The Innocent One

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What to expect

Could the child once accused of murder really be innocent?


'So good . . . Ballantyne makes it look easy' NEW YORK TIMES

'Beautifully told' DAILY MAIL

'Thought-provoking and unsettling' ALEX GRAY

'A breathless thriller' WOMAN'S OWN

'Had me turning the pages late into the night' C. J. COOPER
________

Innocent


Ten years ago, Sebastian Croll was found not guilty of murdering his playmate.

Criminal solicitor Daniel Hunter defended the eleven-year-old in a trial that gripped the nation, but the past is unearthed when Daniel gets a call from his old client.

Or guilty?


Sebastian's university professor has been brutally murdered and everyone who knew her is in the frame.

As Daniel steps in to represent Sebastian for the second time, rumour of his client's identity spreads like wildfire.

The media swarm. Threats begin to arrive. And the question on everyone's lips:

Could the child once accused of murder really be innocent?
________

What everyone is saying about Lisa Ballantyne's thrillers:

'Gripping' CLARE MACKINTOSH

'Sophisticated, suspensefu' LEE CHILD

'Tense' SUNDAY TIMES

'Unsettling and compulsive' ROSAMUND LUPTON

'Moving' GUARDIAN

'Emotionally intense' RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB

'Grips like a vice' DAILY MAIL

'Thought-provoking' GILLY MACMILLAN

'Tense' RACHEL ABBOTT

'A page-turner' DAILY EXPRESS

'I couldn't get this book out of my head' JENNY COLGAN

Critics Review

Beautifully told, with the talented Ballantyne's typical clarity, it weaves a subtle web
Daily Mail
Fingernail-on-a-chalkboard sentences are what make The Innocent One so good . . . Fashioning memorable suspense out of a well-known case is incredibly difficult, but Ballantyne makes it look easy
New York Times
A breathless thriller
Woman’s Own
A combination of psychological and legal thriller, this is both tense and intense, gripping and moving
Morning Star
A wonderfully creepy crime thriller
Yours
A character-driven, domestic crime novel. Through juxtaposing the choices of two emotionally disturbed boys, Ballantyne sensitively explores themes of rejection, abuse, and forgiveness
Booklist
Thought provoking and unsettling
Alex Gray, the Sunday Times bestselling author of the DSI Lorimer series
A skilful mixture of creepy crime thriller and gripping domestic drama, the Innocent One had me turning the pages late into the night.
C. J. Cooper, bestselling author of The Book Club
A suspenseful, compelling read with a sting in the tail that will leave you gasping. Lisa Ballantyne knows her stuff. An author to be reckoned with
T. F. Muir, author of the DCI Andy Gilchrist series
A crackling good read - exactly the kind of novel that readers have come to expect from one of the most talented psychological suspense authors working today. With a gripping, twisty plot, conflicted and relatable characters, ever-rising tension, and an ending that's as thrilling as it is satisfying, I loved this book!'
Karen Dionne, No. 1 internationally bestselling author of The Marsh King's Daughter
Such a wonderfully layered novel, part emotionally charged, nerve-jangling thriller, and part tender, intelligent family drama. I couldn't put it down. Brilliant.
Saskia Sarginson, bestselling author of The Twins
Praise for Lisa Ballantyne's previous novels:
A gripping and emotionally charged story. Just brilliant
Clare Mackintosh
Sophisticated, suspenseful, unsettling
Lee Child
Moving, insightful
Guardian
Thought-provoking, brave and challenging, this book is an unsettling and compulsive read
Rosamund Lupton
Grips like a vice
Daily Mail
Tense
Sunday Times
Thought-provoking and clever
Gilly Macmillan
One of the most readable, emotionally intense novels of the year
Richard and Judy Book Club
Thought-provoking
Woman & Home
A tense and shocking thriller that has the added treat of Lisa Ballantyne's deft prose. I loved it
Renee Knight
Gripping, tense and moving
Claire McGowan
Moving and suspenseful; richly detailed, yet with the eerie simplicity of a parable
Joyce Carol Oates
A page-turner with real emotional depth
Daily Express
A compelling and emotional read with convincing characters that stayed in my head. Lisa Ballantyne deals with a difficult and controversial subject in a sensitive and thoughtful way
Jenny Quintana

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