A murdered migrant is the first big case for the embattled DS Alexandra Cupidi in a new series by the acclaimed author of The Birdwatcher
'William Shaw is one of the great rising talents of UK crime fiction. This is his best book to date' Peter James
'Taut, terrifying and timely' Val McDermid
'William Shaw is a superb storyteller' Peter May
SHE ALWAYS WENT TOO FAR
DS Alexandra Cupidi has done it again. She should have learnt to keep her big mouth shut, after the scandal that sent her packing - resentful teenager in tow - from the London Met to the lonely Kent coastline. Murder is different here, among the fens and stark beaches.
SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND THE KILLERS
The man drowned in the slurry pit had been herded there like an animal. He was North African, like many of the fruit pickers that work the fields. The more Cupidi discovers, the more she wants to ask - but these people are suspicious of questions.
AND NOW IT WAS KILLING HER
It will take an understanding of this strange place - its old ways and new crimes - to uncover the dark conspiracy behind the murder. Cupidi is not afraid to travel that road. But she should be. She should, by now, have learnt.
Salt Lane is the first in the new DS Alexandra Cupidi series. With his trademark characterisation and flair for social commentary, William Shaw has crafted a crime novel for our time that grips you, mind and heart.
William Shaw is one of the great rising talents of UK crime fiction. This is his best book to date, instantly engaging, beautifully written with really well observed and rounded characters. - Peter James
Salt Lane is taut, terrifying and timely; the emotional tension never slackens - Val McDermid
What a pleasure it is when one discovers a writer who combines ironclad storytelling techniques with the linguistic finesse of more literary novelists. William Shaw is surely such a writer, a man whose command of narrative grips the reader by the throat from page one, and never lets go - Barry Forshaw, Independent
Shaw's talent for sensuous storytelling comes to the fore . . . Goes from strength to strength, while making it all seem effortless. - Daily Mail
The question of why a killer kills is always central. William Shaw delivers a perfect motive - Spectator, on The Birdwatcher
William Shaw makes his sentences sing - New York Daily News
Superb . . . an emotional intensity found only in the very best crime fiction - Sunday Times, on A Book of Scars
Intriguing and atmospheric, Salt Lane covers tough topics with sensitivity, a dash of humour and above all, beautiful writing. I love the whole Cupidi family - mother, daughter and child. I don't think there are any other crime novels I've read that are exploring this kind of family dynamic. - Susi Holliday
William Shaw has been shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger, longlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and nominated for a Barry Award. A regular at festivals, he organises panel talks and CWA events across the south east. His books include the acclaimed Breen & Tozer crime series set in sixties London, the newest series featuring DS Alexandra Cupidi, and the standalone bestseller The Birdwatcher. He worked as a journalist for over twenty years and lives in Brighton.