Deep Shelter: A Novel

In this gritty, white-knuckle crime thriller, Detective Nick Belsey—introduced in the acclaimed The Hollow Man as a shrewd, street-smart cynic who is one of London’s sharpest, but most unprincipled, investigators—is plunged into a perplexing mystery of secrets, danger, and suspense beneath the city’s streets.

Trouble once again finds Nick Belsey when he takes a date to an abandoned bomb shelter buried beneath the heart of London. One minute the young woman is there, and the next, she’s gone, mysteriously vanishing into the dark labyrinth of secret tunnels. A seasoned cop with a bad reputation, Nick knows that if he reports her disappearance, he’ll be the prime suspect. Instead, he’s going to find her. It’s not just her life at stake—it’s his, too.

Determined to discover who else is down in those forgotten tunnels, and how far this secret network of underground passages extends, he plunges head first into the investigation—and into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a ruthless enemy who would rather let an innocent woman die than reveal old Cold War secrets hidden deep beneath the city’s streets.

An edgy, subversive thriller with the superb characterization of classic Lawrence Block and the psychological acuity and suspense of Sophie Hannah, Deep Shelter is a compulsively readable mystery from a master of literary suspense.

Detective Nick Belsey—one of London's sharpest but most unprincipled investigators, first introduced in the acclaimed The Hollow Man—is plunged into a perplexing mystery of secrets, danger, and suspense beneath the city's streets.

Trouble once again finds Nick Belsey when he takes a date to an abandoned bomb shelter buried beneath the heart of London. One minute the young woman is there, and the next, she's gone, mysteriously vanishing into the dark labyrinth of secret tunnels. A seasoned cop with a bad reputation, Nick knows that if he reports her disappearance, he'll be the prime suspect.

Instead, he's going to find her. It's not just her life at stake—it's his, too. Determined to discover who is down in those forgotten tunnels and how far this secret network of underground passages extends, he plunges headfirst into the investigation—and into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a ruthless enemy who would rather let an innocent woman die than reveal Cold War secrets. A subversive thriller with the superb characterization of classic Lawrence Block and the psychological suspense of Sophie Hannah, Deep Shelter is a compulsively readable mystery from a master of literary suspense.

“extremely entertaining…. This is a real nail-biter and a great ride for readers.” - Suspense Magazine

“Searing. . . . Readers should be prepared for a mind-bending resolution that hurtles down as remorselessly as an avalanche.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The narrative is buoyed by good writing and piercing insights. . . . And is our heel-hero really a study in conflict or a have-it-both-ways fraud, true blue under a raffish surface? That’s the real puzzle, and one thoughtful readers will relish.” - Booklist

“You’ll have a whale of a time.” - The Guardian

“Harris’s heart-pounding second outing for Det. Constable Nick Belsey (after 2012’s Hollow Man), an unsuccessful manhunt leads Belsey to the entrance of a disused underground bunker in London’s Belsize Park. Upon discovering a cache of champagne and pharmaceuticals in this Cold War-era bomb shelter, Belsey decides to impress his art-student girlfriend, Jemma Stevens, by taking her there. During the underground tour, Jemma vanishes. Belsey, who fears that he’ll be the prime suspect in her disappearance, soon starts receiving taunting messages from Jemma’s kidnapper, who has taken the name of a notorious Soviet spy, Ferryman. Belsey must discover Ferryman’s identity, uncover the secrets of a vast network of shelters underneath London, and avoid capture both by the city’s police force and U.K.security services. His frenetic quest to save Jemma and clear his name will keep readers turning the pages.” - Publishers Weekly

“Harris’s heart-pounding second outing for Det. Constable Nick Belsey (after 2012’s Hollow Man)…. His frenetic quest…will keep readers turning the pages.” - Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Hollow Man: “He’s got to be London’s coolest cop.” - Daily Mail (London)

“A knockout debut novel.” - Charlotte Observer

“Debut author Harris maintains the tension and suspense from the first sentence to the last. His antihero is engaging, and readers will be rooting for him all the way to the final plot twist.” - Library Journal