Deadly Animals : Winner of the Val McDermid Crime Debut Award

A thirteen-year-old girl with a dark obsession is on the hunt for a serial killer in this mesmerising British crime debut.

<p>'I really can't recommend it highly enough' - <b>CHRIS WHITAKER, author of <i>ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK</i><br></b><b><br>THE MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING BRITISH CRIME NOVEL EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT:<br><br>*WINNER: </b>VAL McDERMID CRIME DEBUT AWARD*<br><b>*WINNER: </b>BEST FIRST NOVEL, ITW THRILLER AWARDS 2025* <br><b>*SHORTLISTED: </b>THEAKSTON'S CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025*<br><b>*SHORTLISTED: </b>CWA JOHN CREASEY FIRST NOVEL DAGGER 2025*<br><b>*SHORTLISTED: </b>DEBUT CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR, FINGERPRINT AWARDS 2025*<br><b>*LONGLISTED: </b>CWA GOLD DAGGER 2025*<br><b>*SELECTED: </b><i>The Times </i>best crime and mystery books*<br><b>__________________________________<br></b><br><b>Thirteen-year-old Ava Bonney is different.</b><br><br>While her friends play, Ava searches for roadkill. She knows studying animal decomposition is an unusual hobby, but Ava doesn't care what other people think.<br><br>Then, one night, when Ava sneaks out to find a fox, she instead stumbles upon the body of Mickey Grant.<br><br>Despite his many years in the police, Detective Seth Delahaye has never seen a murder case like this one - as though the victim was set upon by a wild animal.<br><br>Nor has he met anyone quite like Ava: so determined, resourceful and . . . unusual.<br><br>And when another boy goes missing, Delahaye has no idea that Ava will become his secret weapon in the hunt for a killer.<br><br><b><u>PRAISE FOR <i>DEADLY ANIMALS</i>:</u><br></b><br>'A remarkable debut' - <i><b>THE TIMES</b></i><br>'Utterly mesmerising' -<b> PETER JAMES</b><br>'Exceptional' - <i><b>DAILY MAIL</b></i><br>'I adored this novel' - <b>JENNIE GODFREY<br></b>'Exceptional in every way' - <b>CHRIS WHITAKER</b><br>'A crime novel I wish I had written' - <b>LYNDA LA PLANTE<br></b>'Will rock you back on your heels' - <b>VAL McDERMID</b><br>'Marie's writing is beautiful' - <b>BELINDA BAUER</b><br>'A dark glittering gem of a book' - <b>LISA GRAY</b><br>'Gloriously dark, deadly and deathly' - <b>C. J. SKUSE</b><br>'An incredible debut. Damn near perfect' - <b>SUSI HOLLIDAY<br></b>'Tierney is a name to watch' - <b>SAM HOLLAND</b><br>'A masterpiece' -<b> WILLIAM HUSSEY</b><br>'Extraordinary' - <b>JO CALLAGHAN</b></p>