The Hardboiled Collective

As a writer of hardboiled crime - yeah, that's another name for crime thrillers if you hadn't heard - I was pleased when approached by book reviewer and author JV Steen of Sons Of Spade to join a group of likeminded authors to help promote and support others in our field. I was delighted to do so and have joined the Hardboiled Collective. Over the coming months I will be bringing you news of each author and their current book but for a quick overview you might want to take a quick look at this Listmania entry over at Amazon:

Basically, if you like Joe Hunter, or you like Jack Reacher, then you're more than likely going to like the writing of these fine individuals.

First up is news about a brand new e-antholgy of short stories from fellow Brit - and Cumbrian - Zoe Sharp whose Charlie Fox collection FOX FIVE has just come available on Kindle. 

FOX FIVE is a collection of stories by the highly acclaimed crime thriller writer, Zoë Sharp. All feature her ex-Special Forces soldier turned self-defence expert and bodyguard, Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Fox.

In A Bridge Too Far, we meet Charlie before she’s become a professional in the world of close protection. When she agrees to hang out with the local Dangerous Sports Club, she has no idea it will soon live up to its name.

Postcards From Another Country has Charlie guarding the ultra-rich Dempsey family against attempted assassination – no matter where the danger lies.

A finalist for the CWA Short Story Dagger, Served Cold puts another tough woman centre stage – the mysterious Layla, with betrayal in her past and murder in her heart.

Off Duty finds Charlie taking time away from close protection after injury. She still finds trouble, even in an out-of-season health spa in the Catskill Mountains.

And finally, Truth And Lies puts all Charlie’s skills and ingenuity to the test as she has to single-handedly extract a news team from a rapidly escalating war zone.

Also included: Excerpt from KILLER INSTINCT: Charlie Fox book one, Meet Charlie Fox, Meet Zoë Sharp, info on the other books in the Charlie Fox series.

Praise for Zoë Sharp and Charlie Fox:

‘Ill-tempered, aggressive and borderline psychotic, Fox is also compassionate, introspective and highly principled: arguably one of the most enigmatic − and coolest − heroines in contemporary genre fiction.’ Paul Goat Allen, Chicago Tribune

'If you don't like Zoë Sharp there's something wrong with you. Go and live in a cave and get the hell out of my gene pool! There are few writers who go right to the top of my TBR pile − Zoë Sharp is one of them.' Stuart MacBride

'Anyone with a brain wants Charlie Fox for the girl next door. Funny, compassionate, and with moves that can − and do − kill, Charlie is the indelible creation of the remarkable Zoë Sharp.’ Gayle Lynds

P.S. I left Zoe Sharp's book off my previous entry in anticipation of doing this one. Charlie Fox could easily sit alongside any of the tough guys mentioned in my 'If you like Joe Hunter piece...' below...