A beautifully written and plotted police procedural from a rising star in the genre who has delivered a game-changing fourth book: 'Claire Askew takes us away from the obvious plot and asks us tantalising questions ... an absorbing, thought-provoking entry into crime fiction' - The Times

*** LONGLISTED FOR THE McILVANNEY CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD **
One day. One woman. One chance to get everyone out alive.

'TELL JACK BAUER HE HAS BEEN SUPPLANTED... A taut hostage scenario' iPAPER
'A breathless, real-time, 24-style thriller that combines nail-biting tension with boundless compassion' ERIN KELLY
'Askew is proving to be a master of the suspenseful police procedural' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB

At 8am the first shots are fired.

At 1pm, the police establish the gunman has a hostage.

By 5pm, a siege is underway.

At 9pm, DI Helen Birch walks, alone and unarmed, into an abandoned Borders farmhouse to negotiate with the killer.

The outstanding new novel from the highly acclaimed author of All the Hidden Truths and What You Pay For - both shortlisted for the CWA Golden Dagger.

'Phew, the electric tension in this nail-biting, clock-ticking, thriller almost blew my fuses! Tension reaches screaming point...unmissable! 10/10' PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH
'The tension builds to genuinely frightening peaks ... Enjoy the breath-taking thrill of the ride' THE SCOTSMAN
'An engrossing and thought provoking read' BELFAST TELEGRAPH
'Nail-biting' CRIME MONTHLY
'Tension-packed' CARLISLE LIFE
'Breath-taking' ON MAGAZINE
'This 24-style thriller is filled with nail-biting tension' SCOTS MAGAZINE
'This nail-biter keeps up a rollicking pace-this is one you're likely to devour in one sitting!' MY WEEKLY
'Askew displays pitch-perfect understanding of tone and cadence ... breath-taking thrill' YORKSHIRE POST
'Askew has delivered a peak-page turner and fans of crime-fiction will be left with a cliffhanger ending and a pronounced desire to learn where DI Birch turns up next' IRISH EXAMINER