Archives par étiquette : John Verdon

GHOST BARN de John Verdon

Ex-homicide detective and puzzle-solving master David Gurney comes out of retirement to solve seemingly impossible murder cases. Blending hard-boiled noir fiction with the pleasures of classic “whodunit” puzzle- solving, Verdon has written a “hero for the ages” (David Baldacci).

GHOST BARN
by John Verdon
Counterpoint, September 2026
(via The Friedrich Agency)

The thrilling conclusion to the retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney saga.

Ghosts are returning from the past to trouble Dave Gurney’s peace as a local election sees a powerful real estate mogul with plans for a massive development face off against a librarian and ardent conservationist. When bodies start turning up and the local police turn a blind eye, Gurney suspects he’s the town’s only hope.

But involvement comes at a price. His last case early got his best friend killed, and it shattered his marriage. In the aftermath, he’s focused on breaking his reliance on police work in hopes of rekindling things with his wife, Madeleine. Can he ignore what’s happening and potentially let a murderer run amok, or will he once again dive into the darkness, giving in to his obsessive need to solve the unsolvable—even if it costs him Madeleine for good? One thing is clear: This harrowing, confounding case will be his last.

John Verdon is the author of the Dave Gurney series of thrillers, international bestsellers published in more than two dozen languages: Think of a Number, Shut Your Eyes Tight, Let the Devil Sleep, Peter Pan Must Die, Wolf Lake, White River Burning, On Harrow Hill, and The Viper.

THE VIPER de John Verdon

Ex-homicide detective and puzzle-solving master David Gurney comes out of retirement to solve seemingly impossible murder cases in John Verdon’s ever-popular thriller series. Blending hard-boiled noir fiction with the pleasures of classic « whodunit » puzzle-solving, Verdon has written a “hero for the ages” (David Baldacci).

THE VIPER
by John Verdon
Counterpoint, July 2023
(via The Friedrich Agency)

The bloody finale of Dave Gurney’s previous case has left him and his wife Madeleine shell-shocked and determined to return to normality. But when an old friend comes calling for Gurney’s insight on a cold case, it’s Madeleine who pushes him to lend his thoughts. Try as he might, Gurney can’t resist getting drawn into the murder case—this one, involving a debauched former tennis star and a beheaded corpse. His initial efforts incite fury from both sides of the law: the criminal forces behind it, and the law enforcement personnel who stand to lose everything if Gurney succeeds in uncovering the truth. For the first time in his life, Gurney finds himself on the run but even the risk of losing his marriage, his reputation and his best friend can’t stop his relentless quest for answers. Gurney will learn that justice comes at a great cost.

John Verdon is a former Manhattan advertising executive who lives with his wife in the mountains of upstate New York. His first three Dave Gurney novels, Think of a Number, Shut Your Eyes Tight, and Let the Devil Sleep, are all international bestsellers.

Les meilleurs livres de l’été 2014 selon PW

Comme chaque année, Publisher Weekly a établi une liste des « must read » pour l’été à venir, parmi lesquels les ouvrages suivants que nous représentons :

CATÉGORIE FICTION

THE ANTIQUARIAN de Gustavo Faveron Patriau (Grove/Black Cat)

« The best literary puzzle of the summer finds psycholinguist Gustavo piecing together clues fed to him by his old friend Daniel, who’s currently locked up in a mental institution for murdering his fiancée. This perfect blend of page-turning narrative and knockout prose is as good as it gets—Patriau’s book is pure pitch-black fun. »

 

THIS IS THE WATER de Yannick Murphy (Harper Perennial)

« In this obscenely suspenseful novel, written in second-person and spread out over 48 short chapters, a serial killer is scoping out potential victims from a girls high school swim team. But Murphy, no stranger to stylistic experimentation, inverts this story from a whodunit to a “whogotit” by revealing the identity of the killer early, and drawing dramatic tension from the question of which character will solve the crime. »

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CATÉGORIE MISTERY / THRILLER

 PETER PAN MUST DIE de John Verdon (Crown)

Droits de traduction en langue française : éd. Grasset

« Verdon’s distinctive blend of brilliant puzzle and psychological insight into his sleuth, retired NYPD homicide detective Dave Gurney, has never been better than in this fourth series entry. Can Gurney prove the innocence of Kay Spalter, who was convicted of the shooting death of her husband, a gubernatorial candidate, while he was delivering the eulogy at his mother’s funeral? »

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CATÉGORIE NONFICTION

THE THIRD PLATE de Dan Barber (Penguin)

Barber, journalist and chef of the trailblazing farm-to-table restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, New York, offers this multilayered narrative that addresses where food comes from—that is, from « soil, » « land, » « sea, » to « seed. » Barber’s work is a deeply thoughtful and—offering a « menu for 2050″—even visionary work for a sustainable food chain.

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CATÉGORIE YOUNG ADULT

LIKE NO OTHER de Una LaMarche (Razorbill)

LaMarche’s second novel is a thrilling Brooklyn romance—Crown Heights, to be specific. Yes, the excitement of first love is a big part of that thrill, but so are the stakes: for Devorah, her Hasidic family’s traditions mean that she shouldn’t even be speaking to a boy like Jaxon, let alone allowing him into her heart. The relationship that develops between two teenagers who live mere blocks apart yet worlds apart tests their friendships, faith, and families, as LaMarche explores persistent prejudices, crises of conscience, a hunger for independence, and the potential for love to beat the odds.