2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (shortlist)
'The Secret History for Millennials' Belinda Bauer
A golden summer, and six talented teenagers are looking forward to the brightest of futures - until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, leaving three strangers dead.
18-year-old Megan takes the blame for the crime, leaving her friends to get on with their lives. In return, they each agree to a 'favour', payable on her release from prison.
Twenty years later Megan is free.
It is payback time.
And her friends start disappearing, one by one . . .
Richard & Judy bestseller Sharon Bolton is back, with her twistiest thriller yet.
Genre: Mystery
A golden summer, and six talented teenagers are looking forward to the brightest of futures - until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, leaving three strangers dead.
18-year-old Megan takes the blame for the crime, leaving her friends to get on with their lives. In return, they each agree to a 'favour', payable on her release from prison.
Twenty years later Megan is free.
It is payback time.
And her friends start disappearing, one by one . . .
Richard & Judy bestseller Sharon Bolton is back, with her twistiest thriller yet.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"A clever, compelling and unexpected story with a rich cast of diverse characters. I've long been a fan of Sharon Bolton's writing, but she has excelled herself with The Pact." - Rachel Abbott
"The Secret History for Millennials - the twists start early and only get tighter in this compelling thriller about betrayal, crime and class." - Belinda Bauer
"Sharon Bolton brilliantly skewers a group of over-privileged rich kids. It's a pleasure to watch them discover that actions have consequences as the plot unfolds. Fast-moving, addictive and thoroughly satisfying, this is another winner from one of my favourite crime writers." - Jane Casey
"This book has everything - a terrible event, years of guilt and lies, toxic friendships and a cast of characters which leaves you trusting no one. Horrifying and addictive." - Catherine Cooper
"I couldn't wait to tweet this as #bookpost before diving in - then I devoured it in one sitting. The Pact is a brilliantly crafted thriller about some friends who make a promise that's hell to keep! Gripping from start to finish." - Michelle Davies
"Not many books are truly unputdownable, but you can add The Pact to that coveted list. This book is so compelling, so addictive, it had me hooked from the first chapter to the last. Get this one on your summer list!" - Samantha Downing
"A deliciously addictive thriller that kept me guessing all the way through. Perfect for your summer holiday." - Katherine Faulkner
"A highly enjoyable thriller about privilege, blame and the consequences of lies." - C S Green
"What a read, I loved it so much. I was totally invested in the characters from the very first page. So so gripping!" - Lisa Hall
"A real atmosphere of dread permeates every page of THE PACT. You can't help but wonder what you'd do in the impossible situations these characters find themselves in - and what *they* do makes for a dark, elegant page-turner." - Catherine Ryan Howard
"A clever, suspenseful exploration of responsibility, retribution, and friendship tested to destruction." - Cara Hunter
"A brilliant premise and relentless narrative, with a twist I didn't see coming at all." - Claire McGowan
"I loved this creepy, twisty, compelling read. Sharon Bolton is the queen of ultra-tense, claustrophobic stories and characters you care about even though they are far from snow white. Needless to say I did not see the ending coming." - Cressida McLaughlin
"Another terrifying, shudder-making, utterly compulsive read from Sharon Bolton." - Jill Mansell
"You won't be able to turn the pages fast enough. A thriller with so many twists and turns you may need to take a travel sickness tablet before reading." - John Marrs
"Absolutely demolished The Pact by Sharon Bolton. What a killer premise! It's a terrifying exploration of toxic friendship and how bad decisions you make when you're young can haunt you forever." - Robin Morgan-Bentley
"Clear your diary and knock off your phone because you won't be able to put this book down. With THE PACT, we're in the hands of a master thriller writer, one who builds the tension with a perfectly paced plot until a breathless, shocking conclusion." - Jo Spain
"The Secret History for Millennials - the twists start early and only get tighter in this compelling thriller about betrayal, crime and class." - Belinda Bauer
"Sharon Bolton brilliantly skewers a group of over-privileged rich kids. It's a pleasure to watch them discover that actions have consequences as the plot unfolds. Fast-moving, addictive and thoroughly satisfying, this is another winner from one of my favourite crime writers." - Jane Casey
"This book has everything - a terrible event, years of guilt and lies, toxic friendships and a cast of characters which leaves you trusting no one. Horrifying and addictive." - Catherine Cooper
"I couldn't wait to tweet this as #bookpost before diving in - then I devoured it in one sitting. The Pact is a brilliantly crafted thriller about some friends who make a promise that's hell to keep! Gripping from start to finish." - Michelle Davies
"Not many books are truly unputdownable, but you can add The Pact to that coveted list. This book is so compelling, so addictive, it had me hooked from the first chapter to the last. Get this one on your summer list!" - Samantha Downing
"A deliciously addictive thriller that kept me guessing all the way through. Perfect for your summer holiday." - Katherine Faulkner
"A highly enjoyable thriller about privilege, blame and the consequences of lies." - C S Green
"What a read, I loved it so much. I was totally invested in the characters from the very first page. So so gripping!" - Lisa Hall
"A real atmosphere of dread permeates every page of THE PACT. You can't help but wonder what you'd do in the impossible situations these characters find themselves in - and what *they* do makes for a dark, elegant page-turner." - Catherine Ryan Howard
"A clever, suspenseful exploration of responsibility, retribution, and friendship tested to destruction." - Cara Hunter
"A brilliant premise and relentless narrative, with a twist I didn't see coming at all." - Claire McGowan
"I loved this creepy, twisty, compelling read. Sharon Bolton is the queen of ultra-tense, claustrophobic stories and characters you care about even though they are far from snow white. Needless to say I did not see the ending coming." - Cressida McLaughlin
"Another terrifying, shudder-making, utterly compulsive read from Sharon Bolton." - Jill Mansell
"You won't be able to turn the pages fast enough. A thriller with so many twists and turns you may need to take a travel sickness tablet before reading." - John Marrs
"Absolutely demolished The Pact by Sharon Bolton. What a killer premise! It's a terrifying exploration of toxic friendship and how bad decisions you make when you're young can haunt you forever." - Robin Morgan-Bentley
"Clear your diary and knock off your phone because you won't be able to put this book down. With THE PACT, we're in the hands of a master thriller writer, one who builds the tension with a perfectly paced plot until a breathless, shocking conclusion." - Jo Spain
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Used availability for S J Bolton's The Pact