The Escape: An Addictive and Heart-Racing Thriller Set in a Luxurious French Country House (Paperback) - Ruth Kelly

An online influencer goes missing when 'gifted' a remarkably grand French manor house by a mysterious benefactor.

'Dark, chilling, atmospheric and page-turning, The Escape is this winter's 'The Hunting Party' - Veronica Henry

From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Escape is an electrifying thriller of influencers, secrets and lies set in a grand mansion in rural France for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.

THE PERFECT OFFER

When struggling influencer couple Adele and Jack post a crowdfunding video online, they're amazed when a mysterious benefactor offers to buy them a crumbling French chateau. It's the lifeline they need to leave all their troubles behind.

THE PERFECT DREAM

For Adele, it's a dream come true. She will post videos of the renovation as thousands of online subscribers follow their journey. But the chateau is not all it seems and the local community is far from welcoming.

THE PERFECT NIGHTMARE

Then Adele's videos suddenly stop. Her sister Erin visits to make sure she's OK, but the couple have vanished. Between the obsession of Adele's fans and the claustrophobic secrecy of the nearby town, Erin must unravel the shocking truth behind the couple's disappearance . . .

'A deliciously dark look at the world of influencers set against the backdrop of a glamorous French chateau - tense and shocking' Catherine Cooper

About the Author

Ruth Kelly is a journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top ten bestsellers - most recently The Prison Doctor, which sold over 250,000 copies, and The Governor, which went straight in at number one on the Amazon charts and number five in the Sunday Times bestseller list.

The Escape is Ruth's follow-up to The Villa and features a dream home in a holiday destination that turns deadly. It's also a cautionary tale exploring the darker side of social media. Having spent most of her life travelling and exploring the world, holiday destinations feature heavily in Ruth's thriller writing. Her family relocated to Papua New Guinea when she was seven years old and the travel bug hasn't let up since.

The simmering threat of what lies beneath the surface, the dichotomy of how paradise can also be hell fascinates Ruth. Making a destination a character in its own right - both a friend and an enemy, not someone to be trusted - is a thread explored throughout her writing.