Deadly Animals: Val McDermid Crime Debut Award Winner 2024

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**WINNER OF THE VAL McDERMID DEBUT AWARD 2024**
**The Times' best crime and mystery books of 2024 so far**
**Daily Mail's best new books to read this weekend**

'A remarkable debut' - THE TIMES
'Utterly mesmerising' - PETER JAMES
'Exceptional' - DAILY MAIL
'I adored this novel' - JENNIE GODFREY
'Exceptional in every way' - CHRIS WHITAKER
'A crime novel I wish I had written' - LYNDA LA PLANTE
'Will rock you back on your heels' - VAL McDERMID
'Marie's writing is beautiful' - BELINDA BAUER
'A dark glittering gem of a book' - LISA GRAY
'Gloriously dark, deadly and deathly' - C. J. SKUSE
'An incredible debut. Damn near perfect' - SUSI HOLLIDAY
'Tierney is a name to watch' - SAM HOLLAND
'A masterpiece' - WILLIAM HUSSEY
'Extraordinary' - JO CALLAGHAN

Thirteen-year-old Ava Bonney is different.

While her friends play, Ava searches for roadkill. She knows studying animal decomposition is an unusual hobby, but Ava doesn't care what other people think.

Then, one night, when Ava sneaks out to find a fox, she instead stumbles upon the body of Mickey Grant.

Despite his many years in the police, Detective Seth Delahaye has never seen a murder case like this one - as though the victim was set upon by a wild animal.

Nor has he met anyone quite like Ava: so determined, resourceful and . . . unusual.

And when another boy goes missing, he has no idea that Ava will become his secret weapon in the hunt for a killer.

DISCOVER THE GRIPPING AWARD-WINNING 2024 BRITISH CRIME NOVEL EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT.

'Deadly Animals is a shockingly beautiful, rare and heartbreaking gem. I really can't recommend it highly enough' - CHRIS WHITAKER

Reviews

Marie Tierney's debut will rock you back on your heels. Deadly Animals is a dark excursion into the horrifyingly credible * VAL McDERMID *
Beautiful and atmospheric. Ava is a strikingly original heroine, wise beyond her years * NEW YORK TIMES *
A remarkable debut. It is funny, creepy, gory and moving * The Times *
[Tierney's] exceptional talent shines through in this dark, engrossing drama * DAILY MAIL *
A crime novel I wish I had written * LYNDA LA PLANTE *
Utterly mesmerising . . . This writer has huge talent * PETER JAMES *
Exceptional in every way, Deadly Animals is a shockingly beautiful, rare and heartbreaking gem. A story both harrowing and exquisitely told. I really can't recommend it highly enough. * CHRIS WHITAKER *
An incredible debut - original, epically dark and with such a strong voice. Damn near perfect. * SUSI HOLLIDAY *
Marie's writing is beautiful * BELINDA BAUER *
With writing as sharp as a canine's claw and an unforgettable protagonist, this is a dark glittering gem of a book * LISA GRAY *
Gloriously dark, deadly and deathly . . . Gobbled it up - and it was absolutely delicious * C. J. SKUSE *
A masterpiece. Bold, daring, beautifully written and utterly chilling. * WILLIAM HUSSEY, author of KILLING JERICHO *
Feisty Ava and her sidekick John are just the heroes we need as they track down a serial killer in eighties Birmingham. Original, and as fascinating as it is macabre, Tierney is a name to watch. * SAM HOLLAND, author of The Echo Man *
As beautiful as it is chilling. The characters are flawlessly believable and the sense of time and place is wonderful. It's a devastating, all-consuming thriller with an unexpectedly kick-ass protagonist, and I thought it was amazing * HELEN FIELDS *
Wonderfully imagined * SAINSBURY'S MAGAZINE *
Atmospheric, fabulously grisly and has one of the best female protagonists I've read in a long time * JULIE MAE COHEN *
The writing is dark and visceral, the plot fiendish, and the main character a complex, yet lovable creation. I adored this novel. * JENNIE GODFREY, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS *
This extraordinary book is told through the unflinching eyes of Ava, a thirteen year old who helps solve the murder mystery. It is very dark, but beautifully written and captures perfectly what it was like to grow up in '80s Birmingham. Highly recommended. * JO CALLAGHAN, award winning author IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE *

Author Bio

MARIE TIERNEY was a finalist in the Daily Mail First Novel competition and her debut crime novel, Deadly Animals, was selected by bestselling crime writer Peter James as his winner. She cites Richard Adams, Margaret Atwood and Stephen King among her literary influences and, when she is isn't researching criminal history, she writes plays, poetry and creates art in different mediums. Born and raised in Birmingham, Marie held various jobs across four counties and dedicated almost twenty years to working in education before becoming a full-time writer. She now lives in The Fens with her husband and son.