Recommendations based on "Hostage"

‘Wow! This is a gripping debut novel about family, secrets and lies... held me spellbound from beginning to end’ NetGalley reviewer

Matilda Darke is back... APRIL 2020: LOCKDOWN DI Brady has been tracing victims of systemic abuse at a local children’s home after a high-profile accusation pitched it into the spotlight – a case that couldn’t be more personal. As Matilda and her team piece together the disturbing picture of the history of the home, it soon becomes clear that this is much bigger than they ever suspected. But nothing prepares them for what they uncover next... The Lost Children is an utterly gripping crime thriller weaving a breakneck tale of a vast network of secrets and lies, a relentless detective determined to sabotage it, and a murder that shatters two decades of silence. Praise for the DCI Matilda Darke Series: ‘Tense, twisty, emotional and gripping. Will definitely be reading more from Matilda Darke and this gets a huge 5 stars from me!’ Angela Marsons ‘Matilda Darke is an excellent character’ BA Paris ‘This explosive novel is already making a bang – with reviewers comparing Michael’s work to that of his heroes Val McDermid and James Oswald’ Sheffield Star ‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald ‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards ‘Budge up Jed Mercurio ... when you are done working on Line of Duty I think it is time for you to meet Matilda’ LJ, Read and Rated Book Review Blog ‘Excellent plotting. The twists keep on coming making this an irresistible read’ Michael J. Malone ‘I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke’ Robert Bryndza ‘DCI Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths

Someone is lying... and someone is dead. When a young woman is found dead in her own bedroom, the Canterbury police are baffled. There's no sign of a break-in and no evidence. It's as though the killer has vanished overnight. DI Edina Ogborne is determined to uncover the truth and, when another young woman survives a similar attack, she's convinced the two incidents are connected. But the new victim, Gina, has her own ideas about how to bring her attacker to justice. As Ed investigates, she soon realises not everything is quite what it seems - and that someone close to the case is lying. But will she find out who before it's too late? The second instalment in the DI Ogborne Mystery series is a heart-pounding crime thriller perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and S. E. Lynes. What others are saying about THE VICTIM: 'Fast-paced, twisty, original and hugely entertaining.' J. P. Carter, author of In Safe Hands. 'Another gripping read from a strong new voice in police procedurals.' Claire Allan, author of Her Name Was Rose. 'This is definitely my favorite mystery thriller for 2019! Wow!' Reader review 'Could easily be read as a stand-alone... the twists and turns were excellent.' Reader review 'Absolutely loved this book...full of twists.' Reader review 'Bloody Brilliant!... a simply superb addition to the series. It's tense, dark and highly twisty! Its everything I look for in a good thriller... a complex, twisted yet intriguing plot.' Reader review 'Kept me racing through the pages... the surprises kept coming as the investigation intensifies... looking forward to another in this series and want to go back and read THE TAKEN GIRLS as well.' Reader review 'I read this in one sitting, could not put it down! ' Reader review 'I loved it! Well written, good pace, strong characters, I felt tense and scared like I was in the story!' Reader review 'Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn't put it down! ' Reader review

A Sunday Times top ten bestseller perfect for fans of John le Carré, from the winner of the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the Year and 'the master of the modern spy thriller' (Mail on Sunday). Thomas Kell thought he was done with spying. A former MI6 officer, he devoted his life to the Service, but all it has left him with is grief and a simmering anger against the Kremlin. Then Kell is offered an unexpected chance at revenge. Taking the law into his own hands, he embarks on a mission to recruit the Russian spy he blames for the murder of his girlfriend. Kell tracks his nemesis from Kiev to London, but soon finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse in which it becomes increasingly difficult to know who is playing whom. As the mission reaches boiling point, the threat of a catastrophic terrorist attack looms over Britain. Kell is faced with an impossible choice. Loyalty to MI6 - or to his own conscience?

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year #1 NYT Bestseller #1 USA Bestseller #1 WSJ Bestseller From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Black Widow comes the thrilling new summer blockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon. A heart-stopping tale of suspense, Daniel Silva’s runaway bestseller, The Black Widow, was one of 2016’s biggest novels. Now, in House of Spies, Gabriel Allon is back and out for revenge – determined to hunt down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, a shadowy ISIS mastermind known only as Saladin.   Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London’s glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.  The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martel’s enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriel’s skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror. Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves swiftly from the glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.   But House of Spies is more than just riveting entertainment; it is a dazzling tale of avarice and redemption, set against the backdrop of the great conflict of our times. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is “quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).

