The Girl on the News

My heart pounds as I take in the headline: ‘Missing girl believed kidnapped’. Underneath is a photo of my beautiful daughter Mia, her gap-toothed grin unmistakable. But Mia is safe beside me, snuggled up on the sofa. Who has taken a photo of her, and put it on the news? And what message are they trying to send me…?

I run to the window of our little house – the cosy, homely place my husband Mark and I bought so Mia could have everything I didn’t as a child – and pull the curtains tightly shut, hiding us from sight as terror courses through my body. Why would someone pretend my daughter has been taken?

Unless it’s not a threat, but a warning. A hint of what might be to come…

Memories flash through my mind of news reports from twenty years ago: when my own name was in the headlines. The accusation of murder. The loss of my best friend. I was just a child, but that didn’t save me… is someone from my dark past sending me a message?

Then my worst nightmares come true. Mia is taken, snatched from the playground, and my world collapses.

I will do anything to get her back. Because I’m convinced now that this has something to do with what happened all those years ago. But the person who has my daughter? They might have known me back then, but they don’t know who I am now. Or what I’m willing to do to get Mia home safe…

An utterly shocking and page-turning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, The Housemaid and All Her Fault.

What readers are saying about Elisabeth Carpenter:

‘Wow!… I am literally obsessed!… Right from the first page, I was completely hooked!… I literally had no clue… Brilliant!… An absolute winner for me – the perfect psychological thriller.’ @book_a_holic_17 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘OMG! What a belter of a premise! One perfectly executed and twists and turns I really didn’t see coming… A fast-paced conundrum of a read with a cracking ending. I can’t recommend this highly enough. Wow – just wow!’ @nickisbookblog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wonderful… crazy twists and turns. I was glued to my phone for two days. Read it.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A captivating read you won’t be able to put down (take it from me, I binged the whole thing in one sitting). I toyed with a handful of theories while reading and I loved how Carpenter kept me guessing!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a belter of a read… kept me reading late into the night…’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Prepare a day or two for an indulging binge… a captivating psychological thriller that is hard to put down… This gripping thriller kept me on the edge of my seat… This is one book that literally kept me guessing up until the very end. Fantastic read!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fantastic… captivating… had me hooked from start to finish… a gripping thriller with a jaw dropping ending. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves a gripping thriller with plenty of twists and turns.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A gripping thriller featuring family ties, old friends, hidden secrets, and revenge… truly entertaining… The perfect read for any thriller fans…’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Gripping and suspenseful… will keep readers on the edge of their seats… chilling… shocking… a compelling and haunting read.’ @readwithmills