Black-Eyed Susans

Now selected for Simon Mayo Radio 2 Book Club September 2015. This is a chilling new thriller that gets into the heart and mind of the killer, and the victim... Seventeen-year-old Tessa, dubbed a 'Black-Eyed Susan' by the media, became famous for being the only victim to survive the vicious attack of a serial killer. Her testimony helped to put a dangerous criminal behind bars — or so she thought. Now, decades later the black-eyed susans planted outside Tessa's bedroom window seem to be a message from a killer who should be safely in prison. Haunted by fragmented memories of the night she was attacked and terrified for her own teenage daughter's safety, can Tessa uncover the truth about the killer before it's too late? Praise for Black-Eyed Susans: It's a terrific plot, matched by the quality of the writing and superbly paced tension. (The Times Book of the Month). Black Eyed Susans is a compelling read, especially for Serial fans. (Cosmopolitan). Creepy and compelling, Black-Eyed Susans is a shadowy and crooked journey to a very dark place indeed, a twisty fairytale that deceives you just when you think you've cracked it and a thriller to make you remember why you love thrillers. Don't miss it. (Observer, Thriller of the Month). One of the classiest thrillers you'll read this year. (Charlotte Heathcote of Daily Express and Sunday Express). Mesmerising... In a crowded field, Heaberlin is something special, and clearly an author to whom close attention must be paid. (Barry Forshaw, Crime Time). About as good an example of Grip Lit as you could read. (Sunday Independent). Sophisticated, disturbing and with plenty of red herrings. (Woman and Home). We can't remember the last time a thriller burrowed under our skin like this. Sparkling characters, authentic emotion, and an unpredictable plot makes this a terrific read from start to end. (iBooks, Books of the Month). The assured telling of this chiller combines to create a very modern Gothic horror that will keep you up way past your bedtime. (Sunday Mirror). A sophisticated take on the serial killer novel. (Good Housekeeping). A masterful thriller that shouldn't be missed. Heaberlin's work calls to mind that of Gillian Flynn. Both writers published impressive early novels that were largely overlooked, and then one that couldn't be: Flynn's Gone Girl and now Heaberlin's Black-Eyed Susans. Don't miss it. (Washington Post). A fascinating, twisted book. (Koethi Zan, author of Richard and Judy-selected The Never List). This is a deftly organised, impeccably paced psychological suspense thriller that nods to Daphne du Maurier and, like all Heaberlin's fiction, boasts purr-inducing prose. (Sunday Times, Culture Magazine).