Thrillers

‘An outstanding thriller. Just make sure you read it with ALL the lights on.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘All the wows!!!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One sister went out into the dark for help. Will she come back?

Returning from a difficult visit to their father, three sisters find themselves lost in a storm. Together, they seek safety in an abandoned manor house, a place where they spent a troubled childhood clinging to each other for support, before one day fleeing with their parents in the dead of night.

As the storm intensifies, the sisters draw straws to decide who should go outside to get help. But as they separate, they realise they might not be alone. . . Why did the family leave so suddenly all those years ago? Who else is hiding in the house? And will the sisters survive the night?

Read what everyone is saying about The Short Straw:

‘An intensely readable and gripping page-turner. By turns tense, shocking and moving, and with an atmosphere you could cut with a knife’ ALEX MICHAELIDES

‘An addictive read that takes place over one unforgettable night where one family’s secrets rise to the surface – Patricia Highsmith meets Shirley Jackson’ GILLIAN MCALLISTER

‘Deliciously creepy, and a fascinating study of the complex, often toxic, relationships within families’ SHARON BOLTON

‘Utterly gripping and unputdownable’ JANE FALLON

‘Having three sisters, I could relate to the sibling dynamics . . . It’s twisty, gothic, and with a heartbreakingly shocking reveal’ LISA HALL

‘Holly creates such exquisite tension that you really can’t put her books down . . . I felt the sense of place, the weather, the cold in that house in my bones’ EMMA CURTIS

‘Gripping, creepy and drenched in atmosphere’ CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD

‘This irresistible slow-burn thriller is as much a study of family dynamics as it is a creepy & suspense-filled spine-tingler’ FIONA CUMMINS

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I’ve never met my husband’s sister, because she’s been in prison for as long as I’ve known him. If that’s not a warning sign, I don’t know what is. I should have paid attention to that. Maybe then I wouldn’t be in this situation.

Abby is lovely when she’s first released, which makes it easy to let her move in with us. But it doesn’t take long for the cracks to show. Although she’s nice to me when her brother is around, she becomes a different person as soon as he leaves the room. No, not a person — a monster.

She’s threatened me one too many times, and now my marriage is at stake. Daniel doesn’t believe the things she does, and the whole village is starting to think I’m crazy. I’ll have to discover her dark truth and prove how dangerous she is, but I’ll only get one chance at this.

Because I’m playing with fire.

THE SISTER-IN-LAW is the new psychological thriller from Bristol author AJ Carter, whose books are bursting with mystery, danger, and multiple dark twists.

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‘You don’t think Jamie and I have secrets, do you? No, we tell each other everything.’ She smiled. ‘Including your dirty little secret. So maybe it’s time to start being nice to me?’

THE WIFE: Clare is ready for a break. It’s been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Arriving at the Italian villa for their summer holiday, she decides it’s high time her husband and his family did some of the work. After all, her husband owes her…

THE HUSBAND: Even though Dan had his head turned by someone else, he’s realised the error of his ways. He’s here now, and he says it’s for keeps. Clare can trust him, can’t she? At least he’ll have his brother there, to keep him in line…

THE BROTHER: Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again after years of travelling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before.

THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Ella is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart.

And there’s someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure that this deep secret never comes to the surface.

An utterly unputdownable, gripping, twisty psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Before I Go To Sleep, The Girl on the Train and Date Night.

Readers are loving The Sister-in-Law:

‘Wow wow wow… I could not put it down! A gripping, on-the-edge-of-your-seat page turner… My blood pressure was up the whole way though this!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I give this book 5 stars, hands down! What a fantastically written thriller! I COULD NOT put this book down… Holy cow. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen – PLOT TWIST! I highly recommend this fast-paced thrilling read. You will not be disappointed!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A story that will send shivers down your spine… I was literally on the edge of my seat… Electrifying. I could hardly control myself in my desperation to discover what secrets were being hidden… An enthralling page-turner that I defy anyone to try and put down… A totally addictive read.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book was just what I needed during this stressful time… This was the most amazing escape to the Amalfi Coast… I couldn’t put this down… You need to read it to believe it!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A perfect excuse to shut everything else that is going on on this planet out… It’s one you don’t want to put down, but you don’t want it to end either… Brilliant!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Pulled me in and held me captive from the very start… The perfect escape from these uncertain and stressful days… Twisty, compulsively readable and another sure hit for an author who should certainly occupy a place on your must-read list.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!! What an absolutely fantastic and gripping read… I have devoured this book in just one sitting… There is no way I could’ve predicted this ending. It actually shocked me.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a book!… A powder keg – you just knew everything was going to blow, but you never knew when!’ Robin Loves Reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, wow, wow! Serious book hangover commencing!… What an absolute cracker of a novel… I honestly thought I’d worked it out and then BAM it was all up in the air again and WOWZERS, the ending was 100% unexpected.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The trial of the century has arrived.

