Sleep Tight (40 page)

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACK ROAD

A girl lies close to death in a dark, deserted lane
.

A driver drags her body to the side of the road
.

A shadowy figure hides in the trees, watching and waiting
.

The small community of Little Melham is in shock.

For Ellie Saunders, last night’s hit and run on the back road could destroy everything she has. She was out that night, but if she reveals where she was and why, her family will be torn apart. She is living on a knife-edge, knowing that her every move is being observed.

Ellie’s new neighbour, former Detective Chief Inspector Tom Douglas has moved to the village for some well-deserved peace and quiet, but as he is drawn into the web of deceit his every instinct tells him that what happened that night was more than a tragic accident.

As past and present collide, best-kept secrets are revealed and lives are devastated. Only one person knows the whole story. And that person will protect the truth no matter what the cost.

The Back Road
is an electrifying thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.

READ THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PROLOGUE

From the moment the cupboard door was slammed shut, trapping them both inside, she knew something was different. It should have seemed just like every other day, but somehow it didn’t. She felt the familiar pain and discomfort—the same as always. So what was it?

The girl soundlessly inched her feet across the confined space, searching for her sister’s toes with her own, both to seek and to give comfort. She had to try to make her sister feel safe. It would soon be over. But the fingers of an undefined dread were crawling up her spine.

Then her sister made a strange gurgling sound. She’d never made that sound before. It was as if something was stuck deep in her throat and she was trying to force it out. The girl silently willed her sister to stop.

Shh. Be still. Be quiet
.

She rested her chin on her bony raised knees and repeated the words over and over in her head, praying that her little sister would hear her thoughts and understand. If either of them made a noise, The Mother would be angry, and it would all be so much worse. Worse than suffering in silence.

She had tried to say that they would be good. They didn’t need to be put in here. But The Mother always said the same thing.

‘I am The Mother. You are The Daughter. You do what I say.
Don’t
argue. I’ve told you what happens to bad children. The Bogeyman gets them, and eats them for his dinner.’ And then she laughed. The girl was scared of The Bogeyman. Perhaps he would be even worse than The Mother.

She lifted her head slightly. A narrow crack in the wooden door let in a dusty sliver of light, illuminating a slender fragment of her sister’s face. It was white and shiny—a bit like a boiled egg when the shell was peeled away. She had never seen a face look like that before. Her sister lurched forward and bent over. Her hair was sticking to her forehead in damp curls, and she was making a noise in her throat. An awful noise. And there was a horrid smell too.

***

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Amazon
where a longer sample is available.

PRAISE FOR THE BACK ROAD

“It is one of those books that holds you hostage and is hard to put down until the end”
Confessions of a Reader

“An absorbing mystery of love, deceit, secrets, and murder…truly a spellbinding novel of suspense.”
Mysterious Reviews

“One of Best Mystery Suspense Novels Read This Year!”
Amazon Vine Voice

“Pure Genius: A Masterclass in the Perfect Thriller!!”
Love Books

“A clever psychological crime and mystery novel.”
Little Reader Library

“There are red herrings galore in this well scripted plot and even when you think you have the story sussed, Abbott throws a spanner into the works.”
Crime Fiction Lover blog

Download a sample of
The Back Road
from
Amazon