The Long Shadow

A spine-chilling classic mystery from beloved author of Waterstones Thriller of the Month, Uncle Paul: 'Britain's Patricia Highsmith' and the 'grandmother of psycho-domestic noir' (Sunday Times)

'Brilliant ... Such clever, witty writing.' Elly Griffiths

'Fremlin packs a punch.' Ian Rankin

'Glorious ... Got me hooked.' Ruth Rendell


Jolted from sleep by the ringing of the telephone, Imogen stumbles 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, who died in a car crash barely two months ago.

As the nights draw in, Imogen finds her home filling up with unexpected guests, who may be looking for more than simple festive 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, insisting he can prove Imogen's guilt ..?
'Beautifully written . . . Fremlin's sly, subtly feminist take on the ghost story is a gem.' Sunday Times
'Barbara Pym with arsenic.' Clare Chambers
'A master of suspense.' Janice Hallett
'A genius.' Nicola Upson