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Clare Mackintosh


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Clare Mackintosh spent twelve years in the UK police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant, and now writes full time.

Clare's debut novel, I Let You Go, is a Sunday Times Bestseller and was 2015's fastest selling title by a new crime writer. It was the winner of the Richard and Judy Book Club readers' vote, and was selected for ITV's Loose Women's 'Loose Books'.

Clare is the founder of Chipping Norton Literary Festival, and lives in the Cotswolds, UK, with her husband and their three children.
 

Genres: Mystery, Literary Fiction
 
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Clare Mackintosh recommends
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How I Lost You (2014)
Jenny Blackhurst
"Utterly gripping - brilliant debut!"
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The Girl Who Wouldn't Die (2015)
(George McKenzie Crime Thriller, book 1)
Marnie Riches
"A strong, edgy debut that deserves to do well."
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The Other Child (2015)
Lucy Atkins
"I held my breath between chapters and didn't sleep until I reached the end."
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In a Dark, Dark Wood (2015)
Ruth Ware
"A tense, terrifying novel."
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The Butcher's Hook (2016)
Janet Ellis
"A masterful storyteller."
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The Plea (2016)
(Eddie Flynn, book 2)
Steve Cavanagh
"Smart and original. This is a belter of a book."
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The Swimming Pool (2016)
Louise Candlish
"Exquisitely written and addictively dark - sheer perfection."
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Foxlowe (2016)
Eleanor Wasserberg
"An excellent debut . . . Wasserberg has a strong and distinctive voice."
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The Fear Within (2016)
(Lieutenant Danielle Lewis, book 2)
J S Law
"J.S. Law's taut crime novel oozes authenticity. I read this in a day and can't wait for the next in what will undoubtedly be an explosive series."
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Her Husband's Lover (2017)
Julia Crouch
"Psychological thrillers don't come much better than this."
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Find Me (2017)
J S Monroe
"Intricately woven and heart-stoppingly believable, this has bestseller written all over it."
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The Good Daughter (2017)
Alexandra Burt
"A stunning read from a superb storyteller."
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Her Perfect Life (2017)
Sam Hepburn
"Deftly woven and deliciously chilling. A superb thriller."
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Everything But the Truth (2017)
Gillian McAllister
"Perfection. Intriguing and compelling. An exceptional debut."
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Sometimes I Lie (2017)
Alice Feeney
"A bold and original voice. I loved this book."
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Last Seen (2017)
Lucy Clarke
"Exquisitely written and impossible to put down."
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The Man Who Didn't Call (2017)
Rosie Walsh
"A delight. Moving and relatable, with characters you'll fall in love with. One for your wish list."
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Fierce Kingdom (2017)
Gin Phillips
"I devoured it in one breathless sitting. Outstanding."
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The Marsh King's Daughter (2017)
Karen Dionne
"If you only read one thriller this year, make it The Marsh King's Daughter. It's sensational."
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Shelter (2017)
Sarah Franklin
"Sarah Franklin is a breath of fresh air."
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Anatomy of a Scandal (2018)
Sarah Vaughan
"The best courtroom drama since Apple Tree Yard … sensational."
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Come and Find Me (2018)
(Detective Inspector Marnie Rome, book 5)
Sarah Hilary
"DI Marnie Rome just gets better and better."
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The Lido (2018)
Libby Page
"Did I #lovethelido? So much my heart broke a little turning the last page. A stunning debut."
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You Me Everything (2018)
Catherine Isaac
"Wow. Just wow. If you liked Me Before You, you'll love You Me Everything. Heartbreakingly beautiful."
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The Cliff House (2018)
Amanda Jennings
"Haunting and evocative."
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Snap (2018)
Belinda Bauer
"Original, pacy and thoroughly entertaining . . . a cracking read."
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Days of Wonder (2018)
Keith Stuart
"A story of life, love and hope - the perfect antidote to today's world. Phenomenal."
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Love Will Tear Us Apart (2018)
Holly Seddon
"Beautifully written, with an intricate yet perfectly constructed backstory, and characters I didn't want to leave. A must-read."
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Killing It (2018)
Asia Mackay
