The Night Ferry [Hardcover]

Michael Robotham’s first literary successes were not in the thriller field. The autobiographies of such celebs as Ricky Tomlinson and Geri Halliwell would be rendered in considerably less impressive English if Robotham had not been the ghost-writing conduit for these non-writers. He spent time with these personalities, absorbing their stories and converted them into books that showcased sometimes very slender talents in the best possible light.

As one of publishing world’s most acclaimed ghost writers, Michael Robotham could have continued to make a comfortable living, but (fortunately for we crime fans) he turned to the field of the psychological thriller, and with some sharply written and assured novels, he has moulded a career as a crime novelist of real accomplishment – all the while doing this under his own name. The Night Ferry is possibly Robotham’s most striking novel yet, recapturing the adrenalin rush of his first novel, The Suspect. Here, DCI Alisha Barber agrees to attend a school reunion, even though she knows such occasions are often grisly ones. Alisha has received a letter from someone she hasn’t heard from in quite a while, Cate Beaumont, asking for help. Cate is pregnant and in danger – and before the two women can talk, she is hit by a speeding car (which also kills her husband). Alisha is there as she dies – and learns the pregnancy is a fake. But why the deception – and the death? With the help of an ex-associate, DI Vincent Ruiz, Alisha soon finds herself investigating a dark world of slavery and sexual trafficking.

It’s possible that Michael Robotham might be tempted back into ghost-writing, but aficionados of strong and acerbic thrillers will hope that he isn’t. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

'With its tight pace and such contemporary social themes as prostitution, infertility and trafficking, as well as an adrenaline-oacked narrative, Ribotham has crafted an enduring and unusual thriller.' Sunday Express 'Alisha is a complex, absorbing character. The pace is fast, the plot is high octane, labyrinthine and utterly credible. It's also a detailed and superbly researched piece of work.' Irish Examiner 'Big build-up, big ending, big book. You'll love it.' Daily Sport 'This gripping thriller is complex, entertaining and at times deeply moving - a fantastic read.' RTE Guide

`Big build-up, big ending, big book. You'll love it.'

`This gripping thriller is complex, entertaining and at times deeply moving - a fantastic read.'

`Alisha is a complex, absorbing character. The pace is fast, the plot is high octane, labyrinthine and utterly credible. It's also a detailed and superbly researched piece of work.'

The gripping new thriller from the author of THE SUSPECT --This text refers to the Perfect Paperback edition.

Alisha Barba's dreams of being a detective were shattered when a murder suspect broke her back across a brick wall. Now on her feet again, with her police career in limbo, she receives a message from an old school friend, Cate Beaumont, who is eight months pregnant and in trouble. On the night they arrange to meet, Cate is mown down by a car that kills her husband instantly. As paramedics fight to save her life they discover there is no baby. Her pregnancy is an elaborate lie, a cruel deception. Why? What happened? As Alisha sets out to answer these questions she is drawn deeper and deeper into a dangerous quest that will take her from the East End of London to Amsterdam's red light district and into a murky underworld of sex trafficking, slavery and exploitation. A gripping thriller, with twists at every turn, The Night Ferry is Michael Robotham's finest novel yet.

Before writing full-time, Michael Robotham was an investigative journalist in Britain, Australia and the US. He is the pseudonymous author of 10 best-selling non-fiction titles, involving prominent figures in the military, the arts, sport and science. He lives in Sydney with his wife and 3 daughters.