I felt rage explode in me then, that Hollie didn’t care about my mother or about me; that she had the power to destroy what remained of my family. ‘You don’t understand,’ I screamed, running at her, knocking her off her feet.
As she lurched sideways and fell, I heard her hit something. When she sat up, she rubbed her head. When she looked at her fingers, they were covered in blood. ‘Shit, Niamh.’ But her voice was subdued now. ‘We’d better go back.’
We’d reached the hedge by the pool when her steps became uneven. Suddenly, she lurched closer to the edge, then started to lose her balance, reaching out for something to grasp on to. I heard the wind gusting through the trees, saw the wildness in her eyes as they met mine. I wanted to reach out and grab her hands, but something stopped me.
It happened in a split second. She didn’t cry out as her head cracked against the side of the pool. Then her body hit the water beneath the leaves. In the dim light, I stood there as she floated for a moment, motionless. Around me, the wind was picking up force. Glancing up, I saw the clouds racing across the sky. When I looked back down towards the pool, the leaves had closed over the surface. Hollie had gone.
Acknowledgements
It’s hard to believe that this is my sixth psychological thriller and my second to be published by the dedicated team at Avon. I’ve worked with two brilliant editors this time, Tilda McDonald and Phoebe Morgan – and I’m so grateful to both of you, as I am to Laura McCallen and Helena Newton for expertly scrutinising every last word of this manuscript! Huge thanks also go to Ellie Pilcher, Molly Walker-Sharp and to all of the Avon team for your hard work getting my books out there.
None of this would happen without my superstar agent, Juliet Mushens. And also Liza DeBlock. A heartfelt thank you for everything you do.
And the biggest thank you to you, my readers, for buying my books, sharing them with other people, blogging and writing reviews, because every single one makes a difference. I’m grateful to each and every one of you.
This isn’t the first time I’ve written about abusive relationships and coercive control, and I hope I have done them justice. The consequences can be far-reaching and while the scars may be invisible, the damage is very real. If in any way this book helps highlight this, it can only be good.
Last, but by no means least, I want to say thank you to my wonderful family and my friends. To my sisters – Sarah, Anna and Freddie – to whom this book is dedicated. Thank you for being my first readers and supporters, and so much more – I know how lucky I am to have you. To Dad. And to Georgie and Tom: you ceaselessly inspire me. Thank you for being the centre of my universe.
Don’t miss Debbie Howells’ gripping #1 eBook bestseller:
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About the Author
Debbie Howells is the bestselling author of The Bones of You (Macmillan), a Richard & Judy Book Club pick. It was followed by The Beauty of the End, The Death of Her and Her Sister’s Lie (Macmillan).
The Secret is her second book with HarperCollins, following The Vow, which was a #1 eBook bestseller.
www.debbiehowells.co.uk
You can follow @_debbiehowells on Instagram or @debbie__howells on Twitter.
Also by Debbie Howells
The Bones of You
The Beauty of the End
The Death of Her
Her Sister’s Lie
The Vow
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