MICHAEL DIBDIN

Karen and I on the sofa, Karen and I in the back seat of the BMW, Karen and I at the river, up the alley, down the garden, round the corner, in the pub. Our movements are furtive, frantic and compulsive. Our pleasures are brief and incomplete. Our frustrations are enormous. Because if you look closely at the background of every scene, youll see Dennis.Dennis and Karen lead a pleasant life in North Oxford until the day one of their dinner guests seduces Karen in the kitchen, setting in motion a chain of events which will destroy the thin veneer of their respectability and lead to ruthless murder.Dirty Tricks is a brilliant thriller set in contemporary Oxford: a gripping story of sex, ambition and violence with a wickedly humorous twist.If you enjoyed Dirty Tricks you may also like A Rich Full Death, another crime novel by Michael Dibdin.

Escapism of a high order.INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAYA slyly intelligent page turner.PUBLISHERS WEEKLYAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYWhen a group of Austrian cavers in the Italian Alps come across human remains at the bottom of a deep shaft, everyone assumes the death was accidental - until the still unidentified body is stolen from the morgue and the Defence Ministry puts a news blackout on the case. The whole affair has the whiff of political intrigue.Thats enough to interest Aurelio Zens boss at the Interior Ministry, who wants to know who is hiding what from who and why. The search for the truth leads Zen into the murky history of post-war Italy and obscure corners of modern-day society to uncover the truth about a crime that everyone thought was as dead and buried as the victim.As the plot quickens, we are soon deep in Dibdins favourite territory: the murky political conflicts of Italys past and the oily chicanery of its present.SUNDAY TIMESDibdins misanthropic wit finds plenty to play with.GUARDIANA terrific detective story. 5* reader reviewBeautifully written . . . You get a real sense of the turbulence in the Italian state during that era. 5* reader reviewMEDUSA is the best Ive read so far, with a complex but pleasing plot. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

A maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESThe closest thing hes yet written to an English whodunnit.LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKSAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYAurelio Zen has an unorthodox assignment: to release the jailed scion of an important wine-growing family who is accused of a brutal murder. Zen travels north to the quiet fields, autumnal skies and crumbling farmhouses of Piedmont, Italian wine country, where greed, envy, hatred, and love seethe under the sun. He needs to try to penetrate a traditional culture in which family and soil are inextricably linked. But here secrets can last for generations, and have a finish as long and lingering as that of a good Barbaresco.A great addition to the Zen series . . . a great ending too. 5* reader reviewBrilliant atmosphere with incredible twists in the plot, right up to the last minute. 5* reader reviewSo well-written and atmospheric that it just whizzed by! 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

One of Dibdins finest . . . Wonderful.EVENING STANDARDEnergetically and meticulously written.GUARDIANAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYAurelio Zens final case brings him to remote town of Calabria, at the toe of Italys boot, on what is supposed to be a routine assignment: the death of a scout for an American film company. But the case is complicated by a group of dangerous strangers who have arrived to uncover another local mystery - buried treasure - and who will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. The case rapidly spirals out of control, and Zen must penetrate the code of silence in the tight-knit community in order to solve the crime.Clever and exuberantly witty . . . Dibdin is outrageously funny, as always, in conveying Zens snobbyVenetian attitude toward his regional postings.NEW YORK TIMESAmple opportunities for the expression of his dry wit . . . the final entry [in the Zen series] is a very good one indeed. INDEPENDENTOne of the genres best stylists . . . This combination of gritty violence, often wildly funny satire, and wonderful descriptive writing has been the hallmark of Dibdins Zen novels.GUARDIANSuperbly written thriller. 5* reader reviewProbably the most enjoyable of the Zen series, it provides an insight of Italy rarely accomplished by any author. 5* reader reviewSuch a good read. 5* reader reviewBrilliantly plotted, very exciting. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGERTremendously exciting. RUTH RENDELLEnergetic and genre-stretching.GUARDIANAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYPolice Commissioner Aurelio Zen has crossed swords with the establishment before - and lost. But from the depths of a mundane desk job in Rome he is unexpectedly transferred to Perugia to take over an explosive kidnapping case involving one of Italys most powerful families.But nobody much wants Zen to succeed: not the local authorities, who view him as an interloper, and certainly not Milettis children, who seem content to let the head of the family languish in the hands of his abductors - if hes still alive.A brilliant read, enjoyed every page. 5* reader reviewBrilliantly plotted and beautifully written . . . Great background and attention to detail. 5* reader reviewIf you like anything Italian youll like this. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

Aurelio Zen is posted to remote Calabria, at the toe of the Italian boot. And beneath the surface of a tight-knit, traditional community he discovers that violent forces are at work. There has been a brutal murder. Zen is determined to find a way to penetrate the code of silence and uncover the truth. But his mission is complicated by another secret which has drawn strangers from the other side of the world - a hunt for buried treasure launched by a single-minded player with millions to spend pursuing his bizarre and deadly obsession.

Aurelio Zen is posted to Calabria, where in the heart of a tight-knit traditional community there has been a brutal murder. Zen is determined to find a way to penetrate the code of silence and uncover the truth. But his mission is complicated by another secret which has drawn strangers from the other side of the world - a hunt for buried treasure launched by a single-minded player with millions to spend pursuing his bizarre and deadly obsession.

