by Mel Sherratt
‘How did you know that?’ Reece’s face was one of pure confusion.
‘I know everything,’ said Eden. ‘I brought something with me that I thought you might like.’ She looked across at Melody. ‘Is he okay to have sweets now?’
Melody nodded. ‘Just a few though.’
Reece came racing across and sat next to Eden. She gave him the comics and the bag of sweets she’d bought earlier. Seeing his face light up was enough to make her smile too.
‘Off you pop, while we talk about grown-up stuff,’ said Melody, patting him playfully on the leg.
‘Will it go away?’ she said softly to Eden.
Eden looked at her with questioning eyes.
‘Looking over my shoulder; being scared of my own shadow; jumping every time I hear a noise. Am I always going to live with the fear of it happening again?’
‘Now that is something I can’t help you with. But I can put you in touch with an organisation, and lots of people who have shared a similar experience.’
They spoke for a bit longer before Eden said goodbye. Once in her Mini, she selected a track on The Jam CD in the stereo and turned up the sound. She still loved old-fashioned CDs over audio rips.
‘Beat Surrender’ burst into the car.
It warranted her pounding the palms of her hands on the steering wheel for a few minutes. She thought back to what Melody had said about the fear. Eden would never give in to the likes of Jed Jackson, but she had a feeling that she’d be looking over her own shoulder for the foreseeable future too.
Before starting the engine, she picked up her phone and typed out a message. It was time to sort things out once and for all.
Can we talk?
She was surprised when her phone began to ring almost immediately. She killed the sound, took a deep breath and answered the call.
‘Hi, Joe.’
A Letter from Mel
First of all, I want to say a huge thank you for choosing to read Don’t Look Behind You. I have thoroughly enjoyed my second outing with Eden and her team and I hope you enjoyed spending time with them as much as I did.
If you did enjoy Don’t Look Behind You, I would be forever grateful if you’d write a review. I’d love to hear what you think, and it can also help other readers discover one of my books for the first time. Or maybe you can recommend it to your friends and family…
Many thanks to anyone who has emailed me, messaged me, chatted to me on Facebook or Twitter and told me how much they have enjoyed reading my books. I’ve been genuinely blown away with all kinds of niceness and support from you all. A writer’s job is often a lonely one but I feel I truly have friends everywhere.
You can sign up to receive an email whenever I have a new book out here:
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Acknowledgments
This book is a milestone for me as it is my tenth crime novel. I have had a blast working on each one of them. They are very much a labour of love and it’s an amazing feeling to see how they have been received. Each one might have my name on the cover but there is an awful lot of teamwork happening in the background to make it happen. Thanks to my super agent Maddy Milburn, my super editor Keshini Naidoo and Kim Nash, my publicity manager extraordinaire - three talented women I have the pleasure of working with. Thanks to everyone at Bookouture, Oliver, Natasha, Natalie, Hannah, Noelle and the rest of the gang.
Thanks to Alison Niebieszczanski, Caroline Mitchell and Angela Marsons – a support and inspirational group second to none. Thanks to all the bloggers and reviewers who give up their time to help me. I can’t mention every one by name as there are far too many and I would be afraid to miss one out. But each and every minute you spend reading my books and spreading the word about them means so much more than I can ever put in to words.
Thanks also must go to a certain group of cockblankets who make me smile every day, and also give me genuine support amongst the tears of laughter.
Finally, thanks to Chris. Fella, you still make the best tea, and it’s always stirred with love…
The Girls Next Door
Detective Eden Berrisford crime thriller series Book 1
Available Now!
One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.
Six months after the stabbing of fifteen-year-old Deanna Barker, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more?
Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mountford, goes missing, the case gets personal.
With the kidnapper threatening Jess’ life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?
A terrifying, compelling police procedural which will thrill fans of Angela Marsons, The Teacher, and Rachel Abbott.
Get it here!
Praise for The Girls Next Door
'This is a definite 5* read for me.' Angela Marsons, author of Silent Scream and Blood Lines
‘A heart-pounding, breath holding, twisty-turny read. I highly recommend this book.’ Caroline Mitchell, author of The Silent Twins
‘Grabbed me straight from the off and didn’t let me go.’ By The Letter Book Reviews 5*
‘The Girls Next Door is the perfect recipe for an exquisite crime thriller … Emotional, gritty and full of some OMFG twists, I dare you NOT to want to read this book!’ Crime Book Junkie
‘Mel Sherratt has a knack for writing accessible, likeable and fundamentally human characters, The Girls Next Door was no different. I found the plot really engaging too … I raced through it and couldn’t put it down as I reached the final few chapters!’ Bibliophile Book Club
Also by Mel Sherratt
Detective Eden Berrisford Crime Thriller Series
The Girls Next Door
Don’t Look Behind You
Marcie Steele books
Stirred With Love
The Little Market Stall of Hope and Heartbreak
The Second Chance Shoe Shop
Mel Sherratt books
Somewhere to Hide
Behind a Closed Door
Fighting for Survival
Written in the Scars
Taunting the Dead
Follow the Leader
Only the Brave
Watching over You
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN
United Kingdom
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Mel Sherratt 2017
Mel Sherratt 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.
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.
ISBN: 978-1-78681-132-5
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