The Kindle Best seller returns with the first in a gripping new crime series. A Stranger. A promise. A deadly game. Danny and Sharon Evans are desperate for answers. Why did their seemingly happy daughter try to take her own life? When a stranger approaches Danny, saying he knows who's to blame, Danny is tempted, despite Sharon's reservations. And when his new friend offers them revenge, how can he walk away? But little does Danny know he is being invited to play a terrible game. A game that won't just change lives - it will end them. DI Joel Norris knows this is no ordinary case when two seemingly unconnected murders hit his desk within a matter of days. But how far is he willing to go to solve the puzzle? Dark, gripping and unforgettable, The Friend will keep fans of Harlan Coben and Mark Billingham on the edge of their seats.

‘This fast paced, electric thriller races from page to page and keeps you guessing until the very end’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ He knows your name. Where you live. The car you drive. If you don’t play, your family will die. If you lose, you will. When DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose begin investigating the death of a young woman, murdered on a quiet country lane, they can’t imagine what lies ahead. This killer uses his victims like chess pieces in a life-sized contest, with the highest stakes imaginable. Now Norris and Rose are pawns at the mercy of a twisted rulebook. Can they beat him at his own game before the next round begins and more innocent lives are taken? A totally addictive, edge-of-your-seat, crime-thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Cara Hunter, Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride. Readers are gripped by Lethal Game: ‘Explodes into a nail-biting, breath-holding, scary ride that I loved every minute of!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fabulous page-turner of a book! Full on action from the first chapter, and a fabulous thriller that kept me guessing right up to the very end’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A plot like no other, couldn’t put it down... So many twists and turns, when you think you have it all worked out it twists again’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is so good! Charlie Gallagher writes from experience and it shows... I was completely drawn in the entire way from start to finish’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant... Kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Charlie is one of the best crime writers around’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A non-stop thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You will not want to put this one down!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I always make sure my diary is clear for a couple of days before I start one of Charlie Gallagher’s books as they never fail to keep you turning the pages until it is finished. Perhaps the best one yet’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Strap yourself in for another dark, twisting and deeply unpredictable thriller’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Left me on the edge of my seat. A brilliant thriller’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more... DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word. Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda's case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more... A darkly compelling debut crime novel, this is the start of a brilliant series, perfect for fans of Louise Penny and Val McDermid. Praise for Michael Wood: ‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending’ Mark Edwards ‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald ‘I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke’ Robert Bryndza ‘A beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generations’ Sarah Ward ‘A skilfully crafted and compelling debut that hooks from the off and will keep you guessing until the final page’ M.R. Hall ‘Gripping, sad and unexpected’ Alex Marwood

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this “thoroughly gripping” (New York Times) continuation of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition in a Swedish hospital, a bullet in her head. But she's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll stand trial for three murders. • Also known as the Millennium seriesIn the next installment of the Millennium series, with the help of Mikael Blomkvist, Salander will need to identify those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she'll seek revenge—against the man who tried to kill her and against the corrupt government institutions that nearly destroyed her life.Look for the latest book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons, coming soon!

Shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award 2019, shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award 2018 and the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award 2018A TELEGRAPH Book of the Year. Meet Jay.Small-time dealer.Accidental jihadist.The one man who can save us all?Javid - call him Jay - is a dope dealer living in West London. He goes to mosque on Friday, and he's just bought his pride and joy - a BMW. He lives with his mum, and life seems sweet.But his world is about to turn upside-down. Because MI5 have been watching him, and they think he's just the man they need for a delicate mission.One thing's for sure: now he's a long way East of Hounslow, Jay's life will never be the same again.With the edgy humour of Four Lions and the pulse-racing tension of Nomad, East of Hounslow is the first in a series of thrillers starring Jay Qasim.Reviewers love East of Hounslow: 'Marvellous. Totally marvellous. Hilarious. Brilliant. Grounded in reality, with some fabulous dialogue. So absorbing, you forget the rest of the world exists. Khurrum Rahman is an author to keep your eye on.''Told with wit and flair, it is both funny and gripping in equal measure. I can't wait for the next one.''One of the most enjoyable books I have read this year''Superb British crime writing.''If you like modern spy novels, such as the excellent, "Slow Horses," series, by Mick Herron, then you will enjoy this. Realistic, intelligent, moving and also full of humour, this is a great read.''Apparently, we haven't heard the last of Jay and I for one can't wait for his next outing, for if it's anything like East of Hounslow it'll be great.'