About the Author

M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, returning after 31 years to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals.His first novel featuring Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw, The Puppet Show, was published by Constable to huge acclaim, and it has since won the CWA Gold Dagger Award and been shortlisted for the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards: Best Crime Novel, the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the Dead Good Reader Awards.M. W. Craven lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn't out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.

Reviews

A thrilling curtain-raiser for what looks set to be a great new seriesSatisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the readA powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint-hearted!Mike Craven is a forceful new voice in British crime fictionWashington Poe is a name destined to be spoken by crime fiction enthusiasts everywhere: Britain's answer to Harry Bosch. The Puppet Show is a wickedly, twisting and turning, mystery that will have readers breathlessly turning the pages until the final shocking conclusionThis book is twisted and dark and I loved it - not sure what that says about meA brilliant start to what promises to be a fantastic series; get it now or kick yourself for missing out