› › The Fragile Ones An Absolutely Gripping Mystery And Suspense Novel

Flowers on Her Grave: An Absolutely Addictive Mystery and Suspense Novel

Author : Jennifer Chase

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 312 pages

File Size : 22,82 MB

Release : 2020-03-24

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 9781786818164

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Book Description

On the floor, amongst the piles of freshly pressed laundry, lay the woman's lifeless body, her pale yellow nightdress soaked in blood. "I didn't do it..." came a whisper from the corner of the room. Detective Katie Scott has never seen two people more in love than her aunt and uncle as they danced on the decking the night of their wedding anniversary party. But the next morning, when Katie finds her aunt's body sprawled across the floor, that perfect image is shattered forever. All fingers point to Katie's uncle, Pine Valley's beloved sheriff and protector - after all, his prints are all over the antique knife found at the scene. Grieving, but certain of her uncle's innocence, Katie is consigned to the cold case division after she's discovered searching the house for clues. Does someone want to keep her as far away from this investigation as possible? Ignoring warnings from her team, Katie digs into her uncle's old case files and discovers photographs of the body of a young girl found tied to a tree after a hike in search of a rare flower. Her body is covered with the same unusual lacerations her aunt suffered. Katie knows it can't be a coincidence, but every lead she follows takes her to a dead end. Moments before the sheriff is arrested, Katie realises that a single piece of thread she found at the crime scene could be the missing link that will stitch old crimes to new. But how can she prove her uncle's innocence without throwing herself directly into the line of fire? She doesn't have a choice, he's the only family she has left... A totally jaw-dropping crime thriller with an ending you will never see coming! Perfect for anyone who adores Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Readers adore Jennifer Chase: 'Brilliant! Brilliant! Absolutely freaking brilliant!!... Fantastic and so real.' Shalini's Books & Reviews, 5 stars 'Amazing... I couldn't put it down. Had my attention from start to finish. Plenty of suspense and twists and turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was proven wrong. Will definitely recommend. Can't wait for more.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I just couldn't stop reading. I had to know how the story panned out... One hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. On more than one occasion I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next... got the adrenaline pumping, the blood pressure rising and sent my heart rate through the roof... I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout.' Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars



Little Girls Sleeping: An Absolutely Gripping Crime Thriller

Author : Jennifer Chase

Publisher : Detective Katie Scott

Page : 314 pages

File Size : 48,43 MB

Release : 2019-05-31

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 9781786818300

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Book Description

He looked down at the little girl, sleeping peacefully, her arms wrapped around a teddy bear. He knew he was the only one who could save her. He could let her sleep forever. An eight-year-old girl, Chelsea Compton, is missing in Pine Valley, California and for Detective Katie Scott it's a cruel reminder of the friend who disappeared from summer camp twenty years ago. Unable to shake the memories, Katie vows she won't rest until she discovers what happened to Chelsea. But as Katie starts to investigate, accompanied by her loyal ex-military dog, Cisco, the case reveals itself to be much bigger and more shocking than she feared. Hidden deep in the forest she unearths a makeshift cemetery: a row of graves, each with a brightly coloured teddy bear. Katie links the graves to a stack of missing-persons cases involving young girls--finding a pattern no one else has managed to see. Someone in Pine Valley has been taking the town's daughters for years, and Katie is the only one who can stop them. And then another little girl goes missing, snatched from the park near her home. Katie's still haunted by the friend she failed to protect, and she'll do anything to stop the killer striking again--but can she find the little girl before it's too late? Compulsive and gripping crime fiction for fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Katie Scott's first case will have you on the edge of your seat and gasping with shock. What readers are saying about Little Girls Sleeping: 'Believe me when I say that you are in for a thrilling read!... I could not put it away. Can highly recommend!' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars 'Wow!... The hairs on my head stood up with this one!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'It was addicting, captivating and had me reading into the night.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'A chilling read with plenty of twists the whole way through! Cannot wait for the second book.' Goodreads reviewer 'Truly an amazing book. The storyline flowed, the characters were engaging, and I could barely tear myself away... Highly recommended!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars



