Louise Douglas

*The Top 10 Bestseller* 'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read' Rachel Hore 'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb.’ Nicola Cornick The new chilling and captivating novel from the bestselling author of Richard & Judy pick The Secrets Between Us. When Edie’s mother-in-law, Anna DeLuca, dies, she is relieved. Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So, when her will lures Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna’s games. Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try to reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets. Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on... Bestselling author Louise Douglas returns with a captivating, chilling and unforgettable tale of betrayal, jealousy and the mysteries hidden in every family history. Praise for Louise Douglas: ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine What readers are saying about The House By The Sea: 'The House by the Sea is a new favorite book of mine! I adored the heck out of this book and I'm so glad I read it' 'This book entirely consumed me from its opening pages until I reluctantly reached the final page.' 'I really loved this book – it’s an enthralling story, haunting in its every detail, so beautifully written. The character development is quite exceptional – and the whole book had an unforgettable impact. Highly, highly recommended.' 'Beautifully written tale filled with suspense and intrigue. Louise Douglas always gets the thumbs up from me.' 'Definite page turner! Well written with a good use of vocabulary. Kept me on the edge of my seat.' 'Douglas is a master storyteller and really kept my attention from the start. I enjoyed the mysterious component and the suspenseful romance in the story. I highly recommend this book.' 'Beautifully written, I was transported to Sicily and swept up in the story of Edie and Joe'

A chilling, unforgettable book club read for 2021

The House by the Sea

Pre-order the latest chilling, unputdownable novel, from the Richard & Judy bestseller. A child who does not know her name... In 1903 fishermen find a wrecked boat containing a woman, who has been badly beaten, and a young girl. An ambulance is sent for, and the two survivors are taken to All Hallows, the imposing asylum, hidden deep on Dartmoor. The woman remains in a coma, but the little girl, Harriet, awakens and is taken to an attic room, far away from the noise of the asylum, and is put in the care of Nurse Emma Everdeen. Two motherless boys banished to boarding school... In 1993, All Hallows is now a boarding school. Following his mother’s death and his father’s hasty remarriage, Lewis Tyler is banished to Dartmoor, stripped of his fashionable clothes, shorn of his long hair, and left feeling more alone than ever. There he meets Isak, another lost soul, and whilst refurbishment of the dormitories is taking place, the boys are marooned up in the attic, in an old wing of the school. Cries and calls from the past that can no longer be ignored... All Hallows is a building full of memories, whispers, cries from the past. As Lewis and Isak learn more about the fate of Harriet, and Nurse Emma’s desperate fight to keep the little girl safe, it soon becomes clear there are ghosts who are still restless. Are they ghosts the boys hear at night in the room above, are they the unquiet souls from the asylum still caught between the walls? And can Lewis and Isak bring peace to All Hallows before the past breaks them first... Praise for Louise Douglas 'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress 'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read' Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea 'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb.’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

The Room in the Attic

A chance encounter: When Sarah meets dark, brooding Alex,she grasps his offer of a new life miles away from her own. They've both recently escaped broken relationships, and need to start again. Why not do it together? A perfect life: But when Sarah gets to the tiny village of Burrington Stoke, something doesn't add up.

The Secrets Between Us

A FAMILY TRAGEDY When a tragedy forces the family Amy works for as a nanny to retreat to a small lakeside cottage, she realises she cannot leave them now. A SISTERâe(tm)S SECRET But Amy finds something unsettling about the cottage by the lake. This is where the childrenâe(tm)s mother spent her childhood âe" and the place where her sister disappeared mysteriously at just seventeen. A WEB OF LIES Soon Amy becomes tangled in the missing sisterâe(tm)s story as dark truths begin rising to the surface. But can Amy unlock the secrets of the past before they repeat themselves? Your favourite authors love Louise Douglas . . . 'Crackles with repressed longing . . . the explosive ending took my breath away' C.L. TAYLOR, author of THE ACCIDENT and THE LIE

