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Chaos
Chaos
Oct 29, 2024 11:29 PM

Author:A D Swanston

Chaos

February 1574 and London is in a fervour of paranoia, superstition and rumour. Mob violence is commonplace. A whispered word is all it takes to condemn a woman to burn as a witch.

Having foiled the 'Incendium' plot against the Queen, intelligencer Dr Christopher Radcliff's standing within court is high. However, he has no time to reap any reward. Counterfeit coins bearing the likeness of his master, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, are circulating on London's streets. This in itself is a treasonous offence, but now slogans have begun to appear on walls and doorways, implying that Leicester harbours treacherous intent.

So Radcliff and his team of informants and amateur spies are sent out into the city's markets, drinking dens and brothels to track down who might be behind such outrageous and subversive acts. It will take them down a murderous path in pursuit of an elusive foe with an extraordinary agenda. And time is running out: for when rumour and fear catch fire, then surely violent insurrection and bloody chaos will follow . . .

'A fantastic tale of spies, deceit and murder in the Elizabethan age'

S. D. SYKES

Reviews

Swanston balances historical detail with an entertaining story . . . fast paced and involving . . . an excellent second outing for Doctor Christopher Radcliff.

—— HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW

Fiendishly clever.

—— Sunday Times

Lloyd is terrific on atmosphere, channelling the hostile, volatile power of the sea both literally and metaphorically... He excels at taking readers to very dark places

—— Metro

A cleverly crafted page-turner

—— Best

Absorbing and deftly written . . . Each page promises the literary equivalent of a fresh jab to the solar plexus.

—— The Herald

Shocking . . . Sam Lloyd's heart-racing thriller keeps us guessing until the end

—— Woman's Own

A thrilling family drama with dramatic scenery and twisting reveals...

—— Magic Radio Book Club

Lesley Kara has done it again. The Dare is a gripping tale of secrets, betrayal and love's power to corrupt and redeem. Brilliantly plotted, The Dare keeps you guessing to the very end, and like Lizzie, the reader never knows who to trust. Destined for the bestseller charts and deservedly so.

—— Adam Hamdy, author of Pendulum

You'll race through it.

—— Best Magazine

The deeply submerged memories of Kara's heroine Lizzie (whose best friend was killed in an accident) resurface to threatening effect. Kara's cogent prose and grasp of mounting tension pay dividends.

—— Financial Times

This twisty psychological thriller will grip you within minutes

—— NOW!

An easy-to-read thriller about the dark pull of the past.

—— Real People Magazine

Bartz takes the idea of a 'frenemy' to new heights in her third thriller, yet another expert vivisection of female modes of communication and competition

—— Los Angeles Times

A chilling, whirlwind thriller

—— Woman's Own

This thriller has a premise that will pique any mystery-loving traveler's interest: two best friends embark on their annual reunion trip, only to have it go murderously awry. Bartz's evocative descriptions of destinations as varied as Chile and Cambodia pulled me in immediately, but it was the way she ratcheted up the tension by dropping clues about the duo's murky past that kept me rapt until the end

—— Travel + Leisure

This smartly written psychological thriller will leave you all tingly

—— Reader's Digest

Bartz, once again, creates a thrilling tale about a friend group in flux

—— OprahDaily.com

The ultimate story of toxic female friendships, a theme Andi Bartz pulls off exquisitely her previous novels. This one is pulse-pounding with secrets, lies, and friends who trust too much

—— CrimeReads.com

Sustains its thriller atmosphere with a well-drawn dynamic between co-dependent friends who alternate from deep trust to vicious suspicion

—— Milwaukee Magazine

We Were Never Here is an observant, suspenseful, and deeply scary novel, a psychological thriller that looks at the tight bonds of friendship and asks where they strangle, where they break

—— Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay

We Were Never Here is somehow both cinematic in scope and also claustrophobic and unnerving. It's a novel that explores the dangers that lurk in beautiful places, the manipulation of memories, and the friendship ties that don't just bind us, but can strangle us

—— Tara Laskowski, award-winning author of One Night Gone and The Mother Next Door

I absolutely loved We Were Never Here ... chock-full of twists and turns that surprise and titillate. I was so enthralled, I carried the book around the house, reading as I walked to the kitchen to make some tea and even while folding the laundry. It's been years since I last read-walked!

—— Daniela Petrova, author of Her Daughter’s Mother

[Bartz] has an incredible talent for writing complicated characters, complex relationships, unnerving situations, and palpable tension-and making them all work together

—— HelloGiggles.com

This tense psychological thriller simmers with suspense throughout - you'll be totally hooked!

—— My Weekly

An intriguing domestic noir...Curtis will keep you guessing with this one.

—— NB Magazine

Invite Me In is a riveting, character-driven thriller that hooked me from the first page and kept me captivated.

—— Take a Break

Curtis keeps us hooked with twists and a cast of characters who are convincing, if hardly likeable.

—— Herald

Kept me glued to every page

—— Good Housekeeping

Gripping, cleverly-constructed, and heart-wrenching. Truly original

—— Paula Daly

Intelligent. Compulsive. Heart-wrenching. Unforgettable

—— Jane Corry

Brilliantly written

—— Fiona Barton

A thrilling mystery with a strong emotional heart

—— Woman & Home

Ingeniously constructed, with real flesh-and-blood characters and cliff-hanging suspense

—— Louise Candlish
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