What you see isn’t always what you get.

Elle Littlewood can barely believe her luck when her producer tells her about the chance to get her hands on a dilapidated chateau in Aix-En-Provence, France for a rock bottom price. It seems too good to be true, but as a home interiors influencer, she knows this would make incredible content.

Lately, Elle has noticed the cracks start to show. Her life is the envy of thousands, and her social media posts show a beautiful, accomplished woman. Yet this wasn’t always the case. If they knew the truth about her past, they would never look at Elle the same way again.

Elle needs this house. She doesn’t care that it comes with huge strings attached. And when people get in her way, there’s nothing Elle won’t do to protect her brand. After all, she’s survived by doing things that people could never imagine – and knows she would do them again.

A dark, voyeuristic and utterly captivating crime thriller that fans of People Like Her and Sun Damage will love from CWA Debut Dagger shortlisted author Amanda Cassidy.

From the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger shortlisted author'A dark, haunting tale with an emotional gut punch that stays with you long after the final page. Amanda Cassidy is an unflinching storyteller.' Lisa Jewell, author of The Family Upstairs When she re-lives this night, over and over, Nancy will wonder if she'd just gone upstairs a few minutes earlier, what might have been...A devastating fire. A grieving mother. A picture-perfect village full of dark secrets. And now, a son who has seemingly come back from the dead. A detective called back to her hometown, back to the memories she thought she'd left behind... An electrifying novel from a compelling new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Liz Nugent and Claire Mackintosh. Praise for The Returned 'A richly layered, intricate plot, wonderfully nuanced characters, and absolutely stunning writing, The Returned packs an incredible emotional punch. One of the best books I've read this year.' Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault 'A powerfully emotive and carefully layered story about old secrets, motherhood and demons from the past. Amanda's lyrical and evocative writing underpins a whip cracking plot that simply swept me away!' Lizzy Barber, author of Out of Her Depth 'Vivid, pacy and gripping, with characters who have real heart, Amanda Cassidy is a brilliant new voice in crime fiction.' Sam Blake, author of The Mystery of Four 'An emotionally-charged page-turner that won't let you go. I'm still reeling from that stunning ending. I loved it.' Glenn Meade, author of The Devil's Disciple

‘A rich, gut-punch of a crime thriller’ Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push It’s every mother’s worst fearOn a sun-hazed afternoon in the Florida Keys, a child goes missing from the beach. Dr Mirren Fitzpatrick appeals to the world to help find her eight-year-old adopted daughter. The family are on holiday from Ireland, far from home and desperate to return there as they arrived – together. Yet the police are immediately suspicious of Mirren. She was drinking at a bar – alone – shortly before reporting that her youngest child had disappeared. As rumours abound about Mirren’s past a trial-by-media ensues, and she is turned from a figure of pity to the villain of the piece. And then a small body is found dumped in the ocean. Is Mirren a heartbroken mother, or the architect of her daughter’s fate? A stunning debut from a brilliant new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Ashley Audrain. Breaking will see readers question their own notions of motherhood, guilt and the inescapable consequences of the past. Praise for Breaking ‘This story draws you in immediately… There is a real freshness to Cassidy’s approach to storytelling. And the ending is as disturbing and moving as those opening beach-scene pages.’ Daily Mail ‘Another great debut, this twisty crime thriller had me gripped from the very first page! A new voice in Irish crime fiction – an author to watch.’ Prima ‘Delivers a confronting examination of maternal love and the expectations that weigh so heavily on women, even in their most unthinkably dark moments. In both pace and prose, Breaking is a hugely satisfying debut.’ Ashley Audrain ‘I LOVED the story and the twists! Expert plotting and great characters made it an emotional read. It had me guessing throughout and kept me turning the pages at speed.’ Patricia Gibney, author of The Guilty Girl ‘Wonderfully compelling and at times, painfully sharp. A searing interrogation of motherhood and media... this is a beautifully constructed and beguiling debut novel.’ Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault ‘Amanda Cassidy captures a mother’s guilt perfectly... this a compelling, intriguing and thoroughly engaging read. Amanda is a very talented new voice in Irish writing.’ Liz Nugent, author of Our Little Cruelties ‘A contender for thriller of the year. Breaking dazzles from the opening line. Powerful, sharp and moving, with an ending that flabbergasts.’ Glenn Meade, author of Unquiet Ghosts ‘Wonderfully tense and uneasy, Breaking is a complex exploration of what it means to be a mother and the history that haunts us. A gripping read.’ Louisa Scarr, author of Blink of an Eye ‘This dazzling debut takes us inside a parent’s worst nightmare. Masterful story-telling, breakneck pacing and compelling characters kept me glued all the way to the explosive final pages and their disturbing revelations. Addictive, unnerving and utterly unmissable.’ Sophie White, author and Sunday Independent columnist ‘Outstanding debut… What a brilliant novel.’ Sheila Bugler, author of You Were Always Mine ‘An awesome debut. I felt the book was very well written and well paced, with plenty of intrigue, twists and turns, keeping me hooked from the outset.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘Cassidy writes with such an assured, confident voice I can't believe this is her debut. And what a cracker of an ending…’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘A tense and riveting read that had me hooked from the start with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. A fantastic debut and I already can't wait to see what comes next…’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

