The first of Peter May's electrifying China Thrillers, featuring Beijing detective Li Yan and American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell--and the explosive chemistry between them. "Stunningly original." --Scotland on Sunday "Highly recommended." --Larry Gandle, Deadly Pleasures "A fascinating look at the new China." --Kirkus Reviews A grotesquely burned corpse found in a city park is a troubling mystery for Beijing detective Li Yan. Yan, devoted to his career as a means of restoring the respect his family lost during the Cultural Revolution, needs outside help if he is to break the case. The unidentified cadaver in turn provides a welcome distraction for forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell. Campbell, married to her work and having left America and her broken past behind, throws herself into the investigation and before long uncovers a bizarre anomaly. An unlikely partnership develops between Li and Campbell as they follow the resulting lead. A fiery and volatile chemistry ignites, exposing not only their individual demons, but an even greater evil--a conspiracy that threatens their lives, as well as those of millions of others.

THE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY AND THE ENZO FILES AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021 'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland 'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of Books The first of Peter May's China critically acclaimed thrillers featuring Beijing detective Li Yan and American pathologist Margaret Campbell. LI YAN A grotesquely burned corpse found in a city park is a troubling mystery for Beijing detective Li Yan. Yan, devoted to his career as a means of restoring the respect his family lost during the Cultural Revolution, needs outside help if he is to break the case. MARGARET CAMPBELL The unidentified cadaver in turn provides a welcome distraction for forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell. Campbell, married to her work and having left America and her broken past behind, throws herself into the investigation, and before long uncovers a bizarre anomaly. THE FIREMAKER An unlikely partnership develops between Li and Campbell as they follow the resulting lead. A fiery and volatile chemistry ignites: exposing not only their individual demons, but an even greater evil - a conspiracy that threatens their lives, as well as those of millions of others. LOVED THE FIREMAKER? Read the second book in the series, THE FOURTH SACRIFICE LOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE

Lila dreams to become a firework-maker, just like her father. In order to become a true firework-maker, she sets off alone on a perilous journey to reach the terrifying Fire-Fiend. She travels through jungles alive with crocodiles, snakes, monkeys and pirates, and climbs up the scolding volcano. On finding the Fire-Fiend, she realises more is at stake than she ever imagined. Will Lila survive? Lila’s is the kind of magical adventure that all children dream of and the gripping story of the fleet-footed heroine will livelong in the memory of anyone who enters her world.

The Beijing Ripper makes a personal vendetta against Detective Li Yan in the thrilling final episode of the series... GRUESOME MURDERS His victims are young, beautiful and coldly mutilated. He calls himself the Beijing Ripper. Li Yan, head of Beijing's serious crime squad, must stop him. FEARSOME LETTERS Just as pathologist Margaret Campbell finds an insight into the killer's cruel signature, Li receives a letter from the killer, betraying his cruel intentions. CHINESE WHISPERS There's no way Li can misinterpret the Ripper's motives: he wants to tear Li and Campbell's lives apart, and write the darkest chapter in Beijing's history.

"AN ELECTRIFYING MIXTURE OF MYSTERY, ROMANCE, AND HISTORY." --Kirkus Reviews "MAY'S WELL-PLOTTED FOLLOW UP... AMPLIFIES HIS VIVID PICTURE OF A CHAOTIC, VITAL MODERN-DAY CHINA" --Publishers Weekly Li Yan and Margaret Campbell are reluctantly reunited, this time to track down a killer reenacting a series of gruesome rituals. The Chinese police have once more been forced to enlist the services of American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell, this time to investigate a series of four horrific ritual executions in Beijing. Detective Li Yan is determined to discover just how one of the victims in particular, an American diplomat, became caught up in the slaying. And he is arguably even more determined to have nothing to do with Campbell, whom he finds simultaneously too foreign and too . . . familiar. The personal polarity that once attracted Yan and Campbell again strengthens their professional partnership. Yet the closer they draw to the truth, the greater the danger posed by a killer prepared to do anything to conceal it.

Named Best First Novel by Locus 'Twas a time when dragons left their lair and evil shadowed the land.... On the Day of Reckoning, the witches of Eileanan were outlawed--and violations of the new order were punishable by death. Eileanan's Great Towers, once meccas of magic and learning, were left in ruins. And now, the entire land trembles in fear.... Yet deep in the mountains, in the shadow of Dragonclaw, a young girl is being tutored in the old ways. Ignorant of her past, uncertain of her future, the foundling Isabeau will soon be forced down a dangerous path of prophesy, conspiracy, and magic. It is a world where dragons possess the key to ancient mysteries...where a lost prince will discover a strange and wondrous destiny...and where the ultimate battle between good and evil will be waged.... A new Day of Reckoning is at hand....

In Eileanan, victory has finally been won, and those of faery kind—from the mighty dragons to the mysterious nyx—have sworn their friendship and aid. Only the sea-dwelling Fairgean have refused to sign the Pact of Peace. Driven by ancient hatreds, they have devoted themselves to destroying all who dwell upon the land. Troubled by the darkness that may lie ahead, Lachlan agrees to release his beloved Iseult from the sacred oath that binds them together. It will then be for Iseult to decide whether she will remain in the mountains to resume life with her own kin, or return to the man who let her go. To help bring peace to Eileanan, Iseult’s flame-haired twin, Isabeau, must also face her most difficult challenge yet. But before she can prove herself worthy of both the scar of the Soul-Sage and the ring of the sorceress, she must first find a way to heal her own wounded spirit.