Bryant and May, like Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings, are both compelling characters in their own right, but together they form one of fiction’s most pleasing duos. All Fowler’s books are intelligent and well-written but in Bryant and May he gives us more than that. I look forward to each one eagerly and greet it as an old friend. This is the fifth in the series, each of which can be read alone or out of order, but which are most satisfying when followed chronologically. Spiritualism and police work collide in this enthralling and entertaining tale from one of our best writers. A real gem.

Comparison: Malcolm Pryce, Jeff Lindsay, Christopher Brookmyre

Synopsis

Britain is gripped by its coldest winter in years. Blizzards sweep the country, trapping elderly detectives Bryant and May – en route to a spiritualists’ convention – somewhere on Dartmoor. Not the place to be when, back at the Peculiar Crimes Unit HQ in London, one of the team has been found dead in highly suspect circumstances.

But as the snow thickens and temperatures plummet, things are about to get much, much worse for the two octogenarian policemen. For along the line of vehicles stranded on this desolate stretch of road prowls a killer – a deranged murderer who is edging ever closer to one particular victim.

With no official help at hand and armed only with their wits, woolly coats and a mobile phone with a fading battery, can Bryant and May solve two very different crimes in time to prevent the pristine snow being stained blood red?

Reviews

'Quirky, touching, profound and utterly original…a gripping page-turner.' PeterJames

'Another triumph for the Peculiar Crimes Unit.' Independent on Sunday

'Eccentric arcana and characteristic sang-froid…satisfyingly good.' Financial Times

About the Author

Christopher Fowler is co-founder and co-creative director of Creative Partnership. He also writes novels, screenplays and short story collections, and has had over twenty books published to date. His story The Master Builder was a CBS movie starring Tippi Hendren. Another, Left Hand Drive, won Best British Short Film in 1993. Others have been published in Time Out, The Big Issue, the Independent On Sunday and the Mail On Sunday. He was the 1998 recipient of the BFS Best Short Story Of The Year for Wageslaves. His first novel, the bestseller Roofworld, has been developed as a film for producer Marc Samuelson. Subsequent novels include Darkest Day, Spanky, Psychoville (film rights owned by Jude Law and Sadie Frost), Soho Black, Calabash and the two Bryant & May mysteries, Full Dark House and The Water Room. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation