The Memory Wood: the chilling, bestselling Richard & Judy book club pick - this winter's must-read thriller

Description

Gripping, twisty and addictive, this unique and heart-wrenching thriller has received unprecedented support from readers, press and authors alike. The must-read thriller of the year. Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It's the only home he's ever known. Elissa has only just arrived. And she'll do everything she can to escape. When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend. And he doesn't want Elissa to leave. Not only that, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn't the first girl he's found inside the Memory Wood. As her abductor's behaviour grows more erratic, chess prodigy Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . .

Sam Lloyd grew up in Hampshire, where he learned his love of storytelling. These days he lives in Surrey with his wife, three young sons and a dog that likes to howl. His debut thriller, The Memory Wood, was published to huge critical acclaim in 2020. His second thriller will be published in 2021.

Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent. * Daily Mail * Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It's undoubtedly the best thriller I've read in a long, long time. * Lesley Kara * What makes this book special is the marvellously executed subterranean power game. Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist, this is a very grim modern fairytale. * Guardian * I was pulled into The Memory Wood from the very first page-it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let you go. It's an intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller. Put everything else aside when you enter the Memory Wood, including your expectations... * Shari Lapena * Forget everything you think you know about thrillers. The Memory Wood is a compulsive page-turner where visceral horror meets Grimm fairytale - a story that's guaranteed to burn itself into your brain . . . Every twist and distortion evokes a physical response - you'll be breathless with anticipation, tingling with hope, and numb with dread from beginning to end. * Press Association *