Paper Ghosts: The unputdownable chilling thriller from The Sunday Times bestselling author of Black Eyed Susans

(Paperback)

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Description

The follow-up to Sunday Times number 2 bestseller and Radio 2 book club pick Black-Eyed Susans Carl Louis Feldman is an old man who was once a celebrated photographer. That was before he was tried for the murder of a young woman and acquitted. Before his admission to a care home for dementia. Now his daughter has come to see him, to take him on a trip. Only she's not his daughter and, if she has her way, he's not coming back . . . Because Carl's past has finally caught up with him. The young woman driving the car is convinced her passenger is guilty, and that he's killed other young women. Including her sister Rachel. Now they're following the trail of his photographs, his clues, his alleged crimes. To see if he remembers any of it. Confesses to any of it. To discover what really happened to Rachel. Has Carl truly forgotten what he did or is he just pretending Perhaps he's guilty of nothing and she's the liar. Either way in driving him into the Texan wilderness she's taking a terrible risk. For if Carl really is a serial killer, she's alone in the most dangerous place of all . . .

Reviews

Heaberlin's latest thriller is at once a zany, dialogue-propelled two-hander, a murder mystery, a road trip, a pair of psychological case studies and a meditation on photography * The Sunday Times *
Every journey reaches its end, and the one in Paper Ghosts comes on fast and furious. Signposts along the way warn of angst, secrets and deadly plot twists, but you'll never see what's coming . . . * Washington Post *
A tale of murderous obsession . . . Heaberlin, author of the impressive Black-Eyed Susans, plays her cards close to her chest, careful to give away little about the motivations of either of her characters, as her heroine edges closer to the truth' -- A THRILLER OF THE MONTH * The Guardian *
Wonderful . . . creepy . . . it elevates the often tawdry genre of the serial killer novel to a work of art * Sunday Express *
Heaberlin's works beautifully evoke the texture and landscape of the state of Texas . . . Their road trip across Texas results in profound revelations, strange occurrences, and a surprisingly heartwarming ending -- Molly Odintz * Crimereads *
Gripping . . . dementia suits crime fiction. Is the suspect lying or has a medical reason for his amnesia * The Times *
Beautifully written and wonderfully chilling -- Sarah Pinborough
Readers cannot tell fact from fiction. The timing is perfect, the layers of the story both peel away and deepen as the search into the mind of a killer takes turns no one is expecting * RT Book Reviews *
The tension crackles . . . it had me changing my mind so often, my head was spinning. A work of art. * Sunday Express *
A dialogue propelled two-hander, a murder mystery, a road novel, a pair of psychological case studies. It would make a fine indie movie, although screen adaption would entail sacrificing Heaberlin's evocative prose -- THRILLER OF THE MONTH * The Sunday Times *
Strong characterisation, haunting images, a wonderful sense of place * Guardian *
This book haunted me . . . The writing is beautiful and chilling, laced with a subtle dark humour, and the multiple twists build to a perfect icy shiver of an ending. I loved it! -- C J TUDOR * Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man *
Utterly compelling . . . the writing is mesmeric -- ALI LAND * Sunday Times bestselling author of Good Me Bad Me *
Heaberlin knows exactly how to create a feeling of suspense. The kind of fear that that creeps up on you from behind. It is a compelling and sinister, character-driven read. -- Cheryl M-M's Book Blog
A clever tale about finding closure * The Sun *
A beautifully written, gripping and extraordinary book -- Sophie Hannah * bestselling author of The Narrow Bed *
A rich hybrid work that's at once a zany dialogue-propelled town-hander, a murder mystery, a road trip, a pair of psychological case studies and a meditation on photography * Sunday Times Paperbacks Round Up *
Finding something new to say about serial killers is almost impossible these days, but Heaberlin's approach is completely original and all shades of menacing * Crime Fiction Lover, 5 Women to Watch in 2019 *
My crime novel of 2018. It's a stunning page turner of a book which kept me gripped throughout. It's a book that has stayed with me beyond the last chapter and I'm recommending it to everyone * Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones *
The timing is perfect, the layers of the story both peel away and deepen as the search into the mind of a killer takes turns no one is expecting * RT Book Reviews *
This book haunted me. Such a gripping exploration of obsession and loss: of those we love, but also our memories and sense of self. The writing is beautiful and chilling, laced with a subtle dark humour, and the multiple twists build to a perfect icy shiver of an ending. I loved it! * C J Tudor, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man *
Utterly compelling . . . the writing is mesmeric -- Ali Land * Sunday Times bestselling author of Good Me Bad Me *
Praise for Black-Eyed Susans * - *
It's a terrific plot, matched by the quality of the writing and superbly paced tension * The Times BOOK OF THE MONTH *
One of the classiest thrillers you'll read this year -- Charlotte Heathcote * The Express *
Black Eyed Susans is a compelling read, especially for Serial fans * Cosmopolitan *
Creepy and compelling, Black-Eyed Susans is a shadowy and crooked journey to a very dark place indeed, a twisty fairytale that deceives you just when you think you've cracked it and a thriller to make you remember why you love thrillers. Don't miss it * Observer, Thriller of the Month *
Sophisticated, disturbing and with plenty of red herrings * Woman and Home *
Black-Eyed Susans is a masterful thriller that shouldn't be missed . . . and in terms of suspense, characterizations and storytelling... is outstanding. Heaberlin's work calls to mind that of Gillian Flynn. Both writers published impressive early novels that were largely overlooked, and then one that couldn't be: Flynn's Gone Girl and now Heaberlin's Black-Eyed Susans. Don't miss it * Washington Post *
A truly compelling tale of the fragility of memory and elusive redemption * Kirkus Reviews *
Terrific. Impeccable plotting * Barry Forshaw *

Author Bio

Julia Heaberlin is an award-winning journalist. She has also edited numerous real-life thriller stories, including a series on the perplexing and tragic murders of girls buried in the Mexican desert and another on domestic violence. She lives with her family in Texas. Her previous novel, Black-Eyed Susans, was a Sunday Times Number Two bestseller and a Radio 2 Book Club selection as well as Waterstones Thriller of the Month.