The Lying Room

*** THE BRAND NEW STANDALONE NOVEL FROM THE MASTER OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE *** 'Confirms Nicci French as the giant of the genre, upon whose shoulders other writers stand' Erin Kelly 'French, the pseudonymous couple who single-handedly revamped the psychological thriller in the 1990s, show they remain as expert at suspense, plot and the psychology of stressed heroines' Sunday Times 'The Lying Room is a return to their roots, and oh boy, is it a good one... With its terrifying premise - how easy it is for an ordinary woman to find herself faced with evil - The Lying Room isn't merely a return to the form of Nicci French's earlier chillers - it's even better' Observer 'It's Nicci French perfection - which, as we all know, is the best kind of perfection. So, so gripping and brilliantly clued' Sophie Hannah 'The Lying Room reasserts Nicci French as the master of duplicity, suspense and sleight of hand' Sam Baker 'The hook of The Lying Room is chilling: a woman discovers the dead body of a man she knows and doesn't tell a soul. From the very first page, Nicci French remains one step ahead of us as we race to unpick Neve Connolly's deadly tangle. Expertly paced, psychologically sharp, thoroughly enjoyable' Louise Candlish 'You know a book's gripping when you sneak away at any opportunity to read it. Meticulously plotted, psychologically astute' Sarah Vaughan 'This book is a pure adrenaline rush!' Jenny Colgan Neve Connolly looks down at a murdered man. She doesn't call the police. 'You know, it's funny,' Detective Inspector Hitching said. 'Whoever I see, they keep saying, talk to Neve Connolly, she'll know. She's the one people talk to, she's the one people confide in.' A trusted colleague and friend. A mother. A wife. Neve Connolly is all these things. She has also made mistakes; some small, some unconsciously done, some large, some deliberate. She is only human, after all. But now one mistake is spiralling out of control and Neve is bringing those around her into immense danger. She can't tell the truth. So how far is she prepared to go to protect those she loves? And who does she really know? And who can she trust? A liar. A cheat. A threat. Neve Connolly is all these things. Could she be a murderer? Praise for Nicci French: 'Too few novelists can combine this level of page-turning suspense with character care and pin-sharp prose' Erin Kelly, bestselling author of He Said/She Said 'Nicci French's sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition' Sophie Hannah 'Stunning' Clare Mackintosh 'A multi-layered plot that keeps you guessing until the final page' Jane Corry 'Fabulous, unsettling and riveting' Louise Penny on Blue Monday 'Masterful' Sabine Durrant 'The best crime novels combine great writing, compelling storylines, and memorable characters. You get all of that in a Nicci French, but you also get something more: a deep insight into what it means to be human, and how to live with pain and loss' Cara Hunter 'Tension-filled, addictive and taut, with beautifully-drawn characters I won't forget. Nicci French just gets better and better' Laura Marshall, bestselling author of Friend Request 'A masterclass' Jane Casey 'Utterly addictive' The Independent 'A vivid, finely crafted performance' Guardian 'Brilliantly crafted . . . masterly control of suspense' Daily Mirror 'Tense, frightening, gripping' Easy Living 'Dark, nerve-tingling and addictive' Daily Express 'Magnificent' Evening Standard 'French leads the field' Sunday Express 'Nail-biting'Marie Claire 'Ingenious' Daily Telegraph