'Superb new series with great characters and amazing scenery' reviewer, 5 stars

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AN ATMOSPHERIC NEW CRIME SERIES SET IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS FOR READERS WHO ENJOY JOY ELLIS, FAITH MARTIN AND ANN CLEEVES

Following a traumatic incident in London, Jennifer Dorey has returned to her childhood home in Guernsey, taking a job as a reporter at the local newspaper.

After the discovery of a drowned woman on a beach, she uncovers a pattern of similar deaths that have taken place over the past fifty years.

Together with DCI Michael Gilbert, an officer on the verge of retirement, they follow a dark trail of island myths and folklore to 'Fritz', the illegitimate son of a Nazi soldier. His work, painstakingly executed, has so far gone undetected.

But with his identity about to be uncovered, the killer now has Jennifer in his sights.

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'Enthralling, compelling, mysterious.' Lisa Hall, author of Tell Me No Lies

'Atmospheric and tense. Superb!' Isabel Ashdown, author of Little Sister

'Dark, haunting and full of twists.' Chris Whitaker, author of All The Wicked Girls

'A gripping thriller set in Guernsey. I loved it!' Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend

'A dark, thrilling murder mystery in a richly-realised setting - the best debut I've read this year.' Mason Cross


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What readers have to say about The Devil's Claw:

'Really gripping'. Goodreads

'A hauntingly good thriller.' Goodreads

'A lovely twisty tale with a haunting setting.' Goodreads

'Superb murder mystery. I couldn't put it down.' Amazon

'Enjoyed this book immensely - found it very gripping and could not put it down.' Amazon

About the Author
Lara Dearman grew up on Guernsey before moving to the UK to study. She pursued a career in the city before taking time out to be with her young family. After her husband's job took the family to Singapore for three years, they returned to London where she studied for an MA in Creative Writing at St Mary's University. She graduated with a distinction in 2016. Lara now lives in New York with her husband and three children and is intending to write full time. Lara will be in London for a month over the summer and plans to spend plenty of time this side of the Atlantic each year.

Reviews
Dark, haunting and full of twists * Chris Whitaker, author of ALL THE WICKED GIRLS *
A twisty thriller set in Guernsey and populated with great characters. * Olivia Kiernan, author of TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE *
A gripping thriller set in Guernsey. I loved it! * Karen Hamilton, author of THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND *
darkly atmospheric, nail-bitingly tense, intrigue-packed - a real crime fiction must read! * Stephanie Marland, author of MY LITTLE EYE *
Atmospheric and tense. Superb! * Isabel Ashdown, author of LITTLE SISTER *
Enthralling, compelling, mysterious * Lisa Hall, author of TELL ME NO LIES *
A gripping thriller set in Guernsey, tremendous sense of place & characters I really cared about * Laura Marshall, author of FRIEND REQUEST *
Lara Dearman's The Devil's Claw is a powerful debut. With smooth prose and engaging characters, Dearman draws her readers into a tangled web of secrets. Layer upon layer of lies and unexpected connections will keep readers guessing until the very end. * Karen Dionne, author THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER *
There is darkness even within the most beautiful of landscapes, and Lara Dearman writes on this with stunning effect in her debut page-turner The Devil's Claw. Set in Guernsey and steeped in island folklore, this novel explores a fifty-year-old mystery, and marks the arrival of a fantastic new talent.' * Fiona Cummins, author of RATTLE *
The Devil's Claw is a great read and I absolutely loved it. I've never been to Guernsey but now feel like I know it! * Patricia Gibney, author of THE STOLEN GIRLS *
A dark, thrilling murder mystery in a richly-realised setting - the best debut I've read this year. * Mason Cross *
The first in a new series set in the Channel Islands. Jennifer Dorey returns to her childhood home in Guernsey and start work on the local paper. When a drowned woman washes up on the beach, Jennifer uncovers several similar deaths that have taken place over the past fifty years. Jennifer and veteran DCI, Michael Gilbert, follow the clues that lead them to 'Fritz', the illegitimate son of a Nazi soldier. But with his identity about to be revealed, the killer now has Jennifer in his sights. Fans of Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves will love this. * Red Magazine *
Fans of Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves will love this * Red Magazine *
Well-developed characters ensure that the readers will want to see more of Jennifer and company. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *
A very exciting new talent, and an amazing setting. Looking forward to reading more! * Ragnar Jonasson *
'There is darkness even within the most beautiful of landscapes, and Lara Dearman writes on this with stunning effect in her debut page-turner THE DEVIL'S CLAW. Set in Guernsey and steeped in island folklore, this novel explores a fifty-year-old mystery, and marks the arrival of a fantastic new talent.' * Fiona Cummins, author of RATTLE *



Book Information
ISBN 9781409170280
Author Lara Dearman
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Trapeze
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 254g
Dimensions(mm) 129mm * 197mm * 23mm