Launched December 2017 in UK and USA

Beau Death opens with a wrecking ball crashing into the roof of a small terraced house in Bath. When the dust has cleared, a skeleton in eighteenth century clothes is revealed. Can this possibly be Richard ‘Beau’ Nash, the man who by force of personality turned a Somerset backwater into the most fashionable city in Britain? Clues emerge that suggest as much and, more worryingly, that a murder was committed.

Peter Diamond and his team are reluctantly put to work on what seems an impossible historical quest. Then a modern murder is committed in front of a vast audience at the World Fireworks Competition right next to the Royal Crescent. This apparently unconnected killing galvanizes the team but has the unexpected effect of bringing Beau Nash and his death to centre stage.

Through a series of bizarre occurrences, the Beau refuses to be side-lined. Diamond is by turns mystified, angry and close to paranoia. Under such pressure can he solve both cases? Regular readers may guess the answer, but of course Diamond never relies on guesswork.

UK Publisher:
Sphere 14 December 2017 ISBN: 978-0751570687

US Publisher:
Soho Crime 5 December 2017 ISBN: 978-1616959050

The Critics’ Verdict on Beau Death

‘Astonishingly convincing and inventive . . . The two things you need to get you through the winter in one piece are the flu jab and a Lovesey whodunnit.’
Mat Coward in The Morning Star

‘A first-rate mystery. Peter Lovesey rarely puts a foot wrong.’
Barry Turner in The Daily Mail

‘Peter Lovesey – the dean of English mystery novelists – remains as ingenious as ever in Beau Death.’
Michael Dirda in The Washington Post

‘Beau Death is a doozy . . . Lovesey seems to have outdone himself with the labyrinthine maze of multiple murders and mysterious conundrums.’
Robert Alan Papinchek in The Strand Magazine

‘Peter Lovesey is one author who can grab me on the title page, . . . he’s very, very good and knows his Bath history inside out . . . This is a great puzzle plot that will keep you guessing. Just what Lovesey does best.’
Margaret Cannon in The Toronto Globe & Mail

‘The book, I am happy to say, is as tightly plotted and absorbing as the best of Lovesey’s long-running series.’
Adam Woog in The Seattle Times

‘Witty, stylish and a bit of a rogue – that’s what people said about Richard Nash, known as Beau, the notorious dandy who transformed the English city of Bath into “the18th-century equivalent of Vegas.” The same might be said of Peter Lovesey, whose elegant mysteries pay tribute to the past glories of this beautiful city.’
Marilyn Stasio in The New York Times

‘It’s a mystery that could easily be played for farce, but Lovesey employs his dry, caustic humor to cutting effect.’
Lloyd Sachs in The Chicago Tribune

‘Peter Lovesey has a knack – to borrow a phrase from the Roman philosopher Seneca – for grabbing readers by the lapels and leading or dragging them on, willy-nilly, through a maze of blind-corner surprises and unexpected plot twists . . . it’s hard to imagine a more pleasurable way to read away the long hours of a quiet, wintry night.’
Doug Childers in The Richmond Times Dispatch

‘Lovesey moves from one dexterously nested puzzle to the next with all the confidence of a magician who knows the audience won’t see through his deceptions no matter how slowly he unveils them.’
Kirkus Reviews

‘The plot is one of Lovesey’s cleverest and the book is full of his trademark wry humor.’
Publishers Weekly

‘It is a wonderful series which rivals in quality the best of Reginald Hill (Dalziel & Pascoe) and Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse). What’s not to like about the irascible and brilliant Peter Diamond? And how in the world does Peter Lovesey come up with the fascinatingly intricate plots based on esoteric subjects and backgrounds? A marvellous read and an extraordinary series by a proven pro.’
George Easter in Deadly Pleasures

‘One of the best entries in a long-running series, this exceptional police procedural is packed with imperfect and engaging characters, sophisticated plotting, and abundantly detailed historical tidbits.’
Library Journal

‘Highly readable . . . Mr Lovesey moves from a hilarious launching of the plot to a delectable collection of vivid characters and an avalanche of clues.’
Muriel Dobbin in The Washington Times

