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.
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
Novels
I Let You Go (2014)
I See You (2016)
Let Me Lie (2018)
After the End (2019)
The Understudy (2019) (with Holly Brown, Sophie Hannah and B A Paris)
Hostage (2021)
I See You (2016)
Let Me Lie (2018)
After the End (2019)
The Understudy (2019) (with Holly Brown, Sophie Hannah and B A Paris)
Hostage (2021)
Omnibus
Series contributed to
Non fiction
Clare Mackintosh recommends

The Girl Who Wouldn't Die (2015)
(George McKenzie Crime Thriller, book 1)
Marnie Riches
"A strong, edgy debut that deserves to do well."

The Other Child (2015)
Lucy Atkins
"I held my breath between chapters and didn't sleep until I reached the end."

The Swimming Pool (2016)
Louise Candlish
"Exquisitely written and addictively dark - sheer perfection."

Foxlowe (2016)
Eleanor Wasserberg
"An excellent debut . . . Wasserberg has a strong and distinctive voice."

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."

Find Me (2017)
J S Monroe
"Intricately woven and heart-stoppingly believable, this has bestseller written all over it."

Everything But the Truth (2017)
Gillian McAllister
"Perfection. Intriguing and compelling. An exceptional debut."

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."

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."

Anatomy of a Scandal (2018)
Sarah Vaughan
"The best courtroom drama since Apple Tree Yard sensational."

Come and Find Me (2018)
(Detective Inspector Marnie Rome, book 5)
Sarah Hilary
"DI Marnie Rome just gets better and better."

The Lido (2018)
Libby Page
"Did I #lovethelido? So much my heart broke a little turning the last page. A stunning debut."

You Me Everything (2018)
Catherine Isaac
"Wow. Just wow. If you liked Me Before You, you'll love You Me Everything. Heartbreakingly beautiful."

Days of Wonder (2018)
Keith Stuart
"A story of life, love and hope - the perfect antidote to today's world. Phenomenal."

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."

To the Lions (2019)
(Casey Benedict, book 1)
Holly Watt
"Sensational! I loved it. Superbly plotted... A sure hit."

Little Darlings (2019)
(DS Harper, book 1)
Melanie Golding
"Chilling story, beautiful prose. Little Darlings is stunning."

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."

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."

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!"

In Five Years (2020)
Rebecca Serle
"I loved In Five Years. A beautiful, intelligent story about friendships and love."

Seven Lies (2020)
Elizabeth Kay
"A chilling and original voice. It's gripping, fresh and unsettling - all the ingredients I love."

The Silent Treatment (2020)
Abbie Greaves
"Such stunning prose, and such insight for a debut author I was bowled over by Abbie’s writing."

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."

The New Girl (2020)
Harriet Walker
"Keenly observed and brimming with tension, The New Girl is a must-read."

The Secrets of Strangers (2020)
Charity Norman
"Norman skilfully plays with our perceptions and sympathies in this tautly plotted, gripping and emotional read."

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."

Blurred Lines (2020)
Hannah Begbie
"Blisteringly relevant, with an emotional pull that had me in hot, angry tears."

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!"

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."

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."

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?"

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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