He loved her. He lost her. But he should never have written her off.

'Birthday Girl is a real treat of a book, beautifully written and perfectly paced, slowly revealing secret after secret until you're not sure of anything anymore - only that you have to keep reading' - Elly Griffiths, author of The Ruth Galloway Novels

Jonathan's wife disappeared more than twenty years ago. Now he's seeing her everywhere . . .

New York in the 1990s - impoverished writer Jonathan Dainty takes his wife Maddie out to the beach for her birthday. Hours later he finds himself at the local police precinct trying to explain how on earth he let his wife get into a stranger's car, and allowed it to drive her away.

More than twenty years later, Maddie is presumed dead and Jonathan has channelled his grief into a best-selling series of crime novels. As far as he can, he is living the perfect life.

Then one day he catches a glimpse of his dead wife, moving through a throng of people. Is Maddie alive? Has she come back? And why does no one believe him? As Jonathan attempts to uncover the truth, it soon becomes clear that the people closest to him are hiding something, something that could change everything . . .

The propulsive thriller from debut talent Niko Wolf, perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Blood Orange

About the Author

Niko Wolf was born in London and her first novel, The Favourite, was published in the UK in 2017 under SV Berlin. Long listed for The Authors' Club Best First Novel Award 2018, it was also chosen as an ELLE Book of the month.

Most recently, she was a Screenwriter and Story Editor for independent movie A Son of Man, selected as an official entry in the foreign-language category for the 2019 Oscars. Wolf works in artificial intelligence, and lives in Manhattan.

Birthday Girl is her first thriller.

Reviews
A sleek, suspenseful story with characters so real you could reach out and touch them and a deliciously sharp sting in its tail -- C.L. Pattison, author of The Guest Book
Birthday Girl is dark and fiendishly compelling, slowly revealing secret after secret until you're not sure of anything anymore - only that you have to keep reading -- Elly Griffiths, author of The Ruth Galloway Novels
What a read! An absorbing and complex thriller that will keep you guessing until the last shocking reveal -- Sophie Flynn, author of All My Lies
A wonderfully taut and tense exploration of success in the face of trauma, Birthday Girl is a hugely compelling and thoroughly twisted tale . Masterfully written, this novel will reel you in and hold you enthralled as the layers of story are revealed -- Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin
An unusual plot line and a terrific ending mark Wolf out as one to watch for the future... Her psychological grasp of what drives Dainty and how he deals with his grief is particularly convincing * The Daily Mail *
An utterly captivating, sinister tale * Woman's Own *
This intricate mystery ticks along with the smooth precision of a Swiss watch [ . . . ] The truth in the twist will take your breath away * Peterborough Telegraph *
Wolf is a screenwriter and the book has a tightly honed cinematic structure as it moves fluently between present and past * The Irish Times *



Book Information
ISBN 9781529366655
Author Niko Wolf
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Hodder & Stoughton
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Weight(grams) 560g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 156mm * 34mm