The Sick Rose

'You kept my secret. I know yours now. That makes us even.'

PAUL has been led into a life of crime by his schoolyard protector, Daniel. Now, at nineteen, he must bear witness against his friend to avoid imprisonment.

LOUISA, who years ago fled from her own dark secrets, spends her days renovating the grounds of a crumbling Elizabethan mansion.

A relationship develops between them, and Louisa starts to believe she can finally experience the happiness she had given up on; but it soon becomes apparent that neither of them can outrun their violent past . . .

“It's unusual for a second novel to be even better than the first but Kelly has pulled off that difficult trick. - Literary Review A compelling second novel from masterful storyteller Erin Kelly. - Good Housekeeping Kelly's first novel, THE POISON TREE, earned her comparisons with Ruth Rendell and on the evidence of this second psychologically complex thriller, the accolade is entirely deserved. Like Rendell, Kelly is an expert in suburban macabre, relishing in the kind of domestic scenes we all recognise but giving them a satisfyingly chilly. - Psychologies Erin Kelly's first thriller, THE POISON TREE, was widely praised, with some reviewers comparing her work to Daphne du Maurier. Her second, THE SICK ROSE, is nearer in spirit to Ruth Rendell's work . . . It's an elaborate narrative structure, but Kelly manages it with panache . . . this is an enormously readable novel and there is no denying Erin Kelly's talent. She's an author to watch. - Spectator This claustrophobic psychological thriller is the second novel from the author of the brilliant THE POISON TREE. Just as good as her debut, it marks Kelly out as a formidable talent - Bella 'It is hard to find a more impeccably English writer than Erin Kelly, whose debut THE POISON TREE, marked her as a name to watch in British fiction... In trademark style the [THE SICK ROSE] flits between the 'then' and the 'now', playing with the magic and poison of memories, until the present intervenes with brutal and tragic consequences'. - The Times Kelly writes perceptively and chillingly about the long shadows cast by tragic mistakes . . . she shows considerable promise. - Daily Telegraph Thumbs up to . . . this leave-the-light-on thriller. - Look”

It's unusual for a second novel to be even better than the first but Kelly has pulled off that difficult trick. - Literary Review

A compelling second novel from masterful storyteller Erin Kelly. - Good Housekeeping

Kelly's first novel, THE POISON TREE, earned her comparisons with Ruth Rendell and on the evidence of this second psychologically complex thriller, the accolade is entirely deserved. Like Rendell, Kelly is an expert in suburban macabre, relishing in the kind of domestic scenes we all recognise but giving them a satisfyingly chilly. - Psychologies

Erin Kelly's first thriller, THE POISON TREE, was widely praised, with some reviewers comparing her work to Daphne du Maurier. Her second, THE SICK ROSE, is nearer in spirit to Ruth Rendell's work . . . It's an elaborate narrative structure, but Kelly manages it with panache . . . this is an enormously readable novel and there is no denying Erin Kelly's talent. She's an author to watch. - Spectator

This claustrophobic psychological thriller is the second novel from the author of the brilliant THE POISON TREE. Just as good as her debut, it marks Kelly out as a formidable talent - Bella

'It is hard to find a more impeccably English writer than Erin Kelly, whose debut THE POISON TREE, marked her as a name to watch in British fiction... In trademark style the [THE SICK ROSE] flits between the 'then' and the 'now', playing with the magic and poison of memories, until the present intervenes with brutal and tragic consequences'. - The Times

Kelly writes perceptively and chillingly about the long shadows cast by tragic mistakes . . . she shows considerable promise. - Daily Telegraph

Thumbs up to . . . this leave-the-light-on thriller. - Look

Erin Kelly has worked as a freelance journalist for over ten years and has written for the Daily Mail, Psychologies, the Guardian and Cosmopolitan, among others. She lives in North London with her family. THE SICK ROSE is her second novel.

'You kept my secret. I know yours now. That makes us even.' PAUL has been led into a life of crime by his schoolyard protector, Daniel. Now, at nineteen, he must bear witness against his friend to avoid imprisonment.LOUISA, who years ago fled from her own dark secrets, spends her days renovating the grounds of a crumbling Elizabethan mansion. A relationship develops between them, and Louisa starts to believe she can finally experience the happiness she had given up on; but it soon becomes apparent that neither of them can outrun their violent past . . .

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