'Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn't love this series more' Chris Whitaker

'Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime' Paul Finch

This is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life...

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. Insanely brilliant, she's a bit of a social hand grenade. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.

And then there's Estelle Doyle. Dark and dangerous and sexy as hell. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street, but has she gone too far this time? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'

Meanwhile, a poisoner called the Botanist is sending the nation's most reviled people poems and pressed flowers. Twisted and ingenious, he seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice given to his victims, and regardless of the security measures taken, he is able to kill with impunity.

Poe hates locked room mysteries and now he has two to solve. To unravel them he's going to have to draw on every resource he has: Tilly Bradshaw, an organised crime boss, even an alcoholic ex-journalist. Because if he doesn't, the bodies are going to keep piling up . . .

Praise for The Botanist:

'Unputdownable, gripping, clever and with a rich seam of trademark Craven humour running through it' Imran Mahmood

'A sinful treat' Vaseem Khan

'Fast, furious, and utterly enjoyable.' Keith Nixon

Praise for M W Craven:
The Curator shortlisted for the VN Thriller of the Year 2022 & longlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger 2021

Dead Ground longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2022 & longlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2022

'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker

'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan, Author of the Malabar House series and the Baby Ganesh Agency series

'Fantastic' Martina Cole

'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James

'A brutal and thrilling page turner' The Sun

'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series&a

'Dark, sharp and compelling' PETER JAMES

'Fantastic' MARTINA COLE

'Britain's answer to Harry Bosch' MATT HILTON

'If you haven't read M W Craven yet, now is the time to start' Abir Mukherjee
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It's Christmas and a serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria. A strange message is left at each scene: #BSC6

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency's Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were some victims anaesthetized, while others died in appalling agony? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren't even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier?

And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn't think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he's dealing with someone far, far worse - a man who calls himself the Curator.

And nothing will ever be the same again . . .

Praise for Black Summer:

'Truly mind-blowing' A. A. Dhand

'A book that shines with tension, wit and invention' William Shaw

'Washington Poe - a rising giant in detective fiction' Alison Bruce

'A twisty thriller with a killer plot Ed James

'I loved this book!' Jo Jakeman

'One of the best British crime novels I've read in a long time . . . Simply an unputdownable page-turner' Nick Oldham

'Grabs you from the very first page. A dark and brilliantly twisted crime thriller, bringing back the inimitable Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw' Colin Falconer

'Dark and twisted in all the right places. Poe is a great mix of compelling, complex & charismatic, and well on his way to becoming one of the standout characters in crime fiction' Robert Scragg

'In Tilly and Poe, MW Craven has created a stand-out duo who are two of the most compelling characters in crime fiction in recent years. They deserve to join the ranks of Holmes and Watson, Rebus and Clarke, Hill and Jordan . . .' Fiona Cummins

'Dark, thrilling and unputdownable with sharply drawn characters that stride off the page' Victoria Selman

'Gleefully gory and witty, with a terrific sense of place' Sunday Times

Poe's just hanging around on a Saturday afternoon...

Dangling from a hook in a meat packing plant isn't how Detective Sergeant Washington Poe wants to spend his weekend. He's been punched and kicked and threatened, and when a contract killer arrives it seems things are about to go from bad to worse. He goes by the name of the Pale Man and he and his straight-edged razor have been feared all over London for twenty years.

But Poe knows two things the Pale Man doesn't. Although it might seem like a hopeless situation, Poe has planned to be here all along. More importantly, a nerdy, computer whizz-kid called Tilly Bradshaw is watching his back. And now things are about to get interesting . . .

_______________
This is a short story, not a full-length novel.
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Praise for M W Craven:

'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson

'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris

'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun

'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron

'One of the most engaging teams in crime fiction' Daily Mail

'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint hearted!'
David Mark

'A gripping start to a much anticipated new series' Vaseem Khan

'Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read' Michael J. Malone

'Nothing you've ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe' Keith Nixon

'Beware if you pick up a book by M.W. Craven. Your life will no longer belong to you. He will hold you spellbound. Linda's Book Bag

'Craven's understanding of the criminal world is obvious in this cracking read' Woman's Weekly

'Breath-taking' Random Things Through My Letterbox

'5 Stars... another fantastic literary experience and a welcome addition to the already brilliant Poe and Tilly series' Female First

'An explosive plot, slippery twists and my fave new crime-busting duo...Fantastic!' Peterborough Telegraph

Una novela de suspense oscura y repleta de giros brillantes, ideal para los fans de Michael Connelly, Peter James y de la serie de televisión Luther.
Bienvenidos a El show de las marionetas.

