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When You Looked Away
The DI Stratton Series (Related to this series)
- Author
- S.M. Govett
- Narrator
- Hanako Footman, Lucy Speed
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 9 July 2026
- Run Time
- 9 hours 50 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
THE NEW DI STRATTON THRILLER FROM THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF BELIEVE
It’s every mother’s worst nightmare.
Your son is gone.
And everyone’s a suspect…
Laura is ready to start a new chapter.
Between her messy divorce with her ex-husband, and moving in with her new fiancé, her son Benjy and her successful writing career have been her only constants.
Until that fateful day. The afternoon starts like any other. Laura collects Benjy from school, then heads upstairs to write.
It’s not until the sun is setting that she realises the house is quiet. Too quiet.
It’s not until she sees the footprints in the garden that she knows something is terribly wrong.
One set is undeniably Benjy’s. It’s the other set that strikes fear in her heart – those of an adult.
Someone who took her son, right from under her nose…
DI Stratton is called to investigate. She must trust no one - and suspect everyone. Even Laura.
After all, doesn't her latest story follow a boy the same age as Benjy? One that takes a devastating turn...
‘The very definition of a page turner’ Janice Hallett
‘A properly good, tense thriller which had me guessing until the end’ Jennie Godfrey
‘One of the finest crime stories of the year’ Daily Mail
‘A superior psychological thriller…gripping, clever and full of twists you won’t see coming’ Sarah Pinborough
‘An addictive domestic thriller with razor sharp writing and dialogue that will keep you up all night’ Abigail Dean
‘You won’t put it down once you start’ Prima
© S.M. Govett 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Critics Review
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I didn’t look away once from this taut, intelligent thriller. Tense, gritty and shocking it’s a frighteningly relatable psychological horror, expertly intertwined with a police procedural. This story is the very definition of a page turner and S. M. Govett is a master storyteller
Janice Hallett
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Confident, compelling and classy
M.J. Arlidge
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Haunting and compelling, right to the final page. A terrific follow-up to Believe from S.M. Govett
Chris Chibnall
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S.M Govett creates characters who - like most of us - are beautifully flawed and not always likeable, but you want to spend time with them anyway. I raced through it
Jane Fallon
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Praise for S.M. Govett
:
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The very definition of a page turner. A thought-provoking mystery, brimming with suspense...S.M. Govett is one to watch
Janice Hallett
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Propulsive and provocative, taut and timely
A.J. Finn
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A superior psychological thriller...gripping, clever and full of twists you won't see coming
Sarah Pinborough
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- S.M. Govett
- Narrator
- Hanako Footman, Lucy Speed
- Duration
- 9 hours 50 minutes
- Release Date
- 9 July 2026
- ISBN
- 9781405982375
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives
Synopsis
THE NEW DI STRATTON THRILLER FROM THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF BELIEVEIt’s every mother’s worst nightmare.Your son is gone.And everyone’s a suspect…Laura is ready to start a new chapter.Between her messy divorce with her ex-husband, and moving in with her new fiancé, her son Benjy and her successful writing career have been her only constants.Until that fateful day. The afternoon starts like any other. Laura collects Benjy from school, then heads upstairs to write.It’s not until the sun is setting that she realises the house is quiet. Too quiet.It’s not until she sees the footprints in the garden that she knows something is terribly wrong.One set is undeniably Benjy’s. It’s the other set that strikes fear in her heart – those of an adult.Someone who took her son, right from under her nose…DI Stratton is called to investigate. She must trust no one - and suspect everyone. Even Laura.After all, doesn't her latest story follow a boy the same age as Benjy? One that takes a devastating turn...‘The very definition of a page turner’ Janice Hallett‘A properly good, tense thriller which had me guessing until the end’ Jennie Godfrey‘One of the finest crime stories of the year’ Daily Mail‘A superior psychological thriller…gripping, clever and full of twists you won’t see coming’ Sarah Pinborough‘An addictive domestic thriller with razor sharp writing and dialogue that will keep you up all night’ Abigail Dean‘You won’t put it down once you start’ Prima© S.M. Govett 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
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