Her Last Whisper

Author : Jennifer Chase

Publisher : Detective Katie Scott

Page : 330 pages

File Size : 47,84 MB

Release : 2019-10-21

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 9781786818324

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Book Description

Katie focuses her mind, trying to keep another anxiety attack at bay. The victim's long brown hair is slick and wet, her body rigid in the grass. She looks more like a mannequin than the woman Katie had spoken with only yesterday, the woman she had promised to protect... When a cold, naked body is discovered by a couple on a jog through the lush woodlands of Pine Valley, California, new recruit Detective Katie Scott is stunned to discover the victim is Amanda Payton - a much-loved local nurse and the woman at the heart of an unsolved case she's been investigating whilst getting a grip on her crippling PTSD. Weeks earlier, Amanda had run, battered and bruised, out into the headlights of a passing patrol car. She claimed to have just escaped a kidnapping, but with no strong evidence, the case went cold. The Pine Valley police made a fatal mistake... Katie is certain the marks on Amanda's wrists complete a pattern of women being taken, held captive and then showing up dead in remote locations around Pine Valley - and she won't let someone die on her watch again. But then a beautiful office worker with a link to the hospital where Amanda worked goes missing. With only days before the next body is due to show up, can Katie make amends for her past by saving this innocent life? Totally gripping crime fiction for fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Nothing will prepare you for this nail-biting roller-coaster ride... Readers adore Jennifer Chase! 'THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN!!!!!... I was literally holding my breath... I HAD TO KNOW!!!!! As for the explosive ending WOW definitely not what or who I was expecting.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I was really wowed by it... I couldn't put the book down and was trying to read as fast as I could so I could find out who the killer was. The ending took me by surprise... I was literally gasping for air... I would definitely recommend.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Wow what an absolutely amazing fantastic read. I was hooked almost as soon as I started this book. I am still trying to pick my chin off the floor. I loved it from page one and couldn't read the pages quick enough. I did not see the end coming...Awesome.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'If you read one police thriller this year make sure that it is this one... it will grip you from the start and will drag you into the story trying desperately to work out who the killer is but I promise you that you will not be able to figure it out.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'A great way to start a new series! It's a wonderfully written roller-coaster ride. A must read!' Book Obsessed Introverts, 5 stars 'Wow!... The hairs on my head stood up with this one!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars



Last Girls Alive

Author : Jennifer Chase

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 342 pages

File Size : 17,99 MB

Release : 2020-10-07

Category :

ISBN : 9781838888947

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Book Description

Half-buried in the muddy earth and surrounded by puddles of water lies the naked body of a beautiful young girl. Her pale skin looks like porcelain in the early morning light. Her fragile arms bent and crooked like a broken doll. When Detective Katie Scott is called to the discovery of a young girl buried on the grounds of a former children's home in Pine Valley, California, she's hopeful it's the end to a devastating cold case she's been working on. No one has seen Candace Harlan since she ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago. Her death will be a tragedy, but it will also bring peace to those who miss her most. But the girl in the ground is not Candace. The victim is almost identical to Candace in every way, but fear grips Katie as she takes in the black ink that decorates the girl's back - a terrifying message tattooed on her skin after she drew her last breath. Forcing down traumatic memories of losing her own parents, Katie is certain someone mistook this poor soul for Candace, and that this crumbling home for lost girls is at the heart of this terrible crime. She sets to work digging into the tragic history of the owners who lost so many children of their own and tracking down the last six residents and the staff who cared for them - but no one wants to talk, let alone remember. The next day, as second girl's body is found down by the creek at high water, the same words etched into her skin. Katie's worst fear is confirmed: someone is picking off the last of the Elm Hill girls one by one. But what does the tattoo mean? And what monster would target these innocent girls who have already been through so much? Katie must dig deep to confront her own fears and protect the vulnerable - but as the body count rises further, will there be anyone left to save? An absolutely gripping, dark, and totally unputdownable serial killer thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting! What readers are saying about Jennifer Chase: 'THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN!!!!!... I was literally holding my breath... I HAD TO KNOW!!!!! As for the explosive ending WOW definitely not what or who I was expecting.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Brilliant! Brilliant! Absolutely freaking brilliant!!... Fantastic and so real.' Shalini's Books & Reviews, 5 stars 'I just couldn't stop reading. I had to know how the story panned... One hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. On more than one occasion I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next... got the adrenaline pumping, the blood pressure rising and sent my heart rate through the roof... I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout.' Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars



Pretty Broken Dolls

Author : Jennifer Chase

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 302 pages

File Size : 32,91 MB

Release : 2021-08-05

Category :

