THE INSANELY GRIPPING AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FOURTH INSTALMENT IN MARK ELLIS’ DCI FRANK MERLIN SERIES

‘[A] stylish thriller’ - Sunday Mirror

‘This exciting, very well plotted and historically evocative story drives forward to its gripping conclusion’ - Euro Crime

‘A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series’ - Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author

‘A rollercoaster ride’ - The Yorkshire Herald

‘So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers … Another belter!’ - Fiona Phillips

‘A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end’ - Dorset Book Detective

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December 1941.

On a bright Sunday morning in Hawaii, Japanese planes swoop down and attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. America enters the war and Britain no longer stands alone against Hitler.

Conditions on the home front remain bleak. In a city pulverised by the Blitz, with rampant crime and corruption and overstretched police resources, life for Scotland Yard detective Frank Merlin continues as arduous as ever.

In the week of Japan’s aggression, the shattered body of beautiful film star Laura Curzon is found on the pavement beneath her Mayfair apartment, an apparent suicide. A mile away, the body of a strangled young girl is discovered in the rubble of a bombed-out building.

Merlin and his team investigate, encountering fraudulent film moguls, philandering movie stars, depraved Satanists and brutal gangsters as they battle through a wintry London in pursuit of the truth.

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An excellent read by an author who clearly knows his subject … highly recommended - Alex J Book Reviews

Suspenseful and plot driven, this book keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout - Rachel Read It

A vivid and often surprising portrayal of wartime London - The Western Mail

Vivid descriptions of the era provide ideal background for the charismatic and likeable Merlin - Buzz Magazine