MAY CONTAIN MARKUP
Ray Surette
FROM THE COVER: In this provocative volume, Ray Surette challenges readers to consider the commonly perceived paradoxical relationship of the media to crime and criminal justice: both as a major cause of crime and violence and as an untapped but powerful potential solution to crime.
Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. 1992. 315p.
By Rolf Boldrewood
In "Ghost Camp" by Rolf Boldrewood, readers are transported to the rugged Australian outback, where the forces of nature and the human spirit collide in a gripping tale of survival and redemption. Set against the backdrop of the unforgiving wilderness, this novel follows a diverse group of characters as they navigate the challenges of the frontier.
Boldrewood's vivid descriptions bring to life the harsh beauty of the Australian landscape, from the scorching heat of the day to the eerie stillness of the night. As the characters face their demons and forge unlikely alliances, they discover the true meaning of courage and sacrifice.
"Ghost Camp" is a timeless classic that delves into themes of loyalty, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between humans and the natural world. Boldrewood's masterful storytelling and rich character development will captivate readers from start to finish, making this a must-read for fans of historical fiction and adventure tales.
Macmillan, 1902 - 409 pages
MAY CONTAIN MARKUP
By Patricia Cornwell
Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she's inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.
She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she's headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that's been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she's called to a scene by railroad tracks--a woman's body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine--and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.
At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret labo-ratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.
This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she's the world's #1 bestselling crime writer.
NY. Harper Collins. 2021. 413p
MAY CONRAIN MARKUP
By Chris Bradford
In a dangerous world, everyone needs protection.
Bodyguard: Hostage is the new thriller from Chris Bradford, bestselling author of Young Samurai. Bodyguard is a bulletproof action-adventure series that fans of Cherub and Alex Rider will love. This is Lee Child for younger readers - a teenage Jason Bourne for the next generation.
With the rise of teen stars, the intense media focus onceleb families and a new wave of billionaires, adults are no longer the only target for hostage-taking, blackmail and assassination - kids are too.
That's why they need a young bodyguard like Connor Reeves to protect them.
Recruited into the ranks of a covert young bodyguard squad, 14-year-old Connor Reeves embarks on a rigorous close protection course. Training in surveillance, anti-ambush exercises, hostage survival and unarmed combat, he's put through his paces and wonders if he will actually survive the course.
But when the US President summons Connor to protect his impulsive teenage daughter, Connor's training is put to the ultimate test. For Connor discovers that the First Daughter, Alicia, doesn't want to be guarded. She just wants to have fun. And with no clue Connor is her bodyguard, Alicia tries to elude her Secret Service agents and lead Connor astray. But unknown to her, a terrorist sleeper cell has been activated.
Its mission: to take the president's daughter HOSTAGE...
Penguin UK, May 2, 2013, 432 pages
Edited by Witold Klaus, Irena Rzeplin′ska Dagmara Woz′niakowska-Fajst
Criminal Careers follows the lives and criminal behaviours of 2,397 people in Poland who as juveniles committed a crime and received a form of punishment from the juvenile court between the late 1980s and the year 2000. Through combining quantitative and qualitative research, their criminal careers, the differences between men and women, risk factors, and reasons for non-desistance are analysed. Uniquely, the authors have used an extensive database of former juveniles, in which as many as 40% were women. This book therefore makes a comparison between women and men in terms of their future life paths. Additionally, the researched group consisted of teenagers from two different periods: the 1980s (the transition generation) and 2000 (the millennial generation), which in the context of Central and Eastern European countries means that they entered adulthood in completely different realities. These differences are therefore also explored in depth within the book. By focusing on Poland, the book provides a different perspective to criminal career research, which is generally limited to a few countries in Western Europe and the United States. The book will be of great interest to academics and students who are developing their own research in the fields of criminal careers, juvenile delinquency, and antisocial behaviours by young people. It will also appeal to professionals, including juvenile judges, probation officers, staff in correctional facilities and social rehabilitation institutions, social workers and employees of nonprofit organisations that support juveniles, people in crisis, and prisoners or ex-prisoners.
London; New York: Routledge, 2023. 303p.
Edited by Branko Lobnikar , Catharina Vogt , Joachim Kersten
The monograph on improving the response of first responders to domestic violence in Europe aims to identify gaps in the cooperation of first-line responders and deliver recommendations, toolkits and collaborative training for European police organizations and medical and social work professionals. The goal is to improve integrate institutional response to domestic violence. Shared training and adequate risk assessment tools will create a positive feedback loop, increasing reporting rates of domestic violence to police, the medical profession, and community and social work practitioners.
Malibor: University of Maribor, University Press, 2021. 363 p
By Bryce Courtenay
"The Potato Factory" is a novel written by Bryce Courtenay, an Australian author. It was published in 1995 and is the first book in a trilogy, followed by "Tommo & Hawk" and "Solomon's Song".