ISBN : 9781838888985

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Book Description

In the thin light of the moon, the woman's limp body hangs from the iron fence amongst the redwoods. Looped over the railings is the little gold locket her mother gave her when she turned sixteen. The picture of the girl inside smiles out at a future she'll never see... As day breaks over the fairground, Detective Katie Scott forces herself to take in another disturbing scene in front of her. A woman, the same age as her, found slumped in the carriage of the Ferris wheel, red lipstick dragged across her lips, her throat cut. Katie doesn't want to believe that the serial killer picking off women across the state has found their way to the small town of Pine Valley, California, but when her team finds a gold engagement ring hanging nearby, it's a terrifying, but undeniable fact. With a twisted killer on her doorstep, Katie knows if she doesn't act fast, she'll find more women left out in the cold like broken dolls. Her team hit dead end after dead end, but only she can see the vital link between the victims: a connection with Katie herself. Katie has spent years pushing traumatic memories of her years in the military far out of reach, but she must confront them now or more innocent women will die. But as the killer circles closer and closer to Katie, what if the only answer is to give him what he wants? There must be another way... Warning - This absolutely unputdownable thriller will keep you up all night! Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh better hold on tight for a nail-biting rollercoaster ride! Readers love Jennifer Chase: 'THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN!!!!!... I was literally holding my breath... I HAD TO KNOW!!!!! As for the explosive ending WOW definitely not what or who I was expecting.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Fantastic... had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down... so gripping and suspenseful and wonderfully paced... A brilliant, nail-biting and highly recommended read.' Brianne's Book Reviews, 5 stars



Hush Little Girl

Author : Lisa Regan

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 361 pages

File Size : 15,92 MB

Release : 2021-04-14

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1800191375

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Book Description

Dressed in pajamas covered with stars, the little girl’s body is perfectly still, her arms folded neatly over her chest. The wildflowers decorating her hair scatter across the grass in the sharp breeze. Her lips are parted slightly, as if to whisper goodnight for the very last time… When twelve-year-old Holly Mitchell’s fragile little body is found on the steps of a mountainside church in the small town of Denton, a doll made from pine cones clasped tightly to her chest, Detective Josie Quinn rushes to attend the scene. She knows this little girl’s angelic face, her mother had offered Josie help when she’d needed it most. Searching the girl’s house, Josie is devastated to find that Holly’s mother is dead too, and her little sister is missing. But why has this family home been stripped of all sharp objects? Re-tracing her steps, Josie finally finds a secret hiding place with Holly’s sister inside, terrified, but alive. Moments later, another doll made of twigs turns up. Certain the killer is close by, Josie holds the little girl tight and tries to coax answers from her, but it’s clear the pile of burnt photographs and letters found in the greenhouse is her only lead. No one is safe until Josie can figure out the dangerous secret that has escaped this remote family home. Just when Josie is finally closing in on the killer, the unthinkable happens, a tragedy that shakes her to her very core. And on the windshield of her car: a third wooden doll. Could stopping this twisted monster from taking more innocent lives come at the ultimate price for Josie? An absolutely gripping rollercoaster ride of a crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love Lisa Regan: ‘Absolutely brilliant!!!! One hell of a rollercoaster ride, with so many twists and turns it'll make you dizzy!! It's energetic, exciting, thrilling and nerve-wracking!!… will have you shouting O.M.G. at every page!!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars ‘Brilliant, nail-biting, rollercoaster of a ride… There were times I gasped "Oh No!" and shed a few tears… a super novel.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wow! Great story. There was one moment where I completely froze in shock… Can’t wait for the next one!’ Rachel Owl Books, 5 stars ‘An absolutely brilliant book. I was totally gripped from the first page. Full of intrigue and psychological thrills. A really fast-paced book. The ending is a total wow!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wow, what a rollercoaster of a thrill ride! Absolutely loved this book it had me hooked from page one… five stars.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Holy crap… The twist in this book is one I never saw coming.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wow, wow, wow!… blew me away… so much nail-biting action. I really thought I was going to have no nails left by the end of this book… Just loved it so much.’ Blue Moon Blogger, 5 stars



