A superb Golden Age mystery packed with twists, from the winner of the Diamond Dagger 2020

LONDON, 1930

The night is sooty, sulphurous, and malign. A spate of violent deaths has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. No woman should be out on a night like this. But Rachel Savernake is no ordinary woman.

To Scotland Yard's embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now - along with journalist Jacob Flint - she's on the trail of another killer.

Savernake and Flint's pursuit of the truth will mire them ever-deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, they will be swept ever-closer to that ancient place of execution, where it all began and where it will finally end: Gallows Court.

Reviews for Gallows Court:

'Superb - a pitch-perfect blend of Golden Age charm and sinister modern suspense, with a main character to die for. This is the book Edwards was born to write' Lee Child

'Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine' Financial Times

'Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combine a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up-to-date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity' Peter James

'A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace' Mick Herron

'Liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action ... A thoroughly gripping read' Peter Robinson

The first in a new series of fast-paced, twisty thrillers set in 1930s London.

About the Author

Martin Edwards has won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating, Macavity, Poirot and Dagger awards as well as being shortlisted for the Theakston's Prize. He is President of the Detection Club, Chair of the Crime Writer's Association and consultant to the British Library's bestselling crime classics series. In 2020 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to crime fiction.

Reviews
'Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combined a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up to date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity' Peter James.
'A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace' Mick Herron.
'A mean plot liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action. A thoroughly gripping read!' Peter Robinson.
'Edwards has set a satisfyingly twisty plot against the satisfyingly murky background of 1930s London' Simon Brett.
'This is no country house murder mystery, however, but a fast-paced and assured thriller set in 1930s London; it'll keep you reading, breathless, until the very last page' Ann Cleeves.
'The writing is sumptuous, the evocation of the period - down to the finest detail - glorious, and the mystery itself a wonderfully refreshing take on the "psychological noir" genre. The twist - and the terrible secret at the heart of the murders - are twin stings in the tail of a classy and beautifully crafted novel' Vaseem Khan.
'Utterly compelling from start to finish, truly satisfying twists and turns and a wonderful heroine at its dark heart. I loved every single page of it' Robert Thorogood.
'Everything we have come to expect from Martin Edwards: a lovely sense of place, a tight plot, dry humor, and deftly drawn characters. Welcome to the Thirties!' Laurie R. King.
'Martin Edwards brings the Golden Age of crime fiction back, with a unique twist, in this superbly crafted mystery set in the 1930s. A rare treat!' Ragnar Jonasson.
'Highly entertaining - a delightful, old-fashioned mystery to be savoured' Shari Lapena.
'Ingenious and pacey, Gallows Court keeps you guessing right to the end' The Times.
'Far more unconventional and psychologically disturbing than most crime fiction of the period, this novel brings that low, dishonest decade to life with mesmerising skill' Sunday Express.
'Historical crime can sometimes suffer from a sentimental view of the period in which it's set. Edwards deftly avoids this cliche, depicting London as dark, grimy and cowering in the face of killings ... I'm sure Edwards' existing fans will love this change of tone but he should also garner new readers for his excellent fiction' CrimePieces.
'Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine' Financial Times.
'A varied cast of characters ranging from the glamorous and romantic to the decidedly shady ... A fast-moving patchwork puzzle that will satisfy both traditional crime readers and more modern ones who enjoy a drop of moral complexity and darkness in their brew' Crime Time.
'The plot is complex but satisfying ... Brings the 1930s to life and looks at that restless, inter-war decade in a new and fascinating way. It is a book well worth reading and which I would recommend' Mystery People.
'A fabulous melodrama, atmospheric and entertaining' Morning Star.
'Edwards crafts vivid descriptions of both character and setting that embed the reader into the scene in a way few writers can achieve' NY Journal of Books.
'Martin Edwards has recreated the period beautifully in this gripping and bloodthirsty thriller ... It is compulsive reading: a truly satisfying crime novel' The Press.



Book Information
ISBN 9781788546102
Author Martin Edwards
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Head of Zeus
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC