Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen some huge names releasing their crime novels in the run-up to Christmas. Michael Connelly. Ken Follett. David Baldacci. This week it’s the independent authors who are making a splash here in On the Radar. Small press and self-published writers are the lifeblood of the genre – it’s where the invention happens and where new trends begin. So dig into these new mysteries by Helen H Durrant, Cynthia von Buhler, Kevin G Chapman, JC Morgan and Andrew Field – hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
The Last Victim by Helen H Durrant
A two-month-old baby and his babysitter go missing in The Last Victim, the latest in Helen H Durrant’s police procedural series featuring DCI Rachel King – out on 2 December. King is just back from maternity leave so the case hits her hard, but things get worse when it is revealed that the child is the son of Scott Agnew, allegedly a part of Manchester drug-dealing ring, the Trio. Then the elderly mother of another Trio boss disappears and King’s stress levels hit boiling point – but when the prime suspect is her partner Jed, ex-gangland boss and the father of her youngest child, it looks like an already mad situation is about to spiral out of her control.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Electrified Tesla by Cynthia von Buhler
This stunning comic book by writer and illustrator Cynthia von Buhler has been compiled into a gala graphic novel by Titan Comics and Hard Case Crime. A couple of decades have passed since private detective Minky Woodcock‘s salacious brush with Harry Houdini and the escapologist’s killers. Now she’s mingling with one of the great inventors of the 20th century, Nikola Tesla. Her mission is to ascertain whether or not he has indeed invented a death ray machine, as he’s claimed. With the world at war, a whole slew of nasty types would love to get their hands on it… Get ready for vivacious, fully-illustrated 1940s grandeur. Watch for our interview with the creator, soon.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Perilous Gambit by Kevin G Chapman
NYPD detective Mike Stoneman and his partner Jason Dickson are due a break from duty, so they head off to Vegas in Kevin G Chapman‘s latest police thriller, Perilous Gambit, out on 24 November. Yes, the bright lights and gambling are factors in their choice, but Jason is also getting married to his fiancee Rachel while they’re there and Rachel and Mike’s girlfriend Michelle are hugely excited at the prospect. But as anyone who follows this series knows, trouble seems to follow Stoneman and Dickson wherever they go. This time the Las Vegas mob is taking an interest in them, and someone very close to home is in mortal danger…
Pre-order now on Amazon
Pederasty by JC Morgan
Julian is a most unusual protagonist, who inhabits a world of secrets and lies; of confessions and sins, and forces you to analyse the meanings of right and wrong, good and bad. He’s a man firmly in command of his own destiny – until he meets 15-year-old Matt and things start to get a little hairy. It’s time for Julian to draw a line and walk away, but when he hesitates he sets into motion his undoing at the hands of Matt. As Julian finally faces the demons he’s kept buried, he uncovers even darker ones that are lurking within. A dark, destructive – and, yes, risky – debut novel by a new name to watch, Pederasty by JC Morgan is out now.
Buy now on Amazon
All Down the Line by Andrew Field
Covid has had a big effect on publishing, with some books falling through the cracks in the process – including English author Andrew Field’s All Down the Line. However, it’s coming back all guns blazing with a re-launch on 3 December. It is 20 years since Cain Bell’s daughter died in a hit and run and he’s finally beginning to feel some closure – that is, until his fiancée hints that the man in prison for the crime didn’t do it. Before Cain can dig deeper, she is brutally attacked and left in a coma, leaving him with plenty of questions but no answers. To get to the truth, he needs to get Manchester’s most dangerous gangster on side – but Billy McGinty is saying nothing, so just how far is Cain prepared to go?
Buy now on Amazon