A Song from Dead Lips

Breen & Tozer Book 1

Published in the US as She’s Leaving Home

The Runaway

A nameless young woman is found naked and strangled in an alley on Abbey Road.

The Reject

DS Cathal Breen, an outcast in the Marylebone CID, struggles to make sense of the case.

The Rookie

Until new recruit WPC Helen Tozer – the first woman to join the team – makes a breakthrough.

And as hippies slam doors in their face, and locals suspect the new African neighbours, Breen and Tozer tread down a perilous path, closing in on a cruel conspiracy that goes far beyond class, colour and creed.

“A gripping story, impeccably researched” The Guardian

“Shaw skilfully recreates an era of social turmoil and class conflict” The Sunday Times

Best Crime of 2013 The Evening Standard

“Excellent debut” The Mail on Sunday, paperback of the week

“Missed the sixties? Then grab a copy of William Shaw’s superb A Song from Dead Lips. This is a terrific mystery novel that moves at the speed of a sixties three minute single. Has the best female character this side of Salander in many a year You can literally hear the Beatles as this andrenalined narrative jets along. The most startling, original crime of the year.” Ken Bruen

“This outstanding novel is a reminder of the multiple joys of [a] police procedural with quirky characters, crisp dialog, and, in this case, a healthy dose of period detail. . . . Spread the word so that this satisfying debut will end up in the right hands.”Library Journal (starred)

“Slick, stylish and suspenseful – read it now!” Essentials

“Convincing atmosphere, lively dialogue and a fun cop duo unites Beatlemania, English racism and the Biafran war. ” The Times

“London-set police thriller William Shaw’s powerful debut novel is searing suspense and a haunting look at the 60’s. Murder, politics, international intrigue – the brutal death of a young woman set against the dark background of Abbey Road. The dialogue is razor-sharp and the London scene is brilliantly authentic. A Song From Dead Lips is thriller-writing at its best.” Linda Fairstein

“Over the course of a thrilling plot, William Shaw succeeds in recreating all the political tension and cultural upheaval of an explosive time .” Le Figaro

“All is impeccably researched. Shaw has imbued his London and its people: natives, incomers, transients, with the crude and frenetic aura of a decade, a time when pop culture was only the face of revolt, when, behind the façade, the old guard attempted to shore up the barricades, and people died violently… We have a new detective to join Brunetti and Sergeant Chee, and a debut to celebrate.” Shots Magazine

“Entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure, with its wonderful description of sixties London.” Raven Crime

“The ending is action packed… a neat take on an over-examined decade. A sort of Magical Murder Mystery Tour.” Daily Express

A House of Knives

Published in the US as The Kings of London

Breen & Tozer Book 2

The Black Sheep

The wayward son of a rising MP is mutilated and burnt in suspicious circumstances.

The Honest Detective

DS Cathal Breen dodges political embargo and death threats to pursue the case.

The Rolling Stone

Notorious art dealer Robert Fraser may provide the only clue – if only he will talk.

And as Breen slips deeper into London’s underground of hippies and heroin, he edges nearer to the secrets of those at the very top. Banished from a corrupt and fracturing system, he will finally be forced to fight fire with fire.

“Excellent period yarn that tackles bent police, the dark side of hippiedom and utterly nails the myth of the Swinging Sixties” The Sun

“Insightful… an elegy for an entire alienated generation” The New York Times

“A distinctive British crime drama, which benefits from a clear moral sense – not altogether common in an era more used to Fifty Shades of Grey” The Daily Mail

“Well-drawn characters and a well-told plot keep the action taut and the pages turning” Choice magazine

“It’s a far out read, man. You’ll dig it” Weekend Sport.

