The Girl You Gave Away: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller
Page 31
A twisty, dark psychological thriller that will have you gripped
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There are two sides to every secret.
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She is staring back at me with exactly my expression – a mixture of wonder, bewilderment and horror. It’s like looking in a dark, cracked mirror.
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‘Who are you?’ she whispers.
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When her beloved father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover a secret life he has led with another family: a half-sister, Valentina, born in the same week, in the same hospital. They look so physically alike they could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there.
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As an unlikely bond begins to form between them, Josie finds herself drawn into Valentina’s complex world; a world where Josie no longer has to be the good girl her father raised her to be. Could the same reckless, self-destructive streak that runs through Valentina’s blood, be running through her own?
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Could Josie be capable of more than she had ever imagined? Could she be capable of murder? One of them is.
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A tense and claustrophobic read that will keep you turning pages into the night. Perfect for fans of Louise Jensen, Claire Douglas and Sue Fortin.
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What readers are saying about Jess Ryder:
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‘I was hooked in from the very first page of this gripping, fast-paced story of secrets, relationships and betrayals. I really enjoyed this thrilling debut and would have given it more than five stars if I could.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime
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‘This is without a doubt the best psychological thriller I have read this year… OMG this book is so damn good!… Just one more chapter I kept telling myself, then before I knew it I had devoured it in one day. If you are looking for a fast-paced engaging read this is the book I highly recommend giving it 5 massive stars.’ Chelle’s Book Reviews 5*
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Lie to Me
A gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist
‘I was hooked in from the very first page of this gripping, fast-paced story of secrets, relationships and betrayals.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime
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Out now!
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Three minutes. That’s all it takes for Meredith’s entire world to fall apart when she watches the videotape of her four-year-old self with Becca, the mother who abandoned her.
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Meredith can’t believe what her eyes have seen. Yet what if her memory has locked away the painful reality of her childhood? Can there be any truth in the strange and dangerous story her mother forced her to tell on camera?
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The search for answers leads Meredith to Darkwater Pool, the scene of the murder of a young woman, Cara, over 30 years ago. What could possibly be the link between her mother and the victim?
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To find the truth Meredith must search through a past that is not her own. The problem is, she’s not the only one looking…
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A dark, compulsive psychological thriller that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Louise Jensen.
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Out now!
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people who have helped me in the writing of this novel.
Brenda Page, my researcher, who saves me so much time and never fails to come up with the information I need. Sometimes a tiny detail can make a big difference to the direction of the story. I’m also grateful to her for picking up on my typos and errors in the early drafts.
My friends Regina and Andrew and their amazing daughter Lily, for their generosity and openness in discussing issues of adoption and foetal alcohol syndrome. They also directed me to some research material that was extremely useful. Although this tragic story is most definitely not theirs, they inspired me to explore these issues imaginatively through the medium of a psychological thriller. FAS is a complex condition that is notoriously hard to diagnose, and this novel is not in any way an attempt to explain it or offer expert opinion. My interest is entirely focused on human relationships. Any factual mistakes are entirely of my own making, or are deliberate artistic licence.
My literary agent Rowan Lawton at the Soho Agency, who is editorially astute, gives me her unstinting support and completely understands me as a writer. Thanks to her, my novels have been translated into several languages, and I’m thrilled to be able to reach an international readership.
Christine Glover, my media agent at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates. We have worked together on television projects for many years and there are some exciting times ahead.
Very importantly, my editor Lydia Vassar-Smith – we are developing into a great creative team, from initial brainstorming through story development to final draft. For me, advance planning is everything and I’m very lucky to have an editor who is happy to work with me in this way.
Everyone on the Bookouture team. They work incredibly hard for their authors and I really appreciate it.
And finally, my lovely family, particularly my husband David.
Published by Bookouture in 2020
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An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Jess Ryder, 2020
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Jess Ryder has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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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.
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-83888-193-1
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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.