Eight Detectives: The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month

(Paperback)

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Description

"One of the year's most entertaining crime novels" (Sunday Times) - this summer's most original mystery debut All murder mysteries follow a simple set of rules. Grant McAllister, a mystery writer and mathematics professor, once sat down and worked them all out. But that was thirty years ago. Now he's living in seclusion on a quiet Mediterranean island - until Julia Hart, an ambitious young editor, knocks on his door. Grant's work is being republished, and together they must revisit those old stories. But Julia soon realises that something's not right. Grant's stories seem to reference a real murder - one that's remained unsolved for thirty years. Julia wants answers. But some mysteries can be murder to solve...

Reviews

Terrific. Alex Pavesi knows the genre inside out. One of the year's most entertaining crime novels * Sunday Times, Crime Book of the Month *
Dizzying, dazzling - a potent potion of a thriller, a brew of bibliophilia (think The Shadow of the Wind), wire-taut tension (The Talented Mr. Ripley), and plot swerves so sharp and sudden you risk whiplash with each turn of the page, as bold as the best of Michael Connelly and Lisa Gardner. When did you last read a genuinely original thriller The wait is over. * A J Finn, bestselling author of The Woman in the Window *
So, so clever. A twisty story and an education in the maths of murder mysteries, Agatha Christie would take her hat off to this one - bravo! -- Sarah Pinborough
Alex Pavesi is a lively writer . . . It feels like a game of Clue-do-ku * Times *
An elegantly structured, intellectually challenging and completely unique thriller that grips like a vice -- Sophie Hannah * Sunday Times bestselling author of The Killings at Kingfisher Hill *
This is both a wonderfully tricksy debut and a loving tribute to the golden age of crime fiction * Mail on Sunday *
It's rare for me to read a book in a single day, but I couldn't put Eight Detectives down. Compelling, clever, and beautifully-constructed. It deserves to be huge. I genuinely wanted to applaud at the end -- Alex North
A brilliantly twisty thriller. I adored this clever, game-playing book - it's like Agatha Christie for bibliophiles * Sunday Times *
A box of delights . . . Pavesi's revelations are completely unexpected, right up to the end * New York Times *

An absolute triumph of a novel. I read it in two greedy gulps. Intelligent and compelling storytelling. Utterly brilliant

-- Ali Land, bestselling author of Good Me, Bad Me
This super-smart homage to the Agatha Christie tradition is a must. Stylish, ingenious and great fun * Sunday Mirror *
Has an intricacy rare in modern crime fiction. Alex Pavesi deserves huge applause for his plot, constructed with all the skill of the old masters * Sunday Express *
In Eight Detectives, Alex Pavesi constructs a remarkable puzzle that turns readers into literary detectives with every new twist. Both a celebration and a reinvention of mystery fiction -- Matthew Pearl, bestselling author of The Dante Club
Masterfully told in a unique way - this is sure to get you thinking * Woman's Weekly *
An absolute juggernaut of a novel. -- Caz Frear
This debut novel, constructed with clockwork precision, has an understated creepiness that gets under your skin * Daily Mirror *
Alex Pavesi's Eight Detectives is a delightfully inventive and enjoyable debut which plays fascinating games with the classic murder mystery and puts a fresh spin on the notion of whodunit. Bravo! -- Martin Edwards, winner of the 2020 Diamond Dagger
So clever and a lot of fun, fans of Golden Age crime fiction (of which I am one) will love this unique tale with a modern twist -- Jenny Blackhurst, bestselling author of How I Lost You
Alex Pavesi has written one of the most creative detective novels of the year...if not of all time. Sharp writing, crisp dialogue, and the end will leave you reeling. An incredible debut novel! -- Samantha Downing, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife
A fantastic read. Utterly original, yet reads like a long-lost golden age classic. The author surprises from the first chapter, is always one step ahead, and constantly gives you this feeling that something macabre is happening behind your back! Bravo -- Ragnar Jonasson
I have never read a book quite like this. It's original, clever and compelling - and the revelations at the end took me totally by surprise. -- Rachel Abbott
I loved this intelligent and inventive novel and I'm sure that it will find legions of fans amongst aficionados of classic crime. It's the most fun I've had in ages -- Cathy Rentzenbrink
An ingenious exploration of the crime genre * Literary Review *
An enthrallingly layered literary mystery * News Letter *
A brilliantly conceived novel . . . "I didn't see that coming", you'll say * Shots Magazine *
Ingenious . . . perfect for fans of Agatha Christie * Best *
A clever read * Woman *
[An] impressive evocation of the golden age of crime fiction * Sunday Times *

Author Bio

Alex Pavesi lives in London, where he writes full time. He previously worked as a software engineer and before that obtained a PhD in Mathematics. He enjoys puzzles, long walks and recreational lock picking.