“William Shaw makes his sentences sing” New York Daily News

“Cathal Breen is altogether the most welcome crime solver in British fiction” Toronto Star

“Breen and Tozer come across as fallible human beings, not razor-sharp law enforcers, and it’s their relationship—both professional and personal—that makes this a winner” Publisher’s Weekly

“Shaw makes the gritty English capital come alive” Kirkus

“Shaw improves on this series’ strong debut” Booklist

A Book of Scars

Published in the US as A Song for the Brokenhearted

‘An emotional intensity found only in the very best crime fiction’ Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year

Never forgotten

Teenager Alexandra Tozer was murdered on her family’s farm. Five years later, her sister Helen will return.

Never suspected

As soon as DS Breen tracks down the original investigating sergeant, the man goes missing. And so does Helen.

Never revealed

The only connection between the suspects is the Kenya Emergency – a nightmare that Englishmen prefer to forget.

But others remember. Every bloody detail. And when another woman is taken, Breen fears that history – in all its shame and horror – is coming back to haunt them.

“Superb crime novels… A Book of Scars combines nostalgic period detail with an emotional intensity found only in the very best crime fiction.” Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month, June 2015

“A first-rate mystery” The Guardian

“The question of why a killer kills is always central. William Shaw delivers a perfect motive in the third of his excellent Breen and Tozer mysteries…” Jeff Noon, The Spectator

“Superb . . . Shaw picks up multiple plot threads, expertly weaving them into a complex story . . . Shaw perfectly captures the end of an uneasy era, and the utterly terrifying final scene will leave readers breathless.” Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Gripping . . . Echoes Robert Galbraith’s crime novels, and neither author suffers by the comparison. This is a totally engaging series.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Shaw raises the bar with each entry in this series. . . . A genre-bending psychological thriller, perfect for those who like Elizabeth George’s Lynley novels.” Booklist (starred review)

“Thoroughly gripping . . . Shaw draws incisive attention to little-known historical events and crafts a wholly satisfying thriller.” Kirkus Reviews

The Birdwatcher

DS Alex Cupidi Book 0

“I never do crime novels but it’s brilliant.” Jim Moir/Vic Reeves.

“The most gripping book I’ve read in years. William Shaw is, quite simply, an outstanding storyteller.” Peter May

“Superb description of a haunting, blighted landscape. His best book so far.” C. J. Sansom

“An astoundingly good crime novel.” Elly Griffiths

“A brilliantly constructed thriller, told part in flashback to his traumatic past, it’s utterly compulsive, written in sharp, unsentimental style, and with a wonderfully atmospheric storm-battered setting” Sunday Mirror

“What a pleasure it is when one discovers a writer who combines ironclad storytelling techniques with the linguistic finesse of more literary novelists. William Shaw is surely such a writer, a man whose command of narrative grips the reader by the throat from page one, and never lets go – but also allows every word to register with exactly the right amount of resonance. And that’s not to forget the idiomatic dialogue, which is another Shaw specialty . . . The Birdwatcher, it might be argued, is Shaw’s most accomplished (and most visceral) book yet . . . [The] unsparing treatment of the personality of South – and the dark drives that can lead people to murder – that is at the chilling heart of this book.” Barry Forshaw, Independent

“A fine, atmospheric, emotionally compelling thriller.” John Williams, Mail on Sunday

“A gripping plot, atmospheric setting, highly believable characters and dialogue you can imagine real people saying, make this a contender for thriller of the year” Sun

“Award-winning author Shaw delivers an outstanding stand-alone novel.” Library Journal

“Shaw (A Song for the Brokenhearted) has more than enough material there for a fine procedural, but he interweaves the present-day case with a more personal one. The action builds to a thrilling ending.” Publishers Weekly

One of the summer’s “Chilliest Thrillers”. “Shaw’s prose sinks its hooks in.” Entertainment Weekly

“Exquisite in every way. It’s a slow burn book that begins with a violent crime and ends explosively, with plenty of character development and all of the elements that we have come to love and expect in a police procedural story… the book should certainly bring additional attention to Shaw’s superlative work and undoubtedly will create a demand for more.” Bookreporter

“Fantastic.” Bookriot

“I liked its discreet, thoughtful prose. . . . By its theatrical but moving conclusion, The Birdwatcher has become an excellent read.” Charles Finch, USA Today

“Shaw crafts a delicious atmosphere.” Mystery Scene

Sympathy for the Devil

Breen & Tozer Book 4

Published in the US as Play With Fire

London 1969: A detective in love. A crime of passion

The devil: She made a profit from rich men. They paid for her youth. She paid with her life.

