CLAIRE LADDS

Author of character-driven psychological literary fiction and other darker books, all with an emotional pull

crime fiction

Coming Next: Darker Minds Crime and Suspense Boxset 1

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Exciting news – a boxset is coming, just in time for Christmas! I have had various readers ask me if there is going to be a boxset of the Darker Minds books so far, and I can definitely tell you that the answer is YES!

I have been working on putting together a digital boxset (or omnibus edition, if your prefer), and I’m thrilled to say that it is now available to pre-order on various stores, with more being added throughout December. It contains the novels Show Me Dead, That Killer Image and No Deadlier Time, and also includes the opportunity to get another Darker Minds books FREE when you sign up to my Readers’ Club.

The boxset launches on the 22nd December, just in time for you to nab a copy and pop it on the new e-reader you’ve bought for Christmas for the crime reader in your life. It would make an excellent long-distance gift for a reader, too – and you won’t even need to wrap it!

If you’d like to pre-order the digital boxset, so you’re one of the first readers to start reading it over the Christmas period, you can find it on your preferred store (where available) using your choice of buttons below.

Pre-order on Amazon or Apple
Pre-order on available stores

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That Killer Image OUT NOW!

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I am delighted to announce that my new suspense novel, That Killer Image is OUT NOW!

Three people. One killer. And a picture that someone will die for.

When Vicky meets Anthony, she sees him as a happy distraction from her claustrophobic relationship with her housemate and self-appointed guardian, Fran.

Anthony already knows Vicky because he has been following her every move. She is perfect for what he needs – a model for the ultimate photo of his life’s work – and he will do anything it takes to get that shot.

But Fran is not so easy to get rid of. Haunted by the disappearance of her sister, and blaming herself, she is desperate not to make the same mistakes again with Vicky. And when push really comes to shove, she has other ideas about that killer image.

Beneath obsession lies something more deadly…

You can buy the e-book of That Killer Image from a variety of bookstores, and find it in subscriptions, such as Kobo Plus and Scribd. You can also order it from your library, including (excitingly) through Borrow Box! The paperback and hardback are coming soon…

Thank you so much to everyone who pre-ordered a copy. Your support really does mean the world to me. It was fantastic to wake up to find that the book had already landed on the devices of readers in different countries, and that it had been bought it from a variety of retailers.

If you haven’t got your copy yet, you can find it at your preferred retailer using the link below. I hope you enjoy reading That Killer Image!

BUY THAT KILLER IMAGE
That Killer Image by Claire Ladds

That Killer Image: Limited Time Pre-Order Price

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I am thrilled to say that you now pre-order That Killer Image from (almost) all of your favourite bookstores! If you enjoy reading on a Kobo, or buy from Apple Books, read on your Kindle, or prefer Barnes & Noble (or others) as your go-to store, then you can pre-order That Killer Image. I am adding to the stores all the time, and I’m equally excited that this book will also be available on certain subscription sites.

That Killer Image is very much a psychological and suspense thriller. It releases on 11th April, and is part of the Darker Minds Crime and Suspense series, books which thrive on the premise that dark minds are at work, and sometimes it takes a darker one to stop them. Each book in the series is a standalone story, but they are all linked by this theme.

In case you’ve not yet come across the book description, here it is:

Three people. One killer. And a picture that someone will die for.

When Vicky meets Anthony, she sees him as a happy distraction from her claustrophobic relationship with her housemate and self-appointed guardian, Fran.

Anthony already knows Vicky because he has been following her every move. She is perfect for what he needs – a model for the ultimate photo of his life’s work – and he will do anything it takes to get that shot.

But Fran is not so easy to get rid of. Haunted by the disappearance of her sister, and blaming herself, she is desperate not to make the same mistakes again with Vicky. And when push really comes to shove, she has other ideas about that killer image.

Beneath obsession lies something more deadly…

I have loved creating the tense and tumultuous relationship between Vicky and Fran. Both have plenty of emotional baggage that impacts how they behave, and the decisions they make. But – I have to say it! – I have enjoyed creating the character of Anthony SO much! From the moment I read the first chapter he appears in to one of my beta readers, he was described as ‘creepy’. He’s an awful lot more than that, I can assure you!

For a LIMITED TIME ONLY, you can pre-order That Killer Image for a reduced price on all stores where it is available (around about half price, dependent on your country and exchange rates).

If you don’t want to miss out on this cheaper price, you can pre-order That Killer Image using the button below:

PRE-ORDER THAT KILLER IMAGE

Have you joined my Readers’ Club yet? Join to get EXCLUSIVE behind-the-scenes info and sneak peeks into forthcoming books before anyone else, as well as other Readers’ Club-only news and goodies. You’ll also get a FREE copy of Beneath the Flesh, a Darker Minds novella, when you join.

Ready to join? Click the button below to go to the signup page.

JOIN MY THE READERS’ CLUB

Show Me Dead now available in e-book, paperback and hardback!

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I’m thrilled to tell you that Show Me Dead is now available in three formats. If you read (as opposed to listen to) your books, then you can now find a format for you!

Show Me Dead is available to read on all Kindle devices and the Kindle app, in paperback, and also in hardback. So, whether you’re happy reading on-screen, or whether you love the feel of a physical book in your hand, I’ve got you covered. Not only that, but if you’ve got a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can read it for FREE. 😊

If you’ve not yet delved into what the book is about, then let me help you:

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THE DEEPER YOU GO, THE DARKER YOU GET. THE STAGE IS SET…

Ripped away from her circus family and kidnapped, Angel finds herself the unwilling ‘guest’ in a dilapidated theatre, belonging to a man who calls himself the Puppet Master.

