Caz Frear grew up in Coventry and spent her teenage years dreaming of moving to London and writing a novel. After fulfilling her first dream, it wasn't until she moved back to Coventry thirteen years later that the writing dream finally came true. She has a first-class degree in History & Politics, which she's put to enormous use over the years by working as a waitress, shop assistant, retail merchandiser and, for the past twelve years, a headhunter. When she's not agonising over snappy dialogue or incisive prose, she can be found shouting at the TV when Arsenal are playing or holding court in the pub on topics she knows nothing about.
Kiss Marry Kill (2025) Laura Marshall "Sharp, witty, and oh so very dark, KISS MARRY KILL is another belter of a novel from the fantastic Laura Marshall. Brilliantly-drawn characters making bad decisions, villains you'll loathe, emotional honesty - what's not to love! This deliciously wicked tale of female friendship should be at the top of your must-read list."
The Break-in (2025) Katherine Faulkner "Katherine Faulkner goes from strength to strength with her third novel, THE BREAK IN - a truly unnerving tale of violence and deceit. I totally believed in these characters and felt every second of their nightmare. Propulsive and immersive - a definite one-sitting read!"
Cat Fight (2025) Kit Conway "Mix a genius premise with a cast of morally questionable characters, throw in a whole heap of intrigue, and you have the makings of a smash hit. Entertaining and funny, while still being dark as hell, Cat Fight is purr-fect (sorry!) for any reader looking for some truly original domestic suspense."
So Thrilled For You (2025) Holly Bourne "SO THRILLED FOR YOU is a wildly entertaining gut-punch of a novel, featuring a superbly drawn cast of raw, relatable women. Guaranteed to get people talking. Once you pick it up, you won't put it down!"
Notes on a Drowning (2025) Anna Sharpe "1) It is ridiculously good. Taut, tense, all too heartbreakingly true. And also very funny. 2) Alex and Kat should definitely ride again. 3) There should be more cats called Steve."
The Stalker (2024) Kate Rhodes "Stylish and atmospheric, with a final page that is sure to chill your bones. Loved it."
One Bad Apple (2024) Jo Jakeman "Absolutely loved this witty, wicked and cleverly plotted story, with its sharply-drawn characters and skewering of privilege and class. At its heart, though, ONE BAD APPLE is a classic murder mystery - and one that will keep you guessing to the very end."
Truth Truth Lie (2024) Claire McGowan "A killer premise whets the appetite for this gripping, layered mystery, where literally nobody is entirely innocent, and the motives keep stacking up."
Leave No Trace (2024) (Kat and Lock, book 2) Jo Callaghan "With Leave No Trace, Jo Callaghan cements her status as a crime fiction force to be reckoned with. Emotional and enthralling, with great dashes of humour throughout. It also includes one of the most heart-stopping yet satisfying endings I've read in a long time. More please, Jo!"
One of the Good Guys (2024) Araminta Hall "One of the Good Guys doesn't just tell a story. It makes you think, it makes you angry, and it makes you want to read it again. So clever and subtly drawn, and yet the impact it leaves is extraordinary. Shocking and timely-dark fiction at its very best."
The Square (2023) Celia Walden "Pitch-dark and witty - my favourite combination - and with bold, complex characters who, above all, feel real. Intrigue grips from the first page and the shocking reveals just keep coming. A wickedly sharp thriller about privileged lives and fatal flaws."
All Of Us Are Broken (2023) (DS Saul Anguish, book 2) Fiona Cummins "A rare and exquisite novel, and one that marks Fiona Cummins out as one of our bravest crime writers (not to mention one of the best). Unbearably tense, devastatingly dark, but ultimately a homage to love and survival."
The Square of Sevens (2023) Laura Shepherd-Robinson "The Square of Sevens isn't just a five-star read, it's a fully immersive experience. I lived Red's quest, rooting for her every step of the way. Loaded with plot and intrigue and sumptuous period detail, this kept me guessing until the end."
Squeaky Clean (2023) (Ally McCoist, book 1) Callum McSorley "An absolute knockout of a debut! Pitch-dark and yet dripping with warmth, Squeaky Clean is a truly fresh take on the classic thriller. Packed with brilliantly drawn characters, laugh-out-loud humour, and lots of blood - what's not to love? Can't wait to see what my new favourite detective does next."
Truly, Darkly, Deeply (2022) Victoria Selman "Truly, Darkly, Deeply is such a clever, immersive crime novel, and like nothing I've ever read before. I lived every unbearably tense second of Sophie's powerful story, unable to put the book down. It's only January and this could well be my book of the year!"
Blood Sugar (2022) Sascha Rothchild "When a multiple murderer is your new fantasy best friend, you know you've just read something very special indeed. BLOOD SUGAR had me glued from the very first page with its masterful storytelling and whip-smart characterisation. Darkly comic, surprisingly tender, and most of all, hugely entertaining. A 2022 must-read!"
Tell Me Your Lies (2022) Kate Ruby "Superbly dark and glittering with menace, Tell Me Your Lies is not only an absolute gift of a thriller, but a sharp, unflinching take on the long-term consequences of buried trauma and shame."
56 Days (2021) Catherine Ryan Howard "Magnificent. A high-concept thriller executed with panache and heaps of emotion."
The Perfect Lie (2021) Jo Spain "Wonderfully drawn characters and more secrets and motives than you can shake a stick at. Loved, loved, loved."
The House Share (2020) Kate Helm "Pacy, brilliantly plotted and completely absorbing - I TOTALLY felt like The Factory's honoary 8th housemate, watching drama unfold from the sidelines with a growing sense of dread (and appalled excitement)! Loved it."
The Catch (2020) T M Logan "T.M. Logan's best yet. Fully delivers on its killer premise. Unsettling and so, so entertaining. The perfect thriller."
Our Dark Secret (2020) Jenny Quintana "Jenny Quintana is a rare talent . . . Superb plotting, razor-sharp characterisation, and a creeping sense of dread makes Our Dark Secret a novel that you won’t be able to put down."
Grace is Gone (2019) Emily Elgar "Chilling and compassionate in equal measure, Grace is Gone is an emotionally-charged thriller that kept me reading long into the night. While undoubtedly a superior suspense novel, Elgar also excels in laying bare the often fragile bonds of supposedly close-knit communities. When the ending comes, be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor."
The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox (2019) (Josephine Fox, book 1) Claire Gradidge "The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox was a complete delight. The story sings with authenticity and I found myself transported to 1940s Romsey from the very first page. 'Josy' is very much a woman ahead of her time and her voice brings heart, and often humour, to what is essentially a very dark mystery."
To Catch a Killer (2019) Emma Kavanagh "Wow. Whether you like fast-paced thrillers or in-depth (spot-on) character-led mysteries, you're going to love To Catch a Killer by Emma Kavanagh. LOVED it."
She Lies in Wait (2019) (DCI Jonah Sheens, book 1) Gytha Lodge "She Lies in Wait delivers on just about every level - a killer premise, an absorbing plot that twists and turns at just the right pace, and in DCI Jonah Sheens a lead detective who has hit the page fully-formed and instantly likeable. One to watch!"
Do No Harm (2018) L V Hay "From the cover to the title to the set-up to the ending, this will wrong-foot you in ALL the best ways."
Mine (2018) J L Butler "Fiendishly plotted and perfectly paced, MINE is a thrilling exploration of obsession, love, professional duty and personal trauma. Few books are worthy of a 4am finish, MINE is definitely one of them."
