The Final Child

Erin and her brother Alex were the last children abducted by 'the Father', a serial killer who only ever took pairs of siblings. She escaped, but her brother was never seen again. Traumatised, Erin couldn't remember anything about her ordeal, and the Father was never caught.

Eighteen years later, Erin has done her best to put the past behind her. But then she meets Harriet. Harriet's young cousins were the Father's first victims and, haunted by their deaths, she is writing a book about the disappearances and is desperate for an interview.

At first, Erin wants nothing to do with her. But then she starts receiving sinister gifts, her house is broken into, and she can't shake the feeling that she's being watched. After all these years, Erin believed that the Father was gone, but now she begins to wonder if he was only waiting...

'Written with insight and empathy as well as hair-raising suspense.' - New York Journals of Books on After the Eclipse

“"Dorricott knows how to tell a gripping if familiar story. " -Publishers Weekly”

"Yet another stunning thriller from Fran Dorricott. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough." - Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones

"This beautifully written novel is haunting and heartbreaking, disturbing and bittersweet. You won't be able to put it down!" - Roz Watkins, author of The Devil's Dice

"Fran's writing just gets better and this novel is expertly plotted to keep you turning those pages all night. Parts of this are inevitably heartbreaking, others are full of hope. If you love your crime fiction pacey, well written and full of suspense this is perfect for you." - Alex Caan, author of The Unbroken

"The Final Child is such an elegant, well thought-through thriller. It takes the idea of victim and turns it on its head and breaks your heart in the process. I was sucked in for the first half and then whipped through the second half with my heart in my mouth. A fantastic follow-up to After the Eclipse." - Sophie Draper, author of Magpie

Praise for After the Eclipse:

"After the Eclipse, a gripping debut by Fran Dorricott, is not to be missed. A great read." -Lisa Lutz, author of The Passenger

"A tense and atmospheric novel with a unique protagonist." - Claire McGowan, author of The Push 

"A compelling and emotive debut that pulls you into the shadows of human loss and hope. I was rooting for Cassie from the start." - Angela Clarke, author of On My Life

"Assured debut thriller with a superstitious bent and a tender love story at its core." -Booklist

"[A] suspenseful debut." -Wall Street Journal

"Fran Dorricott is an emerging master of the British mystery... [her] delightful talent transports readers to a place both timeless and terrifying." -Library Journal

"Fran Dorricott s characters are refreshingly three-dimensional and her writing is full of zest." -The Sunday Express

"A debut novel, written with insight and empathy as well as hair-raising suspense, After the Eclipse is sure to pique the reader's interest." -New York Journal of Books

Fran Dorricott is a bookseller and author. She studied creative writing at the University of East Anglia, and she received a distinction for her MA in Creative Writing from City University London. Her day job in a bookshop is secretly just a way for her to fuel her ridiculous book-buying addiction. The opportunity to draw inspiration from the many wonderful and whacky customer requests is also a plus. Her first novel, After the Eclipse, was published by Titan in 2019.

Erin and her brother Alex were the last children abducted by 'the Father', a serial killer who only ever took pairs of siblings. She escaped, but her brother was never seen again. Traumatised, Erin couldn't remember anything about her ordeal, and the Father was never caught. Eighteen years later, Erin has done her best to put the past behind her. But then she meets Harriet. Harriet's young cousins were the Father's first victims and, haunted by their deaths, she is writing a book about the disappearances and is desperate for an interview. At first, Erin wants nothing to do with her. But then she starts receiving sinister gifts, her house is broken into, and she can't shake the feeling that she's being watched. After all these years, Erin believed that the Father was gone, but now she begins to wonder if he was only waiting... 'Written with insight and empathy as well as hair-raising suspense.' -- New York Journals of Books on After the Eclipse

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