Winter Foundlings

Ella Williams is ten years old. She loves her granddad and her sister and her shiny new red shoes.

She's just been abducted by a killer - someone who kidnaps young girls, holds them for a few weeks then returns their bodies clothed in white foundling dresses.

The crimes are clearly linked to notorious child murderer Louis Kinsella, locked away in a high-security hospital. Is it a copycat? Or is he giving someone direct orders from behind bars?

To save Ella's life, psychologist Alice Quentin must form a relationship with Kinsella. But he is slow to give up his secrets, and all the while, time is running out...

“Praise for Kate Rhodes - .There are some great twists, turns and surprises in this debut novel. - Sun Quentin is one of a cast of really believable and entertaining characters and both the plot and the writing keep one thoroughly engaged throughout. A stylish debut - Daily Mail Alice is a vividly realised protagonist whose complex and harrowing history rivals the central crime storyline - Sunday ExpressLike Nicci French, Kate Rhodes excels at character, pace and sense of place.An utterly brilliant, exhilarating read and I devoured every pageA pacy psychological thriller that makes good use of its London setting. - GuardianAn atmospheric, smart, often terrifying read.”

Praise for Kate Rhodes - .

There are some great twists, turns and surprises in this debut novel. - Sun

Quentin is one of a cast of really believable and entertaining characters and both the plot and the writing keep one thoroughly engaged throughout. A stylish debut - Daily Mail

Alice is a vividly realised protagonist whose complex and harrowing history rivals the central crime storyline - Sunday Express

Like Nicci French, Kate Rhodes excels at character, pace and sense of place.

An utterly brilliant, exhilarating read and I devoured every page

A pacy psychological thriller that makes good use of its London setting. - Guardian

An atmospheric, smart, often terrifying read.

Kate Rhodes was born in London. She has worked as a teacher and university lecturer, and now writes full-time.

Kate began her writing career as a poet, publishing two prizewinning collections. She has held a Hawthornden fellowship and been shortlisted for Forward and Bridport Prizes. She has written five novels in the Alice Quentin series, CROSSBONES YARD, A KILLING OF ANGELS, THE WINTER FOUNDLINGS, RIVER OF SOULS and BLOOD SYMMETRY, the first of which was selected by Val McDermid for the Harrogate Crime festival's New Blood panel championing new crime writers. In 2014 Kate Rhodes won the Ruth Rendell Short Story Award, sponsored by the charity InterAct.

Visit her website at or follow her on Twitter @K_RhodesWriter.

Ella Williams is ten years old. She loves her granddad and her sister and her shiny new red shoes. She's just been abducted by a killer - someone who kidnaps young girls, holds them for a few weeks then returns their bodies clothed in white foundling dresses. The crimes are clearly linked to notorious child murderer Louis Kinsella, locked away in a high-security hospital. Is it a copycat? Or is he giving someone direct orders from behind bars? To save Ella's life, psychologist Alice Quentin must form a relationship with Kinsella. But he is slow to give up his secrets, and all the while, time is running out...

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