The Deceit (Novella)

Your wife is a liar. Has your wife told you the truth yet? Do you know who Claire really is?

Your wife is a liar.
Has your wife told you the truth yet?
Do you know who Claire really is?

Lenny has always known that his wife, Claire, is the love of his life. But somehow his marriage is in shambles, he’s struggling with the kids, and a string of anonymous text messages are tormenting him, insisting that Claire is a liar.

Claire knows Lenny is a good man, but there’s a lot she hasn’t told him about her past. Now she’s terrified that the horrors that haunt her are about to put her entire family in danger.

Strange new neighbours, insidious clients and schoolyard scandal begin to fracture Claire and Lenny’s happy-family façade. As secrets are revealed and pasts uncovered, the lies will be exposed and everyone’s lives will change forever.

“The fast-moving flow from placid family life to a deeply disturbing secret drives this suspenseful tale.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS

The Deceit: the idea for the story

This story originated from an idea around how claustrophobic it would feel if you had strange neighbours who seemed to be way too interested in your life! As I often do, it also looked at the long-term effects of trauma and recovery.

The Deceit: the publishing story

The Deceit was the first story I wrote to go straight to audio, and the first time I attempted the novella format. It’s roughly 50,000 words, so half the length of my usual books, and it was a good challenge to try to condense the thriller into the shorter format. It’s now also available in paperback in the US.

For purchase links and more about the book, visit my website.