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Book Synopsis*** THE THRILLING RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK *** *** THE BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK *** ***ONE OF THE TIMES BEST THRILLER BOOKS OF 2021*** *** THE TIMES NO.4 BESTSELLER *** *** THE #1 KINDLE BESTSELLER *** THE TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH OBSERVER THRILLER OF THE MONTH 'I haven't read anything this exciting since Gone Girl' - STEPHEN KING 'One of the most extraordinary thrillers of the year' - DAILY MAIL 'A dark, audacious highwire act of a novel' - GUARDIAN ________________________________________ This is the story of a murderer. A stolen child. Revenge. This is the story of Ted, who lives with his young daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. All these things are true. And yet some of them are lies. An unspeakable secret binds the family together, and when a new neighbour moves in next door, the truth may destroy them all. Because there's something buried in the dark forest at the end of Needless Street. But it's not what you think... From the multiple award-winning author of Little Eve and Rawblood, this extraordinary tale will thrill and move readers. A work of incredible imagination and heartbreaking beauty. *** FILM RIGHTS OPTIONED BY IMAGINARIUM PRODUCTIONS *** *** RIGHTS SOLD IN TWENTY TERRITORIES *** ________________________________________ 'Catriona Ward is the new face of literary dark fiction' - SARAH PINBOROUGH 'Books like this don't come around too often' - JOANNE HARRIS 'Believe the hype... a masterclass' - KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE 'A chilling and beautiful masterpiece of suspense. I was completely enthralled' - JOE HILL 'A masterpiece. Beautiful, heartbreaking and quietly uplifting' - ALEX NORTH
Trade ReviewOne of the most extraordinary thrillers of the year so far... Splendidly sinister and twisty, it comes to a magnificent Grand Guignol finale * Daily Mail *
The buzz building around Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is real. I've read it and was blown away. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. Haven't read anything this exciting since Gone Girl -- Stephen King
This is the most gloriously complex, shifting story, deeply disturbing yet also, somehow, heartwarming ... Ward has created something exceptionally unsettling here, as many-layered and sinister as the Russian doll that sits on Ted's mantelpiece * Observer *
Brilliant... A terrifying exploration of human consciousness that excavates character like an ice pick chipping through an ancient glacier: The deeper one goes, the chillier it gets... A novel of existential dread that explores the nature of humanity, our connection to God and the universe, and the monstrosity of that connection * New York Times *
A chilling masterpiece in suspense... This unsettling yet deeply moving novel is a modern classic, and a major contender for book of the year * Sunday Express *
The book sits in that twilight margin between psychological thriller and Gothic horror, with Ward, twice the recipient of the August Derleth Award, beautifully wrongfooting the reader every step of the way * Financial Times *
This is Stephen King country, and Catriona Ward's novel is at the horror end of the thriller scale. But this is not horror as you know it... for all the deliberate echoes of Psycho and The Shining, Ward's ambition is closer to William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. The reader is in her hands but never feels manipulated - this is horror with integrity * The Times *
Full of twists and turns, this high-concept gothic horror is going to be huge * Guardian *
Unsettling yet deeply moving, this chilling masterclass in suspense enthrals * Sunday Express *
This psychological thriller about a recluse and a missing girl has been praised by Stephen King and compared to Shirley Jackson. Unmissable * The i *
A must-read for those who like the kind of labyrinthine narratives that pull the rug out from under you, sending you tumbling into a dark, dark room * NPR *
Books like this don't come around too often. An intelligent, well-written, stylish psychological thriller... with a perfectly structured plot arc and a perfectly satisfying whammy at the end. I would say I inhaled this in one, but I think I was too busy holding my breath throughout. Bravo -- Joanne Harris, bestselling author of
ChocolatThe new face of literary dark fiction -- Sarah Pinborough, bestselling author of
Behind Her EyesA sleek thriller, a horror tale in the dark-blooded vein of Shirley Jackson, and a story of a makeshift family that cracks like ice, like a broken heart, when you look closely. I can't recall another novel in recent years that dares so much and succeeds so wildly -- A.J. Finn, bestselling author of
The Woman in the WindowThis page-turner is an absolutely gripping tale * Closer *
Blends a multitude of forms, including crime, gothic horror and magical realism. An engrossing, idiosyncratic and unsettling piece of work * Spectator *
Believe the hype. The Last House On Needless Street is not only a masterclass in horror, but in storytelling full stop. Up there with the best I've ever read. The most unsettling, beautiful, sad and wise book, it'll stay with me a long time. I'm in awe -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of
The MerciesA chilling and beautiful masterpiece of suspense, cunningly plotted and written with the elegant imagination of a Shirley Jackson or a Sarah Waters. I was completely enthralled -- Joe Hill, author of
NOS4R2This book is tender rather than terrifying. Playful and sweet as well as sinister and thrilling, the creeping dread is tempered beautifully with humour and it ends being extremely emotionally impactful -- Emma Healey, author of
Elizabeth is MissingA masterpiece. Beautiful, heartbreaking and quietly uplifting. One of the most powerful and well-executed novels I've read in years -- Alex North, author of
The Whisper ManTHIS IS THE BEST HORROR NOVEL I HAVE EVER READ. Even Shirley Jackson, her Majesty, would have to concede to this one -- Natasha Pulley, author of
The Watchmaker of Filigree StreetI was glued to my sofa until I finished it. Such a clever book with two things I appreciate - horror and compassion -- Francine Toon, author of
PineHow can a book be utterly terrifying and filled with kindness at the same time? Just brilliant. What a book -- Elizabeth Haynes, author of
Into the Darkest CornerBrilliant. This is a book everyone is going to be talking about. Dark, clever and utterly page-turning -- Cass Green, author of
In a Cottage in a WoodsI didn't think it was possible but The Last House on Needless Street is even greater than the hype suggests. Clever, devastating, beautiful, terrifying, poignant, how often can you say that about one book? There's not enough stars in the world for Catriona Ward -- Chris Whitaker, author of
We Begin at the EndThis immersive modern gothic reads like a timeless classic as it lures you hook and sinker into its world -- Essie Fox, author of
SomnambulistBoth harrowing and compelling. As soon as I finished it I wanted to read it all over again. An absolute masterpiece -- Katerina Diamond, author of
The HeatwaveOne of the most original and exciting books I've read in years. Prepare to be immersed in this chilling, thrilling, emotional read -- Jo Spain, author of
Dirty Little SecretsA breathtakingly ambitious book, gorgeously written, and never once shies away from showing you its fangs and its beautiful blood-filled heart. Stop reading this blurb already and open the damn book -- Paul Tremblay, author of
A Headful of GhostsThere's a well deserved buzz surrounding this novel, it's a bold, clever piece of storytelling. There's a dexterity and sleight of hand to Ward's tale that is breathtakingly clever. Poignant and thought provoking * NB Magazine *
If you like your thrillers full of twists and tinged with the Gothic then you're going to love The Last House On Needless Street. Expect the unexpected and also don't expect to take a breath until you've finished this chilling but gripping story * Red Magazine *
Gripping * Bella *
Absolutely brilliant. This is extraordinary, high-wire-act horror, audacious as hell -- Christopher Golden, author of
Red HandsThe most extraordinary book. It's mesmerising, original, and challenging. A work of genius -- Mark Edwards, author of
The House GuestThe creepiest, saddest-but-funniest, most mesmerising book I've read in a long time. Psychological thriller and horror writers beware: Catriona Ward just raised the bar skyward -- Tammy Cohen, author of
When She Was BadAs mad as a snake but all the better for it. A story that slinks deeply into uncomfortable places in the tradition of Fowles' The Collector. An enigmatic story of trauma -- Adam Nevill, author of
The RitualI thought The Last House on Needless Street would be good but I didn't know it would be THAT good. It's a book of the year. For any year -- Martyn Waites, author of
The Old ReligionBreathtakingly brilliant. Dark and relentlessly twisty, the best thing I've read this year -- Lisa Hall, author of
The PartyIncredible. Absolutely creep-inducing, skin-crawling, even agonising; and also so beautiful, both in writing and heart. One of my favourite things in ages -- James Smythe, author of
The ExplorerNot only edge of the seat, terrifying suspenseful horror, but it also broke my heart into tiny pieces. Such exquisite writing -- Muriel Gray, author of
