Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. Rattle, her debut novel, has been translated into several languages and received widespread critical acclaim from authors including Val McDermid, Lee Child and Martina Cole. Marcel Berlins wrote in The Times: 'Amid the outpouring of crime novels, Rattle is up there with the best of them.' Fiona was selected for McDermid's prestigious New Blood panel at the 2017 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, where her novel was nominated for a Dead Good Reader Award for Most Exceptional Debut. Rattle is now being adapted into a six-part TV series by the producers of Golden Globe-nominated Miss Sloane. Her second novel, The Collector, will be published in February 2018. When Fiona is not writing, she can be found on Twitter, eating biscuits or walking her dog. She lives in Essex with her family.
The Last Place You Look (2026) Nikki Smith "Beautifully written and packed with nerve-shredding suspense, Nikki Smith has cemented her crown as the Queen of the destination thriller."
The Memory Foundation (2026) Amanda West "Amanda tries her hand at something different in this speculative thriller set in a frozen landscape - and, boy, does it pay off . . . Immensely readable."
The Good Listener (2026) Holly Watt "In Holly Watt's electrifying new novel, The Good Listener, she manages the near-impossible feat of balancing a heartbreaking and original premise with edge-of-the-seat suspense. Bold in style and beautifully written, grieving mother Clara Brennan is a protagonist to root for, and this rare gem of a thriller deserves to rocket to the top of your reading list."
Kiss Marry Kill (2025) Laura Marshall "Murderously funny, KISS MARRY KILL sees Marshall at the top of her game. If this book was a dating acronym, it would surely be MRAB: MUST READ - ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT."
59 Minutes (2025) Holly Seddon "Part thriller, part love story, 59 Minutes is a tender contemplation of what it means to be human in the face of an extinction-level event. Peopled with characters whose lives matter from the very first moment, Holly Seddon perfectly captures the panicked, messy chaos of trying to reach loved ones in time."
The Wasp Trap (2025) Mark Edwards "The Wasp Trap is a compelling mystery that explores the consequences of human behaviour. Whether it's falling in love, keeping secrets or committing murder, this tightly plotted page-turner reveals, piece-by-nail-biting-piece, how the sins of the past can shape our present in violent ways. Full of Edwards' trademark twists and peopled with a fascinating cast of characters, this deserves to be a smash-hit."
Sharp Glass (2024) Sarah Hilary "I love all of Sarah's books, but I think I might love Sharp Glass most of all. Sarah is a writer at the top of her game, skillfully pulling back the curtain, inch by inch, to reveal something surprising. A claustrophobic and beautifully written slow-burn thriller."
The Square of Sevens (2023) Laura Shepherd-Robinson "In The Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-Robinson excels at recreating the past - in this case, Georgian England - in an authentic way. She invites us to join fortune teller Red on an epic journey to unravel the secrets of her past and we cannot rest until we have answers. Dazzling."
No One Saw a Thing (2023) Andrea Mara "As soon as I started reading this, I had no choice but to continue reading until the last page. I DEVOURED it. Such a tense, thrilling ride of a novel that played into my darkest fears and captured the emotions of panicked parents so evocatively."
The End of Us (2023) Olivia Kiernan "The End Of Us is that rare book - beautifully written and impossible to put down. A dark, complex and nuanced thriller."
Strange Sally Diamond (2023) Liz Nugent "Dark and mesmerising . . . one of the most compelling character-led novels I've ever read. [It] blew me away."
In the Blink of an Eye (2023) (Kat and Lock, book 1) Jo Callaghan "Everything you could hope for in a thriller: heartbreaking, intelligent, deftly plotted and so original."
The Drift (2023) C J Tudor "Taut, action-packed and oh-so-clever, this thrilling rollercoaster of a ride takes the reader on a journey into the frozen unknown."
The Hike (2022) Susi Holliday "I finished this at 5.30am, and could barely tear myself away from this thriller about two couples who go on a deadly hike. Congratulations on this cast of thoroughly nasty characters, a fascinating detective and a drop-dead gorgeous setting. My favourite Susi Holliday book so far."
