Three years ago, something terrible happened to Naomi Jenkins – so terrible that she never told anybody.
Now Naomi has another secret – the man she has fallen passionately in love with, unhappily married Robert Haworth. When Robert vanishes without trace, Naomi knows he must have come to harm. But the police are less convinced, particularly when Robert’s wife insists he is not missing.
In desperation, Naomi has a crazy idea. If she can’t persuade the police that Robert is in danger, perhaps she can convince them that he is a danger to others. Then they will have to look for him – urgently. Naomi knows how describe in detail the actions of a psychopath. All she needs to do is dig up her own troubled past . . .
(P)2007 ISIS Publishing Ltd
Now Naomi has another secret – the man she has fallen passionately in love with, unhappily married Robert Haworth. When Robert vanishes without trace, Naomi knows he must have come to harm. But the police are less convinced, particularly when Robert’s wife insists he is not missing.
In desperation, Naomi has a crazy idea. If she can’t persuade the police that Robert is in danger, perhaps she can convince them that he is a danger to others. Then they will have to look for him – urgently. Naomi knows how describe in detail the actions of a psychopath. All she needs to do is dig up her own troubled past . . .
(P)2007 ISIS Publishing Ltd
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
An utterly gripping plot, this is the standout thriller of the year
Here's a psychological thriller that gets its hooks into you and refuses to let go
A superbly creepy, twisty thriller about obsessive love, psychological torture, and the darkest chambers of the human heart
Hair-raising psychological thriller
Sophie Hannah's LITTLE FACE startled the British thriller market a year ago, and her new book is another superbly creepy foray in the genre. The plots are brilliant - I couldn't see through this one at all
Hurting Distance confirms Sophie Hannah as a rivetingly original arrival in crime fiction
What makes this novel work so well is that more than one character has a bit of a screw loose - even the detectives on the case are grappling with some crippling personal issues - and it takes the full ride of the novel to find out who is playing whom.
Hannah's second novel is a beautifully written chiller-thriller about the after-effect of rape. It grips from start to finish. . . I couldn't put it down
This is a far better-written book than any genre label might suggest. Hannah is a respected poet and uses the fascinating motif of the sundial not only to provide the reader with clues but to underline perceptions of life, time and death. It's also significant that she won a Daphne du Maurier award. Her powerful subjects of obsession with the past, and fear in the present, testify that she has made a transition to the narrative world of that iconic writer
In the world of psychological thrillers, it is rare to come across a novel that conforms absolutely to the rules of the genre at the same time as being genuinely original, satisfyingly unpredictable and totally enthralling. This is what Sophie Hannah has achieved with Hurting Distance, and she's done it with considerable style.
This story is thrilling from the first page . . . This book is not simply a whodunnit. The snappy, witty dialogue and clarity make it a thoroughly entertaining read. I thought I had the whole book pegged after the first chapter, but how wrong I was. Pick it up, but be warned, you won't put it down
Another success for this inventive writer
Tale of obsession and manipulation