Persons Unknown
In this brilliant crime novel from the author of Missing, Presumed, a detective investigates her most personal case yet: a high-profile murder in which her own family falls under suspicion.
As dusk falls, a young man staggers through a park, far from home, bleeding from a stab wound. He dies where he falls, cradled by a stranger, a woman’s name on his lips in his last seconds of life.
Detective Manon Bradshaw handles only cold cases. Five months pregnant, in pursuit of a work-life balance rather than romantic love, she’s focused on being a good mother to her two children: her adopted twelve-year-old son, Fly Dent, and the new baby.
But the man died just yards from the police station where she works, so Manon can’t help taking an interest. And as she sidles in on the briefing she learns that the victim, a banker from London worth millions, is more closely linked to her than she could have imagined. When the case begins to circle in on Manon’s home and her family, she finds herself pitted against the colleagues she once held dear: Davy Walker and Harriet Harper.
Can Manon separate what she knows about the people she loves from the suspicion hanging over them? Can she investigate the evidence just as she would with any other case? Persons Unknown shows acclaimed author Susie Steiner writing her most intricate, suspenseful novel yet.
Advance praise for Persons Unknown
“[Steiner] has created a masterful mystery within an engaging narrative perfect for Kate Atkinson fans. Readers will be astonished by the unexpected turns at the conclusion, which will leave fans eagerly awaiting the next book. This series needs to be snapped up by the BBC or PBS.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Steiner grapples with serious social justice issues in a darkly humorous crime novel not to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Strikes all the right notes—layered mystery, incisive cultural context, and a delightful protagonist who deserves a place alongside other beloved literary detectives.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Susie Steiner goes from strength to strength: Persons Unknown is by turns tense and tender, gripping and moving, and always beautifully written. I didn’t read this book so much as live it: DI Manon Bradshaw is so convincingly human that I often wonder what she’s up to now.”—Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said
“Missing, Presumed was one of the best crime novels I’ve read in years—Persons Unknown is even better. Susie Steiner writes so brilliantly, creating characters who take possession of your mind and your heart. This is a compelling, gripping novel, a superb continuation of a series that is taking crime fiction into new and exciting territory.”—Jane Casey, author of Let the Dead Speak
“The best new crime series in years”—Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent
“Superb storytelling—a joy to read. I am hooked on Manon Bradshaw.”—Renée Knight, author of Disclaimer
“Stylish, literary fiction at its very best.”—Peter James, author of the international bestselling Roy Grace crime series
Susie Steiner (Author), Juanita McMahon (Narrator)
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