The Secret by the Lake

‘I miss him with every breath and heartbeat. He should have been my happy ending. Instead, he is the sad beginning to my story.’ Olivia and Luca Felicone had known each other nearly all their lives, but when they fell in love as teenagers and eloped to London, they broke the hearts of those closest to them. Luca’s parents run Marinella’s restaurant, the colourful hub of life in the otherwise bleak north-eastern seaside town of Watersford, and his mother, Angela, has never forgiven Olivia for causing such a rift in her beloved family. On a freezing January night Olivia’s life is shattered when she learns that Luca has been killed in a car accident on the M1. She is left with nothing, and after suffering from weeks of overwhelming grief, she abandons her job and returns North to where Luca has been buried in Watersford, just to be close to him – even though she knows she will not be welcome at Marinella’s. Olivia’s chance meeting with Luca’s married twin brother, Marc, leads to the realization that he is experiencing a loss almost as painful as her own. Their desolation draws them into an affair which both know has no future, but fills the space where Luca should be. It is a course of action that can only spiral out of control, and when it does, the consequences are both explosive and cruel. The Love of My Life by Louise Douglas is a beautiful novel that portrays both the innocence of childhood, and the dynamics of love and loss with deftness and sensitivity. It is, above all, a stunning debut from an author with a unique and natural narrative voice.

A Heartbreaking Story of Love, Loss and Family

The Love of My Life

Fen works in a bookshop & is devoted to her young son, Connor, but she keeps herself to herself. Haunted by guilt & a terrible secret, Fen lives a compromised life, isolated from her family, far from home & too afraid of the past to risk becoming close to anyone. She spends her life constantly looking over her shoulder.

Missing You

A chilling, unputdownable new novel from the bestselling author of The House By The Sea.'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down.' Alice Lang was wearing her favourite scarlet dress when she disappeared twenty-five years ago, and her memory still casts a long shadow. In the long, hot summer of 1995, twenty-two-year-old Alice Lang rents a caravan on a holiday park on the outskirts of the lively holiday resort of Severn Sands. She befriends Marnie, a shy, damaged little girl whose father is the park's caretaker and whose mother died a few months earlier. Will, whose mother runs the bar, falls in love with Alice, and is unbearably jealous of anyone else she sees. Tensions rise until one evening Alice disappears from her caravan. She's never seen again, and only her scarlet dress is found washed up on the shore. A quarter of a century later, the town is run down and nobody comes there anymore. Mr and Mrs deVillars, former owners of the holiday park, have passed the failing business onto their son Guy, who promptly sells the land for development. Builders clearing the land to create an expanse of executive homes uncover human bones. It has to be Alice. Will and Marnie’s lives were entirely shaped by what happened that summer, and now Alice has been found, they must struggle to pin down their memories, to escape the secrets of the past, the lies they told and the unbearable guilt they're both carrying. They need to find out what happened to Alice. Who killed her? And why? Praise for Louise Douglas 'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress 'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read' Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea 'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb.’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

The brilliant new novel from the bestselling author of The House By The Sea

The Scarlet Dress

Gripping from the first page to last, it's the perfect choice for book groups seeking an intelligent, unforgettable and thrilling story.

Your Beautiful Lies

Before Ellen, things were easier and less complicated. They were either good or bad, right or wrong, black or white and I understood the difference. Since Ellen, everything has been coloured in shades of grey. It's set twenty years ago against a backdrop of dreamy Cornish summers, a place where childhood friendship becomes young love, where love becomes obsession, and where obsession ultimately ends in betrayal and a tragic death. This magical novel traces a web of memories back through the years from the present day, ultimately showing that no matter how much you might try to forget the past, the past never forgets you.

In Her Shadow

Pre-order the brand new novel from top 5 bestseller Louise Douglas.A notebook full of secrets, two untimely deaths – something sinister is stirring in the perfect seaside town of Morranez... It’s summer and holidaymakers are flocking to the idyllic Brittany coast. But when first an old traveller woman dies in suspicious circumstances, and then a campaign of hate seemingly drives another victim to take his own life, events take a very dark turn. Mila Shepherd has come to France to look after her niece, Ani, following the accident in which both Ani’s parents were lost at sea. Mila has moved into their family holiday home, as well as taken her sister Sophie’s place in an agency which specialises in tracking down missing people, until new recruit Carter Jackson starts. It’s clear that malevolent forces are at work in Morranez, but the local police are choosing to look the other way. Only Mila and Carter can uncover the truth about what’s really going on in this beautiful, but mysterious place before anyone else suffers. But someone is desperate to protect a terrible truth, at any cost... Praise for Louise Douglas: 'I loved The Lost Notebook so much! From the opening lines, I was drawn in to a gripping story, beautifully written and so cleverly orchestrated. I rooted for the main character, I held my breath at the denouement and as for the climax of the book - just wow. Highly recommended.' Judy Leigh 'Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.' Milly Johnson 'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress 'Another stunning read from the exceptionally talented Louise Douglas! I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick. Her writing is always beautiful and multi-layered, her characters warm and relatable and the intriguing nature of the mystery makes this unputdownable.’ Nicola Cornick on The Scarlet Dress 'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read'Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea 'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine 'A chilling, unputdownable new novel from the bestselling author of The House By The Sea. 'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down.'