The angel: To investigate the prostitute’s murder, DS Cathal Breen isn’t scared to question powerful suspects.

The fall: But when a mysterious man from MI6 calls, Breen begins to fear he’s uncovered a spy scandal.

And then Breen’s girlfriend Helen Tozer, with her ex-copper instincts, gets dangerously involved. Right or wrong, Breen knows he has too much to lose. He can have no sympathy for the devil.

“William Shaw is a superb, flowing writer, both of police procedure and personal relations, and perhaps England’s most adept at using dialogue to propel his always intelligent stories.” Marcel Berlins, The Times

“This book contains the kind of writing – silky, seductive, unobtrusive – that carries one along almost willy-nilly. I picked the book up to get a taste of it and an hour later was still reading this clever, absorbing police procedural.” Jessica Mann Literary Review

“Shaw’s talent for sensuous storytelling comes to the fore as he sets this fourth book in the series in the summer of 1969 . . . A first rate drama. Shaw goes from strength to strength, while making it all seem effortless.” Geoffrey Wansell Daily Mail

“The debate about whether or not crime fiction should aspire to literary values rumbles on, but when a writer demonstrates a consummate use of language and can also incorporate the key imperative of the thriller – page-turning – it’s a cause for celebration. William Shaw is in that select breed.” Barry Forshaw Financial Times

“A gripping, complex plot, the subtle period details and well-drawn characters make this a real winner.” Simon Cooper, The Sun

“Teenager’s violent, evasive killer and Cathal and Helen’s evolving, unsettled relationship create a new level of suspense for this must-read series of detail-saturated procedurals.” Booklist

"William Shaw is a superb, flowing writer, both of police procedure and personal relations, and perhaps England's most adept at using dialogue to propel his always intelligent stories." Marcel Berlins, The Times

"This book contains the kind of writing – silky, seductive, unobtrusive – that carries one along almost willy-nilly. I picked the book up to get a taste of it and an hour later was still reading this clever, absorbing police procedural." Jessica Mann Literary Review

"Shaw's talent for sensuous storytelling comes to the fore as he sets this fourth book in the series in the summer of 1969 . . . A first rate drama. Shaw goes from strength to strength, while making it all seem effortless." Geoffrey Wansell Daily Mail

"The debate about whether or not crime fiction should aspire to literary values rumbles on, but when a writer demonstrates a consummate use of language and can also incorporate the key imperative of the thriller – page-turning – it's a cause for celebration. William Shaw is in that select breed." Barry Forshaw Financial Times

"A gripping, complex plot, the subtle period details and well-drawn characters make this a real winner." Simon Cooper, The Sun

""Teenager's violent, evasive killer and Cathal and Helen's evolving, unsettled relationship create a new level of suspense for this must-read series of detail-saturated procedurals." Booklist

"William Shaw is a superb, flowing writer, both of police procedure and personal relations, and perhaps England's most adept at using dialogue to propel his always intelligent stories." Marcel Berlins, The Times

"This book contains the kind of writing – silky, seductive, unobtrusive – that carries one along almost willy-nilly. I picked the book up to get a taste of it and an hour later was still reading this clever, absorbing police procedural." Jessica Mann Literary Review

"Shaw's talent for sensuous storytelling comes to the fore as he sets this fourth book in the series in the summer of 1969 . . . A first rate drama. Shaw goes from strength to strength, while making it all seem effortless." Geoffrey Wansell Daily Mail

