Despite my fears, I always knew we would have to return to face the demons of our past.
Back to the place where it happened, to where, as carefree teenagers, we lost our elder sister in the most brutal of circumstances.
As executors of our grandmother’s will, my twin brother, Ollie, and I needed to empty the house for resale.
What I didn’t expect to discover was my sister’s secret journal that contained her most private thoughts and shocking dark secrets.
Now I am questioning everything that I saw that night. Did I get it wrong, who I saw?
Did my evidence send an innocent man, my then boyfriend’s brother, to jail for the last 17 years?
I know I have no choice. If I want to find answers, I will have to go back to that fateful night my sister died. When she made her last visit to the summer house.
My Thoughts
Gripping, a raw psychological thriller that will have you looking behind you when you’re walking alone at night. It should be a simple case to solve, it seems very evident of the guilty party. An open and closed case, but not so fast. Trust no one, because when you start to trust, you will take the fall. I couldn’t sleep until I finished this, it kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. I am addicted to these thrillers, it’s a rush, even though there are so many subplots I can never see them coming.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Keri Beevis is the internationally bestselling author of Dying To Tell, Deep Dark Secrets, Trust No One, Every Little Breath and The People Next Door. Dying To Tell reached no. 1 in the Amazon chart in Australia and was a top 25 hit in the UK. She lives in Norfolk, along with her two naughty kitties, Ellie and Lola, and a plentiful supply of red wine (her writing fuel).
I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…
The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.
As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.
Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.
And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.
What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.
A gripping and addictive psychological suspense about dark obsession, intense motherly love and how far we will go to protect those we love the most. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Adele Parks and Sally Hepworth.
My Thoughts
Excuse me for one moment while I pick my jaw up off of the floor!
Secrets, sure we all have them, like eating that last slice of pizza that no one was supposed to eat because it was being saved. But what if your secret was bigger, oh so much bigger and you were about to find out exactly how it would affect your life?
Lou is the perfect neighbor, self-confident, bright, full of energy and always wanting to spend time with the neighborhood kids and pick them up from school when she picks up her own kids. She’s the kind of woman we all want to be and envy. She’s perfect!
There’s a crazy strong storm brewing and Lou is going to pick up the kids after school again, thank goodness because they’ll be safe with her. It’s getting later and later, and the kids are not home yet, and no one can get ahold of Lou.
Three neighborhood women have been friends since childhood. They hide a secret no one can know. Lou’s car has been found, it’s now dark and one child has asthma, the rain is pouring, and the creek continues to rise. Are they safe, dry, in danger?
You can feel the tension mounting, where is Lou? And what is this text message they receive telling the women to “tell all and the children will be safe.” Can they believe it and what power does Lou have over these women? All we care about is, are the children found safely?
Some absolutely astonishing revelations come to light in the twists and turn revealed in this suspenseful, psychological thriller! So good, I recommend it to you if you like tension filled reads with an unforeseen ending.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author Bio
Leah Mercer was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Her first ambition was to be a journalist, but after completing a Master’s in Journalism, she soon realised she preferred anything other than reporting the news. After trying her hand at public relations, teaching and recruitment in various countries around the world, she finally settled in London and returned to writing…fiction, this time. Her first two novels, Who We Were Before and The Man I Thought You Were, were shortlisted at the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards. Leah loves books, running and visiting historic houses with her husband and their son.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This weeks topic is March 7: Bookish People I’d Like To Meet (These can be authors, book characters, book bloggers/influencers, cover designers, cover models, etc.)
In no particular order here’s my list……….
I would love to meet the authors of these books to know what makes them tick and get an inside look at how they get their ideas for writing psychological thrillers.
I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…
The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.
As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.
Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.
And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.
What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.
The perfect holiday or the perfect nightmare…
I sit sipping champagne in the warm water, bubbles frothing around me as I admire the breath-taking view of gorgeous blue skies and mountains. I can’t believe I’m here, at this stunning holiday home. It’s to die for…
My best friend and her husband have invited me and my family to their lakeside property for the weekend, to experience their luxury lifestyle. I’m not envious of their wealth, although I know my husband Ryan is. All I want is to escape from our recent troubles and get my marriage back on track.
Then I overhear Ryan having a whispered conversation late one evening, and he says something that sends a shiver down my spine. In this beautiful paradise my whole world is turned upside down.
Just when I think things can’t get any worse, I discover a second secret. The truth is even more shocking than I imagine, and now I have no idea who to trust.
AVAILABLE FOR 3 DAYS ONLY
Welcome to Eldey, an island with deadly secrets.
Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations.
Beth: the harried mother of a toddler, on the remote Welsh island for a weekend with her family.
Charlotte: a reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband.
One of them is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party. They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again?
