PERFECT FOR FANS OF SUSIE STEINER

You are a police officer. This is what you do. You speak for the dead, and the desperate living.

When Anna Cameron is promoted to Chief Inspector and moved to a new division, it should be a turning point for her. But if she thought having a female boss would make things easier, she'd reckoned without the fearsome 'JC' Hamilton.

Then, her mother goes into a coma in a foreign country and an old woman disappears from a Glasgow care home under suspicious circumstances, and Anna's career and personal life both threaten to implode. The gang-related murder of a young Asian boy and an assault on one of her officers only serve to turn the screws tighter - can Anna be both a good cop and a good person?

The explosive third novel from Karen Campbell, Gold Dagger-shortlisted author of AFTER THE FIRE and THE TWILIGHT TIME.


Praise for Karen Campbell

'Gritty as all hell, shot through with black humour and with enough pace and atmosphere to give the likes of Denise Mina a run for their money. All this and the chutzpah to create a seedy and unpleasant superintendent named Rankin!'
font size="+1">Mark Billingham

'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public'
Guardian

'I loved it . . . Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images'
Kate Atkinson

'Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence . . . As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion'
The Times

About the Author
Karen Campbell is a former police officer who lives in Glasgow with her family. She began writing in earnest on the renowned Glasgow University Creative Writing course. SHADOWPLAY is her third novel.

Reviews
Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence . . . As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion. * The Times on SHADOWPLAY *
[A] fine, accomplished novel . . . The characterisation is impeccable . . . a true literary talent. * Scotsman on SHADOWPLAY *
Campbell's third and most powerful novel yet . . . this is intelligent, gripping crime writing * Stylist on SHADOWPLAY *
A well crafted story with gritty dialogue and an intriguing conclusion that promises much for the next instalment in the series * Sunday Herald *
Meticulously detailed and brutally authentic, this could only have come from a writer who has been there, done it and banged up the bad guys. * Daily Record on SHADOWPLAY *
Fast-paced and hard-hitting * Woman & Home on SHADOWPLAY *
The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public. * Guardian on AFTER THE FIRE *
Sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail... a literary force to be reckoned with. * Daily Record on AFTER THE FIRE *
She handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill. * News of the World on AFTER THE FIRE *
I loved it . . . Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images. * Kate Atkinson on THE TWILIGHT TIME *


Awards
Short-listed for CWA Gold Dagger 2010 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781444700442
Author Karen Campbell
Format Paperback
Page Count 480
Imprint Hodder Paperback
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 32mm