From our collection Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories David Hogan's melancholy Christmas tale serves to remind us to gather our friends and family close to us as the dark of winter draws in. All about the power of stories in understanding our hopes for the future, his tale is the perfect accompaniment to staring out of the … Continue reading A melancholy Christmas tale by David Hogan
Sam Hawken’s Bad Santa
From our collection Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories Feliz Navidad is a sombre Christmas tale from Sam Hawken that serves as a powerful and poignant reminder that Christmas is a time when we need to reach out to others. Encompassing the importance of the gift of charity, and of extending a compassionate welcome to all people, Feliz Navidad is … Continue reading Sam Hawken’s Bad Santa
Festive fun: Jackie Mallon’s Fairytale of New York
Blue and Unassuming Under the Christmas Star is a seasonal spin-off from Jackie Mallon's book, Silk for the Feed Dogs. The story returns to the problems of the loveable but habitually disaster-prone Kat as she tries to find some Christmas spirit in the hearts of the famously grumpy New Yorkers. Jackie Mallon manages to capture what it … Continue reading Festive fun: Jackie Mallon’s Fairytale of New York
Adopt a Minotaur this Christmas
"If all the ways I have been along were marked on a map and joined up with a line, it might represent a minotaur." —Pablo Picasso Craig McDonald's novel Toros & Torsos is based on a theory that the famous Los Angeles "Black Dahlia" murders were inspired by the Surrealist masterpieces of the 1930s. McDonald took … Continue reading Adopt a Minotaur this Christmas
Video Extract of “Death in the Face” by Craig McDonald
"Set in 1962, McDonald's fine ninth Hector Lassiter novel (after Print the Legend) takes the 62-year-old writer and an old friend of his, 54-year-old Ian Fleming (the creator of James Bond), to Japan. Ostensibly, Fleming is to do research for an Asian-set 007 novel, and Lassiter is covering Fleming's trip for Playboy magazine. In fact, … Continue reading Video Extract of “Death in the Face” by Craig McDonald
Video Extract of “The Painter’s Women” by Fionnuala Brennan
"To my mind, Goya is one of the most enigmatic and influential painters in the history of art. In the novel I wanted to explore behind the scenes, to discover something more of the man and of his work. What better perspective to obtain than that of the women who were closest to him in … Continue reading Video Extract of “The Painter’s Women” by Fionnuala Brennan
Video Extract from Patricia Ketola’s Debut Novel, “Dirty Pictures”
Dirty Pictures is available to buy here. When New York art dealer Elizabeth Martel's mother falls ill, she returns to her hometown in the Midwest. After her mother's death she is seriously short of funds, and a friend suggests she take a job as art adviser to billionaire grain merchant, Preston Greylander. When Greylander is … Continue reading Video Extract from Patricia Ketola’s Debut Novel, “Dirty Pictures”
Video Extract of “The Red-Handed League” by Hadley Colt
Available here We are witness to a young Sherlock Holmes, brilliant, arrogant and at the start of what promises to be a stellar career as the world's first and only consulting detective. Enter Jona Watson, a fetching young forensics student recruited to go undercover in a tony private school rocked by scandalous affairs between teachers … Continue reading Video Extract of “The Red-Handed League” by Hadley Colt
An Excerpt from Charlie P, Book 3 in Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
Central Park West Trilogy includes three novels, The Nihilesthete, Penthouse F and Charlie P, originally published separately and collected for the first time in a single volume. Post-modern fables, dark, shocking, perversely funny, wickedly astute, and compulsively readable, they share Kalich’s ferocious energy and unique vision. Together, they break down standard notions of plot, character … Continue reading An Excerpt from Charlie P, Book 3 in Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
An Excerpt from Penthouse F, Book 2 in the Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
Central Park West Trilogy is under promotion at Amazon.co.uk and the e-book will be available for the fantastic price of £0.99 until the end of August. Don't miss your chance to discover Richard Kalich's outstanding work practically for free. "- You noticed Mr. Kalich and the young woman as soon as they entered the women’s … Continue reading An Excerpt from Penthouse F, Book 2 in the Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
