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Heather Critchlow

Heather Critchlow grew up in rural Aberdeenshire and trained as a business journalist after studying history and social science at the University of Cambridge. Her short stories have appeared in crime fiction anthologies Afraid of the Light, Afraid of the Christmas Lights and Afraid of the Shadows. She lives in St Albans, UK.

Genres: Mystery

New and upcoming books

August 2025

Unknown
(Cal Lovett Files, book 4)

August 2026

Untitled Book 5
(Cal Lovett Files, book 5)

Series

Cal Lovett Files
   1. Unsolved (2023)
   2. Unburied (2024)
   3. Unsound (2024)
   4. Unknown (2025)
   5. Untitled Book 5 (2026)

Series contributed to

Afraid of the light
1. Afraid of the Light (2020) (with others)
2. Afraid of The Christmas Lights (2020) (with others)

Books containing stories by Heather Critchlow

Black Cat Weekly #68 (2022)
(Black Cat Weekly, book 68)

Award nominations

2023 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize (nominee) : Unsolved

Heather Critchlow recommends

The Midnight King (2025)
Tariq Ashkanani
"Stunningly dark and utterly brutal, The Midnight King immerses the reader in the world of a serial killer and the family depending on him. As truth and fiction blur, the ripples of violence spread far beyond the killer's victims, with devastating consequences. A brilliant and unsettling read."

Paperboy (2025)
(Ally McCoist, book 2)
Callum McSorley
"Callum McSorley has done it again! Paperboy is a wickedly funny return to Glasgow's underbelly, where the city's renowned wit nestles alongside brutal violence. The beleaguered DCI Alison McCoist is again the perfect protagonist and McSorley is a master of the hapless character drawn into criminal chaos... I can't wait for the next instalment. Cracking!"

One Came Back (2025)
Rose McDonagh
"Dark and devastating, with a beautifully realised Highland setting, One Came Back delves into an eerie obsession where nothing is quite what it seems. When Emily sees an old childhood friend in Edinburgh at New Year she is transfixed - because Nicky has been dead for twenty years. McDonagh's prose is spare and intimate, pulling the reader into the claustrophobia of Emily's mind as she becomes fixated on Nicky and the things he seems to know about her. A portrait of limerence and the enduring importance of teenage years and experiences, this is a story that haunts you long after you've left the page."

An Ethical Guide to Murder (2025)
Jenny Morris
"Thea's gift of transferring life from one person to another begins as a darkly entertaining tale. Unnerved but empowered by her ability, this Robin Hood of life and death uses her skills to save her best friend. Her plan to do good by taking years of life from people who don't deserve to have it and giving it to those that do is initially well meaning. But how can she really tell the difference? As events spiral and Thea struggles to cope with the ethics and unforeseen circumstances of her gift, An Ethical Guide to Murder takes a twist into the thought-provoking and poignant. Beautifully written, funny and heartbreaking, it asks questions that will stay with you long after the final page."

Into the Flames (2024)
James Delargy
"Delargy ratchets the tension masterfully . . . Packed with atmosphere and as unpredictable as a bushfire, this is a searingly good thriller."

Gallows Wood (2024)
(PC Lucy Halliday, book 1)
Louisa Scarr
"Deft plotting, super-fast pace and an enthralling dive into the lives of police dog handlers make this a book to sniff out and devour."

Dead Mile (2024)
Jo Furniss
"Takes you on a white-knuckle ride. A tightly-plotted and intricate thriller with a rich cast of characters and dark vein of humour, Dead Mile will keep you guessing to the final pages."

Seven Days (2024)
Robert Rutherford
"Simultaneously a high-octane race across continents to save a condemned man, and a thriller that asks big questions about guilt, family and forgiveness, it is dark, compelling and full of heart."

A Lesson in Cruelty (2024)
Harriet Tyce
"Mysterious and beautifully-constructed with an electrifying pace and dark undercurrents, A Lesson in Cruelty is a white-knuckle, gripping read."

Crow Moon (2024)
(Martha Strangeways Investigation, book 1)
Suzy Aspley
"Deliciously gothic - dripping forests, terrifying disappearances and a haunting resolution."

What We Did In The Storm (2024)
Tina Baker
"A stunningly-executed portrait of an island community seething with secrets that are ready to burst free... Baker's writing is by turns amusing and achingly sad, but always beautiful. Batten down the hatches and clear your schedule because this is an absolute gem and it will ravage you."

Five Nights (2024)
Rachel Wolf
"I adored this Succession-style thriller . . . Told with haunting flashbacks and a fascinating cast of characters orbiting a charismatic and mysterious patriarch . . . Beautifully written and utterly gripping."

The Rich (2023)
Rachel Lynch
"A fabulous thriller. Lynch takes us on a wild ride, packed with twists and bursting with indulgence. The Rich will keep you guessing to the final pages."

The Art of Belonging (2023)
Eleanor Ray
"The Art of Belonging is a gorgeous read . . . Eleanor Ray has created a warm hug of a book that will capture your heart."

Freeze (2023)
Kate Simants
"Chilling and unpredictable, Freeze is a thriller that seizes you in its icy grip... Dark, moving and utterly gripping."

The Echo Man (2022)
(Major Crimes, book 1)
Sam Holland
"A white knuckle ride of a novel that will keep you awake at night."

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