Christmas books: I feel kind of embarrassed pointing you towards these 5 options. If you’ve already read all my books, skip to the bottom of this post!
Christmas is coming – accompanied by fear
As Christmas approaches, I feel a shiver of apprehension run down my spine. What am I going to give everyone? When, and where, can I find something unusual, interesting and fun?
All my books – so far
A sense of embarrassment
Being British, I always feel a bit shy about recommending my own books. Look on this blog, and you’ll find countless posts on other subjects. But at several recent events people have asked me: ‘What else have your written?’ Plus, Christmas books make great gifts. So here’s a handy list of all my books. If you fancy ordering any as Christmas gifts for yourself or someone you love (or hate), feel free.
Christmas books: Eternal Life
Eternal Life was my first book. It’s an ambitious work of speculative fiction, packed with black comedy:
In a time where life is traded on Wall Street and a newborn baby is worth $300 million, the murder of 10,290 people at the Hughes Procreation Center in Santa Monica seems senseless. Pursued by killers and cops, special agents Jake Parker and Sandy Banks must survive, fight and find love to solve a globe-spanning crime buried at the rotten core of a corrupt society.
Eternal Life is available as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.
Blood Summit
Blood Summit, my first published thriller, is set in the Reichstag in Berlin:
Counter-terrorism expert Helen Gale has one job: to protect world leaders at a summit in the Berlin Reichstag. But terrorists take hostage presidents, prime ministers, one hundred innocent children – and Helen’s journalist husband. Then the executions start.
Blood Summit is available as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.
Seven Hotel Stories
Seven Hotel Stories is a quirky collection of Roald Dahl-esque black comedies:
Glamorous, petite Ms N is the world’s best – and deadliest – manager of super-luxury hotels. Do you think “men will be men”? Ms N and her ally, the beautiful but naive Tatiana, won’t put up with bad behaviour. Whether they use a giant cake, a posse of alligators, an enraged sushi chef, the Russian mafia or three metres of concrete – Ms N and Tatiana will always get their man.
Seven Hotel Stories is available as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.
Palladium
Palladium belongs to the same thriller universe as Blood Summit, and is set in Istanbul.
Moments after archaeologist Elif Mutlu finds a mysterious relic in a tomb in Istanbul, terrorists kidnap her and slaughter the rest of her team. Elif’s lover, disgraced MI6 agent John Savage, races through the city searching for Elif with the help of her brother Orhan, a proud Turkish cop who hates foreigners in general and John in particular. As bombs explode, Elif’s captors announce they will destroy Istanbul. While Elif fights to stay alive, John and Orhan, pursued by cops and threatened by terrorists, must find the Palladium to save Istanbul, a living symbol of 20 million people that East and West can co-exist.
Palladium is available from bookstores in the US or UK or as a rather good Audible version, e-book or paperback from Amazon.
Christmas Books: Lessons in Diplomacy
Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties is (or was) published in English in September 2024.
Dear Mr Turner,
I have just read your book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy” and wanted to say thank you for writing such an interesting and entertaining book! Before I started reading I was already considering a path in diplomacy and after reading this my wish has been confirmed. I will hopefully be starting my studies at Oxford University in October where I will be reading history and politics. I wanted to ask if you had any further tips for aspiring diplomats. Thank you once again for the excellent book!
Kind regards,
[Signed]
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy – Wie Diplomatie die Welt erklärt is available from bookshops throughout German-speaking Europe and from Amazon. It includes a host of photos and makes a great Christmas book gift. If, however, you or the intended recipient of your gift don’t speak German, you may wish to wait for the English-language version in September 2024. Sign up for my update emails, below, for the latest news.
Christmas books: What to do next
I hope this “Christmas books” post will inspire you to read, or gift, one or more of the books above. You can also check out my full books archive, with more photos and excerpts from all the books.
If you’ve already read a book of mine, you may like to consider writing a review, or giving the book a star rating (no review needed) on Amazon. If you let me know you’ve written a review, I will happily worship you as a god, or at least a minor deity. Thanks in advance!