‘There’s plenty of suspense here – action too – all told in Lovesey’s effortlessly elegant manner.’
Booklist

‘Mystery fans who are just discovering Lovesey will no doubt be delighted to find that he has such a rich and deep back catalog to enjoy. His Grand Master award is well-deserved indeed.’
Sue Trowbridge in The Saturday Reader

‘If you like your police procedurals intriguing, solid and well-written, Lovesey’s your man – just as he’s been for dad and grandad.’
Jon Wise in Weekend Sport

‘Beau Death is a delight and an incentive to investigate other Detective Peter Diamond mysteries.’
Toni V Sweeney in the New York Journal of Books

‘He’s a wonderful entertainer . . . For me, Peter Lovesey’s characterisation, humour and plotting are key, and I’m glad to report that these are here in abundance.’
Martin Edwards in Do You Write Under Your Own Name?

‘As Beau Death elegantly demonstrates, nobody is better than Lovesey at mixing puzzle and procedural. Diamond with his mordant humor is, as always, razor sharp and thoroughly engaging.’
Irma Heldman in Open Letters Monthly

‘Lovesey’s signature understated humor, often historical and at times hysterical, finds its way onto pretty much every page.’
Bruce Tierney in BookPage

‘Beau Death is simply terrific . . . The humor is dry, but it is there in spades, as is the clever, puzzling and unforgettable mystery.’
Joe Hartlaub in 20SomethingReads

‘Beau Death is an absolute delight to read . . . There’s a very good reason why he has won lifetime achievement awards: he knows how to tell a tale that will keep you hooked from first page to last.’
Cathy in Kittling:Books

‘Why we really look forward every year to Peter Diamond’s return is Lovesey’s calm, professional mastery of the elements of crime fiction . . . Although there’s nor a sprig of holly, not a flake of snow in sight, Beau Death would make a splendid gift.’
Yvonne Klein in ReviewingtheEvidence.com

‘Peter Lovesey has created an intricate and multi-layered puzzle . . . Fans of Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson and Deborah Crombie are sure to love Beau Death.’
Jessica Howard in Shelf Awareness

A Peter Diamond Mystery

Another One Goes Tonight was published in July 2016 by Sphere in the UK and Soho Crime in the USA.

Peter Diamond, the Bath detective brilliant at rooting out murder, is peeved at being diverted to Professional Standards to enquire into a police car accident. Arriving late at the scene, he discovers an extra victim thrown onto an embankment – unconscious and unnoticed. Diamond administers CPR, but no one can say whether the elderly tricyclist will pull through.

But why had the man been out in the middle of the night with an urn containing human ashes? Diamond’s suspicions grow after he identifies the accident victim as Ivor Pellegrini, a well-known local eccentric and railway enthusiast. A search of Pellegrini’s workshop proves beyond question that he is involved in a series of uninvestigated deaths. While Pellegrini lingers on life support, Diamond wrestles with the appalling possibility that he has saved the life of a serial killer. Only a full-on murder investigation will uncover the truth.

UK Publisher: Sphere 7 July 2016 ISBN: 978-0751564655
US Publisher: Soho Crime 5 July 2016 ISBN: 978-1616957582

Paeons of Praise for Another One Goes Tonight:

‘”You’re on your own in this game,” Peter Lovesey gives fair warning in Another One Goes Tonight, his latest impeccably constructed mystery featuring the unpredictable but ever-entertaining Detective Peter Diamond of the Bath Constabulary . . . For all the witty jabs taken at English eccentricities, this is a classic whodunit. As Diamond notes, “Taken as problem solving, plotting a murder could be treated like any other engineering project, constructing a turbine or a tunnel.” The same might be said of deconstructing a good murder mystery.”
Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

‘Edgar-finalist Lovesey’s superior 16th whodunit featuring Det. Supt. Peter Diamond (after 2015’s Down Among the Dead Men) offers fair play fans a delightfully clever puzzle that toys with their expectations . . . Lovesey taunts readers with extracts from what appears to be a serial killer’s diary while building up to an ingenious final reveal that highlights his gift for misdirection.’
Publishers Weekly

