THE #2 BESTSELLER

Discover the latest chilling, unputdownable novel, from the Richard and Judy bestseller.

A child who does not know her name…

In 1903 fishermen find a wrecked boat containing a woman, who has been badly beaten, and a young girl. An ambulance is sent for, and the two survivors are taken to All Hallows, the imposing asylum, hidden deep on Dartmoor. The woman remains in a coma, but the little girl, Harriet, awakens and is taken to an attic room, far away from the noise of the asylum, and is put in the care of Nurse Emma Everdeen.

Two motherless boys banished to boarding school…

In 1993, All Hallows is now a boarding school. Following his mother’s death and his father’s hasty remarriage, Lewis Tyler is banished to Dartmoor, stripped of his fashionable clothes, shorn of his long hair, and left feeling more alone than ever. There he meets Isak, another lost soul, and whilst refurbishment of the dormitories is taking place, the boys are marooned up in the attic, in an old wing of the school.

Cries and calls from the past that can no longer be ignored…

All Hallows is a building full of memories, whispers, cries from the past. As Lewis and Isak learn more about the fate of Harriet, and Nurse Emma’s desperate fight to keep the little girl safe, it soon becomes clear there are ghosts who are still restless.

Are they ghosts the boys hear at night in the room above, are they the unquiet souls from the asylum still caught between the walls? And can Lewis and Isak bring peace to All Hallows before the past breaks them first…

Praise for Louise Douglas

'Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.' Milly Johnson

'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress

'Another stunning read from the exceptionally talented Louise Douglas! I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick. Her writing is always beautiful and multi-layered, her characters warm and relatable and the intriguing nature of the mystery makes this unputdownable.’ Nicola Cornick on The Scarlet Dress

'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read'Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea

'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea

‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies

‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken

‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.

Pre-order the brand new novel from top 5 bestseller Louise Douglas.

A notebook full of secrets, two untimely deaths – something sinister is stirring in the perfect seaside town of Morranez…

It’s summer and holidaymakers are flocking to the idyllic Brittany coast. But when first an old traveller woman dies in suspicious circumstances, and then a campaign of hate seemingly drives another victim to take his own life, events take a very dark turn.

Mila Shepherd has come to France to look after her niece, Ani, following the accident in which both Ani’s parents were lost at sea. Mila has moved into their family holiday home, as well as taken her sister Sophie’s place in an agency which specialises in tracking down missing people, until new recruit Carter Jackson starts.

It’s clear that malevolent forces are at work in Morranez, but the local police are choosing to look the other way. Only Mila and Carter can uncover the truth about what’s really going on in this beautiful, but mysterious place before anyone else suffers. But someone is desperate to protect a terrible truth, at any cost…

'Your Beautiful Lies crackles with repressed longing... It kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away' C.L. Taylor, author of Her Last Holiday
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What secrets are you keeping?

Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1984 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point.

Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe - William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good.

But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.

The atmospheric and suspenseful novel from the bestselling author of The Secrets Between Us and The House by the Sea, winner of The Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award. Perfect for fans of Eve Chase and Lucie Whitehouse.
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What readers are saying about Your Beautiful Lies:

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A story of love, lies and betrayal that kept me gripped all the way through'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A must read for anyone who loves a mystery'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I didn't want to put it down. A wonderful array of characters very well written'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The book hooked me from the first page'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A real page turner'

*The Top 5 Bestseller*

The new chilling and captivating novel from the bestselling author of Richard & Judy pick The Secrets Between Us.

When Edie’s mother-in-law, Anna DeLuca, dies, she is relieved. Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So, when her will lures Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna’s games.

Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try to reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets.

Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on…

Bestselling author Louise Douglas returns with a captivating, chilling and unforgettable tale of betrayal, jealousy and the mysteries hidden in every family history.

Praise for Louise Douglas

'Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.' Milly Johnson

'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress

'Another stunning read from the exceptionally talented Louise Douglas! I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick. Her writing is always beautiful and multi-layered, her characters warm and relatable and the intriguing nature of the mystery makes this unputdownable.’ Nicola Cornick on The Scarlet Dress

'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read'Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea

'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea

‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies

‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken

‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret

‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

'A chilling, unputdownable new novel from the bestselling author of The House By The Sea.

'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down.

In the long, hot summer of 1995, twenty-two-year-old Alice Lang rents a caravan on a holiday park on the outskirts of the lively holiday resort of Severn Sands. She befriends Marnie, a shy, damaged little girl whose father is the park's caretaker and whose mother died a few months earlier. Will, whose mother runs the bar, falls in love with Alice, and is unbearably jealous of anyone else she sees. Tensions rise until one evening Alice disappears from her caravan. She's never seen again, and only her scarlet dress is found washed up on the shore.