Truly, Darkly, Deeply (2022) Victoria Selman "A deliciously fresh take on the serial killer thriller. Explores the darkest reaches of humanity, and questions who we love - and why."
The Favor (2022) Nora Murphy "A beautifully written yet chilling glimpse behind the curtain of relationships gone badly wrong, and the terrifying consequences of what happens when wronged women fight back. Absolutely brilliant."
It Ends at Midnight (2022) Harriet Tyce "Harriet Tyce cements her position as Queen of unreliable narrators in It Ends At Midnight. A must-read high stakes-thriller."
The House Guest (2021) Charlotte Northedge "The House Guest is that delicious kind of novel, a slow-burn thriller that carefully draws the reader in, catches fire in the middle and burns with an intensity until the end."
The Wild Girls (2021) Phoebe Morgan "Phoebe Morgan writes the ultimate just-one-more-page kind of thrillers. In this atmospheric novel set in the suffocating heat of Botswana, a sense of menace permeates every brilliant page. A sinister story of friendship, betrayal and revenge."
The Art of Death (2021) (DI Grace Archer, book 1) David Fennell "A serial killer thriller with the darkest of hearts, David Fennell more than earns his place at the crime fiction table with this superb exploration of a psychopath with the creepiest modus operandi I've read in a long time, and a flawed yet brilliant detective."
Strangers (2020) C L Taylor "This masterfully woven story comes together in a thrilling and unexpected climax. I could not put it down."
The Familiar Dark (2020) Amy Engel "Absolutely bloody brilliant. It's so well-written I felt like I was living her pain."
Our Dark Secret (2020) Jenny Quintana "A compulsive page-turner; a beautifully written coming-of-age story; a murder mystery peopled with characters who live and breathe . . . and a brilliant read."
On My Life (2019) Angela Clarke "Mesmerising and unflinching. Angela Clarke's meticulously researched book expertly captures the sense of fear and dog-eat-dog mentality that permeates our institutions. A propulsive, utterly compelling novel."
Resin (2018) Ane Riel "Absolutely brilliant - such detailed layering of character, moving and creepy as hell. So original and beautifully written and I couldn't wait every night to read it - the mark of a truly compelling book."
In Bloom (2018) (Sweetpea, book 2) C J Skuse "Dirty-mouthed, deadly and dark, dark, dark. Adored it."
Jo Jakeman "A brilliant debut from an author with a sharp wit and a keen understanding of human nature. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough."
The Cliff House (2018) Amanda Jennings "Amanda Jennings is the real deal. Not only does she write beautifully, she evokes setting and atmosphere with enviable skill whilst keeping the reader compulsively turning the pages. She doesn't just tell you a story, she draws you into it until you can taste the salt in the air, hear the crash of the waves and feel the heat of teenage obsession."
The Break Line (2018) (Max McLean, book 1) James Brabazon "Brimming with authenticity, tightly plotted and beautifully written ... The Break Line is a belter of a thriller."
The Confession (2018) Jo Spain "Here is my confession: I've never read Jo Spain before but now I'll be buying all of her books. The Confession is brutal and brilliant."
Anatomy of a Scandal (2018) Sarah Vaughan "That rare book that combines great writing, spot-on characterisation and a compulsive, page-turning narrative. I read it in one breathless day. Set against a fascinating backdrop of the Houses of Parliament, the Old Bailey and Oxford University, think House of Cards meets The Secret History. Meticulously researched, this is an outstanding read."
Dark Pines (2017) (Tuva Moodyson Mystery, book 1) Will Dean "Will Dean’s atmospheric crime thriller marks him out as a talent to watch. Dark Pines is stylish, compelling and as chilling as a Swedish winter."
Hydra (2017) (Six Stories, book 2) Matt Wesolowski "Original, inventive and brilliantly clever."
Sweet Little Lies (2017) (Cat Kinsella, book 1) Caz Frear "A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night."
