A haunting and evocative standalone thriller from the 750,000-copy selling author of the Detective's Daughter series.

'Lesley Thomson gets better and better' Ian Rankin When Freddy Power was eighteen, her father threw her out. Her sin had been to fall in love with a woman. Freddy waited for two decades to be invited back into the family. The summons never came. But now, in the wake of her parents' death, Freddy feels the call of home like a siren's song. The trawlers emerging out of the mist. Fishermen unloading their catch down at the harbour. Her best friend, Mags, exploring the cliffs at sunset. But when she arrives at Newhaven, after twenty-two years of silence, her brothers and her friends act like strangers. Then Mags goes missing, and old secrets – and old passions – are reignited. Freddy is determined to lead the hunt for Mags – even if it means confronting her past, and facing the truth about her family... Reviews for Death of a Mermaid: 'Catholic guilt, monstrous hypocrisy and all kinds of fishy business are explored in an atmosphere of creeping dread' The Times 'A truly brilliant book, full of atmosphere and a creeping sense of menace. Lesley Thomson lures you in with meticulously drawn characters and a matchless sense of place, and then you are caught in the jaws of a remorseless thriller' Elly Griffiths 'A strong sense of place, wonderfully woven with a cast of memorable characters' Mari Hannah 'Death of a Mermaid is a tense, beautifully written novel, with characters so well-crafted you expect them to walk off the page' Rachael Blok 'A powerful tale of dark secrets that fester in a small seaside town' William Shaw

"Lesley Thomson doesn't muck about: three people have popped their clogs before page 40... Thomson lets rip in this stand-alone novel. Catholic guilt, monstrous hypocrisy and all kinds of fishy business are explored in an atmosphere of creeping dread... The climactic shipwreck is deeply impressive'" - The Times

"Returning to a childhood home is also at the centre of Lesley Thomson's creepy thriller Death of a Mermaid" - Independent

"This novel examines the inability of the three women to shake off the past and its ugly secrets... Lesley Thomson is on top form yet again'" - Shots eZine

"The setting positively sings with realism... Simple and complex at the same time... In Death of a Mermaid she creates an entire world, presented in enough detail to make it live, and peopled by meticulously drawn characters who stay in the mind'" - Mystery People.

"Stuffed full of captivating drama, wiles, and deception this is a thoroughly entertaining read... Death of a Mermaid is a stimulating read, the characters weave their way through the plot which spins to a dramatic conclusion'" - LoveReading.

"Thomson deploys her trademark quirky style and character choices, alongside a lyrical descriptive strand evoking the Sussex coastline. An intriguing plot keeps the reader guessing" - Sussex Life

"Original, full of sinister atmosphere and a creeping sense of menace... Death of a Mermaid has all the trademarks of Thomson's previous work – clever plotting interspersed with gentle humour, well-drawn characters and an atmospheric evocation of place'" - Crime Review