Part of Series
"Some games aren't meant to be played..." When the body of a City banker is discovered with a soaking wet playing card pinned to his chest and a water pistol nearby, DCI Declan Walsh is thrust into a deadly game twenty years in the making. As more bodies appear, each staged with cards and water weapons, Walsh uncovers a chilling twelve friends who've been playing an elaborate game since university are now being hunted for real. For two decades, "The Royal Court" has maintained their yearly tradition, stalking each other across London with water weapons and playing cards. But when the game evolves into something darker—with consequences spilling into real life—it creates a perfect breeding ground for secrets, resentment, and revenge. Now, as the body count rises, Declan must navigate a maze where the line between game and murder blurs with each new victim. Everyone is both suspect and potential target, and behind the playing cards and staged crime scenes lies a labyrinth of toxic friendships, buried secrets, and psychological manipulation. In this twisted tournament of deception, the most dangerous player isn't necessarily the one holding the weapon... It's the one you never saw coming.
Author
Jack Gatland is the pen name of #1 New York Times Bestselling Writer Tony Lee, who has been writing in all medias for over thirty years including comics, graphic novels, middle grade books, audio drama, TV and film for DC, Marvel, BBC, ITV, Random House, Penguin USA, Hachette and a ton of other publishers and broadcasters on licenses such as Doctor Who, Spider Man, X-Men, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Doctors, Wallace and Gromit and Shrek. As Tony, he’s toured the country talking to reluctant readers with his ‘Change The Channel’ school tours. He’s currently a member of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, the Society of Authors, The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers and the Crime Writer’s Association. As Jack, he’s writing a new series of Crime Thrillers starring Detective Inspector Declan Walsh, recently seconded to the City of London Police department known as the Last Chance Saloon. The first twelve of these, LETTER FROM THE DEAD, MURDER OF ANGELS, HUNTER HUNTED, WHISPER FOR THE REAPER, TO HUNT A MAGPIE, A RITUAL FOR THE DYING, KILLING THE MUSIC, A DINNER TO DIE FOR, BEHIND THE WIRE, HEAVY IS THE CROWN, STALKING THE RIPPER and A QUIVER OF SORROWS are available now, with book thirteen, MURDER BY MISTLETOE released in December 2022 – with further adventures continuing throughout 2023. In addition to that, the first book in a new series of Adventure Mysteries starring Robin-Hood style con-man forger-turned treasure hunter Damian Lucas, THE LIONHEART CURSE was released in January 2022, and he has both a new series of crime procedurals, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring ‘Cop for Criminals’ Ellie Reckless including PAINT THE DEAD and STEAL THE GOLD, and a new spy series, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring burned MI5 agent Tom Marlowe including SLEEPING SOLDIERS and TARGET LOCKED. He can be found at www.tonylee.co.uk and www.jackgatland.com.