"The debate about whether or not crime fiction should aspire to literary values rumbles on, but when a writer demonstrates a consummate use of language and can also incorporate the key imperative of the thriller – page-turning – it's a cause for celebration. William Shaw is in that select breed." Barry Forshaw Financial Times

"A gripping, complex plot, the subtle period details and well-drawn characters make this a real winner." Simon Cooper, The Sun

""Teenager's violent, evasive killer and Cathal and Helen's evolving, unsettled relationship create a new level of suspense for this must-read series of detail-saturated procedurals." Booklist

"William Shaw is a superb, flowing writer, both of police procedure and personal relations, and perhaps England's most adept at using dialogue to propel his always intelligent stories." Marcel Berlins, The Times

"This book contains the kind of writing – silky, seductive, unobtrusive – that carries one along almost willy-nilly. I picked the book up to get a taste of it and an hour later was still reading this clever, absorbing police procedural." Jessica Mann Literary Review

"Shaw's talent for sensuous storytelling comes to the fore as he sets this fourth book in the series in the summer of 1969 . . . A first rate drama. Shaw goes from strength to strength, while making it all seem effortless." Geoffrey Wansell Daily Mail

"The debate about whether or not crime fiction should aspire to literary values rumbles on, but when a writer demonstrates a consummate use of language and can also incorporate the key imperative of the thriller – page-turning – it's a cause for celebration. William Shaw is in that select breed." Barry Forshaw Financial Times

"A gripping, complex plot, the subtle period details and well-drawn characters make this a real winner." Simon Cooper, The Sun

""Teenager's violent, evasive killer and Cathal and Helen's evolving, unsettled relationship create a new level of suspense for this must-read series of detail-saturated procedurals." Booklist

Salt Lane

DS Alex Cupidi Book 1

SHE ALWAYS WENT TOO FAR

DS Alexandra Cupidi has done it again. She should have learnt to keep her big mouth shut, after the scandal that sent her packing – resentful teenager in tow – from the London Met to the lonely Kent coastline. Murder is different here, among the fens and stark beaches.

SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND THE KILLERS

The man drowned in the slurry pit had been herded there like an animal. He was North African, like many of the fruit pickers that work the fields. The more Cupidi discovers, the more she wants to ask – but these people are suspicious of questions.

AND NOW IT WAS KILLING HER

It will take an understanding of this strange place – its old ways and new crimes – to uncover the dark conspiracy behind the murder. Cupidi is not afraid to travel that road. But she should be. She should, by now, have learnt.

Salt Lane is the first in the new DS Alexandra Cupidi series. With his trademark characterisation and flair for social commentary, William Shaw has crafted a crime novel for our time that grips you, mind and heart.

 

“A sharp eye for detail, turned on 21st-century phenomenon of people-trafficking. There are some touching moments in this vivid tale, which recognises that decent people don’t always behave well.” Joan Smith, The Times

“Shaw scores subtle political points in this atmospheric, state-of-the-nation thriller that, as always, features intricate plotting, realistic dialogue and believable characters. A modern crime master.” Simon Cooper, The Sun

“Detective Sergeant Alexandra Cupidi, a recent transfer from London to the coastal Kent police department, is having a hard time adjusting in William Shaw’s excellent Salt Lane… [It’s] a web of events that reverses readers’ expectations.” Tim Nolan, Wall Street Journal

“Salt Lane is taut, terrifying and timely; the emotional tension never slackens.” Val McDermid

“A fine police heroine emerges here… living in the shadow of the power station at Dungeness. It is a splendid backdrop for a troubled detective.” Mail on Sunday

“DS Alexandra Cupidi (introduced in The Birdwatcher) is complex, conflicted, and conscientious… Shaw’s rattling good writing will hold readers to the very end.” Publisher’s Weekly (starred review).