An absolutely gripping Welsh crime novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Pearce and Lucy Foley.
She shuts the door behind her, relieved to be in the safety of her own home. But tonight her house is the most dangerous place she could be. Someone has been waiting for her, and they know she’s home alone…
Sasha loves her job finding accommodation for homeless people, and she’s proud of the small but cosy apartment she rents on the good side of town. She’s worked hard to leave her dark past behind her and make amends for the accident that still haunts her memories. She knows she was innocent, though she’s still careful about who and what she tells of her old life. But not all secrets stay hidden forever…
When her phone rings loudly in the middle of the night, Sasha fears what she’ll hear when she picks up – a deathly silence. It’s happened every night for weeks. Is it a childish prank, or a chilling warning that someone has uncovered her secret?
But the news of a body found at a local shelter means her worst nightmare has come true. It can’t be a coincidence that evidence related to the victim has been found at the same location where the most devastating moment of Sasha’s life took place.
Days later, a second body is found and Sasha’s heart pounds wildly as she takes in the victim’s unforgettable green eyes. She hasn’t seen her in a long time, but she’d know her old friend anywhere. She was the only other person who knew Sasha’s secret, so how can Sasha prove her innocence now?
Sasha doesn’t know who’s coming for her, but she’s certain of one thing: she’s next on the list…
Taking off my favourite striped apron to sit down for our family meal, I know something is wrong the moment the doorbell rings. A chill runs through me as the police officer places handcuffs around my wrists and I see my husband’s shocked face. They’re arresting me for murder…
We’ve been best friends with Victoria and Russell since they first moved to Dragonfly Close. My children love Auntie Vic. We spend long summer evenings together sipping my homemade lemonade in the garden, laughing and chatting and sharing everything. But now I’m accused of murdering Russell.
Sitting in the back of the police car, I can’t stop thinking about my kids. Who will take them to school in the morning? Who will make sure Holly eats more than a bite of dinner? She needs me more than ever.
Then my mind races back to the last time Russell and I met up in secret. Surely the police won’t know about the argument we had last week, and the terrible things we said.
I tell myself they don’t know about my past.
That they haven’t been listening to the conversations I’ve been having in my house.
I didn’t kill Russell. I’m a devoted mother, a loyal wife and a good friend to Victoria. But I know the police won’t believe me. The question is, will you?
Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.
I race across the fields in the gathering dusk. “Claire!” I cry, hearing my voice echo. “Claire!”
Every October, the school where I work takes a trip to a local farm, to pet the animals and search for the perfect Halloween pumpkin. This year is even more special, as my daughter Claire is coming. She’s so excited, and we really need some fun time together after what we’ve been through.
But the day turns dark when one of the children goes missing. I leave Claire safe with another teacher to join the search, desperately scouring the fields and playgrounds. When at last we find little Katy, lost in the corn maze, I am light-headed with relief.
I return to the rest of the group to hug my daughter tight. But Claire is nowhere to be seen.
Whoever took her waited till I was distracted. Whoever took her must be someone I know.
But who could want to punish me this badly? Is it linked to the night I refuse to think about, the night my husband died?
I’ll do anything to get my daughter back. But if the truth comes out, I might already have lost her…
A brilliantly twisty thriller that will have you gripped from the first page to the final reveal. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell.
Four friends. One dream getaway. But who will make it out alive?
When the gold-rimmed invitations arrive through the doors of best friends Simone, Hannah and Vicky they’re instantly taken aback. Their ex-friend Jodie is inviting them to a lavish Mediterranean villa to celebrate her birthday. They haven’t spoken in years since she betrayed them in the worst way. So how did they make the guest list?
They all have their reasons for saying yes. Stay-at-home mum Simone had her dream job snatched away. Hannah lost the love of her life. Café-owner Vicky wants the chance to help a wronged friend. Is the reunion a chance to confront Jodie and the past once and for all?
Arriving at a villa that looks straight out of a movie set, the friends relax by the sumptuous pool as they wait for the other guests to arrive. But as the chilled wine is poured and the three friends reminisce, they see Jodie walking towards them with a look of shock on her face.
Because Jodie didn’t invite them here.
But by the end of the weekend it will become clear who did. Someone else has a reason for revenge. Who will make it out alive?
An absolutely addictive and twist-filled psychological thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Lisa Jewell and T.M. Logan.
Trusted surgeon. Loving wife. Murderer?
Before my world came crashing down, I had it all. The successful career I dreamed of. The beautiful red-brick home where I could relax in front of the fire. The handsome, devoted husband whose blue eyes and charming smile always made me feel safe.
As I call time of death, my voice is steady. My colleagues stand hushed around me, their eyes on me, confused, concerned.
I have never lost a patient until today.
My hands tremble inside their gloves. I slide down the cold tiled walls, my heart racing in my chest.
I have never hated a patient until today.
But what choice did I have, once I recognized him?
And what will I do to protect myself, if someone learns the truth?
A totally gripping psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages, gasping for breath until the final jaw-dropping twist. If you love Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena and The Girl on the Train, you won’t be able to put this down.
Ten years ago: On a warm summer’s evening, four childhood friends gather at a slumber party… Before dawn breaks, the nightmare begins. One of them dies. One of them is a killer.
Liz was the bubbly girl-next-door. She could never have imagined how everything would fall apart.
Sami was the clever one, quieter than the others. She was meant to keep all their secrets…
Amy had the voice of an angel, destined for Hollywood. She would never make it there.
Mo was leader of the group, charismatic and protective. But she was not who she appeared to be…
They were childhood friends, on the cusp of the rest of their lives. They’d shared everything with each other. Or so they thought… Until one of them died.
Today: Liz tries not to think about the night that destroyed their lives. She focuses on her beloved husband and their sweet-eyed daughter. But when she receives a note, there’s no more running away: “I’m back. Did you miss me?”
A wave of dizziness crashes over her. Her best friend can’t be back. She’s dead. So who sent the note? What do they know? And, most terrifying of all, are they planning to make her pay for what happened…?
They both want their happy ever after. But who will kill for it?
We were such good friends… until the day she married my ex-husband.
Now, I’ve married hers, and we’ve agreed to get along for the sake of our families.
It’s all very civilized, but then there’s a freak accident and I wake up in a hospital bed.
As I take in my surroundings, a familiar and loving sight greets me – my darling husband.
He tells me everything is going to be alright. That he loves me and that whatever challenges come our way, we’ll get through them together.
For an instant, I feel safe. I push the nightmare that has haunted my dreams to the back of my mind – an unknown man forcing someone under water, vowing that their next breath will be their last.
But as I gaze into his eyes, I begin to pale. Because I’m sure the man sitting opposite me is not my husband.
He’s hers.
So why do I feel he is the only person in the world I can trust?
A completely addictive, twist-laden psychological thriller with an ending that will leave you speechless. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Nicole Trope and Adele Parks.
Who is on your list of bookish people?
Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in, I love to read your comments.
t’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. Hosted at The Book Date.
My reading has been all over the place this past week. I’ve gotten a lot of reading done. I have some blog tours I need to read for upcoming soon and I’m trying to catch up on some older NetGalley books. I also have a blog tour I was supposed to post about March 3 and didn’t write it in my notes and completely forgot about it, so I had to buy a copy on Amazon because it’s archived on NetGalley. So, I’ll be posting that today or tomorrow. I hope your week is getting off to a great start.
Read last week
Currently Reading
What’s Up Next for me
What does your reading plan look like for this week?
I am excited to reveal to you today the cover for This Child is mine by, Emma-Claire with a release date of 3 August. 2023.
About The Book
This Child of Mine
When Stephanie is told she’s pregnant and that she is sick on the same day, she faces an impossible choice…
After trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill.
If I carry my baby to term, I will almost certainly die.
If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live.
My husband – the father of this child – is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me, I can’t trust him anymore.
What would you do?
An emotional yet uplifting tear-jerker that will have you reaching for the tissues – perfect for fans of EMMA ROBINSON and JODI PICOULT
This book sounds so good. I’ll be grabbing a copy for myself soon.
About The Author
Born in Scotland, Emma-Claire travelled the world as the child of military parents. After almost 20 years in Spain, she returned to the UK with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog, Pip. Emma-Claire worked as a journalist for English language magazines and newspapers in Spain and in 2015 launched The Glass House Online Magazine. When not writing emotional fiction, you can find her dreaming up new book ideas or wrapped in a blanket with a book in her hand.
“Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…
It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.
It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…
That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.
Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…
This absolutely explosive and shockingly twisty sequel to international bestseller The Housemaid will keep you racing through the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, The Woman in the Window and Gone Girl will be totally hooked! This book can also be enjoyed as a standalone.
Read what everyone’s saying about Freida McFadden:
From Book 1: “Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…
An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!
My Thoughts
This is my first read by this author. Somehow, I missed the first in the series when it released but I’ll need to quickly remedy that. With the hype I’ve been hearing about this book even though its release date isn’t until February of 2023 I had to give it a try. Wowie, am I ever glad I did! In this book what you think you know, you don’t. What’s real, isn’t. There is so much going on I had to stop reading for a bit just to absorb it all and to keep it all straight. The suspense, the forbidden, the secrecy, the betrayal and deception. The twists and turns are roller coaster like and just as dizzying. Don’t trust anything you think you know about any of the characters, believe me you know nothing! This new to me author is on my hot list now and I’ll be checking out the rest of her books now.
