FREE/BARGAIN — Mystery, Suspense & Thrillers

[sufue]

If you didn't snag this back in 2017 when @ZodWallop posted it, Suicide Hill has now dropped to $2.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (coupon/VIPable), which is not too much more, especially if you have Kobo VIP...

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IOZUJY/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/suicide-hill

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

James Ellroy's Suicide Hill has dropped to $1.99 on Amazon. This is the third in a trilogy and the first two aren't currently on sale, FYI.

[ZodWallop]

Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake is on sale for $1.99 at Amazon US

The Grand Master of Mystery delivers “nerve-end-entertainment” when two of New York’s finest set out to become two of New York’s richest—with a plan to rob the fat cats on Wall Street for millions. But then everything goes totally, hysterically wrong

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by sufue

If you didn't snag this back in 2017 when @ZodWallop posted it, Suicide Hill has now dropped to $2.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (coupon/VIPable), which is not too much more, especially if you have Kobo VIP...

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IOZUJY/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/suicide-hill

Blood on the Moon, the first in the trilogy is also on sale, for $1.99.

Amazon US: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B005IOZUJ4/

Lloyd Hopkins was not yet a cop when the Watts riots ripped Los Angeles apart. A member of the California National Guard, he had dreams of trading in his khaki uniform for blue—of serving and protecting instead of learning to kill. Called in to patrol the streets of South Central Los Angeles during the riots, he discovered that safeguarding his city often meant shedding blood. Seventeen years later, Hopkins wears plainclothes. He has everything he had dreamed of as a young soldier: a wife, a family, and a detective’s commission. But the city’s finest homicide detective is about to be tested. Twenty women are dead, and to find their killer, this good cop must learn to think like a madman.

[Kieran Seymour]

A couple of John Gardner novels are currently free at Amazon UK.

Golgotha

Spoiler:

A world engulfed by war....

The collapse of Yugoslavia has led to a Europe-wide Russian invasion, with Britain no more than a puppet Russian state.

Locked away by the US intelligence forces, British agent Paul Fadden is unexpectedly told he must play a role that will be critical for the survival of the western world.

His assignment involves a UK and US-driven plan hatched long ago. Its aim was to protect Europe through hidden nuclear weapons.

A trail of clues were embedded by hypnosis in a group of sleeper agents who never knew of the part they were to play in this tense drama.

The clues were hidden to ensure that no one agent knew the full picture.

A lead that Fadden follows provides him with a further part of the puzzle along with the identity and contact details of two other agents which he must locate.

But, when Fadden discovers all too late that one agent's identity has been assumed by a Russian sympathiser, the Russian authorities now also hold the key to discovering the western authorities' secret weapon.

Can Fadden unlock the tangled web of clues?

Can he find out the information he needs in time for his actions to be used as bargaining power in the world leaders' negotiations with the Russians?

Can he complete the puzzle before this valuable secret falls into the wrong hands?

Founder Member (Boysie Oakes #5)

Spoiler:

Deep in the heart of London a secret meeting is taking place.

Drastic plans are being put into action.

But Boysie Oakes, the suave, womanising special agent for British Intelligence, is unaware of the events unfolding around him - and is revelling in being free from the treacherous clutches of Special Security.

Boysie, his former boss Mostyn and Charlie Griffin, have set up their own Security Service, GRIMOBO.

Their first assignment has brought them to New York and Boysie has snatched a vacation at Cape Kennedy.

Life is looking up.

But, of course, something has to go wrong. It's just a small thing. Some light-fingered swine makes off with a Saturn V rocket.

What's more, Boysie seems to have disappeared too.

The same thieves that wanted the rocket want Boysie. For a change, though, they want him alive. Very much alive.

And totally functional.

Boysie’s holiday turns out to be the trip of a lifetime and he ends up travelling further than he ever expected. But all is not lost as of course a beautiful woman is also along for the ride.

And Boysie Oakes is about to be plunged into the most dramatic adventure of his career.

[sufue]

Oooh, thank you! And also at Kindle US...

Golgotha: https://www.amazon.com/Golgotha-John...dp/B00T63KQFQ/

Founder Member: https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Membe...dp/B00ZFQEWOO/

Originally Posted by Kieran Seymour

A couple of John Gardner novels are currently free at Amazon UK.

Golgotha

Spoiler:

A world engulfed by war....

The collapse of Yugoslavia has led to a Europe-wide Russian invasion, with Britain no more than a puppet Russian state.

Locked away by the US intelligence forces, British agent Paul Fadden is unexpectedly told he must play a role that will be critical for the survival of the western world.

His assignment involves a UK and US-driven plan hatched long ago. Its aim was to protect Europe through hidden nuclear weapons.