A quarter of a century later, the town is run down and nobody comes there anymore. Mr and Mrs deVillars, former owners of the holiday park, have passed the failing business onto their son Guy, who promptly sells the land for development. Builders clearing the land to create an expanse of executive homes uncover human bones. It has to be Alice.

Will and Marnie’s lives were entirely shaped by what happened that summer, and now Alice has been found, they must struggle to pin down their memories, to escape the secrets of the past, the lies they told and the unbearable guilt they're both carrying.

They need to find out what happened to Alice. Who killed her? And why?

Praise for Louise Douglas

'Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.' Milly Johnson

'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress

'Another stunning read from the exceptionally talented Louise Douglas! I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick. Her writing is always beautiful and multi-layered, her characters warm and relatable and the intriguing nature of the mystery makes this unputdownable.’ Nicola Cornick on The Scarlet Dress

'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read'Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea

'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea

‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies

‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken

‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret

‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.

'An edge-of-your-seat read . . . Dark and brooding' The Lady
'Enthralling and unnervingly absorbing . . . our top holiday recommendation' Heat

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She thought she'd left the past behind. Now it's coming to find her.

Hannah Brown never thought she'd have a best friend like Ellen Brecht. Ellen is everything she isn't - beautiful, daring, glamorous and fierce. Growing up together in rural Cornwall, life seems perfect. But their idyllic childhood is shattered by obsession, betrayal and, ultimately, tragedy.

Hannah has tried for twenty years to forget what happened during that terrible summer. Then, one ordinary morning at work, she glimpses a woman who is identical to Ellen. Can it really be her? And has Ellen returned to forgive her - or to punish her?

The thrilling novel from the bestselling author of The Secret by the Lake and The House by the Sea, winner of The Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.

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Readers are captivated by In Her Shadow:

***** 'Full of intrigue and twists. It kept me gripped to the end.'
***** 'I finished the story feeling a bit breathless and as though I'd lived a whole other life.'
***** 'Beautifully written . . . wonderfully descriptive, I could actually smell the sea and imagine myself on the beach.'

A Richard and Judy book club pick, this is a gripping Gothic novel is perfect for fans of Daphne du Maurier.

'Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her best' TAMMY COHEN, author of The Wedding Party

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A FAMILY TRAGEDY
When a tragedy forces the family Amy works for as a nanny to retreat to a small lakeside cottage, she realises she cannot leave them now.

A SISTER'S SECRET
But Amy finds something unsettling about the cottage by the lake. This is where the children's mother spent her childhood - and the place where her sister disappeared mysteriously at just seventeen.

A WEB OF LIES
Soon Amy becomes tangled in the missing sister's story as dark truths begin rising to the surface. But can Amy unlock the secrets of the past before they repeat themselves?

The captivating and thrilling novel from bestselling author of The Secrets Between Us and The House by the Sea, winner of The Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.

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Readers love The Secret by the Lake:

***** 'A real page-turner. Plenty of suspense and twists and turns'
***** 'An easy 5* for me. I loved it'
***** 'Couldn't put it down'
***** 'An absolutely captivating story'
***** 'I enjoyed every line... the characters and the story were fab and kept me wanting more'

The Love of My Life by Louise Douglas is a beautiful novel that portrays both the innocence of childhood, and the dynamics of love and loss with deftness and sensitivity. It is, above all, a stunning debut from an author with a unique and natural narrative voice.

‘I miss him with every breath and heartbeat. He should have been my happy ending. Instead, he is the sad beginning to my story.’

Olivia and Luca Felicone had known each other nearly all their lives, but when they fell in love as teenagers and eloped to London, they broke the hearts of those closest to them. Luca’s parents run Marinella’s restaurant, the colourful hub of life in the otherwise bleak north-eastern seaside town of Watersford, and his mother, Angela, has never forgiven Olivia for causing such a rift in her beloved family.

On a freezing January night Olivia’s life is shattered when she learns that Luca has been killed in a car accident on the M1. She is left with nothing, and after suffering from weeks of overwhelming grief, she abandons her job and returns North to where Luca has been buried in Watersford, just to be close to him – even though she knows she will not be welcome at Marinella’s.

Olivia’s chance meeting with Luca’s married twin brother, Marc, leads to the realization that he is experiencing a loss almost as painful as her own. Their desolation draws them into an affair which both know has no future, but fills the space where Luca should be. It is a course of action that can only spiral out of control, and when it does, the consequences are both explosive and cruel.

Missing You is a beautifully written tale of family and love, from Louise Douglas, author of The Love of My Life.

Fen works in a bookshop and is devoted to her young son, Connor, but she keeps herself to herself. Haunted by guilt and a terrible secret, Fen lives a compromised life, isolated from her family, far from home and too afraid of the past to risk becoming close to anyone. She is constantly looking over her shoulder, knowing that one day the truth will catch up with her.

Sean, on the other hand, is enjoying a seemingly perfect life. He has a successful career, lives in his dream home and adores his beautiful wife, Belle, and their six-year-old daughter, Amy. That is until the day Belle announces she has found someone else and wants Sean to move out.

Circumstance throws Fen and Sean together. Slowly their quiet friendship turns into something much deeper and the joy they find in one another eventually gives them the confidence to trust and love again. But will the past tear them apart just as they find happiness?

Le stanze del passato nascondono segreti…
Quando la suocera di Edie, Anna DeLuca, muore, lei sente che un capitolo doloroso della sua vita si è concluso. Edie ha sempre incolpato Anna dell’incidente che ha distrutto la sua famiglia. Ma la porta sul passato non si è ancora definitivamente chiusa: una clausola del testamento di Anna spinge Edie a partire per la Sicilia e a raggiungere la Villa della Madonna del Mare, da tempo abbandonata. Una volta arrivata, Edie comincia a sospettare che Anna si stia intromettendo dall’oltretomba per cercare di riunire lei e il suo ex marito Joe ed è quindi determinata a lasciare l’Italia il prima possibile. Prima che possa farlo, però, la villa inizia a svelare i suoi misteriosi segreti...
Chi sono le ragazze accanto ad Anna nelle sue foto d’infanzia, e perché il volto di una di loro è stato cancellato? Qualcuno, o qualcosa, vuole che i segreti del passato rimangano sepolti? La villa è un luogo dove i fantasmi si sentono a casa, ed Edie e Joe devono gestire la faccenda dell’eredità, se vogliono lasciarsi tutto quanto alle spalle...
Da un’autrice bestseller in Inghilterra
Una saga familiare e un romanzo pieno di mistero
«Un romanzo ricco di suspense, in cui la tensione cresce via via fino a un finale davvero sorprendente.»
Sunday Express
«Una storia commovente, che arriva al cuore.»
Rachel Hore, autrice del bestseller La figlia del decoratore

È nata nello Yorkshire ma ha vissuto nel Somerset negli ultimi vent’anni. È autrice di quattro romanzi, tra cui La prima moglie e L’amore della mia vita.

«La perfetta combinazione di mistero ed emozioni. Superbo.»
Nella caldissima estate del 1995, Alice Lang si trova in vacanza alla periferia della vivace località turistica di Severn Sands. Ha affittato una roulotte e non ha avuto difficoltà a farsi dei nuovi amici: Marnie, la timida figlia del custode del parco, e Will, che gestisce il bar del villaggio turistico insieme a sua madre. La vacanza trascorre all’insegna del relax sotto il sole opprimente, finché una sera Alice scompare nel nulla. Il suo vestito rosso viene ritrovato sulla spiaggia.
Sono passati venticinque anni da allora. Il villaggio turistico è ormai in rovina e i proprietari si sono decisi a vendere il terreno, che prontamente viene invaso da ruspe e scavatrici. I lavori di costruzione sono sul punto di iniziare, quando ossa umane tornano alla luce. Le ossa di Alice Lang.
Le vite di Will e Marnie, dopo la sua scomparsa, non sono più state le stesse. E ora che è stato ritrovato il corpo, dovranno fare i conti con il passato, per sfuggire ai ricordi che li tormentano, alle bugie e all’insopportabile senso di colpa che entrambi si portano dietro.
È arrivato il momento di scoprire cosa è successo ad Alice. Dunque è stata uccisa? Ma chi avrebbe potuto volerla morta, e perché?
Autrice bestseller in Inghilterra
Il passato torna sempre a bussare alla porta
Hanno scritto dei suoi libri:
«Un romanzo di grandi atmosfere, in cui la tensione cresce via via fino a un finale davvero sorprendente.»
Sunday Express
«Con abilità da maestra, Louise Douglas sa convogliare la tensione in storie che intrecciano fantasmi del passato, segreti di famiglia e speranza.»
Amanda Jennings
«Una storia commovente, che arriva al cuore.»
«Ho amato questo libro. Louise Douglas è una scrittrice straordinaria. I suoi romanzi non deludono mai.»

È nata nello Yorkshire ma ha vissuto nel Somerset negli ultimi vent’anni. Ha vinto il prestigioso RNA award e i suoi romanzi sono tutti bestseller. La Newton Compton ha pubblicato La casa sul mare e Il sentiero dei ricordi perduti.