Ahead of the London Book Fair, Angus Cargill at Faber has acquired UK&BC ex. Can rights in Tim Baker’s epic crime thriller set in Mexico, CITY WITHOUT STARS. Faber also published his debut last year, the neo-noir conspiracy thriller, FEVER CITY.

Sharing the same landscape as THE CARTEL, 2666 and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, CITY WITHOUT STARS is a mesmerising crime thriller that combines the nightmarish violence of the War on Drugs with an occult world of dark powers and conspiracy. Across a fast, short-fuse narrative, Baker maneuvers different voices and perspectives as the action accelerates towards its shocking conclusions. The novel is brutal, and unflinching, but the most despairing acts are counterpoised with a rich humanity, dark swathes of humour and an unstinting faith in the redemptive power of human courage and decency.

Angus Cargill says : 'CITY WITHOUT STARS is a powerful, atmospheric, and artfully written Cartel novel about an epidemic of missing women in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Real. Set over five days, at the turn of the century, it is painfully relevant to today and confirms Tim as one of the most thoughtful and exciting new voices in international thriller writing.'

Tim Baker says: ‘I am thrilled to be continuing the adventure with Angus and his superb and supportive team at Faber, who have done everything possible to make me feel at home. Faber remain a reference for excellence and a perfect launch pad for such an ambitious book.’

Tom Witcomb says: ‘Tim is an absolute stylist and Faber is the perfect home for this epic work. CITY WITHOUT STARS is an audacious, fast moving thriller and its themes of social injustice and the vulnerability of women are incredibly timely.’

Faber will publish in early Spring 2018.

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Born in Sydney, Australia, Baker lived in Spain before moving to the South of France. His debut novel, FEVER CITY, was Highly Commended for the CWA Debut Dagger and Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger.