Gallows Court

Reviews / Votes

Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combined a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up to date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace A mean plot liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action. A thoroughly gripping read! Edwards has set a satisfyingly twisty plot against the satisfyingly murky background of 1930s London This is no country house murder mystery, however, but a fast-paced and assured thriller set in 1930s London; it'll keep you reading, breathless, until the very last page The writing is sumptuous, the evocation of the period - down to the finest detail - glorious, and the mystery itself a wonderfully refreshing take on the "psychological noir" genre. The twist - and the terrible secret at the heart of the murders - are twin stings in the tail of a classy and beautifully crafted novel Utterly compelling from start to finish, truly satisfying twists and turns and a wonderful heroine at its dark heart. I loved every single page of it Everything we have come to expect from Martin Edwards: a lovely sense of place, a tight plot, dry humor, and deftly drawn characters. Welcome to the Thirties! Martin Edwards brings the Golden Age of crime fiction back, with a unique twist, in this superbly crafted mystery set in the 1930s. A rare treat! * Ragnar Jonasson * Highly entertaining - a delightful, old-fashioned mystery to be savoured Ingenious and pacey, Gallows Court keeps you guessing right to the end * The Times * Far more unconventional and psychologically disturbing than most crime fiction of the period, this novel brings that low, dishonest decade to life with mesmerising skill * Sunday Express * Historical crime can sometimes suffer from a sentimental view of the period in which it's set. Edwards deftly avoids this cliche, depicting London as dark, grimy and cowering in the face of killings... I'm sure Edwards' existing fans will love this change of tone but he should also garner new readers for his excellent fiction' * CrimePieces * Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine * Financial Times * A varied cast of characters ranging from the glamorous and romantic to the decidedly shady... A fast-moving patchwork puzzle that will satisfy both traditional crime readers and more modern ones who enjoy a drop of moral complexity and darkness in their brew' * Crime Time * The plot is complex but satisfying... Brings the 1930s to life and looks at that restless, inter-war decade in a new and fascinating way. It is a book well worth reading and which I would recommend' * Mystery People * A fabulous melodrama, atmospheric and entertaining * Morning Star * Edwards crafts vivid descriptions of both character and setting that embed the reader into the scene in a way few writers can achieve * NY Journal of Books * Martin Edwards has recreated the period beautifully in this gripping and bloodthirsty thriller... It is compulsive reading: a truly satisfying crime novel' * The Press *