X-Book

Fray

Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

Standard price shown. Sign in for personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app

Added to cart

Continue shopping or head to checkout

View cart
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

‘Beautiful, amazing, mesmerising’ ALAN CUMMING

A MISSING PERSON MYSTERY LIKE NO OTHER

I am not gone. Mum is not gone. We are here. We are hidden.

A father who is trying to rescue his lost wife.

Their child, desperately searching the wild forests and dangerous mountains of the Scottish Highlands, not knowing what’s out there.

An abandoned cottage in the remote wilderness, filled with thousands of confusing, terrifying handwritten notes.

And a dark, looming voice who threatens to destroy everything…

‘This hallucinatory debut will grab you’ DAMIAN BARR

‘A dark and atmospheric masterpiece’ VIKKI PATIS

‘Mind-alteringly beautiful writing’ KIRSTIN INNES

‘Chilling and very original … I couldn't put it down' SIMON McCLEAVE

‘Eerie and ethereal, Fray is an unsettling quest in the unforgiving Scottish highlands – utterly spellbinding’ MARION TODD

‘A totally original novel that throws up lots of surprises. The writing is awe-inspiring’ ALEX PINE

-
*A FINANCIAL TIMES ‘BEST NEW DEBUT FICTION’ PICK*
*A SCOTS MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE MONTH*
*A COURIER BOOK OF THE WEEK*

-

BOOKSELLERS RECOMMEND FRAY

‘Fray was so much more than I expected. It is beautifully written, you could sit back and sip it like a good wine … I was so caught up in it I couldn't face putting it down … Most certainly recommended, this is a very accomplished debut’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fray is an exceptional and haunting debut, very reminiscent of the work of Max Porter … I absolutely loved it. Chris Carse Wilson is a highly talented writer and Fray is filled with passages that resonated deeply with me’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-

READERS RECOMMEND FRAY

‘A truly unique book, like nothing I’ve ever read before … a thoughtful and beautifully written story, which is simultaneously gripping. This is a must-read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A twisting tale of grief and mental health that sucked me in from the start and swept me along with it … I couldn’t put it down.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Critics Review

n

‘Beautiful, amazing, completely mesmerising. I felt like I was inside the character’s head. Fray is right up there for me with other first person books like The Catcher in the Rye and Janice Galloway’s The Trick is to Keep Breathing’ ALAN CUMMING

n

‘A thriller with a radically unreliable voice … powerful, insistent and dreamlike’ SUZI FEAY, FINANCIAL TIMES, *BEST NEW DEBUT FICTION*

n

‘Both a tense, dizzying mystery and a complex meditation on love and loss … Fray is a captivating read’ KAI DURKIN, COURIER *BOOK OF THE WEEK* *10/10 REVIEW*

n

‘A deeply haunting book … The Scottish Highlands have never felt more wild or alive than they do in this … immensely important novel. With echoes of Andrew Michael Hurley’s The Loney, Fray is an insightful story that will stay with you long after you stop turning the pages’ DAWN GEDDES, SCOTS MAGAZINE *BOOK OF THE MONTH*

n

‘A haunting literary thriller … it offers a new twist on the missing person trope … weird and wild’ TEDDY JAMIESON, HERALD

n

‘A manic, heart-pounding and electric piece of writing. This is a startling debut’ PAUL McLEAN, LIST

n

‘An intensely atmospheric literary suspense novel … [that] carries a viscerally moving message about grief and mental health’ NATASHA ONWUEMEZI, BOOKSELLER *APRIL CATEGORY HIGHLIGHTS*

n

‘Writing as vivid and visceral as walking into a blizzard. In Chris Carse Wilson's hands it's as though the alphabet is a creature that has barely been tamed’ IAN McMILLAN

n

‘With such a simple yet powerful set-up … The surprise of Chris Carse Wilson's beguiling debut … lies in the sheer weight of hallucinatory malevolence that lurks in its pages … [An] intriguing and unsettling debut’ JESS MOODY, SKINNY

n

More from the same

Narrator

About xigxag and the x-book®

Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.

Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.

Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.