Ruth Dugdall

'They came for me, just like I knew they would. Luke had been dead for just three days.' Rose Wilks life is shattered when her newborn baby Joel is admitted to intensive care. Emma Hatcher has all that Rose lacks. Beauty. A loving husband. A healthy son. Until tragedy strikes and Rose is the only suspect. Now, having spent nearly five years behind bars, Rose is just weeks away from freedom. Her probation officer Cate must decide whether Rose is remorseful for Luke's death, or whether she remains a threat to society. As Cate is drawn in, she begins to doubt her own judgement. Where is the line between love and obsession, can justice be served and, if so... by what means?

The Woman Before Me

My Sister and Other Liars

Her instincts are telling her something isn't right... On a chilly morning in rural Suffolk, Cassandra Hawke is woken by a gunshot. Her mother is clinging on to her life, the weapon still lying nearby. Everyone thinks it's attempted suicide--but none of it makes any sense to Cass. She's certain there's more to it than meets the eye. With her husband and father telling her she's paranoid, Cass finds an unlikely ally in student paramedic Holly. Like Cass, she believes something is wrong, and together they try to uncover the truth. But is there more to Holly's interest than she's letting on? With her family and loved ones at risk, Cass must ask herself: is she ready to hear the truth, and can she deal with the consequences?

The Things You Didn't See

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER THE WOMAN BEFORE ME A clever, sophisticated, psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah 'Utterly chilling and enthralling from the first line to the last' Karen Maitland What I want to say is that suicide is my choice. No-one else is to blame. Man seeks beautiful woman for the journey of a lifetime: Will you help me to die? When Probation Officer Cate Austin is given her new assignment, she faces the highest-profile case of her career. Alice Mariani is charged with assisted suicide and Cate must recommend a sentence. Alice insists her story is one of misinterpreted love, forcing those around her to analyse their own lives. Who is to decide what is normal and when does loyalty turn to obsession? Investigating the loophole that lies between murder and euthanasia, Cate must now meet the woman who agreed to comply with her lover's final request. Shocking revelations expose bitter truths that can no longer be ignored. What Reviewers and Readers Say 'An unflinching journey, chilling and insightful, into thedarker reaches of the human mind.' Michelle Spring 'The final twist isstunning.' Online blogger Fleur Fisher 'This is not just a crime novel or a psychological thriller. I like that. Ian Rankin chose to be a crime novelist because he realised that a detective was the perfect tool to prise open the lid of society. He's a serious novelist masquerading as a crime fiction writer and I believe the same is true of Ruth Dugdall.' Jim Murdoch, author and blogger 'Those who have read the debut novel and expect a sucker punch twistin the tale will not be disappointed, Dugdall bowls a googlie you surely cannot expect coming.' Shotsmag 'I had shiversat the end... it was refreshing to read a modern crime novel with a younger, female, detective, and the insight in the probation service was fascinating.' ForBooksSake 'The book is not straightforward for as soon as the reader thinks that they know where it is leading, Ruth Dugdall throws a curve to keep you guessing. Thecharacters are real and three dimensional- they walk among us... a must read novel.'BrokenTrails 'The book is heartily recommended... and the author is one to watch.' The Bookbag 'Dugdall challenges our preconceptions on just about every emotive topic out there. Bold and clever in her storytelling, she forces a spotlight into the darkest corners of humanity.' The Truth About Books 'I'd highly recommend The Sacrificial Man. It is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. The plotting is excellent and the books easy to read nature while touching on so many dark subjects make it a must-read.' Books you Love

Shocking. Page-Turning. Intelligent. Psychological Thriller Series with Cate Austin

The Sacrificial Man

Stirb mit mir

'An absolute tour de force that left me thinking for days.' Alex Marwood The acclaimed first novel in the bestselling Cate Austin series A clever, sophisticated, psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah

The Woman Before Me: Award-winning psychological thriller with a gripping twist

Emma has everything Rose lacks: a faithful husband, beauty, and a healthy baby boy. Rose meets her in the hospital after her own baby dies from premature birth, and when Emma’s child dies in a suspicious house fire shortly after, the obsessive and unstable Rose is the primary suspect. Now, after almost five years in prison, Rose is up for parole, but probation officer Cate Austin must first decide whether this accused murderer can be released or if she really is a threat to society. The answer seems obvious at first, but as Cate delves deeper into Rose’s disturbing past—a suicidal mother, a distant father, on her own at a young age—the probation officer becomes entangled in the inmate’s dark world. Winner of CWA Debut Dagger Award and the Luke Bitmead Bursary, The Woman Before Me is a poignant psychological thriller that explores relationships, dysfunctional families, and the penal system with depth and sensitivity that culminates in a shocking conclusion. Did she really do it? Where does the line between love and obsession lie? Can justice be served?

A Thriller

When Probation Officer Cate Austin is given her new assignment, she faces the highest-profile case of her career. Alice Mariani is charged with assisted suicide and Cate must recommend a sentence.

Emma has everything Rose lacks: a faithful husband, beauty, and a healthy baby boy. Rose meets her in the hospital after her own baby dies from premature birth, and when Emma’s child dies in a suspicious house fire shortly after, the obsessive and unstable Rose is the primary suspect. Now, after almost five years in prison, Rose is up for parole, but probation officer Cate Austin must first decide whether this accused murderer can be released or if she really is a threat to society. The answer seems obvious at first, but as Cate delves deeper into Rose’s disturbing past—a suicidal mother, a distant father, on her own at a young age—the probation officer becomes entangled in the inmate’s dark world. Winner of CWA Debut Dagger Award and the Luke Bitmead Bursary, The Woman Before Me is a poignant psychological thriller that explores relationships, dysfunctional families, and the penal system with depth and sensitivity that culminates in a shocking conclusion. Did she really do it? Where does the line between love and obsession lie? Can justice be served? Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER THE WOMAN BEFORE ME A clever, sophisticated, psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah 'Utterly chilling and enthralling from the first line to the last' Karen Maitland What I want to say is that suicide is my choice. No-one else is to blame. Man seeks beautiful woman for the journey of a lifetime: Will you help me to die? When Probation Officer Cate Austin is given her new assignment, she faces the highest-profile case of her career. Alice Mariani is charged with assisted suicide and Cate must recommend a sentence. Alice insists her story is one of misinterpreted love, forcing those around her to analyse their own lives. Who is to decide what is normal and when does loyalty turn to obsession? Investigating the loophole that lies between murder and euthanasia, Cate must now meet the woman who agreed to comply with her lover's final request. Shocking revelations expose bitter truths that can no longer be ignored. REVIEWS ‘An unflinching journey, chilling and insightful, into the darker reaches of the human mind.’ Michelle Spring ‘The final twist is stunning.’ Online blogger Fleur Fisher ‘This is not just a crime novel or a psychological thriller. I like that. Ian Rankin chose to be a crime novelist because he realised that a detective was the perfect tool to prise open the lid of society. He’s a serious novelist masquerading as a crime fiction writer and I believe the same is true of Ruth Dugdall.’ Jim Murdoch, author and blogger ‘Those who have read the debut novel and expect a sucker punch twist in the tale will not be disappointed, Dugdall bowls a googlie you surely cannot expect coming.’ Shotsmag ‘I had shivers at the end... it was refreshing to read a modern crime novel with a younger, female, detective, and the insight in the probation service was fascinating.’ ForBooksSake ‘The book is not straightforward for as soon as the reader thinks that they know where it is leading, Ruth Dugdall throws a curve to keep you guessing. The characters are real and three dimensional - they walk among us... a must read novel.’ BrokenTrails ‘The book is heartily recommended... and the author is one to watch.’ The Bookbag ‘Dugdall challenges our preconceptions on just about every emotive topic out there. Bold and clever in her storytelling, she forces a spotlight into the darkest corners of humanity.’ The Truth About Books ‘I’d highly recommend The Sacrificial Man. It is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. The plotting is excellent and the books easy to read nature while touching on so many dark subjects make it a must-read.’ Books you Love

'Enthralling from the first line to the last' Karen Maitland

'Ruth Dugdall's novels are intelligent and gripping, with a sophisticated psychological sensibility. She is a huge talent.' -Sophie Hannah Delve into the world of probation officer Cate Austin with The Ruth Dugdall Collection – an ebook exclusive. This box set contains four psychological crime thrillers by an internationally bestselling author at one bargain price: The Woman Before Me, The Sacrificial Man, Humber Boy B, and Nowhere Girl. The Woman Before Me: They came for me, just like I knew they would. Luke had been dead for just three days. Rose Wilks life is shattered when her newborn baby Joel is admitted to intensive care. Emma Hatcher has all that Rose lacks. Beauty. A loving husband. A healthy son. Until tragedy strikes and Rose is the only suspect. Where is the line between love and obsession, can justice be served and, if so... by what means? The Sacrificial Man: What I want to say is that suicide is my choice. No-one else is to blame. Man seeks beautiful woman for the journey of a lifetime: Will you help me to die? When Probation Officer Cate Austin is given her new assignment, she faces the highest-profile case of her career. Alice Mariani is charged with assisted suicide and Cate must recommend a sentence. Alice insists her story is one of misinterpreted love, forcing those around her to analyse their own lives. Who is to decide what is normal and when does loyalty turn to obsession? Humber Boy B: A blur in the sky, a brick – no, a trainer, red – falls to the water... There seems to be a scuffle... a hand grabbing at the dangling child. Then, with the awfulness of inevitability, the hanging child drops, gravity takes him. A child is killed after falling from the Humber Bridge. Despite fleeing the scene, two young brothers are found guilty and sent to prison. Upon their release they are granted one privilege only, their anonymity. Probation officer Cate Austin is responsible for Humber Boy B’s reintegration into society. She must ask herself if a child is capable of premeditated murder. Or is there a greater evil at play? Nowhere Girl: From the top of the Ferris wheel, Ellie can see everything. Her life, laid out beneath her. Ellie looks up. She wants freedom. Down below, her little sister and mother wait, watching as people bundle off the wheel and disappear into the crowd. No Ellie. Must be the next box. But the Ferris wheel continues to turn. When Ellie goes missing on the first day of Schueberfouer, the police are dismissive, keen not to attract negative attention on one of Luxembourg’s most important events. Probation officer, Cate Austin, decides to investigate matters for herself. She discovers Luxembourg has a dark heart. With its geographical position, could it be the centre of a child trafficking ring?

The Ruth Dugdall Collection

Probation officer Cate Austin is assigned to the case of Alice Mariani, a woman charged with the assisted suicide of her boyfriend, a gruesome death that will expose bitter truths.

A fictionalised account of true events which shocked nineteenth century Britain. The story of 'The Murder in the Red Barn', this book describes the events through the eyes of Ann Marten, a woman suffering guilt and despair following the terrible history of her family, as she tells her tale to a reluctant young rector. James Coyte has taken up his called in Suffolk, but sinks into his own despair as Ann's story unfolds.

The James Version

'Timely and beautifully written... Highly recommended.' --Mark Edwards The gripping fourth novel in the best-selling Cate Austin series. A clever, sophisticated, psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah

Ruth Dugdall

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