検索キーワード： 制作 "Hachette UK - Bookouture" 心理学

I stand at my father’s funeral, tears rolling down my cheeks. Someone puts a hand on my shoulder, pulling me into a hug. As I look into the face of a woman I’ve never seen before, she whispers something that shatters my world. “He was my father too.” Staring into the woman’s glassy gray eyes, I pray that she’s lying. I can’t believe that my steady, dependable father could do this to me. But a hush falls over my family as my ‘new sister’ Ava spills secrets about his hidden affairs and how he bought her silence. Now she’s finally free, she wants to be a part of the family.

Gary and I have always been happy. Our fridge is covered in the love notes I leave him every morning, we always start the day on the doorstep with a goodbye kiss, and I make sure we never, ever fight. But since Gary’s sister Lisa moved in, things have been different… The day Lisa arrived at the school where I work, asking for help, I knew we had to welcome her into our home. Gary hasn’t spoken to his parents in years, and his childhood was far from perfect. But now every time Lisa enters a room, I watch him sneak out the door.

The first lie got him in trouble. Our romantic date night was meant to fix us. But when my husband grabs my hand and says he needs to tell me something, I can tell from the look in his eyes that our marriage is in deep trouble. The second lie ruined our marriage. We’ve been here before. I wonder who she is. Is she younger than me? For a moment I wonder if I’ll forgive him. But I always do. It’s the only way to keep our family together.

After meeting Jamie’s smiling blue eyes across a crowded bar, I tell myself, that after my recent divorce, this is the bit of fun that I need. It is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Because when I return to his flat the next day, excited to see him again, I am horrified to discover he has been murdered. I know I should tell the police, but I can’t be the person to call them. With my past they will just assume the worst…

Die Ehefrau: Clare braucht dringend eine Pause. Das vergangene Jahr war mehr als anstrengend und sie möchte einfach nur die Füße hochlegen. In der italienischen Villa angekommen, in der sie den Sommer verbringt, beschließt sie, es ist höchste Zeit, dass auch ihr Mann und seine Familie mitanpacken. Schließlich ist ihr Mann ihr noch etwas schuldig …

Drei Personen. Eine Ehe. Ein Mord. Du: Tom, mein attraktiver Ehemann, der mir alles gegeben hat. Ich will dir vertrauen, aber ich weiß, dass du nicht die Wahrheit darüber gesagt hast, warum du unbedingt hierherziehen wolltest. Und auch ich war nicht immer ehrlich zu dir … Ich: Als wir auf unser neues Traumhaus anstoßen, gebe ich mir ein Versprechen: Ich werde alles über Toms Vergangenheit vergessen. Für unseren Sohn.

It’s almost midnight when Jennifer sees her son’s name flash up on her phone. Away at university, she’s normally so happy when he calls. But something is terribly wrong… Jennifer is devastated for poor Ella’s family–losing their precious girl, so young. She knows her sweet son, just twenty years old, would never, ever harm anyone. But the police are looking for him. And if Dan is innocent, why has he run?

Sweet little Emma and Nealie, both just four years old, live on the same block in the exclusive, gated Blackwood neighborhood—miles from my cramped studio apartment. I go between each family’s home to care for the girls. And I know all their secrets… Their mothers were best friends until three months ago, when everything fell apart. There’s a door that’s always locked at Nealie’s house. And Emma’s house is filled with whispered arguments. I’m sure her father is having an affair.

ME: Staring down at the sweet baby in my arms, I feel panic instead of love. Because this isn’t the child I gave birth to. My husband whispers to the midwife. They all think I’m going crazy. But the tiny boy in my arms is crying again. I’m certain: he knows I’m not his mummy. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get my son back.

When we move to the exclusive Cutters Island, my life changes overnight. Dressed like the perfect wife, pushing my baby down the street in her pink stroller, I look up and smile at the security cameras. Because I know they are watching. And for now, I need to play my part.

I thought my first husband was dead. But when I get a letter with his name on it just days before my wedding, it will tear my perfect new life apart… As we drive up to the gorgeous house by the lake with its red and yellow roses round the door, I breathe in the pure air and count my blessings. In two days’ time I’m getting married to Matt, my soulmate and the father of my beautiful boy. After all the pain of my past, my life now is perfect.