“Cupidi is a convincing character and William Shaw’s evocation of the unforgiving Kent landscape is very well done. All this, however, is secondary to the social commentary. This murder mystery has a message that comes over loud and clear.” Jessica Mann, Literary Review

“William Shaw is one of the great rising talents of UK crime fiction. This is his best book to date, instantly engaging, beautifully written with really well observed and rounded characters.” Peter James

“Brilliant. Atmospheric, immersive scene setting, highly engaging main protagonist and a superbly crafted plot, written beautifully.” Liz Loves Books

“Intriguing and atmospheric, Salt Lane covers tough topics with sensitivity, a dash of humour and above all, beautiful writing. I love the whole Cupidi family – mother, daughter and child. I don’t think there are any other crime novels I’ve read that are exploring this kind of family dynamic.” Susi Holliday

“Cupidi is one of my current favourite crime fiction police characters. Shaw writes female characters and tackles the issues around motherhood so well. A page-turning police procedural with a thoughtful, character-driven heart, an astounding sense of place, and a quirky sense of humour.” Julia Crouch, author of Her Husband’s Lover

“Gritty, hard-hitting crime rarely sits beside brooding atmosphere, flawless writing, and characters so real you could have a chat with them, but Salt Lane is that rare gem. A fabulous start to what I’m sure will be a must-read series.” Barbara Copperthwaite

“Tense and brutal . . . Intelligent, beautifully written and with an emotional resonance that stays long after the book is finished, this is a tight and compelling read that rewards the reader in spades.” Live and Deadly

“Stark beauty . . . The investigations raise issues important to 21st-century Brexit Britain – immigration, racism, sexism, poverty and inequality.” Literary Shed

“Evokes setting in every way possible – the darkness, the way of living on this land, the workers, illegal and otherwise, the land changing over the years, the rawness of the sea and the elements … it’s exposed, raw and hard to deal with at times, and all of this is also the essence of this very immersive read. This novel really shone for me as it weaves social commentary, great writing and unique observation of landscape into one neatly tied package.” Book Trail

“I loved this first book an unreasonable amount, I was so delighted by how good it was… there are so many layers and it’s so real…A great mystery and a great police procedural…two enthusiastic bird thumbs up.” Bookriot

“I discovered the novels of William Shaw last year, and read The Birdwatcher, and then a trilogy set in 1960s London featuring Detectives Tozer and Breen. There is now a fourth book in that series in my “to read” pile. And, you’ll find a very satisfying connection between that series and Salt Lane. These are both terrific series — I can say “read one and you’ll read them all” and feel entirely confident that you will agree.” Parry Sound North Star

 

Deadland

DS Alex Cupidi Book 2

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.

“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

Gravesend

DS Alex Cupidi Book 3

A BIZARRE DISCOVERY

An unidentified corpse is found in a freezer in the garage of an unoccupied house. DS Alexandra Cupidi is handed a case that is made even colder by no-one seeming to know or care whose body it is.

A HISTORIC CRIME

It becomes clear there is a connection between the crime and a skeleton uncovered underneath a housing development of Trevor Grey, a boy who went missing twenty five years earlier.

A BURIED LIFE

Digging deep into secrets that have long been concealed brings Cupidi to face a deadly conspiracy to hide these crimes. Her investigation is complicated by a secret liaison, a political cover-up and the underground life of Trevor Grey’s only friend.

With meticulously realised characters and a brooding setting, Grave’s End confronts the crisis in housing, environmentalism, historic cases of abuse and the protection given to badgers by the law. The third book in the DS Alexandra Cupidi series confirms William Shaw as one of our finest writers of crime fiction.

“Who would have thought that badger culls might figure in the plot of a crime novel? But then William Shaw has never been content to simply reheat familiar elements… Shaw never lectures; his major imperative remains ironclad storytelling and razor-sharp characterisation, both in evidence here.” Barry Forshaw, Financial Times. 

