Author:Lesley Kara
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When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there's no going back . . .
Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea.
Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago - no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman.
So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she's unleashed?
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'Everyone is going to be talking about The Rumour. An intriguing premise, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist you won't see coming!' Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door.
Readers can't stop talking about The Rumour:
***** 'So good ... The twist is amazing and really caught me out.'
***** 'Downloaded it last night before bed and have stayed up all night reading it! Could not put it down.
***** 'I couldn't devour this book quickly enough ... The surprises didn't stop til the very last page.'
IF YOU'VE ALREADY DEVOURED THE RUMOUR THEN LOOK OUT FOR THE DARE, THE CAPTIVATING NEW THRILLER FROM LESLEY KARA. **OUT NOW!**
In this chilling tale of paranoia, suspicion and accusation, Lesley Kara keeps you guessing until the final page.
—— Paula Hawkins, No.1 bestselling author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATERA great debut with a slyly clever premise and a rollercoaster ride to the very last sentence.
—— Fiona Barton, bestselling author of THE WIDOW and THE CHILDAn intriguing premise, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist you won't see coming! Everyone is going to be talking about The Rumour.
—— Shari Lapena, bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOORA brilliant premise with a killer twist. The Rumour depicts the prejudices and secrets that simmer in a small seaside town to devastating effect.
—— Colette McBeth, author of AN ACT OF SILENCEPssst, have you heard... #TheRumour is a cracking thriller about the damage that idle gossip can wreak in a small town. I thought I had the twist worked out. Boy was I wrong!
—— Tammy CohenA brilliantly addictive debut...with a reveal that caught me completely by surprise.
—— Good HousekeepingShocking and convincing.
—— Literary ReviewSuspicion and lies, paranoia and anguish follow in this twisty psychological thriller.
—— Choice MagazineGripping...the evocation is beautifully done.
—— ObserverWhip-smart . . . every well-crafted page simmers with tension and menace.
—— Sunday MirrorTense and very twisty . . . will have you hooked.
—— Fabulous Magazine (Sun)Captivating . . . a subtle examination of the damage that gossip can do.
—— Daily MailThis is one of those novels that sweeps you away and doesn't let go until the final killer blow.
—— HeatAs he flexes the ample muscle of his imagination, you will be left pondering as often as you are page-turning.
—— i paperHarris weaves a smart, intriguing story that cements his reputation as, in the words of the cover, 'master of the intelligent thriller'. He's that perfect combination of equally fine writer and storyteller; the narrative is satisfying and the prose is evocative. The world of The Second Sleep is plausible and richly imagined.
—— Darragh McManus , Irish IndependentA wholly convincing alternative world in which a few brave heretics are determined to uncover the truth. The result is a brilliantly imaginative thriller.
—— READER'S DIGESTIt's hard not to credit Harris's writing, no matter when and where it is set, with some sort of sidelong prescience.
—— Irish TimesBlisteringly intelligent, gripping thriller
—— Daily Express[T]here is a twist so shocking and surprising in Harris' most recent work The Second Sleep that I don't want to say anything more than: prepare to be amazed [...] Writing is deeply tricky. Harris, over decades of practice, manages to craft all the elements to ensure reader satisfaction. The description is articulated in a clear way with the dialogue managed suitably. Characters sound like real people instead of clunky dialogue which is all too common. Most importantly, events actually take place. Exposition of place, setting and context is essential [...] Harris without doubt continually does this and creates a refreshing sense of relief, which will ensure I continue to read his works for many decades to come.
—— The BoarKnight builds tension in this page-turning story about misplaced loyalty, secrets, manipulation, and class . . . slowly revealing what happens when one woman’s desire to be helpful and needed ruins her life. Highly recommended.
—— Library Journal[T]here is a twist so shocking and surprising in Harris' most recent work The Second Sleep that I don't want to say anything more than: prepare to be amazed [...] Writing is deeply tricky. Harris, over decades of practice, manages to craft all the elements to ensure reader satisfaction. The description is articulated in a clear way with the dialogue managed suitably. Characters sound like real people instead of clunky dialogue which is all too common. Most importantly, events actually take place. Exposition of place, setting and context is essential [...] Harris without doubt continually does this and creates a refreshing sense of relief, which will ensure I continue to read his works for many decades to come.
—— The BoarTotally engrossing and I kept on thinking, one more chapter... an intelligent page-turner that makes you question everything
—— Araminta HallTruly horrifying in the most delicious way. Samantha Downing sucks you in with a great story, pitch-perfect prose and disturbingly dead-on insights into the dark side of human nature. I hope I never meet her in a dark alley....
—— Nick PetrieI couldn't pull myself away from this story - a terrifying and riveting window into the mind of the perfect suburban mother with a taste for murder. Make sure you clear your schedule before you pick it up. Absolutely unputdownable
—— Liv ConstantineIt's no mean feat to find something fresh in the crowded thriller field, but Downing pulls off an indisputable triumph with My Lovely Wife. Exemplary writing and outstanding pacing confirm Downing's talent, but it's her deliciously depraved characters that kept me flying through the pages. Couldn't get enough of this subversive love-gone-sideways tale!
—— Sophie LittlefieldDeliciously dark and twisted... It's a remarkable achievement, full stop.
—— Shelf AwarenessBest new books to read this March
—— CosmopolitanA highly original and dark look at the shifting power structure in a modern marriage. . . A funny, smart book
—— Daily MailDarkly witty and strangely plausible, it's a read-in-one-sitting firecracker of a thriller, laced with explosive twists
—— The PeopleA marital, psychological thriller with darkly comedic undertones
—— The WrapBold and brilliant
—— Big IssueThis is a ringer of a yarn, shot through with enough tooth-clenching moments to make you have your dentist on speed dial
—— Connaught TelegraphWith a twisty plot that will leave you gasping, this deliciously dark thriller is on a par with Gone Girl
—— That's Life MonthlyOne of the best thrillers I've ever read
—— Judy FinniganWhat. A. Book! 2019’s best thriller and a one-sitting read.
—— Red MagazineBrilliantly dark and unsettling, Lisa Jewell’s latest novel might just be her best yet.
—— CultureflyA work of utter genius ... you’re going to love it.
—— Mark EdwardsLisa Jewell is the most wonderful writer, and funnily enough we've written about a similar theme with our new books - cults, in microcosm and macrocosm. I can't rant enough about how brilliant The Family Upstairs is.
—— Alex MarwoodI absolutely loved The Family Upstairs. Intriguing, absorbing, unputdownable with characters so real they jump from the page.
—— Laura MarshallCouldn’t put it down. Wish I’d written it. With characters that light up the pages, a twisty plot which unravels at perfect pace, and a house rammed with the darkest secrets, it’s brilliant.
—— Amanda JenningsBrilliantly dark and disturbing ... Absolutely couldn’t put it down, it’s so good!
—— B.A. Paris‘Outstanding. So compelling, twisty-turny and riveting. I just couldn’t stop reading.’
—— Mel SherrattAll I want to do for the rest of the day is find out what’s at the bottom of it all. Too good.
—— Fanny BlakeUtterly compelling. Deliciously dark and twisty with characters who live on in your head. Lisa Jewell just keeps getting better and better.
—— Jane CorryCompelling and suspenseful for a long and chilly autumn night’s reading.
—— My WeeklyA gripping psychological thriller.
—— Choice magazineThis is without a doubt one of my favourite reads of the year.
—— Ronnie Turner (Blog)Featuring two entangled families and a house with the darkest of secrets, this is a compulsive new thriller from Lisa Jewell.
—— Sheer LuxeFrom the first page we were hooked. If you’ve got a lazy day planned over the Christmas break, this is the type of novel you could read in a day…It makes us shiver just sharing the plot and we guarantee you’ll be on the edge of your seats throughout.
—— Yahoo! Style UKOf the crop of great thrillers out this year, this is my pick [...] Lisa Jewell is brilliant at creating a menacing atmosphereand this is almost unbearably tense at times, with a knock-the-wind-out-of-you ending.
—— Good HousekeepingAn enthralling tale rich in psychological suspense that mixes family saga with domestic noir.
—— VouchercodesPart family saga and part-psychological thriller, this is an exceptional read.
—— Sunday ExpressBreathtaking thriller
—— i PaperPerfect book to inhale by the fire. Had no idea how creepy and nuanced it would be but couldn’t put it down and stayed up half the night reading it. Highly recommend.
—— iNews