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Martin Edwards - Page 3

The First Cut is the Deepest Past Crimes 3 The Devil in Disguise Perfectly Criminal 2 Eve of Destruction

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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (1999)

Paperback - NEL (2000)

The First Cut is the Deepest
See Review by Bernard Knight - Author of the highly acclaimed Crowner John series set in Medieval Devon
Someone is killing the lawyers. Who will be next?
Harry Devlin knows he's playing a dangerous game getting involved with Juliet May, who just happens to be married to one of Liverpool's most ruthless villains. But he finds himself playing for altogether higher stakes when one of their secret trysts is curtailed by the discovery of a freshly-decapitated corpse.
The victim, crown prosecutor Carl Symons, had plenty of enemies. But when a second lawyer is brutally murdered, Harry has another reason to look over his shoulder: he's being stalked by a stranger with a secret obsession.
In desperation, Harry finds himself lying to the police, lying to his colleagues and getting into deep, deep trouble. But before the mysteries confronting him can be solved, his life is to change forever.
This, the seventh novel in Martin Edwards' highly-acclaimed series featuring frayed-around-the-edges Liverpool solicitor Harry Devlin, successfully blends elements of the classic detective story with a dark, urban, contemporary atmosphere to produce a truly gripping read.
'These days it is not easy to create a credible amateur sleuth, but Martin Edwards has managed the job with considerable panache. The Devil in Disguise is the sixth novel in his Harry Devlin series. Harry is a self-deprecating Liverpool solicitor whose sense of curiosity is inextricably entangled with compassion and a dry, understated wit.' Andrew Taylor, Tangled Web UK
'Martin Edwards writes terrific crime novels about Harry Devlin...with bruised emotions, a nice line in self-deprecation and penchant for Mersey low-life' Marcel Berlins
'The chameleon city of Liverpool provides a dramatic background for Edwards' Harry Devlin novels, revealing itself in all its seediness and splendour Val McDermid, Manchester Evening News
'In an overcrowded market, Mr Edwards' quietly effective mysteries stand out and are a pleasure to encounter.' John Welcome, New Law Journal
'A dark urban mystery in which Liverpool lawyer Harry Devlin moves in dangerous, labyrinthine territory. The insights into contemporary society are as sharp as the dark and discursive plotting' The Times
'Mr Edwards is the only contemporary novelist who is genuinely interested in the experience of solicitors and who has the ability to turn that experience into compelling action... The novel is a vivid and broadly drawn portrait of the Liverpool legal scene, its pubs and cafes and courts' Law Society Gazette
'It's such a pleasure to unearth a lawyer who can write in real-life language... Martin Edwards writes terrific crime novels about Harry Devlin, a charming but down-at-heel Liverpool solicitor with bruised emotions, a nice line in self-deprecation and a penchant for Mersey lowlife' Marcel Berlins, Guardian
'The novels successfully combine the style of the traditional English detective story with a darker noir sensibility' Crime Time
'The latest in the Harry Devlin series grabs the attention from the start… With his love of popular song and passion for film noir, [Devlin] is a warm-hearted addition to the British crime canon' Solicitors Journal

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First British Edition Severn House (1998)

Past Crimes 3
In Ancient Greece, Socrates is called on to unravel the death of a young man. poisoned during a friendly drinking session.
Iddo the Merchant, of Samaria, finds a human head in a barrel of salted fish. Can he rival the recent miracles of the Healer of Nazareth and make the dead talk?
London still smoulders in the wake of the Great Fire - but was it really started accidentally by a careless baker?
And in the bloody trenches of Ypres, an officer risks his life to rescue a soldier in a blind panic - a straightforward example of heroism?
From the immortals of Mount Olympus to the air raids of the Second World War, Past Crimes uncovers stories of murder and mayhem from the pages of history itself. Contributions from such distinguished names as Catherine Aird, Eileen Dewhurst, Marjorie Eccles, Edward D Hoch, Susanna Gregory, H. R F. Keating, Amy Myers, Ruth Rendell, Anne Ferry, Andrew Taylor and many more make this latest volume in the award-winning series as unputdownable as its predecessors.

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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (1998)

The Devil in Disguise
See Review by Andrew Taylor - author of the highly acclaimed Roth & Lydmouth Series
When Liverpool lawyer and amateur detective Harry Devlin is consulted by a local arts charity, little does he realise he's about to tackle his most intriguing case. The Kavanagh trust hires him to contest the will of a former benefactor. But Luke Dessaur, Chairman of the Trust, has gone missing - and, as Harry is about to discover, beneath the Trust's respectable facade lies shocking secrets.
When Luke is found dead, fallen from the third floor window of a local hotel, Harry cannot resist delving deeper into the mysteries that surround the Trust. What was Luke doing there' Was it suicide? An accident? Or was he pushed?
Meanwhile, Harry's private life becomes increasingly entangled as he embarks on a dangerous liaison with the wife of one of the city's most feared villains. Then another death occurs and Harry, too, risks his life before he finally comes face to face with a desperate killer.
Harry Delvin, with his insatiable curiosity and razor-sharp wit, is one of the most determined and likeable heroes in contemporary crime fiction. This, the sixth novel in Martin Edward's highly acclaimed series, blends elements of the classic detective story with a dark, urban contemporary atmosphere, and reaffirms Edwards' growing reputation as one of the most ingenious detective novelists to have emerged in recent years.

