Tag: Set in England

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Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton: A silly, chaotic thriller with flashes of humor and horror

Mandy Webster

Kirby Cornell just wants a break—from her crumbling apartment in sleepy Crowhurst, her dead-end job, her sleazy landlord, messy roommates, and most of all, the terrible thing they all did. But when a message pops up in her old group chat saying, “Everyone in the group chat dies,” from her ex-roommate Esme—who died twelve months ago—her life quickly spirals into chaos. This is the premise of L.M. Chilton’s Everyone in the Group Chat Dies, an ironic thriller that fuses TikTok-obsessed true crime investigation with a ’90s serial killer mystery. The book releases December 9, 2025.

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This book leans into silliness, bordering on absurd, which will delight readers who enjoy quirky, offbeat thrillers. The fast-paced banter among characters evokes the vibe of The Gilmore Girls, though I personally found it more exhausting than charming. Horror fans will also recognize echoes of films like Scream, with moments of gruesomeness framed for comedy rather than tension.

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The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini: A gripping, twist-driven custody thriller about secrets, sacrifice, and what we owe our children

Mandy Webster

The moment I opened The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini, I was struck by how quickly it places you at the center of an impossible dilemma—one that begins with a missing child in England and expands into a tangled, emotionally charged custody battle across countries. In this twisty thriller, releasing December 2, 2025, Mancini blends psychological suspense with a deeply human question: when two women each believe they’re the rightful mother of one little boy, how do you determine what justice actually looks like?

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Lauren has finally found a peaceful life in the seaside town of Mantilla de Mar. She’s endured an unimaginable loss, and Spain has become the one place where she believes she can put her past behind her. But everything shatters the day police arrive at her door and accuse her of abducting a baby. The child she has been lovingly raising is, according to authorities, Sam—the missing son of Hope and Drew back in England.

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One Small Mistake by Dandy Smith: A dark, addictive tale of ambition, manipulation, and the lies we tell ourselves

Mandy Webster

How far would you go to make your dreams come true? That’s the haunting question at the heart of One Small Mistake by Dandy Smith, a psychological thriller that pulls no punches in its exploration of obsession, abuse, and the dangerous allure of ambition. Set to release November 25, 2025, this gripping novel follows Elodie Fray, an aspiring author who quits her job to chase her dream of literary success—and ends up caught in a web of manipulation spun by a man who knows exactly how to pick his prey.

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At first glance, Elodie’s story might sound like a familiar tale of envy and rivalry—she’s the overlooked sister, forever in the shadow of Ada, who seems to have it all. But Smith skillfully turns the narrative inside out, showing how ambition and vulnerability can intersect in terrifying ways. As Elodie’s world begins to unravel, it becomes clear that she isn’t the architect of her own downfall—she’s the victim of a master manipulator.

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The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex explores how trauma shapes who we become

Mandy Webster

The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex isn’t a fast-paced thriller—it’s a quietly devastating exploration of trauma, memory, and how early wounds can echo through a lifetime. Stonex’s latest novel begins with a startling line—“The week I shot a man clean through the head began like any other”—but what follows is less a story of vengeance than a study of how people are shaped by pain and circumstance.

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When Birdie Keller learns that Jimmy Maguire, the man who killed her sister eighteen years earlier, has been released from prison, she sets out for London to confront him. What she finds is not closure, but a confrontation with the ghosts of her past.

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Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce is a haunting #spooktober thriller that cuts deep

Mandy Webster

Daisy Pearce’s Something in the Walls is the kind of book that makes you glance over your shoulder while reading. Equal parts folklore horror and psychological suspense, it delivers a chilling blend of witchcraft, mob mentality, and small-town secrets that feel both timeless and terrifying. If you’re looking for a gripping #Spooktober read, this one absolutely delivers.