What you see isn’t always what you get.

Elle Littlewood can barely believe her luck when her producer tells her about the chance to get her hands on a dilapidated chateau in Aix-En-Provence, France for a rock bottom price. It seems too good to be true, but as a home interiors influencer, she knows this would make incredible content.

Lately, Elle has noticed the cracks start to show. Her life is the envy of thousands, and her social media posts show a beautiful, accomplished woman. Yet this wasn’t always the case. If they knew the truth about her past, they would never look at Elle the same way again.

Elle needs this house. She doesn’t care that it comes with huge strings attached. And when people get in her way, there’s nothing Elle won’t do to protect her brand. After all, she’s survived by doing things that people could never imagine – and knows she would do them again.

A dark, voyeuristic and utterly captivating crime thriller that fans of People Like Her and Sun Damage will love from CWA Debut Dagger shortlisted author Amanda Cassidy.

From the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger shortlisted author‘A dark, haunting tale with an emotional gut punch that stays with you long after the final page. Amanda Cassidy is an unflinching storyteller.’ Lisa Jewell, author of The Family Upstairs When she re-lives this night, over and over, Nancy will wonder if she’d just gone upstairs a few minutes earlier, what might have been…A devastating fire. A grieving mother. A picture-perfect village full of dark secrets. And now, a son who has seemingly come back from the dead. A detective called back to her hometown, back to the memories she thought she’d left behind… An electrifying novel from a compelling new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Liz Nugent and Claire Mackintosh. Praise for The Returned ‘A richly layered, intricate plot, wonderfully nuanced characters, and absolutely stunning writing, The Returned packs an incredible emotional punch. One of the best books I’ve read this year.’ Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault ‘A powerfully emotive and carefully layered story about old secrets, motherhood and demons from the past. Amanda’s lyrical and evocative writing underpins a whip cracking plot that simply swept me away!’ Lizzy Barber, author of Out of Her Depth ‘Vivid, pacy and gripping, with characters who have real heart, Amanda Cassidy is a brilliant new voice in crime fiction.’ Sam Blake, author of The Mystery of Four ‘An emotionally-charged page-turner that won't let you go. I'm still reeling from that stunning ending. I loved it.’ Glenn Meade, author of The Devil's Disciple What reader's are saying about The Returned ‘A very dark police procedural… I really enjoyed this. The author has managed to write a story that many will be able to identify with. And shown that women are stronger than they think they are.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘This mystery will mesmerize you! If you like twisty procedurals, Irish mysteries and small towns, or just want a new heroine to root for, The Returned is for you!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