"Witty and original . . . one for your suitcase this summer."
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You Found Me (2018)
Virginia Macgregor
"I defy you not to fall in love . . . a future classic."
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Nine Perfect Strangers (2018)
Liane Moriarty
"Original, suspenseful, downright brilliant."
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To Catch a Killer (2019)
Emma Kavanagh
"What a rollercoaster ride! A thrill a minute - I loved it."
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Blood Orange (2019)
Harriet Tyce
"A classy thriller with complex and compelling characters."
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To the Lions (2019)
(Casey Benedict, book 1)
Holly Watt
"Sensational! I loved it. Superbly plotted... A sure hit."
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Critical Incidents (2019)
(Robin Lyons, book 1)
Lucie Whitehouse
"Fantastic."
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Little Darlings (2019)
(DS Harper, book 1)
Melanie Golding
"Chilling story, beautiful prose. Little Darlings is stunning."
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Never Have I Ever (2019)
Joshilyn Jackson
"A smart, original thriller with real, compelling characters and a chilling reveal. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough."
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Whisper Network (2019)
Chandler Baker
"Furious and relevant... I loved it so much."
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Platform Seven (2019)
Louise Doughty
"I could read a telephone directory if Louise Doughty wrote it. Fortunately she wrote Platform Seven instead. A beautifully constructed novel about love of all kinds. A joy from the first page to the last."
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Away with the Penguins (2020)
Hazel Prior
"A glorious, life-affirming story. I read it in a day. I’m going to buy it for so many people this year!"
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In Five Years (2020)
Rebecca Serle
"I loved In Five Years. A beautiful, intelligent story about friendships and love."
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Keeper (2020)
Jessica Moor
"Gripping, devastating...breathtaking."
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Seven Lies (2020)
Elizabeth Kay
"A chilling and original voice. It's gripping, fresh and unsettling - all the ingredients I love."
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The Silent Treatment (2020)
Abbie Greaves
"Such stunning prose, and such insight for a debut author… I was bowled over by Abbie’s writing."
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Heatstroke (2020)
Hazel Barkworth
"Painfully real, and so beautifully written I wanted to stay within its pages forever. Heatstroke is unsettling, challenging and utterly immersive."
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The New Girl (2020)
Harriet Walker
"Keenly observed and brimming with tension, The New Girl is a must-read."
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The Secrets of Strangers (2020)
Charity Norman
"Norman skilfully plays with our perceptions and sympathies in this tautly plotted, gripping and emotional read."
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The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World (2020)
Laura Imai Messina
"A message of hope for anyone who is lost, frightened or grieving. Beautiful."
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Blurred Lines (2020)
Hannah Begbie
"Blisteringly relevant, with an emotional pull that had me in hot, angry tears."
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People Like Her (2021)
Ellery Lloyd
"Just inhaled People Like Her in a single sitting. A cautionary tale for instafluencers everywhere. Breathlessly fast, brilliantly original. Bravo, Ellery Lloyd!"
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The Thin Place (2021)
C D Major
"I devoured this novel in a single sitting, transfixed by the unfolding story, and by characters so real I felt myself holding my breath on their behalf. Gripping and unsettling, The Thin Place will stay with you long after you turn the final page."
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Watch Her Fall (2021)
Erin Kelly
"Watch Her Fall is not only a cleverly plotted, beautifully written thriller; it is also a mesmerising glimpse behind the curtain into a world few of us will ever see."
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Would I Lie to You? (2021)
Aliya Ali-Afzal
"A fresh take on domestic dynamics and moral dilemma. Great for book clubs! I really enjoyed Would I Lie to You?"
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The Herd (2022)
Emily Edwards
"Will have book clubs across the country in hot debate! Brilliant."
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Just Got Real (2022)
Jane Fallon
"Funny, fresh and clever...the perfect poolside read."
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In the Blink of an Eye (2023)
Jo Callaghan
"The most original crime novel you'll read this year."
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Strange Sally Diamond (2023)
Liz Nugent
"An extraordinary book. Compulsive reading, with one of the most complex, intriguing and moving characters I've ever encountered in fiction."

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