The Cursed Road
- Author Laura McCluskey
- Narrator Kirsty Cox
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 26 February 2026
- Run Time 11 hours and 45 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Psychological thriller.
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What to expect
'Atmospheric, unsettling and compelling’ Chris Hammer
'Eerie and gripping' Daily Mail
‘A brilliant thriller’ Stylist
ON THE CURSED ROAD EVERY STEP COULD BE YOUR LAST
Deep in the Scottish Highlands, the body of a young woman is found on the cursed road, a narrow track with a bloody history.
It initially looks like an accident, but a name scratched on the dead woman’s arm links to an unsolved case from years ago.
Glaswegian detectives Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent north to investigate, and they discover a community riven by a centuries’ old blood feud and modern rivalries.
As George and Richie attempt to get to the truth behind the dark rumours, a killer is waiting, determined that some secrets are never uncovered.
Perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Neil Lancaster and Ann Cleeves, this is a twisty, gripping and atmospheric Scottish crime mystery set in the highlands that you don't want to miss!
*Praise for THE CURSED ROAD*
‘Vivid, haunting, twisty and gut-wrenching’ Pip Drysdale
‘Tense, chilling and sometimes dark’ Fiona Hardy
‘Brilliant … Crime fiction at its best!’ Tanya Scott
‘If you start reading this, it’s likely you won’t put it down’ Nina Bhadreshwar
'I absolutely loved it! … Laura perfectly captured the damp, dank feeling of Scotland at certain times of the year' Marie Tierney
'A gripping mystery with enough twists and turns to keep the most avid reader guessing … Thoroughly recommended' Morag Pringle
Critics Review
‘Atmospheric, unsettling and compelling. If you like police procedurals, you’ll love this; Georgie Lennox is one hell of a protagonist. A wonderfully gothic blend of place, character and mystery’ Chris Hammer
n'Eerie and gripping' Daily Mail
n‘A brilliant thriller – you’ll have fun trying to solve the murder before the detectives do’ Stylist
n'Set in Scotland, The Cursed Road is a gripping mystery with enough twists and turns to keep the most avid reader guessing. Detective Inspectors George (Georgina) Lennox and Richie Stewart are compelling, complex and realistic characters … Thoroughly recommended' Morag Pringle
n‘Vivid, haunting, twisty and gut-wrenching, The Cursed Road will have you on the edge of your seat right up until the last page (or hiding under the duvet, like me)’ Pip Drysdale
n‘Tense, chilling and sometimes dark … this is an ideal read for those who love Ian Rankin, Garry Disher, and icy cold danger’ Fiona Hardy
n‘Brilliant … a spooky, immersive setting, a wickedly clever plot, and a detective duo with their own demons to face. The Cursed Road will have you reading late into the night. Crime fiction at its best!’ Tanya Scott
n‘The Cursed Road is a pacy page-turning police procedural set in the terrifying Highlands of Scotland … If you start reading this, it’s likely you won’t put it down’ Nina Bhadreshwar
n'I absolutely loved it! … I really enjoyed this creepy, disquieting mystery. I loved the push-pull ebb of the relationship between Lennox and Stewart, and it was a fresh take on the ‘girls-go-missing’ crime fiction genre. Laura perfectly captured the damp, dank feeling of Scotland at certain times of the year, especially it’s abandoned buildings' Marie Tierney
nMore from the same
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