A trail of clues were embedded by hypnosis in a group of sleeper agents who never knew of the part they were to play in this tense drama.

The clues were hidden to ensure that no one agent knew the full picture.

A lead that Fadden follows provides him with a further part of the puzzle along with the identity and contact details of two other agents which he must locate.

But, when Fadden discovers all too late that one agent's identity has been assumed by a Russian sympathiser, the Russian authorities now also hold the key to discovering the western authorities' secret weapon.

Can Fadden unlock the tangled web of clues?

Can he find out the information he needs in time for his actions to be used as bargaining power in the world leaders' negotiations with the Russians?

Can he complete the puzzle before this valuable secret falls into the wrong hands?

Founder Member (Boysie Oakes #5)

Spoiler:

Deep in the heart of London a secret meeting is taking place.

Drastic plans are being put into action.

But Boysie Oakes, the suave, womanising special agent for British Intelligence, is unaware of the events unfolding around him - and is revelling in being free from the treacherous clutches of Special Security.

Boysie, his former boss Mostyn and Charlie Griffin, have set up their own Security Service, GRIMOBO.

Their first assignment has brought them to New York and Boysie has snatched a vacation at Cape Kennedy.

Life is looking up.

But, of course, something has to go wrong. It's just a small thing. Some light-fingered swine makes off with a Saturn V rocket.

What's more, Boysie seems to have disappeared too.

The same thieves that wanted the rocket want Boysie. For a change, though, they want him alive. Very much alive.

And totally functional.

Boysie’s holiday turns out to be the trip of a lifetime and he ends up travelling further than he ever expected. But all is not lost as of course a beautiful woman is also along for the ride.

And Boysie Oakes is about to be plunged into the most dramatic adventure of his career.

[sufue]

@DNSB noted in this post in the Univ of Chicago Press monthly free book thread that code UCP75 gives 75% off e-books for the month of August.

In addition to a bunch of really interesting, mostly non-fiction, books that are typical of what you'd expect of a university press, UChi Press has e-books of most of Robert van Gulik's excellent IMO Judge Dee mysteries, the first three titles in Margaret Doody's also excellent IMO Aristotle/Stephanos series, and a bunch of titles (none of which I've read, so no opinion) in the Parker and Alan Grofield series by Richard Stark - a pen name for Donald Westlake. Most of these are pretty pricey, and rarely if ever go on sale individually, so 75% off is pretty nice.

UChi van Gulik author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...au5471828.html

UChi Doody author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...u18337756.html

UChi Stark author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...au6035391.html

They may also publish some other mysteries, but these are the ones I'm aware of off the top of my head.

[maddz]

Looked at the prices for the Van Guliks, and even at 75% off they still range fron $4-$5... which is a pity because I’d buy the lot otherwise.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by sufue

@DNSB noted in this post in the Univ of Chicago Press monthly free book thread that code UCP75 gives 75% off e-books for the month of August.

In addition to a bunch of really interesting, mostly non-fiction, books that are typical of what you'd expect of a university press, UChi Press has e-books of most of Robert van Gulik's excellent IMO Judge Dee mysteries, the first three titles in Margaret Doody's also excellent IMO Aristotle/Stephanos series, and a bunch of titles (none of which I've read, so no opinion) in the Parker and Alan Grofield series by Richard Stark - a pen name for Donald Westlake. Most of these are pretty pricey, and rarely if ever go on sale individually, so 75% off is pretty nice.

UChi van Gulik author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...au5471828.html

UChi Doody author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...u18337756.html

UChi Stark author page: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...au6035391.html

They may also publish some other mysteries, but these are the ones I'm aware of off the top of my head.

The Richard Stark books are tempting at $3.50 each. Currently $10 elsewhere.

[sufue]

About half of them show up for me at $12 US, which makes them $3.00 with the 75% off. And that for me is about my limit for old backlist. The rest range from $13 up to $20 - I'd have to struggle a bit more with those.

Although I much prefer $1.99 or $0.99 as a backlist price point, I will sometimes do $2.99 for some of my favorite series, and I'm not going to quibble over one more penny for $3.00.

I actually already have all of the UChi ones from pre-agency days, but I put one of the $12 ones in the cart just now and added the coupon and it did show $3 as the new price. (I obviously didn't go all the way through checking out...)

I wonder why they are showing up as more for you? Maybe something geo-related?

And I assume you are aware of the one long-time Judge Dee two short-story freebie - Murder in Ancient China: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books...o18914341.html

NOTE: don't pay the $0.99, click on the "get this e-book free" button, and give them your email address (UChi doesn't abuse it) and you can get it for free...

Originally Posted by maddz

Looked at the prices for the Van Guliks, and even at 75% off they still range fron $4-$5... which is a pity because I’d buy the lot otherwise.