Unputdownable.SUNDAY TELEGRAPHA complete inversion of the standard detective genre.GUARDIANAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYInspector Zen is back, but nobodys supposed to know it.After months in hospital recovering from a car-bomb attack, he is lying low under a false name at a beach resort on the Tuscan coast, waiting to testify in an imminent anti-Mafia trial. Zen has clear instructions: to sit back and enjoy the classic Italian beach holiday. But when an alarming number of people start dropping dead around him, it seems just a matter of time before the Mafia manages to find their target.A top quality thriller. 5* reader reviewA very entertaining read, sometimes funny sometimes thought provoking and always with a slightly cynical dig at the Italian "establishment"! 5* reader reviewMy favourite book, bar none. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

A rollicking good tale.INDEPENDENTA first-rate mystery.WASHINGTON POSTAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYAurelio Zen returns to his native Venice in an unofficial capacity, to investigate the disappearance of an American millionaire. But he is quickly reminded that, amid the hazy light and shifting waters of the lagoon, nothing is what it seems. As he is drawn deeper into the ambiguous mysteries surrounding the discovery of a skeletal corpse, he is also forced to confront a series of disturbing revelations about his own life.Absolutely brilliant . . . made me want to go back to travel in Italy again. 5* reader reviewI loved this book . . . a good storyline, and enough twists to keep me guessing. 5* reader reviewPerfect entertainment. 5* reader reviewMy personal favourite in a great series. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

Spellbinding . . . superb.WASHINGTON POSTEmotionally gripping and defiantly original.ITALIAN MYSTERIESAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYZen finally receives the order he has been dreading all his professional life: his next posting to Sicily.The gruesome discovery of an unidentified, decomposed corpse sealed in a railway wagon marks the beginning of Zens most difficult and dangerous murder case. And he will need all his cunning and skill to survive in a world where unwritten rules are enforced with ruthless violence, where one false step can prove fatal, and where the truth must be paid for in blood.By far the darkest of Dibdins remarkable mysteries. 5* reader review The end leaves you gasping. 5* reader reviewI absolutely loved this book. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

Dibdins best book.LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKSBawdly, suspenseful, and splendidly farcical.ITALIAN MYSTERIESAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYInspector Zen has been posted to Naples in disgrace, where he is asked to oversee the clean-up of the citys corrupt authorities. Like the rest of Italy, Naples is concerned about its image and is trying to reform itself. Zen, however, finds that someone else is already at work: corrupt politicians, shady businessmen and eminent members of the Italian Mafia are disappearing off the streets at an alarming rate. With his commitment to his work at an all-time low, Zen must still find out who is behind the murders.One of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORAn especially witty facet of [Dibdins] rich talent. PUBLISHERS WEEKLYBrilliant - reminds me of the TV series Inspector Montalbano, but with a better storyline.5* reader reviewBest one so far - surreal and funny! 5* reader reviewOne of my favourite comfort reads. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

Pure pleasure.Evening StandardAn absolute treat . . . wittily and slyly written. Euro CrimeAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYWhen the corpse of the shady industrialist who owns the local football team is found both shot and stabbed, Inspector Aurelio Zen is called to Bologna to oversee the investigation. Recovering slowly from surgery, and fleeing an equally painful crisis in his personal life, Zen is only too happy to take on what at first appears to be a routine and relatively undemanding assignment.But soon a world-famous university professor is shot with the same gun, and the case threatens to spin out of control . . .The best of the Zen series. Exceptionally clever and witty. 5* reader reviewA very entertaining romp with Zen. 5* reader reviewVery funny and perceptive on Italian society. Michael Dibdins Zen books are the top of the pile in detective fiction. 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review

WINNDER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGERWonderfully intricate.LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKSHeart-pounding . . . a terrifying tale of revenge.MYSTERY NEWSAN AURELIO ZEN MYSTERYInspector Aurelio Zen has a problem: the impossible murder of an eccentric billionaire, recorded on the closed-circuit video of Oscar Burolos top-security Sardinian fortress. Officials in a high government ministry want someone - anyone - to blame, and they want Zen to find a likely candidate.But the billionaires corrupt dealings enriched some of the most exalted figures in Italian politics, and as Zen gets to work, he is plunged into a menacing and violent world where his own life is soon at risk.Vendetta has tension, wit, a strong sense of place and a hero you cant help but root for. THE WALL STREET JOURNALDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. RUTH RENDELLA wonderfully twisting plot. 5* reader reviewElegantly written and, for a book now 30 years old, surprisingly fresh and contemporary . . . this is a beautifully written book that contains dark, world-weary humour. 5* reader reviewLove it!5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR MICHAEL DIBDIN AND THE INSPECTOR ZEN SERIES:He wrote with real fire. IAN RANKINA maestro of crime writing.SUNDAY TIMESOne of the genres finest stylists . . . And Zen himself is a masterly creation: he is anti-heroic and pragmatic but obstinate, cunning and positively burdened with integrity.GUARDIANDibdin tells a rollicking good tale that you want both to read fast, because of its gripping storyline, and to linger over, to savour the evocative descriptions of place and mood.INDEPENDENTOne of British crime fictions most distinguished and distinctive voices. ANDREW TAYLORDibdin has a gift for shocking the unshockable reader. Ruth RendellZen is one of the greatest creations of contemporary crime fiction. OBSERVERI love the way these books capture the atmosphere and contradictions of Italy. 5* reader reviewAurelio Zen novels are a great treat. 5* reader reviewThere is no better writer than Dibdin. His books are a joy to read. 5* reader reviewLove these books . . . I am sure you will get hooked too! 5* reader review