After twenty years of anguish, after twenty years of pain, defense attorney Joe Hennessy has the chance to confront the man who ordered the murder of his ten-year-old son.

In Charleston, South Carolina, Hennessy uncovers evidence that Senator Richard Longhouse has links to his son’s unsolved murder.
Desperate to know the truth, Hennessy digs deep into the past, following the evidence trail into the criminal underworld. Clashing with corrupt cops, dishonest politicians, and ruthless felons, Hennessy uncovers information that has been buried for twenty years.

But to find justice, to finally expose the truth, Joe Hennessy must risk everything he loves…

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I’m trying hard to be the perfect bride as I drift across the beach towards my handsome new husband, Jeremy. I can see him standing tall at the altar with his adorable little daughter Lexi. And I’m certain that today is the beginning of my new life. With Jeremy by my side, my dark past can no longer touch me.

I smile up at my wonderful new husband, but deep down I can’t help but feel sad that there’s nobody at the wedding for me. All my family are long gone. But wouldn’t they be proud if they could see me now?

Everyone claps as we kiss but as soon as I turn to face them, my heart starts beating out of my chest and my eyes go wide in panic. It’s him. Christian. The one person that could destroy everything I’ve worked so hard for.

All I know as I freeze a smile onto my lips is that no one in my new life can know who he is. They can’t discover what he knows about me. Because I’ve found myself the perfect new life – and I’ll do anything to keep it that way.

But as I throw my bouquet I can’t help but wonder how has he found me after all this time? And how far will I go to stop someone who will never let me go?

A gripping and jaw-dropping page-turner with twists to die for. If you love Lisa Jewell, K.L. Slater and Daniel Hurst, you’ll love The Wedding Guest. What everyone is saying about The Wedding Guest:

‘Wow what a gripping, twist-filled book that kept me on my toes and turning the pages!… Kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat the entire book. Just when I thought I knew where things were going another exciting twist was presented! I loved that I had no clue about what was going to happen next this is a perfect psychological thriller! This book kept me reading well into the night from the very beginning to the very last page, this was a thrilling page-turner!… Another cracking book by Kathryn Croft!’ Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This was brilliant. Very hard to put down indeed with some clever twists and turns along the way. I always look forward to this authors books and this one didn’t disappoint.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book did not disappoint. Everytime I had it figured out what was going to happen next something completely different happened and I was literally on the edge of my seat. I was gripped, honestly, I was in shock at what was happening, it was scary but extremely thrilling. The best part about this book is that no matter how you try you cannot predict the ending, like you will not see it coming!’ Jessica’s Books Biz, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Excellent psychological thriller which had me gripped throughout. It had so many crazy twists and turns with a jaw dropping ending which I did not see coming.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I found this a creepy addictive read with an intriguing mystery running throughout… Readers are in for a treat with the explosive ending. Highly recommended.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A fantastic thriller that keeps you turning the pages. Full of twists and turns and shocks, a great read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love this authors books and as usual a very gripping and twisty read… Very addictive.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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It’s supposed to be the happiest day of my life… But as I walk down the aisle towards the man I love, my gaze searches frantically for my daughter’s beautiful face. She’s missing. And I fear that I am to blame.

The wedding is cancelled. I can’t stop shaking. Standing amidst the wilting flowers and discarded champagne, I swear I’ll stop at nothing to find my precious girl.

Crying into my fiancé William’s arms, he promises me we’ll find her. I desperately want to believe him, yet deep down I sense there are secrets at the heart of our new life together. He’s loved my daughter like his own and welcomed us into this stunning home, with its fireplaces and tree-lined driveway, but something isn’t right. Have I been too trusting? Surely he will do anything it takes to find my missing daughter… Won’t he?

I thought I’d built a loving new family for my little girl, but I’ve brought her into terrible danger. It seems the perfect life has turned out to be the perfect lie.

A totally unputdownable family drama about the secrets that lurk under the glossy surface of a perfect new life. Perfect for fans of Sally Hepworth, Liane Moriarty and Kerry Fisher.

