The explosive conclusion to Saima Mir's crime trilogy tops this week's summer holiday thriller picks, joined by new standalone mysteries from William Hussey, David Fennell and David Gilman.
Deliverance by Saima Mir
Jia Khan turned her back on her father's brutal crime syndicate and built a career as a lawyer until the bloody events of Mir's 2021 debut, The Khan, forced her to seek revenge. Much like Michael Corleone, she was a reluctant but, once bloodied, highly effective recruit to the family business.
Now the mother-of-two is queen of an underworld dominated by men, trying to consolidate her power, survive and, whisper it, even make amends for her criminal empire. A hostage situation in Pakistan offers a chance to win favour with those in power if she can survive long enough.
This masterful conclusion to the trilogy about the Anglo-Pakistani underworld – a British take on The Godfather set in the streets of an unnamed northern city – makes you want to go back to the beginning and start again. Deliverance (Paperback Original, £9.99) is utterly brilliant. Rating: 8/10.
The Woman Who Wasn't There by William Hussey
Bestselling crime writer Marian Lane, creator of the 'Dinner Lady Detective' series featuring Maddie Malone, faces the wrath of her editor and agent after submitting a below-par manuscript for the final instalment of her blockbuster series. But their concerns pale when police pull her off stage at a literary festival to reveal that her husband Dane has been found dead of a fentanyl overdose after a mysterious fire at their home.
A mysterious woman then appears at her door claiming to have comforted Dane during his final moments. Nobody saw her, and Marian soon realises nothing is as it seems. The Woman Who Wasn't There (Hardback, £16.99) is a twisty, unputdownable standalone from the creator of the hit Showman Detective series. Rating: 9/10.
All Killers Aboard by David Fennell
David Fennell, known for the insanely dark DI Grace Archer series, offers a wickedly entertaining standalone set on a luxury liner. Aboard the Jewel of the Atlantic, there is something fishy: the mysterious Midnight Chorus Society is secretly a front for a serial killers' convention.
Also travelling from Southampton to New York are Hollywood star Jacqui Dulac of TV's hit Lady Detective series and struggling writer Martha Hammond, who is ghosting Jacqui's new book rather than taking a job at Greggs. The pair are beavering away in not-quite harmony when a brutal murder turns them into real-life investigators.
All Killers Aboard (Hardback, £20) is a devilishly funny murder mystery with a ship full of suspects. Rating: 8/10.
The Knife Maker of Venice by David Gilman
Richard Sheriff, a headstrong young blacksmith, is snatched from his home in Totnes by slave raiders and forced to fight for his life. Sold into servitude in Venice, his talents see him apprenticed to a knife maker. But pirate captain John Challenor has other plans for Richard's beloved sister Elizabeth, and the siblings are torn apart.
Richard's skills win him renown, but he never forgets Elizabeth, and their relationship forms the emotional core of this gripping historical thriller. Set against greed, violence and corruption in 17th-century Europe, the rip-roaring tale never lets up the pace.
Gilman is a master of character, plot and place, Richard is a compelling hero, and Venice makes a dark, beguiling setting. The Knife Maker of Venice (Hardback, £22) is a page-turner for fans of Conn Iggulden, Dan Jones and Giles Kristian. Rating: 9/10.
