The new pulse-pounding thriller from the bestselling author of THE MEMORY WOOD.

'Beautifully written, incredibly evocative with a real sense of place and of the sea. Heart-stoppingly tense' Catherine Cooper, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CHALET

'Fiendishly clever' Sunday Times

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HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

The news doesn't strike cleanly, like a guillotine's blade. Nothing so merciful. This news is a slovenly traveller, dragging its feet, gradually revealing its horrors. And it announces itself first with violence - the urgent hammering of fists on the front door.

Life can change in a heartbeat.

Lucy has everything she could wish for: a beautiful home high on the clifftops, a devoted husband and two beloved children.

Then one morning, time stops. Their family yacht is recovered, abandoned far out at sea. Lucy's husband is nowhere to be found and as the seconds tick by, she begins to wonder - what if he was the one who took the boat?

And if so, where is he now?

As a once-in-a-generation storm frustrates the rescue operation, Lucy pieces together what happened onboard. And then she makes a fresh discovery. One that plunges her into a living nightmare . . .

Wherever her husband is, he isn't alone. Because their children are missing, too.

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Praise for Sam Lloyd:

'Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent.' Daily Mail

'Stunning prose and compulsive reading.' Lesley Kara

'An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller.' Shari Lapena

'A beautifully written, fast-paced thriller.' Heat

'A darkly chilling and original novel . . . a series of twists keeps readers captivated until a shocking climax.' Daily Express

'Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them.' Samantha Downing

'A truly chilling story.' Woman & Home


Sam Lloyd, Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Winter 2020