‘Lovesey’s fans will be overjoyed to watch his series hero, Diamond – smart, obstinate, slyly funny – back in action and they’ll love just as much being made into chumps by a complex plot that the author takes pains eventually to clarify – just before he lets us know we’ve missed everything. Pacing, dialogue, exposition, backstory – nobody handles them better than Lovesey, who always writes elegantly while spinning a tough-minded police procedural.’
Booklist

‘Another absorbing, resourceful English procedural from one of the best.’
Kirkus Reviews

Peter Lovesey sprang to success when his first book won a crime fiction competition. Since then he has collected almost every prize there is, at home and internationally . . . A series of surprises leads up to a skilful and unexpected solution. Another triumph for the old master.
Jessica Mann in the Literary Review

‘If you’re looking for a perfect summer holiday read, pick up Another One Goes Tonight by Peter Lovesey . . . Marvellous misdirection crowns a cunning story, told with gentle humour.’
Mat Coward, Morning Star

‘The story is engaging from the very first scene. Lovesey’s storytelling is darkly funny, with richly drawn characters, detailed police procedure, brilliant dialogue and impeccable plotting.’
Steve Steinbock, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

‘Peter Lovesey is a master of the intricately plotted murder mystery . . . This is easily one of the best and most entertaining mysteries I’ve read in a long time.’
Joseph Scarpato Jr, Mystery Scene

‘With his ear for authentic dialogue laced with black humour, Peter Lovesey opens a tale that is at once improbable but totally convincing. It takes a five-star crime writer to pull off that trick.’
Barry Turner, Daily Mail

‘Awards, including lifetime achievement awards from Malice Domestic (the Agathas) and the Crime Writers Association (the Daggers) have already accrued to Peter Lovesey; yet he continues to produce mysteries that are entertaining, insightful and witty. Another One Goes Tonight is the sixteenth Peter Diamond investigation, and it showcases the author’s clever plotting . . . brilliantly puzzling story.’
Robert C. Hahn, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

‘Peter Lovesey, where have you been all my life? I just met you in book 16 of your series starring the curmudgeonly Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond . . . My bookshelves sag with British authors’ series, so how the heck did I miss Peter Lovesey? No more, my friends, no more. What can be more delightful than finding a witty and erudite author with a huge backlist to devour like chocolate ganache bon bons?’
Roz Shea, Bookreporter.com

‘Delightful . . . the brilliance of the slightly cantankerous and overweight detective superintendent still shines strong. Bringing the beautiful city of Bath and the political problems plaguing modern police departments vividly to life, Another One Goes Tonight is an irresistible entry in the Diamond series.’
Shelf Awareness

‘The character are colourful and engaging; the dialogue is witty; and Lovesey’s prose carries readers effortlessly along a fairly lengthy book. Plus, his puzzle-making skills are top-notch. Matching wits with Diamond makes for a pleasant night’s entertainment. But you’re unlikely to solve the mystery before he does. Lovesey is a master of the genre.’
Doug Childers, Richmond Times-Dispatch

‘If you love to read a mystery that has a wonderfully convoluted plot with lots of misdirection, get your hands on Peter Lovesey’s Another One Goes Tonight: it is a delight. Fast pace. Marvelous plot. Plenty of humor. Stolen treasures. Good solid police work. Another One Goes Tonight is just plain fun to read.’
Kittling Books

‘Peter Lovesey writes some of the most interesting and intricately complex mysteries published today, and Another One Goes Tonight is no exception . . . An absolute thrill.’
Mysterious Reviews

‘Lovesey lays out a classic British mystery here, full of lively twists. Put this one on the summer reading list for pure enjoyment.’
Kingdom Books

‘A sound professional approach to crime, with clues readers can ponder, red herrings to lead them astray . . . who better to turn to for all this, along with an impeccable style and sly wit, than that consummate professional, Peter Lovesey?’
Reviewing the Evidence

