Gillian McAllister

Author

Gillian McAllister is a British author whose high-concept, ingeniously plotted thrillers have made her one of the most exciting crime writers in the UK. Her novels take compelling "what if" premises — an innocent phone call, a wrong decision, a time-travelling do-over — and build them into gripping, emotionally devastating stories. Born... in Birmingham in 1986, McAllister studied English at the University of Birmingham and worked as a lawyer before becoming a full-time writer. Her legal background gives her fiction an authenticity in its depiction of courts, police procedure, and the justice system. Anything You Do Say (2017) was her debut — a novel with a split narrative: a woman knocks a man down a flight of stairs, and the story follows two parallel timelines depending on whether she stays or runs. Everything but the Truth, The Evidence Against You, and How to Disappear followed. Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022) was her biggest success — a novel about a mother who witnesses her teenage son commit a murder and then begins travelling backwards through time, day by day, trying to prevent it. The book was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick, a Sunday Times number one bestseller, and was optioned for television by Greg Berlanti. McAllister's writing is characterised by its structural cleverness, its emotional depth, and its exploration of family relationships under extreme pressure. Her high-concept premises never feel gimmicky because they serve the emotional core of her stories. The audiobook editions of McAllister's novels are outstanding — her tightly plotted, twisting narratives are perfect for sustained audio listening. Her books and audiobooks are essential for thriller fans who love a clever premise, a devastating twist, and stories that make you think about what you would do in impossible situations. Read more Show less