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First British Edition Severn House (1998)

Perfectly Criminal 2

Whydunit?
What could drive you to crime', Fear? Money? Revenge? Ambition? Love?
Or something totally unexpected?
Following on from Perfectly Criminal, whose story Herbert in Motion by lan Rankin won the 1996 CWA Short Story Dagger. this thrilling collection explores the motives and character traits that can lead to crime - the elusive 'why',' behind the act.
Ruth Rendell heads a distinguished cast of writers, including Lawrence Block, Reginald Hill, Peter Lovesey and Margaret Yorke, all of whom are members of the CWA. Their approach to the 'whydunit?' theme is fascinating in its rich variety, and to make the collection even more unique, each contributor will introduce their story to the reader letting you into the secret of 'why' they chose to write it…
The celebrated Crime Writers Association has been producing anthologies for nearly forty years. Compiled and edited by Martin Edwards, this second collection from Severn House is more compelling than ever modern crime writing at its very best.
Praise for Perfectly Criminal:
'This collection demonstrates how engaging a short story can be ... What makes many of these stories work so well is the twist - that abrupt hairpin turn that comes in the last few sentences ... Overall, there is gratifying variety in these tales from a group of skilled and inventive writers' Publishers Weekly
'Whatever you do, don't read all nineteen stories at a sitting. They might give you ideas' Kirkus Reviews
'Those great, old-fashioned storytelling values of the foxing puzzle and surprising resolution pervade this anthology' Time Out
'These are stories designed to intrigue, enthrall and surprise you; in many ways, they are perfect' Tangled Web Reviews

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Paperback - Piatkus (1997)

Eve of Destruction
See Review by Liz Lees
See Review by Val McDermid - Gold Dagger winner & creator of Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan & Tony Hill
A trespasser makes a shocking discovery in a converted church. Murder has been done - but by whom and why? And there is another question to be answered: who has been killed?
When Liverpool solicitor and amateur detective Harry Devlin takes on a client with matrimonial troubles, he becomes entangled in an intrigue which will have deadly consequences. And soon he finds himself trapped in a maze where nothing is quite what it seems. Even when he discovers a conspiracy to commit murder, he cannot be sure who is the culprit and who the true victim...
"Not a book to gobble down too quickly ... a fine mixture of uninhibited lust and terrifying domestic violence. While the two main families, the Whyatts and the Revills are fully dealt with, one of the real pleasures to me was the cast of minor characters ... A fine example of the no-holds-barred school which left me, at the end, with a feeling of deep thankfulness - that I had practised the law in Lincoln's Inn and not in Liverpool." MICHAEL GILBERT
"Eve Of Destruction is Martin Edwards at his considerable best. Starting with bugged adulterous conversations, and sliding from there towards suggestions of murder and the deed itself, the serpent of old Mersey has us in his toils from the word go." ROBERT BARNARD
"The gardener's adulterous young wife, his violent brother and the other ordinary people who are drawn into what becomes a multiple-murder investigation are all very real. Harry himself is a likeable man with a wry sense of humour and the story is told with wit. This is good entertainment with no unnecessary frills." SUSANNA YAGER - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
"Harry Devlin might be down at heel and frayed around the edges, but when it comes to having a nose for a mystery, he is the smartest solicitor in Liverpool ... The chameleon city of Liverpool has provided a dramatic background for Edwards' previous Harry Devlin novels, revealing itself in all its seediness and splendour ... Eve Of Destruction is full of fascinating nuggets about Liverpool, particularly its murderous history." VAL McDERMID - MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
"Martin Edwards at his best". BELFAST TELEGRAPH
"Martin Edwards is widely regarded as one of this country's talented young crime writers." SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH
"Top-notch". PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH
"The plot moves along with plenty of atmosphere and style ... an excellent mystery story. " BLACK TEARS
"Take a tip ... buy a book written by Martin Edwards. This refreshingly different author brings a whole new slant to murder mysteries ... Mr. Edwards may not do things by the rule book but that just adds to the enjoyment ... All the usual twists are there ... but there is a cynicism and yet a dynamism about Mr. Edwards that is well worth investing in." THE HARTLEPOOL MAIL
"Tightly plotted with engaging characterisation, as one comes to expect from a Martin Edwards' novel."
"The book's main interest lies in the character of the excessively endearing Devlin, a general practitioner who keeps up with the news via the tabloids wrapped around his fish and chips... Solicitors... will identify with his cynical comments on legal aid life and rude sideswipes at practice management standards." THE LAW SOCIETY GAZETTE
"Martin Edwards has a nice series going and this is another good middle-of-the-road read which maintains its interest to the end. If you are fed up with the gigantic blockbuster thrillers and want something more down-to-earth, this is the series to try." GEOFF BRADLEY - CADS
"A complex thriller that springs to life when a street-wise teenager looking for an easy score stumbles across a triple murder in a converted church.
The plot is fast paced and intriguing, making it very hard to put down. From the opening page to the last, it has the "right stuff" - the stuff that great mysteries are made of." MICHAEL TAYLOR THE VISITER
"In an overcrowded market, Mr. Edwards' quietly effective mysteries stand out and are a pleasure to encounter. Mr. Edwards knows all too well and conveys with the smack of authority the pressures, frustrations and everyday worries of the run-of-the- mill practitioner as Devlin, drawn in to a web of deceit, searches for a solution - and finds it. The book is restrained in effect and constructed with care and attention. Mr. Edwards' eschews sensationalism and succeeds in portraying a convincing picture of law and life as it exists today in a big city." JOHN WELCOME THE NEW LAW JOURNAL
"Eve Of Destruction with its corkscrew of a plot which keeps the reader nicely confused until the last page, concerns the tangle of relationships found in a doomed marriage. RACHEL LAURENCE - LIVERPOOL DAILY POST

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