The highly anticipated new crime thriller in the DCI Jack Hawksworth series.'There is a connection, Jack. Find it, or you'll never find him.'Police are baffled by several deaths, each unique and bizarre in their own way – and shockingly brutal. Scotland Yard sends in its crack DCI, the enigmatic Jack Hawksworth, who wastes no time in setting up Operation Mirror. His chief wants him to dismiss any plausibility of a serial killer before the media gets on the trail.With his best investigative team around him, Jack resorts to some unconventional methods to disprove or find a link to the gruesome deaths. One involves a notorious serial killer from his past, and the other, a smart and seductive young journalist who'll do anything to catch her big break. Discovering he's following the footsteps of a vigilante and in a race against time, Jack will do everything it takes to stop another killing – but at what personal cost for those he holds nearest and...

'A compelling read' Sydney Morning Herald Detective Superintendent Jack Hawksworth is seconded by counter-terrorism to investigate a spate of domestic events. First it was needles in strawberries, then tampering with lipstick samplers and baby formula. But when toxic mushrooms enter the market system and a death occurs, a wave of terror is set to sweep the country. Breaking news of a possible serial killer only heightens the alarm.There are no leads, no DNA, no witnesses, no CCTV footage. Jack and his team must work on instinct to figure out why someone would want to harm innocent victims, each of them curiously linked to a single blood transfusion. When a hospital bomb threat erupts, it is up to the team to prevent the inevitable bloodshed. The clock is ticking, and no one is safe from the possibility of a tragedy on a catastrophic scale.'...weaves together heartache, human tragedy and romance in the form of a reassuring police procedural ... there's...

From Publishers WeeklyA magnificent setting distinguishes this first of a new fantasy trilogy from McIntosh (The Quickening), who imbues the city-state of Percheron with many attributes of Constantinople under the Ottoman Turks. Joreb, the zar (or ruler) of Percheron, is well served by his military leader, the handsome Lazar, who fought his way to freedom from slavery. When Joreb dies an untimely death, Boaz—Joreb's 15-year-old son by his beautiful, intelligent and ambitious first wife—becomes zar. But not even Lazar or Pez, a dwarf jester whom nearly everyone thinks is mad, can shield young Boaz from the cruel necessities of ruling Percheron. (McIntosh, who doesn't stint on depicting the brutality of slaughter, includes a disturbing castration scene.) Meanwhile, gods and goddesses feud, a new odalisque joins the harem, and a neighboring kingdom threatens invasion. While the author leaves the culture's religious aspects undeveloped, strong characters and an enticing plot bode well for future installments. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“A sweeping, majestic tale of love and bravery, evil and goodness...A truly grand vision brought to life.” (Good Reading (Australia) )

From Publishers WeeklyFantasy fans will welcome Australian author McIntosh's gripping first installment in her Quickening trilogy, a tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil filled with magic, blood and jealousy. When 14-year-old Wyl Thirsk inherits the generalship of the Morgravian legions on his father's early death, he's fortunate to possess both the good habits and wise judgment that have helped the Thirsk family remain commanders of the legions for generations. These virtues will serve him well in his dealings with King Magnus of Morgravia's wayward son, Prince Celimus, whom Wyl is duty-bound to protect. After both boys achieve adulthood, the cruel Celimus orders Wyl to witness the torture and execution of a young woman, Myrren, accused of being a witch because she has mismatched eyes. Before her death, Myrren passes on to the empathetic Wyl a most unusual gift. Some readers may feel frustrated by the lack of information about Myrren or the purpose of her gift, though no doubt future volumes will fill in the gaps in an otherwise delightful and fast-moving story. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review'It's a 'just one more chapter' sort of book. Don't start reading MYRREN'S GIFT in the evening if you have to get up early the next morning!' ROBIN HOBB 'Fiona McIntosh is a bold new voice in high fantasy. MYRREN'S GIFT is a rich, satisfying confection of vivid detail, engrossing characters, and their dark doings, all beautifully written. I was enthralled from page one.' LYNN FLEWELLING

From Publishers WeeklyIn this enchanting sequel to Australian author McIntosh's fantasy Myrren's Gift, young Wyl Thirsk finds to his surprise that the "gift" the condemned witch Myrren granted him in the first book wasn't just a one-shot deal—every time he "dies" he takes on the outward appearance of his murderer. Worse yet, the gift has its own goals, chiefly to kill tyrannical King Celimus and put Wyl in Celimus's place as the rightful ruler of Morgravia. Trapped in an ever-growing number of different bodies, Wyl is desperate to stop the gift from continuing its inevitable progress toward King Celimus. Yet the more Wyl learns about Celimus, the more convinced he is that the evil king must die. Despite this being the middle of a trilogy, McIntosh manages to sustain suspense while deftly handling a large cast of characters and an intricate plot. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“Strongly conceived, believable characters and a swift plot.” (Library Journal ) “[A] terrific dark fantasy . . . the story line is action-packed . . . . a fabulous saga. (Midwest Book Review )

