Five by Five

A bloody good read

Val McDermid

A significant crime debut. Authoritatively authentic, irresistibly pacey and nerve-shreddingly tense

Chris Brookmyre

Five by Five is an assured debut by former prison officer Claire Wilson, taking us inside the claustrophobic and offtimes gladitorial setting of a modern prison. With the dodgy guards and vicious cons, this is a topical dive into the darker aspects of our penal system. Terrifyingly authentic.

Vaseem Khan

Raw, brutal, claustrophobic, fast and impossible to put down. Written by someone who's walked the walk and seen the prison system close up

Neil Lancaster, bestselling author of Dead Man’s Grave

One of the best debuts I’ve read in some years. Five By Five is a no-holds barred gritty account of working in the prison service, and told from such a unique perspective. Claire Wilson writes with such a confident and assured voice. Utterly impossible to put down.

Robert Rutherford, Sunday Times bestselling author of Seven Days

Claire Wilson’s debut novel Five by Five grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. She quickly establishes that she’s blessed with a distinctive new Tartan Noir voice, so you’d better watch out Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, Alex Gray and Denise Mina because there’s a new girl in town.”

Professor David Wilson, leading criminologist and author of My Life with Murderers

Brilliantly plotted and so tense I forgot to breathe in places

Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me

Gritty and unflinching, unbearably tense and claustrophobic, it gripped me throughout. Claire’s professional expertise shines through and gives such authenticity to the story. The ending left me needing more so I really hope we meet Kennedy again in the future!

Natalie Chandler, author of What We Did

I really enjoyed this gritty crime thriller... feels like a blend of Orange is the New Black and Line of Duty

Roxie Key, author of The Deadly Spark