The Lover

Flood, Helene

£16.99

Is it worse to lie to your husband or the police? Rikke is deceiving them both. When their upstairs neighbour Jørgen is found dead, she’s questioned alongside her husband Âsmund. How can Rikke admit in front of Âsmund that Jørgen and she were having an affair? Or explain to the police the complexity of her feelings for Jørgen? The hint of relief that he’s dead. And, as the investigation closes in on the neighbourhood, how long can she conceal the affair from her neighbours, her husband and her teenage daughter? Rikke knows she can’t hide the phone calls, emails and messages from the police. So she cuts herself a deal. In return for a few days’ grace to tell Âsmund before anyone else does, she’ll share everything about the affair. But before she can summon the courage to confess, Rikke is struck by a chilling revelation. Jørgen can only have been killed by someone living in their small apartment building.

Available on backorder

Publish Date: 23/06/2022

Description

“An absolutely prime slice of Scandicrime . . . the writer channels her professional expertise into a noteworthy domestic thriller” Barry Forshaw, FT

“Having hit a bull’s-eye with . . . The Therapist . . . Helene Flood repeats the trick with another twisty tale of domestic goings-on . . . teasing and pleasing the reader till the very last page” Sunday Times Crime Club

The Lover is taut, clever and irresistible” Anna Bailey

“A wonderful storyteller” Chris Whitaker

Is it worse to deceive to your husband or the police?

Rikke is lying to them both.

But how many lies can she get away with?

When her upstairs neighbour Jørgen is found murdered, she’s questioned alongside her husband. How can she admit that she and Jørgen were having an affair? Or explain to the police the complexity of her feelings? The hint of relief that he’s dead. And what would they say if they knew she used a spare key to enter his apartment the morning after he was killed?

Rikke knows she can’t hide the evidence of the affair from the police. And if she’s caught in her lie, suspicion will turn to her.

With her perfect family life threatening to unravel, Rikke realises that finding the killer is the only way to put herself in the clear. So long as the killer doesn’t get to her first.

Praise for The Therapist

“Creepy, compelling and very well written” Harriet Tyce

Wonderfully creepy, twisty and compelling” Karen Hamilton

“Masterfully paced and hauntingly written” Anna Bailey

“Gets under your skin” Jo Spain

“I couldn’t put it down” Sarah Ward

“A marvellously assured debut thriller” Irish Times.

“A striking debut” Spectator

Translated from the Norwegian by Alison McCullough

Additional information

Weight 670 g
Dimensions 238 × 160 × 46 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

439

Language

English

Edition

Hardback original

Dewey

839.8238 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K