A Place to Lie
I’ve always been fascinated by idyllic little villages – what really goes on behind the closed doors of cosy cottages? In Witchwood, deep in the Forest of Dean, where Rebecca Griffiths has set her second novel, there are dark secrets and unspoken threats that will end in a tragedy.
A Place to Lie moves between a golden childhood summer and a present-day shocking stabbing, gradually revealing the connections between two seemingly random acts as Joanna tries to make sense of her sister’s life and death. It’s a brilliantly plotted, twisty thriller. Rebecca Griffiths is a master at revealing character through tiny detail and the tensions of village life give her a perfect canvas to do it.
With a deft touch, Rebecca Griffiths explores the complicated interconnections of village life and the ways that a childhood trauma can impact an adult life. The Guardian calls A Place to Lie ‘tense’ and ‘stylish’ – it’s a great, immersive, beautifully written read with a completely chilling final twist.
Maddie West
A Place to Lie
by Rebecca Griffiths
In a dark, dark wood
In Summer 1990, Caroline and Joanna are sent to stay with their great aunt, Dora, to spend their holidays in a sunlit village near the Forest of Dean. The countryside is a welcome change from the trauma they know back home in the city; a chance to make the world a joyful playground again. But in the shadowy woods at the edge of the forest hide secrets that will bring their innocence to a distressing end and make this a summer they will never forget.
There was a dark, dark house
Years later, a shocking act of violence sends Joanna back to Witchwood. In her great aunt's lonely and dilapidating cottage, she will attempt to unearth the secrets of that terrifying summer and come to terms with the haunting effects it has left on her life. But in her quest to find answers, who can she trust? And will she be able to survive the impending danger from those trying to bury the truth?
'Tense . . . stylish' Guardian
'Truly chilling' Woman
'Tense, intriguing, with a satisfying twist' Western Mail
'Eerie and tense' Morning Star
