The People Watcher

Discover the shiver-inducing, heart-pounding suspense thriller that will keep you up into the early hours - perfect for fans of Alex Michaelides, Helen Fields and Catherine Ryan Howard. 
 
'Propulsive, sinister, gripping' - ALEX MICHAELIDES, international bestselling author of The Silent Patient and The Fear 
 
'Such a brilliant read with such well drawn characters – I loved it' - NIKKI SMITH, author of The Beach Party 
 
******** 
 
'One thing I've learned, these last few weeks, is that small acts of kindness are far less effective than fear...' 
 
She watches them in the dead of night. Hidden in plain sight, Mercy Lake provides what people need. Quietly. In secret. Making lives better. 
 
But he is watching too. And he doesn’t want to help anyone - he wants to punish them. And he wants Mercy to join him. 
 
Soon, though, their activities draw the attention of the very person Mercy is desperate to avoid. 
 
Someone who will go to extreme lengths to make her pay for knowing their secret . . . 
 
******** 
 
Readers can't put down The People Watcher! 
 
'WOW! So full of suspense. The ending was a shocker!' * * * * * 
 
'Wow wow wow this book did not disappoint. I read it in 2 sittings. So many twists and turns. I absolutely loved this book - a must read!!' * * * * * 
 
'Original, creepy and devastatingly clever. I raced through The People Watcher yet didn't want it to end. Utterly addictive. I loved it!' Sunday Times bestseller ANDREA MARA 
 
'Oh ... my ... word. The ending was such a shock and left me speechless. I normally see things coming, but not this time!' * * * * * 
 
'Twisty and dark as the night itself, it is impossible to put down. A triumph.' - NEIL LANCASTER 
 
'Absorbing and richly detailed, a novel with real heart.' LISA BALLANTYNE, Richard & Judy book club bestselling author of The Guilty One 
 
'Non-stop drama, full of surprises and twists and turns. I found it thoroughly engaging, something different and one not to be missed.' * * * * * 
 
'Intriguing characters and a gripping plot - what crime fiction should be!' * * * * * 
 
'Another cracking thriller from Sam Lloyd.' * * * * * 
 
 
Sam Lloyd, Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Winter 2020

PRAISE FOR THE PEOPLE WATCHER

A propulsive, sinister, gripping tale about the dark side of human nature that is hard to put down.

Original, creepy and devastatingly clever. I raced through The People Watcher yet didn't want it to end. Utterly addictive. I loved it!

Deftly plotted and deliciously twisty, this character-led thriller is a step outside the rest

'Absorbing and richly detailed, a novel with real heart.'

LISA BALLANTYNE, Richard & Judy book club bestselling author of The Guilty One 

'A taut and immersive story about a troubled, complex but ultimately enchanting character. Twisty and dark as the night itself, it is beautifully written, compulsive and impossible to put down. A triumph.'

Another corker from the author of The Memory Wood

This is Sam Lloyd's third novel, though the plotting and characterisation show the sure touch of a veteran. This marks him out as one of the authors to watch over the next few years

Such a brilliant read with such well drawn characters – I loved it

Sam Lloyd grew up in Hampshire, where he learned his love of storytelling. These days he lives in Surrey with his wife, three young sons and a dog that likes to howl. His first three thrillers, The Memory Wood, The Rising Tide and The People Watcher were published to great critical acclaim.

'Propulsive, sinister, gripping' - ALEX MICHAELIDES, international bestselling author of The Silent Patient and The Fear 
 
'Such a brilliant read with such well drawn characters – I loved it' - NIKKI SMITH, author of The Beach Party 
 
'One thing I've learned, these last few weeks, is that small acts of kindness are far less effective than fear...' 
 
SHE WATCHES THEM IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT 
 
Hidden in plain sight, Mercy Lake provides what people need. Quietly. In secret. Making lives better. 
 
BUT HE IS WATCHING TOO 
 
And he doesn’t want to help anyone - he wants to punish them. And he wants Mercy to join him. 
 
AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE 
 
Soon, their activities draw the attention of the very person Mercy is desperate to avoid. Someone who will go to extreme lengths to make her pay for knowing their secret . . . 
 
The People Watcher is a shiver-inducing, heart-pounding suspense thriller that will keep you up into the early hours - perfect for fans of Alex Michaelides, Helen Fields and Catherine Ryan Howard.