I haven’t slept properly since Riley was born. I love my baby so much–every noise he makes and every sleepy blink has me rushing to his side to make sure he’s safe. Yet the lack of sleep is getting to me. There are terrifying blanks in my memory, and my temper is blindingly short. I can’t rely on my partner–I don’t even know where he is half the time. But at least I have Maggie next door. She tells me this is just what new motherhood is like, so I have no choice but to ignore the blackout rages and blurred vision, for Riley’s sake…

Ich lächle gutmütig, als sie mir sagt, wie glücklich ich mich schätzen kann, eine so wundervolle Familie zu haben. Glück hat wenig damit zu tun. Meine Familie ist eine Festung, und jeden Tag muss ich für sie kämpfen, gegen Eindringlinge verteidigen. Eindringlinge wie sie. Mein Mann hat eine Affäre. Ich weiß es in dem Moment, als ich die beiden Weingläser in seinem Atelier sehe. Ich könnte weinen, ihn anschreien, ihn aus dem Haus schmeißen.

“Megan, you need to call me. Wallace was here. He left a message to say please don’t worry. He’s coming for you soon.” As I hang up the call, my blood runs cold. I’ve spent a lifetime running from this man. But as I look down at his next victim, their face frozen in one final moment of fear, I can’t escape the feeling that I will be next to die.

Als Lorna eine erschreckende Nachricht von ihrem Ex-Freund Andrew bekommt, fängt die Fassade ihres perfekten Lebens plötzlich an zu bröckeln. Alles in Lornas Leben läuft nach einem strikten Zeitplan. Von ihrer Laufrunde jeden Morgen um Punkt 6 Uhr, bis zu den genau 60-minütigen Coachings, die sie anbietet. Denn nur so schafft sie es, mit ihren dunklen Geheimnissen zu leben. Die Geheimnisse, die sie endlich hinter sich lassen wollte. Und Andrew war der Einzige, der sie kannte.

“Okay sweetheart,” I whisper, giving my little girl Alice a final kiss. “Now remember, after I’ve locked the door, be quiet like a mouse. I’ll come back later, I promise.” Her little face crumples as I turn to leave and my heart breaks. But I have no choice. I have to work, and I have to keep her hidden. It’s just ten days until the new hotel opens. As I push my cleaning cart into the chandeliered honeymoon suite, I wonder how it would feel to stay here as a guest. To watch the sun rise over the ocean, to fall asleep with no fear. I’ll never know, of course.

Gripping the phone, my hands tremble with fear. I look at my son and wonder how my darling blue-eyed boy could have done this. But as my eyes focus down on the body, I know what I must do. I know it will destroy our lives forever. 'Hello? I need help. It’s my child. He’s killed someone.' As my son looks at me, his eyes pleading for help, all I can think in that moment is that I will do whatever it takes to protect him. A young girl’s lifeless body lies on the ground and my heart breaks when I realise I’m already too late to save her.

I’ve been married to my kind, loving husband Lachlan for over twenty years. He’s my everything. We have two teenage children, a beautiful home and I feel so lucky to live this perfect life. Until my best friend says something that makes me doubt everything… She whispers it’s strange Lachlan has lived nearby to two unsolved murder cases. First, the murder of the woman in the small, Scottish village where he grew up and more recently the shocking death of a woman who lived round the corner from us. The thought makes my head spin. It’s just a coincidence, surely?

Megan wartet vor der Schule auf ihren sechsjährigen Sohn. Der Schulhof leert sich und Panik macht sich in ihr breit, als sie Daniel nirgendwo finden kann. Ihr geliebtes Kind ist spurlos verschwunden. Sechs Jahre später: Nach Jahren voller Selbstvorwürfe und schlafloser Nächte bekommt Megan den Anruf, an den sie selbst kaum noch geglaubt hat: Ihr Sohn kommt endlich nach Hause.

Wife: I couldn’t be prouder of my charming husband and quiet and kind son. I’ve poured everything into my little family, so I choose to ignore my husband’s late-night phone calls and wandering eye. I won’t let anything ruin my perfect life…