‘Lovesey’s prose is so smooth and economic – no wasted words and no dry spots. Just pure reading pleasure. Another One Goes Tonight is a wonderful homage to the puzzle mysteries of the Golden Age, with the added bonus of characters who are fully fleshed out. . . . Long live Peter Lovesey!’
George Easter, Deadly Pleasures

‘The twists and turns; the multiple plotting that leads Diamond in the end to the right answer is never bullying or inhumane; and it is Lovesey’s humanity which makes him the popular – and admired – author he has been for decades.’
Ruth Morse, Crimetime.co.uk

‘Another One Goes Tonight is the latest entry in Peter Lovesey’s long-running series featuring Bath cop Peter Diamond. And the first thing to say is that it’s a hugely enjoyable read with a discursive but ingenious plot in which a whole bunch of inter-related strands are brought together quite splendidly at the end . . . This novel is an example of Peter Lovesey at his best and I recommend it highly.’
Martin Edwards, Do You Write Under Your Own Name?

A Peter Diamond Mystery

Clarion Calhoun is a fading pop star wanting to launch an acting career. The audiences at her debut at Bath’s Theatre Royal are expecting a dramatic evening, but what they get is beyond their wildest imagination. When Clarion is rushed to hospital with third-degree burns, rumours spread through the theatrical community and beyond. In the best theatrical tradition, the show goes on, but the agony turns to murder.

The case falls to Peter Diamond, Bath’s top detective, but for reasons he can’t understand, he suffers a physical reaction amounting to phobia each time he goes near the theatre. As he tries to find its root in his past, the tension at the Theatre Royal mounts, legends come to life and the killer strikes again.

UK Publisher: Sphere 2011 ISBN: 978-1-84744-444-8
US Publisher: Soho Press 2011 ISBN: 978-1-569479476

STAGESTRUCK was picked by the Daily Mail of 16 December as its top-rated Classic Whodunit of 2011. Barry Turner wrote: “May I be forgiven for describing Peter Lovesey as an old pro? It is truly meant as a compliment. With his ever-fresh reworking of the classic formula he never fails to intrigue and mystify. Stagestruck is one of his best.”

STAGESTRUCK was also picked for the New York Times Notable Books of 2011 by Marilyn Stasio, who praised it as a “civilized British detective story.”

Tom Nolan in the Wall Street Journal:

“Master of Moods, From Comic to Grim … In Stagestruck, the 11th book in the series, the puzzling events in Diamond’s latest investigation begin with the facial burns suffered by a fading pop singer in the first moments of her debut as an actress … It proves a challenging assignment for Diamond. The gruff detective has suffered a lifelong, inexplicable fear of being inside theatres. The phobia began in childhood, but he hasn’t a clue what caused it. His female boss suggests that he sees a psychiatrist (‘This is in danger of becoming an obsession’); but the investigator takes a more direct approach, tracking down an old teacher who may be able to shine light on a long-ago trauma… Mr Lovesey is a wizard at mixing character-driven comedy with realistic-to-grim suspense.”

• Wall Street Journal review of Stagestruck

Marilyn Stasio in the New York Times:

“A brilliantly conceived and smartly executed mystery set in the hallowed Theater Royal of Bath … As always, the plot’s the thing with Lovesey, and the solution to the mystery of Clarion’s disfigurement, while arrived at fair and square, is stunning. But the story also has genuine depth and dimension. Working from the droll premise that most of us are stage-struck hams at heart, Lovesey rolls out satirical character sketches of a flamboyant copper who ‘makes a song and dance out of everything,’ an aristocratic trustee who stages amateur shows on the lawn of his stately home, and Diamond’s own superior officer, anxious about her debut in her opera society’s production of ‘SweeneyTodd.’ The only person immune to the allure of the stage is Diamond, whose revulsion for all things theatrical is another minor but intriguing puzzle to be solved before the lights can go up on this dark mystery and the show can finally go on.”

