by Kerry Watts
As Jessie begins to piece together the final days of Shannon’s life, her own history comes back to haunt her. Putting aside her personal demons, Jessie vows to do whatever it takes to catch Shannon’s killer. But what if the killer is ready to strike first?
This unputdownable crime thriller set in the dramatic Scottish Highlands will have you reading well into the night. If you like LJ Ross, Cara Hunter or Robert Bryndza, you will absolutely love this.
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Her Missing Child
She lays her baby in his cot – the sound of his quiet breath filling the nursery as she leaves the room. Soon Claire will be fast asleep herself. She won’t hear the back door opening or the footsteps on the stairs.
When Claire Lucas is woken by her husband asking where their baby son is, she is dazed and confused. When she follows Darren into their child’s bedroom, she hears nothing but silence. No baby cries, no cute gurgles. The only thing left in Finlay’s cot is his beloved teddy bear. Finlay has gone.
Detective Jessie Blake rushes to the family’s modern home in the rugged Scottish Highlands. She notices that Darren avoids eye contact, and Claire seems disconnected – unable to account for the last few hours of her afternoon. Jessie knows there’s no normal response to losing a child, but something doesn’t feel right.
Friends rally round the young family, as a search of the narrow lanes and green hills of Moncrieffe begins in earnest. And as helpers battle the wild Scottish weather, Jessie is sure that someone in the search party must know more than they’re letting on. Someone must have seen something.
As a ghost from her own past comes back to haunt her, Jessie must put aside her own personal tragedy to save baby Finlay. Can she get the people of the small town to talk before it’s too late?
If you love Cara Hunter, LJ Ross and Robert Bryndza, you’ll love this addictive new crime thriller from Kerry Watts. Her Missing Child will have you hooked from the start!
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Acknowledgements
Thanks go first of all to my wonderful editor, Helen Jenner, who continues to believe in me. I will be forever grateful for her support and enthusiasm, not to mention her honesty and calmness in the face of my many wobbles. Thank you to everyone at Bookouture for allowing me the opportunity to share Jessie Blake with the world. For Noelle and Kim, I owe both of you more than I can ever pay back for your unwavering support. Your constant words of encouragement on my darkest days are appreciated beyond words.
Thank you to Mark, Hannah and Flynn for their massive encouragement of my efforts. Your enthusiasm for my writing is truly humbling. Especially during times I’ve struggled to find inspiration.
Dad, for your continued excitement for my writing and Denise, for your words of wisdom and support.
I think it’s important to mention the avid crime-fiction readers who use social media to share and discuss my books every day, recommending them to new audiences. Norma Ormond, Susan Hunter, Andi Miller, Louise Mullins and all the other members of Crime Fiction Addict and UK Crime Book Club. Caroline Maston and David Gilchrist – thank you for everything you do.
Thank you to a whole host of author friends on Facebook who have encouraged and shared advice with me on every topic imaginable – Billy McLaughlin, Jacqueline Evans, Kevin McManus, to name a few.
To those who make me laugh every day – you know who you are.
Thank you to the members of the Bookouture Authors’ Lounge for your words of advice and encouragement when panic and crushing self-doubt struck.
And thank you, Tetley and Mr Kipling, for sustaining me through all those first drafts, edits, rewrites and proofreading. I owe you both more than I can ever repay.
Published by Bookouture in 2020
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Kerry Watts, 2020
Kerry Watts has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-78681-795-2
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.