The Collected Works Volume Two

Two taut psychological thrillers and a gripping memoir from the creator of the hit BBC crime series Luther and a "master of suspense" (Daily Mirror).

 


The PEN/Ackerley Prize–shortlisted author and creator of Luther starring Idris Elba, British author Neil Cross is "an astonishing writer—tautly lyrical, and able at a stroke to fill you with cold, dark fear of the malign forces at large in the world" whether writing fiction or memoir (Time Out London). In this collection, Cross unflinchingly explores the dark side of parenting and family drama in ways equally startling and unforgettable.


 

Always the Sun
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize

Looking for a fresh start after the death of his wife, Sam and his thirteen-year-old son, Jamie, return to Sam's hometown. But at his new school, a group of kids led by a savage bully target Jamie, and the administration does nothing. When Jamie comes home bearing real, physical scars, Sam is left at a crossroads: How far will he go to protect his child?


 


"Harrowing but gripping." —Time Out London

 

Natural History: In a last-ditch attempt to save their floundering marriage, Patrick and Jane founded an animal sanctuary called Monkeyland. But following the mysterious death of an ape, Patrick becomes obsessed, while Jane's in Zaire shooting a nature show—and possibly cheating—and their son gets fired after an altercation. As a predatory cat stalks the periphery of the dilapidated zoo, Jane and Patrick's search for wild beasts blinds them to the danger in their own backyard.


 


"A masterpiece . . . seductively readable, no matter how much one dreads what may happen next." —The Daily Telegraph

 

Heartland
Shortlisted for the PEN/Ackerley Prize

In this "wonderful memoir," Neil Cross tells the complicated story of his relationship with his stepfather. Derek Cross showers his young stepson with attention and love, teaches him about music and books, and is more reliable than Neil's emotionally unstable mother. But as Neil grows older, he realizes the stepfather he loves is also a manipulator, adulterer, racist, and con man (The Guardian).


 


"Moving and engrossing . . . Heartland is a tour de force." —Daily Mail