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THE FINAL TESTIMONY OF RAPHAEL IGNATIUS PHOENIX
‘An ebullient, eccentric and entertaining first novel by Paul Sussman, the internationally bestselling author of "The Last Secret of the Temple", sadly his last book.’ The Guardian
The first novel Paul Sussman wrote, edited by his widow. This comic masterpiece is instantly recognisably Sussman and he worked on it carefully for years. Raphael Phoenix is nearly 100 years old and he has decided to kill himself. Not because he is particularly depressed but because 100 is enough. Before he does so he is going to confess to the 10 murders he has committed in his life. Starting with the incredibly annoying Mrs Bunshop, Phoenix works backwards in time, writing on the walls of the castle he is ending his days in, describing a murder per room, he takes you right back to when he first met his life-long love Emily, with whom he stole the Pill on his tenth birthday, the pill that is going to end his life. Born at the turn of the 20th Century this longest suicide note in history gives a history of the entire 20th Century. Hilarious, moving, gripping and insightful, this novel adds to an already incredibly impressive oeuvre and will win Sussman many new fans.
‘Novels that claim on the first page that they’re about to tell you the most extraordinary story you’ve ever heard in variably do nothing of the kind. But The Final Testimony of Raphael Ignatius Phoenix more than lives up to its promise. [...] the book is as darkly funny as it is original.’ John Preston, Mail on Sunday
‘a rollicking good read […] Sussman had a wonderful eye for detail and ear for dialogue. You’ll loose yourself in the company of Phoenix and his manic energy and frank, black humour.’ A Little Bird: An Insider’s Guide to London, a-littlebird.com
‘The novel does comes with a warning pre attached, if you’re at all self-conscious, do not read this in a public place. I’ve lost count of the amount of times when I’ve woken my quietly sleeping partner from his slumber because I’ve been shaking, or crying – or both – with laughter.' Culturefly.co.uk ★★★★★
Transworld UK (Doubleday)
Droemer Knaur Germany
Psichogios Greece
Material: PDF of final text.
LONG LISTED FOR THE CRIMEFEST EDUNNIT AWARDS 2012
'As well as teaching us a lot about our world in general and the Middle East in particular - the integrity, friendship and self-sacrifice as well as the cruelty, prejudice, the corruption of power and money - Paul Sussman's final novel is as thrilling an archaeological adventure as you're likely to read: wildly exciting, brutal, expertly informed and utterly unputdownable.' Simon Sebag-Montefiore, author of Jerusalem: The Biography
At once both gritty police procedural and edge-of-your-seat archaeological thriller, The Labyrinth of Osiris reunites reluctant friends Yusuf Khalifa of the Luxor Police and hard-nosed Jerusalem detective Arieh Ben-Roi, protagonists of Sussman's universally acclaimed and internationally bestselling second novel, The Last Secret of the Temple.
Since they last met, life has moved on for both men. About to become a father for the first time, Ben-Roi finds himself investigating a gruesome murder in Jerusalem's Armenian Cathedral. When a link emerges with an English engineer who mysteriously disappeared from Luxor in 1931, Ben-Roi turns for help to his old friend and sparring partner Yusuf Khalifa.
Khalifa's life too has changed, although in his case not for the better. Preoccupied with personal troubles and immersed in an investigation of his own - a series of unexplained well-poisonings in Egypt's Eastern desert - he agrees for old time's sake to do some digging for his Israeli colleague.
Inexorably their investigations entwine, drawing Ben-Roi and Khalifa into a sinister web of violence, sex-trafficking, corporate malpractice and anti-capitalist terrorism. And at the heart of the web lies the Labyrinth - a three-thousand year old mystery that for one detective will bring redemption, and for the other tragedy.
The Labyrinth of Osiris is a sweeping, stunningly-written, edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the very last page.
'Just finished the Labyrinth of Osiris by the late Paul Sussman. A terrific read. Furious he's gone. A great man and an excellent novelist.' Jay Rayner
'With two three-dimensional heroes, the Israeli detective Arieh Ben-Roi and his Egyptian friend Yusuf Khalifa, and a satisfying sense of being set in the real world, with sub-plots involving cyber crime, sex trafficking and terrorism. It's the sort of thing Dan Brown would write if he had a feel for people and places, and reminds us that crime fiction is one field where the Brits give the Americans a run for their money on the medal table.' Daily Telegraph
'A final flourish from the desert: During his all too-brief writing career - he died suddenly in May at the age of 45 - Paul Sussman must have become wearily familiar with people describing him as the 'thinking person's Dan Brown'... There are, however, key differences. Sussman was a far better writer. An elegant stylist, he drew a sharp pen-portrait and had an impressive grounding in archaeology: he discovered the only piece of pharaonic jewellery to be unearthed in the Valley of the Kings since Tutankhamun's tomb was found in 1922. The Labyrinth of Osiris reunites Sussman's two policemen: Detective Arieh Ben-Roi of the Jerusalem Police and Inspector Yusuf Khalifa of the Luxor Police. When an investigative journalist is found dead in Jerusalem, Ben-Roi is assigned to investigate. At the same time, Khalifa tries to discover why wells in the desert east in Luxor have been poisoned. Sussman draws the two strands together while embracing a vast array of themes including cyber-terrorism, sex trafficking and high-level corruption. In other hands, this could have been a recipe for a dog's dinner, but Sussman know how to keep a complex plot bowling along while constantly racheting up the tension. He also writes unusually well about Egypt. In the light of Sussman's death, The Labyrinth of Osiris is a very poignant book. Intimations of mortality are never far away. Grief-stricken after the death of his son, Khalifa is lost in his own personal labyrinth, and struggling to find a reason to carry on living... this is a top-drawer popular fiction and is sure to become an even bigger bestseller than Sussman's three other novels. The great sadness, of course, is that there won't be any more.' John Preston, Mail on Sunday
'Sussman... was eagerly anticipating its publication because he rated this the best of his books... He was right. The Labyrinth Of Osiris is an absolutely top-notch thriller - captivating, intelligent and notably well-written, and with a depth of characterisation which most thrillers don't usually even attempt...
Sussman's plotting is terrific, as is the confidence with which he allows his story with its richly detailed contexts and characters time to develop. Ben-Roi's approaching fatherhood, Khalifa's enduring grief for his dead son, the fraught atmosphere of Jerusalem and the enduring chaos and corruption of Egypt post President Mabarak.
To date, Sussman's thrillers, all starring Yusuf Khalifa, have been translated into 33 languages and sold over two million copies worldwide. This, his final book, deserves to be even more successful.' Harry Ritchie, The Daily Mail
'In a relatively short period of time, Paul Sussman has established himself as a reliably masterful thriller author, presenting hefty novels of consequential depth that juggle a number of riveting plot threads without losing track of any of them. With his fourth and best novel to date, Sussman should take his place on the must-read lists of those who value plot and characterization in equal measure... Come to THE LABYRINTH OF OSIRIS for the grand concept, but stay for the characters and remember them.' Bookreporter
Transworld UK
Grove Atlantic USA
Arab Scientific Publishers Lebanon
Bertrand Brazil
Cappelen Damm Norway
Random House Mondadori World Spanish
Tiderne Skifter Denmark
Arnoldo Mondadori Italy
WF Howes Audio
Varrak Estonia
Nokhook Thailand
RAO Romania
Pegasus Turkey
Presses de la Cite France
Bertrand Editora Portugal
Bard Bulgaria
AST Russia
Partvonal Hungary
ALica Slovenia
Material: finished copies (744pp).
2152 BC, Egypt: As the 94-year reign of pharaoh Pepy ll draws to a close, fifty priests set out under cover of darkness into the Western Desert, dragging with them a mysterious object swathed in cloth. Four weeks later, having reached their destination, the priests calmly slit each other’s throats, the last one left alive cutting his wrists.
1988, Georgia, USSR: A plane takes off from a small airfield near the recently decommissioned Mtskheta nuclear research facility. Somewhere over Egypt’s Western Desert the plane disappears.
Freya Hannan, 32, arrives in Egypt for the funeral of her elder sister Alex, a desert explorer. Recently diagnosed with a degenerative condition, Alex has taken her own life. Only two other non-Egyptians are present at the funeral: Professor Flinders ‘Flin’ Brodie - tall, rugged, handsome - a world authority on pre-dynastic Egypt; and Molly Kiernan, an American working at the UN. As Freya sorts through her sister’s possessions, she becomes increasingly uneasy. Why had she chosen this mode of suicide given her lifelong fear of injections?
When a Bedouin turns up at Alex’s home with objects found in the desert, explaining that she had promised to pay him for news of any unusual remains, Freya realizes that it is not only her sister’s death that raises questions, but her life as well. And when Alex’s home is broken into, the objects stolen, Freya has to run for her life. She goes to Flin and rapidly both their lives depend on finding answers.
