Relationships with deadly secrets, introducing three new psychological thrillers

How well do you know your partner? A former flat mate of mine was wildly in love with her boyfriend. One day, when he was back in his home town visiting his family, he had a bad accident and ended up in hospital. She drove miles to be with him, but when she got to the hospital, there was an attractive young woman sitting by his bed holding his hand, and she wasn’t his sister! I’m not kidding. It’s not hard to see where the authors of the three novels I’m going to introduce get their stories from. Most families have secrets, some darker than others. And sometimes these secrets lead to betrayal, violence and murder. We are afraid of the threatening stranger, of being attacked by someone we don’t know. But how many of us ever think that the greater danger is hiding in plain sight, close to us?

Released in January 2019, Vanessa Savage’s The Woman in the Dark is a haunting psychological thriller. It not only involves a relationship with dark secrets, but a move to a house that has a history of murder. Chilling, suspenseful, creepy … and full of twists.

Vanessa Savage is a graphic designer / illustrator turned romantic fiction author converted to writing crime. She lives with her family by the sea in South Wales. She has won the Myriad Editions First Crimes competition in 2016 and her work has been commended and shortlisted for other prestigious writing prizes. The Woman in the Dark is published by Sphere in Hardback (£12.99)

Michael Robotham’s latest psychological thriller, The Other Wife, features his popular protagonist, the clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin. You don’t have to have read the previous books featuring this interesting character who is now battling a debilitating disease, to enjoy an intriguing journey into a complicated life with dark secrets. Written with Robotham’s usual aplomb, The Other Wife makes us question who we can trust and what happens when that trust is betrayed.

Michael Robotham was an investigative journalist working on some notorious real crime cases on three continents, before turning his hand to crime writing. His debut thriller, The Suspect, sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.

The Other Wife is published by Sphere in Hardback (£19.99), Ebook and Audio.

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane is the compelling and mysterious story of a woman who shoots dead her husband. This thriller is for those who enjoy savouring a good novel, taking their time to immerse themselves into the story. There are no helicopter chases, but Lehane, a maestro of crime writing, has created an insightful story with a stunning atmosphere and complex characters. Take your time and explore a deadly husband and wife relationship as complex and mysterious as you’ll ever find.

Dennis Lehane is the American author of several bestsellers including Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone Baby Gone. He is the recipient of a number of writing awards and prizes, including the Edgar. He is also an accomplished screenwriter, having written for The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and the forthcoming Mr Mercedes, based on a Stephen King novel.

Since We Fell is published by Abacus in paperback (£8.99)