Penguin – Website desktop 1800×1200 (5)

Podcast

Is Jane Austen’s legacy more than just romantic love? Ask Penguin Podcast

A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering

Property might be theft. But the housing market is murder . . . A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering is a gripping thriller about what it's like to be young, skilled, unemployed - and on the run. 
 
'A comic delight' Financial Times 
 
'A thoroughly entertaining mix of whodunnit, social satire and a cunningly smuggled-in love story' Mail on Sunday 
 
'Laugh out loud funny, surprising, shocking, thought provoking ... Loved it' The Times 
 
__________ 
 
Property might be theft. But the housing market is murder. 
 
My name is Al. I live in wealthy people's second homes while their real owners are away. 
 
I don’t rob them, I don’t damage anything… I’m more an unofficial house-sitter than an actual criminal. 
 
Life is good. 
 
Or it was - until last night, when my friends and I broke into the wrong place, on the wrong day, and someone wound up dead. 
 
And now … now we’re in a great deal of trouble. 
 
__________ 
 
Praise for A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering . . . 
 
'A propulsive plot, an ingenious narrator and lashings of intrigue' Guardian 
 
'It’s laugh-out-loud funny, proceeding at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.' Sunday Times 
 
'Fantastic' Zoe Ball 
 
'Madly fun and exciting' Lisa Jewell 
 
‘Who knew murder could be so funny. A joyous read from start to finish. I loved it!’ Clare Mackintosh 
 
'Legit brilliant, FUN and FUNNY and I couldn’t recommend it more' Stevie Martin 
 
‘Dark, funny, and deeply twisted' Val McDermid 
 
'Witty, dazzling and incredibly addictive' Jenny Colgan 
 
‘A bloody brilliant, fantastic book . . . I’m bereft now I’ve finished it’ Philippa Perry 
 
‘[Andrew Hunter Murray] has written something so funny and clever, you will want to give him a badge.’ Cariad Lloyd 
 
'Tremendous fun: a quirky, gripping and insightful novel that kept me reading late into the night.' Elizabeth Macneal 
 
‘This is a giddy, addictive thrill ride of a book - who knew accidental espionage was so much fun?!' Daisy Buchanan 
 
'An excellent pacy caper’ Professor Sophie Ratcliffe 
 
'Tremendous fun: a quirky, gripping and insightful novel that kept me reading late into the night.' Elizabeth Macneal 
 
__________ 
 
Five stars for A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering . . . 
 
'I just didn't want this to end. The narrator's voice is very, very engaging: a little cynical, very witty and all round jolly good fun' 
'It has some brilliantly written characters and the plot keeps you engaged throughout' 
'I was gripped to the very end' 
'Great fun, fast paced and quirkily written'

Smart, satirical, knowledgable, accurate, punchy, laugh out loud funny, surprising, shocking, thought provoking. Lovely short chapters. Loved it

Hugely entertaining…the novel is politically astute, gradually revealing a scam involving property and international money laundering. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, proceeding at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.

A propulsive plot, an ingenious narrator and lashings of intrigue make this a genuine and thoroughly enjoyable page-turner

The plot is corset-tight and lavish with its surprises. An amusing crime caper…a delight

What drives Hunter Murray’s chunky crime thriller along is Al’s idiosyncratic, comic narrative voice. As a result, it’s fun to spend time with him, even when it’s clear he’s not necessarily a great human being

Filled with humour, shocks, love and hate – and a few handy tips on how to beat the housing crisis… Funny, thoughtful and all-round entertaining

In the delicious A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering, a hapless housebreaker and his fellow miscreants must solve a murder before the police arrest them; it’s a comic delight.

I was hooked ... as it's filled with hilarious moments

Andrew Hunter Murray is a writer, broadcaster and comedian. He co-hosts the award-winning podcast No Such Thing As A Fish, which has received 500 million downloads and toured the world. He also writes jokes and journalism for Private Eye magazine, hosts the Eye's podcast Page 94, presents BBC Radio 4’s Friday night comedy The Naked Week, and spent 14 years writing BBC2’s QI. 
 
His first novel, The Last Day, was a Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller, and one of the top 10 fiction debuts of 2020; his second, The Sanctuary, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month; and his third, A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering, was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic literature. 
 
Andrew lives in London, in a house which largely belongs to someone else (Barclay’s).

