Crossbones Yard

Rhodes, Kate
Kate Rhodes was born in London. She has worked as a teacher and university lecturer, and now writes full-time.

Kate began her writing career as a poet, publishing two prizewinning collections. She has held a Hawthornden fellowship and been shortlisted for Forward and Bridport Prizes. She has written five novels in the Alice Quentin series, CROSSBONES YARD, A KILLING OF ANGELS, THE WINTER FOUNDLINGS, RIVER OF SOULS and BLOOD SYMMETRY, the first of which was selected by Val McDermid for the Harrogate Crime festival's New Blood panel championing new crime writers. In 2014 Kate Rhodes won the Ruth Rendell Short Story Award, sponsored by the charity InterAct.

Visit her website at http://katerhodes.org or follow her on Twitter @K_RhodesWriter.

There are some great twists, turns and surprises in this debut novel. -- Sun Alice is a vividly realised protagonist whose complex and harrowing history rivals the central crime storyline -- Sophie Hannah, Sunday Express Quentin is one of a cast of really believable and entertaining characters and both the plot and the writing keep one thoroughly engaged throughout. A stylish debut -- Daily Mail A pacy psychological thriller that makes good use of its London setting. -- Laura Wilson, Guardian What I liked most about CROSSBONES YARD was the fresh voice of the protagonist, a psychologist whose work with vulnerable patients spills over into her family life. Rhodes conjures up her London landscape vividly -- Val McDermid Like Nicci French, Kate Rhodes excels at character, pace and sense of place. Alice Quentin is compelling and completely convincing: I look forward to following the series. -- Erin Kelly An utterly brilliant, exhilarating read and I devoured every page. The characters, especially the bold and brave heroine, are touchingly real. Now that I've finished it I feel bereft, the only consolation being that it's the start of an Alice Quentin series and although I have a while to wait, I will get to read more. -- Elizabeth Haynes, author of In the Darkest Corner, Amazon Rising Star 2011 and TV Book Club pick. A very impressive debut. After a powerful opening, Kate's vivid, pacy writing style swept me into the story. Alice is a very strong character, and the well-constructed, complex plot kept me intrigued right up to the end -- Aline Templeton A fresh voice in crime fiction, bringing an intriguing and appealing central character in the form of psychologist Alice Quentin - who I expect to be with us for a long time to come. I loved the way the Kate Rhodes uses all the senses to draw the reader into her compelling fictional world. -- Stephen Booth An atmospheric, smart, often terrifying read. -- Louise Penny