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438 books added

Jo Callaghan

Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce.

She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House), was long listed for the Myslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, her debut crime novel, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. She lives with her two children in the midlands, where she spends far too much time tweeting as @JoCallaghanKat and is currently writing the second novel in the series.

Awards: Theakston (2024), CWA (2024) see all

Genres: Mystery

New and upcoming books

May 2026

Body of Lies
(Kat and Lock, book 4)

Series

Kat and Lock
   1. In the Blink of an Eye (2023)
   2. Leave No Trace (2024)
   3. Human Remains (2025)
   4. Body of Lies (2026)

Awards

	2024 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year : In the Blink of an Eye
	2024 ILP John Creasey First Novel : In the Blink of an Eye

Award nominations

	2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year (longlist) : Human Remains
	2025 Barry Award for Best First Novel (nominee) : In the Blink of an Eye
	2024 CrimeFest: Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award (nominee) : In the Blink of an Eye

Jo Callaghan recommends

The Woman Who Wasn't There (2026)
William Hussey
"Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, The Woman Who Wasn't There is a twisty and twisted murder mystery where no one is what they seem. The entertaining plot makes it hard to put down, but it is the powerful exploration of poverty, shame and class where Hussey's writing really excels and it would be perfect for TV."

The Last Place You Look (2026)
Nikki Smith
"Move over Harlan Coban, Nikki Smith is coming for your crown with this dark and twisty destination thriller."

Eden Falls (2026)
Ajay Chowdhury
"A clever, timely and thrilling page turner, this speculative a thriller will engage your brain as well as your heart: think CONTACT meets THE DA VINCI code. Gripping and thought provoking, take a bow Ajay Chowdhury!"

The Memory Foundation (2026)
Amanda West
"The Memory Foundation is a pacy, chilling thriller, with a twist you won't see coming and an ending you won't forget."

Her Many Faces (2025)
Nicci Cloke
"A clever, fast paced but emotionally insightful book. I loved it."

Deadline (2025)
Steph McGovern
"Thrilling, funny and an insightful look behind the TV scenes as well as a powerful exploration of class and power."

The Art of a Lie (2025)
Laura Shepherd-Robinson
"In this novel, Laura Shepherd-Robinson displays the art of a truly masterful storyteller: it is captivating, compelling, and so, so clever, but like all the best stories it will capture your heart. It is as exquisite as the iced cream that Hannah Cole concocts and long after you have finished you will not be able to forget it. I absolutely adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough."

Some of Us Are Liars (2025)
Fiona Cummins
"Heartbreaking, dark and beautifully written. I have reread the penultimate chapter three times and am still gasping."

Into the Fire (2025)
G D Wright
"Such humane and compelling writing. Move over, crime giants, there's a new giant in town!"

The Midnight King (2025)
Tariq Ashkanani
"A twisty and twisted thriller that will worm its way into your mind."

So Thrilled For You (2025)
Holly Bourne
"A hilarious, dark, raw and honest expose of early motherhood and friendship by Holly Bourne - her first adult thriller and it is a corker!"

Notes on a Drowning (2025)
Anna Sharpe
"A whip-smart thriller, and I adored Alex... Both gripping and compassionate, I really hope this is a series, and it would be perfect for TV."

One Bad Apple (2024)
Jo Jakeman
"I loved it! Throw a murder into the politics of the school gates and the parents WhatsApp groups and you have a witty, insightful and thoroughly entertaining murder mystery. Bravo Jo Jakeman!"

Close to the Edge (2024)
(Detectives Martin & Stern, book 2)
Anna Britton
"An unputdownable British police procedural series."

Clickbait (2024)
L C North
"Told through mixed media, Clickbait kept me turning the pages to find out what happened to missing teenager, Bradley Wilcox. Masterfully plotted and told with verve and humour, this clever and compelling story was made for TV. Bravo."

Finding Sophie (2024)
Imran Mahmood
"This thrilling and emotional roller coaster moved me to tears with its powerful portrayal of the agonies of parental love and loss. Imran Mahmood has excelled with this clever, heart-breaking thriller, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell."

The Wife's Secret (2024)
Amanda Reynolds
"...a clever and timely tale of ambition and revenge, with complex but compelling characters... Amanda Reynolds is such a vivid and visual writer, I am sure this will make it onto our screens."

Five Bad Deeds (2023)
Caz Frear
"This book is genius. Funny, authentic, keeps you guessing and gasping as you can't trust ANYONE. Bravo Caz Frear."

One (2023)
Eve Smith
"A tightly paced plot set in an all-too imaginable future - a page-turning, thought-provoking read."

A Game of Lies (2023)
(DC Morgan, book 2)
Clare Mackintosh
"I loved everything about this book - a brilliant, high-concept thriller with plot twists that made me gasp, and wonderful characters that had me laughing out loud and wincing in horror. I was rooting for DC Ffion Morgan and Dave the Dog so hard I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It is of course, superbly plotted, paced and written, but it is the characters that set this above most crime series, and I can't wait to find out what happens next."

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