New Crime & Mystery Fiction Titles From Hale 1998 July-Sept
File Updated: 01/04/00
New Crime & Mystery Fiction Titles From Hale JULY-SEPT 1998


Buy at Bol Price James Hadley Chase No Orchids for Miss Blandish Published September 1998 by Hale at £16.99 ISBN: 0709062672 Artwork by: Jacket design: Signature Graphics
This is James Hadley Chase's most disturbing, powerful novel - and it is also the most shattering controversial thriller ever written, bar none. It has sold over four million copies all over the world, shocking and enthralling all who have read it.<\BR> This no-punches-pulled story of an attractive wealthy girl, kidnapped, held to ransom, and raped by a viciously sadistic criminal captures the authentic ruthlessness of gangsterism in all its searing brutality. It is most definitely not a story for the squeamish.

'A brilliant piece of writing, with hardly a wasted word or jarring note anywhere.' George Orwell
 'If you went entertainment you could scarcely do better.' The Times

'A sordid concoction of sex and violence fashioned around the kidnapping of an heiress which became an immediate bestseller.' The Times
 'The way he builds up the plot, layer upon layer, is so effective ... a real tension grows and becomes so powerful ... he does not falter.' Sunday Times
'Master of the art of deception.' New Statesman


Buy at Bol Price John Davies The Fourth Dimension Published September 1998 by Hale at £16.99 ISBN: 0709062281
Working surreptitiously within the laboratories of a South African arms manufacturer, Malefane, a young African research physicist, achieves a breakthrough to rival the invention of the wheel.
This is a means of harnessing magnetic power to generate motion for every conceivable purpose from sewing machines to space travel.
The resource is inexhaustible, the ravages of pollution will be eliminated and oil will become redundant. It is not long before the vested interests of First World industrial corporations are after Malefane's secret and his blood.
This thriller for the twenty-first century follows the struggle of Malefane's small development company, Quant, against the bully boys of the CIA, the Middle Eastern oil sheikhs and the covetous Japanese: ruthless hitmen who roam furtively but with deadly interest though the hotels of Johannesburg, the streets of Soweto and the forests of the African bush, hoping to contrive for their masters the control, or failing that, the eradication of Malefane's earth-moving discovery.

John Davies was born in Zimbabwe and, after being educated by Jesuits at St George's College, he read engineering at the University of Cape Town. He is presently CEO and sole shareholder of his own multi-million dollar telecommunications company which he started from scratch in 1980. He lives in Cape Town, is married to a child psychologist, and has three children.

Over and Out

Buy at Bol Price Michael Gilbert Over and Out Published September 1998 by Hale at £16.99 ISBN: 0709062796 Artwork by: Jacket illustration: Michael Thomas
See Review by Martin Edwards - author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries
As World War One creeps forward into its fourth year, and the British Army sinks into the obscene slime of Passchendale, so does a new threat loom; the fear that disgust at the unending, pointless slaughter will sap the morale of the fighting men. Desertion, starting as a trickle, threatens to develop into a flood.
Luke Pagan, transferred to the Intelligence Corps, has been given the job of investigating a dangerous organisation, controlled by Belgian traitor, Rud Naroch, which encourages British soldiers to quit the increasing horrors of the trenches and move across into the welcoming arms of Germany.

'Leave it to Gilbert to keep readers hooked while making his tale reverberate with all kinds of historical chords.' Publishers Weekly
 'In Gilbert's always entertaining period mysteries ... one has a thoroughly enjoyable, intelligent crime novel.' Booklist

 After serving in the Second World War, Michael Gilbert completed his training as a solicitor. He was a founder member of the Crime Writers' Association, and has had thirty crime novels and six collections of crime short stories published. He was given the Swedish Grand Master Award in 1981 and the Edgar Allan Poe Grand Master Award of the Mystery Writers of America in 1987. He is married with seven children and lives in Kent.


Buy at Bol Price James Pattinson Some Job Published September 1998 by Hale at £16.99 ISBN: 0709062745 Artwork by: Jacket Illustration:David Young

When Detective Sergeant Frank Devon was sent to the West Indian Island of St Joseph on an exchange assignment, he was told that it would be more of a holiday in the sun than work.
However, he began to observe certain goings-on that seemed highly suspicious to him; but when he reported his findings he was met with, at best, indifference, and, at worst, outright disapproval.
Soon, however, he was too deeply involved to draw back and he came to realise the nature of the deadly game he had become embroiled in - a game that was to lead to murder and put even his own life in considerable danger.

James Pattinson, despite having travelled throughout the world, still lives in the remote village, in Norfolk, where he grew up. He has written magazine articles, short stories and radio features as well as numerous novels.