The Rising Tide

The new pulse-pounding thriller from the bestselling author of THE MEMORY WOOD. 
 
'Beautifully written, incredibly evocative with a real sense of place and of the sea. Heart-stoppingly tense' Catherine Cooper, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CHALET 
 
'Fiendishly clever' Sunday Times 
 
****** 
 
HOW DID IT COME TO THIS? 
 
The news doesn't strike cleanly, like a guillotine's blade. Nothing so merciful. This news is a slovenly traveller, dragging its feet, gradually revealing its horrors. And it announces itself first with violence - the urgent hammering of fists on the front door. 
 
Life can change in a heartbeat. 
 
Lucy has everything she could wish for: a beautiful home high on the clifftops, a devoted husband and two beloved children. 
 
Then one morning, time stops. Their family yacht is recovered, abandoned far out at sea. Lucy's husband is nowhere to be found and as the seconds tick by, she begins to wonder - what if he was the one who took the boat? 
 
And if so, where is he now? 
 
As a once-in-a-generation storm frustrates the rescue operation, Lucy pieces together what happened onboard. And then she makes a fresh discovery. One that plunges her into a living nightmare . . . 
 
Wherever her husband is, he isn't alone. Because their children are missing, too. 
 
****** 
 
Praise for Sam Lloyd: 
 
'Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent.' Daily Mail 
 
'Stunning prose and compulsive reading.' Lesley Kara 
 
'An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller.' Shari Lapena 
 
'A beautifully written, fast-paced thriller.' Heat 
 
'A darkly chilling and original novel . . . a series of twists keeps readers captivated until a shocking climax.' Daily Express 
 
'Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them.' Samantha Downing 
 
'A truly chilling story.' Woman & Home 
 
 
Sam Lloyd, Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Winter 2020

Beautifully written, incredibly evocative with a real sense of place and of the sea. Heart-stoppingly tense.

Catherine Cooper, bestselling author of The Chalet

Lloyd is terrific on atmosphere, channelling the hostile, volatile power of the sea both literally and metaphorically... He excels at taking readers to very dark places

Absorbing and deftly written . . . Each page promises the literary equivalent of a fresh jab to the solar plexus.

Shocking . . . Sam Lloyd's heart-racing thriller keeps us guessing until the end

A thrilling family drama with dramatic scenery and twisting reveals...

The Memory Wood

the chilling, bestselling Richard & Judy book club pick – this year’s must-read thriller

Gripping, twisty and addictive, this unique and heart-wrenching thriller has received unprecedented support from readers, press and authors alike. The must-read thriller of the year.

THE MUST-READ RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK. Chilling, moving and unputdownable, The Memory Wood is a thriller like no other. 
 
'Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent' Daily Mail 
 
'Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist' Guardian 
 
'Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers that stay with you, read this book' Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife 
 
************* 
 
Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It's the only home he's ever known. 
 
Elissa has only just arrived. And she'll do everything she can to escape. 
 
When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend. 
 
And he doesn't want Elissa to leave. 
 
Besides, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn't the first girl he's found inside the Memory Wood. 
 
As her abductor's behaviour grows more erratic, chess prodigy Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. 
 
Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . . 
 
************* 
 
Praise for Sam Lloyd: 
 
'An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller' Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door 
 
'Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It's undoubtedly the best thriller I've read in a long, long time' Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour 
 
'I haven't read anything quite this exciting since Room. You think all the stories have been told, then something like this comes along' Emma Curtis, author of The Night You Left 
 
 
Readers love The Memory Wood 
 
'A very clever psychological thriller. Dark, creepy and intense.' ***** 
 
'Deliciously dark... fresh and imaginative.' ***** 
 
'The twists and turns in The Memory Wood will astound. This book is undoubtedly the best I've read this year.' ***** 
 
 
Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Winter 2020

Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent.

Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It's undoubtedly the best thriller I've read in a long, long time.

What makes this book special is the marvellously executed subterranean power game. Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist, this is a very grim modern fairytale.

I was pulled into The Memory Wood from the very first page—it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you go. It’s an intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller. Put everything else aside when you enter the Memory Wood, including your expectations…

Forget everything you think you know about thrillers. The Memory Wood is a compulsive page-turner where visceral horror meets Grimm fairytale – a story that’s guaranteed to burn itself into your brain . . . Every twist and distortion evokes a physical response – you’ll be breathless with anticipation, tingling with hope, and numb with dread from beginning to end.

