She Knew Her Killer – A Sneak Peek!

I’m excited to tell you that yesterday the third book in the DI Claudia Nunn series was published. Not only was it published, but it went into the Amazon top 100 chart! I ended publication day over the moon. What a start to the new book.

Today I’m sharing a sneak peek of what’s inside with the first chapter.

First of all, let me remind you of what SHE KNEW HER KILLER is about.

She Knew Her Killer

Five old school friends reunited for a weekend in Sheffield. A drunken game of truth or dare. One won’t survive.

The young woman is found murdered in a swanky hotel room. Detective Claudia Nunn gets the text just as she leaves her therapist’s office.

The victim’s friends all say the same thing: she had been distracted and kept disappearing all weekend. And on the Saturday, someone had screamed abuse in her face.

Did she know her killer?

As Claudia closes in on the murderer, the top-brass start closing down the investigation. And the team become the target of violent attacks.

Someone will do anything to stop the truth getting out.

Prepare to be hooked.

Download HERE.

Now for the sneak peek…

She Knew Her Killer

Chapter 1

Harlow now

 

Harlow was lying to her friends.

She stood in the shower thinking about this. The warmth of the water as it powered over her skin relieved the aches of her body and mind. And her mind needed it the most. It had been an exacting four days since she’d arrived in Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon. Harlow couldn’t remember a time that had taxed her so much. Stress was not part of her dictionary, not since she’d walked away from her job in the city and opened up the owl sanctuary. It had been the best decision of her life. The corporate rat race had exhausted her and she’d wanted a change in tempo. But this, this had been beyond anything she had experienced. And she’d done it alone, without the others having any idea.

She’d organised the reunion — sending emails, checking dates, suggesting the venue. They hadn’t seen each other since leaving school, nearly twenty years ago, but being with her friends felt like coming home. She’d needed them here, but when it came to it, she couldn’t tell them why.

They were meeting downstairs for breakfast in forty-five minutes. Guilt niggled at Harlow that she hadn’t shared the real reason she was in Sheffield with her old school friends, but not enough guilt to actually tell them the truth.

Shame was a great silencer.

As she was towelling herself dry, there was a knock at the door. Strong and even.

She wasn’t expecting anyone.

She hadn’t ordered any room service and as they were due to check out later that day — they’d all paid for a late check-out — she wasn’t expecting a cleaner.

When the quick rap came again, Harlow realised she’d been staring at the door as if it would give her the answers she wanted. Whoever it was knocked again — they were impatient.

Harlow moved to the door and peered through the peephole. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw who was standing on the other side. It was the last person she’d have expected. Yet here they were. Outside her hotel room door and willing, by the look of it, to speak with her.

After all she’d been through these past four days.

She was naked from the shower. Her hair was wet and falling over her shoulders in damp tails. Quickly she wrapped the towel around herself, tucking an end into the front to secure it, then grabbed the courtesy robe from where she’d slung it on the back of the chair.

Tying the belt, she peered through the peephole once more. They’d already raised their hand to knock again, so Harlow, full of a lifetime’s worth of nerves, yanked the door open before they could make contact with the wood.

She was face to face with her caller.

Nausea swept over her as she ushered her visitor into the room. Not a word was spoken. Their turning up was enough.

Harlow closed the door.

And as she did, a flash of leather whipped past her face, and tightened around her throat.

Her hands flew to her neck. The leather was already burning her skin. She grappled, but it was so tight there was no room to get any purchase.

It cut into her, deep and merciless. She couldn’t make a sound. She gasped for air, but it wasn’t coming. Her eyes were bulging. Her head thrummed with pressure, like it was about to explode.

Stars and darkness edged into Harlow’s vision as her legs gave way and she tumbled down towards the carpet. She should have been getting answers to years of questions, but she was about to lose her life for asking them.

In the turmoil, Harlow’s mind cycled over the shock of who was behind her.

How could they do this to her?

The darkness was creeping in. Her body twitched. The end was near. No one was going to save her. She’d brought this on herself. Thought was soon impossible as the world faded out. Harlow’s head and shoulders were in the lap of her killer. Her death, while brutal and wretched, was soft and close to intimate.

Then everything went black.

And Harlow knew no more.

 

Download She Knew Her Killer HERE.