The July girls - Phoebe Locke

'EXTRAORDINARY. SHOCKING, YET SUBTLE, THE MENACE DRIPS OFF EVERY PAGE . . . AN ALMOST UNBEARABLY GOOD READ' Caz Frear, Sunday Times-bestselling author of SWEET LITTLE LIES

Every year, on the same night in July, a woman is taken from the streets of London; snatched by a killer who moves through the city like a ghost.

Addie has a secret. On the morning of her tenth birthday, four bombs were detonated across the capital. That night her dad came home covered in blood. She thought he was hurt in the attacks - but then her sister Jessie found a missing woman's purse hidden in his room.

Jessie says they mustn't tell.
She says there's nothing to worry about. But when she takes a job looking after the woman's baby daughter, Addie starts to realise that her big sister doesn't always tell her the whole story. And that the secrets they're keeping may start costing lives . . .

MORE PRAISE FOR THE JULY GIRLS:

'I loved Phoebe Locke's last book, but this one is even better. Stunningly original with a protagonist you'll love' Jane Fallon, author of FAKING FRIENDS

'A corker. Twisty and haunting' C. J. Tudor, author of THE CHALK MAN

'Phoebe Locke has knocked it out of the park once again with THE JULY GIRLS. Atmospheric and beautifully written, it really is stunningly good' Cass Green, author of IN A COTTAGE IN A WOOD

'Chilling, gripping and unputdownable, with a wonderful protagonist - a must-read this summer' Karen Hamilton, author of THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND

'A stunningly original coming-of-age thriller . . . A triumph!' Emily Gunnis, author of THE GIRL IN THE LETTER

Phoebe Locke is the pseudonym of full-time writer Nicci Cloke. She previously worked at the Faber Academy, and hosted London literary salon Speakeasy. She lives and writes in Cambridgeshire.

Phoebe Locke is the author of two psychological thrillers, THE TALL MAN and THE JULY GIRLS.

A cracker. I loved The Tall Man, and The July Girls is even better
Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home

I adored The July Girls. Against a backdrop of heat, poverty and terrorism, Phoebe Locke vividly conveys a city stalked by a serial killer. Her protagonist - a ten-year-old girl called Addie - is brilliantly drawn. As the years pass, and she grows older, the tension ratchets up to an almost unbearable level. Beautifully written, not a word out of place, this deserves to be the summer's breakout hit
Fiona Cummins, author of Rattle

The July Girls is an extraordinary novel that gets under your skin from the very first page. Shocking, yet subtle, the menace drips off every page, making it an almost unbearably good read. Such an intricate, absorbing story that more than delivers on its knock-out premise (and boy, is it a knock-out!)
Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies

Superb. Atmospheric, dripping in blood and summer sweat. It's one of those truly unputdownable thrillers
Amy Lloyd, author of The Innocent Wife

I have just ripped through The July Girls in less than twenty-four hours - what an absolute corker of a novel! I love how Phoebe's characters are so beautifully written, and her talent for building the suspense . . . had me gripped from the first page to the last. I can't wait to see what she does next
Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me

Fabulous. I love Phoebe Locke's last book, but this one - The July Girls - is even better. Stunningly original with a protagonist you'll love
author of Faking Friends - Jane Fallon

After her brilliant debut The Tall Man, Phoebe Locke has knocked it out of the park once again with The July Girls. Atmospheric and beautifully written, it really is stunningly good
Cass Green, author of In a Cottage In a Wood

Loved it as much as The Tall Man. Chilling, gripping and unputdownable with a wonderful protagonist. A must-read this summer
Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend

I loved it. Tense and atmospheric, and the central characters were so well drawn I was rooting for them from only a couple of pages in. Very well done.
Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange

It landed in my letter box yesterday morning and by the afternoon I'd devoured it! It's a gripping read and almost impossible to put down.
Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones

The July Girls needs to be at the top of every TBR list this summer. I want to dig around in Phoebe Locke's brain and work out how the heck she did it! Thoroughly recommend! Beautifully plotted, addictive read with characters that feel so real I already miss them
Amanda Reynolds, author of Close to Me

An original take on the serial thriller killer that grips and disturbs, filled with characters who will linger long after 'The End'. As a reader I'm so excited that I've discovered Phoebe Locke
Catherine Ryan Howard, author of Distress Signals

Stayed up late last night to finish The July Girls, a beautifully written, expertly crafted thriller packed with genuine surprises. I also loved the contemporary London setting and how the book showed the coming of age of the heroine, and the city itself
Amy Heydenrych, author of Shame on You

The July Girls sucked me in immediately with its vivid descriptions of London life in the wake of the July 7 bombings, as well as with its wonderfully engaging young protagonist, Addie. One of the most atmospheric and original thrillers I've ever read, The July Girls is full of twists and turns, and memorable, realistic characters. I didn't want it to end. It's a book I'll be thinking about for a long time. I can't wait to read what Phoebe writes next
Charlotte Duckworth, author of The Rival