One London Day

'The novel's darkly comic tone and cinematic feel make this a series to watch' The Times

One city, one day, and a battle of wills reaches boiling point

Joseph Severin, a respectable North London businessman, has a lucrative side job. He's doing the books, old school (because these days the only trail you can't trace is a paper one) for a rogue MI5 outfit, the Shadows, headed by psychopathic Sebastien. However, when the game is rumbled, Sebastien sends hitman Mr Phipps to kill Severin and get those books back. The spider web of collateral damage will be extensive, taking in Lottie, for whom Severin has developed a sudden, wild passion; Sonya, a Russian escort with a desperate deadline; and at MI5, the ambitious Ellerby, who has them all in her sights.

It's the hottest summer in fifty years and in the shadows, a deadly domino effect is about to spill out into the harsh light of day.

An earlier version of this book was published as One London Day by C.C. Humphreys, now expanded and revised 2026.

'Hard-boiled, lustful, edgy - a modern noir' Robert Dugoni

'A wonderful noir carnival of mayhem. A joyful, dark romp' Crime Time

'An intelligent, sharp, no-holds-barred thriller that had me leaning forward, turning page after page . Bravo, Mr. Humphreys. This may be your first contemporary thriller, but it certainly won't be your last' Giles Kristian



Chris Humphreys was born in Toronto and raised in London. His acting career has taken him from the West End to Hollywood with stops along the way for The Bill and at the Rovers Return on Coronation Street. His debut novel, The French Executioner, was shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger and more recently Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel. After a dozen years on a remote island in British Columbia, he is now living in Totnes, Devon.