Property might be theft. But the housing market is murder . . . A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering is a gripping thriller about what it's like to be young, skilled, unemployed - and on the run. 
 
'A comic delight' Financial Times 
 
'A thoroughly entertaining mix of whodunnit, social satire and a cunningly smuggled-in love story. Highly recommended.' Mail on Sunday 
 
'Smart, satirical, knowledgable, accurate, punchy, laugh out loud funny, surprising, shocking, thought provoking ... Loved it.' Matt Chorley, The Times 
 
__________ 
 
Property might be theft. But the housing market is murder. 
 
My name is Al. I live in wealthy people's second homes while their real owners are away. 
 
I don’t rob them, I don’t damage anything… I’m more an unofficial house-sitter than an actual criminal. 
 
Life is good. 
 
Or it was - until last night, when my friends and I broke into the wrong place, on the wrong day, and someone wound up dead. 
 
And now … now we’re in a great deal of trouble. 
__________ 
 
Praise for A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering . . . 
 
'A propulsive plot, an ingenious narrator and lashings of intrigue make this a genuine and thoroughly enjoyable page-turner.' Guardian 
 
'It’s laugh-out-loud funny, proceeding at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.' Sunday Times 
 
‘Filled with humour, shocks, love and hare – and a few tips on how to beat the housing crisis.’ Daily Express 
 
'The plot is corset-tight and lavish with its surprises. An amusing crime caper . . . a delight.' Strong Words Magazine 
 
'Fantastic' Zoe Ball 
 
'Madly fun and exciting' Lisa Jewell 
 
‘Who knew murder could be so funny. A joyous read from start to finish. I loved it!’ Clare Mackintosh 
 
'Legit brilliant, FUN and FUNNY and I couldn’t recommend it more' Stevie Martin 
 
‘Dark, funny, and deeply twisted' Val McDermid 
 
'Witty, dazzling and incredibly addictive' Jenny Colgan 
 
‘A bloody brilliant, fantastic book . . . I’m bereft now I’ve finished it’ Philippa Perry 
 
‘[Andrew Hunter Murray] has written something so funny and clever, you will want to give him a badge.’ Cariad Lloyd 
 
 
'Tremendous fun: a quirky, gripping and insightful novel that kept me reading late into the night.' Elizabeth Macneal 
 
‘This is a giddy, addictive thrill ride of a book - who knew accidental espionage was so much fun?!' Daisy Buchanan 
 
'An excellent pacy caper’ Professor Sophie Ratcliffe 
 
'Tremendous fun: a quirky, gripping and insightful novel that kept me reading late into the night.' Elizabeth Macneal 
 
'Filled with humour, shocks, love and hate – and a few handy tips on how to beat the housing crisis… Funny, thoughtful and all-round entertaining.' Press Association

the gripping must-read thriller by the Sunday Times bestselling author

The Sanctuary

There's no way back from paradise. From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Last Day, this high-concept thriller will provoke and grip you from the very first page . . . 
 
'Sucks you in and doesn't let you leave until the very last page' Anthony Horowitz 
'Smoothly written, thought provoking ... with an effective shocker of an ending' Guardian 
'Absolutely brilliant. I'm thinking it needs to be made into a movie!' Zoe Ball 
___________________ 
 
Sanctuary Rock is a perfect place. 
 
A remote island, owned by a wealthy philanthropist who is building a brand-new world on the ruins of the old one. 
 
Ben only came to the island to bring his fiancée Cara home. But when he arrives, he is rapidly seduced by the vision of a better way of life, as described by the charismatic and mysterious Sir John. 
 
Before long, he decides to stay. 
 
But the island holds darker secrets than he could ever have suspected. 
 
Then he learns the only route back to the mainland is about to close for good. 
 
And his own life may be in terrible danger . . . 
___________________ 
 
'The considerable pleasure of this novel is in the getting from here to there' The Times 
'Gripping, unsettling and original. Andrew Hunter Murray is a fabulous storyteller.' Tim Harford 
'Rich in imagination and stylishly written ... Totally absorbing.' Paul Burke, Crime Time FM 
___________________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of The Sanctuary . . . 
 
***** 'A thoughtful, impressive science fiction thriller.' 
***** 'I hope AHM keeps writing books because they are *chef's kiss* perfection.' 
***** 'Some great twists, turns and surprises! Thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking.' 
***** 'I like Andrew Hunter Murray's style ... It was a brilliant read.' 
***** 'This book took a totally different turn to what I was expecting! Really enjoyable, stayed up late to finish it as the story was so tense towards the end.'