The AncientA taut, dark, twisting exploration of the human condition. At once gripping and heartbreaking -- Rebecca F. John, author of
The Haunting of Henry TwistWow. What a journey this book takes you on. A unique, cleverly plotted and compelling read that left me lost for words. Dark, disturbing, devastating. You'll want everyone you know to read this book just so you can talk about it! -- Sam Carrington, author of
Bad SisterA haunting novel, beautifully conceived and written, that will have you in pieces from the beginning to the surprising and audacious end -- Tim Lebbon, author of
EdenAn extraordinary, disturbing, original and powerful book. A bloody marvel -- Anna Mazzola, author of
The Story KeeperAstonishing - terrifying, tragic, mind-bending, heart-breaking and bleakly beautiful. Everything about it shines -- Kate Griffin, author of
Kitty Peck and the Music Hall MurdersJaw-droppingly original, deeply disturbing and one hundred percent heartbreaking. Psychological horror at its very best -- SJI Holliday, author of
VioletWeird, glittering, inventive, and shot through with needles of warped, brilliant light, this book slipped under my skin from the first page -- Emma Stonex, author of
The LamplightersUnusual, sad and ultimately redemptive, it's a book to surprise and delight -- Rhiannon Ward, author of
The QuickeningTerrific. An utterly mesmerising feat from a powerhouse writer who elevates the British horror genre -- Irenosen Okojie, author of
Speak GigantularIncredible. Just incredible. Throughout, I didn't know where to put my heart. A breathtaking, fiercely beautiful novel -- Rio Youers, author of
HalcyonDark and creepy, sad and wonderfully strange. It kept me glued and guessing right up to the end. I loved every inch of it -- Mike Mignola, creator of
HellboyExceptional. Uplifting, terrifying, beautiful, and mesmerisingly dark -- James Brogan, author of
Hekla's ChildrenMy mind is blown. What a brilliant, breathtaking, heart-breaking book -- Paul Burston, author of
The Closer I GetA splendidly sinister sojourn that slapped me with an ending i didn't manage to predict no matter how many times I thought I had it figured out -- Robert Scragg, author of
What Falls Between the CracksI wanted to savour every single brilliant sentence. Exquisitely and chillingly written - at points it literally made all the hairs on my arms stand up. What a read -- Nikki Smith, author of
All In Her HeadThis book won't just stay with you, it'll knock you off your axis. An exquisite, heart crushing masterpiece. Worth all the buzz and then some -- Victoria Selman, author of
Snakes and LaddersThe kind of story that novels were made for. A thrilling yet tender vortex of a book that you'll want to share with every reader you know the second you finish -- S.R. Masters, author of
The Killer You KnowI absolutely loved it. Genuinely disturbing - a relentless creeping dread of madness and murder that begins on the first page and keeps building to the last gasp -- Peter McLean, author of
Priest of BonesThis book was like an onion. Layer after layer after layer and then you're crying and somebody's got a knife. A brutal, twisty, puzzle box of a book. I stayed up way past my bedtime -- T. Kingfisher, author of
The Twisted OnesWhat an incredible read: complex and clever, dark but not without vital rays of hope. Beautifully written. Gothic thrills at their finest -- Adam Christopher, author of
Empire StateI finished The Last House on Needless Street in twenty-four hours and emerged out of it in some sort of a dreamlike fug. It's gripping, beautifully complex and vivid. I absolutely adored it -- Liv Matthews, author of
The PrankA brilliantly immersive story, with a great cast of characters. So good -- Guy Morpuss, author of
Five MindsI absolutely LOVED this book and want everyone to read it -- Sophie Flynn, author of
All My LiesI've read nothing like The Last House on Needless Street, and I don't think I'll read anything as good for a long time. Absolutely stunning -- Christopher Hooley, author of
Death, Just Grinn and Bear ItWonderful, long-awaited, Stephen King seal of approval-bearing, and impossible to review without spoilers -- Janice Hallett, author of
The AppealI read this in 1.5 nail-biting days. Full of twists and turns, sorrow and humanity. It blew my socks off -- Alice Ash, author of
Paradise BlockI read this book with one eye closed, I was so scared of what would happen next. And I loved it for that -- V.L. Valentine, author of
The Plague LettersWhat did I just read?! One perfect sentence after the other... this is a story I wish I knew how to write - and I'm thrilled that Ward pulled off this trick of a book -- Rachel Howzell Hall, author of
Land of ShadowsA superior British horror tale * The Times *
A beautifully written masterclass in suspense * Daily Express Books of the Year *