The novel is set in the mid-19th century and follows the life of Ikey Solomon, a notorious London criminal who is arrested and transported to Australia. There, he becomes involved in the potato trade, opening a factory to process and export potatoes to England.
The story also focuses on the relationship between Ikey and his wife, Hannah, who remains in London and eventually joins him in Australia. It explores the themes of survival, redemption, and the struggle for power and control.
Penguin Random House. 1995. 696p.
By Richard North Patterson
Richard North Patterson is the author of "The Spire" published in 2009. It is a legal thriller about a prominent San Francisco cathedral, its charismatic priest, and the secrets and scandals that threaten to tear the church apart. The story centers on a young female lawyer named Abby Chandlis, who is tasked with defending the church against a lawsuit brought by a former choirboy who alleges that he was sexually abused by a priest. As Abby delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a web of corruption, cover-ups, and betrayals that threatens to destroy the church and the people associated with it. The novel explores themes such as faith, justice, and the abuse of power, and is a thought-provoking and gripping read for fans of legal thrillers.
NY. Macmillan. 2009. 377p.
By Denis Lehane
London. Transworld Publishers. 2008. 702p.
"The Given Day" is a historical novel by American author Dennis Lehane, published in 2008. The book is set in Boston in the years following World War I, and tells the story of two families from different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined in the tumultuous years of the early 20th century.
The novel explores themes of race, class, and politics, and features a cast of characters that includes police officers, labor organizers, politicians, and ordinary citizens. At the heart of the story are two men, one black and one white, who find themselves drawn into the same struggle for justice and equality in a city that is deeply divided by race and class.
"The Given Day" is notable for its vivid and immersive depiction of Boston during a period of significant social and political change. Lehane's meticulous research and attention to historical detail help to bring the city to life, and his skill as a storyteller keeps the reader engaged throughout the book's sprawling narrative.
By Hjorth and Rosenfeldt. Trans. Marlaine Delargy.
London. Penguin Arrow Books. 2014. 458p.
"The Silent Girl" is actually a crime thriller novel by Swedish authors Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt, originally published in Swedish in 2011 and translated into English by Marlaine Delargy.
The novel follows the investigation of a brutal murder in Stockholm, Sweden, and the subsequent discovery of a string of similar killings. The detective in charge of the case, Sebastian Bergman, is a troubled and emotionally complex character who is forced to confront his own demons as he races against time to catch the killer.
"The Silent Girl" is the fourth novel in Hjorth and Rosenfeldt's Sebastian Bergman series. The book has been praised for its well-crafted plot, nuanced characterization, and atmospheric setting. The authors' background in screenwriting is evident in the book's cinematic pacing and tension, which keep the reader engaged from start to finish.
By Ken Follett
NY. Signet. 1990. 1,020p.
"The Pillars of the Earth" is a historical novel by British author Ken Follett, published in 1989. Set in 12th-century England, the novel follows the story of the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.
The novel weaves together the lives of several characters, including the master builder Tom, the noblewoman Aliena, and the monk Prior Philip, as they work to realize their vision of building a great cathedral. Along the way, they must confront numerous challenges, including political strife, personal vendettas, and the technical difficulties of constructing a building of such magnitude.
Through its sweeping scope and vivid characterization, "The Pillars of the Earth" offers a richly detailed portrait of medieval life and society. The novel explores themes of power, faith, and love, and it illuminates the complex interplay between religion, politics, and economics in medieval Europe.
By Patrick Radden Keefe
London. Harper Collins. 2018. 521p.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland" is a nonfiction book by American journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, published in 2019. The book tells the story of the conflict in Northern Ireland, known as "The Troubles", through the lens of one particular crime – the disappearance of a young mother of 10 named Jean McConville.
Keefe uses McConville's disappearance as a focal point to explore the complex and violent history of Northern Ireland, the rise of the Provisional IRA, and the role of secret paramilitary groups like the Irish Republican Army and British Army's Military Reaction Force. He also examines the legacy of the conflict, including the ongoing search for McConville's remains and the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to much of the violence in Northern Ireland.
Through extensive research and interviews with those involved, Keefe creates a gripping and detailed narrative that delves into the lives of those caught up in the conflict, including McConville's family and the IRA operatives responsible for her disappearance. He also explores the ways in which memory and trauma continue to shape the lives of those affected by the conflict.
By Anthony Burgess
From the cover. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE_-Anthony Burgess' most famous novel-is a book of stunning force, the most cogent and terrifying vision of the future since George Orwell's 1984. Adrift in the impersonal, iron-gray society of the superstate, the novel's main character, 15-year-old Alex, leads his gang of teen-age rockers in all-night orgies of random violence and destruction. Told in a slang as electric as the events described, this is Alex's storyo f rapes and stompings and rumbles with the police, of prison life and the frightful "Ludovico Technique" by which Alex is "recon ditioned" into a model citizen, and of his subsequent adventures as a mindless pawn in the cynical hands of the authorities. "A brilliant novel . . . a tour de force in nastiness, an inventive primer in total violence, a savage satire o n t h edistortions o fthe single and collective minds."-New York Times.
NY. W.W. Norton. 1962. 184p.
B y Tim Winton
Penguin Books. 2018. 266p.
"The Shepherd's Hut" is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton, published in 2018. The novel follows the story of Jaxie Clackton, a young Australian boy who flees his abusive father and sets out on foot into the Western Australian outback.
Jaxie's journey takes him through a harsh and unforgiving landscape, where he must fend for himself and face his own inner demons. Along the way, he encounters a mysterious old man named Fintan MacGillis, who lives alone in a remote shepherd's hut.
As Jaxie and Fintan form an unlikely bond, they both confront their pasts and grapple with questions of identity, belonging, and redemption. The novel explores themes of masculinity, violence, and the complex relationship between humans and the natural world.
Winton's prose is spare and poetic, capturing the beauty and brutality of the outback landscape and the emotional turmoil of his characters. The novel has been praised for its powerful storytelling, evocative language, and exploration of important contemporary issues.
By Daphne Du Maurier
From Amazon: This "highly personalized adventure, ultra-romantic" story from the author of Rebecca tells the tale of a woman looking for adventure, only to find it in the arms a rebellious criminal (New York Times). Bored and restless in London's Restoration Court, Lady Dona escapes into the British countryside with her restlessness and thirst for adventure as her only guides. Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.
U.K. Gollancz. 1941. 208p.
By Daphne Du Maurier.
Many of Daphne dimario's novels are set in Cornwall probably because she had made her home in the area and her writing seems to have absorbed so much of the atmosphere of that land of mystery and dark deeds. From Chapter 1: “It was a cold grey day in late November. The weather had changed overnight, when a backing wind brought a granite sky and a mizzling rain with it, and although it was now only a little after two o’clock in the afternoon the pallor of a winter evening seemed to have closed upon the hills, cloaking them in mist. It would be dark by four. The air was clammy cold, and for all the tightly closed windows it penetrated the interior of the coach. The leather seats felt damp to the hands, and there must have been a small crack in the roof, because now and again little drips of rain fell softly through, smudging the leather and leaving a dark-blue stain like a splodge of ink. The wind came in gusts, at times shaking the coach as it travelled round the bend of the road, and in the exposed places on the high ground it blew with such force that the whole body of the coach trembled and swayed, rocking between the high wheels like a drunken man….”
U.K. Gollancz. 1936.189p.
By Emile Gaboriau
Illustrated by W. Glackens. From Chapter 1: In the Paris evening papers of Tuesday, February 28, 1866, under the head of Local Items, the following announcement appeared: " A daring robbery, committed against one of our most eminent bankers, M. André Fauvel, caused great excitement this morning throughout the neighborhood of Rue de Provence. " The thieves, who were as skilful as they were bold, succeeded in making an entrance to the bank, in forcing the lock of a safe that has heretofore been considered impregnable, and in possessing themselves of the enormous sum of three hundred and fifty thousand francs in bank-notes…”
NY. Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1903. 540p.
By Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann covers influences and inspirations in crime writing with references to a stellar cast of crime writers including Arthur Conan Doyle, G. K. Chesterton, Dashiell Hammett, Albert Camus, Borges, Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, and Ted Lewis. Hoffmann examines why crime literature may provide stronger consolation for readers than philosophy. In so doing, he demonstrates the truth of Wittgenstein's claim that more wisdom is contained in the best crime fiction than in philosophical essays. Josef Hoffmann's combination of knowledge, academic acuity, and enthusiasm makes this a must-have book for any crime fiction aficionado—with or without a philosophical nature.
Harpenden, Herts, UK: No Exit Press, 2013. 192p.
From Agatha Christie to Ruth Rendell: British Women Writers in Detective and Crime Fiction
By Susan Rowland
From Agatha Christie to Ruth Rendell is the first book to consider seriously the hugely popular and influential works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Nag Marsh, P.D. James and Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine. Providing studies of 42 key novels, this volume introduces these authors for students and the general reader in the context of their lives, and of critical debates on gender, colonialism, psychoanalysis, the Gothic, and feminism. It includes interviews with P.D. James and Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine.
Palgrave macmillan, 2000. 232p.
By Christiana Gregoriou
This book explores the three aspects of deviance that contemporary crime fiction manipulates: linguistic, social, and generic. Gregoriou conducts case studies into crime series by James Patterson, Michael Connelly and Patricia Cornwell, and investigates the way in which these novelists correspondingly challenge those aforementioned conventions.
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 189p.
