The Couple’s Secret

‘Devilishly well-plotted, crisply written – and a hell of a lot of fun. What a smashing debut!’ A.J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window

We all see what we want to see…

2019: Julianne is preparing a family dinner when her son comes to her and says he’s found something on his iPad. Something so terrible, it will turn Julianne’s world into a nightmare and make her question everything about her marriage and what type of man her husband is or is pretending to be.

1990: Holly is a fresher student at Oxford University. Out of her depth and nervous about her surroundings, she falls into an uneasy friendship with a group of older students from the upper echelons of society and begins to develop feelings for one in particular. He’s confident, quiet, attractive and seems to like her too. But as the year progresses, her friends’ behaviour grows steadily more disconcerting and Holly begins to realise she might just be a disposable pawn in a very sinister game.

A devastating secret has simmered beneath the surface for over twenty-five years. Now it’s time to discover the truth. But what if you’re afraid of what you might find?

Reviews

‘Devilishly well-plotted, crisply written – and a hell of a lot of fun. What a smashing debut!’ A.J. Finn, #1 bestselling author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW

‘Beguiling, surprising and sometimes shocking. Cleverly crafted with characters who stay with you. Highly-polished debut.’ Jane Corry, author of THE DEAD EX

‘Such a confident debut from Barnaby Walter and the most disturbing thriller I’ve read this year.’
Emma Curtis, author of ONE LITTLE MISTAKE and WHEN I FIND YOU.

‘Day one of my holiday lost to B P Walter and his intriguing thriller A Version of the Truth. If you like Peter Swanson, this will be right up your dark, twisted alley’
John Marrs, author of THE ONE

‘A Version of the Truth is engaging and sinister in places. Walter has created wonderfully authentic characters, and the writing is superb. Highly recommended.’ Elisabeth Carpenter, author of 99 RED BALLOONS

‘Walter's debut is an assured piece of world-building, with characters both flawed and real, and a crescendo that sweeps you up then crashes you down. Unpredictable, clever & subtly twisted. Loved it.’ Helen Fields, author of PERFECT SILENCE

‘A dark and sometimes disturbing debut; a compelling story with credible characters. Walter emerges as a powerful new voice in the world of thriller writing.’ Diane Jeffrey, author of HE WILL FIND YOU

About the author

Barnaby Walter works as a social media co-ordinator for Waterstones, based at their HQ in Piccadilly. A Version of the Truth is his debut novel.