Pan £7.99). swore vengeance after losing a recent messy marriage breakdown. But the number 182 scrawled on the wall presents a Christie-like puzzle. The jibes between fictional PI and real-life author/sidekick give the intriguing case a fascinating twist. Brilliant.