A Killing Place in the Sun

"BOSCH-meets-BOND-meets-REACHER."

His Place In The Sun may be just a house. But to this Englishman, it’s his castle. And he wants it back.

It began as a simple property dispute. It ended in all-out war.

Ex-soldier and policeman, Peter Murray, returns to the beautiful holiday island of Cyprus to keep the vow he made to his late wife, Kathy, to complete the deal on the ‘Place In The Sun’ that was their shared dream before a tragic accident took her, and their son, from him.

But Murray’s hopes are shattered when he finds the house being lived in by Russian mobster, Valerik Podruznig, and his family, as well as his small army of enforcers. Podruznig already sees the potential in the house Murray built - and has no intention of giving it up.

From Murray’s initial attempts at peaceful negotiation, what begins as a simple property dispute soon escalates, through threats, intimidation and violence, before exploding into all-out war. In the face of Podruznig’s casual disregard for the law, Murray has to call on all his policing experience and military know-how to counter the Russian’s efforts and stay alive.

Equal parts crime novel, heist thriller, and military adventure, and set against the backdrop of the popular holiday resort of Pafos, A Killing Place In The Sun recounts the struggle for supremacy between two determined adversaries, one as ruthless and dangerous as the other is principled and daring, as they each seek the resolution they desire.

Hanging over the action, is the mystery of what happened to the consignment of gold that disappeared during Murray and his team’s last military mission, and its connection, if any, to the house in the sun. Things are complicated further when the local police chief’s vivacious daughter's feelings of sympathy for Murray’s plight start evolving into something deeper. And when her life is threatened, it triggers a nail-biting climax that finally brings Murray and Podruznig face-to-face in a way that is not just unexpected, but puts several twists on all that has gone before. As the new dawn casts its first shadows over what has, by now, become, A Killing Place In The Sun, the shattering truth finally reveals itself. But who will be left alive to witness it? Find out by buying it, today.

Robert F Barker was born in Liverpool, England. During a thirty-year police career, he worked in and around some of the North West’s grittiest towns and cities. As a senior detective, he led investigations into all kinds of major crime including, murder, armed robbery, serious sex crime and people/drug trafficking. Whilst commanding firearms and disorder incidents, he learned what it means to have to make life-and-death decisions in the heat of live operations. His stories are grounded in the reality of police work, but remain exciting, suspenseful, and with the sort of twists and turns that crime-thriller readers love.

5* Praise for Robert F Barker's books

'A gripping read about an exceptional detective and the complexities in his life'(Last Gasp)

'Fabulous writer and solid knowledge of police procedures. Can't wait for more from this writer' -Last Gasp

'A fantastic page turner with a hugely sinister and disturbing villain at its heart' -Family Reunion

'As exciting and ‘real’ as anything I have read in a police detective novel in a long time' - Family Reunion

'Well written and fast paced.... a great read for crime-thriller fans' - Final Breath

'Loved, loved, LOVED this book! Couldn't put it down. Always left on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next!'(Last Gasp)

'A very well crafted mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat'(Final Breath)

'Jamie Carver is a mix of genius... and emotional wreck!' - Out Of Air

'So compelling and well written that I can't wait to read the next in the series' (Final Breath)