Added by 201 members
2020 Waverton Good Read Award (nominee)
Six friends. One killer. Who do you trust? A teen girl is missing after a night of partying; thirty years later, the discovery of her body reopens a cold case in ‘a scorching portrait of friendship and its betrayal.’ (Nicci French).
‘This enjoyably chilling suspense tale . . . conveys both the thrills and the dangers of being a teenager on the brink of adult independence.’—The New York Times Book Review
On a scorching July night in 1983, a group of teenagers goes camping in the forest. When they wake in the morning the youngest of their group, Aurora Jackson, has disappeared. An exhaustive investigation is launched, but no trace of the teenager is ever found.
Thirty years later, Aurora’s body is unearthed in a hideaway that only the six friends knew about, and Jonah Sheens is put in charge of solving the long-cold case. Back in 1983, as a young cop in their small town, he had known the teenagers—including Aurora—personally, even before taking part in the search. Now he’s determined to finally get to the truth of what happened that night. Sheens’s investigation brings the members of the camping party back to the forest, where they will be confronted once again with the events that left one of them dead and all of them profoundly changed forever.
This searing, psychologically captivating novel marks the arrival of a dazzling new talent, and the start of a new series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens.
Praise for She Lies in Wait
‘A novel that literally makes you hold your breath then gasp out loud.’—Val McDermid
‘She Lies in Wait is an atmospheric, deeply satisfying, well-written mystery whose resolution rings true after lots of false leads and blind alleys. A remarkably adept first novel. One hopes there will be many more to come.’—Daily Herald
‘The mystery intrigues and twists, offering enough red herrings and moments of police procedural to please fans of the genre.’—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
‘What a marvel! A corkscrew-twisty, knife-sharp thriller—yet it doubles as a tender ode to loss and longing. Prepare to be haunted.’—A. J. Finn, author of the New York Times bestseller The Woman in the Window
Genre: Mystery
‘This enjoyably chilling suspense tale . . . conveys both the thrills and the dangers of being a teenager on the brink of adult independence.’—The New York Times Book Review
On a scorching July night in 1983, a group of teenagers goes camping in the forest. When they wake in the morning the youngest of their group, Aurora Jackson, has disappeared. An exhaustive investigation is launched, but no trace of the teenager is ever found.
Thirty years later, Aurora’s body is unearthed in a hideaway that only the six friends knew about, and Jonah Sheens is put in charge of solving the long-cold case. Back in 1983, as a young cop in their small town, he had known the teenagers—including Aurora—personally, even before taking part in the search. Now he’s determined to finally get to the truth of what happened that night. Sheens’s investigation brings the members of the camping party back to the forest, where they will be confronted once again with the events that left one of them dead and all of them profoundly changed forever.
This searing, psychologically captivating novel marks the arrival of a dazzling new talent, and the start of a new series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens.
Praise for She Lies in Wait
‘A novel that literally makes you hold your breath then gasp out loud.’—Val McDermid
‘She Lies in Wait is an atmospheric, deeply satisfying, well-written mystery whose resolution rings true after lots of false leads and blind alleys. A remarkably adept first novel. One hopes there will be many more to come.’—Daily Herald
‘The mystery intrigues and twists, offering enough red herrings and moments of police procedural to please fans of the genre.’—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
‘What a marvel! A corkscrew-twisty, knife-sharp thriller—yet it doubles as a tender ode to loss and longing. Prepare to be haunted.’—A. J. Finn, author of the New York Times bestseller The Woman in the Window
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"I can't remember a debut I read with such pleasure - a really masterful handling of complex plot and beautiful characterisation." - Helen Callaghan
"A strong debut thriller with dual timelines. Mysterious, stylish, and utterly compelling." - Will Dean
"She Lies in Wait delivers on just about every level - a killer premise, an absorbing plot that twists and turns at just the right pace, and in DCI Jonah Sheens a lead detective who has hit the page fully-formed and instantly likeable. One to watch!" - Caz Frear
"A dark, deep, terrific thriller and a scorching portrait of friendship and its betrayal." - Nicci French
"I loved it. A SUPERIOR crime book." - Marian Keyes
"Most enjoyable - Gytha Lodge is a skilled storyteller and she weaves such an intricate plot. The book hooked me early on and kept me up way past my bedtime on several nights! The team of detectives Gytha has put together is top notch. All in all, a very satisfying read." - James Oswald
"The discovery of human remains hidden in the woods forces six friends to relive the night that ended their innocence. In this cracking, page-turning thriller, Gytha Lodge brings the reader on a twisty edgy ride, flipping deftly between two timelines as it races towards the reveal. Gripping stuff." - Karen Perry
"She Lies in Wait drew me in from the very first page. Gytha Lodge has created a compulsive crime novel with a heartbreaking story and a complex plot as well as a whole set of brilliant characters, especially the clever and likeable DCI Sheens. Difficult to put down, it kept me guessing until the end." - Jenny Quintana
"A stunner, a proper whodunnit. It kept me up well past bed-time, turning those pages. Well-plotted, brilliant characters, beautifully written: a sure-fire hit." - Jo Spain
"By turns elegant and savage, absorbing and clinical, She Lies In Wait is one of those rare debuts that stops you dead, commands you to turn each page, and leaves you piecing together a story you are desperate to unfold yet loath to finish. Seriously impressive." - Chris Whitaker
"A strong debut thriller with dual timelines. Mysterious, stylish, and utterly compelling." - Will Dean
"She Lies in Wait delivers on just about every level - a killer premise, an absorbing plot that twists and turns at just the right pace, and in DCI Jonah Sheens a lead detective who has hit the page fully-formed and instantly likeable. One to watch!" - Caz Frear
"A dark, deep, terrific thriller and a scorching portrait of friendship and its betrayal." - Nicci French
"I loved it. A SUPERIOR crime book." - Marian Keyes
"Most enjoyable - Gytha Lodge is a skilled storyteller and she weaves such an intricate plot. The book hooked me early on and kept me up way past my bedtime on several nights! The team of detectives Gytha has put together is top notch. All in all, a very satisfying read." - James Oswald
"The discovery of human remains hidden in the woods forces six friends to relive the night that ended their innocence. In this cracking, page-turning thriller, Gytha Lodge brings the reader on a twisty edgy ride, flipping deftly between two timelines as it races towards the reveal. Gripping stuff." - Karen Perry
"She Lies in Wait drew me in from the very first page. Gytha Lodge has created a compulsive crime novel with a heartbreaking story and a complex plot as well as a whole set of brilliant characters, especially the clever and likeable DCI Sheens. Difficult to put down, it kept me guessing until the end." - Jenny Quintana
"A stunner, a proper whodunnit. It kept me up well past bed-time, turning those pages. Well-plotted, brilliant characters, beautifully written: a sure-fire hit." - Jo Spain
"By turns elegant and savage, absorbing and clinical, She Lies In Wait is one of those rare debuts that stops you dead, commands you to turn each page, and leaves you piecing together a story you are desperate to unfold yet loath to finish. Seriously impressive." - Chris Whitaker
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Gytha Lodge's She Lies in Wait