Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

'A nail-biter of a thriller' Shari Lapena

‘Hypnotically good' Lee Child

'Feels like a blockbuster movie' Lisa Jewell 

‘Utterly riveting’ Lucy Foley

‘A propulsive read – Hostage will have you questioning “what would you do” at every turn’ Karin Slaughter

The jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat Sunday Times bestselling thriller

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Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
Sphere / 23 June / PB / £8.99

Save hundreds of lives. Or save your child?

You're on board the first non-stop flight from London to Sydney. It's a landmark journey, and the world is watching.

Shortly after take-off, you receive a chilling anonymous note.

There are people on this plane intent on bringing it down - and you're the key to their plan.

You'd never help them, even if your life depended on it.

But they have your daughter . . . So now you have to choose.

DO YOU SAVE HUNDREDS OF LIVES? OR THE ONE THAT MATTERS MOST?

'Taking the locked room mystery to a new, white-knuckle extreme, this is electrifying' HEAT

'A thrilling, chilling gut-punch of a book' RED

'The year's most intriguing high-concept plot' DAILY EXPRESS

'Mackintosh is a pro' NEW YORK TIMES

'An incredibly tense read that has a satisfyingly clever ending' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘The book of the summer’ SUN

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About Clare Mackintosh

Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of five Sunday Times bestselling novels, including I Let You Go, which was the fastest-selling debut thriller in the year it was released. Translated into forty languages, her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, have been New York Times and international bestsellers and have spent a combined total of 64 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller chart.

Clare spent twelve years in the police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant and is the founder of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. She now writes full time and lives in Wales with her husband and their three children.

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Clare Mackintosh

Sphere takes two more from number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh, and launches her first-ever crime series

Number one Sunday Times bestseller Clare Mackintosh is launching her first-ever crime series this summer, beginning with The Last Party. The series will be set against the wild, beautiful backdrop of Snowdonia, Mackintosh’s home, and star the fiery DC Ffion Morgan.

The Last Party is a mystery with echoes of Agatha Christie and Scandi-noir but with a modern edge all of Mackintosh’s own, and features her signature strong characters, heartfelt emotion and unpredictable twists and turns. It also draws upon her own experiences as a former police officer. Rhys Lloyd, a home-grown hero who has returned to build controversial holiday homes on the shore of Llyn Drych (Mirror Lake), is found floating dead in the water on New Year’s Day, the morning after a party that brought together the feuding villagers and locals. DC Ffion Morgan has to investigate her neighbours, friends and family – and in a village with this many secrets, a murder is just the beginning.

Mackintosh will be undertaking a major tour to mark the start of the series, travelling throughout Wales sharing proofs of The Last Party with bookshops as well as visiting stores across the UK.

Cath Burke, executive publisher for Sphere, and Lucy Malagoni, fiction publisher at Sphere, also acquired world rights in two further thrillers in a deal with Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown. The first book will be the next DC Morgan mystery, publishing in 2023.

Lucy Malagoni, Publisher for Sphere Fiction, said: “I can't wait to invite readers to The Last Party this summer and introduce them to the brilliant DC Ffion Morgan. Myself and the team at Sphere have had the privilege of working with Clare and Sheila since the launch of I Let You Go, and it never ceases to be a thrill. Clare raises the bar with every book she writes, and we are as ambitious as ever for this exceptional new series.”

Clare Mackintosh said: “I have an incredible team at Sphere, not only in editorial, but across marketing, PR, sales and more. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be staying with this stellar crew for another two books, and I can’t wait to introduce DC Ffion Morgan to my readers.” 

Sheila Crowley said: “It is wonderful working with Clare Mackintosh who is always finding new ways to reach her readers, and works tirelessly with the Sphere team in developing innovative campaigns. This exciting new series will bring Clare to an even wider audience.”

Clare Mackintosh’s books have won multiple awards, sold over 2 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. The Last Party publishes on 4th August.