The Drowning Girls

Author : Lisa Regan

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 399 pages

File Size : 10,46 MB

Release : 2021-12-10

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1800196342

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Book Description

“Freaking awesome! OMG!… I am obsessed!… Totally addictive… I cannot find the right words to say. All I know is that everyone should get this book… Just awesome!” MagpieReviews In the thin glow of moonlight, a mess of auburn curls gleams against the rocks. Hands bound, the girl’s fragile body is limp and still. Seconds later, a wall of raging white water crashes down, swallowing her whole… A knock on the door late in the evening can only mean trouble for Detective Josie Quinn, but fear chokes her at the news that the one of her own team is missing. No one has seen Denton PD’s beautiful Press Liaison Amber for days. Sweet-natured and totally dedicated to the job, she’d never let her colleagues down. A message scrawled on the frosted windscreen of Amber’s car leads Josie to a nearby dam. But the body they pull from the water is not Amber… Josie won’t sleep until she finds a name for the innocent girl left to drown, and the meaning of the numbers scribbled in a tattered pink diary found on Amber’s desk. But when the trail leads her to a twisted truth about Amber’s family, Josie wonders if anyone really knew her at all? Her team crumbling around her, Josie must stay strong and focused to get the job done. But as prime suspects start going missing, and rumors of an argument the night Amber disappeared surface, could one of her own staff be to blame? Finding Amber alive is Josie’s only chance of knowing the truth and stopping a dangerous killer in their tracks. But as a blizzard closes in, how many more precious lives will be snatched before she can? An absolutely astounding crime thriller that will keep you up all night and leave you sleeping with the lights on. This gripping rollercoaster ride, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine, will have you TOTALLY HOOKED! Everyone is talking about The Drowning Girls: “Literally kept me guessing right up until the end… a twist I never in a million years saw coming!!... unputdownable!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Fantastic... Heart thumping... Twists, turns and family betrayal have you turning the pages late into the night.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “WOW… captivated from the very first page… Perfect!” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “Buckle Up!... a wild ride!... absolutely fantastic… Loved it!!!” m45, 5 stars “WOW! A ~page-turning~ nailing-biting read!” Linda Strong Book Reviews “Absolutely brilliant…This is one fantastic book. All I can say is brilliant from page one right to the end!! And bring on the next one!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars Readers adore Lisa Regan: “BUCKLE UP… never-ending twists and turns. You think you know what to expect… and then BAM she hits you with something so out of the blue that you can’t help but gasp.” Katie Mettner Books, 5 stars “Absofrickenloutly amazing… fantastic start to finish… one of those books that you stay up way too late to read… pick up this book ASAP… be prepared to be hooked.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “I. Don’t. Know. How. She. Does. It… My heart pounded in my chest, my pulse raced, I shed some tears, and my hands shook… absolutely incredible.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Mind-blowingly brilliant!! I read it in a day… just blew me away!!… Worth 10 stars if possible. A must read.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “***CRACK*** Lisa Regan has knocked it out of the ballpark yet again, and I could not be happier!!!… I devoured this book… twists and turns galore in addition to a HUGE amount of emotion… Whew!… I LOVED IT!… I was glued to the pages from the very first page. She had me guessing, she had my heart pounding, she had me pleading “no, no, please no”… Read, read, read this book!” Open Book Posts, 5 stars



Fragile

Author : Lisa Unger

Publisher : Crown

Page : 338 pages

File Size : 48,69 MB

Release : 2010-08-03

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 0307592340

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Book Description

A thrilling novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger about the hunt for a missing girl and one community’s intricate yet fragile bonds. “[A] nail-biting nuanced whodunit.”—People Everybody knows everybody in The Hollows, a quaint, charming town outside of New York City. It’s a place where neighbors keep an eye on one another’s kids, where people say hello in the grocery store, and where high school cliques and antics are never quite forgotten. As a child, Maggie found living under the microscope of small-town life stifling. But as a wife and mother, she has happily returned to The Hollows’s insular embrace. As a psychologist, her knowledge of family histories provides powerful insights into her patients’ lives. So when the girlfriend of her teenage son, Rick, disappears, Maggie’s intuitive gift proves useful to the case—and also dangerous. Eerie parallels soon emerge between Charlene’s disappearance and the abduction of another local girl that shook the community years ago when Maggie was a teenager. The investigation has her husband, Jones, the lead detective on the case, acting strangely. Rick, already a brooding teenager, becomes even more withdrawn. In a town where the past is always present, nobody is above suspicion, not even a son in the eyes of his father. As she tries to reassure him that Rick embodies his father in all of the important ways, Maggie realizes this might be exactly what Jones fears most. Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie pursues her own leads into Charlene’s disappearance and exposes a long-buried town secret—one that could destroy everything she holds dear.



