The Long Kill by Reginald Hill, £8.99

Where better for a hitman to retire than in the Lake District, where the air is healthy and the scenery spectacular? But Jaysmith soon discovers that settling down to the quiet life is not as easy as it seems and the past is always lying in wait.

With the huge success of the late Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe series some of his early works get missed and this is one that is definitely adding to any current reading list. First published in 1986 this fast paced thriller is set between Red Screes, Grasmere and Kendal and has twists and turns all the way to a dramatic ending.

CAROLINE REECE

WATERSTONES KENDAL