Wednesday, September 8, 2010

HUGE! 5-book Simon Serrailler Mystery series Giveaway

The Simon Serrailler mystery series, by author Susan Hill is one of my favorites. I have read all 5 books and reviewed two of them, The Various Haunts of Men (Book 1) and The Shadows in the Street (Book 5).

Thanks to the wonderful people at Overlook Press I have the opportunity to give away to one reader, the ENTIRE, Simon Serrailler series! All five books for one winner!

The winner will receive the following:

The Various Haunts of Men (Paperback)
The Pure in Heart (Paperback)
The Risk of Darkness (Paperback)
The Vows of Silence (Hard Cover)
The Shadows in the Street (Hard Cover)

Here is a brief description of each book. The giveaway details will be at the bottom of the post!

Weaving together a variety of subtly interrelated narratives, British author, Susan Hill embeds a thoughtful reflection on alternative medicine into a taut and suspenseful mystery, the first of a new crime series featuring Chief Insp. Simon Serrailler. Having transferred to the small cathedral town of Lafferton from London's "Met," police detective Freya Graffham explores her new community and becomes fascinated by Serrailler, her enigmatic superior. Though she fits well within the local police force she finds herself unable to let go what seems like a routine missing persons report on a middle-aged spinster. When yet more townspeople turn up missing, her hunch is verified and a serious police search begins, bringing her into closer proximity with Serrailler at the same time it exposes her to danger. A dark but entirely convincing ending may startle some readers, but Hill's fine writing and nuanced insight into human nature should appeal to fans of such masters of the psychological thriller as P.D. James, Elizabeth George and Ruth Rendell.

In Hill's fine second Simon Serrailler crime novel (after The Various Haunts of Men), Inspector Serrailler, who's still brooding over the unsolved murder of a fellow officer a year earlier, has sought solace amid Italian ruins with his sketchbook, more to the disapproval of his father back in England. Summoned home to the cathedral town of Lafferton, Serrailler finds that murder, family break ups and the abduction of a schoolboy have occurred in his absence. Other worries include the impending death of his handicapped sister, Martha, and a mob attack on the home of the pedophile suspected of kidnapping nine-year-old David Angus. Meanwhile, down-and-out ex-con Andy Gunton finds dubious employment shipping cars for sleazy Lee Carter. The patient reader must wait until these subplots come together, but Hill's smooth and engrossing style creates riveting suspense as Serrailler and sidekick Nathan Coates pursue David's abductors through Lafferton's seediest areas to an astonishing conclusion.

Susan Hill is back! and so is her detective- Simon Serrailler. "Crime fans on the look out for intelligent examples of the genre will enjoy The Risk of Darkness."

We met Simon Serrailler first in The Various Haunts of Men and got to know him better in The Pure in Heart. Susan Hill's third crime novel, The Risk of Darkness- perhaps even more compulsive and convincing than it's predecessors- explores the crazy grief of a widowed husband, whose derangement turns into obsession and threats, violence and terror. Meanwhile, handsome, introverted Simon Serrailler, whose cool reserve has broken the hearts of several women, finds his own heart troubled by the newest recruit to the Cathedral staff: a feisty female Anglican priest with red hair. The Risk of Darkness is truly the work of a writer at the top of her form.

In Hill's remarkable fourth novel to feature Chief Insp. Simon Serrailler (after 2008's The Risk of Darkness), Serrailler and his team race against time to stop a killer who's gunning down young women, apparently at random. Newlywed Melanie Drew is the first victim, shot at close range inside her flat in Lafferton. The killer shifts method for his second attack, using a rifle to shoot into a crowd outside at a nightclub. Next, he uses a handgun to murder a young mother in front of her toddler. The variety of approaches leads the police to consider whether two different killers are at work, even as Serrailler's sergeant finds the visits of Drew's widowed husband to the scenes of the subsequent crimes suspicious. Hill generates suspense with sections from the murderer's point of view.

Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series has established itself as superior crime fare with four gripping psychological thrillers already in print.

Serrailler has just wrapped up a particularly exhausting and difficult case and is on sabbatical on a far-flung Scottish island when he is called back to Lafferton by the Chief Constable. Two local prostitutes have been found strangled. When the wife of St. Michael's Cathedral Dean goes missing and then another respectable woman is taken on her way to work, the townspeople grow angry and afraid. Serrailler is in the greatest danger of his life.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS

One Winner will win the ENTIRE Simon Serrailler series. The rules are simple:

1.) One winner will win, A paperback copy of the first three books in the series: The Various Haunts of Men, The Pure in Heart, and The Risk of Darkness and hard cover copies of books four and five of the series: The Vows of Silence and The Shadows in the Street. These books will be sent directly from the publisher. U.S. addresses only!
2.) You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate.
3.) You must leave a comment on this post which includes your e-mail so that I can contact you if you win.
4.) The deadline for this giveaway is Midnight EST on September 23rd.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+5 for following me on Twitter @justpeachy36 (Twitter Button on the sidebar)
+5 for being an Old Follower
+3 for being a New Follower
+5 for commenting on my review of The Shadow in the Streets here.
+5 for entering any of the other giveaways on my sidebar
+5 for adding this giveaway to your sidebar
+10 for adding my button to your sidebar
+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on my sidebar)
+25 for getting the word out about this giveaway via, blog post, Facebook, Twitter etc. (Please leave your links)

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would like to enter this contest,
thank you for the giveaway.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+10 I am an e-mail subscriber of this blog.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+5 I am an Old folloerthis blog.
I have signed on before and when I sign on it shows that so I don't know why it shows that you have no followers.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+5 I commented on your post "Shadow in the Streets."


