COBRA by Deon Meyer published in paperback tomorrow

Benny Griessel is back! Tomorrow, Deon Meyer’s latest novel COBRA is published in paperback in the UK by Hodder.

Why would a mathematics professor from Cambridge University, renting a holiday home outside Cape Town, require a false identity and three bodyguards? And where is he, now that they are dead? The only clue to the bodyguards' murder is the snake engraved on the shell casings of the bullets that killed them. Investigating the massacre, Benny Griessel and his team find themselves being drawn into an international conspiracy with shocking implications…

Read the first chapter of COBRA here.

Hear Deon Meyer introduce you to his hero Benny Griessel here.

You can read what his editor Nick Sayers has to say about the novels, and test your Afrikaans, here.

COBRA has been selected for Elle Magazine’s Prix de Lectrices Prize 2015, and shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger 2015, which will be announced at the CWA dinner in London on 30 June, marking the end of National Crime Reading Month.  It was also chosen by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the Top Ten Mystery and Thriller for Fall and ‘Thriller of the Week’ on the very popular Dutch thriller & crime fiction community Crimezone.nl. When initially released in his home territory of South Africa, COBRA (published in Afrikaans by Human & Rousseau as KOBRA) shot to Number 1 on Afrikaans publication, beating off all international competition in English as well. 

His new novel, ICARUS (published in Afrikaans by Human & Rousseau as IKARUS) has also held the Number 1 spot in South Africa for several weeks and is set to be released in English on August 27th 2015 in the UK and on October 6th 2015 in the US. 

COBRA was published last year in France and Germany and has since been signed by more than a dozen more international publishers. Deon will be at the Salerno festival in June and in October will be on tour in Europe visiting Holland, Germany, and Poland among other places.

Mike Ripley from Shotsmag has nothing but praise for COBRA:

‘A masterful new thriller.  This is terrific stuff:  fine plotting, superb characterisation, a constant thread of suspense, a multi-ethnic cast and an intriguing setting. It also comes with a glossary of South African terms and if COBRA doesn’t win at least one major prize this year, then someone needs a good snotskoot blikseming.’

More Praise for COBRA:

‘An astonishing and violent climax… Meyer gives rare insights into the texture of everyday life in a country still troubled 20 years after the release of Nelson Mandela.’ – The Sunday Times

“Nothing takes you further into the heart of South Africa than a Deon Meyer crime novel, the beating heart of its hopes and disappointments.” – L’Hebdo

Visit Deon's website here.

Follow Deon on Twitter.

Praise for Deon Meyer:

‘A master on vintage form… He is a defining novelist of modern South Africa.’ – Barry Forshaw, Books of the Year 2012, Independent

‘Deon Meyer is one of the best crime writers on the planet.’ – Mail on Sunday

‘Meyer is brilliant at suspense, a skill that is coupled with beguilingly unabashed social commentary.’ – William Saunderson-Meyer, The Times (SA)

 'With Deon Meyer you can't go wrong. He's a writer whose work I admire, wait for and then devour.' -- Michael Connelly

THE EYE OF THE DAY BY DENNISON SMITH PUBLISHED TODAY

THE EYE OF THE DAY by Dennison Smith is published in the UK today by Periscope. It was published in Canada in 2014 by HarperCollins Canada.

When a brutal explosion in a summer-cottage town in Vermont brings together Amos, a disfigured handyman, and Aubrey, the cosseted son of a wealthy New England family, neither has any idea that this one event will shape them forever. THE EYE OF THE DAY is a masterly evocation of friendship; peace, love and loss; and a profound meditation on the compromises exacted by life.

You can read an extract from the novel on Periscope’s Facebook page. Dennison wrote about ten reasons an author should get a PhD for the FemaleFirst blog.

Dennison will be launching her novel with UEA in Norwich on the 10th June and will be reading at a special UEA Live event for the Norwich World’s Festival on 18th June.

Dennison’s first novel, SCAVENGER, was published by Insomniac Press and presented in play form as DESERT STORY. She is the author of two books of poetry: ANON NECESSITY and FERMATA. Originally from Chicago, she now divides her time between a small island in Canada and her home in London.

You can learn more about Dennison on her website

Praise for THE EYE OF THE DAY:

‘A wonderful novel, from one of Canada’s most exciting new authors. Exceptionally bold, beautiful, original and humane.’ – Joanna Kavenna, author of THE BIRTH OF LOVE

‘A remarkable coming-of-age story, told in a stunning voice that beguiles and enchants on every page.’ — Ruth Ozeki, author of A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING

‘Surprisingly beautiful … a riveting narrative of survival, self-knowledge, and the possibility of second chances.’ — Quill & Quire 

Peter James’ YOU ARE DEAD No.1 in the Bestseller Chart this weekend!

Peter James’ latest Roy Grace novel YOU ARE DEAD will be No.1 in the fiction hardcover Bestseller Chart this weekend. It was published on 21st May by Macmillan and has shot straight to number one, knocking Paula Hawkins’ THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN off the top spot.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate the publication at a launch party at Brighton Racecourse last Thursday.


Peter is longlisted for the Dagger in the Library Award 2015. The shortlist will be announced on 8th June. Earlier this year, Peter James was voted the ‘Best Crime Writer of All Time’ in a public poll run by WH Smiths. Peter won the poll ‘by a landslide’, beating crime heavyweights including Ian Rankin, James Patterson and even the classic Agatha Christie.

The designer of Peter’s spectacular new covers, Neil Lang, recently told us all about the redesign – see his story here on the Blake Friedmann Blog.

The Roy Grace novels are translated into more than three dozen languages.

Praise for Peter James

'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business.' -- Karin Slaughter

'Exceptional, knock-your-socks-off.' -- Washington Post

HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS and THE FORGOTTEN FAMILY by Beryl Matthews published yesterday

Two of Beryl Matthew’s novels, HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS and THE FORGOTTEN FAMILY were published in the UK yesterday by Allison & Busby. The books are available as paperbacks and ebook. Beryl has previously published 12 novels in hardback with Severn House.

Beryl Matthews is an accomplished novelist, writing in the genre that Catherine Cookson made her own, but with stories set in London. As a young girl her ambition was to become a professional singer but lack of funds drove her into an office, where she worked her way up from tea-girl to credit controller. After she retired, she began to pursue her dream of becoming a published author.

HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS is the story of Gertrude Melrose. She is concerned for her brother, Edward, who seems intent on squandering his inheritance at the gaming tables. Her fears are justified when Edward's debts threaten to destroy the Melrose family's prosperity.

THE FORGOTTEN FAMILY is set in Whitechapel, London 1890. Queenie Bonner is only two when she is taken from her large family in the slums to a big house in the country. She is frightened and confused, begging to be taken back, but she is told that this is now her home. As time passes Eleanor forgets about her other family. But fifteen years later, she sets about tracing her forgotten family. The search holds pleasure, distress and even danger as she discovers what has happened to her siblings over the years. Eight are traced, but one remains missing. She knows she will never rest until he is found.

Allison & Busby are giving these re-issued novels a fresh cover style, and are committed to publishing at least 4 more titles.