She’s not the only captive, either. All of the broken and terrified people below ground are forced to perform for a very darkly discerning audience.

When performers begin to go missing, no one knows why, or who will be next. Fear is growing and Angel intends to ensure one thing – that it won’t be her. What is happening here? Just who is the Puppet Master, and what does he want with her? Angel may well wish that she’d never found out. But is he really the one pulling the strings?

To save them all and get to the truth, Angel has to perform the darkest show of all. But truth comes at a price. And someone will pay…

This book is part of the Darker Minds crime and suspense thriller series: Dark minds are at work. Sometimes it takes a darker one to stop them.

Perfect for readers of Martin Edwards, Joanna Penn, Mark Tilbury, Sarah Pearse, Helen Phifer, and those who like their dark crime mixed with a good dose of suspense.

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I’ve had some truly lovely comments about the book, the story itself, and my writing. I really do appreciate every single one. I’ve even had several people tell me they could imagine it as a film. When i wrote it, I did so very much with the visual aspect in mind – and how brilliant would it be to have a book made into a film?! (If you know any directors who work for Netflix or who produce Amazon Originals, feel free to send them my way! 😁).

If you’d like to take a look at Show Me Dead, and grab yourself a copy, then the button below will take you straight to the book on your Amazon store.

Buy Show Me Dead

Happy reading!

Claire 😊

Show Me Dead: A big THANK YOU! 😊

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I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped to make the release of Show me Dead as brilliant an experience as it has been.

Writers often do much of their work alone – the very nature of having to focus on the words you’re writing or editing means that’s par for the course – but it takes all sorts of people to help get a book launched. Whether you are someone who has bought the book, or downloaded it to read it in Kindle Unlimited, or whether you liked and shared my social media posts as I wittered on about how excited I was about this book (and I’m still excited because I love the story!), or whether you told someone else about Show Me Dead, or whether you’ve managed to do something else to spread the word about my book launch, I cannot thank you enough. You are AMAZING!

I’ve had some really flattering and humbling conversations with readers this week, who have contacted me and said some lovely things about this book and my writing itself. I honestly can’t thank you enough. Putting a book out into the world can feel scary because you never know for sure if it’s going to resonate with readers, or whether they’re going to enjoy it.

I would like to give a special shout-out to my fabulous cover designer, Emmy Ellis, who has done a superb job of making the covers in the Darker Minds Crime and Suspense series truly gorgeous. Also, it’s a real privilege to have author friends and colleagues who are always willing to listen to another writer talking ‘shop’. Jay Nadal and Meg Jolly have encouraged me so much in the last few months. If you ever want to read police procedurals, both of them write great ones!

If you haven’t got your copy of Show Me Dead yet, you can grab it for a very limited time for 99p/c, or get it with your Kindle Unlimited subscription and read for FREE.

Download Show Me Dead
Show Me Dead – FREE to read in Kindle Unlimited

Would you like to hear more from me? Join my Readers’ Club and get exclusive gifts and bonus content. You’ll also get a FREE copy of Beneath the Flesh, a Darker Minds Crime and Suspense novella.

Yes, I’d like to join the Reader’s Club

Show Me Dead – OUT NOW on Amazon!

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This is a very exciting day for me because it’s LAUNCH DAY for Show Me Dead!

I am absolutely thrilled to say that Show Me Dead is now available to buy from Amazon. And if you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can download and read the book FREE as part of your subscription – and I’d love it very much if you do! 😁

If you pre-ordered the book, then it should already have landed on your device. You may even have already started reading it, which is fantastic.

Show Me Dead is the first book I’ve written in my new Darker Minds series. Each book in the series is a standalone novel, linked by a premise:

Dark minds are at work. Sometimes it takes a darker one to stop them…

Here’s a bit about Show Me Dead, in case you’ve not yet come across it.

THE DEEPER YOU GO, THE DARKER YOU GET. THE STAGE IS SET…

Ripped away from her circus family and kidnapped, Angel finds herself the unwilling ‘guest’ in a dilapidated theatre, belonging to a man who calls himself the Puppet Master.

She’s not the only captive, either. All of the broken and terrified people below ground are forced to perform for a very darkly discerning audience.

When performers begin to go missing, no one knows why, or who will be next. Fear is growing and Angel intends to ensure one thing – that it won’t be her. What is happening here? Just who is the Puppet Master, and what does he want with her? Angel may well wish that she’d never found out. But is he really the one pulling the strings?

To save them all and get to the truth, Angel has to perform the darkest show of all. But truth comes at a price. And someone will pay…

You can find, buy, and download to read as a Kindle Unlimited book by clicking the button below:

BUY OR DOWNLOAD SHOW ME DEAD

I really hope you love reading Show me Dead. I have had such an amazing time writing it, and loved every second of creating the darkness inside the main characters. I would love to know what you think of Angel and of the Puppet Master – and which one you found yourself drawn to most. Do feel free to contact me and let me know.

To all my readers – thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for helping my launch day be fantastic. If you’ve bought or downloaded my book, that’s just wonderful. If my words thrill you, touch you, scare you, or make you want to read more books, then I can’t ask for more than that. I write because I love it, and if I can bring you along for the ride, then it’s literally the most fantastic feeling ever!

Show Me Dead by Claire Ladds