C.J. Cooke – författare

‘Atmospheric, mysterious and intense … It's a stunning psychological thriller’ C. L. Taylor, bestselling author of THE MISSING Komméno Island, Greece: I don't know where I am, who I am. Help me. A woman is washed up on a remote Greek island with no recollection of who she is or how she got there. Potter’s Lane, Twickenham, London: Eloïse Shelley is officially missing. Lochlan’s wife has vanished into thin air, leaving their toddler and twelve-week-old baby alone. Her money, car and passport are all in the house, with no signs of foul play. Every clue the police turn up means someone has told a lie…Does a husband ever truly know his wife? Or a wife know her husband? Why is Eloïse missing? Why did she forget?The truth is found in these pages…

ONE DIED. WHO LIED? A horrific car crash in Belize has devastated Helen Pengilly’s family, leaving her daughter in a coma and her husband Michael missing.Alone and terrified, Helen’s memory is dragged back to that day 22 years ago. To protect their family, Helen and Michael both said they would forget what happened. But now it seems that there is someone who will stop at nothing to make them remember… Who is playing the blame game? Readers are loving The Blame Game:‘addictive and powerful’‘A cleverly crafted thriller with a unique story’‘a great read’‘A heart-wrenching story of grief, guilt and family, and the extreme lengths you’ll go to save those you love’‘This is a book all psychological thriller lovers should read… addictive’‘A fantastic, edge of the seat family expedition turning into a gripping read’‘A real page-turner’PRAISE FOR C.J. COOKE:‘Grip-lit at its best’ ELLE‘Stunning’ C.L. TAYLOR‘Will keep you guessing the whole way through!’ C.J. TUDOR

A perfect atmospheric thriller for this Halloween . . . A house stands alone in the woods. Deep in the forests of Norway, Lexi finds a fresh start with Tom and his two young daughters, working as their new nanny. The darkness creeps closer. But Lexi is telling lies, and she’s not the only one. This family has a history – and this place has a past. Something was destroyed to build this house, and in the dark, dark woods, a menacing presence lurks. Lexi must protect the children in her care – but protect them from what? Atmospheric, gothic, spine-chilling, the new thriller from C.J Cooke will haunt you long after you turn the last page . . . ‘Vvivid and compelling’ Rosamund Lupton‘A gorgeous, atmospheric book that chilled me to the bone’ Samantha Downing‘‘A dark but gripping read’ Bella‘So eerie I wanted to sleep with the light on’ Prima‘Atmospheric’ New York Post, Best Books to ReadReader reviews for The Nesting‘Worth far more than five stars’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Very atmospheric and eerie’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A real treat’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Very atmospheric and a fantastic read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A brilliant combination of a gothic style mystery and a cast of troubled characters, all with secrets to hide’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A great tale for a winter read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This is perfect for lovers of gothic, dark, ghost stories’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Haunting and wonderful’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don’t miss this chilling gothic thriller from the bestselling author . . . ’Cooke has creatively interwoven the darkness of reality with a magical realism that will truly have you gripped’Woman & Home‘Fascinating and enthralling’ Prima‘Wonderfully atmospheric and compelling’ Rosamund Lupton‘A flawless read’ Elizabeth Lee‘Seething with gothic menace’ Caroline Lea‘This ghost story is a perfect mix of propulsive plot and shivers-up-the-spine spookiness’ Good Housekeeping A deserted lighthouse Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island stands a lighthouse. Strange and terrible events have happened here. It started with a witch hunt. Now, centuries later, islanders are vanishing. A lost family Liv Stay and her children don’t believe in witches or curses. But within months of arriving on the island, her daughter Luna is the only one of them left. An impossible child Twenty years later, Luna’s missing sister turns up out of the blue. She is exactly the girl Luna remembers. Same face. Same smile. Same age. Faced with the impossible, it’s up to Luna to find out what really happened at the lighthouse all those years ago.

‘Haunting’ Sara Sheridan‘Intriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking’ Alexandra Bell‘Beautifully crafted, thrilling and atmospheric’ Rebecca NetleyIn the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.This place is shrouded in folklore – old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who is not quite a child.Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds – and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew – and risk what she holds most dear.Praise for The Ghost Woods . . . ‘Cooke has mixed the darkness of reality with a magical realism that will have you gripped’Woman & Home ‘This chilling gothic tale is the perfect choice for a book club . . . atmospheric’ Prima‘Original and compelling, The Ghost Woods is a beautifully written, chilling tale that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished’ Elizabeth Lee‘[C.J. Cooke is] a master of the feminist gothic!’ Katherine May’The Ghost Woods rattles along, with a twisty plot that defies expectations right from the start . . . highly enjoyable’ Sally Hinchcliffe‘An eerie gothic thriller’ Samantha Downing‘Deliciously unsettling, strangely believable’ Carly Reagon ‘With a great plot, this suspenseful and compelling story touches on the difficult history of women in mid-20th-century Scotland’Candis

C.J. Cooke’s latest chilling tale, a Radio 2 Book Club Pick, The Book of Witching, is available to buy now! * * * Something has walked the floors of the Ormen for over a century. Something that craves revenge… *Longlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize*'Mesmerising and terrifying … If you're looking for a spooky read this winter give this a go' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A dark, claustrophobic and gripping read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'It's the highly original story and masterful plot that impresses most – twists and turns with a fabulous ending' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐1901. On board the Ormen, a whaling ship battling through the unforgiving North Sea, a woman awakes. Attacked and dragged there against her will, it’s just her and the crew – and they’re all owed something only she can give them.Decades later, the Ormen is found drifting across the ocean, deserted. Just one body is left on board, his face and feet mutilated, his cabin locked from the inside. Everyone else has vanished.Now. Urban explorer Dominique travels into the near-permanent darkness of the northernmost tip of Iceland. She's searching for the final resting place of the Ormen’s wreck, and she’s determined to uncover its secrets.But she’s not alone. Something is here with her. And it’s seeking revenge…***‘Rich, chilling and gorgeously gothic. A Haunting in the Arctic is the kind of enchanting, terrifying mystery I just adore’ Chris Whitaker‘Cooke delivers yet another spine-chilling treat in this lushly imagined, terrifying novel’ Emilia Hart, bestselling author of Weyward‘Mesmerising and terrifying, this is a powerful story lovingly told … Highly recommended’ Lisa Ballantyne

⭐A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick⭐ 'Chilling and beautifully written … C.J. Cooke's finest novel yet' Emilia Hart 'A spellbinding thriller' Scots Magazine Four hundred years separate them. One book binds them. Glasgow 2024: Clem waits by her daughter’s hospital bed. Erin was found on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney, with catastrophic burns and only one memory: her name is Nyx.But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?Orkney 1594: accused of witchcraft, Alison Balfour awaits trial. The punishment? To be burned alive.Separated by four hundred years but bound by the Book of Witching, two women stand imperilled. Can they unlock a centuries-old mystery? And will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?__________________________________ Readers have fallen to The Book of Witching: ‘My heart was in my mouth from the opening pages until the final paragraph and I couldn't guess just how events would end…’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I raced through this book in one day and absolutely recommend for anyone who loves a chilling read, especially one with a historical basis and witchy topic.’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘It’s atmospheric, witchy, magical, mysterious and thrilling and I felt compelled to read on…’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This book was both thrilling and engaging, it was written superbly, and it had me hooked from the beginning.’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Exciting, thrilling and absorbing. I loved this book from start to finish. The different timelines kept me hooked and kept the pace moving. Beautifully haunting.’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick⭐'Chilling and beautifully written … C.J. Cooke's finest novel yet' Emilia Hart'A spellbinding thriller'Scots Magazine Four hundred years separate them. One book binds them. Glasgow 2024: Clem waits by her daughter’s hospital bed. Erin was found on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney, with catastrophic burns and only one memory: her name is Nyx.But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?Orkney 1594: accused of witchcraft, Alison Balfour awaits trial. The punishment? To be burned alive.Separated by four hundred years but bound by the Book of Witching, two women stand imperilled. Can they unlock a centuries-old mystery? And will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?__________________________________ Readers have fallen to The Book of Witching: ‘My heart was in my mouth from the opening pages until the final paragraph’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I raced through this book in one day and absolutely recommend for anyone who loves a chilling read, especially one with a historical basis and witchy topic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Atmospheric, witchy, magical, mysterious and thrilling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Both thrilling and engaging, written superbly, and it had me hooked from the beginning’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Exciting, thrilling and absorbing. I loved this book from start to finish. Beautifully haunting’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Exclusive limited edition first print run with a foiled board design and beautifully designed endpapers. Available while stocks last.*'Chilling, atmospheric' Sunday Times'Vivid and haunting' Emilia Hart'Blisteringly brilliant' Anna MazzolaWill she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic? Innsbruck 1485 Helena should be doing what every other wealthy young wife is doing: keeping her husband’s house, bearing his children. But when their footman is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to escape only to unleash a malevolent spirit which places all their lives in danger. Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to the terrifying witchfinder and risk death at the stake if found guilty? Or is the real threat the world beyond this one…? __________________________________ Readers LOVE The Last Witch: "A phenomenal read” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A magical blend of horror, psychological thriller and historical fiction” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Another spellbinding masterpiece from C.J. Cooke, it is as haunting as it is heartbreakingly beautiful” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I must be in my witch phase, and this author has me hooked” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Another cracker by C.J. Cooke. I loved this one from beginning to end, rarely putting it down” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Chilling, atmospheric' Sunday Times'Vivid and haunting' Emilia Hart'Blisteringly brilliant' Anna MazzolaWill she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic? Innsbruck 1485 Helena should be doing what every other wealthy young wife is doing: keeping her husband’s house, bearing his children. But when their footman is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to escape only to unleash a malevolent spirit which places all their lives in danger. Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to the terrifying witchfinder and risk death at the stake if found guilty? Or is the real threat the world beyond this one…? __________________________________ Readers LOVE The Last Witch: "A phenomenal read” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A magical blend of horror, psychological thriller and historical fiction” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Another spellbinding masterpiece from C.J. Cooke, it is as haunting as it is heartbreakingly beautiful” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I must be in my witch phase, and this author has me hooked” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Another cracker by C.J. Cooke. I loved this one from beginning to end, rarely putting it down” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