Kate Rhodes

INTRUDERS HERE ARE BOUND TO DIE . . . As the sun sets on a cold November evening, the tiny community of St Agnes prepares for their annual Fifth-of-November festivities. Moments before the fireworks are scheduled to commence, an islander discovers a charred body left on the bonfire, and quickly it becomes clear that a killer is at large. Ben Kitto is the Deputy Chief of Police for the Scilly Isles, and with a killer on the loose, he has no choice but to forbid all residents from leaving the island. With a population of just eighty people, everyone is a suspect and no one is safe. When threats start appearing, written in the old Cornish language, Ben suspects that the killer’s motive is to rid the island of the newcomers who threaten their traditions. With time running out, Ben hurries to discover the secrets of the island’s peculiar residents, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before another fire is started . . . No place to run. No place to hide.

Clare Riordan and her son, Mikey, are abducted from Clapham Common early one morning. Hours later, the boy is found wandering disorientated. Soon after, a container of Clare's blood is left on a doorstep in the heart of London. Psychologist Alice Quentin is brought in to help the traumatized child uncover his memories, with the hope that it might lead the authorities to his mother's captors. But Alice swiftly realizes Clare is not the first victim... nor will she be the last. The killers are desperate for revenge... and in the end, it will all come down to blood.

A MISSING CHILD St Martin’s is shrouded in bitterly cold fog when Jade Minear and her twin brother, Ethan, are attacked in a field, late at night. Ethan manages to return home but the shocking events of Jade’s disappearance have rendered him mute. A LONG-HELD GRUDGE On a small island where there are few places a child can hide, DI Ben Kitto must battle the elements to search for Jade. When his investigation reveals that the Minear family have many enemies on the island, Kitto grows increasingly worried that Jade is in danger. A KILLER HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT . . . Meanwhile, someone on the island knows exactly where the girl is. Someone with a deep-seated hatred of Jade's family. To find the truth, Kitto must investigate the lives of the people he has known all of his life. Because one of them is lying – and it isn’t long until a body is found . . .

Adrian Stone was a musical child prodigy, until he slaughtered both his parents at the age of sixteen. Nine years have passed since then. Now he's escaped from a high security psychiatric unit, to embark on a murder spree. Stone plans to kill everyone that's hurt him, including Dr Alice Quentin. She's the forensic psychologist tasked with tracking him down. But the only clues he leaves behind are the melodies composed at sites where each of his victims die.

Kate Rhodes’ second collection is powerful and varied. She writes about personal concerns such as family, loss and love in a style which Don Paterson has described as "pared to the bone, elegant and precise." The collection includes a diverse range of subjects, from a wry portrait poem of Tony Blair to "The Alice Trap" series, which charts the end of a painful love affair. In recent years Rhodes has been shortlisted for both the Forward and Bridport prizes, and this collection finds her at the height of her powers. Her voice throughout this striking collection is engaging and direct.

"The first death looked like a suicide. Except, someone had tucked a picture of an angel and a handful of white feathers into the banker's pocket before pushing him in front of a train. When a second victim is found, it's apparent that a killer is stalking The Square Mile, the financial district in London: an avenging angel intent on punishment. But why these victims? What were their sins?"--Dust jacket flap.

Meet Alice Quentin, a forensic psychologist who'll do anything to crack a case - even if it means putting herself in danger, in this collection of three gripping novels. Crossbones Yard the discovery of a body in a former graveyard pulls Alice Quentin into a terrifying copycat serial killing case. A killing of Angels someone is taking revenge on members of the Angel Bank - but why? Only Alice can find out. The Winter Foundlings a ten-year-old girl is kidnapped in a homage to notorious child-killer Louis Kinsella. Alice must confront him to find out what he knows - before Ella's time runs out...

Enjoying a successful career in London, psychologist Alice Quentin stumbles on a murder scene that resembles the work of two imprisoned killers, a case that prompts her recruitment by police and places her life at risk. Ray and Marie Benson killed 13 women before they were caught, tried and imprisoned. Five of their victims were never found. Six years later, psychologist Alice Quentin discovers a woman's body on the waste ground at Crossbones Yard. The wounds are horrifyingly similar to the Bensons' signature style. But who would want to copy their crimes? But the body at Crossbones Yard is just the start, and the killer may already be closer than Alice knows....

