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'Beautifully written . . . Fremlin's sly, subtly feminist take on the ghost story is a gem. She has been called "Britain's Patricia Highsmith" but here, in festive mode, you're reminded of Jane Austen.' Sunday Times 'Thriller of the Month'
'A slow-burning chill of a read by a master of suspense.' Janice Hallett
'Sinister, witty and utterly compelling. A genius.' Nicola Upson
Jolted from sleep by the ringing of the telephone, Imogen fumbles through the dark, empty house to answer it. At first, she can't quite understand the man on the other end of the line. Surely he can't honestly be accusing her of killing her husband. Ivor died in a car crash two months ago - she may not be adjusting to widowhood very well, but Imogen certainly didn't murder him.
As the nights draw in, Imogen finds her home filling up with unexpected Christmas guests - but they may be looking for more than just holiday cheer. Has someone been rifling through Ivor's papers? Who left the half-drunk whiskey bottle beside his favourite chair? And why won't that man stop phoning Imogen, insisting he can prove her guilt?
Celia Fremlin
Celia Fremlin (1914–2009) was born in Kent and spent her childhood in Hertfordshire, before studying at Oxford. During World War II, she served as an air-raid warden before becoming involved with the Mass Observation Project, collaborating on a study of women workers, War Factory. After the loss of her husband and youngest daughter to separate tragedies, Fremlin briefly relocated to Geneva. In 1985, she married Leslie Minchin, with whom she lived until his death in 1999. Over four decades, Fremlin wrote sixteen celebrated novels—including the classic summer holiday mystery Uncle Paul—one book of poetry and three short-story collections. Her debut novel The Hours Before Dawn won the Edgar Award in 1960.
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