8-Evil-Duos_Article_Dead-Good

Reading lists

The 8 most evil duos in fiction

Serial-killer-books

13 of the best serial killer thrillers

Books-for-Killing-Eve-fans

13 must-read books for Killing Eve fans

Revenge Novels

7 of the best female revenge novels

A Twisted Love Story

SOMETIMES ONLY A THRILLER WILL DO. PICK UP SOMETHING YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN . . . NOTHING IS DEADLIER THAN TRUE LOVE... 
 
NOTHING IS DEADLIER THAN TRUE LOVE... 
 
Wes and Ivy are madly in love. It's the kind of romance people write stories about. But what kind of story? 
 
Because when it's good, it's very very good. But when it's bad, it's bad. 
 
But their breakneck cycle of catastrophic vengeful break-ups and head-over-heels reconnections needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy - and she's a detective. 
 
One wrong move will be fatal - so if Wes and Ivy can't stick together, this break-up might just be their last. 
 
Praise for Samantha Downing 
 
'Dark, sly and delicious...totally original - and totally compelling' JP Delaney 
 
'A twisty, audacious, Gone Girl-y psychological thriller. The book that everyone is going to be talking about' Red 
 
'Dark, shocking and very witty, this wickedly good read will make you run screaming from the suburbs' Heat

A fast-paced, addictive thriller full of secrets and lies. She's hit the sweet spot again

This story about a toxic relationship spiralling out of control is dazzlingly, deliciously dark - and enormous fun

Wicked and wild, seductive and sinister. A Twisted Love Story is beach read fun, up all night gripping, disturbingly dark and satisfyingly clever.

Toxic relationships, dark deeds, and a cast of unreliable narrators. All the best ingredients for a deliciously disturbing read. Twisted indeed.

I love Samantha Downing's thrillers and this one is an absolute gem. Deliciously addictive, constantly surprising and, as the title would suggest, thoroughly twisted. You'll devour it.

A deliciously clever thriller. I love Samantha Downing's books...If you haven't experienced the pleasure of reading her work, don't wait

Wonderfully dark and twisty. I raced through it, desperate to know how it would end

A genuinely fresh take on the psychological thriller genre. Expect dark humour and more loop-the-loops than a roller coaster

Dexter meets Gone Girl - I loved this this brilliantly dark and twisted novel. One of the best books I've read this year!

Samantha Downing is totally the real deal. Wry and dark and witty and clever.

Samantha Downing's writing is pure, twisted magic. No matter how irredeemable a character might seem, Samantha Downing has me rooting for them until the bitter end. A Twisted Love Story will take you from the height of sexy, crashing-into-walls obsession to utter disbelief, loving every second

Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author

Subtle, compelling, and clever. A Twisted Love Story will take you on a tense and emotional thrill ride that doesn't let up until the final page. Downing has crafted a complex, masterfully written tale that will have you rooting for the dysfunctional couple while simultaneously not trusting either of them

Jeneva Rose, USA Today bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage

While A Twisted Love Story is a thriller about love, buckle up because it's of the gnarly, twisted variety, and I tore through the pages...It takes great skill to make readers root for a couple like this, but Samantha Downing does so with ease

Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home

No one does dark sophisticated psychological suspense like the oh-so-talented Samantha Downing! This page-turning risk-taking dive into tangled relationships and ultra-gaslighting is a dazzling look at emotional manipulation and addictive passion. What happens when love is so powerful that it turns deadly? Shocking, surprising, and super-twisty - with an ending that will haunt you

Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. It's the kind of romance people write stories about. But what kind of story? 
 
Because when it's good, it's very very good. But when it's bad, it's bad. 
 
But their breakneck cycle of catastrophic vengeful break-ups and head-over-heels reconnections needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy - and she's a detective. 
 
One wrong move will be fatal - so if Wes and Ivy can't stick together, this break-up might just be their last.

The most addictive psychological thriller you’ll read this year

For Your Own Good

THE GRIPPING NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE RICHARD &amp; JUDY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MY LOVELY WIFE 
 
'Totally the real deal' SARAH PINBOROUGH 
'Brilliant' DAILY MAIL 
'Irresistibly dark' T.M. LOGAN 
'Dark, sly and delicious' J.P. DELANEY 
'Absolutely terrific' SARAH PEKKANEN 
_______ 
 
You want the absolute best for your child, and everyone agrees that's Belmont Academy. 
 
