The Short Straw

Leaving isn't safe... But staying would be deadly.

'An addictive read. . . Patricia Highsmith meets Shirley Jackson' - GILLIAN MCALLISTER

'A deliciously creepy tale of three sisters forced to take refuge in an abandoned mansion. Seddon deftly weaves between past horrors at the manor and the present-day struggle of the sisters to survive the night. What sets this thriller apart is the stellar writing and bone-chilling atmosphere Seddon creates.' - SARAH PEKKANEN, bestselling author of Gone Tonight

Three sisters find themselves lost in a storm at night, and seek safety at Moirthwaite Manor, where their mother once worked. They are shocked to find the isolated mansion that loomed so large through their troubled childhoods has long been abandoned. Drawing straws to decide who should get help, one sister heads back into the darkness. With the siblings separated, the deadly secrets hidden in the house finally make themselves known and we learn the unspeakable secret that binds the family together.

The Short Straw is an intensely readable and gripping page turner. By turns tense, shocking and moving, and with an atmosphere you could cut with a knife ALEX MICHAELIDES
An addictive read that takes place over one unforgettable night where one family's secrets rise to the surface - Patricia Highsmith meets Shirley Jackson GILLIAN MCALLISTER
Deliciously creepy, and a fascinating study of the complex, often toxic, relationships within families SHARON BOLTON
Utterly gripping and unputdownable JANE FALLON
Having three sisters, I could relate to the sibling dynamics . . . It's twisty, gothic, and with a heartbreakingly shocking reveal LISA HALL
Holly creates such exquisite tension that you really can't put her books down . . . I felt the sense of place, the weather, the cold in that house in my bones EMMA CURTIS
A spectacularly dark, eerie, and haunting mystery. Should come with a 'do not read before bed' warning as you'll be spooked long after you finish turning the pages SOPHIE FLYNN
Gripping, creepy and drenched in atmosphere CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD
A highly enjoyable, many-layered mystery with a masterfully handled sense of foreboding...Ending was by turns terrifying, suspenseful, and heart-breaking Melanie Golding
Three sisters find themselves stranded at the gothic manor house that dominated their troubled childhoods. This irresistible slow-burn thriller is as much a study of family dynamics as it is a creepy & suspense-filled spine-tingler Fiona Cummins
The Short Straw is creepy, twisty and more than a little Gothic. Sarah Hilary
A highly enjoyable, many-layered mystery with a masterfully handled sense of foreboding...Ending was by turns terrifying, suspenseful, and heart-breaking. Melanie Golding
Fast chapters plus a creepy plot which builds...to a tense and moving ending, and makes for a perfect, bingable read. John Marrs
An emotionally charged story with a mystery at its heart that burns until the very last page. Lisa Ballantyne
An elegant, affecting story about three sisters who have to face up to the secrets of the past. Atmospheric and compelling Araminta Hall
The Short Straw practically pulses with foreboding and menace. Get ready to stay up all night! Fans of Shirley Jackson and Ruth Ware will love this. No one writes of family dynamics quite like Holly Seddon. JACK JORDAN
A deliciously creepy tale of three sisters forced to take refuge in an abandoned mansion. Seddon deftly weaves between past horrors at the manor and the present-day struggle of the sisters to survive the night. What sets this thriller apart is the stellar writing and bone-chilling atmosphere Seddon creates. Sarah Pekkanen
Three sisters find themselves stranded in a storm and are forced to take shelter in an old abandoned manor which hides some very sinister secrets...a slow burn, beautifully written (as all Holly's books are) thriller. Nikki Smith
Mysterious past traumas are intricately woven with present day jeopardy to create a heart-racing read that's guaranteed to keep you up into the early hours! I love Holly Seddon's writing, and The Short Straw doesn't disappoint. Isabel Ashdown

Holly Seddon is the international bestselling author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, LOVE WILL TEAR US APART and THE HIT LIST.

After growing up in the English countryside obsessed with music and books, Holly worked in London as a journalist and editor. She now lives in Kent with her family and writes full time.

Alongside fellow author Gillian McAllister, Holly co-hosts the popular Honest Authors Podcast. You can find her on Twitter @hollyseddon, Instagram and Facebook @hollyseddonauthor.

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