Playing with Death - by Simon Scarrow & Lee Francis (Hardcover)

About the Book

FBI Special Agent Rose Blake has faced evil and survived. Haunted by a failed undercover mission, Rose can't shake the memory of her close encounter with a ruthless serial killer - one who could strike again without warning. The call to investigate a suspected arson attack that's left a man dead is a welcome distraction. It's not the kind of case usually assigned to the FBI, but nothing about this crime is usual. As Rose digs deeper, she finds herself confronting the sort of imagination her son might see in the fantasy worlds of his video games. But when your opponent is a killer, nothing feels like a game.

Book Synopsis

'This fast, furious, twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat' Chris Ryan

'If Stephen King had collaborated with Michael Crichton on a thriller, it might have been as good as this'Peterborough Evening Telegraph

A UNEXPLAINED DEATH

The discovery of a horribly mutilated corpse launches FBI Agent Rose Blake into a puzzling investigation. The victim was alone at home with no signs of forced entry. Who - or what - burnt him to death?

THE GAME BEGINS

Strips of rubber melted to the body emerge as evidence that the victim was wearing The Skin, an innovation that takes users deep into the virtual world.

ESCAPE OR DIE...

When a body with identical wounds is discovered, Rose realises that in the darkest corners of the Dark Web, a brutal killer is playing a deadly game. A game with no rules - and no mercy. To stop it, Rose must play too...

What readers are saying about Playing with Death:

'An edgy, pacy, futuristic and oh so very polished cyber thriller...intelligent, perceptive...exciting' trevtwinem.booklikes.com

'[A] fast-paced thriller of the highest quality...The pace of the story is relentless...Would highly recommend' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'Grips you from the beginning and races to a most exciting and enigmatic ending. It was one of those books that call you back every time you are dragged away. I absolutely loved it' www.crimesquad.com, 5 stars

'Aleading-edge thriller...My skin crawled quite a bit whilst reading this...A great novel that explores some brilliant concepts' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'Addictive...thought provoking...Definitely recommended' Goodreads reviewer, 4 stars

'Makes you lie in bed and go over every possible theory in your head...I can't recommend this book enough. If you're a fan of Simon Scarrow or just love a good crime thriller then do not hesitate to read this book' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'A terrific thriller' Goodreads reviewer, 4 stars

Review Quotes

Gripping... Ferocious and compelling--Daily Express

Gripping... [Scarrow's] sense of plot and pace is strong--The Times

Grips you from the beginning and races to a most exciting and enigmatic ending--5 stars, www.crimesquad.com

Intrigue, treachery and violence... intense action, beguiling characters and authentic detail--Publishers Weekly

Top stuff--Daily Telegraph

Praise for Simon Scarrow's novels:
'Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best'

--Independent

A fast-moving and exceptionally well-paced historical thriller--BBC History Magazine

An amazing roller-coaster of a ride... Fantastic... A cracking historical thriller--Manda Scott

An edgy, pacy, futuristic and oh so very polished cyber thriller--www.trevtwinem.booklikes.com

If Stephen King had collaborated with Michael Crichton on a thriller, it might have been as good as this. It's a grab-you-by-the-throat page-ripper'--Peterborough Evening Telegraph

This fast, furious, twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat--Chris Ryan

What starts as a gripping killer thriller morphs into a serious and frankly scary examination of the possible threats the development of AI poses for humanity--Irish Independent

About the Author

A regular on the Sunday Times bestseller list with his historical novels, Simon Scarrow launches an exciting new strand to his writing with PLAYING WITH DEATH, written with Lee Francis: both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and a terrifying exploration of the dangers of the modern world.

Simon's Eagles of the Empire novels are legendary amongst readers of historical fiction, and all his novels, including the World War II thriller HEARTS OF STONE, have been acclaimed by reviewers and readers alike. Prior to writing fiction Simon worked as a teacher and lecturer; he is now a full-time writer.

Lee Francis worked for several years in the world of film, TV and advertising as a script reader and assistant director. PLAYING WITH DEATH, written with his former lecturer Simon Scarrow, is his first novel.