Author:Robert Goddard
'The master of the clever twist' Sunday Telegraph
Harry Barnett thought he had left his military career behind, so he is startled when two figures from his past turn up on his doorstep after fifty years. An old friend has organised the reunion to end all reunions: a weekend in the Scottish castle where the ex-comrades took part in a psychological experiment many years before. They haven't seen each other since.
As they set off on their all-expenses-paid jaunt to Aberdeen, the old friends are in high spirits. But the cheerful atmosphere is quickly shattered by the apparent suicide of one of their party.
When a second death occurs, a sense of foreboding descends on the group. It appears that the past is coming back to haunt them, a past that none of them have ever spoken about. Their recollections are all frighteningly different. So what really happened?
Then when one of them uncovers an extraordinary secret, he becomes convinced that they will never leave the castle alive...
The master of the clever twist
—— Sunday TelegraphGoddard rarely disappoints... Meticulous planning, well-drawn characters and an immaculate sense of place... A satisfying number of twists and shocks along the way
—— The TimesWhen it comes to duplicity and intrigue, Goddard is second to none... A master of manipulation
—— Daily MailOne of Britain's finest thriller writers
—— Time OutCombines the expert suspense manipulation skills of a Daphne du Maurier romance with those of a John Le Carre thriller
—— The New York TimesThrough the quality of her writing she's raised the game of the crime novel in this country
—— Peter JamesRendell's mesmerising capacity to shock, chill and disturb is unmatched
—— The TimesBlacklands caused the hearts of hardened reviewers to flip a beat
—— IndependentOriginal, unsettling and atmospheric, this is a debut that hits the ground running
—— VAL MCDERMIDThought-provoking and utterly original
—— MO HAYDERExceptional debut . . . A new UK crime writer to shout about
—— Bookseller (Alice O'Keeffe)Blacklands heralds a fresh new voice in crime: Belinda Bauer inhabits the mind of her 12-year-old hero, struggling to tease the whereabouts of his uncle's body from an imprisoned child-killer, with uncanny conviction
—— GuardianA compelling story of a fragmented family and the loss of innocence
—— Woman & HomeA tense, well-orchestrated crime novel with a refreshingly unusual premise
—— Spectator (Books of the Year)A chilling and gripping original thriller by a great new talent. You'll want to race through to the scary climax
—— GraziaBlacklands... managed to glean the best word-of-mouth for any new crime novel in years.
—— BARRY FORSHAW , Independent (Best Books of 2010)A gripping read
—— The TimesMy big book discovery this time was The Snowman by Jo Nesbo - it's about a Norwegian detective who has to investigate a series of gruesome murders. What could be better for holiday entertainment
—— Bruno Tonioli , Mail on SundayTHE NEXT STIEG LARSSON
—— Independent[A] dark, chilling, page-turner
—— Deborah D. Rogers , Times Higher Education, *Summer Reads of 2021*'Civilised, funny, life-affirming and hugely enjoyable. I can't recall reading crime fiction quite like this before- honest, ironic, and cheerfully unselfconscious. I urge you to share my surprise and delight.'
—— Philip Oakes, Literary ReviewOne of the most brilliantly playful, witty and original writers we have.
—— Scotsman'At heart a comic novelist, who explores the relationship between comedy and crime... In Case Histories, these skills have found their literary home.'
—— Heather O’Donoghue, Times Literary Supplement'Sharp humour, together with a number of unexpected twists, make this a typically pacey and intelligent read.'
—— Daily MailNot just the best novel I have read this year...but the best mystery of the decade. There are actually four mysteries, nesting like Russian dolls, and when they begin to fit together, I defy any reader not to feel a combination of delight and amazement. Case Histories is the literary equivalent of a triple axel. I read it once for pleasure and then again just to see how it was done. This is the mind of book you shove in people's faces, saying 'You gotta read this!'
—— Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly