Alex North has outdone himself. As terrifying as a great horror novel, as unpredictable as the best type of crime novel and above all beautifully written, The Shadow Friend is the work of a writer who is an absolute master of his craft. I couldn't begin to guess how the story was going to end but I enjoyed every second of the journey

If you liked The Whisper Man, you'll love this. Alex North has crafted a second novel which is just as gripping as his first and even scarier. Hugely atmospheric and deliciously creepy, it's about how the past encroaches on the present, and how dreaming influences reality, until in the frightening world of The Shadow Friend, it becomes harder and harder to tell one from the other... and the nightmare takes over

This is absorbing, headlong reading, a play on classic horror with an inventiveness of its own... As with all the best illusions, you are left feeling not tricked, but full of wonder

North has returned with another creepy, atmospheric tale exploring the devastating effects of childhood traumas on communities . . . Builds to a surprising and moving finale that will live long in the memory

With echoes of the chilling Slender Man myth, this thriller ultimately feels like a ghost story conjured out of guilt and loss

North follows up his sensational debut, 2019's The Whisper Man, with another terrifying spine-tingler... The complex plot shifts smoothly between past and present with numerous unexpected twists. An overwhelming atmosphere of doom and disaster hovers over the perennial darkness of the nearby woods. This heart-pounding page-turner is impossible to put down

The layers of deception make for a chilling read

A chilling read

Included in 'The Week's Best Books - The Creepy One'

A chilling and deeply psychological read

Included in 'The Hot List'

The usual Coben formula of the cold case that suddenly becomes red hot, deployed as grippingly as ever

It's been a long time since I've stayed up late to finish a book. When They Find Her is not only utterly gripping but also a sensitive and moving portrayal of parental love. Middleton's astute writing made me feel as though I was there was Naomi in her every moment of tension

Utterly gripping . . . I could not put it down

Nail-biting ... some truly fabulous unexpected turns make this an altogether gripping and provocative read

Claustrophobic, intense, unsettling and drags you into the story ... Unbelievably exciting

'Nightmarish, dark and twisty, I galloped to end. A domestic psychological drama with polish'

A really gripping read that will make you stay up late to finish it

Full of suspense

A historical episode artfully adapted in a tale that offers glimmers of hope for women discarded by society

Wonderful, evocative, moving and suspenseful

A vivid, cleverly-crafted mystery that will keep the reader turning the pages

It's a fantastically exciting story, and a wonderful novel. There is so much more going on, on the Rajah, in this unity of women, than a simple love story

Transforms an actual 19th-century sea voyage of female convicts into a striking drama. The ship's young matron chooses a group to sew a presentation quilt, but near their destination, someone stabs one of the quilters. Evocative sketches of those on board reveal the realities of poor women's lives - readers will be rewarded

A murder mystery with a great twist at the end . . . Gripping

Dangerous Women is a successful blend of two genres: a historical novel, inspired by real events, and a murder mystery with a great twist at the end. By the time I was halfway through I was completely gripped, and couldn't put it down

An enthralling narrative . . . lays bare the painful lives of these women, far from their homes and loved ones, and feeling the brutal weight of the law

This atmospheric narrative excels in its depiction of the relationship between female prisoners - largely petty criminals - and the tragic backstories that have brought them together

Packed with atmosphere . . . a terrific read

A very fine novel - and, like the quilt it celebrates, a work of love

Utterly compelling and as finely wrought as the patchwork quilt that inspired the story

Fascinating. Gives women without one a voice - a storming read

A compelling, immersive book that deftly weaves its beauty and pathos. I'm still thinking about it

An enthralling story, inspired by true events

A secret murder on a convict ship transporting women to Australia in 1841 . . . this is an intriguing story, with its root embedded in facts

Intriguing . . . [Hope Adams] can stitch a great story

In vivid detail, Hope Adams illuminates life in convict quarters on a stinking, storm-soaked ship, and delves into the lives of individual women and the small tragedies that have condemned them to be sent far away, with little hope of return

A well-paced page-turner illuminating a forgotten story that reminds us how far we have come

Pulls you into the heart of its story, while celebrating redemption, rehabilitation and the good in people. All set to the backdrop of a truly fascinating slice of history

Historical events and characters are cleverly blended into a thought-provoking tale

Adams disguises a social-history lesson on women's rights as a gripping period drama