Author:Vincent Ralph
From New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph comes a page-turning thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One Of Us Is Lying.
Ten years ago, Jess's mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.
She was the first of his victims, but not the last.
Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she's using it to catch the killer once and for all.
The whole world is watching her every move.
And so is the Magpie Man.
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2021
Shortlisted for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2021
This is a twisty whodunnit, underpinned by the emotive portrait of a family devastated by loss.
—— Fiona Noble , The GuardianA whodunnit that tackles the social responsibility of media companies and the perilous fearlessness of the young around new technology.
—— The Financial TimesWonderfully inventive
—— Heat MagazineArden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical. The novel is deceptively simple, but its characters and plot are sophisticated and complex. Arden explores what happens when fear and ignorance whip people into a furore, and how society can be persuaded to act against its own interests so easily. It’s a rather apt tale for our times.
—— Washington PostAn extraordinary retelling of a very old tale. A Russian setting adds a unfamiliar spice to the story of a young woman who does not rebel against the limits of her role in her culture so much as transcend them. A wonderfully layered novel of family roles and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.
—— Robin HobbA beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.
—— Naomi NovikHaunting and lyrical, The Bear and the Nightingale tugs at the heart and quickens the pulse. I can’t wait for her next book.
—— Terry BrooksA thrilling tale...perfect...
—— Emerald StreetA beautiful snowy Russian fable set at the border between myth and reality; a cast of demons, priests and royalty centre around a girl fighting to find her own path. Magical, thrilling and entrancing.
—— Anna James...so detailed and vivid you can practically feel the chill numbing your fingers. Beautifully written and richly textured, it’s a beguiling read.
—— SFX MagazineArden’s debut is an earthy, beautifully written love letter to Russian folklore, with an irresistible heroine ... [an] exciting fairy tale that will enchant readers from the first page
—— Publisher's WeeklyEnthralling and enchanting – I literally couldn’t put it down. A wondrous book!
—— Tamora Pierce , bestselling author of the Song of the Lionness QuartetThe Bear and the Nightingale is a marvelous trip into an ancient Russia where magic is a part of everyday life
—— Todd McCaffrey , author of The Dragon Booksbeautifully wrought fairytale for adults...
—— Writing MagazineFairy tale lovers, if you’re going to read one fantasy book this winter, let this be it.... beautiful debut
—— www.bookish.comAn enchanting yet haunting Russian fairytale which inspires courage in a time of darkness
—— The ObserverKatherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy isn't just good - it's hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favourites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better
—— Laini TaylorA historical fantasy perfect for those who love ancient stories and tradition
—— Good HousekeepingA modern gothic thriller that draws on the author's own Highland childhood
—— Herald MagazineWith Pine, (Toon) … has passed the debut hurdle in striking style.
—— Harper's BazaarA haunting and heartbreakingly bewitching tale … Packed with folklore, magic and an eerie sense of foreboding every time you turn the page, Pine will captivate readers from the very first page
—— Her.ieA gothic stirring of folklore and legend
—— RTÉ GuideEerie and spell-binding
—— Irish ExaminerFrom the first page PINE casts a sense of slowly-rising unease that is completely compelling. It's both eerie and thrilling at once, and had me under its spell until the end
—— Sophie Mackintosh, author of THE WATER CUREAn atmospheric tale of memory and loss
—— Daily MirrorEerie and dark, you'll be mesmerised by this dramatic tale with its tightly-woven plot
—— WomanIf there's any doubt that the Gothic thriller is enjoying a boom, Francine Toon's debut should settle the matter. PINE, a moving study of memory and loss, is both spooky and tender; drenched in a sense of place and yet eerily timeless
—— Mick HerronCombines the Gothic sensibilities of Shirley Jackson with the psychologically astute suspense of Gillian Flynn ... will leave you gripped and transfixed
—— Sharlene Teo, author of PontiFrancine Toon's touching account of a flawed, yet tender, father-daughter relationship in PINE is all the more compelling against the starkly beautiful backdrop of the Scottish highlands
—— Livia Franchini, author of Shelf LifeA beautifully crafted gothic tale of isolation and not belonging. Thoroughly gripping and stunningly atmospheric
—— Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of Water Shall Refuse ThemAn atmospheric tale of memory and loss, movingly told through a child's eyes
—— Sunday Express MagazineMany of the themes familiar from Austen’s novels are deftly revisited by Hornby, and the letters that are reimagined are pitch-perfect, with deeply touching confidences shared in family correspondences. You can tell this book by its cover – it’s quite lovely.
—— IRISH TIMESBeautiful novel[…] light hearted historical fiction which resembles Austen’s novels, a really lovely read very suitable for incoming spring’
—— Excuse My Reading (Instagram)Gill Hornby unfolds it all in her imagination.
—— The TimesHornby combines a moving portrait of sisterly devotion with a comic depiction of the provincial life so brilliantly evoked in Austen's own novels
—— DAILY MAIL[A]t the heart of it all there's a romantic twist..."Hornby is at her best describing the complex bonds between the excellent women of her story. She describes the horrors, but also the pleasures of spinsterhood"
—— THE TIMES