If anyone deserves to nudge Ian Rankin from his post as Britain's bestselling crime writer, it's Harvey.

Impassioned ... heartbreaking ... Confirms Harvey as one of our most accomplished writers in any genre

Authoritative ... visceral, engaged, and yes, unputdownable

Sharp plotting, great characterisation and a powerful narrative; it's as good as they get

Hoodie gang fights, murder, people trafficking, gun-running. Yes, we're back in Nottingham, an ordinary city with everyday British problems, brilliantly chronicled by John Harvey, who paints a better picture of the difficulties police face than the ten o'clock news

Expertly crafted

Tey's style and her knack for creating bizarre characters are among the best in the field

This series places Indridason at the centre of the best of contemporary crime fiction. He is a master storyteller, and has a real gift for evoking the complex humanity at the heart of the most dour-seeming individuals.

Most people will find The Daughter Of Time as interesting and enjoyable a book as they will meet in a month of Sundays

A detective story with a very considerable difference. Ingenious, stimulating and very enjoyable

Josephine Tey has always been absolutely reliable in producing original and mysterious plots with interesting characters and unguessable endings