New Reviews: Bilal, Brandreth, Carter, de Giovanni, McGowan, Smith

Win Carnage by Maxim Chattam (UK only).

Here are this week's reviews, with two set in Italy, two with missing children themes, plus non Euro settings including Cairo, Russia and the USA:

Lynn Harvey strongly recommends Parker Bilal's The Golden Scales, which introduces Makana, a Sudanese exile who's fetched up in Cairo, now working as a PI;

There are more literary capers from Gyles Brandreth in his Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders, out in paperback this week, and reviewed here by Terry Halligan;

Michelle Peckham suspends disbelief and rather enjoys Philip Carter's globe-trotting Altar of Bones now out in paperback;

Maxine Clarke reviews one of an increasing number of titles from Italian authors being translated into English, with Maurizio de Giovanni's I Will Have Vengeance, tr. Anne Milano Appel the first in the Commissario Ricciardi series;

Lizzie Hayes reviews Claire McGowan's debut novel, The Fall set in London and calls it "an amazing first book"

and Susan White reviews Anna Smith's second Rosie Gilmour book, To Tell the Truth which she found slightly uncomfortable reading due to its similarity to the 'Maddy' case.

Previous reviews can be found in the review archive.

Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, here and new titles by Janet Laurence, James Runcie, Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Anne Zouroudi have been added to these pages this week.

New Reviews: Carter, Casey, Craig, James, Kerrigan, Sigurdardottir, Vichi, Wakling

Closing today: competition: Win a set of 3 books by Armand Cabasson (UK only)

Here are this week's reviews, which include visits to Greenland, Ireland and Italy as well as the UK:

Amanda Gillies reviews globe-trotting thriller Altar of Bones by "Philip Carter" the speculation on "his" identity ranges from Harlan Coben to Penelope Williamson;

Susan White reviews Jane Casey's second novel and first in the DC Maeve Kerrigan series, The Burning;

Geoff Jones reviews James Craig's debut London Calling which has been available on Kindle for a while but the paperback is due out next week;

Mark Bailey joins the review team with his review of Peter James's Dead Man's Grip;

Terry Halligan reviews Gene Kerrigan's The Rage;

Maxine Clarke reviews Yrsa Sigurdardottir's The Day is Dark, tr. Philip Roughton in which Thora and Matthew go to Greenland (for a very X-files sounding mystery!);

I review Marco Vichi's Death in August, tr. Stephen Sartarelli set in post-war Florence, the first in the Inspector Bordelli series

and Laura Root reviews Christopher Wakling's standalone set in Bristol after the abolition of slavery: The Devil's Mask.

Previous reviews can be found in the review archive and forthcoming titles can be found by author or date, here.