The gripping, twisty and compelling fourth novel from Erin Kelly, Sunday Times bestselling author of HE SAID/SHE SAID.
‘Tension-filled mystery with compelling characters and plot twists.‘ – Bella
Could a soul, once sold, truly be redeemed?
Luke is a true crime writer in search of a story. When he flees to Brighton after an explosive break-up, the perfect subject lands in his lap: reformed gangster Joss Grand. Now in his eighties, Grand once ruled the Brighton underworld with his sadistic sidekick Jacky Nye – until Jacky washed up by the West Pier in 1968, strangled and thrown into the sea. Though Grand’s alibi seems cast-iron, Luke is sure there’s more to the story than meets the eye, and he convinces the criminal-turned-philanthropist to be interviewed for a book about his life.
Luke is drawn deeper into the mystery of Jacky Nye’s murder. Was Grand there that night? Is he really as reformed a character as he claims? And who was the girl in the red coat seen fleeing the murder scene? Soon Luke realises that in stirring up secrets from the past, he may have placed himself in terrible danger.
STONE MOTHERS, the new novel by Erin Kelly, is available to buy now!
‘Tension-filled mystery with compelling characters and plot twists.‘ – Bella
Could a soul, once sold, truly be redeemed?
Luke is a true crime writer in search of a story. When he flees to Brighton after an explosive break-up, the perfect subject lands in his lap: reformed gangster Joss Grand. Now in his eighties, Grand once ruled the Brighton underworld with his sadistic sidekick Jacky Nye – until Jacky washed up by the West Pier in 1968, strangled and thrown into the sea. Though Grand’s alibi seems cast-iron, Luke is sure there’s more to the story than meets the eye, and he convinces the criminal-turned-philanthropist to be interviewed for a book about his life.
Luke is drawn deeper into the mystery of Jacky Nye’s murder. Was Grand there that night? Is he really as reformed a character as he claims? And who was the girl in the red coat seen fleeing the murder scene? Soon Luke realises that in stirring up secrets from the past, he may have placed himself in terrible danger.
STONE MOTHERS, the new novel by Erin Kelly, is available to buy now!
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Reviews
A gripping story of revenge, brought to life by obsessive, intriguing, true-to-life characters.
An atmospheric setting and an absolutely genius twist . . . Nothing is as it seems in this tense domestic drama, as fresh revelations uncover a maze of interconnected secrets.
An author in total command of the tensions within dysfunctional families . . . Gripping all the way.
An elegantly plotted, convincing and beautifully written thriller.
Erin Kelly is a seriously good writer, and this gripping novel is her best yet. I really loved it - couldn't put it down!
Expect dark secrets and a killer twist. So thrilling, this book will have you sleeping with the lights on.
Flitting between present and past, the story is particularly affecting in its atmospheric re-creation of Brighton's historical criminal underworld. Equally gripping, however, is the paranoid Luke's slide into moral relativism, as he increasingly aligns himself with malign forces.
Full of well-drawn characters and heart-stopping moments, Kelly's book is deeply satisfying.
Her narrative choreographs a succession of hints, twists and revelations with elegance and precision. The novel is beautifully written and the characters have a dreadful plausibility about them that engulfs you in their untidy lives. Like all the best psychological thrillers, this one leaves the reader feeling mildly traumatised - and hungry for the author's next book.
Her new book is every bit as dark and intriguing as her previous novels
Intelligent and gripping thriller about the past and the way it shapes us.
It's not often I read a book where the twist is so surprising, I have to go back and work out how I missed it, but that's what happened here . . . Brilliant and heart-stopping
Kelly excels at thrillers set in middle-England idylls, that sidestep the clichéd and the cosy to go for the jugular. [THE BURNING AIR] sees her reach another level.
Kelly weaves a masterful web of intrigue, lies and divided loyalties. Her psychological insight and taut plot create a satisfying thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.
Prepare to be gripped by The Poison Tree author's new novel.
Tension-filled mystery with compelling characters and plot twists.
This is a tightly written thriller that keeps the pressure full on to the end.