Readers are loving The Wedding Night:

‘Amazing book I really enjoyed it!!!… so enjoyable!! I will be reading more by this author!!!! Million percent!!!!’ @happythrillerreads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Beautifully written with captivating characters that’ve pulled me in from page one… I’ve become completely hooked and couldn’t stop reading… I can thoroughly recommend this novel that I’ve loved and has been an absolute joy to read.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A compulsive read… characters that will have you onside from the moment you meet them to the final paragraph… A plot which moves steadily towards an edge of the seat finale… Definitely deserving of five stars. Highly recommended.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely could not put it down. Amazing… Great writing. Became very invested in the characters from page one!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A great thriller not to be missed.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Secrets abound. Red herrings throw the reader off. Intrigue and mystery written by a talented author. Surprise after surprise… This is a page-turner.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I enjoyed the story a lot… 5 stars.’ B for Book Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Thrilling… I was completely invested… A real page-turner full of suspense.’ Once Upon a Time Book Reviews

‘A great read and not to be missed.’ @bookloversanonuk

‘A great unputdownable storyline which had me engrossed from the very first page.’ Goodreads reviewer

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A missing girl. A buried secret. From the ten-million-copy bestselling author comes a brand new look for this compulsively twisty psychological thriller that will keep you hooked to the very last page.

‘A tense, clever page-turner that everyone will be talking about.’ Adele Parks
‘Dark and claustrophobic but also heartfelt and moving … packs a huge emotional punch that will leave you winded. I loved it.’ C. L. Taylor
‘Both utterly gripping and startlingly original. Prepare to be hooked.’ Sun
_____________

Ellie was her mother’s golden girl.
She had her whole life ahead of her.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet.

But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter.

Because his daughter is the image of Ellie.

Now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What really happened to Ellie? And who still has secrets to hide?
_____________

OVER 180,000 5* RATINGS – this is why readers love this book:

‘Breathtaking. Compulsive. Suspenseful. Poetic.’
‘One of the top 5 thrillers I’ve ever read.’
‘I wanted the book never to end.’
‘Suspense filled… edge of my seat… I could not put this down!!’
‘This was my first Lisa Jewell book, and it will definitely not be my last.’
‘Dark, winding and haunting, I couldn’t put this one down.’

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Everyone’s favourite girl-next-door serial killer, Rhiannon Lewis, is back, and she’s more unpredictable than ever…

Sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy…

Rhiannon Lewis thought she finally had it all: thanks to the pandemic she’s had to keep a much lower profile but has found happiness with her fiancé Rafael and his family. For once, she is surrounded by people who love her for who she is (or who they think she is).

After over 800 days without murdering anyone, the woman formerly known as the Sweetpea Killer thinks she might have finally turned over a new leaf.

That is until her soon-to-be sister-in-law has a run in with her abusive ex, and Rhiannon rediscovers her taste for revenge. This time, with a loving family in tow, the stakes are much higher. Wedded bliss and life as a normal person are finally within Rhiannon’s reach, but you can never keep a good serial killer down.

Can you?

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‘If you read only one thriller this year; make it this one’ Daily Mail
‘Gob-smackingly, heart-stoppingly, breath-holdingly brilliant’ Ruth Jones

————

THREE HOURS TO SAVE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege.

Pupils and teachers barricade themselves into classrooms, the library, the theatre. The headmaster lies wounded in the library, unable to help his trapped students and staff. Outside, a police psychiatrist must identify the gunmen, while parents gather desperate for news.

In three intense hours, all must find the courage to stand up to evil and save the people they love.

A TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
THE TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR
A BEST BOOK OF 2020 IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, TIMES, GUARDIAN, MAIL, MIRROR, LITERARY REVIEW, STYLIST, RED AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
A TIMES & SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH
————

‘Brilliant’ Lee Child, Better off Dead

‘A brave, timely and intricately crafted work’ Emma Stonex, The Lamplighters

‘Superb’ Kate Mosse, The City of Tears

‘It’s beautifully, elegantly written, SO gripping, intelligent, timely, affecting and moving’ Marian Keyes, Again, Rachel

‘A brilliant literary thriller… moving, masterly’ Sunday Times

‘Kept us on the edge of our seats from start to finish’ Independent

‘A novel that you live rather than merely read’ Daily Telegraph

‘Amazing’ Davina McCall, Menopausing

‘An electrifying, pulse-racing novel’ Red

‘Wow! This is a stunner of a book, staggeringly good’ Jane Fallon, Just Got Real

‘An emotionally devastating and beautifully observed literary thriller’ Observer

‘Astonishing, powerful, terrifying, heartbreaking’ Emma Flint, Little Deaths

‘Intersperses scenes of breath-sucking tension with stirring meditations on human nature’ Guardian

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How can I stalk my obsession if she’s dead?

