Gilly Macmillan grew up in Wiltshire, and was pleasantly surprised when her family moved to California when she was a teenager. She studied History of Art at Bristol University before doing an MA in Modern British Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Her career path has included working at the Burlington Magazine, the Hayward Gallery and teaching photography at a sixth-form college in Swindon. Her favourite job was working in a café opposite Keplers bookshop in Menlo Park, CA. She currently lives in Bristol with her husband Julian and their three children.
A Lesson in Cruelty (2024) Harriet Tyce "Compulsive, dark and smart, A Lesson in Cruelty delivers on every level. Justice, revenge and punishment are meted out and questioned throughout this twisty, terrifying thriller with a heart."
Nightwatching (2024) Tracy Sierra "Tracy Sierra is an impressive new talent. Nightwatching is riveting, by turns a chilling account of a horrifying ordeal and a whip-smart snapshot of marriage, motherhood, and the female experience in a man's world. Psychological terror at its finest."
The Babysitter (2023) Emma Curtis "The Babysitter is every mother's nightmare. Emma Curtis skilfully builds layer upon layer of chilling suspense in this story of misplaced trust and damaging suspicion. A compulsive read that'll get under your skin and keep you guessing."
Everyone Here is Lying (2023) Shari Lapena "Shari Lapena delivers another brilliant, propulsive thriller in Everyone Here Is Lying. Sharply observed and at times unexpectedly touching, the novel deftly unpicks a tangled knot of deceit and intrigue until the most shocking truth is revealed. I defy you to put it down until you know what happened to Avery Wooler."
The Trial (2023) (Adam Green Mystery, book 1) Rob Rinder "The Trial is whip-smart, stylish and gripping, both murder mystery and courtroom drama, shot through with tension, humour and a dark dissection of corruption, status and justice."
The House Guest (2023) Hank Phillippi Ryan "THE HOUSE GUEST is a thriller-lover's treat! Propulsive, smart, twisty and impossible to predict. Ryan brilliantly ramps up the tension, and skillfully draws the reader deep into the lives of the wealthy, the vulnerable and the betrayed, keeping you guessing right up to the end."
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels (2023) Janice Hallett "I loved The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. It's fresh, whip-smart, dark and intriguing with a brilliant, compelling heroine. Janice Hallett is surely the queen of the brain-twisting, just-one-more-page mystery novel."
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six (2022) Lisa Unger "Lisa Unger is a brilliant writer, on the top of her form. Here, she delivers yet another stellar thriller, packed with tension and twists, but also laced with nuanced insight and characterization. On this weekend away, the cabin and its owner are disquieting, the weather is menacing but the threat level is truly amped up by the disturbing family dynamics and a backstory that grips."
Anywhere You Run (2022) Wanda M Morris "A stunning thriller and a stunning work of historical fiction. Anywhere You Run is riveting, touching and terrifying. Wanda M. Morris is a ferociously talented writer."
The Disinvited Guest (2022) Carol Goodman "The Disinvited Guest is a tense, fever dream of a thriller in an extraordinary, atmospheric setting, gripping from first page to last. In a world under attack from a new virus, seven friends take refuge on a private, fog-drenched island where memories are both long and unreliable, illness lurks, the terrain is treacherous and even the island's history has claws. Carol Goodman is a brilliant writer, and she shines here. Loved it."
The Hiding Place (2022) Simon Lelic "Dual timelines unravel the truth behind a deadly game in a sinister boarding school & the present day hunt for a killer. Tense, full of misdirection & beautifully written."
The Favor (2022) Nora Murphy "A brilliant, gripping, dark and superbly written debut. I was transfixed by Leah and McKenna and the deftly woven plot that connects them. Nora Murphy is one to watch."
Watch Out for Her (2022) Samantha M Bailey "A tense and claustrophobic thriller in which Bailey makes you question whether the heart of a family is a place of safety or danger. Paranoia, obsession, and secrets ensure a twisty read."
Twelve Secrets (2022) (Ben Harper, book 1) Robert Gold "Absolutely addictive. An unforgettable and nuanced cast of characters, a claustrophobic setting, and a suspenseful and chilling examination of the dark and destructive power of secrets. You will sleep with your eyes open after reading this one."
Reputation (2022) Sarah Vaughan "Timely, necessary, and gripping, do not miss out on REPUTATION. With her trademark acuity and empathy, Sarah Vaughan skillfully dissects the pressures facing women in both public life and private while delivering an absolute nail-biter of a novel. It's a must-read for 2022."
Murder in the Family (2022) Cara Hunter "An excellent, wholly original whodunnit! You won't have read a mystery like this, and you'll be kept in the dark right to the end."
For Your Own Good (2021) Samantha Downing "Samantha Downing serves up another cast of deliciously mendacious characters in an exclusive private school setting, where the deadly action drives a brilliantly tense, taut and twisty plot. I may never look at my coffee in the same way again."
The Damage (2021) Caitlin Wahrer "Smart, suspenseful and timely, this accomplished debut takes us on a journey through the emotional fall-out from one ugly night in a small town."
The Silent Treatment (2020) Abbie Greaves "In her tremendously moving debut, a novel that pulses with emotional tension, Abbie Greaves masterfully unpicks a history of ordinary lives facing extraordinary challenges. I found it impossible to look away from the relationship at the heart of this novel."
Stephanie Wrobel "Two extraordinary narrators drive the nail-biting action in this sensational, compulsively readable debut. A tour de force of captivating psychological suspense."
Jane Shemilt "Little Friends is beautifully written and suffused with dread. Jane Shemilt's compelling literary thriller explores with acuity the pressure cooker challenges of adult responsibility, and the assumptions we make. The domestic settings are seductively vivid and the final outcome is profoundly shocking and terrifying."
The Other Mrs (2019) Mary Kubica "The Other Mrs. is Mary Kubica's most twisty, unpredictable and atmospheric thriller yet. Inscrutable, intriguing characters and a perfectly sinister setting create an insidious sense of dread that propels you to the very startling conclusion."
Then She Vanishes (2019) Claire Douglas "Lifts the stone on a cold case disappearance and asks chilling questions about friendship, loyalty, love and obsession. It's twisty, tense and brimming with atmosphere. I raced to the end."
The Wife Between Us (2018) Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen "The Wife Between Us delivers a whipsmart, twisty plot in a taut, pacy narrative. It's terrific and troubling. This is one scary love triangle where you won't know who to trust. I loved it."
The Blackbird Season (2017) Kate Moretti "The Blackbird Season pulls off a very difficult thing: it's nail-biting and thought-provoking all at once. It's a rare that a book can make you turn pages like your life depends on it, but also give you food for thought because the characters are so perfectly drawn. A stunning achievement from an extremely talented writer."
The Marsh King's Daughter (2017) Karen Dionne "I was absolutely gripped. What a fresh novel, and so expertly plotted and wonderfully well written. I loved the narrative voice, and thought the balance of beautifully drawn and compelling character study and heart-pounding action was absolutely superb. A real tour-de-force."
Stasi Child (2015) (Oberleutnant Karen Muller, book 1) David Young "Deft, assured storytelling, a compelling new detective and a fascinating setting - I was up late to finish it!"