[sufue]

I was eyeing some of the Stark titles too, but don't know much about them. And per my previous post, the lofty price of $2.99 (much less $3.75) for backlist is pretty much reserved for series that are favorites of mine. But I do like some of Westlake's other series.

SYKM says the Parker ones are about "a cold-blooded professional thief in New York City", and I'm not really sure that's my sort of thing. And I think I also spotted a couple of titles in the Alan Grofield series, whom SYKM describes as an "actor and part-time bank robber". That sounds more okay to me - it's the "cold-blooded" part of the Parker description that is causing me a bit of concern.

Since the coupon is good through August, I've been thinking about buying one and seeing if I like it, but I'm also interested in anything you would be willing to share about either series.

Originally Posted by Fbone

The Richard Stark books are tempting at $3.50 each. Currently $10 elsewhere.

[sufue]

Among the Ruins is the third in the Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty series by Ausma Zehanat Khan. It has dropped to £0.99 at Kindle UK.

link: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077G4FB86/

Spoiler:

From the author of The Unquiet Dead, featured on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour

'Powerful' – Bookpage 'Exceptionally fine' – Library Journal 'Compelling' – Leigh Russell

Esa Khattak wanted justice. Now he just needs to stay alive.

The murder of renowned political filmmaker, Zahra Sobhani, brings Esa Khattak’s cultural holiday in Iran to a sudden halt.

Dissidents are being silenced and Khattak’s mere presence in Iran is a risk. Yet when asked to unofficially investigate the activist’s death, he cannot resist. Soon, he finds himself embroiled in Iran’s tumultuous politics and under surveillance by the government.

When the trail leads back to Zahra’s family in Canada, Khattak calls upon his partner, Detective Rachel Getty, for help. As Khattak gets caught up in the fate of Iran's political prisoners, Rachel sees through to the heart of the matter: Zahra's murder may not have been quite what it seemed.

Steeped in suspense, Among the Ruins is a powerful, provocative mystery exploring the interplay of politics and religion, and the intensely personal ripple effects of one woman’s murder.

Praise for the Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty Mysteries:

'An outstanding series' - Washington Post

'The Unquiet Dead is a powerful and haunting story' - Guardian

'Ausma Zehanat Khan is to be applauded for tackling such an important subject in a police procedural' - Daily Express

'Compelling and challenging, this is a beautifully written and powerful story of inhumanity and justice' - Leigh Russell, bestselling author of the DI Geraldine Steel series

'A tale of rich complexity... intricately woven, delicately revealed' - Luke McCallin, author of The Ashes of Berlin

[maddz]

Originally Posted by sufue

And I assume you are aware of the one long-time Judge Dee two short-story freebie - Murder in Ancient China

Yes, I’ve had it for quite a while now. Re the others, I’ll see how much I drop at the Worldcon dealers room, but I suspect I won’t bite. Incidentally, there’s no discount but the Kindle edition regular price shows as way cheaper than the UChi regular price.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by sufue

I was eyeing some of the Stark titles too, but don't know much about them. And per my previous post, the lofty price of $2.99 (much less $3.75) for backlist is pretty much reserved for series that are favorites of mine. But I do like some of Westlake's other series.

SYKM says the Parker ones are about "a cold-blooded professional thief in New York City", and I'm not really sure that's my sort of thing. And I think I also spotted a couple of titles in the Alan Grofield series, whom SYKM describes as an "actor and part-time bank robber". That sounds more okay to me - it's the "cold-blooded" part of the Parker description that is causing me a bit of concern.

Since the coupon is good through August, I've been thinking about buying one and seeing if I like it, but I'm also interested in anything you would be willing to share about either series.

I'm not familiar with any of these either just from what you posted. I tend to read more modern detective/thriller authors. But I really enjoy the old-style "locked room" books.
I have read Ed McBain, 1950s gumshoe noir books, that may be similar to Stark in its immoral brutality but I'm not sure.

[sufue]

Thanks! If I actually buy and read the first one, I'll post what I think...

Originally Posted by Fbone

I'm not familiar with any of these either just from what you posted. I tend to read more modern detective/thriller authors. But I really enjoy the old-style "locked room" books.
I have read Ed McBain, 1950s gumshoe noir books, that may be similar to Stark in its immoral brutality but I'm not sure.

[sufue]

Yep, I think UChi thinks like a university press on their pricing, and not like a consumer-mystery publisher. There's a surprise !

I was lucky to get most of them back when discounts could be had more readily...

Originally Posted by maddz

Yes, I’ve had it for quite a while now. Re the others, I’ll see how much I drop at the Worldcon dealers room, but I suspect I won’t bite. Incidentally, there’s no discount but the Kindle edition regular price shows as way cheaper than the UChi regular price.