Celeste Flores. Nineteen year old college student at Rippton U and the only daughter of a business magnate turned mafiaoso who dabbles his toe on the wrong side of the moral line.

Sweet. Perfect. Innocent.

My mark.

The girl I’m meant to kill.

I’ve been given a job to complete with her stilled heart at the end. My employer says she’s as twisted as him, that we can use her as his punishment.

But the more I watch her I see who she is inside. Maybe she is broken. Maybe she has some evil under that pretty little shell she shows the world. But my Celeste, my Wintergreen, draws me in.

Until watching her isn’t enough.

I have to be closer.

I need to taste her.

Until the job no longer matters. Only her.

Merry f*ucking Christmas to me.

TWISTED OBSESSIONis a STAND ALONE READ in the SWEET BUT TWISTEDdark romance world that includes an obsession about Christmas, an innocent and an age-gap relationship between an assassin and his mark. It connects to the Rippton U Creatives and Badbloods college morally gray romance universe. HEA assured.

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A GUARDIAN BEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR
An EXPRESS BEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR
An i BEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR
A MIRROR BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH

READ THE BOOK EVERYONE IS CALLING A MASTERPIECE.

‘A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters’ JANE HARPER

‘An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption’ GUARDIAN

For fans of Jane Harper’s The Dry comes a powerful novel about the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.

Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer.

Now, he’s been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.

Duchess Radley, Star’s thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin – and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.

Murder, revenge, retribution.

How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WE BEGIN AT THE END:

‘Magnificent . . . an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a special, vital novel. I’m grateful to have read it’ A J FINN

‘Surely destined to conquer the world’ RUTH JONES

‘A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan’ MARK BILLINGHAM

‘So beautifully written’ LYNDA LA PLANTE

‘Incredible writing, characters so brilliantly drawn they jump off the page. Outstanding’ BA PARIS

‘I LOVED this book . . . This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated’ LOUISE PENNY

‘A stunning and heartbreaking book – will keep you gripped until the last moving page’ CLAIRE MCGOWAN

‘An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel’ ALI LAND

‘One of the best books I’ve ever read’ FIONA CUMMINS

‘An absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling’ JO SPAIN

‘One of the year’s best crime reads’ VASEEM KHAN

‘One of my favourite books of all time’ M. W. CRAVEN, winner of the CWA’s Gold Dagger Award

‘A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways’ CANDIS MAGAZINE

‘This heart-rending story . . . is among the most powerful and moving I have read in years’ DAILY MAIL

‘Cements Whitaker’s status as one of the most talented authors writing today’ HEAT MAGAZINE

‘Masterly novel’ SUNDAY EXPRESS

‘A dark yet painfully human tale that is impossible to forget’ CRIME MONTHLY

‘Beautifully written and deeply moving’ SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB

‘A gorgeous, crystalline novel’ JEANINE CUMMINS, author of AMERICAN DIRT

‘Heartbreaking and profound, this is my thriller of the year’ MIRROR

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Anna Lempare is a fiery redhead disagreeing with the conditions of her grandfather’s estate. When the trustee is found strangled in her apartment, the case takes a sudden turn. Anna is charged with first-degree murder, but criminal defense attorney Bill Harvey is not convinced of her guilt.
As a former hypnotherapist, Harvey is used to detecting lies. With suspects that include an unstable war veteran, a charity CEO, and a neighbor hiding a secret, Harvey struggles to find a break.
Desperately, he fights to find the one piece of evidence that will prove his client’s innocence.

But the secret that Harvey uncovers will change their lives forever…

This thrilling legal novel will take you for a ride through the courtroom, and end with a twist that you didn’t see coming.

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The pulsating Nick Stone thriller from the bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero.

ONE MAN

When the beautiful twenty-year-old daughter of a Moldovan businessman goes missing from her university, British Intelligence are unusually interested in her safe return. They will do anything in their power to track her down.

ONE MISSION

Only one man is skilled and ruthless enough for the job – but for the first time in his life, Nick Stone doesn’t want to play ball…

ONE HELL OF A READ

‘A rollercoaster ride’ Guardian

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