The Liar's Girl

Shortlisted for the Edgar Award, Best Novel 2019
Irish Times' Best Book of the Year, 2018

'Dark, yes, but tender too. The Liar's Girl is tightly plotted and crackles with suspense.' Ali Land, author of Good Me Bad Me

'A killer premise that totally delivers. A creepy, claustrophobic tale that never lets up on the tension while also managing to strike a truly tender note.' Caz Frear, bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies

Her first love confessed to five murders. But the truth was so much worse.

Dublin's notorious Canal Killer, Will Hurley, is ten years into his life sentence when the body of a young woman is fished out of the Grand Canal. Though detectives suspect they are dealing with a copycat, they turn to Will for help. He claims he has the information the police need, but will only give it to one person - the girl he was dating when he committed his horrific crimes.

Alison Smith has spent the last decade abroad, putting her shattered life in Ireland far behind her. But when she gets a request from Dublin imploring her to help prevent another senseless murder, she is pulled back to face the past - and the man - she's worked so hard to forget.

Genre: Mystery

"A haunting thriller... a fast-moving, crackling good novel." - David Bell

"Absolutely fantastic. I was gripped the entire way through, can't recommend it enough..." - Jenny Blackhurst

"The Liar's Girl is heartstoppingly brilliant - a completely convincing, expertly plotted tale. The pace is unrelenting. Catherine Ryan Howard... is an extraordinary talent." - Jane Casey

"Incredibly pacey - what lifts Catherine's work above many others in the genre is the quality of her writing and the strength of her characterization. Dublin comes alive in this slice of Irish noir." - Sinéad Crowley

"The Liar's Girl is BRILLIANT. [Catherine Ryan Howard has] outdone herself... It's even better than the Dagger-nominated Distress Signals and that's saying something!" - Michelle Davies

"Gripping." - Elizabeth Haynes

"A stand-out book... Real and sympathetic characters, a flawlessly-paced plot and a genuinely original premise. I finished it at 2:00am, my heart pounding!" - Gillian McAllister

"The Liar's Girl is an incredibly compelling tale of guilt, secrecy and murder. Gripping from the start, Catherine Ryan Howard lures readers in from page one and brings every girl's worst nightmare to life. Unputdownable!" - Phoebe Morgan

"Slick, smart and stylish... Really clever." - Holly Seddon

"Catherine Ryan Howard is such a skilled storyteller - every setting was evocative, every hook well-placed, every twist expertly-timed. I flew through it! Astonishingly good." - Jo Spain