Skip to main content
Digital Audiobook
The Colours of Death by Patricia Marques

Listen to a sample

00:00
00:00

The Colours of Death

Inspector Reis (Book 1)

Publisher
Hodder & Stoughton
Publish Date
17 June 2021
Run Time
15 hours 1 minute
Format
Audiobook
$13.95

Log in to see your price

Gift

What to expect

The first a speculative detective series set in Lisbon.

The Murder
In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord.

The City
Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion.

The Detective
In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.

A violent and mysterious crime. Suspected Gifted involvement. A city baying for blood. And a killer who has only just begun . . .

(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Critics Review

  • This is crime fiction with a twist. Detective Inspector Reis is in pursuit of a killer. Nothing new there, but the murders take place in an alternative Lisbon, Portugal where the population is split into gifted or non-gifted and Inspector Reis is registered as gifted due to her being a telepath. This was a gripping and highly invented thrill ride. I can't wait for more

    Nadine Matheson, author of The Jigsaw Man

  • Patricia Marques crafts a riveting mystery about power, privilege, and murder. Genuinely gripping, The Colours of Death has immense heart and an intriguing, fully realized world

    Lori M. Lee, author of Forest of Souls

  • An absolute knockout

    Nicolás Obregón, author of Unknown Male

  • An amazing genre-bending debut

    David Jackson, bestselling author of The Resident

See more reviews
  • A distinctive, intriguing, immersive debut

    Mari Hannah, multi-award winning author of Without a Trace

  • Marques sets Lisbon alight with this beautifully drawn thriller. Gifted detective Isabel Reis is everything we want from our protagonists - original and compelling, unique and fascinating. A story that'll leave you red-eyed and sleep deprived, The Colours of Death is a bold, compelling police drama a step beyond the ordinary with writing to match

    Helen Fields, bestselling author of The Shadow Man

  • The Colours of Death is that rarest of things, a completely original crime novel. It's also a bit brilliant, and I as much inhaled it as read it

    W. C. Ryan, author of A House of Ghost

  • Stigma and paranoia loom large in Marques's beautifully realised alternate Lisbon. Isabel's predicament is an intriguing, and paradoxical one - it's isolating to hear the thoughts of everyone around you. A vivid, fast-moving mystery

    Kate Mascarenhas, author of The Psychology of Time Travel

  • The Colours of Death is a wonderful, intriguing and original speculative thriller by a sensational debut author. Visit a Lisbon filled with danger, death, and delicious food. You won't regret it

    Alexandra Benedict, author of Braided Hearts

  • Patricia Marques debut takes the classic crime novel and the evocative setting of Lisbon, and utterly transforms both with a fascinating speculative twist. Pacy, immersive and brain-shiveringly clever. A brilliantly original crime story

    Philippa East, author of Safe and Sound

  • A brilliantly inventive and twisty tale

    Claire McGowan, bestselling author of The Push

  • A brilliant read. The premise and characters are intriguing, the story completely compelling - I couldn't put it down - and I loved the beautifully depicted setting of Lisbon

    Debbie Howells, bestselling author of The Bones of You

  • Breathtakingly original, and a captivating sense of place

    Val McDermid

  • Compelling and original, this glints with freshness

    Daily Mail

  • A good detective story . . . intriguing

    Guardian

  • Crime fiction with a twist

    SFX Magazine

  • A very confident, original debut novel . . . One of the best debut novels that I've read this year and Patricia Marques is a writer to watch

    Shots Mag

  • This is a novel that will have purists tutting. Until they start reading and allow themselves to be seduced by its setting, characters and deft handling of the underlying idea. Then, like me, they'll be fascinated

    Express

  • A tantalising spin on crime, with a dash of fantasy

    Peterborough Telegraph

  • Pacy, gripping, and a fresh as hell blast across the bows of police procedurals

    Adam Simcox, author of The Dying Squad

  • A great crime debut . . . a world of division and paranoia brought vividly to life, best enjoyed over a pastel de nata

    The Express

User Reviews

No reviews yet.

Details

Author
Patricia Marques
Narrator
Sofia Zervudachi
Duration
15 hours 1 minute
Release Date
17 June 2021
ISBN
9781529336689
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Hodder & Stoughton
Genre
Thriller / suspense fiction, Speculative fiction, Crime and / or mystery fiction, Horror, ghost stories and supernatural fiction, Science fiction

Synopsis

The first a speculative detective series set in Lisbon. The Murder In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord. The City Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion. The Detective In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.A violent and mysterious crime. Suspected Gifted involvement. A city baying for blood. And a killer who has only just begun . . .(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

About xigxag

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.