Crow Moon (1) (A Martha Strangeways Investigation)

An investigative reporter gives up her job when her young twins are killed in a fire, but when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager, she's thrust into a chilling investigation that will leave no one unscathed…

`Bloody good read´ Val McDermid

`Dark, gothic, and dripping with dread, this spellbinding debut is a triumph´ C.J. Cooke

`An extraordinary debut: intriguing, unsettling, heavy on atmosphere and with a formidable leading lady … Suzy Aspley is one to watch´ Mari Hannah

`Dark, atmospheric and addictive´ Sun

`Meets the definition of “eagerly awaited” more than most debuts´ Herald Scotland

**Shortlisted for the Val McDermid Debut Award**

**Shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize**

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When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…

Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.

Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back...

When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows.

As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…

Both a nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller and a moving tale of grief and psychological damage, Crow Moon is a staggeringly accomplished debut and the start of an addictive, unforgettable series.

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`Compelling, atmospheric and unsettling, Crow Moon takes readers on a twist turning thrill of a ride … a stylish debut in a series we will all be following!´ Louise Welsh

`Exceptionally atmospheric and excruciatingly tense … a belter´ Emma Christie

`A page-turning plot, beautifully realised setting, and characters that are still walking and talking in my head … a compassionate and captivating new voice´ Emma Styles

`The story and its characters feel bound to the landscape … The constant presence of crows, watching, listening, gathering and even swooping down to attack, infuses the already sinister atmosphere with a dash of the Gothic´ Herald Scotland

`Hugely accomplished and extremely creepy´ Trevor Wood

`The most impressive debut I've read in years´ Yrsa Sigurdardottir

`A compelling story, beautiful descriptions of a fearsome wilderness setting and unforgettable characters make this one of my books of the year´ Alison Belsham

`A gripping piece of contemporary gothic … signals the arrival of a hugely promising new talent´ Kevin Wignall

`A nerve-tingling thriller with beautiful descriptions that enchant and terrify … this masterful debut will ensure you never look at a crow the same way again´ Eve Smith

`A creepy story of folklore and grief´ Heleen Kist

`Deliciously gothic – dripping forests, terrifying disappearances and a haunting resolution´ Heather Critchlow

`Combining thrills, horror and the occult, this will most certainly appeal to fans of Stephen King and C.J. Tudor´ Mature Times

Originally from the north east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost 30 years. She writes crime and short stories often inspired by the strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted in the London Capital crime festival’s new voices award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Her novel Crow Moon was also long listed this year for the Caledonia Novel Award