“As if Ian Rankin and Richard Adams teamed up to write a hugely entertaining crime thriller with a hard-hitting environmental message.” Mark Edwards

“A powerful, scary suspense mystery which had me swiping over pages at speed while savouring every word. This is a brilliant novel.” Lesley Thomson

“This is an ingenious, often moving and always powerful story, which brilliantly captures Kent and its social divisions and offers a realistic, if harsh, look at the inequalities of life in modern Britain.” John Cleal, crimereview.co.uk

“Shaw weaves a tidy yarn…” Jon Wise, Weekend Sport.

The Trawlerman

DS Alex Cupidi Book 4

NOMINATED FOR THE OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR
A SHOTS MAG BOOK OF THE YEAR

‘A WRITER AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME’ SUN

A DOUBLE MURDER

The naked corpses of Aylmer and Mary Younis are discovered in their home. The only clues are a note written in blood and an eerie report of two spectral figures departing the crime scene. Officer Jill Ferriter is charged with investigating the murders while her colleague Alex Cupidi is on leave, recovering from post-traumatic stress.

AN ELABORATE SCAM

The dead couple had made investments in a green reforestry scheme in Guatemala, resulting in the loss of all their savings. What is more disturbing is that Cupidi and Ferriter’s disgraced former colleague and friend Bill South is also on the list of investors and the Younis’s were not the only losers.

AN UNLIKELY KILLER

Despite being in counselling and receiving official warnings to stay away from police work Cupidi finds herself dragged into the case and begins to trawl among the secrets and lies that are held in the fishing community of Folkestone. Desperate to exonerate South she finds herself murderously compromised when personal relationships cloud her judgement.

Pacey, intense and riddled with surprising twists, The Trawlerman shows that deceit can be found in the most unlikely places. The brooding waters of the Kent coastline offer an ominous backdrop for this lively page-turner of corruption, mental health and the complexities of human connection.

“Shaw goes from strength to strength in this subtle and original series about clever but uneasy cop Alex Cupidi, whose beat is the weird and wild world of Dungeness . . . Authentic plots, an atmospheric setting and believable dialogue make this another Shaw-fire hit by one of Britain’s leading crime writers.” Simon Cooper, The Sun

“Shaw’s finely drawn copper, Alex Cupidi, is on enforced leave, trying to deal with lingering PTSD following a traumatic case. But trouble is never far away from her home on the wild Dungeness shore. Murder and fraud, fishing and family all come together in a terrifically atmospheric thriller mixing a twisting plot with a considered meditation on the lasting effects of close contact with violence.” John Williams, The Mail on Sunday

“Swallowed, hook, line and sinker. Lovely storytelling, deft and clever; and characters painted in all the colours of the sea and the sky. I didn’t want it to stop.” Val McDermid

“Quite simply a class act, the characters, setting, and plot fuse into the most readable and thrilling whole.” Liz Robinson, Lovereading.com Books of the Year 2021

BEST BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS 2021 “An atmospheric setting and believable dialogue.” The Sun

“The stress of being a police officer is a theme of Shaw’s absorbing series set on the Kent coastline. In The Trawlerman , DI Alexandra Cupidi is on sick leave with PTSD. The enforced inactivity allows her to make friends in the local fishing community, where she is drawn into a long-ago disappearance at sea. Despite stern warnings, she can’t keep out of an inquiry into the deaths of a much-liked local couple, who have lost their life savings in a scam. Shaw’s novels combine a strong central character with an atmospheric setting and original plots.” Joan Smith, The Sunday Times

Dead Rich

A totally gripping, impeccably crafted thriller that never slackens the tension for a minute. . . Hugely enjoyable’ Jane Casey, author of The Killing Kind

Super yachts are secretive, like their owners. The bigger the richer. Like castles, they are created to inspire awe. Like castles too, they are defended. They are an entire world, separate from the rest of us.