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The story follows Mina, a young psychologist still finding her footing, who takes on the case of Alice Webber, a troubled thirteen-year-old girl in the remote village of Banathel. Alice insists she’s haunted by a witch, and her symptoms grow more alarming as the days pass. Mina, desperate to prove herself and help the girl, joins forces with journalist Sam Hunter. But Banathel is a place steeped in superstition, and the villagers have their own brutal methods of “dealing with” witches. The deeper Mina digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes—especially as echoes of her own past begin to surface.

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One dark night by Hannah Richell: a gripping thriller full of secrets

Mandy Webster

What starts as a Halloween dare in the woods spirals into tragedy in Hannah Richell’s One Dark Night, a novel that blends small-town secrets, teenage vulnerability, and the long shadow of trauma into an atmospheric thriller you’ll race through. The story unfolds after a student is found dead near the notorious Sally in the Wood—a place steeped in eerie folklore and whispered warnings.

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At the heart of the novel are Rachel, a guidance counselor struggling to connect with her daughter Ellie, and Ben, her detective ex-husband who’s investigating the case while facing personal turmoil. As the community reels, Ellie hides dangerous secrets of her own, and the past refuses to stay buried. Told through multiple perspectives, Richell keeps the tension taut, weaving in folklore, atmosphere, and a growing sense that danger lurks where you least expect it.

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Secrets, lies, and fascism in The Stranger in Room Six by Jane Corry

Mandy Webster

What happens when old secrets surface in the unlikeliest of places? Jane Corry’s upcoming novel The Stranger in Room Six (releasing October 7, 2025) is a cozy mystery that blends history, intrigue, and the complicated lives of women who’ve carried more than their share of burdens.

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At the heart of the story are two women connected to Sunnyside Home for the Young at Heart. Belinda, newly released after serving fifteen years for her husband’s murder, is determined to rebuild her life and keep her past hidden. Taking a job at Sunnyside seems like the perfect way to start over. Then there’s Mabel, the home’s oldest resident, who first arrived as an evacuee during the Blitz. She knows Sunnyside’s darkest truths—secrets that, if exposed, could endanger everything. And lurking behind it all is the mysterious Room Six, where someone is watching and waiting for the right moment to strike.

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The Break-in by Katherine Faulkner asks how far you’d go to protect your family

Mandy Webster

How would you deal with killing a violent intruder in self-defense—with your child just a room away? Katherine Faulkner’s The Break-in explores the terrifying aftermath of that choice, blending suspense with tough moral questions about justice, guilt, and survival.

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Alice, a London mother, is hosting a playdate when a disturbed man forces his way inside. Acting on instinct, she kills him, an act later ruled self-defense. But the relief doesn’t last. Anonymous online comments, cryptic phone calls, and unsettling behavior from her husband, nanny, and friends make Alice question who the intruder really was—and whether the threat has truly ended.

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The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith is a diabolically twisty psychological thriller

Mandy Webster

What if your sister disappeared one summer night—and then walked back into your life sixteen years later? The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith takes this premise and spins it into one of the most anxiety-inducing psychological thrillers I’ve read this year.

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The story follows Caitlin, whose older sister Olivia was abducted when they were children. When a woman claiming to be Olivia suddenly reappears, Caitlin should feel joy. Instead, her carefully rebuilt world begins to unravel piece by piece. The tension comes not only from the mystery of whether this is truly Olivia, but also from the way she manipulates every situation to Caitlin’s detriment.

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Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh is a layered thriller of secrets, lies, and murder

Mandy Webster

When break-ins on a luxury English estate collide with a body discovered in a Welsh lake, Clare Mackintosh’s Other People’s Houses unravels into a gripping web of crime, corruption, and personal drama.

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The story begins with two separate investigations: in Cheshire, DS Leo Brady looks into a string of break-ins on The Hill, a posh community where people pay a premium for safety and exclusivity. Across the Welsh border, DC Ffion Morgan pulls the body of an estate agent from a lake. Neither case seems connected—until they are, and then things get complicated fast.

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