Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.

When Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse. Along with six other strangers, she’s told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear.

Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.

As the clock counts down to the lavish end-of-day party they’ve been promised, injuries and in-fighting split the group. But with no escape from the island—or the other guests’ most shocking secrets—Amelia begins to suspect that her only hope for survival is to be the last one standing. Can she confront her own dark past to uncover the truth—before it’s too late to get out?

SHE'S NOT YOUR FRIEND.

When two strangers end up sharing a cabin on the Trans-Siberian Express, an intense friendship develops, one that can only have one ending... 

Carrie's best friend has an accident and can no longer make the round-the-world trip they'd planned together, so Carrie decides to go it alone. Violet is also travelling alone, after splitting up with her boyfriend in Thailand. She is also desperate for a ticket on the Trans-Siberian Express, but there is nothing available. When the two women meet in a Beijing Hotel, Carrie makes the impulsive decision to invite Violet to take her best friend's place. Thrown together in a strange country, and the cramped cabin of the train, the women soon form a bond. But as the journey continues, through Mongolia and into Russia, things start to unravel - because one of these women is not who she claims to be...

A tense and twisted psychological thriller about obsession, manipulation and toxic friendships, Violet also reminds us that there's a reason why your mother told you never to talk to strangers...

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

Everybody's got a secret...

This collection from UK bestselling crime writer S.J.I. Holliday contains all of the books in the Banktoun series, plus an exclusive bonus Davie Gray short story.

In Black Wood: Jo recognises a face from the past, but no one believes he's the man who attacked her and Claire all those years ago. Can she convince Sergeant Davie Gray that this man is responsible for a new spate of attacks, or will she take matters into her own hands?

*BONUS* In Home from Home: Davie is taking a well-earned break after a series of tragic events, but when a body is washed up on the beach, he's drawn into the investigation, much to the local police force's annoyance.

In Willow Walk: Davie's girlfriend Marie is acting strangely, but Davie is too busy with an escaped psychiatric patient and woman found dead on the outskirts of town. Someone is watching Marie - and she knows who it is, and what he's capable of. Will she confide in Davie before it's too late?

In The Damselfly: A promising teenager has been found dead in her bed, and the town is whipped into a frenzy. A local teacher is prime suspect, and what starts as social media trolling soon escalates into vigilante violence. Can Davie and his new partner, DC Louise Jennings, stop the mob and catch the real killer, before he strikes again?

Fans of Gillian Flynn, Melinda Leigh, Mark Edwards and Theresa Driscoll will love these small town mystery thrillers.

Three people live. Three people die. You make the choice.

Like any mother, Chrissie wants to protect her family. She would do anything to keep them safe. So when a mysterious stranger turns up at her door, offering to prevent the deaths of the people she loves, it sounds too good to be true. The only problem: she must choose someone to die in their place. A substitute.

When her daughter Holly has a terrible accident, Chrissie has no option but to enter the programme. In that horrifying moment, she would do anything to save her. But even after Holly makes a miraculous recovery, Chrissie is convinced it’s just a coincidence. After all, who can really control the laws of life and death?

But as the dangers to her family escalate and her chosen substitutes begin to disappear, Chrissie finds herself in an underworld of hidden laboratories and secretive doctors. And the consequences of playing by their rules are far deadlier than she ever imagined…

A family tragedy. Social media trolls turn vigilante.

When promising teenager Katie is found dead in her bed, the small town of Banktoun is whipped into a frenzy.

Did her teacher do it?

School counsellor Polly McAllister is back in town after many years away. She's laden with secrets, and full of guilt. While Detective Sergeant Davie Gray and Detective Constable Louise Jennings investigate the case, Polly questions the schoolchildren, including Katie's siblings and her friends.

And then she finds the blog...

There are lots of angry people in town. But what are they hiding? 

Who killed Katie?

Fans of Mark Edwards, Ruth Ware and Ian Rankin will love this small town mystery thriller with a shocking and heartbreaking end.

Someone is watching... 

Bartender Marie has a simple life in the small town of Banktoun and a new relationship with local policeman, Davie Gray. 

But someone doesn't want her to be happy.

With an escaped psychiatric patient on the loose, and the body of a woman found on the outskirts of town, Davie is distracted. The new relationship is falling apart before it starts.

Because Marie is keeping a secret.

The fairground is in town, bringing with it some new, undesirable inhabitants. 

Marie knows who's watching her... and she knows why.

As events culminate in the house-party from hell - the small community is rocked forever. 
Can Davie work it all out before it's too late?

Fans of Gillian Flynn, Melinda Leigh and Theresa Driscoll will love this claustrophobic small town psychological mystery.

A face from the past. A secret best left buried.

When Gareth Maloney walks into Jo's bookshop in the sleepy town of Banktoun, the life she thought she'd rebuilt starts to unravel. 

Because Jo recognises this man.

The man who attacked her and her friend Claire, all those years ago, leaving Claire paralysed, and Jo tortured by the memories, unable to forgive herself for what happened.

A desperate Jo turns to her friend, local policeman, Sergeant Davie Gray. The man she met after the attack. The kind, caring man who had vowed to look out for her since her mother's death.

But he doesn't believe her

As Jo battles her demons, a masked man is attacking young girls on the old railway track. Convinced it is connected to Maloney's return, Jo takes matters into her own hands.

With devastating consequences.

Fans of Big Little Lies, Broadchurch and Dark Places will love this claustrophobic small town psychological mystery.