Sanctuary Rock is a perfect place. 
 
A remote island, owned by a wealthy philanthropist who is building a brand-new world on the ruins of the old one. 
 
Ben only came to the island to bring his fiancée Cara home. But when he arrives, he is rapidly seduced by the vision of a better way of life, as described by the charismatic and mysterious Sir John. 
 
Before long, he decides to stay. 
 
But the island holds darker secrets than he could ever have suspected. 
 
Then he learns the only route back to the mainland is about to close for good. 
 
And his own life may be in terrible danger... 
_____________ 
 
PRAISE . . . 
 
'Imaginative and intriguing ... Sucks you in and doesn't let you leave until the very last page' Anthony Horowitz 
'Smoothly written, thought provoking ... with an effective shocker of an ending' Guardian 
'The considerable pleasure of this novel is in the getting from here to there' The Times

The gripping must-read thriller by the Sunday Times bestselling author

The Last Day

HALF THE WORLD IS DARK. ONLY SHE CAN SAVE THE LIGHT. A high-concept, utterly original debut thriller which envisages a world on the edge of catastrophe, perfect for readers who loved Robert Harris' Fatherland, Station 11, and The Wall by John Lanchester.

Half the world is in darkness. Only she can save the light . . . the post-apocalyptic bestselling read. 
 
'A brilliant near-future thriller and a really cracking read' Richard Osman 
'Will keep you gripped to the very last page' C.J. Tudor 
'Wonderful ... the best future-shock thriller for years.' Lee Child 
'A stunningly original thriller' Harlan Coben 
'A beautifully realised and thought-provoking thriller' The Times 
'Intriguing and unusual' Sunday Times 
____________________ 
 
2059. The world has stopped turning. 
 
One half suffers an endless frozen night; the other, nothing but burning sun. 
 
Only in a slim twilit region between them can life survive. 
 
In an isolationist Britain clinging on in the twilight zone, scientist Ellen Hopper receives a letter from a dying man. It contains a powerful and dangerous secret. 
 
One that those in power will kill to conceal . . . 
____________________ 
 
'Reminiscent of Robert Harris's high-concept conspiracy thrillers' Financial Times 
'I read this hungrily ... A fabulous achievement.' Stephen Fry 
'Inventive, richly detailed world-building' Telegraph 
'A tantalizing, suspenseful odyssey of frustration, deceit, treachery, torture, hope, despair and ingenious sleuthing' Washington Post 
'A taut, thrilling runaround' Guardian 
'A brilliant debut ... Fans of Robert Harris will love it' Daily Express 
'To say it's gripping is an understatement' Sara Pascoe 
'Murray has crafted something original ... an interesting new twist on a post-apocalyptic tale.' Kirkus 
'Downright impossible to stop reading.' Booklist 
'Dark, believable and brilliantly written' Jenny Colgan 
'I couldn't put this book down!' Christina Dalcher

I read this hungrily ... Its intelligence and bravura characterization will have you turning page after page. A fabulous achievement.

A brilliantly clever thriller from a brilliantly clever writer.

Murray should be commended for going into the nitty-gritty of how his post-disaster society functions[…] What really distinguishes the book, though, is the creative energy of its world-building: it demonstrates the virtue of using the future as a playground for the imagination rather than trying to second-guess it.

Telegraph: the best thrillers and crime fiction of 2020

A taut, thrilling runaround... The Last Day is an impressive dystopian techno-thriller. Murray paints a grim picture of a draconian isolationist Britain, with some vivid descriptions of a much-changed London, and the novel’s climax has a neat twist.

A brilliant debutwhich blends apocalyptic drama with a tale of espionage, keeping readers on tenterhooks […] Fans of Robert Harris will love it.

A stunningly original thriller set in the world of tomorrow that will make you think about what’s happening today.

A fresh take on the dystopian thriller, to say it’s gripping is an understatement - I cancelled all my weekend plans to finish it

[A]n atmosphere reminiscent of PD James’s dystopian classic The Children of Men and alternative history thrillers such as Len Deighton’s SS-GB. As with those novels, The Last Day investigates the “boiled frog” nature of totalitarianism, with Hunter Murray imagining what Britain succumbing to it would look and feel like. The result is a beautifully realised and thought provoking-thriller.

