Five strangers witness a brutal murder in broad daylight — but can they truly believe what they saw?

With its grassy hills and breathtaking city views, London's Hampstead Heath is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with friends and loved ones—and on an unseasonably warm Valentine's Day, the lawns are especially full. So when an aggressive lovers' quarrel breaks out, there's an audience of park goers nearby to hear the shouts traded back and forth, and to watch as the violence escalates suddenly to murder, then suicide.

For the five strangers who observed the gruesome act, the memory of the gore is unshakable. But one of them—disgraced journalist Jen Hunter—is compelled to question the truth of what she thought she saw. Are the facts of the case plain as day, or were they obscured, in the moment, by the glaring sunlight?

As she mounts an obsessive investigation for a seemingly-impossible alternative, the lives of the other witnesses begin to unravel, each in its own particular way. Soon one thing becomes clear: the crime they witnessed was more terrible, more twisted, and more far-reaching than they ever could have imagined.

About The Author

E. V Adamson

E. V. Adamson is a pseudonym of award-winning journalist and author Andrew Wilson. He is the author of four acclaimed biographies, including one on Patricia Highsmith, and four Agatha Christie novels, which feature the Queen of Crime as a series sleuth.

Product Details

Publisher: Scarlet (October 4, 2022)
Length: 346 pages
ISBN13: 9781613163689

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

"An 'of-the-moment' mystery which keeps you wondering until the final page."

– Jane Corry, author of I Made a Mistake

"Meticulously plotted with an ending I really didn't see coming."

– Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal

"It starts with a chilling act of murder and continues with twist after twist"

– Claire McGowan, author of The Other Wife

"So perfectly pitched it gave me vertigo."

– Kate Weinberg, author of The Truants

"Both a tightly-plotted, entertaining work of suspense and an unflinching study of the trauma of witnessing violence"

– Louise Candlish, author of Our House

"Fantastic—I read this in one sitting"

– Kate Mosse

"Assured and engrossing"

– The Sunday Times

"An astute and clever thriller that asks a fundamental question: Can we really believe what we see with our own eyes?"

– Peter Swanson, author of Every Vow You Break and The Kind Worth Killing

"A gorgeous kaleidoscope of a thriller--where what must be the truth reveals itself instantly, and then shifts and changes and twist until it comes into gasping focus. Brilliantly structured, elegantly written, and completely entertaining, this is the essence of a psychological thriller. Readers, along with the characters, are pulled into believing something, and then something else, and then something else, until we are all holding our breath and turning the pages as fast as we can. Do not miss this! It is original, thought-provoking, and a master class in manipulation. E. V. Adamson is a star."

– Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today Bestselling author of Her Perfect Life

"Brilliant parallel narratives by Jen and her friend Bex reveal their delusions and obsessions, within an airtight plot worthy of [Agatha] Christie herself. Readers can expect to change their minds about the characters with each chapter, and a stunning conclusion brings it all to a satisfying end. Highly recommended for suspense fans looking for something new and different."

– Booklist STARRED REVIEW