The Second Stranger

If there is a finer crime debut this year, it will be a surprise, for this story set in a remote hotel in the remote Scottish Highlands during a blizzard is stunning . . . There are shades of the great 1948 American film Key Largo as the serpentine story unfolds, and this is not only every bit as gripping, it also boasts a heroine whose resilience warms the blood * Daily Mail *
The Second Stranger has an incredibly fun concept: two strangers both claiming to be the same person. This original and enticing premise kept me glued to the pages, trying to guess which of the men was who they said they were, and what would happen when the two finally met. I loved the setting of a remote hotel in the Scottish highlands during a winter storm with the phonelines down, the road blocked and the threat of an avalanche imminent. The main character, Remie Yorke, is a strong female, resourceful and determined. She was likeable and sympathetic and I rooted for her! The story is fast-paced and action-packed. The surprises kept coming and I could not predict the ending. Fresh, gripping and addictive! An absolute gem of a crime novel! -- Allie Reynolds, author of SHIVER
You'll wonder what the hell's going on in this tense thriller * The Sun *
Clever and bold. The Second Stranger starts with a shiver of dangerous uncertainty before exploding into full on murder and mayhem. Anything you think you know, you don't -- Lisa Gardner, author of ONE STEP TOO FAR
From the evocative setting to the clever plot, this locked room mystery is a brilliant debut from an excellent new voice in the world of crime fiction * My Weekly *
Break out the superlatives! The Second Stranger absolutely blew me away. This superb thriller is the book everyone's going to be talking about, a brilliant, tense, twisty, atmospheric, and utterly compelling debut from a major new voice in crime fiction. Just read it -- Karen Dionne, author of THE WICKED SISTER
Twisty * Crime Monthly *
An impressive debut thriller shot through with a menace that makes its Highlands hotel setting feel like a house of cards. The tension winds ever tighter as the storm strengthens its grip and the cracks start to show - in the illusion of warmth and safety, the mask of the murderer, and the frozen landscape itself -- Emma Styles, author of NO COUNTRY FOR GIRLS
Will keep you guessing * Belfast Telegraph *
A fast-paced icy locked-room thriller, ideal for fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley * Candis Magazine *
Oh my goodness, this is one heart-pounding locked-room thriller of a read! Who do you believe? Who is telling the truth?... This is one hell of a read and so, so scary * Bishop's Stortford Independent *