'Real Stephen King vibes. Tense, unsettling and a surefire winner' Trevor Wood

'An intense one-sitting read full of twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end' Angela Marsons

'A mess-with-your-mind, spine-tingling thriller with an unguessable twist. Wood is quite simply a genius' A.A. Chaudhuri

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A bestselling writer. A murder that hasn't been scripted... Or has it?

Since being left for dead in a brutal attack, crime writer Aidan Cullen hasn't left his house. For five years his paranoia and fear have confined him to the walls of his rural home with just his dog for company. Not even his hugely successful, much-longed-for publishing career could tempt him from his self-imposed prison.

But when a murder happens so close to Aidan's home that he can see the lights of the police cars and the white suits of the forensic team, even his elaborate security system and iron gates can't keep the world out.

Aidan finds himself at the heart of DS Katherine Marshall's investigation, as a string of seemingly unrelated murders start to show a terrifying pattern, a pattern that only he can see. As Aidan starts to feel his world closing in on him, his paranoia grows - is someone out to get him, or is it all in his mind?

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Readers are loving Chapter One!

'A disturbing tale with a sense of claustrophobia threaded through the chilling narrative. Extraordinarily good' Marion Todd

'Part murder mystery, part psychological thriller, Chapter One is a dark, twisted story of paranoia and claustrophobic fear' Russ Thomas

'An original, compelling and dark thriller. The characters are captivating, and the suspense builds just perfectly' John Marrs

'Brilliant. I loved it. Very clever' Sophie Hannah

'A tense and at times terrifying tale of trauma, violence and paranoia, told with Michael Wood's trademark propulsive style' B P Walter

'Michael Wood is a genius at pacing, atmosphere, and emotional depth'

'Dark, intense and so very thrilling, this was an excellent read!'

'The best word I can come up with for this book is sublime'

'I couldn't stop reading this book'

'I am a massive fan of Michael Wood's books and this one is no exception'

'Loved this book; it hooks you in from the very first page'

'What is real and what is not? It's brimful of suspense, it's fast paced, exciting and shocking'

'It was such a fabulous read'

'The story really draws you in and you feel an overwhelming empathy with Aiden'

'It had me hooked from the first to the last page. It's full of many twists and turns'

'I did not want to put it down and enjoyed every page'

'I have no words! What did I just read!! This was amazing literally blew me away. I'm also super creeped out!'

'A strong storyline with a real twist along the way.'

'I thought I had it all figured out, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Definitely recommended!'

'Oh em gee! Michael Wood has done it again. This had me hooked from the first chapter'

'Wood's writing is sharp, cinematic, and quietly emotional. By the final chapters, I was literally holding my breath'

An unsettling and twisty psychological thriller for summer 2025 with Stephen King vibes

About the Author

Michael Wood is a freelance journalist and proofreader living in Newcastle. As a journalist he covered many crime stories throughout Sheffield, gaining first-hand knowledge of police procedure. He also reviews books for CrimeSquad, a website dedicated to crime fiction.

Reviews
Praise for Michael Wood

'Real Stephen King vibes, like The Shining meets The Woman in the Window. Tense, unsettling and a surefire winner' Trevor Wood

'A mess-with-your-mind, spine-tingling thriller with an unguessable twist that will send shivers through you. Wood is quite simply a genius' A.A. Chaudhuri

'A master of horror and suspense'

'One of the best books ever, in one of the best series ever! It is THAT good!'

'Wow what a book... I adore this series and every book is better and better'

'This book sets off at a hundred miles an hour and never lets off... this is my favourite detective series'

'Exciting, tense and compelling... shocking and brilliant'

'Wow! Wow! Wow! The twists keep on coming to the last page'

'I don't have words! Wow just wow! This blew me away. DCI Matilda Darke and her team are my favourite detectives'

'This book had a bit of everything... some crazy twists and turns'

'Another cracking, nail-biting read'

Book Information
ISBN 9780008618582
Author Michael Wood
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint One More Chapter
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 260g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 24mm