The BRAND NEW novel from #2 BESTSELLER Louise Douglas you won't want to miss in 2022

The Lost Notebook

One ordinary morning at work Hannah Brown glimpses a young woman with dark hair, wearing a green coat spattered with rain. The woman is identical to her childhood best friend, Ellen Brecht. But Hannah believes Ellen is dead. Could it really be her?

‘Another exquisite read from Louise Douglas' Milly Johnson Having escaped to the south coast of Sicily to recover from a broken heart, Sarah is immediately drawn to charming and mysterious Alex. He too is looking for a fresh start after the end of his marriage, and Sarah can’t resist Alex’s offer of a new life together. But when Sarah joins Alex in a tiny Somerset village, something doesn't add up. Alex's beautiful wife Genevieve was adored by all who knew her. And by all accounts, she and Alex had a successful marriage complete with a gorgeous son, Jamie. Why would Genevieve walk out on her perfect life? And why has no one heard from her since she did so? Genevieve's family and friends think that Alex knows more about her disappearance than he's letting on. But Sarah's fallen in love and just knows Alex couldn't have anything to hide. Or could he? The unmissable Richard & Judy pick from the bestselling author of The House by the Sea. Perfect for fans of Barbara O’Neal, Lucinda Riley and Rachel Hore. Praise for Louise Douglas: ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling,The Secret by the Lakeis Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings,author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to thestartling final pages.’Sunday Express, S Magazine

The latest chilling, unputdownable novel, from the Richard & Judy bestseller. Alice Lang was wearing her favourite scarlet dress when she disappeared twenty-five years ago, and her memory still casts a long shadow. 'The past was like water. Once the tide turned, you couldn't hold it back.' In the long, hot summer of 1995, twenty-two-year-old Alice Lang rents a caravan on a holiday park on the outskirts of the lively holiday resort of Severn Sands. She befriends Marnie, a shy, damaged little girl whose father is the park's caretaker and whose mother died a few months earlier. Will, whose mother runs the bar, falls in love with Alice, and is unbearably jealous of anyone else she sees. Tensions rise until one evening Alice disappears from her caravan. She's never seen again, and only her scarlet dress is found washed up on the shore. A quarter of a century later, the town is run down and nobody comes there anymore. Mr and Mrs deVillars, former owners of the holiday park, have passed the failing business onto their son Guy, who promptly sells the land for development. Builders clearing the land to create an expanse of executive homes uncover human bones. It has to be Alice. Will and Marnie's lives were entirely shaped by what happened that summer, and now Alice has been found, they must struggle to pin down their memories, to escape the secrets of the past, the lies they told and the unbearable guilt they're both carrying. They need to find out what happened to Alice. Who killed her? And why?

‘I miss him with every breath and heartbeat. He should have been my happy ending. Instead, he is the sad beginning to my story.’ Olivia and Luca Felicone had known each other nearly all their lives, but when they fell in love as teenagers and eloped to London they broke the hearts of those closest to them. Luca’s parents run Marinella’s restaurant, the colourful hub of life in the otherwise bleak north-eastern seaside town of Watersford, and his mother, Angela, has never forgiven Olivia for causing such a rift in her beloved family. On a freezing January night Olivia’s life is shattered when she learns that Luca has been killed in a car accident. She is left with nothing and, after suffering from weeks of overwhelming grief, she abandons her job and returns north to where Luca has been buried in Watersford. Olivia’s chance meeting with Luca’s married twin brother, Marc, leads to the realization that he is experiencing a loss almost as painful as her own. Their desolation draws them into an affair which both know has no future, but fills the space where Luca should be. It is a course of action that can only spiral out of control, and when it does the consequences are both explosive and cruel. The Love of My Life is a beautiful novel that portrays both the innocence of childhood, and the dynamics of love and loss with deftness and sensitivity. It is, above all, a stunning debut from an author with a unique and natural narrative voice.

Hannah Brown thought she had put the past behind her. But now it's coming to find her... Hannah never dreamed she'd have a best friend like Ellen Brecht. Ellen is everything Hannah wants to be - beautiful, daring, glamorous and poweful. Growing up together in windswept Cornwall, life seems perfect. But their idyllic childhood is shattered by obsession, betrayal and, ultimately, a terrible tragedy. Hannah has tried for twenty years to forget what happened during that life-changing summer. Then, one unremarkable morning at work, she glimpses a woman who looks just like Ellen. Can it really be her? And if so, has Ellen returned to forgive her - or to punish her? Bestselling author Louise Douglas tells a heart-pounding and unforgettable tale of secrets and lies. Perfect for fans of Barbara O'Neal, Lucinda Riley and Rachel Hore. Praise for Louise Douglas: 'Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies 'Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best' Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken 'A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.' Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret 'A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.' Sunday Express, S Magazine.

'Another exquisite read from Louise Douglas . . . I wanted to lose myself in the narrative... and I did.' Milly Johnson Fen is devoted to her young son, Connor, but she keeps herself to herself. Haunted by guilt and a terrible secret, Fen lives isolated from her family, far from home and too afraid of the past to risk becoming close to anyone. She is constantly looking over her shoulder, knowing that one day the truth will catch up with her. Sean is enjoying a seemingly perfect life. He has a successful career, lives in his dream home and adores his beautiful wife, Belle, and their six-year-old daughter, Amy. That is until the day Belle announces she and wants Sean to move out. When Fen and Sean meet they are both in need of comfort but slowly their quiet friendship turns into something much deeper. Will they give each other the confidence to trust and love again? Or will the past tear them apart before they find happiness? Bestselling author Louise Douglas tells an unforgettable tale of family and love. Perfect for fans of Barbara O’Neal, Lucinda Riley and Rachel Hore. Praise for Louise Douglas: ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

Hannah Brown thought she had put the past behind her. But now it's coming to find her... Hannah never dreamed she'd have a best friend like Ellen Brecht. Ellen is everything Hannah wants to be - beautiful, daring, glamorous and poweful. Growing up together in windswept Cornwall, life seems perfect. But their idyllic childhood is shattered by obsession, betrayal and, ultimately, a terrible tragedy. Hannah has tried for twenty years to forget what happened during that life-changing summer. Then, one unremarkable morning at work, she glimpses a woman who looks just like Ellen. Can it really be her? And if so, has Ellen returned to forgive her - or to punish her? Bestselling author Louise Douglas tells a heart-pounding and unforgettable tale of secrets and lies. Perfect for fans of Barbara O’Neal, Lucinda Riley and Rachel Hore. Praise for Louise Douglas: ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1984 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point. Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe - William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good. But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.

‘I miss him with every breath and heartbeat. He should have been my happy ending. Instead, he is the sad beginning to my story.’ Olivia and Luca Felicone have known each other nearly all their lives, but when they fall in love as teenagers and elope, they break the hearts of those closest to them. Luca’s parents run Marinella’s restaurant, the colourful hub in the otherwise bleak seaside town of Watersford, and his mother, Angela, can never forgive Olivia for causing such a rift in her beloved family. On a freezing January night Olivia’s life is shattered when she learns that Luca has been killed in a car accident. She is left with nothing, and after weeks of overwhelming grief, she returns to where Luca has been buried in Watersford, just to be close to him – even though she knows she will not be welcome. Olivia’s chance meeting with Luca’s married twin brother, Marc, leads to a friendship that she hopes will fill the space where Luca should be. But not everyone approves, and soon they are set on a course of action that threatens to spiral out of control. And if it does, the consequences will be both explosive and cruel. Bestselling author Louise Douglas tells a heart-breaking and unforgettable tale of first love and first grief. Perfect for fans of Barbara O’Neal, Lucinda Riley and Rachel Hore. Praise for Louise Douglas: ‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies ‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken ‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret ‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine

Louise Douglas

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