Publishers Weekly in its starred review wrote:

“At the start of Lovesey’s superb 11th mystery featuring Det. Supt. Peter Diamond, pop singer-turned-actress Clarion Calhoun collapses on stage at Bath’s Theater Royal … After the clever reveal of the main criminal, many readers will go back to the beginning to see how artfully a main clue was planted. Once again, Lovesey proves he has few peers as a crafter of contemporary fair-play whodunits.”

A Peter Diamond Mystery, also introducing Hen Mallin

Macavity Award Winner, 2003
Los Angeles Times Book Prize shortlist, 2003
Barry Award shortlist, 2003

“If you were planning a murder and wanted a place to carry it out, a beach would do nicely.”

At first everyone presumed that the woman behind the windbreak was asleep. It was only when the tide was coming in, and all but lapping at her feet, that the most horrific of crimes was discovered.

The first that Bath detective Peter Diamond knows about the crime is when the victim is traced back to his city. Soon the murder enquiry becomes a joint investigation with DCI Hen Mallin. The dead woman turns out to have been a top psychologist and forensic profiler. And at the time of her death she was working on a highly classified case for the National Crime Faculty, attempting to crack the identity of a cold and clever serial killer.

UK Publisher: Little, Brown, 2003 ISBN 0-316-72531-5
US Publisher: Soho Press, 2003 ISBN 1-56947-326-9
UK Paperback: Time Warner, 2004 ISBN 0-7515 -3458-7
Latest US Paperback: Soho Press, 2004 ISBN 1-56947-360-9
Latest UK Paperback: Sphere, 2014 ISBN 978-0751553611

“The writing is as smooth as polished steel, and the small touches that reveal character, especially the memorable Hen, approach genius. This is Lovesey at his best.”
Publishers Weekly

“Brusque Diamond and plain-speaking Mallin make an engaging team, and few, if any, can top Lovesey in not only creating believable red herrings and plot twists but whetting an appetite for reading the English classics from Austen to Coleridge.”
Kirkus Reviews

Peter Lovesey’s The House Sitter is a big book, but the two intriguing puzzles it presents are just right for holiday reading and there’s some entertaining interplay between the author’s regular detective, the irascible Superintendent Peter Diamond, and a feisty woman detective, in whom he has at last met his match.”
Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph

A Peter Diamond Mystery

Anthony Award Winner

The naked body of a woman is found floating in the weeds in a lake near Bath. No one is willing to identify her. There are no marks and there is no murder weapon – a real test of the sleuthing ability of Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond. He is the last detective, not some lad out of police school with a degree in computer studies, but a genuine gumshoe whose heroes wore trilbies and raincoats and solved crimes by question and answer, doorstepping and deduction.

Challenged by petty office politics, frustrated by obstructive tactics, Diamond strikes out on his own. Despite disastrous personal consequences, the last detective exposes the uncomfortable truth.

UK Publisher: Scribners, 1991
US Publisher: Doubleday, 1991
UK Paperback: Warner Futura, 1992
US Paperback: Bantam, 1992
Latest US Paperback: Soho Press, 2000 ISBN 1-56947-209-2
Latest UK Paperback: Sphere, 2014 ISBN 978-0751553680

“This is his first crime story with a contemporary setting, and it is a brilliant performance … We shall be lucky if we get a more baffling or entertaining crime puzzle to read this year.”
Julian Symons, Times Literary Supplement

“The master of the Victorian detective novel turns, for the first time, to a modern whodunit; and a terrific job he makes of it.”
Marcel Berlins, The Times

“Mr Lovesey maintains a wonderful tone throughout, pitched somewhere between the ring of truth and the call of the loon … A comedy of bad manners, full of oddball characters and wacky events develops into a perfectly realized murder mystery whose skilful misdirection never oversteps the bounds of fair play.”
Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal

” The Last Detective is a bravura performance from a veteran showman: slyly paced, marbled with surprise and, in the end, strangely affecting.”
Josh Rubins, New York Times Book Review

“A marvellous achievement – masterfully plotted and totally absorbing over its entire 330 pages.”
Allen J. Hubin, Deadly Pleasures