Dark, believable and brilliantly written

A thrilling page-turner, and a reminder to treasure our sunsets and sunrises while we still have them. I couldn’t put this book down!

[A]n intriguing and unusual set-up […] enthralling sci-fi world building.

In addition to masterfully painting a world on the brink of extinguishment […] Hunter Murray provides a top-notch plot that proves riveting until the very end.

An irresistible post-apocalyptic thriller.

A hugely atmospheric novelpowered by character rather than incident as Hopper is drawn deeper into a world she doesn’t understand… this has got a four part BBC Sunday night thriller written all over it.

A world in darkness. A secret she must bring to light. 
 
'A brilliant near-future thriller and a really cracking read' Richard Osman 
'A beautifully realised and thought-provoking thriller' The Times 
'Reminiscent of Robert Harris's high-concept conspiracy thrillers' Financial Times 
'Wonderful ... the best future-shock thriller for years.' Lee Child 
'I read this hungrily ... A fabulous achievement.' Stephen Fry 
____________________ 
 
2059. The world has stopped turning. 
 
One half suffers an endless frozen night; the other, nothing but burning sun. 
 
Only in a slim twilit region between them can life survive. 
 
In an isolationist Britain clinging on in the twilight zone, scientist Ellen Hopper receives a letter from a dying man. It contains a powerful and dangerous secret. 
 
One that those in power will kill to conceal . . . 
____________________ 
 
'Intriguing and unusual' Sunday Times 
'Inventive, richly detailed world-building' Telegraph 
'A tantalizing, suspenseful odyssey of frustration, deceit, treachery, torture, hope, despair and ingenious sleuthing' Washington Post 
'A stunningly original thriller' HARLAN COBEN 
'A taut, thrilling runaround' GUARDIAN 
'A brilliant debut ... Fans of Robert Harris will love it' DAILY EXPRESS 
'To say it's gripping is an understatement' SARA PASCOE 
'Murray has crafted something original ... an interesting new twist on a post-apocalyptic tale.' KIRKUS 
'Downright impossible to stop reading.' BOOKLIST 
'Dark, believable and brilliantly written' JENNY COLGAN 
'I couldn't put this book down!' CHRISTINA DALCHER 
'The Last Day will keep you gripped to the very last page' C.J. TUDOR

Bad Deeds

'Witty, wicked and whip-smart - Bad Deeds is the perfect page turner' ROSS MONTGOMERY 
 
--- 
 
Alex used to break into other people’s houses. 
 
These days though, he's turned his life around. He still breaks into homes and offices – but now it's legal, to test the security for the rightful owners. He’s got a job, a regular income, a roof over his head, even a girlfriend. 
 
For once, it's all going right. 
 
And then he takes a job he shouldn’t, and steals a souvenir - a vial of white powder - from an executive's desk in an office he's just entered. 
 
It’s pretty clear what the powder is. Only it proves to be something quite different, and soon Alex’s problems begin in earnest as his own flat is trashed and his life is threatened. 
 
This little tube has opened up a whole world of trouble for Alex and his friends. 
 
Trouble that won’t go away any time soon... 
 
---------------- 
 
Love for A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering: 
 
'Fantastic' Zoe Ball 
 
'Madly fun and exciting' Lisa Jewell 
 
‘Who knew murder could be so funny. A joyous read from start to finish. I loved it!’ Clare Mackintosh 
 
'Witty, dazzling and incredibly addictive' Jenny Colgan 
 
'It’s laugh-out-loud funny, proceeding at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.' Sunday Times 
 
'A comic delight' Financial Times 
 
'Smart, satirical, knowledgable, accurate, punchy, laugh out loud funny, surprising, shocking, thought provoking ... Loved it.' Matt Chorley, The Times

Witty, wicked and whip-smart - Bad Deeds is the perfect page turner for those who like their thillers with propulsive plots, rollicking action, and a serving of bone-dry satire. An absolute hoot!

Alex used to break into other people’s houses. 
 
These days though, he's turned his life around. He still breaks into homes and offices – but now it's legal, to test the security for the rightful owners. He’s got a job, a regular income, a roof over his head, even a girlfriend. 
 
For once, it's all going right. 
 
And then he takes a job he shouldn’t, and steals a souvenir – a vial of white powder – from an executive's desk in an office he's just entered. 
 
It’s pretty clear what the powder is. Only it proves to be something quite different, and soon Alex’s problems begin in earnest as his own flat is trashed and his life is threatened. 
 
