2024 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (longlist)
In this heart-pounding, claustrophobic thriller from the bestselling author of Safe House, financial strains force a couple to sell their beautiful home, but when a potential buyer refuses to leave, everything starts to spiral out of control. Perfect for fans of The Woman at the Window and The Last Thing He Told Me.
For two years Lucy and Sam renovated their beautiful Victorian home but spiraling debts are forcing them to sell. The agreement with their real estate agent is that they won’t be home for viewings, but when Lucy gets a voicemail saying the Agent is running late, she realizes she will have to show the prospective buyer around herself.
Suffering from extreme anxiety and claustrophobia, Lucy watches the stranger on their doorstep waiting to be let in; she wants to hide and pretend she’s not home, but then she thinks of Sam working at all hours to cover their bills, of how much they need this sale, and opens the door.
Lucy takes a breath and begins to show their house. He is well dressed, polite, and despite her unease everything goes well, until he starts acting strangely. Why is he asking increasingly intrusive questions about her and Sam’s relationship? Why is he trying to take photographs of her? And why does he disappear into the basement and then not answer her when she calls?
There is something very wrong with this stranger, and now he is refusing to leave…
Genre: Mystery
For two years Lucy and Sam renovated their beautiful Victorian home but spiraling debts are forcing them to sell. The agreement with their real estate agent is that they won’t be home for viewings, but when Lucy gets a voicemail saying the Agent is running late, she realizes she will have to show the prospective buyer around herself.
Suffering from extreme anxiety and claustrophobia, Lucy watches the stranger on their doorstep waiting to be let in; she wants to hide and pretend she’s not home, but then she thinks of Sam working at all hours to cover their bills, of how much they need this sale, and opens the door.
Lucy takes a breath and begins to show their house. He is well dressed, polite, and despite her unease everything goes well, until he starts acting strangely. Why is he asking increasingly intrusive questions about her and Sam’s relationship? Why is he trying to take photographs of her? And why does he disappear into the basement and then not answer her when she calls?
There is something very wrong with this stranger, and now he is refusing to leave…
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Nobody does heart-thumping, dry-mouth, claustrophobic thrillers like C M Ewan. The House Hunt is exceptional, with a glorious WTF moment." - Sharon Bolton
"With relentless pace, Chris Ewan turns an ordinary, everyday situation into a terrifying nightmare, as the story becomes a desperate one of survival against the odds. Prepare yourself for a sleepless night!" - Jane Shemilt
"Read this in one unplanned whirlwind binge. The perfect one seating read. A propulsive, tightly plotted, minimalist treat." - Catherine Steadman
"Tense, taut, and terrifying. The House Hunt takes an everyday, knife-edge dilemma and turns it into the stuff of nightmares. Truly impossible to put down." - Chris Whitaker
"With relentless pace, Chris Ewan turns an ordinary, everyday situation into a terrifying nightmare, as the story becomes a desperate one of survival against the odds. Prepare yourself for a sleepless night!" - Jane Shemilt
"Read this in one unplanned whirlwind binge. The perfect one seating read. A propulsive, tightly plotted, minimalist treat." - Catherine Steadman
"Tense, taut, and terrifying. The House Hunt takes an everyday, knife-edge dilemma and turns it into the stuff of nightmares. Truly impossible to put down." - Chris Whitaker
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Used availability for C M Ewan's The House Hunt