'The Hidden Oasis is that rarest of literary entities: an intelligent, compelling, beautifully written thriller. You will enjoy every page of this breathtaking ride - and the secret at the heart of it will knock the top of your head off.' William Bernhardt (author of the Ben Kincaid series)
‘Another winner from Paul Sussman --- hands down one of the best writers of international suspense in the business. Told with authority and style, excitement melds with adventure --- you can feel the scorching desert heat and the chapping, acrid winds. The Hidden Oasis offers bone chilling thrills, a flair for the macabre, and off-the-charts suspense. Superb.’ Steve Berry
‘A rip-roaring gem of a read – you are in for a real treat!’ Raymond Khoury
‘Believable characters, fascinating history and an evocative sense of place - especially Cairo and the dry heat of the Sahara. There’s nothing dry about the visceral violence and thrilling action scenes, however, and best of all is the terrifying secret at the heart of the story - The Hidden Oasis itself’ Michael Cordy - author of The Messiah Code
'I loved the mystery of the oasis, the utterly insane improbable location and subsequent events that develop and yet never once did I feel that I was being duped or failed to suspend my disbelief. It's a thrilling ride and one I'd highly recommend' My Favourite Books blog
Transworld UK
Piper Germany
Metafora Czech Republic
Columbus Slovak Republic
Grove Atlantic USA
Tiderne Skifter Denmark
Random House Mondadori World Spanish
Bertrand Brazil
AST Russia
WF Howes Audio
Unieboek NL
Presses de la Cite France
Arnoldo Mondadori Italy
Muza Poland
WSOY Finland
Cappelen Damm Norway
Partvonal Hungary
Bard Bulgaria
Varrak Estonia
RAO Romania
Skorpion Croatia
Bertrand Editora Portugal
Arab Scientific Publishers Lebanon
Pustaka Alvabet Indonesia
Material: finished copies (505pp).
Inspector Yusuf Khalifa of the Luxor Police is back!! When Dutch archaeologist Piet Jansen is found murdered, Yusuf Khalifa soon finds alarming parallels with his first murder case of thirteen years earlier, in which an Israeli woman, Hannah Schlegel, was found dead at Karnak. Against the advice of his superiors, Khalifa, uneasily collaborating with an Israeli police officer, Arieh Ben-Roi, who, in turn depends on the information uncovered by Palestinian journalist Layla al-Madani, soon realises that the identity of Schlegel’s murderer involves the mystery surrounding an age-old religious treasure smuggled to the castle of Castelombres in France, and the whereabouts of aged Nazi sympathisers…
'Not just a tightly-plotted, richly-observed, thought-provoking thriller, but one with a soul. Which is what makes it really special. Paul Sussman doesn't evidently just know what he's writing about; he cares about it, deeply. The compelling mix of tough, page-turning suspense, archaeology, history, and characters caught up in the brutal politics of the Middle East, make this a timely and authentic novel. Paul Sussman builds his story with the meticulous strokes of a craftsman, growing it from a seemingly innocuous death in the shadows of the Pyramids to a discovery that threatens millions of lives. His storytelling comfortably blends historical mystery with unflinching contemporary suspense, all of it told through utterly convincing depictions of setting and character. Inspectors Khalifa and Ben-Roi are heroes of our age: conflicted, harassed, noble and, most crucially, very human. I hope we see more of them very soon.' Raymond Khoury, author of The Last Templar
‘The intelligent reader’s answer to THE DA VINCI CODE: a big, fat, satisfying archaeological puzzle story…clever plotting and solid characterisation.’ Independent
'While Paul Sussman's brilliant novel, THE LAST SECRET OF THE TEMPLE, will be compared to Dan Brown's eight-hundred-pound gorilla, it is so much more. The mystery runs deeper, the history more accurate, the suspense drawn to a keener edge. It also shines a light into a bloody part of the world, where it is hard to tell enemy from friend, and where ancient debts of pain and murder echo to the present. Here is a thriller on par with the best literature out there. Challenging, shocking, evocative…it should be required reading during these harsh times.'
James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of Black Order and The Judas Strain
'Two for two. Another sure fire winner from a gifted storyteller. Hopefully, The Last Secret of the Temple won't be Paul Sussman's last.'
Steve Berry, author of The Romanov Prophecy, The Templar Legacy and The Third Secret
'The Last Secret of the Temple is a gripping mystery, intricately plotted and eloquently told, with more hairpin turns than the road to Hitler's Berchtesgaden. But more than that, its tale of an ancient artifact and the grudging alliance of an Egyptian detective and Israeli cop is as urgent and meaningful as the best journalism. Paul Sussman’s novel is not just thrilling, it makes the tension and promise of the Middle East heartbreakingly alive.' William Dietrich, author of Napoleon’s Pyramids
'The Last Secret of the Temple is a brilliant detective novel, hidden within a medieval saga, tucked inside of an archaeological mystery, surrounded by a modern-day Middle-East Terrorist Thriller. Paul Sussman has managed the impossible: a multi-layered quest-- where all the characters are real and alive, and we should expect the completely unexpected.' Katherine Neville, author of The Eight
Transworld UK
Grove Atlantic USA
Piper Germany
AST Russia
Presses de la Cite France
Plaza y Janes World Spanish
Arnoldo Mondadori Italy
Unieboek NL
Metafora Czech Republic
Cappelens Norway
Tiderne Skifter Denmark
Muza Poland
Ulisseia Portugal
Kadokawa Japan
Bard Bulgaria
Varrak Estonia
Partvonal Hungary
Alma Lithuania
Enigma Croatia
WSOY Finland
Diigisi Greece
RAO Romania
Laguna Serbia
Bertrand Brazil
Nokhook Thailand
Kontinents Latvia
Pustaka Alvabet Indonesia
Arab Scientific Publishers Lebanon
WF Howes Audio
Dong-A Ilbo Korea
ALica Slovenia
Pegasus Turkey
Material: finished copies (371pp).