Pub Date 20 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
#1 Amazon and USA TODAY bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
A perfect mother. A loving daughter. A secret that could destroy them both.
New mother Eve is overwhelmed with love for her baby son, Kai. As she swaddles him in a fluffy white blanket, she shudders at a memory of her own childhood. She hasn’t seen her heartless mother Lydia in years, and she hasn’t told a soul about what really happened the night her baby brother died in the squalid little house she grew up in…
When the phone rings in the dead of night, Eve’s heart pounds as she hears the voice at the other end. ‘Hello Mother’, she replies, an ice-cold chill creeping down her spine. She grips her son’s tiny frame close to her trembling chest as she reluctantly agrees to let her mother visit.
But when Eve has to make an emergency call from Kai’s bedroom early one morning, she curses herself for allowing her mother back into her perfect little family.
‘Kai was fine when I checked on him a few hours ago.’ Her mother says, breathlessly as she watches her daughter’s face change from fear to rage.
Why was Lydia in Kai’s bedroom during the night? And as Lydia pleads her innocence, could it be that she’s not the most dangerous mother in this family?
Fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife, will absolutely love this gripping and addictive thriller. Her First Child will have you hooked from the very first page!
My Thoughts
I am a new reader of psychological thrillers. As a new reader of this genre, I am drawn to the synopsis of the books, and I have enjoyed the ones I have read. The pace of this one is fast; you never really know what to expect. This is my first read by this author and I am open to reading more by her. The story was very suspenseful, I thought I understood what was going on but then it flowed into another scenario, another possibility. Who can you trust when relationships are based on neediness and lies. Oh, so many lies. What is good in this life, what is bad? You think you know, but you don’t. Betrayal, abuse, neglect, despair, tension, you will find this and more. A mother unable to do the one thing she was made to do, protect her children. As her daughter grows into a woman will she inherit her mother’s mannerisms, her silence, the madness, the inability to cope with reality? In this dual timeline, there is a lot of covering up, hiding the bad, the secrets must never see the light of day. Twists and turns with a very unexpected ending.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Participating Blogs
Author Bio
Author Bio:
Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has also obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller HER FIRST CHILD comes to you from BOOKOUTURE. Her previous works include the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, along with contemporary fiction novels, The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love.To find out more about Sheryl, go to www.sherylbrowne.com https://twitter.com/sherylbrowne
She forgot about her childhood friend… until his body is found under her garden. Can she prove she didn’t commit the decades-old murder?
Lucy Freeman struggles to find satisfaction in life. Trapped in the shadow of her rock star brother, the thirty-two-year-old craves more than her days at home caring for her terminally ill mother. But her routine takes a turn for the horrifying when a giant sinkhole collapses the earth outside their house and reveals a skeleton.
Shocked to discover the bones belong to a former member of her sibling’s band, Lucy’s worst nightmare comes alive when police suspect her of the killing. And as she turns to her dying parent’s diaries in a desperate search for vindication, she’s entangled in a dark and complicated truth.
Will unearthing long-buried wrongs prove lethal?
Lies at Her Door is a heavy-hitting psychological thriller novel. If you like strong character growth, overcoming dysfunctional relationships, and revealing unexpected secrets, then you’ll love AA Abbott’s chilling whodunnit.
Buy Lies at Her Door to excavate the facts from the rubble today!
My Thoughts
All should be merry and bright as the sound of Christmas carols float in the air in this posh neighborhood in Bristol but that’s not quite how it’s playing out. This gripping psychological thriller had me reeled in from the start. There are many characters, some a minor blip but the author takes us inside the mind of some as we get to know their thinking or at least we think we get to but there are psychological mind games at play here. A skillfully plotted thriller, we have our main character a 32-year-old dowdy woman living at home taking care of her terminally ill nonverbal mother. When a skeleton is found in a sinkhole in her backyard she is blamed, and she must try to clear her name. Believable dialogue and actions. As the investigation is off to a running start sinister secrets surface that may have been best to been left unearthed. A tightly woven plot that will have you convinced you’ve solved it when your thought process will suddenly need to take another direction. The pace really picks up in the last quarter of the book as the mind games are front and center with an unseen surprise ending. Will be reading more of this new to me author.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
British crime thriller writer A.A. Abbott (also known as Helen Blenkinsop) enjoys escaping with an exciting and emotional read, and that’s what she aims to write. She also sets her fiction in the cities where she’s lived and worked: London, Bristol and Birmingham. Currently based in Bristol, she’s set her latest psychological thriller in the city’s swanky Clifton district. Inspiration for the story came when a sinkhole appeared in Clifton on Christmas Day 2020, revealing a collapsed cellar under a park. In real life, no-one was singing carols there at the time and no skeleton was discovered, but writers often stretch the boundaries of truth!