Adam Ross Books

"Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory. When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past. She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a killer who hides in plain sight, while pagan ritual and small-town politics muddy the waters of their investigation. Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set on the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the English mainland by a tidal causeway." -- Back cover

Set against the backdrop of a transformative year in 1970s Manhattan, the story follows child actor Griffin Hurt, who struggles to balance his role on a hit TV show with the pressures of high school and a demanding wrestling coach. As he grapples with his burdens, he forms an unconventional bond with Naomi Shah, a woman twice his age. This novel explores themes of miseducation, family dynamics, and the quest for maturity, all while capturing the vibrant essence of an era marked by political change and personal turmoil.

David Pepin has loved his wife, Alice, since their first meeting in a university seminar on Alfred Hitchcock. Thirteen years into their marriage, he cannot fathom life without her, yet he obsessively thinks about her death. When she is found dead, David is devastated and becomes the prime suspect. The detectives on the case, Ward Hastroll and Sam Sheppard, bring their own marital experiences to the investigation. Hastroll's wife has become mysteriously bedridden, while Sheppard, having been wrongfully convicted of murdering his own wife decades earlier, understands the complexities of guilt and innocence. As the investigation unfolds, David's connection to an unusual hit man named Mobius complicates matters further. The narrative, akin to the intricate Escher drawings that inspire David's work as a game designer, weaves together emotionally charged and structurally complex dramas. It raises profound questions about the nature of love and the duality of marriage and murder. Is it possible to truly know someone? Are love and death intertwined? This captivating exploration of the human heart is a poignant and mesmerizing debut that delves into the mysteries of affection and betrayal.