APRIL 2005 WINNER OF THE GOLDEN EARPHONE AWARD, THE AUDIO INDUSTRY'S OSCARS (narrated by Gordon Griffin)
A contemporary thriller set against an epic backdrop, a refreshingly different, powerful, and action-packed first novel by a hugely talented author.
THE LOST ARMY OF CAMBYSES introduces readers to the beguiling Egyptian detective, Inspector Yusuf Khalifa. His preliminary enquiries into a modern-day murder soon show him a mystery involving hidden treasure, greed, fanaticism, violence, love, secrets, betrayal, and further death.
And, as the mystery deepens, Khalifa finds himself faced with the question of how, in 523 BC, the Emperor Cambyses' army of 50,000 men could simply disappear in a sandstorm forever.
‘A great adventure, one of the most intriguing mysteries of the past, a great novel masterfully written.’ Valerio Massimo Manfredi
‘A plot as complex as a hall of mirrors, and almost as gripping as a death threat.’ Kirkus Review
‘Rip-roaring adventure mystery.’ Booklist
'A spine chilling, fast-paced thriller...in a style reminiscent of Patricia's Cornwell's early novel, it shocks as well as enthralls.' Business Post
'At last, a thriller that gets away from the hackneyed old 'curse of Tut' stuff; and since Sussman has actually excavated in Egypt himself, we can trust his background details...the fast-paced plot is one among many good things in this very assured first novel.' Scotland on Sunday
'A tough, sometimes brutal, but always engrossing thriller. Sussman knows his Egypt, past and present, and he has the gift of creating engaging heroes of both sexes and really, REALLY vile villians.' Dr. Barbara Mertz, Archeologist
'Set against the backdrop of modern-day Egypt, The Lost Army of Cambyses is a gripping first novel from young British writer Paul Sussman.
It's a spine-chilling, fast-paced thriller packed with vivid descriptions of Egypt from the glistening sands of the western desert to the stinking back streets of Cairo.
It has all the ingredients of a James Bond adventure: exotic locations, priceless antiquities, evil fanatics bent on global domination, brutal murders, corrupt policemen, human heroism, and it keeps you guessing right up to the final chapter.
It's rare to find a book which sets your heartbeat racing as you timidly but compulsively turn the page, terrified at what might jump out in the next paragraph. But in a style reminiscent of Patricia Cornwell's early books, The Lost Army of Cambyses shocks as well as enthralls.
Sussman's talent for characterisation emerges as a major strength. Male novelists are often accused of writing unconvincing female characters, but this novel has created a strong protagonist in Tara Mullray. Minor characters are also well charted, complete with personal and often repulsive idiosyncrasies. Sussman works in deeper themes such as the appeal of fundamentalism for impoverished young Muslims and the domination of the Egyptian archaeology by western interests. It's a subtext which betrays the author's own feelings but he doesn't allow it to stand in the way of a good yarn. A compelling read.' Sunday Business Post, Ireland
Transworld UK
Piper Kabel Germany
Unieboek NL
Grove Atlantic USA
Presses de la Cite France
Kadokawa Japan
Plaza y Janes World Spain
Arnoldo Mondadori Italy
Cappelens Norway
Oceanida Greece
AST Russia
Wahlstrom & Widstrand Sweden
WSOY Finland
Columbus Slovakia
Metafora Czech Republic
Pegasus Turkey
Opus Press Israel
Tiderne Skifter Denmark
Varrak Estonia
Kontinents Latvia
Bard Bulgaria
Alma Lithuania
Record Brazil
Ulisseia Portugal
Laguna Serbia
RAO Romania
Enigma Croatia
MKZ Slovenia
Muza Poland
Jaeum & Moeum Korea
Arab Scientific Publishers Lebanon
Pustaka Alvabet Indonesia
Nokhook Thailand
Partvonal Hungary
WF Howes Audio
Material: finished copies (555pp).