Orphan Fleur Appleby is adopted by a loving undertaker and his wife and she quickly develops a special gift for helping bereaved families. Her ambition to be the first female mortician in the country is fuelled by her plan to bring more women into the male dominated funeral industry.Raised in the outback of South Australia's Flinders Ranges, Tom Catchlove is faced with a life-changing tragedy as a young boy. He works hard but dreams big, striving for a future as a wool classer. A chance encounter between the two children will change the course of their lives. By adulthood Fleur finds herself fighting for the survival of the family's business, while her widowed father drinks away generations of prosperity and a new, conniving stepmother wants Fleur gone. When Tom emerges from the isolation of the desert to find new work at the port woolstores, his path crosses with Fleur's again – only to be caught up in a murder investigation, in which they can only trust each...

From Publishers WeeklyIn McIntosh's enjoyable conclusion to her Quickening fantasy trilogy (after Myrren's Gift and Blood and Memory), Wyl Thirsk continues to bravely labor under the "gift" bestowed on him by the witch Myrren at her death, a spell that forces his spirit to inhabit the body of anyone who murders him. Wyl, though hobbled by occupying the body of his dear sister, Ylena, doggedly pursues his quest to kill Celimus, the despotic king of Morgravia, as well as to foil the marriage plans Celimus has for Queen Valentyna of Briavel. Meanwhile, Elysius, Myrren's father, has charged the boy Fynch, "so humble and yet so wise," with destroying the evil magician Rashlyn. Despite a few rough spots where common sense doesn't prevail, McIntosh has taken the notion of body snatching, given it a fresh twist and come up with a winner. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“High fantasy at its best . . . .A fascinating conclusion to an engaging tale of sword and sorcery.” (Romance Reviews Today ) “Vibrant and engaging . . . A fast-paced and enchanting page-turner.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ) “McIntosh has taken the notion of body snatching, given it a fresh twist and come up with a winner.” (Publishers Weekly ) “BRIDGE OF SOULS concludes all the adventure, grisly deaths and megalomaniacal machinations in gleeful style.” (Interzone magazine )

Botanical artist Jane Saville is devastated when her manipulative mother banishes her to the countryside to protect someone else's honour. Isolated far from home, she is forced to live an impoverished, secretive life to save the family from public shame.Guy Attwood is heir to a fortune, but prefers his quiet passion for rare-apple hunting on behalf of Royal Kew Gardens to building the family's business empire. He sets out to find a critically endangered apple species that he dreams of gifting and re-naming for his friend, the soon-to-be coronated George V.When the paths of these people from two very different worlds collide, Jane begins to hope for a different future, but their new friendship is shattered by jealousy, misunderstanding, duty and treachery. A young boy will inspire Jane to defy the powers working against her and prove she is no woman to be outcast.Set in the picturesque English countryside, in a forgotten orchard and beneath the ancient spire of...

A spate of seemingly unconnected murders in southern England prompt a high-profile taskforce to be formed and led by DCI Jack Hawksworth, one of the Force's new rising stars who combines modern methods with old-school instincts. The victims appear as disparate as their style of death; the only link that Hawk and his team can pull together is that the murdered are all men of an identical age. The taskforce has nothing but cold cases of decades past to comb through in the hope that they might find a clue to who is behind the savagery.A heart-stopping tale of brutal revenge with a chilling twist by a powerhouse Australian author.

One woman's ambition Sydney, 1925: When Grace Fairweather meets the irresistible Londoner Alfie Sweeting, dreams of selling her homemade confectionery are spun into reality. A criminal past When the truth about Alfie's roguish past is revealed, Grace and Alfie's fairytale sweetshop – and their lives – comes under threat. An impossible decision Up against razorgangs, brothel madams and cocaine dealers, Grace will be forced to make the most difficult decision of all. Who can she trust to save the Sugar Palace? 'A gripping read for fans of Kate Furnivall and Natasha Lester, with skilful storytelling and compelling characters that leap from the page.' Books+Publishing

Superstar footballer Luca Bruni is being blackmailed for a night of lust he swears he didn't participate in...except the ransom photo denies that. A media darling on and off the field, he has powerful charisma, a perfect home life he'll do anything to protect, and more money than he knows what to do with. He's determined to defy the extortion racket. When Detective Superintendent Jack Hawksworth learns that the cunning mastermind behind this crime has already swindled a dozen of the world's most highly prized male athletes, he is instructed to keep the situation from escalating and prevent a media frenzy. Intrigued by the creativity of the crime and the shockwaves it is creating through the global sporting fraternity, Jack begins a journey into a case that has tentacles far more wide-reaching that he ever imagined – and far more deadly. The explosive new blockbuster from an internationally bestselling author. GOODREADS READER REVIEWS for the Jack Hawksworth...