Christmas Best-Sellers?

Taking a look at the Amazon Kindle Thriller/Adventure best-seller lists makes for interesting reading. Desmond Bagley is up there, along with contemporary Alistair MacLean. You can always rely on them both any time of year to carry the flag for the genre. There’s the ubiquitous Lee Child of course sailing high above everyone in first place, and the brilliant and consistent Jeffery Deaver too. What may surprise you is that Bagley protege John Templeton-Smith is up there alongside them, and beating some in the numbers game, with his John Winter trilogy and latest release Ghosts of Greenland. Just goes to show what enduring effect a good teacher can have!

Readers though, aren’t always interested in numbers. They are often more loyal to their authors and genres than publishers might expect. What is heartening to learn is that the thriller genre is going from strength to strength. People buy it, read it and love it. Maybe we are reading more at the moments to escape the worries and scares of the world around us. If that is the case there can hardly be a better medicine for the soul than escapism through the pages of a well-written book.

Ghosts of Greenland

Desmond Bagley’s friend and protégé, John Templeton-Smith has a thriller out this month from Silvertail books. It’s called “Ghosts of Greenland” and will be initially available in Kindle eBook format from Amazon on the 26th November. This was originally released in 1984 as “Patterson’s Volunteers”, but has been hard to find recently, so the new version will be much welcomed by fans of the thriller genre and readers wanting to experience the power and excitement of John’s writing style.

HOWDUNIT - A Masterclass in Crime Writing

The 17th September 2020 will see the publication of a new anthology of “Howdunits”. A new word to many, perhaps. This book is a curated selection of essays and articles by famous authors who are, or were once, members of The Detection Club, talking about their craft in the Crime and Detection genre, edited by well-known expert on the subject, author Martin Edwards. Desmond Bagley features here as can be seen from the, slightly  eye-goggling cover art. You might need a little help to spot him, so I’ll give you a clue – Lower-left quadrant, just above Agatha Christie.

White Lie - Still topping the charts

John Templeton Smith was Desmond Bagley’s protégé and his scorching novel “White Lie” is still riding high in the Amazon Kindle charts. It’s the first part of a trilogy introducing character John Winter, a hero in the mould of Jack Reacher, perhaps shorter, slightly older, but just as deadly. Oh, and he was created a decade or so earlier. Kindle price just £0.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. Lockdown is unpleasant but why not make the best of it?

Good News

John Templeton-Smith’s thriller series starring hero John Winter has got off to a great start. White Lie, the first of the three, is riding high in the Amazon Kindle best-sellers ratings. Remember, as an introductory offer, the novel can be bought for just £0.99 or read for free with Kindle Unlimited.

John Templeton-Smith

Desmond Bagley’s friend and author-student, John Templeton Smith is back in print with his best-selling John Winter trilogy. This is a gripping series from a remarkable author who sets the world of adventure ablaze from page one – and once started doesn’t let you go until the very end. The trilogy comes either as a box-set or individual thrillers: Remarkably, if you are a member of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription club you can read the set for free, otherwise a very reasonable £8.99 will get you a permanent Kindle eBook copy of all three. Of course you can also order paperbacks too if you wish. As an introduction, for a short-time only, the first in the series – White Lie – can be bought for just £0.99. If you enjoy a top-quality British thriller by a master of the genre, this is a treat not to be missed. While you are looking at the Amazon book pages please scroll down to the Author Biography where John gives due credit to his friend and mentor, and even offers a little more insight into the inception of Desmond Bagley’s first novel – The Golden Keel.

May Update

First things first. I hope all our visitors, fans and readers are keeping themselves safe and healthy, self-isolating and only going out when necessary. These are unsettling times and we all need to stick together, despite lockdown, to get through this. The paperback edition of Domino Island is still on target to be released on the 28th May 2020. My guess is the reason it hasn’t been delayed is that it is all the holiday and travel guides due to be released for the new season that are being held back. The hardback edition continues to be sold at a terrific price on Amazon UK. Logically this may change when the paperback is released. Remember you can buy ebooks and audiobooks too if you don’t want to add to our Posties burden as they keep delivering throughout the pandemic. 

Domino Island – Hardback  available now. 

Domino Island – Paperback, due 25th May 2020. 

Domino Island – Kindle available now. 

Domino Island – Audiobook available now. 

Domino Island – Kobo ebook available now. 

Domino Island – Kobo Audiobook available now. 

 Enjoy your enforced free-time by reading a good book. They have the power to transport us away from worry and beyond geographical boundaries. Now is perhaps the time to dive into that pile of “books to be read”, sitting on the shelf, staring back at you accusingly! 

With best wishes to all. Take care.