Ten years ago, sixteen-year-old Gemma Toombs was kidnapped from Bangkok Airport by an infatuated drifter, Tyler MacFarlane, who took her to a secret den in the Australian desert. Now her name is Kate Stone and it’s her turn to confront Ty and try to find answers to the questions that have obsessed her since her ordeal. What is the legacy of this coercive relationship? Who holds the cards now? In the confusion of past and present, will Kate remain trapped in a deranged dance of desire and revenge? Or will she regain control and find release?
Set in both London and Perth, a courtroom drama and a road trip in the searing heat of the West Australian desert, Release is the story of two people confronting each other, each intent on destruction and survival. A companion to Lucy Christopher’s bestselling novel Stolen, this gripping psychological thriller explores a young woman’s discovery of the complicated truth about a relationship that once seemed alluring.
For readers of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson and Helen Fitzgerald.
‘Gripping and totally twisted—you’ll break social engagements so you can stay home and finish it.’
‘Utterly compelling, clever, heart-stopping.’
‘Daring, edgy and electric.’
‘Dark, compelling and unsettling.’
‘Furiously passionate prose, clean as a bone.’
‘A twisted tale of idealised love and sweet revenge as victim becomes predator. Gemma/Kate is vulnerable, fierce and unhinged as she sets about righting the wrongs of her past. Release is an urgent, addictive and provocative exploration of trauma, love and redemption.’
‘Absolutely haunting and atmospheric, yet so, so twisted.’
‘A gripping, addictive story of confronting your past, healing the scars of trauma and, ultimately, redemption.’
‘[A]n intense, powerful account of Kate’s ambivalence and obsession in the wake of trauma…Captivating.’
‘Captivating.’