He Lover of Death - Boris Akunin

Senka Skorikov, orphan and urchin, has been abandoned to the murky world of Moscow's gangster district. While picking a pocket or two, he glimpses the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, and joins the gang of her overlord lover, The Prince, so desperate he is to meet her. Senka climbs the criminal ranks, uncovering a stash of precious metal, and gradually capturing the heart of his beloved Death - so named for the life expectancy of her lovers. But as the bandit community balks at his success on both fronts, threats on his life begin to pour in .

A dandy and his 'Chinese' sidekick seem to be taking an inordinate interest in Senka's welfare, and it becomes clear that those threatening Senka are linked to a spate of murders, grizzly even by underworld standards. Fandorin must unweave a tangled web of narcotics, false identities and organised crime - but can he survive an encounter with the ever-alluring Death unscathed? Find out in the darkest Fandorin to date!

The Jungle - Upton Sinclair

Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) achieved popularity in the first half of the 20th century, acquiring particular fame for THE JUNGLE. It exposed conditions in the U.S. meat-packing industry, causing a public uproar that contributed to the passage of the Pure Food & Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. THE JUNGLE portrays the life of the immigrant in the United States and the corruption of the American meatpacking industry. The novel harshly depicts poverty, absence of social programs, unpleasant living and working conditions, and hopelessness prevalent among the working-class, which is contrasted with the deeply-rooted corruption of those in power. Sinclair placed these problems front and center for the American public to see, suggesting that something needed to be changed to get rid of American low-wage slavery. The book was thought too controversial and so it was self-published at first before it became big, and has been in print ever since.

Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

When two girls are abducted and killed in Missouri, journalist Camille Preaker is sent back to her home town to report on the crimes.

Long-haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her mother for years, Camille suddenly finds herself installed once again in her family's mansion, reacquainting herself with her distant mother and the half-sister she barely knows - a precocious 13-year-old who holds a disquieting grip on the town.

As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims - a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.