In the summer of 1914, a boy’s disappearance is overshadowed by the outbreak of war.

Six years later, Detective Sergeant Verity, his war wounds concealed by a painted copper mask, arrives at Darkacre Hall, home of the once esteemed Stilwell family, armed with new information he hopes will help reveal the truth of what happened that fateful August day.

But Darkacre Hall is no longer the grand mansion it once was, and the Stilwells now fail to command the respect they took for granted. Brothers Maurice and Leonard bear the physical and mental scars of their military service, while Maurice’s wife has grown resentful of their diminished circumstances and their friend Victor’s constant presence.

When Verity digs deeper into the events of that final halcyon summer, he uncovers the family’s dark secrets – secrets that have had far-reaching consequences. And as he does so, Darkacre Hall becomes an unlikely battlefield – one they may not all survive.

Praise for :The Good Liars

Sunday Times‘Ingenious’

MW Craven‘ is not only a superb book, it’s a clever book… claustrophobic, addictive and utterly compelling; I absolutely loved it. Highly recommended’The Good Liars

Tom Hindle‘Exquisitely written, this haunting tale of guilt and grief treads a perfect line between chilling ghost story and gripping mystery’

Claire Dyer‘A modern classic… I couldn’t put it down’

Rebecca Netley‘Dripping with claustrophobic tension and absolutely unputdownable. I loved it'

Mandy Robotham‘A range of characters alternately agreeable and repellent, and yet all entirely readable, in a blend of history and mystery. A real page-turner’

Laura Shepherd-Robinson‘A fabulous book… full of twists and turns and heartbreaking revelations with a sprinkling of spookiness on top’

Liz Hyder‘A real page-turner… Layers upon layers of secrets and lies… Bravo!’

Ragnar Jonasson‘A cleverly structured story, with twist after twist… Excellent’

Fíona Scarlett‘An absolute gulp of a read… it grabs hold and doesn’t let go’

Carolyn O’Brien‘This clever claustrophobic page-turner delivers in spades’

From the author of stunning historical fiction books comes a bestselling new story of crime, deceit, and murder, set in the early 1920s…Sunday Times