Hostage to Murder Paperback / softback

Hostage to Murder, the long-awaited sixth Lindsay Gordon mystery, is a lightning-paced story spliced with crackling action and an intense emotional dimension. Spraining an ankle is rarely a stroke of luck, but for Lindsay Gordon, jobless in Glasgow, the injury is her introduction to young freelance journalist Rory McLaren and the opening of a new chapter in her life.

Rory's invitation to work alongside her in her booth at the Cafe Virginia is irresistible.

From there it is just a short step to political corruption and other juicy stories – all welcome distractions from Lindsay's problems at home, where her long-term lover Sophie has decided to heed the ticking of her biological clock and get pregnant.

But when a local car-dealer's stepson is kidnapped, Lindsay and Rory are invited to trade journalism for detection.

The trail leads them to St Petersburg and a dangerous snatch-back operation.

It's a journey that brings a whole new dimension of risk into Lindsay's life.

Back in Glasgow, it becomes clear that Lindsay and Rory have stumbled into a bigger, more violent piece of business than either of them could have guessed – and one which will test Lindsay to her absolute limits.