What readers are saying about

CLOSE TO HOME

‘WOW!!’ ★★★★★

John, Netgalley reviewer

‘The must-read book of 2018’ ★★★★★

Tony, Netgalley reviewer

‘One of the best crime thrillers to be published this year’ ★★★★★

Joan, Netgalley reviewer

‘I couldn’t put it down’ ★★★★★

Susan, Netgalley reviewer

‘Brilliantly plotted, with as many red herrings as a Christie’ ★★★★★

Amanda, Netgalley reviewer

‘I did not, even for one second, see this coming’ ★★★★★

Elizabeth, Netgalley reviewer

‘It will keep you enthralled to the final chapter!’ ★★★★★

Felicity, Netgalley reviewer

‘Absolutely fantastic’ ★★★★★

Claire, Netgalley reviewer

‘The twist at the end is SO good’ ★★★★★

Abby, Netgalley reviewer

‘I was left blinking with astonishment!’ ★★★★★

Stefanie, Netgalley reviewer

‘A must-read … worth more than five stars!’ ★★★★★

Sue, Netgalley reviewer

PENGUIN BOOKS

UK | USA | Canada | Ireland | Australia

India | New Zealand | South Africa

Penguin Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

First published 2018

Copyright © Cara Hunter, 2018

The moral right of the author has been asserted

Cover type by Blacksheep

Cover photo © Tim Robinson/Arcangel Images

ISBN: 978-0-241-28311-0

For Simon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cara Hunter is a writer who lives in Oxford, in a street not unlike those featured in her series of crime books. Close to Home is her debut featuring DI Adam Fawley, and her second, In the Dark, is coming soon.

Prologue

It’s getting dark, and the little girl is cold. It had been such a nice day – the lights and the costumes and the fireworks like a shower of stars. It was magical, just like a fairy tale, but now, everything’s been ruined, everything’s gone wrong. She looks up through the trees and the branches seem to be closing in over her head. But not like Snow White, not like Sleeping Beauty. There’s no prince here, no rescuer on a beautiful white horse. Only a dark sky and monsters in the shadows. She can hear noises in the undergrowth, the rustling of small animals and a heavier movement coming steadily closer, step by step. She wipes her cheek, where tears still linger, and she wishes with all her heart she was like the princess in Brave. She wouldn’t be frightened being in the forest all alone. But Daisy is.

Daisy is very frightened indeed.

‘Daisy?’ says a voice. ‘Where are you?’

More steps, closer now, and the voice is angry. ‘You can’t hide from me. I’m going to find you. You know that, don’t you, Daisy. I’m going to find you.’