Three Compelling New Thriller Releases Captivate Readers
This season brings three distinct and powerful thriller novels that promise to keep readers on the edge of their seats. From courtroom drama involving witchcraft accusations to intelligence agency crises and domestic terror on a narrowboat, these stories explore dark themes with gripping narratives.
Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce: A Modern Witch Hunt Unfolds
In Witch Trial published by Wildfire at £18.99 for 400 pages, readers are plunged into a sensational murder case that horrifies the nation. Edinburgh heart transplant surgeon Matthew Phillips, already grappling with family problems, finds himself serving on the jury for the trial of two teenage schoolgirls accused of murdering their 18-year-old classmate Christian Shaw.
The trial awakens age-old fears of witchcraft as the jury hears disturbing testimony about Tarot card readings, Ouija board sessions, animal sacrifices, curses, and coven meetings held in a shed on the edge of an allotment. As the girls' fierce defense begins, Matthew becomes increasingly terrified and begins to doubt his own sanity.
Harriet Tyce, a former criminal barrister who gained fame as a star on the latest season of The Traitors, delivers a story that feels all too believable. The central question haunting readers throughout: are these teenage girls actual monsters? The novel builds such tension that reviewers warn against reading it at night.
Spies and Other Gods by James Wolff: Intelligence Crisis from Within
James Wolff's Spies and Other Gods, published by Baskerville at £20 for 272 pages, presents a different kind of thriller. Six months from retirement and with his cognitive abilities becoming increasingly unreliable, Sir William Rentoul, the head of British Intelligence, faces a devastating crisis.
Someone from within his own nest of spies has made an anonymous complaint to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee regarding a highly sensitive case involving an Iranian assassin and a string of dead bodies across Europe. Aphra McQueen arrives to investigate, appearing to be just a lowly researcher but proving to be much more than she seems.
Written by a former British intelligence officer, this spy story displays not only wry wit and insider knowledge but also a clear disdain for the spying establishment that echoes the great Len Deighton's work. The novel offers readers a delicious glimpse into the shadowy world of intelligence operations and internal betrayals.
Adrift by Will Dean: Domestic Terror on the Waterways
Will Dean's Adrift, published by Hodder & Stoughton at £22 for 400 pages, presents a chilling portrait of domestic terror. Peggy Jenkins and her 14-year-old son Sammy are living a nightmare, trapped on a narrowboat moored on a remote canal in the Midlands.
Peggy's domineering husband Drew, a writer, subjects them to a rule of terror that includes absolute silence after 9pm so he can concentrate on his new book. Meanwhile, Sammy faces ridicule at school for his ginger hair and desperately thin arms, earning him the cruel nickname 'Noodles' from other boys.
Peggy plans to whisk Sammy away once he turns 18, but the central question remains whether they can survive until then. This painful yet hypnotizing portrait of menace and wickedness explores the psychological dynamics of abusive relationships and the desperate measures people take to protect their children.
All three novels are available now and represent the diverse range of contemporary thriller writing, from supernatural courtroom drama to espionage intrigue and domestic suspense. Each author brings unique professional backgrounds to their work, creating stories that feel authentic while delivering maximum suspense.