Kai, a carefree once-successful musician is invited by his new Russian girlfriend Zina to join her family’s Caribbean holiday. Impulsively accepting he learns that Zina is the daughter of a Russian oligarch, Stepan Pirumov and that the trip is aboard his yacht, the Zinaida, moored in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The crew consists of Captain Marius Falk, the first mate Erin Wade and a hastily assembled staff, including a chief stewardess Marissa from Miami, a chief engineer from Lagos and a personal trainer from Los Angeles. All know how to behave around the very rich.

On arrival Kai discovers that the head of security has been arrested, armed guards are below deck, there’s an onboard panic room and a strong sense of all not being quite right beneath the gleaming surfaces of the Pirumov’s lives. An unnerving presence punctures the atmosphere: a murderous imposter is on board the Zinaida, but who is it?

Kai will find that the only person he can trust will be Erin and that the world of the super-rich will become a prison from which they must escape. Part locked-room suspense, part adventure story, Dead Rich is an unforgettable, edge of the seat thriller set in the blazing heat of the Caribbean

“Now this is timely – a thriller about what happens when oligarchs fall foul of Putin… It’s a gripping, well-crafted tale and Shaw easily makes the transition to blockbusters.” Simon Cooper, The Sun

“A real page turner.” Woman Magazine

“Unsurprisingly skilful is Dead Rich by G.W. Shaw (riverrun). Why unsurprisingly? Admirers of the talented William Shaw should know that he is also G.W. Shaw, and they will be happy to tackle his alter go, in the latter guise, he supplies writing that is quite as adroit as that written under his usual moniker.” Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

“A sun-drenched, blood-soaked thriller set on a superyacht in the Caribbean. It’s that most wonderful thing: a Thumping Good Read.” Mark Edwards

“GW Shaw delivers a superbly crafted, adrenaline-charged thriller that engages the reader from start to finish.” Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent

“I’ve been a fan of William Shaw for a long time now, but even by his high standards Dead Rich is an extraordinary book.” M. W. Craven

“A joyous escape of a book. A real adventure story set on the high seas, with engaging central characters and a pacy narrative. And because it’s by William Shaw, it is, of course, beautifully written.” Ann Cleeves

“G W Shaw… has set this timely thriller on an oligarch’s yacht in the Caribbean… and there is plenty of action to keep thrill-seekers reading.” Natasha Cooper, Literary Review

“Dead Rich is a cleverly crafted and suspenseful locked room thriller set against the backdrop of the high seas and the world of the super wealthy.” culturefly.co.uk

“Set on a luxury yacht, Dead Rich charts a twisty course between murder, lies, and the dark deeds of oligarchs. A fresh, high-octane take on the ever-popular adventure thriller genre.” Vaseem Khan

“A rip-roaring seaborne adventure thriller. Dead Rich provides thrills and spills in abundance, along with enough sailing lore to satisfy even the most jaded armchair admiral.” Mike Ripley, Shots magazine

“Like a sophisticated, turbo-charged reboot of Alistair MacLean, it’s a completely gripping thriller adventure set on the Caribbean Sea that’s plotted and paced with precision. Loved it.” Paddy Magrane

“Dead Rich is a totally gripping, impeccably crafted thriller that never slackens the tension for a minute. The brilliantly realised setting lets you take a holiday in a billionaire’s nightmare, and the plot has twists that genuinely made me gasp. Hugely enjoyable.” Jane Casey

“Devotees of the wonderful DI Cupidi books, set on Kent’s southern coast, need not worry, though: following last year’s brilliant The Trawlerman, it’s still recognisably the same considered, meticulous and careful hand at the tiller. We are at sea again in this uncannily prescient story of mysterious misadventures of the ultra-high-net-worth bracket, most of which takes place on board a Russian oligarch’s yacht. Dead Rich proves what repeat customers for Shaw’s books have known for several years now: this is an author who can evidently do pretty much anything he puts his mind to. In an afterword to last year’s book he mentioned how the first chapter had been written during a writers’ workshop: here he delivers another masterclass.” Angus Batey, The Quietus