Crime Thriller Law

Matt Hunter lost his faith a long time ago. Formerly a minister, now a professor of sociology, he’s writing a book that debunks the Christian faith while assisting the police with religiously motivated crimes. On holiday with his family in Oxfordshire, Matt finds himself on edge in a seemingly idyllic village, but when a local girl goes missing, he's caught up in an investigation that brings memories to the surface he would prefer to stay buried deep…He must draw on his theological knowledge to catch the killer.

Every ten years, for the past 30 years, a dozen clergymen are killed, brutally murdered in twisted scenes emulating the deaths of Jesus and his disciples. Now, "The Martyr Maker" has set his mark on New York City. 30 years. 36 priests butchered. His bloodiest masterpiece is yet to come.

Heading home after winning his latest case, Defence Attorney Mickey Haller - the Lincoln Lawyer - is pulled over by the police. They open the trunk of his car to find the body of a former client. Haller knows the law inside out. He will be charged with murder. He will have to build his case from behind bars. And the trial will be the trial of his life. Because Mickey Haller will defend himself in court.

Molly Murphy always knew she'd end up in trouble, just as her mother predicted. So, when she commits murder in self-defense, she flees her cherished Ireland, and her identity, for the anonymous shores of America. When she arrives in New York and sees the welcoming promise of freedom in the Statue of Liberty, Molly begins to breathe easier. But when a man is murdered on Ellis Island, a man Molly was seen arguing with, she becomes a prime suspect in the crime.

As a single mother, Annie has an especially close relationship with her son, Ben. They have always been together. Just the two of them. So, when Ben brings home his mysterious beautiful new wife, Daisy, immediately Annie doesn’t trust her. Who is this woman who has taken her son away from her? And what is she hiding? She’ll protect him with her life....

His grandfather was a lawman too. That’s how Charles O’Farrell rationalizes his work. He keeps a picture of his ancestor by his bed, a faded sepia portrait of a short, plain-looking man made remarkable only by the long-barreled Colt strapped to his hip. His grandfather killed to make the frontier safe—O’Farrell has the faded newspaper clippings to prove it. In the service of America, O’Farrell kills too. But his killings never make the front page.

The public labels me a Mafia monster, a man without a soul, and one hated by many. They're not wrong, and I'm not sorry for it. When my father orders me to marry a longtime enemy's daughter to settle a score between our families, she did what any smart woman with a beating heart would do. She ran. So, I hunted her down. She tries to negotiate for her freedom, but despite being inexplicably drawn to the deviant woman, I refuse her pitiful bribes with pleasure. I'll promise her freedom to get the answers I need, but I'll burn this city to the ground before I let her go.

Fifteen years ago, 29 Barley Street, South London, became notorious as the scene of alleged poltergeist activity which led to the death of young Holly Wasson. The shadow cast by this episode is still felt in the town and amongst the gang of friends who were caught up in the tragic event. When one of the group dies in horrific and strange circumstances, Matt Hunter, former minister and now professor of sociology, is called in to investigate.

From the moment Lucy met her husband's mother, Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana was exquisitely polite and perfectly friendly, but Lucy knew that she was not what Diana envisioned. Even so, Lucy wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law. That was five years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, a suicide note near her body. Diana claims that she no longer wanted to live because of a battle with cancer. But the autopsy finds no cancer.

During a communion service, the teenage son of a vicar attacks his father with an axe. The horrified congregation watch the son escape, and rumours arise that the boy was involved in devil worship. Professor Matt Hunter is brought in to advise, yet he quickly suspects the church attack may have a far more complex cause. Meanwhile, a 10-year-old boy called Ever grows up in a small Christian cult.

As one of just a few judges licensed to try murder cases at the Old Bailey, the author has presided over many of the high-profile cases that all too often grab our attention in dramatic media headlines—for every unlawful death tells a story. But, unlike most of us, a judge doesn't get to turn the page and move on. Nor does the defendant, or the family of the victim, nor the many other people who populate the court room. Peeling apart six dramatic murder and manslaughter cases, Unlawful Killings removes this distinction between 'them' and 'us'.

Professor Matt Hunter is an atheist ex-minister and expert on religion, brought in by the police to advise on cases where there is a supernatural overtone. When they receive a report of strange whispers behind a blood-soaked door, they are baffled to discover a man, who will only speak in whispers under his breath, with the name Baal-barith tattooed on his chest.

In From Crime to Crime Richard Henriques tells the story behind his most famous cases and includes his trenchant views on the state of the British judicial system; how it works - or doesn't - and the current threats to the rule of law that affect us all.

Santana Sokolov might be the one person who ties together all the mysteries of Atlantica. Which will probably get her killed. The woman has a penchant for the ancient. When Santana is approached by two enemy factions looking for the same legendary item, she partners with old friend Dick Chambers to enter the wilderness and unlock the mystery.

Is she a cop with a cause or a devil in disguise? Terra Kris failed when she was supposed to look the other way during an assignment. For that act and her unrepentant attitude, she has powerful people gunning for her. Now, someone has decided to use a new AI-embedding program snuck in during an emergency operation. Where she goes, they can follow. Until she figures out what is going on. Then there will be hell to pay.

The butchered body of a cross-dresser is found in a dumpster in Chinatown, New York. Nothing out of the ordinary for the NYPD, except, this time, the victim is Detective Phee Freeman’s brother. At first the slaying looks like the random act of a vicious killer, but when it is discovered that there are similar ritualistic murders throughout the city, Phee and his partner Quincy Cavanaugh, along with FBI Agent Janet Maclin, have no choice but to join forces with Dr. Daria Zibik, a brilliant but deranged Satanic cult leader serving time at a maximum security prison.

Sixteen-year-old Marlon has made his mum a promise - he'll never follow his big brother, Andre, down the wrong path. So far it's been easy, but when a date ends in tragedy, Marlon finds himself hunted. They're after the mysterious Mr Orange, and they're going to use Marlon to get to him. Marlon's out of choices - can he become the person he never wanted to be, to protect everyone he loves?

Scholarship law student Margot’s fling with her classmate Sam almost cost her everything. Now, she’s going out to dinner with him to a luxurious French restaurant with a plan to even the score. But Sam arrives late and is acting increasingly strangely. His hands are shaking, he’s nervous and jumpy; he’s behaving nothing like the privileged charmer she knows. As the night unfolds, Margot realizes Sam has a terrifying plan of his own.

Seven-year-old Hanna has never spoken a word. She is a sweet but silent angel in the eyes of her adoring father, but with Mummy, things are different. Suzette loves her daughter, but difficulties with babysitters and teachers over the years have put a strain on their relationship and her sanity. Then Hanna speaks for the first time, to Suzette alone, and what she says is chilling.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the young, feisty, devastatingly acute Horace Rumpole in this collection of cracking cases, also starring Timothy West as the older Rumpole.