A beautifully written, fast-paced thriller with twists and turns as dark as the cell in which Elissa is confined. We devoured it in a matter of hours.

A darkly chilling and original novel . . . a series of twists keeps readers captivated until a shocking climax.

Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers that stay with you, read this book.

The dreamy nature of the story slowly dissipates as the danger deepens, leaving this reader with pounding heart and sweating palms.

The Memory Wood is impossible to put down. It's so wonderfully written, creepily atmospheric and chilling.

What a book! I haven't read anything quite this exciting since Room. You think all the stories have been told, then something like this comes along. Wonderful.

I was captivated by The Memory Wood – a beautifully told, dark and chilling tale.

A chilling, suspense-filled and heart-wrenching read.

A totally gripping novel that locks you into their cat-and-mouse game of survival. If you’re bored of thriller-by-numbers, you’ll love this original and twisty page turner.

The narrative irresistibly grips as it twists.

Sam Lloyd

The Bodies by Sam Lloyd has possibly the best hook of any thriller/psychological suspense in the last few years...it’s a blood-chilling, mind-bending, stress-inducing nightmare...I loved it, raced through it, can’t praise it highly enough.’

Helen Fields, million-copy bestselling author of The Institution and the DI Callanach Thrillers

Brilliantly written and genuinely terrifying.

A twisty, relatable and relentlessly gripping thriller that plays on every parent’s darkest fear. The tension never lets up for a moment.

TM Logan, author of The Daughter and The Dream Home

A suburban Breaking Bad. Expertly plotted. The definition of unputdownable. A fantastic thriller.

Lisa Ballantyne, bestselling author of The Guilty One

A nightmare scenario - and just when you think the nightmare is over, it gets worse. I was so tense I could barely breathe!

Jackie Kabler, author of The Life Sentence

An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller.

Alex Michaelides, international bestselling author of The Silent Patient and The Fear

Forget everything you think you know about thrillers. You&rsquo;ll be breathless with anticipation, tingling with hope, and numb with dread from beginning to end.

Original, creepy and devastatingly clever...Utterly addictive. I loved it!

Andrea Mara, bestselling author of It Should Have Been You

Lloyd is terrific on atmosphere... He excels at taking readers to very dark places.

Shocking . . . Sam Lloyd's heart-racing thriller keeps us guessing until the end.

Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist.

A beautifully written, fast-paced thriller.

Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them.

Twisty and dark as the night itself, it is impossible to put down. A triumph.

Forget everything you think you know about thrillers...you’ll be breathless with anticipation, tingling with hope, and numb with dread from beginning to end.

Such a brilliant read with such well drawn characters – I loved it.

When you look down at your newborn baby, you realise they were right, those smug parents you’ve always rolled your eyes at: you’d do literally anything for your child. To make them happy, keep them safe. 
 
So when Joseph Carver wakes one night to find his teenage son Max scrubbing the kitchen, hands wet with blood and panic flooding his voice as he promises it was an accident, he didn’t mean to do it, Joseph does the only thing he can. He helps Max bury the body. 
 
Joseph thinks that’s the end of the nightmare. Until he finds Max with stricken eyes and bloody hands once again . . . 
 
You’d do anything for your child – even cover up a murder. 
 
But how many times?

Sam Lloyd

Praise for The Bodies

The Bodies by Sam Lloyd has possibly the best hook of any thriller/psychological suspense in the last few years...it’s a blood-chilling, mind-bending, stress-inducing nightmare...I loved it, raced through it, ...

Brilliantly written and genuinely terrifying.

A twisty, relatable and relentlessly gripping thriller that plays on every parent’s darkest fear. The tension never lets up for a moment.

The Bodies by Sam Lloyd has possibly the best hook of any thriller/psychological suspense in the last few years...it’s a blood-chilling, mind-bending, stress-inducing nightmare...I loved it, raced through it, ...

Brilliantly written and genuinely terrifying.

A twisty, relatable and relentlessly gripping thriller that plays on every parent’s darkest fear. The tension never lets up for a moment.

The Bodies by Sam Lloyd has possibly the best hook of any thriller/psychological suspense in the last few years...it’s a blood-chilling, mind-bending, stress-inducing nightmare...I loved it, raced through it, ...

Brilliantly written and genuinely terrifying.

A twisty, relatable and relentlessly gripping thriller that plays on every parent’s darkest fear. The tension never lets up for a moment.

Books by Sam Lloyd

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