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+5 I commented on your post "Shadow in the Streets."


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

scottsgal said...

This is a new author for me so I'd love to read them
msboatgal at aol.com

scottsgal said...

+5 old follower
msboatgal at aol.com

StephTheBookworm said...

Sounds great!!

+5 old follower

stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com

Aik said...

I'd love to enter!

+5 for following you on Twitter @aikchien
+5 for being an old follower
+5 for entering Gerry Tales Giveaway!
+25 http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/24105980377

aikychien at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

+5 for following me on Twitter @ashleybookshelf
+5 for being an Old Follower
+5 for commenting on my review of The Shadow in the Streets here.
+5 for entering any of the other giveaways on my sidebar
- The Foresight
+10 for adding my button to your sidebar - under Wolfy Friends :D
+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on my sidebar)@ashleysbookshelf
+25 for getting the word out about this giveaway via, blog post, Facebook, Twitter etc. (Please leave your links)
Twitter - http://twitter.com/ashleybookshelf/status/24111569458

=65 entries (whoa baby! :D)

Thanks for this AMAZING giveaway!
ashleysbookshelf@gmail.com

Ashley's Bookshelf

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Sounds like a fabulous series! Would love a chance at it.

+25 http://twitter.com/alterlisa/status/24152322091
+5 follow you on Twitter @alterlisa
+5 old follower Lisa Richards/alterlisa
+5 commented on review of SotS
+10 button on my sidebar Button slide
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Nancy Bristow said...

Debbie...The series sounds really good and I do like alternate genre reads on occasion. Both of my sisters, however, would love this Susan Hill series since that's mainly the genre they read.

nbristow at cox.net

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+3 for being a New Follower
+5 for commenting on my review of The Shadow in the Streets here.
+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on my sidebar)
+25 for getting the word out about this giveaway via, Facebook, (Please leave your links) Note: I did leave a thank you on my wall to you for a win of HERO by Cheryl Brooks and also a link to this blog and particular 5 book Susan Hill giveaway. I'm not sure how to leave you a link to my facebook page. If you go to FB and search my name, I think you'll see it. You could also friend me and see it that way as well:)

Beverly said...

Thanks for hosting - please enter me - I am an old follower -
bsharp88@gmail.com

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

I have been a long time follower and would love a chance to be entered :)

joureythroughbooks@gmail.com

These look awesome. I think (I hope) I follow you on twitter too but I am off to be sure now.

Kaye said...

These sound just like the kind of books I love. Please enter me in the drawing.
florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Teril said...

ohh this looks quite nice!
+5 follower

terilhack(@)yahoo.com

Linda Henderson said...

Thank you so much for the great giveaway.
I follow on GFC
+5 Twitter (BookOwner)
+3 New Follower
+5 Commented on review
+10 Email subscriber
+5 Entered Foresight giveaway
+25 Tweeted this giveaway
http://twitter.com/BookOwner/status/24772939490

seriousreader at live dot com

Book Loving Mommy said...

Love this giveaway!

+5 Twitter follower (@booklovingmommy)
+3 New Follower
+5 Commented on review
+5 Entered Foresight giveaway
+5 Giveaway on sidebar
+10 button on sidebar
+10 Email subscriber
+25 Blog post (http://booklovingmommy.blogspot.com/2010/09/great-giveaways.html)

manningjessicar(at)yahoo(dot)com

Theresa N. said...

I'm a follower.
I'm an email subscriber.
I'm a new follower.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I am a follower and email subscriber. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read the complete series. Tore923@aol.com

Emma said...

This series of book sounds wonderful.Please enter me in the giveaway
.a Google Friend Connect follower

+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on my sidebar)

+5 for being an Old Follower
augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com.Thank you.

jellybelly82158 said...

Thanks for a great giveaway

+5 Old GFC follower

+10 subscribe by email

+5 follow on Twitter
@jellybelly82158

jellybelly82158 at gmail dot com

Renee G said...

+3 New GFC follower
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

Pain SUX said...

Thx 4 the chance 2 win these great books! I follow on GFC.

+5 follow on twitter (soklad)
+3 new follower
+5 entered "Just 1 Taste" giveaway
+10 added button to my sidebar
+10 subscribed to email
+25 tweeted about this giveaway. (http://twitter.com/soklad

My blog is http://fortheluvofsanity.blogspot.com

I have a total of 58 entries!

Thx again!

~Steph
soklad@hotmamil.com