The Bones She Buried

Author : Lisa Regan

Publisher : Bookouture

Page : 375 pages

File Size : 32,49 MB

Release : 2019-03-27

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1786816393

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Book Description

Josie works until her arms ache, until the paramedics arrive and pull her gently away from the woman’s cold, fragile body. Noah’s voice cracks beside her as he calls the time of death for his own, beloved mother. Arriving with her partner Noah for dinner at his family’s immaculate countryside home, Detective Josie Quinn is devastated to find Noah’s mother, Colette, lying lifeless in the back garden, her mouth clogged with soil. Searching the house for answers, Josie’s team don’t know what to make of the rosary beads buried in the dirt near the body, or the hidden file labelled “Drew Pratt”, the small town of Denton’s most famous missing person. As she delves deeper into Pratt’s case, Josie quickly discovers he had a brother whose body mysteriously washed up on the banks of a river. There’s also a diary entry suggesting that Colette may have met him on the last day he was seen alive. Can Josie believe the unthinkable, that a kind old soul like Colette might have been involved in their murders? And, will Josie’s new relationship with Noah survive the accusation? Josie’s only hope lies in tracking down Pratt’s daughter. But when she arrives at her home to find she’s been murdered just minutes before, Josie knows the real killer is one step ahead and won’t stop until Colette’s secret is buried forever. With many more innocent lives on the line, how deep is Josie prepared dig to reach the truth? An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller that will have you up all night! If you love Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni or Rachel Caine you’re guaranteed to be hooked from page one. Read what everyone is saying about The Bones She Buried: ‘Loved it!!!... I could not put it down… amazing characters… twists and turns in the plot that keeps the reader turning pages to get to the end… DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS SERIES!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I was tapping my kindle like a demented wood pecker, so many suspects and tension you could cut with a knife and as for the ending it BLEW ME AWAY!!!!!... Another addictive and gripping series that just keeps getting better. I LOVED IT!!!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘A highly entertaining, top-notch and impossible to put down read, couple that with an intelligent, feisty female protagonist and you've got an unmissable five-star page-turner’ Reader’s Retreat, 5 stars ‘Wow this book grabbed me from the very first page… twists and turns that kept me reading page after page. Just when I thought I was on the right track, I realize I wasn't.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I tell myself I am only going to read a few chapters of before bed. Next thing I know it’s 2am and I am only a few pages away from being done!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Phenomenal… Addictive with an intense and complex… I was certain I had it all figured out on several occasions, but turns out I didn't. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the final twists… It's definitely action-packed… Prepare yourselves for another wild ride...’ Book Obsessed Introverts, 5 stars ‘Oh my it’s a goodie!!... The suspense just keeps mounting ending with a stunning conclusion. A brilliant, compulsive and skilful police procedural.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘One heck of an entertaining and intense ride... Fast, entertaining, suspenseful and action-packed… you will find yourself flying through and it will be hard to let go before you reach the final page…Another scorcher!’ It’s All About Books, 5 stars



Fragile

Author : Sarah Hilary

Publisher : Pan Macmillan

Page : pages

File Size : 17,67 MB

Release : 2021-06-10

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1529029473

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Book Description

‘Stunning’ – Marian Keyes, author of Grown Ups ‘Chilling’ – Val McDermid, author of The Wire in the Blood Fragile is a modern Gothic psychological thriller with a contemporary twist on the classic novel Rebecca, from award-winning and critically acclaimed writer Sarah Hilary. Everything she touches breaks . . . Nell Ballard is a runaway. A former foster child with a dark secret she is desperate to keep, all Nell wants is to find a place she can belong. So when a position comes up at Starling Villas, home to the enigmatic Robin Wilder, she seizes the opportunity with both hands. But her new lodgings may not be the safe haven she was hoping for. Her employer has secrets of his own and lives by a rigid set of rules she must abide by. But is Nell’s arrival at the Villas really the coincidence it seems? After all, she knows more than most how fragile people can be – and how easy they are to break . . . Further praise for Fragile: ‘Perfectly plotted, beautifully written modern Gothic. I absolutely loved it’ – Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said ‘Beautifully crafted, smart and unsettling’ – Mick Herron, author of Slow Horses ‘A dark, mesmeric fever-dream of a book’ – Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10 ‘Ingenious, original and brilliant’ – Will Dean, author of Red Snow ‘Extraordinary’ – Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy and The Ashes of London ‘A modern-day Highsmith’ – Steve Cavanagh, author of Thirteen ‘A truly outstanding work of modern Gothic’ – Eva Dolan, author of Between Two Evils ‘Highly original, beautifully written’ – Sharon Bolton, author of The Split ‘A beautifully written modern Gothic masterpiece’ – Liz Nugent, author of Skin Deep ‘So elegant, so restrained’ – Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie Lane ‘A gorgeously written, tense and atmospheric novel’ – Gytha Lodge, author of She Lies in Wait