Te presentamos al Detective Washington Poe. Oscuro, cínico, implacable; un hombre que vive en la soledad de una granja en la parte más desolada de Cumbria. Un hombre que incluso sus secretos guardan secretos. Él tiene un pasado que mantiene alejado y otro pasado que aún no conoce.

Un asesino en serie está quemando vivas a sus víctimas. No hay ningún tipo de pistas en las escenas del crimen y la policía ha perdido todas las esperanzas.

Cuando su nombre es hallado en los restos carbonizados de la tercera víctima, Washington Poe, un detective suspendido de empleo y caído en desgracia es llamado para que se haga cargo de la investigación, un caso del que no quiere formar parte.

De mala gana acepta como su nueva compañera a Tily Bradshaw, una brillante pero poco social analista civil. Pronto, la pareja descubre una pista que solo él podría ver. El peligroso asesino tiene un plan, y por algún motivo, Poe forma parte de dicho plan.

Mientras el número de víctimas sigue en aumento, Poe descubre que él sabe mucho más acerca del caso de lo que jamás se habría imaginado. Y en un final aterrador que destrozará todo lo que él creía sobre sí mismo, Poe comprenderá que hay cosas mucho peores que ser quemado con vida.

«Una espectacular primera entrega de lo que promete ser la próxima gran serie de novelas de suspense.» Mick Herron
«Los giros de la trama son brillantes y muy inteligentes, los toques de humor funcionan a la perfección, el lector disfrutará de este novela desde la página uno.» Michael J. Malone
«Un thriller repleto de poder por un nuevo talento explosivo. Bien desarrollada no recomendable para los que tengan problemas cardiacos.» David Mark
«Mike Craven es la nueva voz con más fuerza de la ficción criminal británica.» Caro Ramsay
«Washington Poe es el nombre destinado sobre el que todos los entusiastas de la ficción criminal hablarán: la respuesta británica a Harry Bosch. El show de las marionetas es un misterio repleto de giros que dejará al lector sin respiro hasta su adictivo final.» Matt Hilton
«Un comienzo brillante de lo que promete será una serie fantástica, lee ya esta novela o te arrepentirás de no hacerlo.» Graham Smith
«Nada de lo que hayas leído te tendrá preparado para el único Washington Poe.» Keith Nixon

'A brutal and thrilling page-turner' THE SUN

'Gleefully gory and witty, with a terrific sense of place' SUNDAY MIRROR

'Compelling' HEAT

*THREE BRAND NEW SHORT STORIES FROM THE WINNER OF THE CWA BEST CRIME NOVEL OF 2019 AWARD*
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In The Killing Field, Poe and Tilly are having breakfast, wondering how to spend the rest of their holiday, when their presence is requested at a Cumbrian airfield. An airfield that, during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, was known as the killing field . . .

In Why Don't Sheep Shrink?, a global pandemic forces Poe and Tilly to self-isolate together. Things don't go well. They're bickering and on the verge of falling out until Poe finds an old case file: a locked room mystery he's been mulling over for years. Step forward, Tilly Bradshaw . . .

Dead Man's Fingers sees Poe, Tilly and Edgar, Poe's English springer spaniel, enjoying a picnic at a nature reserve. When Edgar chases a rabbit, and Poe and Tilly chase after him, they stumble upon a twenty-year-old mystery, a mystery that couldn't be solved until now . . .

________________

Praise for M. W. Craven:

'Jaw-droppingly shocking and intense' Women & Home

'Pacy, gory and clever, this is our new fave troubled cop/eccentric buddy duo' Crime Monthly

'An intriguing, fast-moving mystery' The Times

'Superb' Daily Mail

'This series really is something special' Morning Star

'Atmospherically moody' Peterborough Telegraph

'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James

'Thrilling' Mick Herron

'Fantastic' Martina Cole

'Brilliantly inventive' William Shaw

'Gripping. Taut. Twisty' Imran Mahmood

'Mind-blowing' A.A. Dhand

'Twisted and terrifying, fresh and funny' Chris Whitaker

'Dazzling' Holly Watt

'Intelligent. Sophisticated. Intriguing' Mari Hannah

La fascinante y nueva entrega de la serie protagonizada por Washington Poe.

