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    Unavailable
    Black Wood: A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart
    Unavailable
    Black Wood: A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart
    Unavailable
    Black Wood: A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart
    Ebook358 pages6 hours

    Black Wood: A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart

    By SJI Holliday

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    He spots the two girls through the cracked screen of beech, sycamore and leg-scratching gorse: a flash of red skirt and a unison of giggles . . . The smaller girl sees him first and she lets out a strange little squeak and jumps back, grabbing onto the other girl’s T-shirt, revealing a flash of milky white shoulder.
    He grins.

    Something happened to Claire and Jo in Black Wood: something that left Claire paralysed and Jo with deep mental scars. But with Claire suffering memory loss and no evidence to be found, nobody believes Jo’s story.

    Twenty-three years later, a familiar face walks into the bookshop where Jo works, dredging up painful memories and rekindling her desire for vengeance. And at the same time, Sergeant David Gray is investigating a balaclava-clad man who is attacking women on a disused railway, shocking the sleepy village of Banktoun. But what is the connection between Jo’s visitor and the masked man?

    To catch the assailant, and to give Jo her long-awaited justice, Gray must unravel a tangled web of past secrets, broken friendship and tainted love. But can he crack the case before Jo finds herself with blood on her hands?

    REVIEWS
    ‘A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart’
    Fergus McNeill, author ofEye Contact

    ‘A dark, chilling read that moves fast and builds to a brilliant climax. Superb.’
    Steve Cavanagh, author ofThe Defence

    ‘In her atmospheric debut, Holliday effectively and spookily evokes small-town claustrophobia and backbiting. An edgy and authentic new voice in crime fiction.’
    Anya Lipska, author ofWhere the Devil Can’t Go

    ‘A fast-paced and chilling psychological thriller from an exciting new talent. If you liked Broadchurch, you’ll love this.’
    Mark Edwards and Louise Voss, authors ofFrom The Cradle

    ‘Darkly atmospheric and utterly absorbing.’
    Jane Isaac, author ofThe Truth Will Out

    ‘A plot which weaves and twists its way around a tight-knit community… [where] old sins return to haunt some damaged people and the atmosphere is thick with unspoken dread… You won’t read a more shocking, or satisfying, thriller this year.’
    James Benmore, author ofDodger

    ‘A deeply unsettling story of bad deeds, complex loyalties and secrets better left buried,Black Woodis a thrilling debut which grips from the very first page and doesn’t let go.’
    Eva Dolan, author ofLong Way Home

    ‘Holliday has a knack for creating fascinating, well-observed, and sometimes quirky characters.Black Woodis dark and twisty with a creepy atmosphere that pervades this compelling tale from first page to last. I was gripped. A fantastic new voice on the block.’
    Amanda Jennings, author ofThe Judas Scar

    ‘Hugely satisfying twists and great characterisation, creepy and astute.’
    Sarah Hilary, author ofSomeone Else’s Skin

    ‘A chilling exploration of the darkness that can hide in even the smallest of communities. A superb debut.’
    David Jackson, author ofThe Helper

    ‘I was drawn intoBlack Wood- drip-fed with intrigue, mystery and menace. It has an absorbing storyline with interesting and engaging characters. An exciting debut novel.’
    Mel Sherratt, author ofWatching Over You

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBlack & White Publishing
    Release dateFeb 24, 2015
    ISBN9781845029692
    Unavailable
    Black Wood: A deliciously dark thriller with a shocking secret at its heart
    Author

    SJI Holliday

    S.J.I. (Susi) Holliday is a scientist, writing coach and the bestselling author of five crime novels, including the Banktoun Trilogy (Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly), the festive chiller The Deaths of December and her creepy Gothic psychological thriller The Lingering. Her short story Home From Home was published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and shortlisted for the CWA Margery Allingham Prize. Encapsulating her love of travel and claustrophobic settings, her latest novel, Violet, explores toxic friendships and the perils of talking to strangers. All of her novels have been UK ebook number-one bestsellers. Susi was born and raised in Scotland and now divides her time between Edinburgh, London and as many other exciting places that she can fit in.

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    Reviews for Black Wood

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    • 5/5
      If you are looking for a modern day ‘who done it’ then this book is for you.

      The story introduces all the characters in the first half, developing the main ones and bringing in others, all with potential motives. Then it twists and turns, going back and forth between past and present, before coming to the final double crescendo, both of the confession and the reveal of past events.

      Trying to work out who is responsible for the attacks in the present, as well as the one in the past, is compelling and makes this a must read. SJI Holliday creates interwoven personal histories and a couple of red herrings, leaving the reader to suspect pretty much everyone at some point. The writing is concise yet detailed, dripping with sinister undertones, and builds tension, pulling the reader in and holding them. The characters are written in different points of view to bring the reader closer to them, and for some who aren't used to that it can be challenging, but oh so worth it!

      But don't take my word for it. Go and read it.