At first you were impressed by Mr Crutcher, with his dedication to his students. 
 
But something isn't right at that school. 
 
It starts with small things . . . A teacher falling sick. Rumours about a former pupil going off the rails. Of course, you never guessed it could end in murder. 
 
And now you have no idea who will be next . . . 
_______ 
 
'Wonderfully dark and twisty. I raced through it, desperate to know how it would end' B.A. Paris 
 
'Dark as night, sinister as hell, clever, twisting and downright fun' Chris Whitaker 
 
Praise for Samantha Downing: 
 
'Wow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner - full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspense' Harlan Coben 
 
'The next Gone Girl' Marie Claire 
 
'The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night' Jane Corry

Samantha Downing is totally the real deal. Wry and dark and witty and clever. I didn't think she could outdo My Lovely Wife but I think this one tops it.

An irresistibly dark tale of parents, pupils and poison: the American dream turned suburban nightmare

TM Logan, author of Trust Me and The Holiday

Dark, sly and delicious...totally original - and totally compelling

Fans of Gone Girl and Big Little Lies will love this fast-paced thriller

I raced through this, and loved every twist and turn. Brilliant characterisation and ingenious plotting make it an absolute winner.

I have loved all of the books by Samantha Downing, and this classroom thriller deserves an A+. Original, dark and highly addictive

A brilliant psychological black comedy with a really fresh feel, packed with sly observation and outrageous twists. But creepy Crutcher is the standout character who is truly awful and equally compelling

I'm a huge fan of Samantha Downing, who is masterful at creating diabolical characters and deliciously chilling plots. An absolutely terrific book!

Samantha Downing has achieved something so special in For Your Own Good. A story that is dark as night, sinister as hell, clever, twisting and downright fun

Samantha Downing serves up another cast of deliciously mendacious characters in an exclusive private school setting, where the deadly action drives a brilliantly tense, taut and twisty plot. I may never look at my coffee in the same way again

Entertaining as hell, with trademark Downing twistedness. I loved it.

Sam Lloyd, bestselling author of The Memory Wood

A slick and chilling thriller, leading readers on a dark, sinuous journey through the halls of Belmont Academy-the type of place where you're never sure who to trust, or who to fear.

Twistier than a corkscrew and utterly original, For Your Own Good hooked me from the first page with its dark humour and no-let-up suspense

Wow! Samantha Downing has done it again. For Your Own Good is utterly compelling, deliciously dark, and with perfect pacing that will have you racing to find out how it ends. I absolutely loved it

A deliciously dark, fast-paced delight of a novel with a maybe-maybe-not villain you'll secretly be rooting for. Highly recommended

A dark and twisty plot you'll race to finish

A brilliant psychological thriller

Downing's spare prose packs a wallop as she deftly ratchets up the suspense with every hairpin turn of this lean, mean, surprising, and utterly propulsive thriller

So dark and twisted, so deliciously evil, it'll not only make you frantically turn those pages to find out who's targeting whom, but the wry sense of humor will have you laughing out loud, too. Another phenomenal wild-ride of a read from one of the crime-writing community's most talent authors. Bet you'll never look at high school the same way again

For Your Own Good is a fresh take on the elite school thriller and the perfect page turner

Witty and macabre with a psycho teacher who is so real to me

We're calling it: My Lovely Wife is the most gripping psychological thriller of 2019... this book will keep you reading late into the night

One of my favourite thrillers of the year - I couldn't stop reading but didn't want it to end. Dark, chilling and compelling

TM Logan, bestselling author of The Holiday

Wow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner - full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspense

One of the best thrillers I've ever read

So beautifully and elegantly written . . . A great twist - I loved it

Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the prestigious Belmont Academy. Everyone thinks he's brilliant. Only you know the truth. 
 
They all smile when he tells us his wife couldn't be more proud - though actually, no-one has seen her in a while. They're impressed when he doesn't let anything distract him - even the tragic death of a school parent. Even when the whispers start, saying it was murder. 
 
You're sure Teddy is hiding something. You're sure you can prove it. 
 
It's just that when it comes to catching a killer, there's no place more dangerous than just one step behind . . .

He Started It

SOMEONE ALWAYS TAKES THINGS TOO FAR . . . The gripping Sunday Times bestselling psychological thriller from the No. 1 bestselling author of My Lovely Wife 
 
 'So addictive it should come with a warning' Alice Feeney 
 ________ 
 
 No-one knows you better than your family. 
 
They know the little things that make you smile. 
 
They know your darkest secrets. 
 
Sure, you haven't always been best friends. But if it seemed as though someone was after you, that you might be in danger, then you'd be on each other's side . . . 
 
Right? 
 
So gripping you won't stop reading. 
 
So twisty that you won't know who to trust. 
 
And so dark that you'll realise something truly chilling: 
 
No-one is more dangerous than the ones who know you best. 
________ 
 
'My Lovely Wife was one of my top books of 2019. He Started It is even better!' C.J. Tudor, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man 
 
'Whip-smart, lean, deliciously dark and addictive. One of the best thrillers I've read in a long time' Ali Land 
 
'Wow! It's dark, it's twisted and it's going to be your new favourite book! 5***** Reader Review 
 
'Chilling, thrilling, twisty, fast paced, riveting, tense, dark &amp; scary . . . My favourite book this year' 5***** Reader Review 
 
PRAISE FOR MY LOVELY WIFE 
 
'The most gripping psychological thriller of 2019' Stylist 
 
 'Wow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner - full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspense' Harlan Coben, bestselling author of Don't Let Go 
 
'An assured and deliciously engrossing debut. It will linger long after you've reached the last page' Sarah Pinborough, bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes

My Lovely Wife was one of my top books of 2019. He Started It is even better! Following a dysfunctional-to put it mildly-bunch of siblings on a bizarre and deadly road trip with their grandfather's ashes, He Started It is deliciously twisted, laced with Downing's trademark black humor and packed with one grisly twist after another. I loved it. All hail the new Queen of the psycho thriller!!

Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man

I absolutely loved it: whip-smart, lean, deliciously dark and addictive. One of the best thrillers I've read in a long time

Once you start reading He Started It you won't want to stop. Dark, twisted, original, and so addictive it should come with a warning

A thrill ride through the darkest parts of the American landscape - funny, scary and twisted until the explosive final page

bestselling author of It's Always The Husband

Samantha Downing shows how to pack a punch in her latest phenomenal thriller, He Started It. A twisty, sneaking tale of greed, lies and betrayal, with each character as conniving as the next and an ending that will make your heart stop. This one needs to be on the top of everyone's to-read list!

New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl and The Other Mrs

Clever and very twisty: the razor sharp dialogue slices through to the dark heart of sibling rivalry. There are delicious echoes of Succession to savour

Samantha Downing is an absolute genius at creating twisted characters you're desperate to follow. He Started It is superbly structured, deliciously dark, and kept me guessing, heart pounding, through every single razor-sharp sentence. A psychological thriller like none other, this addictive read is impossible to put down.

A wicked-fun read with razor-sharp wit and a killer twist, He Started It is compelling, captivating, and deliciously dark. Samantha Downing writes with a wry, sparse elegance that steadily entangles you until you're utterly addicted.

USA Today bestselling author of The Night Olivia Fell

Downing ups her game in this deliciously twisted tale of family deception. He Started It has layers upon layers of clever, shocking twists that begin in the first chapter and never let up. Breathless pacing and terse, impeccable writing create a phenomenal reading experience. I am obsessed!

USA Today bestselling author of The Night Before

He Started It is a diabolical drive into a dysfunctional family's past. The story is chillingly twisted, perfectly paced. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.

USA Today bestselling author of Best Day Ever

Sibling rivalry reaches new and downright despicable heights in He Started It, a novel where nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. Creepy, unnerving and deliciously evil, Samantha Downing is one of the boldest authors I know. A must read!

national bestselling author of Her Secret Son and The Neighbors

"Samantha Downing has done it again! With her second novel, He Started It, this master of sarcasm and suspense brings us a story that is impossible not to relate to. Initiated by a dead grandfather's will, we find ourselves trapped in a car journey with siblings that loathe each other's presence. As the miles pass, secrets and deceptionsabound, and we are kept guessing until the very last line. Downing's style remains in a league of its own, with to-the-point crisp language and snappy dialogue readers are taken on a gripping and edgy adventure." -

You'll be gripped as siblings Beth, Portia and Eddie set off on a mission that will ensure them each a share of their inheritance but what does their dead grandfather really have in store for them?

If you like your thrillers dark, then join this road trip from hell. A toxic thrill ride into the ultimate family dysfunction

Beth, Portia and Eddie are siblings. Like all siblings, sometimes they don't get along. They just have better reasons than most. 
 
But when their grandfather dies, he leaves a troublingly specific condition in his will. For them to inherit his wealth, they're required to retake a road trip they took with him when they were children, and scatter his ashes at the end of it. 
 
Of course, reuniting after all this time brings back memories of that ill-fated trip. Memories of what went wrong. 
 
But it's not only memories they have to worry about. Someone is following them. Each of them is keeping secrets. And all of them are all too aware of what happened last time. 
 
Because you can't inherit the money if someone kills you first.

My Lovely Wife

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RICHARD &amp; JUDY PICK 
 
HOW WELL DO YOU REALLY KNOW THE PERSON YOU LOVE MOST? 
 
Their life was just like yours. Nice house, great kids, the perfect life. 
 
But they have a very dark secret. 
 
You might think you've read stories like this before. 
 
You're wrong. 
______________ 
 
SHORTLISTED FOR ITW THRILLER AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL, THE EDGAR AWARD AND THE GOODREADS AWARDS. WINNER OF THE DEAD GOOD READER AWARDS. 
 
'The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night' Jane Corry, bestselling author of The Dead Ex 
 
'The most gripping psychological thriller of 2019' Stylist 
 
'The next Gone Girl' Marie Claire 
 
'A twisty, audacious, Gone Girl-y psychological thriller. The book that everyone is going to be talking about' Red 
 
'Wow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner - full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspense' Harlan Coben 
 
'Dexter meets Gone Girl - I loved this this brilliantly dark and twisted novel. One of the best books I've read this year' C.J. Tudor 
 
'Absolutely unputdownable' Liv Constantine

One of my favourite thrillers of the year - I couldn't stop reading but didn't want it to end. Dark, chilling and compelling ... My Lovely Wife is a brilliant debut

C.J. Tudor, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man

The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night. Clever. Manipulative. Dark. Disturbing. What more can you ask for?

Brilliant - I was enthralled by the premise and it totally delivered. Five star entertainment!

Dark, shocking and very witty, this wickedly good read will make you run screaming from the suburbs

We're calling it now: Samantha Downing's creepy, sexy debut thriller is going to be the next Gone Girl.

So beautifully and elegantly written . . . the ending is amazing and there is a great twist. I loved it.

An assured and deliciously engrossing debut. You'll surely devour My Lovely Wife, but it will linger long after you've reached the last page

I pretty much inhaled this twisty, audacious, Gone Girl-y psychological thriller. This is the book that everyone is going to be talking about this summer. I can't shut up about it!

Red, The best Spring crime novels and thrillers

My Lovely Wife is a knockout. It's an effortless page-turner

My Lovely Wife is dark, twisted-and impossible to put down. Samantha Downing has written a wickedly plotted and suspenseful psychological thriller

A fantastic foray into what we know-and what we do not-about those closest to us. Intricately plotted, fascinating characters - I loved it!

Domestic noir has rarely been darker . . . it's a psychological shocker

Utterly gripping . . . Expect more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti and block out a whole day to read this, because you won't want to sleep until you're done

This gripping page-turner offers a new take on the psychological thriller genre - the ideal beach read

Suspenseful, shocking thriller. Deliciously dark

Totally engrossing and I kept on thinking, one more chapter... an intelligent page-turner that makes you question everything

Truly horrifying in the most delicious way. Samantha Downing sucks you in with a great story, pitch-perfect prose and disturbingly dead-on insights into the dark side of human nature. I hope I never meet her in a dark alley....

I couldn't pull myself away from this story - a terrifying and riveting window into the mind of the perfect suburban mother with a taste for murder. Make sure you clear your schedule before you pick it up. Absolutely unputdownable

It's no mean feat to find something fresh in the crowded thriller field, but Downing pulls off an indisputable triumph with My Lovely Wife. Exemplary writing and outstanding pacing confirm Downing's talent, but it's her deliciously depraved characters that kept me flying through the pages. Couldn't get enough of this subversive love-gone-sideways tale!

Deliciously dark and twisted... It's a remarkable achievement, full stop.

A highly original and dark look at the shifting power structure in a modern marriage. . . A funny, smart book

Darkly witty and strangely plausible, it's a read-in-one-sitting firecracker of a thriller, laced with explosive twists

A marital, psychological thriller with darkly comedic undertones

This is a ringer of a yarn, shot through with enough tooth-clenching moments to make you have your dentist on speed dial

With a twisty plot that will leave you gasping, this deliciously dark thriller is on a par with Gone Girl

Every marriage has secrets. Everyone has flaws. Your wife isn't perfect - you know that - but then again nor are you. 
 
But now a serial killer is on the loose in your small town, preying on young women. Fear is driving your well-behaved young daughter off the rails, and you find yourself in bed late at night, looking at the woman who lies asleep beside you. 
 
Because you thought you knew the worst about her. The truth is you know nothing at all.

Samantha Downing

Samantha Downing's signature dark humour is cranked up to one hundred in TOO OLD FOR THIS, a whip smart story about a geriatric serial killer who simply wants to settle down. Walker-wielding Lottie Jones is as twisted as they come, and I, for one, will never underestimate the elderly again.

Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark

This riveting story unfolds with heart-pounding suspense, showcasing Downing’s masterful storytelling from start to finish.

Liv Constantine, New York Times Bestselling author of The Next Mrs. Parrish

This is Downing at her best. Delightfully macabre and so artful that the reader might well root for Lottie, even when she is psychotic to the max. The perfect recommendation for someone looking for something different and extremely entertaining.

Deliciously dark and utterly addictive, this is a super-smart thrill ride with a lot to say about the way women are treated as they age and one of the most wickedly witty anti-heroines of all time! Brilliant!

Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club

Samantha Downing is one of the most daring and original thriller writers in the business. She hits another home run with Too Old for This, one of the twistiest thrillers in years and featuring as unique and intriguing a protagonist (or villain?) as you’ll ever meet. Combining tension with heartbreak and laugh-out-loud wit, Too Old for This is a fast and thoroughly satisfying read.

David Ellis, New York Times bestselling author of Look Closer

Twisty, clever, and wildly entertaining…delivers a Bingo-playing, retired serial killer who just might be the most compelling anti-heroine you've ever read. Samantha Downing is at her diabolical best in this darkly comedic thriller.

Nerve-jangling, all-consuming, and yes, even laugh out loud… the most entertaining thriller of the year. Once again, Downing has outdone herself with this smart, twisted, and downright sinister read.

Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest

Only the incredible Samantha Downing could create such a riveting, propulsive twisty and surprising and laugh out loud mordantly witty and inventive story! Fans of Richard Osman will howl with laughter and clamour to read this brilliant and yet heartbreaking take on a serial killer.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of One Wrong Word

Downing delivers once again with her signature wit and impeccable pacing. Don’t bother trying to put this book down—give in and let it take you on one hell of a ride!

Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of Only One Survives

So this is what Samantha Downing does best: makes the reader cheer for murderous women. Too Old for This is twisty, funny and downright dastardly - and I loved turning every single page to see just how far Lottie Jones would go. An incredible read!

Rachel Howzell Hall, New York Times bestselling author of The Last One

Witty, twisted, and unpredictable, Too Old for This features a compelling and darkly original narrator who will make you think twice about knocking on someone's door uninvited. As propulsive as it is wickedly entertaining

Heather Chavez, author of What We'll Burn Last

Samantha Downing has been crafting excellent psychological thrillers from the get go.

“Wry, humorous and very good on the problems of ageing ... The cover comment suggests a comparison with Richard Osman, but this is much better, in pace, characterisation, plot and writing

Deadpan humour that perfectly complements its eccentric plot and narrator

This shocking, original story is sure to be a huge hit

Original, dark and highly addictive

A brilliant psychological black comedy with a really fresh feel, packed with sly observation and outrageous twists

A story that is dark as night, sinister as hell, clever, twisting and downright fun

You’d never guess Lottie Jones had skeletons in her closet. 
 
She’s lived in town for decades now. She’s getting older. She lives for the simple pleasures of weekly bingo games at church, and gossiping with her friends about their children’s love lives. 
 
But when investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past, and specifically about her connection to numerous unsolved murders, well, Lottie just can’t have that. 
 
But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realises this crime might just be the death of her…

Samantha Downing

Books by Samantha Downing

Articles featuring Samantha Downing

The 8 most evil duos in fiction

13 of the best serial killer thrillers

13 must-read books for Killing Eve fans

7 of the best female revenge novels

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