An Excerpt from The Nihilesthete, Book 1 in the Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
The Central Park West Trilogy is part of Amazon's August promotions and will be available on Amazon.co.uk for £0.99 until the end of the month. "My little shopping spree was not without difficulties. I couldn’t purchase my present ready-made at a store. I had to improvise. I had to purchase a costly art book first … Continue reading An Excerpt from The Nihilesthete, Book 1 in the Central Park West Trilogy by Richard Kalich
Excerpt from Patricia Ketola’s “Dirty Pictures”
"On the day of the big event I walked through the hours until seven like I was living in zombie land. I started dressing around five, making sure I wore a disposable polyester dress that wouldn’t leave any fibers scattered around the murder site. It was a plain black number purchased at Walmart for fifteen … Continue reading Excerpt from Patricia Ketola’s “Dirty Pictures”
An excerpt from DEATH IN THE FACE by Craig McDonald
Something Wicked This Way Comes Sean Connery, dressed in his immaculate gray Anthony Sinclair-tailored James Bond suit with pale blue shirt and black knit tie, nodded for another bira—a beer—and said to Hector in his juicy, Glaswegian Scots accent, “I’ve read your stuff, Mr. Lassiter. Much of what I’ve read I’ve quite loved. Let’s … Continue reading An excerpt from DEATH IN THE FACE by Craig McDonald
Excerpt from “The Painter’s Women”
Chapter 3. Leocadia, Bordeaux, 24 April 1828 "So you see, Isabel, it is not true that Francisco enticed me away from Isidoro, or that we were already lovers while Doña Josefa was dying, or that the affair hastened her death. My marriage was over by the time I came to work for Francisco, and his … Continue reading Excerpt from “The Painter’s Women”
Excerpt from THE PAINTER’S WOMEN by Fionnuala Brennan
The Duchess of Alba Journal extract San Lúcar, March 1797 There he is, the arrogant fellow standing in front of me holding his palette like a shield, wielding his brush like a dagger. Totally ignoring my displeasure. Who on earth does he think he is? 'Excellencia, Maria del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva … Continue reading Excerpt from THE PAINTER’S WOMEN by Fionnuala Brennan
A Father’s Day nod from “Silk for the Feed Dogs”
EARLY TRENDS IN FARMING From Silk for the Feed Dogs by Jackie Mallon I heard the engine of the old red Massey Ferguson fart into life and I emerged running, scrambling to get my wellies on. We were on a rescue mission, Da and me. A cow was refusing to feed her calf. I’d seen … Continue reading A Father’s Day nod from “Silk for the Feed Dogs”
Summer read: A woman, a dolphin and a marble figurine
Excerpt from David Hogan inspiring novel The Last Island “You’ll be the first person to see this,” she whispered. She grabbed the red towel from the steps and threw it in the water, then pushed me in after it. She began to call Yukon from the steps, whistling and slapping. Shortly after, there was the … Continue reading Summer read: A woman, a dolphin and a marble figurine
Summer in Capri with Kat, Edward… and Jackie Mallon
Excerpt from Silk for the Feed Dogs A barman accepted the fifty, distracted during the aperitivo rush, so we had a little money until new funds arrived. We figured it would stretch farther away from the city, and the next morning we headed for Capri. I expected to see descendants of Brigitte Bardot … Continue reading Summer in Capri with Kat, Edward… and Jackie Mallon
Craig McDonald reads an excerpt from PRINT THE LEGEND
In March 2011, shortly after the publication of the French edition of PRINT THE LEGEND by Belfond, Craig was a guest of the Quai du Polar festival in Lyon, France. Scroll down and click on Play button to hear him reading the opening chapter (in English, of course): http://www.lanoirode.com/mcdonald.php Our edition of the novel is … Continue reading Craig McDonald reads an excerpt from PRINT THE LEGEND
REACH THE SHINING RIVER: “Lover man”, excerpt & soundtrack
Bill Call leaned over his coffee, peering at Arlene. “When was the last time you saw Eddie?” Without answering him or even excusing herself, Arlene rose and went to the bathroom. She locked the door, splashed water on her face, and sat on the toilet. On the back of the door was a framed photograph … Continue reading REACH THE SHINING RIVER: “Lover man”, excerpt & soundtrack
Betimes Books 
You must be logged in to post a comment.