A provocative and timely novel exploring the notion of Russian influence in the US's corridors of power

Matthews beguilingly blends the fun and sexiness of Ian Fleming with the more procedural, information-rich approach of John le Carre and Frederick Forsyth

The finale to the Red Sparrow Trilogy is both timely and timeless; an espionage tale that takes the reader behind and beyond the headlines of Russia's assault on America. If anyone doubts that we are in the midst of Cold War II, The Kremlin's Candidate will erase those doubts, page by eye-opening page. Matthews's writing is elegant and self-assured, and we know we are in the capable hands of a man who is writing about what he knows and who he knows. Twenty-first-century spy novels don't get any better than this.

Matthews spins a mighty operational web replete with exacting tradecraft. His descriptive precision is breathtaking; the sparring between his vividly realized characters is devilishly clever. With nail-biting suspense, scorching eroticism, dark wit, lashing contempt for politicians dismissive of intelligence work, and fury over Russia's disinformation campaigns, this is a riveting and knowing dramatization of today's clandestine geopolitical conflicts

A stellar conclusion... races to a heart-pounding and unexpected resolution.

Matthews beguilingly blends the fun and sexiness of Ian Fleming with the more procedural, information-rich approach of John le Carre and Frederick Forsyth

Dominika Egorova, of the Russian Intelligence Service, is one of the most complex and compelling heroines to grace the espionage genre ... Matthews's scene-setting is superb, and he has a fine eye for telling details ... Palace of Treason shimmers with authenticity

Taut, fast-paced and authentic. A great American spy novel

Sublime and sophisticated ... a fast-paced thriller ... as noteworthy for its superior style as for its gripping depiction of a secretive world

A primer in 21st-century spying... terrifically good

The best espionage novel you've ever read

There is much to relish, from its revival of the sexy spy (this time female) to its mischievous portrayal of Putin

As authentic a spy novel as you are ever apt to read, rendered in exciting prose by a master who helped craft the rules by which spying is conducted. A ten-cloak, ten-dagger read

Matthews is the insider's insider. He knows the secrets. And he is also a master storyteller

The world of a spy is unique and claustrophobic, but this bold tale captures its every nuance with expert precision. A tantalizing premise, and a heroine who's an alpha female, forge a solid piece of entertainment that does not disappoint

A sequel that's every bit as good as his début . . . Authentic tradecraft, a complex plot that steadily builds tension, and credible heroes and villains on both sides make this a standout

The tough and talented Egorova is a brilliant creation - her adventures make for a dazzling thrill-filled journey across the globe. Matthews spent 30 years as a CIA agent so this is the real deal. Thrilling, absorbing and brilliantly descriptive ... you won't fail to be won over

Egorova could well turn out to be the greatest ever female character in spy fiction

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A tension-charged debut, sharing elements of his signature TV writing with incendiary twists

Søren Sveistrup, is clearly a master craftsman

Crime lovers, rejoice. This is a thrilling, fast-paced page-turner that promises to hook readers from the first page

A superb debut novel from the writer behind hit TV series The Killing. This book grips you from the out and boils and boils to an almost sickening conclusion. It just does not let up

Chilling psychological drama

This one will have your heart in your mouth

Sveistrup keeps the reader gripped until the very end

I was completely blown away by this debut novel

Sveistrup sets new standards in crime

Nerve-racking, you're sitting on the edge of your seat, and by the time you've finished the book you've got no nails left

Simply an unparalleled page-turner

Absolutely fantastic crime novel. The plot keeps you gripped, and you always end up wanting to read just one more page. Nerve-racking. Nail-biting. Thrilling. Hair-raising

Not all good scriptwriters can produce a detective story designed to be read rather than watched on TV. But Søren Sveistrup, the man responsible for The Killing, proves . . . that it can be done . . . The characters, the plot with its deep, eerie undercurrent of the unknown, and the intense, compelling manipulation of suspense are qualities reminiscent of The Killing

This nerve-racking debut novel has a brilliant plot . . .

A powerful portrait of two intriguing detectives who are here to stay . . .

Simply so well written, well constructed and suspenseful. I've read a lot of fantastic crime novels, but this is far and away the best I've read in a long time. . . . insanely suspenseful and gripping

Crime fiction of the highest quality - fascinating characters, great storytelling, and unbearable suspense. I absolutely loved it

Sveistrup is a skilled weaver of plot, able to surprise the reader and maintain a well-developed sense of pacing, tension and action. He keeps the reader hooked until the final page

The ingredients in this stew are familiar to everyone who reads crime novels. Sveistrup's great skill becomes apparent in the solid, complex plot, as well as in the pacing and impact that drives the reader onward page after page. The Chestnut Man is a demonstration of how a novel of this type should be sewn together. The result is incredibly thrilling!

While other writers come across as formulaic, Sveistrup's plot develops naturally, and he finds space amid the child abuse and harassment for enough injections of humanity that The Chestnut Man never turns into violence porn, a stumbling block for several of his Danish colleagues. The key is Thulin and Hess, the most promising pair of investigators in Nordic crime since Saga and Martin first met over a corpse on a bridge in 2011

Individual scenes in the narrative stand out knife-sharp in all their calculated evil. Their encounter with brutal reality nearly overwhelms those involved, and the reader is profoundly challenged by the novel's material. But you survive because you retain a clear sense that there must be a deep well of sorrow behind the crimes, and because the author depicts his cast of characters in such a nuanced way that you sympathise with the hard-pressed investigative team, the victims, and the person behind the terrible murders. Sveistrup keeps the reader gripped until the very end. This is professional writing in the very best sense, and I'm looking forward to more.

The Chestnut Man is an intensely gripping first novel that feels anything but debut-like. Seasoned crime fans with feel as though they're in very safe hands ... [Sveistrup] throws his hat into the ring with extreme professionalism and a talent for deploying his special tricks in precisely calibrated doses.

Praise for The Killing

Excellent . . . A shrewd mix of police procedural, political thriller and domestic drama

TV of the absolute finest quality . . . the writing shines