This little tube has opened up a whole world of trouble for Alex and his friends. 
 
Trouble that won’t go away any time soon... 
 
---------------- 
 
Praise for A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering... 
 
'Fantastic' Zoe Ball 
 
‘A joyous read from start to finish. I loved it!’ Clare Mackintosh 
 
'It’s laugh-out-loud funny, proceeding at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.' Sunday Times 
 
'A comic delight' Financial Times

P.G. Wodehouse

Frank Skinner

Roddy Doyle

Alan Titchmarsh

Dominic Sandbrook

Deborah Frances-White

Andrew Hunter Murray

Scarlett Curtis

Jasper Fforde

John Finnemore

Ian Moore

William Rayfet Hunter

Fergus Craig

A multi-voiced tribute to a literary great . . . jolly good fun

The funniest writer to ever put words to paper

He has made a world for us to live in and delight in

Wodehouse is the greatest comic writer ever

Paper has rarely been put to better use than printing Wodehouse

For as long as I'm immersed in a P.G. Wodehouse book, it's possible to keep the real world at bay and live in a far, far nicer one where happy endings are the order of the day

Incomparable and timeless genius - perfect for readers of all ages, shapes and sizes!

I'm not sure I can entirely like or trust anyone who doesn't love Jeeves and Wooster

Twelve New Stories

'FULL OF FIZZ AND VARIETY' Sunday Times 
 
'JOLLY GOOD FUN' i Paper 
 
'WHIP-SMART' Daily Mail 
 
'FUN AND FROLICS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON' Saga Magazine 
 
FEATURING HUGE NAMES FROM LITERATURE, COMEDY AND BEYOND - INCLUDING RODDY DOYLE, FRANK SKINNER AND ALAN TITCHMARSH - THIS ANTHOLOGY OF STORIES REIMAGINES JEEVES AND WOOSTER THROUGH FRESH EYES. 
 
The irrepressible duo first appeared on the page in 1915, coming to feature in more than 35 short stories and eleven novels over the course of Wodehouse’s lifetime. 
 
Each story in this new collection offers a delightful and original reimagining of the incomparable Bertie Wooster and his gentleman’s gentleman – seeing them journey to the horse races in Paris, solve puzzles at a wartime Bletchley Park, and even transported forward in time to the year 2025. 
<ul><li>Frank Skinner</li><li>Roddy Doyle</li><li>Alan Titchmarsh</li><li>Dominic Sandbrook</li><li>Deborah Frances-White</li><li>Andrew Hunter Murray</li><li>Scarlett Curtis</li><li>Jasper Fforde</li><li>John Finnemore</li><li>Ian Moore</li><li>William Rayfet Hunter</li><li>Fergus Craig</li></ul> 
JEEVES AGAIN is a joyful celebration of Wodehouse as a much-beloved British literary icon – as well as a timely and entertaining reminder of the lasting impact of his characters on a whole new generation of readers and writers. 
 
*** 
 
HEAR FROM THE WRITERS . . . 
 
'A Wodehouse book is a journey into joy.' RODDY DOYLE, Booker Prize-winning author of PADDY CLARKE HA HA HA 
 
'Anybody who has even a vague interest in good writing should read Wodehouse.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, author and co-host of THE REST IS HISTORY 
 
'I simply adore Wodehouse.' ALAN TITCHMARSH MBE, broadcaster and writer 
 
'To stumble into the world of Wodehouse is like sinking into a warm bath.' SCARLETT CURTIS, Sunday Times bestselling author of FEMINISTS DON'T WEAR PINK (AND OTHER LIES) 
 
'What Wodehouse is still today, just as much as ever, is funny.' JOHN FINNEMORE, creator of CABIN PRESSURE

Andrew Hunter Murray

Praise for Jeeves Again

Reviews for JEEVES AGAIN

Full of fizz and variety

A multi-voiced tribute to a literary great . . . jolly good fun

Reviews for JEEVES AGAIN

Full of fizz and variety

A multi-voiced tribute to a literary great . . . jolly good fun

Reviews for JEEVES AGAIN

Full of fizz and variety

A multi-voiced tribute to a literary great . . . jolly good fun

Books by Andrew Hunter Murray

Articles featuring Andrew Hunter Murray

Is Jane Austen’s legacy more than just romantic love? Ask Penguin Podcast

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter