Kiss Me Kill Me Out Now!

February 2018

"Chilling, scary, and magnificent" (Lee Child)

"A twisty, compulsive slice of domestic noir. *****" (C J Carver)

"A fast paced psychological thriller with a superbly dark ending." (The Bookseller)

How far would you go to escape the one you love?

When Zoe meets Dan, he's everything she is looking for in a man - intelligent, charming, supportive.
It's only after they're married that she realises that he's controlling, aggressive, paranoid.
And there's no way out.

Or is there?

Zoe knows she has to escape, but Dan's found her once before, and she knows he can find her again.
But Dan has plans of his own. Plans that don't necessarily include Zoe.

Be careful who you trust . . .

Click here to get a copy from Amazon.

If you're looking for a book that keeps you guessing, one that hooks you from the first page and keeps hold to the last, this one's for you. James said, 'I had an absolute blast writing this, so it's great that you guys can finally get your hands on a copy. I hope you enjoy it.'

The Killing Game Shortlisted For Top Award

August 2017

We are thrilled to announce that THE KILLING GAME has been shortlisted for the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.

James said, "This is such a huge honour. Even just making the shortlist is a major achievement. I am absolutely blown away to be included in this list of amazing writers."

The winner will be announced at the Crime Writer's Association Gala dinner in October.

Kiss Me Kill Me

August 2017

Bonnier will be publishing James's next two standalone novels. KISS ME KILL ME, the first of these will be out in February 2018. The deal reunites James with Katherine Armstrong, his former publisher at Faber & Faber.

James said: "It’s amazing to be working with Katherine again. Under her keen editorial eye the Winter books went from strength to strength, and I can’t wait to start working on the standalones with her. It’s going to be great getting these stories out to readers, and the fact that a company with the enthusiasm, passion and expertise of Bonnier Zaffre will be publishing them really is the icing on the cake."

And Katherine added: "I am thrilled to be working with James again and to bring his fantastic new psychological thriller to readers. He is a natural storyteller and this thriller whips along at breakneck speed. Just when you think you’ve worked out the plot, James throws in a twist that has you going in another direction. This really is a fast-paced and fun read and I can’t wait to introduce readers to Zoe, Dan and a superbly dark ending that they will love."

Winter Is Back...

May 2017

THE QUIET MAN is on sale now. This time Winter is in Vancouver hunting down a killer in what has to be his most explosive case to date. Here's the blurb:

In Vancouver, the wife of a millionaire is dead following an explosion in her own home.

Everyone thinks her husband is responsible, but former FBI profiler Jefferson Winter isn't so sure. The method is too perfect; the lack of mistakes, uncanny. He's seen a series of carefully orchestrated murders - once a year, on exactly the same day, a woman dies in a situation just like this one.

That date is fast approaching and Winter knows another victim has been selected. Can he identify the quiet man before he strikes again?

The Killing Game blows the critics away!

October 2016

The long wait is over. James's first standalone thriller, THE KILLING GAME is now on sale. The book has already had a whole host of 5* reviews. Here's what everyone is saying...

‘THIS BOOK IS SIMPLY OUTSTANDING, and completely blew me away … one of the most tense novels I have read in a long time.’ The Book Review Café

‘A brilliantly compelling read. A nail-biting 5 stars from me.’ Jen Med's Book Reviews (5*) 

‘If any thriller deserves to be called unputdownable it’s this one.’For Winter Nights (5*) 

‘Wow! Just, wow! … a fantastic, heart stopping, adrenaline rush of a read! … so many twists and turns that you really can't imagine how the book will end … I was gripped until the very last page.’ Brew and Books Review (5*) 

’Incredibly difficult to put down and it hurtles along at breakneck speed, to the point I almost felt travel sick! … a cracking thriller and if you are after a read that gets your heart pounding and makes your blood pressure rise look no further than this book.’ Bloomin’ Brilliant Books

Of course, you can make your own mind up by grabbing a copy today!
 

The Killing Game

February 2016

We’re very excited to announce that THE KILLING GAME James’s first standalone thriller, is being published by Bookouture in October. In a nutshell it's a 24-style real-time page-turner with a story that could come straight from tomorrow’s newspapers. Here’s the blurb…

For Hollywood media agent J.J. Johnson, a run-of-the-mill business lunch turns into a nightmare when a masked man wearing a bomb vest comes crashing through the restaurant doors. But this is no terrorist attack. As the body count rises, it becomes clear that the bomber has his own agenda. But what has driven him to take such extreme measures?

The bomber isn't the only one with secrets. J.J. has her own secrets too. Has the past finally caught up with her? As events unfold, she is forced to confront her own history and see how decisions made years ago have finally returned to haunt her. 

Set in Los Angeles, and written in real-time over 3½ hours, THE KILLING GAME explores what happens when the A-list are faced with a scenario they should only ever see in the movies.

James said, “I'm incredibly excited to be working with the brilliant Bookouture. In just three years, they have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The company is innovative, dynamic and, above-all, hungry; attributes which make it ideally placed to meet the challenges of modern-day publishing. Hopefully this will be the first of many books with them!”

And Bookouture Associate Publisher, Keshini Naidoo, said, “I've been following James Carol's career with interest, and so I'm absolutely delighted that he will be joining us at Bookouture for his JS Carol thriller fiction! THE KILLING GAME is one of those rare, truly unputdownable blockbuster thrillers that grips from the very first page.”

Semana Negra 2015

July 2015

On July 16th James appeared at the Semana Negra festival in Gijón Spain to talk about Muñecas Rotas (Broken Dolls). The festival is now in its nineteenth year, and is the largest in Spain. For a whole week the old dockyard area of the city is taken over, with thousands of visitors attending every day. The attractions include a fairground, live music and dozens of stalls. 

‘The atmosphere was absolutely electric,’ said James. ‘The thing that makes this event unique is that it is free. Anyone can drop in and listen to the talks. It’s great to look out from the stage and see people of  all ages, and from all walks of life.’

James shared the stage with Diego Garcia and Conde and Sol Pombe, two artists from Argentina. While he was being interviewed, they painted their interpretation of Broken Dolls.

‘I was absolutely blown away with what they came up with,’ said James. ‘What made it even more impressive was the fact that they painted the picture in just forty-five minutes. The end result was absolutely chilling, and really caught the vibe of the book. Seeing the end result was the highlight of my trip to Spain.’

Let Them Eat Cake!

March 2015

The publication of PREY was marked with a launch at Watersrtones in Trafalgar Square. Joining James for the event was Paul E Hardisty, whose debut novel, The Abrupt Physics Of Dying, was released on the same day. After the speeches, Paul and James were joined on stage by William Ryan, the creator of the Captain Korolov books, for a panel discussion. The real star of the show, however, was definitely the cake!

James said, ''It's only been fourteen months since Broken Dolls was published and here we are on book 3 already. The last year has been a complete whirlwind, but the highlight has been seeing how warmly Jefferson Winter has been received by readers."

Mord am Hellweg

November 2014

Over the weekend of 8th November, James attended the prestigious Mord Am Hellweg Crime Festival in Germany. He and Benjamin Fürmann (German film and TV star) read from BROKEN DOLLS, bringing Jefferson Winter to life for the German fans. James also participated in Q&A sessions, chatted to his readers and signed books.

Mord am Hellweg started in 2002 and is now Europe’s largest Crime festival. Featuring international names such as Karin Slaughter, Mark Billingham, Arne Dahl and Jo Nesbo, it runs biennially and takes place in the Hellweg Börde, part of the North Rhine-Westphalia, region of Germany. One of the festival's charms is that the events take place in unusual locations such as old churches, ruins and industrial monuments. James's was at Castle Horst in Gelsenkirchen.

James said, ‘It was great to have the opportunity to meet my German readers. The location was stunning and there was such a fantastic atmosphere at the event. All in all, it was an amazing evening. I can’t wait to get out to Germany again soon.’

 The German edition of BROKEN DOLLS is available from Amazon.

Hush Little Baby On Sale Now!

October 2014

Hush Little Baby, the second installment of the Jefferson Winter Chronicles, is on sale now.

FBI profiler Yoko Tanaka is in Tampa, Florida helping the local PD with their 'Sandman' case. Three mothers and their daughters have been found murdered in their homes. The mothers have been brutally stabbed while the little girls' have been smothered in their beds and posed to look like they're sleeping.

Defying FBI protocol, Yoko makes a detour to Sarasota to entice Jefferson Winter to join the case. Winter has now graduated from college and is playing piano in a tourist bar. At first he's reluctant to get involved but that's the thing with Winter, what he says and what he means are usually two different things. All Yoko knows is that he's the only person who can help her before the Sandman claims another two victims . . . but what Winter doesn't know is that Yoko might be the only person who can help him come to terms with his past.

You can get copies from Amazon and iTunes

Tune In!

Watch Me shortlisted for top book award

September 2014

WATCH ME has made the shortlist for the Specsavers Crime Thriller Book Club Award. The winner will be announced at a glittering gala dinner, which is being held at the Grosvenor Park Lane Hotel on Friday, October 24th. James will be appearing on ITV3 on Monday, September 22nd at 9pm to talk about the book.

James said, ‘I’m thrilled to have made the shortlist. It’s a huge honour to be considered for such a prestigious and hotly contested award.’

"Watch Me deposits Winter in Louisiana, where a killer is cutting a swathe through the town of Eagle Creek, a hotbed of secrets, corruption and incipient violence – Reacher territory, in fact. But Carol is no Child clone, and carves out his own menacing canvas with real panache.’ Barry Forshaw The Independent

Presumed Guilty On Sale Now

July 2014

Special Agent Yoko Tanaka is one of the best profilers in the FBI. She's observant, smart and professional, but doesn't really play well with others. She's been called in to consult on the case of 'Valentino', a killer who steals his victims' hearts. Literally.

With five women already dead, time is running out for the police t'o catch the killer before he strikes again. Within twenty-four hours of Yoko's arrival they have a suspect in custody: a precocious nineteen-year-old kid called Jefferson Winter whose IQ is off the charts. He's also a textbook psychopath and the son of one of America's most notorious serial killers. Not only does he confess to the murders, he knows details of the crimes that only the killer could know. It's an open and shut case, or is it?

Here's what readers are saying...

'Could not put this book down - exciting from the first to the last page. As brilliant as Broken Dolls!' 5* Lorraine Carnell

'Oh I love the character of Jefferson Winter, having previously read Broken Dolls and now Presumed Guilty I can't wait for the next ...' 5* Liverbird5

'This is the prequel to the Jefferson Winter series but is a stand alone novella. It provides an insight into how Jefferson became the profiler he is. I loved this book it gave more depth to the character.' 5* Jill

Amazon        iTunes

Broken Dolls Hits 100,000 Sales

June 2014

Sales of BROKEN DOLLS have now exceeded the 100,000 mark. 

James said, 'This is fantastic. It's amazing that so many copies have been sold in just four months. I'd like to thank everyone who has got in touch to tell me how much they enjoyed the book.'

Because demand for more Jefferson Winter stories has been so high, publication of WATCH ME has been brought forward to August 15th, and PRESUMED GUILTY will be available from the beginning of July.

Crimefest 2014

May 2014

James will be appearing on two Sunday morning panels at this year's Crimefest.

At 9.30 he will be joining Emma Kavanagh, Neil Broadfoot, Rebecca Muddiman and Charlotte Williams for Debut Authors: An Infusion Of Fresh Blood. The panel will be moderated by Laura Wilson.

And at 11.50 he will be appearing alongside Declan Burke, Mick Herron and Kerry Wilkinson for Investigators: Private & Not So Private. This panel will be moderated by Ruth Downie.

Broken Dolls Is A Number 1 Bestseller

March 2014

Broken Dolls has reached number 1 on Amazon's Kindle Fiction chart and the iBook Crime and Thriller chart. It is also a Top 3 bestseller in Italy, reaching number 3 in the Italian Kindle chart.

'This is amazing news,' said James. 'It has been fantastic hearing from readers both in Britain and Italy who have read and enjoyed the book, and are eagerly awaiting their next Jefferson Winter fix. Thank you so much to everyone who has bought the book.'

PRESUMED GUILTY, the first installment in a series of eBooks set during Winter's FBI days will be released in July. While WATCH ME, the second full-length novel, will be published in September. For more information click here.

Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself...

February 2014

Want to know more about Broken Dolls and Jefferson Winter? Then check out these articles:

Bored in Athens - Jefferson Winter's Top 10

The One That (Almost) Got Away - James talks to Crime Time about how Broken Dolls came about.

Female First - An exclusive interview with James on all things TV and JW.

On The Side Of The Angels - James talks to Shotsmag about antiheroes and Jefferson Winter.

Broken Dolls Out Now!

January 2014

Broken Dolls, the first Jefferson Winter thriller, is now on sale!

Katherine Armstrong at Faber says, 'I am thrilled to be publishing James Carol and his first two Jefferson Winter books. In Jefferson Winter, James has created a compulsively readable character who has the intelligence and the charisma to engage and entertain the reader. It's a hugely enjoyable read and I look forward to working with James and developing the series.'

To date, Broken Dolls has sold to five countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Thailand and Turkey.  TV and film rights have been optioned by Sprout Pictures, the production company owned by Stephen Fry and Gina Carter.

To order your copy from Amazon click on the cover.

Winter Is Coming

November 2013

Television rights for Broken Dolls have been optioned by Sprout Pictures, the production company behind  the Emmy award winning SKY comedy Moone Boy. The company is planning to adapt the novel into a major TV series, provisionally titled WINTER.

Sprout Pictures is jointly owned by Stephen Fry and Gina Carter, and, since its inception in 2004, it has built up an enviable reputation. Over the years, the company has worked with some of the most sought after names from stage and screen, including Emma Thompson, Richard E Grant, Idris Elba and Anna Friel. Amongst its many successes is the hit ITV series Kingdom, which starred Stephen in the title role.

Gina said: ‘With Jefferson Winter, James Carol has created one of the most complex and compelling characters I have ever come across. His unique style makes Broken Dolls stand out from other crime novels and I just knew we had to bring this thrilling and brilliantly disturbing story to the screen.’

‘I’m very excited to be working with Sprout Pictures,” added James. “The company has an amazing track record for producing high-quality intelligent television drama. I can’t wait to see what they do with Jefferson Winter.’

And Stephen tweeted: ‘Very excited @SproutPictures has optioned @JamesCarolBooks' thrilling novel 'Broken Dolls'.’

Wired For Sound

November 2013

Last week James was at White House Sound Studios in Syston, Leicestershire, for the recording of the audio book version of Broken Dolls. The book features the vocal talents of William Hope and Julia Barrie, and will be on sale next year.

James said: ‘William has the perfect voice for Winter, and it was such a privilege to sit in and watch while he brought the world of Broken Dolls to life. I can’t wait to hear the finished result.’

During his visit, James recorded an interview with William, which will be included on a bonus CD. An excerpt will be posted here as soon as it is available.

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