YOU CAN RUN
The two boys never fitted in. Seventeen, the worst age, nothing to do but smoke weed; at least they have each other. The day they speed off on a moped with a stolen mobile, they’re ready to celebrate their luck at last. Until their victim comes looking for what’s his – and ready to kill for it.
YOU CAN HIDE
On the other side of Kent’s wealth divide, DS Alexandra Cupidi faces the strangest murder investigation of her career. A severed limb, hidden inside a modern sculpture in Margate’s Turner Contemporary. No one takes it seriously – not even the artwork’s owners, celebrity dealers who act like they’re above the law.
YOU CAN DIE
But as Cupidi’s case becomes ever more sinister, as she wrangles with police politics and personal dilemmas, she can’t help worrying about those runaway boys. Seventeen, the same age as her own headstrong daughter. Alone, on the marshes, they’re pawns in someone else’s game. Two worlds are about to collide.
Kent and its social divisions are brilliantly captured in Deadland, a crime thriller that’s as ingeniously unguessable as it is moving and powerful.
What people say about Deadland
“Superb . . . Shaw handles diverse plotlines brilliantly, demonstrating his ability to write about contemporary events with keen intelligence.” Joan Smith, Sunday Times. Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month
“Another clever, thoughtful mystery from one of the best authors of Brit crime fiction’s new wave.” Simon Cooper, The Sun
“In the inventive and arresting Deadland, the outrageously rich haves of the art world and a pair of hopeless have-nots collide with murderous results. This tautly constructed thriller is the second outing of William Shaw’s DS Alexandra Cupidi, a Met detective turned Kent cop.” The Times
“Shaw has made the bleak and inhospitable Kent coastline one of the principal characters in his mysteries . . . Opens spectacularly“ Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail
“Delivering a great sense of place, well-drawn characters and a feisty heroine, this is highly recommended” Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent
“A thrilling climax that will keep you guessing until the end” Candis Magazine
“Sinister and divisive themes . . . Shaw is a master of characterisation . . . Totally believable” Jon Wise, Sunday Sport
“With pitch perfect characterisation, immersive storylines, a striking use of location, and accomplished writing and plotting, there is so much to enjoy in this series. Highly recommended.” Raven Crime Reads
“Shaw’s writing is dark and edgy, and this novel has a gritty realistic feel because of the way it deals in contemporary issues. The thing that makes it stand out the most is the level of social commentary Shaw revels in.” NBMagazine