It's every mother's worst fearOn a sun-hazed afternoon in the Florida Keys, a child goes missing from the beach. Dr Mirren Fitzpatrick appeals to the world to help find her eight-year-old adopted daughter. The family are on holiday from Ireland, far from home and desperate to return there as they arrived - together. Yet the police are immediately suspicious of Mirren. She was drinking at a bar - alone - shortly before reporting that her youngest child had disappeared. As rumours abound about Mirren's past a trial-by-media ensues, and she is turned from a figure of pity to the villain of the piece. And then a small body is found dumped in the ocean. Is Mirren a heartbroken mother, or the architect of her daughter's fate? A stunning debut from a brilliant new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Ashley Audrain. Breaking will see readers question their own notions of motherhood, guilt and the inescapable consequences of the past. Praise for Breaking 'This story draws you in immediately... There is a real freshness to Cassidy's approach to storytelling. And the ending is as disturbing and moving as those opening beach-scene pages.' Daily Mail 'Another great debut, this twisty crime thriller had me gripped from the very first page! A new voice in Irish crime fiction - an author to watch.' Prima 'A rich, gut-punch of a crime thriller that delivers a confronting examination of maternal love and the expectations that weigh so heavily on women, even in their most unthinkably dark moments. In both pace and prose, Breaking is a hugely satisfying debut.' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push 'I LOVED the story and the twists! Expert plotting and great characters made it an emotional read. It had me guessing throughout and kept me turning the pages at speed.' Patricia Gibney, author of The Guilty Girl 'Wonderfully compelling and at times, painfully sharp. A searing interrogation of motherhood and media... this is a beautifully constructed and beguiling debut novel.' Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault 'Amanda Cassidy captures a mother's guilt perfectly... this a compelling, intriguing and thoroughly engaging read. Amanda is a very talented new voice in Irish writing.' Liz Nugent, author of Our Little Cruelties 'A contender for thriller of the year. Breaking dazzles from the opening line. Powerful, sharp and moving, with an ending that flabbergasts.' Glenn Meade, author of Unquiet Ghosts 'Wonderfully tense and uneasy, Breaking is a complex exploration of what it means to be a mother and the history that haunts us. A gripping read.' Louisa Scarr, author of Blink of an Eye 'This dazzling debut takes us inside a parent's worst nightmare. Masterful story-telling, breakneck pacing and compelling characters kept me glued all the way to the explosive final pages and their disturbing revelations. Addictive, unnerving and utterly unmissable.' Sophie White, author and Sunday Independent columnist 'Outstanding debut... What a brilliant novel.' Sheila Bugler, author of You Were Always Mine 'An awesome debut. I felt the book was very well written and well paced, with plenty of intrigue, twists and turns, keeping me hooked from the outset.' Reader Review 'Cassidy writes with such an assured, confident voice I can't believe this is her debut. And what a cracker of an ending...' Reader Review 'A tense and riveting read that had me hooked from the start with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. A fantastic debut and I already can't wait to see what comes next...' Reader Review

It's every mother's worst fearOn a sun-hazed afternoon in the Florida Keys, a child goes missing from the beach. Dr Mirren Fitzpatrick appeals to the world to help find her eight-year-old adopted daughter. The family are on holiday from Ireland, far from home and desperate to return there as they arrived - together. Yet the police are immediately suspicious of Mirren. She was drinking at a bar - alone - shortly before reporting that her youngest child had disappeared. As rumours abound about Mirren's past a trial-by-media ensues, and she is turned from a figure of pity to the villain of the piece. And then a small body is found dumped in the ocean. Is Mirren a heartbroken mother, or the architect of her daughter's fate? A stunning debut from a brilliant new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Ashley Audrain. Breaking will see readers question their own notions of motherhood, guilt and the inescapable consequences of the past. Praise for Breaking 'This story draws you in immediately... There is a real freshness to Cassidy's approach to storytelling. And the ending is as disturbing and moving as those opening beach-scene pages.' Daily Mail 'Another great debut, this twisty crime thriller had me gripped from the very first page! A new voice in Irish crime fiction - an author to watch.' Prima 'A rich, gut-punch of a crime thriller that delivers a confronting examination of maternal love and the expectations that weigh so heavily on women, even in their most unthinkably dark moments. In both pace and prose, Breaking is a hugely satisfying debut.' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push 'I LOVED the story and the twists! Expert plotting and great characters made it an emotional read. It had me guessing throughout and kept me turning the pages at speed.' Patricia Gibney, author of The Guilty Girl 'Wonderfully compelling and at times, painfully sharp. A searing interrogation of motherhood and media... this is a beautifully constructed and beguiling debut novel.' Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault 'Amanda Cassidy captures a mother's guilt perfectly... this a compelling, intriguing and thoroughly engaging read. Amanda is a very talented new voice in Irish writing.' Liz Nugent, author of Our Little Cruelties 'A contender for thriller of the year. Breaking dazzles from the opening line. Powerful, sharp and moving, with an ending that flabbergasts.' Glenn Meade, author of Unquiet Ghosts 'Wonderfully tense and uneasy, Breaking is a complex exploration of what it means to be a mother and the history that haunts us. A gripping read.' Louisa Scarr, author of Blink of an Eye 'This dazzling debut takes us inside a parent's worst nightmare. Masterful story-telling, breakneck pacing and compelling characters kept me glued all the way to the explosive final pages and their disturbing revelations. Addictive, unnerving and utterly unmissable.' Sophie White, author and Sunday Independent columnist 'Outstanding debut... What a brilliant novel.' Sheila Bugler, author of You Were Always Mine 'An awesome debut. I felt the book was very well written and well paced, with plenty of intrigue, twists and turns, keeping me hooked from the outset.' Reader Review 'Cassidy writes with such an assured, confident voice I can't believe this is her debut. And what a cracker of an ending...' Reader Review 'A tense and riveting read that had me hooked from the start with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. A fantastic debut and I already can't wait to see what comes next...' Reader Review