Crime spreads across the globe in this new collection of short stories from the Crime Writer’s Association, as a conspiracy of prominent crime authors take you on world mystery tour. Highlights of the trip include a treacherous cruise to French Polynesia, a horrifying trek in South Africa, a murderous train-ride across Ukraine and a vengeful killing in Mumbai. But back home in the UK, life isn’t so easy either. Dead bodies turn up on the backstreets of Glasgow, crime writers turn words into deeds at literary events, and Lady Luck seems to guide the fate of a Twickenham hood.
Showcasing the range, breadth and vitality of contemporary crime-fiction genre, these 28 chilling and unputdownable stories will take you on a trip you’ll never forget.

Contributions from: Ann Cleeves, C.L. Taylor, Susi Holliday, Martin Edwards, Anna Mazzola, Carol Anne Davis, Cath Staincliffe, Chris Simms, Christine Poulson, Ed James, Gordon Brown, J.M. Hewitt, Judith Cutler, Julia Crouch, Kate Ellis, Kate Rhodes, Martine Bailey, Michael Stanley, Maxim Jakubowski, Paul Charles, Paul Gitsham, Peter Lovesey, Ragnar Jónasson, Sarah Rayne, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Vaseem Khan, William Ryan and William Burton McCormick


'The diverse storytelling styles and takes on familiar genre tropes add up to an entertaining buffet for mystery fans’ Publishers Weekly

‘I loved the variety of writing styles, the skill that tops the list of evidence and the differing locations as we criss-crossed the globe from the streets of Glasgow to a trek in South Africa as these writers pooled their stories to produce one of the most satisfying collections of short stories I have had the pleasure of reading' Cleopatra Loves Books

'An absolutely cracking anthology which provides a wonderful introduction to the short story, with a mix of crimes to make you smile, cringe, gasp and nod' Jen Meds Book Reviews

'A mystery tour which takes you across the world and back again, across the boundaries of right and wrong, across the whole spectrum of human emotions, all wrapped up in a bloody red bow. Highly recommended. A brilliantly witty, dark and captivating collection’ The Book Trail

'This is a must-read book. Don’t miss out!' Damp Pebbles

'This is an excellent collection of stories that you can either read one after the other, or, as I did – dipping in and out and reading a mixture of authors both known and new to me’ My Reading Corner

'This is an excellent collection of high quality crime stories, ranging from psychological thrillers to crime scene investigations, providing something for everyone – and the chance to get out of your usual ‘crime reads’ comfort zone’ Off The Shelf Books

A powerful tale of love and survival set against the final bitter weeks of the Nazi regime.

"Gripping ... The Constant Soldier has the pace of a thriller with characters and themes that are nuanced and subtle" The Times

The pain woke him up. He was grateful for it. The train had stopped and somewhere, up above them, the drone of aircraft engines filled the night sky. He could almost remember her smile . . . It must be the morphine . . . He had managed not to think about her for months now.

1944. Paul Brandt, a soldier in the German army, returns wounded and ashamed from the bloody chaos of the Eastern front to find his village home much changed and existing in the dark shadow of an SS rest hut - a luxurious retreat for those who manage the concentration camps, run with the help of a small group of female prisoners who - against all odds - have so far survived the war.

When, by chance, Brandt glimpses one of these prisoners, he realizes that he must find a way to access the hut. For inside is the woman to whom his fate has been tied since their arrest five years before, and now he must do all he can to protect her.

But as the Russian offensive moves ever closer, the days of this rest hut and its SS inhabitants are numbered. And while hope - for Brandt and the female prisoners - grows tantalizingly close, the danger too is now greater than ever.

And, in a forest to the east, a young female Soviet tank driver awaits her orders to advance . . .

MORE PRAISE FOR THE CONSTANT SOLDIER

"Has the hallmark of a prize-winning good read" Irish Sunday Independent

"This has the feel of a modern classic - it's up there with Birdsong and Alone in Berlin as the very best of its kind." David Young, author of Stasi Child

"An extraordinary novel, with the intensity and pace of a thriller, and a wisdom and subtlety all of its own. I was gripped to the very last page" Antonia Hodgson, award-winning author of A Devil in the Marshalsea

"An elegant and powerful novel which sheds light upon a bleak and lesser known period of the war... William Ryan has conjured up both a gripping love story and thriller" Richard Foreman, author of Warsaw