Luther

"Luther is to crime fiction what his historical counterpart was to religion. The mystery he is trying to solve is the murder of his soul in an imperfect world. Fallen from grace but struggling for salvation, Luther's most formidable foe is himself. Gripping, taut fiction by a new master in the genre." --Guillermo del Toro

Luther is the hit psychological crime television series starring Idris Elba which debuted on BBC America in 2010 to rave reviews. The television series continues to impress and the BBC has announced a third season to premiere in 2013. Recently, Idris Elba won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series for his portrayal of Luther. Of the series, The New York Times says, "Within five minutes you know that this is a cop you want to watch" and TV Guide describes it as one of "TV's most provocative thrillers."

Now in a brilliant standalone crime novel and prequel to the acclaimed BBC series comes LUTHER: The Calling (Touchstone Hardcover / Simon & Schuster; September 4, 2012; $25.00; ISBN: 978-1-4516-7309-8) by the show's creator and sole writer, Neil Cross. In this dark and gritty new thriller, readers who are meeting Detective Chief Inspector John Luther for the first time will be shocked and enthralled. And fans of the award-winning show will see how it all began with the case that pushed Luther over the edge.

Meet John Luther. He's a murder detective. A near-genius. He's intense; he's instinctive; he's obsessional; and he's dangerous. DCI Luther has an extraordinary case clearance rate. He commands outstanding loyalty from friends and colleagues. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. And yet there are rumors that DCI Luther is bad - not corrupt, not on the take, but tormented. He seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink of madness, making him do things he shouldn't, things way beyond the limits of the law.

Tom and Sarah Lambert are the husband and wife victims found brutally murdered within their home. The crime scene is grotesque and most disturbingly Sarah Lambert was 8 ½ months pregnant at the time of her death-the killer has stolen her unborn child. Luther sets out on a mission to find the baby and the twisted killer turned kidnapper.

LUTHER is the first in a new series of novels featuring Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, taking us into his past, into his mind, and into the case that tore Luther's personal and professional relationships apart. In Luther, Neil Cross takes our hero over the edge.

Neil Cross is the creator and sole writer of the critically acclaimed series. The most recent accolades for Luther include the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Teleplay for episode one of Luther and the very prestigious Royal Television Society Award for best drama. Cross is the author of the thriller Burial and lives with his family in Wellington, New Zealand. Please visit him at www.Neil-Cross.com.