REVENGE DI Ben Kitto made many enemies in his time working as an undercover officer for the Met police, none more ruthless and calculating than gang leader Craig Travis. IS WORTH Travis has longed to make Kitto pay for his role in getting him convicted – and that day has finally arrived. Now, a dark and twisted killer is heading for the Scilly Isles, one who has waited a long time for revenge. WAITING FOR . . . With Kitto busy investigating the discovery of a body on the islands and distracted by the imminent arrival of his first child, his defences are down. He has so much to lose. And Travis will stop at nothing to take it all from him.

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, these twenty-eight chilling, one-sitting 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

Jude Shelley, daughter of a prominent cabinet minister, had her whole life ahead of her until she was attacked and left to drown in the Thames. Miraculously, she survived. A year later, her family ask psychologist Alice Quentin to re-examine the case. But then an elderly priest is attacked in Battersea, his body washed up at Westminster Pier. An ancient glass bead is tied to his wrist. The river has always demanded sacrifices, and now it seems a killer believes it's calling out for more. Alice is certain that Jude and her family are hiding something, but unless she can persuade them to share what they know, more victims will drown...

ON A REMOTE ISLAND When Jez Cardew’s boat is found drifting empty on the Atlantic Ocean, DI Ben Kitto and his fellow lifeboat crew members immediately fear the worst. After an extensive search yields no results, the team are forced to retreat to dry land as darkness sets in. THE OCEAN IS MERCILESS But Kitto can’t let it go. Why would Jez – an experienced sailor – get into difficulty when the sea has been calm for weeks? Unless his disappearance was no accident. BUT SO ARE THE PEOPLE . . . The gruesome discovery of a hand washed ashore on the beach confirms his hunch. Because a medal is attached to the index finger, and it can only have been placed there by the killer. This strange clue is the only lead to an agenda as cold as the ocean itself. Kitto must work fast, before the small, isolated community closes ranks. And it’s only a matter of time before the murderer among them strikes again . . .

WITH A KILLER ON THE LOOSE As the scorching summer sun beats down on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, DI Ben Kitto and his team are training for the annual Swimathon, until they discover a body hanging from Pulpit Rock, dressed in a bridal gown. ON A TINY ISLAND An obsessive killer is hunting for female victims. Kitto has no choice but to stop anyone leaving St Mary’s, but soon another woman is attacked. EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT The killer must be a trusted member of the community. Kitto’s investigation is being watched closely, the killer always one step ahead, as the next victim is chosen . . . NO ONE IS SAFE

DI Ben Kitto has become the Scilly Islands’ Deputy Chief of Police. As the island’s lazy summer takes hold, he finds himself missing the excitement of the murder squad in London. But when a body is found anchored to the rocks of a nearby cave, it appears he’s spoken too soon. The island of Tresco, and the deep and murky waters that surround it, hold a dark secret. One that someone seems desperate to uncover . . .

A SACRED ISLAND Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman. A SHOCKING MURDER The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily. A KILLER ON THE LOOSE The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.

"Psychologist Alice Quentin has been looking forward to a break from her hectic London life. She has vowed to stay clear of police work. The previous cases she helped the police with have left her scarred. So, when Alice is given the rare opportunity to study treatment methods at Northwood high-security hospital outside of London, she is eager to get to work. But then a young girl is discovered, dressed all in white, on the steps of the Foundling Museum. Four girls have recently gone missing in North London--this is the third to be found, dead. The fourth may still be alive, and Alice Quentin may be able to help. Britain's most prolific child killer, Louis Kinsella, has been locked up in Northwood for over a decade. Yet, these recent kidnappings and murders are clearly connected to Kinsella's earlier crimes. It seems that someone is continuing where he left off. So, when Detective Don Burns comes asking for Alice's help, how can she refuse? Alice will do anything to help save a child--even if that means forming a relationship with a charismatic, ruthless murderer. But Kinsella is slow to give away his secrets, and time is running out for the latest kidnap victim, who is simply trying to survive. In her quest to save a life, Alice finds she has put her own life on the line"--