Author:Nicci French
***Special anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Sophie Hannah***
You remember an idyllic childhood. But your memory is deceitful. And possibly deadly . . .
When a skeleton is unearthed in the Martellos' garden, Jane Martello is shocked to learn it's that of her childhood friend, Natalie, who went missing twenty-five years before.
Jane is encouraged by her therapist to recover what really took place when she was a child - and what happened to Natalie.
But as Jane learns the truth about her past, is she putting her own future at terrible risk?
"A perfect blend of emotional honesty and plot-related trickery" Sophie Hannah
"The Memory Game was the book that made me want to write a psychological thriller" Laura Marshall, no.1 bestselling author of Friend Request.
This is a cleverly plotted story which, like so much Swedish crime fiction, features situations and characters one can believe in or sympathise with and is set firmly in contemporary society.
—— Literary ReviewShe has been dubbed 'Scandinavia's queen of crime fiction' and in this, her latest novel, Liza Marklund maintains her moniker with a plot that will intrigue and excited
—— SHIP magazineMarklund has created a complex page-turner, complete with gritty realism, a flawed but likable protagonist, and nonstop suspense.
—— Publishers WeeklyOne of the most popular crime writers of our time
—— PATRICIA CORNWELLNo one tells a story like Liza Marklund
—— KARIN SLAUGHTEREdge-of-your-seat suspense
—— HARLAN COBENDynamic plots with suspense throughout
—— KATHY REICHSLiza Marklund is in a league of her own
—— HENNING MANKELLZero is a tense tech thriller that reads worryingly real.
—— Jon Wise , Sunday SportA captivating read and a very well-researched techno-thriller
—— Andrew Hill , Shots magazine[Elsberg] takes us on a breathless pursuit of Freemee across the globe.
—— For Winter NightsA thriller that explores how information can be controlled, repurposed and used to exploit people... Zero is thoroughly entertaining.
—— The Eloquent Page[Elsberg] throws everything at you, and it kept me hooked throughout.
—— Zooloo Book BlogFilled with smart characters, plenty of action... A wake-up call for all of the people who are glued to their gadgets.
—— Book InspectorElsberg's writing is intriguing, fierce and smart.
—— Always Trust in BooksI read this book in one tension filled evening. I was absolutely gripped by the sympathetic, well-drawn characters and couldn't go to bed until I knew how it ended
—— Jenny Blackhurst, Kindle bestselling authorA compulsive page-turner. Fuller creates an atmosphere of simmering menace with all the assurance of a latter-day Daphne du Maurier
—— The TimesA rich, dark pressure cooker of a novel that simmers with slow heat and suppressed tension
—— Ruth WareDark, beautifully written. It reminds me very much of Ian McEwan's Atonement, with similar slow-build tension and claustrophobic atmosphere
—— The PoolAn exquisite and skilfully written novel, which worms its way under your skin while Frances's loneliness seeps off every page
—— RedFuller is a master at summoning the atmosphere of a heady, hot summer that thrums with tension
—— StylistMulti-layered, lush, twisty and brilliantly clever
—— The Sunday MirrorA smart creation from a skilled writer: a heady psychological novel that builds its layers carefully to allow gradual revelations and stomach-churning surprises
—— Financial TimesFull of complex characters and narrative richness
—— The Sunday Times CultureLoneliness, guilt and atonement are at the heart of the atmospheric Bitter Orange
—— Good HousekeepingNaturally engaging and elegantly written. Fuller is an amply gifted storyteller
—— SpectatorWith shades of Brideshead and Manderley, Claire Fuller's atmospheric third novel plays a satisfyingly unpredictable game with reader expectations. Prepare to be meticulously unsettled and horribly enthralled
—— Country LifeFull of dark foreboding. Claire Fuller is a dazzling storyteller
—— Belfast TelegraphCannily releasing clues on the way to an explosive finale . . . The lush setting and remarkable characters make for an immersive mystery
—— Publishers WeeklyElegant, atmospheric, vivid
—— The Big IssueBeautifully written, with echoes of Barbara Vine and Daphne du Maurier
—— Andrew Taylor, Spectator Books of the Year 2018Sumptuous and sinister with gothic hints, this is a compelling tale of blurred friendships
—— PrimaOne of the best suspense thrillers i've read. A very easy 5 big fat stars and 100% recommended
—— Compulsivereaders.comIs The Chalk Man one of THE books of 2018? YES, YES YES IT REALLY IS . . . an absolute corker, a spine tingling read
—— PageturnersnookA fantastic debut novel to keep you up late at night
—— BookLiteratiA nail biting thriller
—— Inside SoapIt's a corker that'll give you the willies. Chalk one up to C J Tudor.
—— Sunday SportGenuinely creepy books don't come along very often, but this one can hold its missing head up high
—— HeatThere are shades of Stephen King in this very creepy timeslip, as well as an evocative portrait of small-town life in 1980s Britain
—— Guardian, Books of the YearMy favourite crime book of 2018 would have to be The Chalk Man. It initially brought to mind twisted tales of suburban Americana such as Stand by Me and Carrie. However, by weaving in authentic and evocative period detail C. J. Tudor manages to create a story that tells of the darkness at the heart of small-town life that is, like the rotten pastoral in a M. R. James ghost story, uniquely English. Unsettling, taut and skillfully plotted, The Chalk Man grabbed me by the throat from the very first sentence and didn't let go until the final, heart-stopping page
—— Nuala Ellwood, author of The Day of the Accident[I] haven't had a sleepless night due to a book for a long time. The Chalk Man changed that. Many congrats C. J. Tudor
—— Fiona Barton , bestselling author of The WidowWhat a great book. A twisty thriller and downright creepy ending. 5 stars.
—— Sarah Pinborough, the number 1 bestselling author of , Behind Her EyesTense, skillful storytelling
—— Ali Land, bestselling author of , Good Me Bad MeAbsolutely brilliant. I was expecting a creepy horror story that I'd have to read with all the lights on but this book is so much more than that - it's witty, insightful, clever, thoughtful, mysterious, gripping, nostalgic and utterly compelling. Publishers often talk about "an exciting new voice in fiction" and I genuinely think C. J. Tudor is going to be huge. This book has bestseller written all over it and if it doesn't go to number one I will eat my crime writing hat
—— C. L. Taylor , author of The MissingWhat an amazing debut! Such an ingenious, original idea. I was engrossed from the very first page. I loved how the 1986 and present day storylines weaved so skilfully together to create that unforgettable and unexpected ending. Compelling, taut and so very, very chilling. This book will haunt you!
—— Claire Douglas , Sunday Times bestselling author of Last Seen AliveIt's been a while since I've read such an impressive debut. The pace was perfectly judged, the characters superbly drawn and there's a creeping sense of unease that starts with the prologue and grows throughout the book. And then that ending! It feels so fresh and deserves to be a huge success
—— James Oswald , Sunday Times bestselling author of the Inspector McLean seriesUtterly Hypnotic. The Chalk Man is a dream novel, a book of nightmares: haunted and haunting, shot through with shadow and light - a story to quicken the pulse and freeze the blood. A dark star is born
—— Mr A. J. FinnImpossible to put down, cleverly constructed and executed
—— Ragnar Jonasson , author of the bestselling Dark Iceland seriesKept me up until five in the morning. Wonderfully written. I loved it!
—— Kimberley Chambers , bestselling author of BackstabberI absolutely loved The Chalk Man . . . It's a dark, mesmerising thriller with an ending that left me with goosebumps!
—— Nuala Elwood , author of My Sister’s BonesOne of the best books I've read since I first read Stephen King's IT when I was 14. Go get it!
—— Rachel Burton , author of The Many Colours of UsI've just finished The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor. WOW! I could not put it down. If you like Stephen King, you'll LOVE this!
—— Hayley Barker , author of ShowstopperAt the heart of this accomplished debut lies a shocking crime stumbled upon by a group of teenage friends. It is a discovery that shatters their innocence and haunts the whole community. Now, twenty years later, someone is sending anonymous letters - chalk drawings of a stick figure with a noose around its neck - someone who hasn't forgotten what happened in the woods all those years ago. The past is very much alive in this book where memory is unreliable and old secrets fester, threatening to turn as odorous as a rotting corpse. Tudor's sharp eye for detail and ear for dialogue lend the childhood scenes an immediacy and authenticity that completely convince. With its driving plot and sensitive evocation of friendship and loneliness, The Chalk Man is an utterly gripping read, with an ending that will make the hairs on the back of your neck bristle
—— Karen Perry , bestselling author of Can You Keep a Secret?Just finished The Chalk Man. Dark and addictive. This page-turner is more twisty than a rollercoaster. And one hell of a ride.
—— Will Dean , Dark PinesThe Chalk Man is a stunning debut, a riveting thriller about the powerful grip of the past and the unbreakable bonds of childhood friendship. The ending of this smasher will completely throw you for a loop
—— David Bell, bestselling author , Bring Her HomeThe Chalk Man is an intricate and surprising book that will reward the reader who approaches it with the attention it deserves
—— Thomas Perry, New York Times bestselling author of , The Old ManAbsolutely loved it! Creepy, brilliant and tense, I could not put it down!
—— Karen Hamilton , The Perfect GirlfriendBlasted through this beauty in one intense and thrilling sitting
—— S R Masters , The Killer You KnowThe Chalk Man stole my weekend! Wow. Just wow. The tension just builds and builds. And what a final page . . .
—— Simon Lelic , The HouseFinished reading The Chalk Man by C.J Tudor last night. What a book! Enjoyed every minute of it. A total banger!
—— Amy Lloyd , author of The Innocent WifeC.J. Tudor brilliantly weaves past and present into a haunting, vividly imagined tale. Much more than a murder mystery, it is a sharp, terrifying exploration of the bonds and limitations of childhood friendships and of secrets that refuse to remain buried. I fell in love with the guiding voice of this novel, the thoughtful and solitary Eddie. Prepare to be surprised again and again, even until the final page
—— Michelle Richmond, author of , The Marriage PactThe Chalk Man is an unpredictable and engaging thriller: sinister, tragic, and with a beautifully rendered sense of time and place. That final page still haunts me
—— Helen Callaghan, bestselling author of , Dear AmyThe grip the past has on the present reveals itself in ever more sinister and macabre ways in this utterly original and relentlessly compelling psychological thriller. The Chalk Man kept me guessing all the way to the end
—— Fiona Neil , bestselling author of The BetrayalsAs well as being unputdownable, it was emotionally intelligent, touching and credible
—— Emma Curtis , author of One Little MistakeEasy, gripping and enjoyable
—— Cecelia Ahern , bestselling author of P.S. I Love You