When she was a child, she witnessed her famous, adored grandfather attempt to kill her grandmother.

Now Jasmin is eighteen, watchful and curious. She hangs out at the local college, sneaking into the lectures of charismatic professor Theo Merrick and spying on an intoxicatingly cool group of older students. She can only dream of being part of their world.

Then, when a college student dies in mysterious circumstances, Jasmin seizes her chance to join the group as they try to solve the mystery – while unwittingly unraveling her own dark past.

A slow burn dark academia thriller, Strange Nature is a compulsive read that will haunt you long after the final page.

‘Beautiful, dark, visceral, truly spellbinding.‘ – ANDREA MARA, Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author

‘Taut, twisty and beautifully atmospheric.‘ – KIA ABDULLAH, author of Waterstones Thriller of the Month Those People Next Door

It’s not dust she’s looking for.
It’s dirt.

Esmie is supposed to be invisible. Just a cleaner with a foreign accent that no one quite has time to place. Her uniform of leggings and a duster allows her to explore the homes of the wealthy, unseen; an outsider creeping around the edges of privilege.

But as she sweeps through the exclusive Woodlands gated neighbourhood, cleaning is the last thing on her mind. Treading silently over the polished wooden floorboards and cloud-soft carpets, Esmie gathers up the mess of broken marriages, quiet deceptions and careless failures. She tucks away their fragments, keeping them safe. For now.

Because one of the residents took from her the person she loves most. She’s not here to clean; she’s here for revenge – and she’ll get it using the weapons her employers unwittingly handed her along with the keys to their homes: their own secrets?

This beautifully sinister, propulsive page-turner that explores themes of identity and privilege is perfect for fans of Harriet Tyce and Lisa Jewell.

*** Readers love The Cleaner! ***

‘In The Cleaner, Mary Watson creates an immersive, twisty, character-driven web of family secrets.’ – FIONA MCPHILLIPS, author of When We Were Silent

‘Dripping in atmosphere, this tale of revenge is edgy and immersive.’ – LOUISE MUMFORD, author of The Hotel

‘I could not put this one down, it had me consumed… If you love domestic thrillers then this one needs to be on your radar in 2025!!’ *****

‘An outstanding adult novel debut… dark and atmospheric‘ *****

‘Excellent‘ *****

‘This is a powerful and intriguing novel, which really does keep the reader guessing until the very end.’ *****

‘This book was brilliant, I could not put it down and read it in one sitting.’ *****