Bad Blood
A dark and twisty debut about a woman whose high school sweetheart is accused of murder—and it’s up to her to find out if he’s guilty
ISBN
9781638932383
Language
English
Page count
350
Edition
Hardcover
Sale date
July 1, 2025
Dimensions
8.3 in H | 5.5 in W
About the Book
You can run from your secrets, but they’ll always catch up with you.
When criminal lawyer Justine Stone is handed the lead on her first murder case, she’s thrilled at the chance to enter the big leagues—until she discovers that she recognizes the man on the stand. Jake Reynolds, her first love who abruptly disappeared from her life years ago, and who is now facing charges for a grisly double homicide. If she’s going to send Jake to prison for murder, she has to be sure, and that means heading back to their hometown to seek answers, a place she’s been desperate to leave in the past.
Back home after almost two decades, Justine is haunted by memories, not only of the idyllic love she shared with Jake, but darker recollections of the death of her beloved father and the weight of the small town’s expectations. When her older brother Max goes missing, she starts to suspect that everything is connected, and with the date of the trial looming, she’s running out of time to put the pieces together.
Riveting and atmospheric, Bad Blood is a story of dark secrets, complicated families, and fraught homecoming, which will keep readers guessing until the very last page.
Reviews
“When Justine is assigned the biggest case of her rising barrister career, she has no way of knowing that it will reach right to the heart of her family, her past, and her future. With a compelling case for the impossibility of arriving at a ‘truth’, Hornsley has delivered a propulsive debut that asks difficult questions. I read it in a single sitting.”
“From the first page of Bad Blood, I was completely immersed in the sophisticated labyrinth Sarah Hornsley has created. With brilliant insight into the complexities of trauma, guilt, and complicity, Hornsley peels back the layers in a poignant and captivating suspense that is ultimately about how far we’ll go for love. The head-snapping reveals, jaw-dropping twists, and stunning conclusion make this a masterfully sensational thriller.”
“In your next favorite read, Bad Blood, Justine Stone discovers that her childhood sweetheart, Jake, is accused of a shocking double murder. As she confronts the buried secrets of her past, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. What unfolds is a masterful blend of suspense and emotion that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Sarah Hornsley’s artful writing and lightning-fast plot will leave you breathless and craving more!”
“Incredibly gripping. A triumph.”
“A page-turner in every sense of the word, BAD BLOOD is a masterclass in pacing.”
“BAD BLOOD is a twisty, gripping, fresh take on a legal thriller, deftly weaving an intricate plot that keeps you guessing. Criminally good!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed it, a satisfyingly complex twisty and twisted thriller that takes you in all manner of unexpected directions. Sarah draws her characters with great skill and a knack for pacing that would put many a seasoned writer to shame, let alone a debut . . . A plot that delights in defying expectations at every turn.”
“BAD BLOOD is a tangled, twisty, thrill-ride of a bookwith a protagonist you won’t forget and layers upon layers of secrets and lies. A super-dark thriller that keeps you guessing and gasping until the very last page.”
“A beautifully-written, atmospheric thrillerwith a killer twist – I loved it. Can’t wait to see what Sarah writes next.”
“I was immersed in this tale of a small town where everyone has secrets and nothing is quite what it seems. Sarah Hornsley takes us on a well crafted journey full on tension and twists. Claustrophobic and unsettling in the best way- BAD BLOOD is sure to be the thriller of 2025.”
“Excellent debut psychological / legal thriller. Flawless structure. Taut intelligent, and shockingly gripping. Loved the mentions of Kintsugi, the epistolary flourishes and the descriptions of barrister life. BRILLIANT .”
“Once I started, I couldn’t stop reading this tautly paced tale of family secrets and betrayal. BAD BLOOD is a perfectly titled page-turner; suspenseful, addictive, twisty, and yes, it delivers that sucker-punch ending too! I LOVED it.”
“A first-rate psychological thriller!”
“BAD BLOOD is an intricate, clever thriller that delves beautifully into family dynamics and small-town politics. I loved it.”
“A dark, twisted thriller from a compelling new voice. Part law-room thriller, part psychological family drama – and chock-full of secrets and lies – this had everything I expect from a pageturner and more besides. An absolute belter!”