M.W. Craven, autor ganador del Premio CWA Gold Dagger al mejor thriller del año.

Tras El show de las marionetas, la nueva tormenta se aproxima.

Jared Keaton, el chef de las estrellas. Encantador. Carismático. Psicópata…

Jared se encuentra cumpliendo cadena perpetua por el brutal asesinato de su hija Elizabeth. Su cuerpo nunca fue hallado y Keaton fue condenado en gran parte por el testimonio del detective Washington Poe.

Cuando una joven mujer se presenta a las puertas de una remota comisaría de policía con evidencias irrefutables de que ella es Elizabeth Keaton, Poe se encontrará con el dilema de una investigación que bien podría costarle mucho más que su propia carrera profesional.
Con la ayuda de la única persona en la que confía, la brillante pero socialmente compleja Tilly Bradshaw, Poe emprende una carrera contra reloj para responder la única pregunta que importa: ¿Cómo puede una persona estar viva y muerta al mismo tiempo?

Y de pronto, Elizabeth desaparece de nuevo, y todas las pistas de la investigación señalan otra vez a Poe.

«Un thriller brutal y apasionante.» The Sun

«La mejor trama de misterio del año.» Morning Star

«Magistral e ingeniosamente sangriento, con un gran sentido de lugar.» Sunday Mirror

«Una espectacular primera entrega de lo que promete ser la próxima gran serie de novelas de suspense.» Mick Herron

«Los giros de la trama son brillantes y muy inteligentes, los toques de humor funcionan a la perfección, el lector disfrutará de este novela desde la página uno.» Michael J. Malone< /P>

«Un thriller repleto de poder por un nuevo talento explosivo. Bien desarrollada no recomendable para los que tengan problemas cardiacos.» David Mark

«Mike Craven es la nueva voz con más fuerza de la ficción criminal británica.» Caro Ramsay

«Washington Poe es el nombre destinado sobre el que todos los entusiastas de la ficción criminal hablarán: la respuesta británica a Harry Bosch. El show de las marionetas es un misterio repleto de giros que dejará al lector sin respiro hasta su adictivo final.» Matt Hilton

«Un comienzo brillante de lo que promete será una serie fantástica, lee ya esta novela o te arrepentirás de no hacerlo.» Graham Smith

«Nada de lo que hayas leído te tendrá preparado para el único Washington Poe.» Keith Nixon

MAJOR STREAMING NEWS TO COME

'Badass and brilliant' Chris Whitaker

Five million reasons why Ben Koenig had to disappear. Only one to bring him back . . .

Ben Koenig is a ghost. He doesn't exist any more.

Six years ago it was Koenig who headed up the US Marshal's elite Special Ops group. They were the elite unit who hunted the bad guys - the really bad guys. They did this so no one else had to.

Until the day Koenig disappeared. He told no one why and he left no forwarding address. For six years he became a grey man. Invisible. He drifted from town to town, state to state. He was untraceable. It was as if he had never been.

But now Koenig's face is on every television screen in the country. Someone from his past is trying to find him and they don't care how they do it. In the burning heat of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a town called Gauntlet, and there are people in there who have a secret they'll do anything to protect. They've killed before and they will kill again.

Only this time they've made a mistake. They've dismissed Koenig as just another drifter - but they're wrong. Because Koenig has a condition, a unique disorder that makes it impossible for him to experience fear. And now they're about to find out what a truly fearless man is capable of. Because Koenig's coming for them. And hell's coming with him . . .

Praise for Fearless:

'Adrenaline-fuelled plotting, hard-charging characters, and small town evil... this is a thriller with all the right ingredients. And yeah, Reacher fans, you're gonna love this too.' Vaseem Khan

Praise for M W Craven:

'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker

'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan, Author of the Malabar House series and the Baby Ganesh Agency series

'M. W. Craven is one of the best crime writers working today. Dead Ground is a cracking puzzle, beautifully written, with characters you'll be behind every step of the way. It's his best yet.' Stuart Turton

'Fantastic' Martina Cole

'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James

'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson

'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris

'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun

'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron

'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent.