The Innocent One: The gripping, must-read thriller from the Richard & Judy Book Club bestselling author

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Could the child once accused of murder really be innocent

'So good . . . Ballantyne makes it look easy' NEW YORK TIMES

'Beautifully told' DAILY MAIL

'Thought-provoking and unsettling' ALEX GRAY

'A breathless thriller' WOMAN'S OWN

'Had me turning the pages late into the night' C. J. COOPER

________

Innocent

Ten years ago, Sebastian Croll was found not guilty of murdering his playmate.

Criminal solicitor Daniel Hunter defended the eleven-year-old in a trial that gripped the nation, but the past is unearthed when Daniel gets a call from his old client.

Or guilty

Sebastian's university professor has been brutally murdered and everyone who knew her is in the frame.

As Daniel steps in to represent Sebastian for the second time, rumour of his client's identity spreads like wildfire.

The media swarm. Threats begin to arrive. And the question on everyone's lips:

Could the child once accused of murder really be innocent

________

What everyone is saying about Lisa Ballantyne's thrillers:

'Gripping' CLARE MACKINTOSH

'Sophisticated, suspenseful' LEE CHILD

'Tense' SUNDAY TIMES

'Unsettling and compulsive' ROSAMUND LUPTON

'Moving' GUARDIAN

'Emotionally intense' RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB

'Grips like a vice' DAILY MAIL

'Thought-provoking' GILLY MACMILLAN

'Tense' RACHEL ABBOTT

'A page-turner' DAILY EXPRESS

'I couldn't get this book out of my head' JENNY COLGAN

Reviews

Beautifully told, with the talented Ballantyne's typical clarity, it weaves a subtle web * Daily Mail *
Fingernail-on-a-chalkboard sentences are what make The Innocent One so good . . . Fashioning memorable suspense out of a well-known case is incredibly difficult, but Ballantyne makes it look easy -- Sarah Weinman * New York Times *
A breathless thriller * Womans Own *
A combination of psychological and legal thriller, this is both tense and intense, gripping and moving * Morning Star *
A wonderfully creepy crime thriller * Yours *
A character-driven, domestic crime novel. Through juxtaposing the choices of two emotionally disturbed boys, Ballantyne sensitively explores themes of rejection, abuse, and forgiveness * Booklist *
Thought provoking and unsettling -- Alex Gray, the Sunday Times bestselling author of the DSI Lorimer series
A skilful mixture of creepy crime thriller and gripping domestic drama, the Innocent One had me turning the pages late into the night. -- C. J. Cooper, bestselling author of The Book Club
A suspenseful, compelling read with a sting in the tail that will leave you gasping. Lisa Ballantyne knows her stuff. An author to be reckoned with -- T. F. Muir, author of the DCI Andy Gilchrist series
A crackling good read - exactly the kind of novel that readers have come to expect from one of the most talented psychological suspense authors working today. With a gripping, twisty plot, conflicted and relatable characters, ever-rising tension, and an ending that's as thrilling as it is satisfying, I loved this book!' -- Karen Dionne, No. 1 internationally bestselling author of The Marsh King's Daughter
Such a wonderfully layered novel, part emotionally charged, nerve-jangling thriller, and part tender, intelligent family drama. I couldn't put it down. Brilliant. -- Saskia Sarginson, bestselling author of The Twins
Praise for Lisa Ballantyne's previous novels:
A gripping and emotionally charged story. Just brilliant -- Clare Mackintosh
Sophisticated, suspenseful, unsettling -- Lee Child
Moving, insightful * Guardian *
Thought-provoking, brave and challenging, this book is an unsettling and compulsive read -- Rosamund Lupton
Grips like a vice * Daily Mail *
Tense * Sunday Times *
Thought-provoking and clever -- Gilly Macmillan
One of the most readable, emotionally intense novels of the year -- Richard and Judy Book Club
Thought-provoking * Woman & Home *
A tense and shocking thriller that has the added treat of Lisa Ballantyne's deft prose. I loved it -- Renee Knight
Gripping, tense and moving -- Claire McGowan
Moving and suspenseful; richly detailed, yet with the eerie simplicity of a parable -- Joyce Carol Oates
A page-turner with real emotional depth * Daily Express *
A compelling and emotional read with convincing characters that stayed in my head. Lisa Ballantyne deals with a difficult and controversial subject in a sensitive and thoughtful way -- Jenny Quintana

Author Bio

Lisa Ballantyne is the internationally bestselling author of four novels. Her debut, The Guilty One, was a Richard and Judy Book Club bestseller, Edgar-Award nominated and translated into nearly thirty languages. Her second novel, Good Bad Love (previously Redemption Road), was a USA Today bestseller. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland.