“The Scribbler creeps up on you. Iain Maitland’s latest brilliantly creepy creation is a master class in slow, patient suspense. Barbara Nadel
“A brilliant read [… on] LGBTQ+ crimes that traditionally were underreported … Thankfully, times have changed.” Neil Boast MBE, former LGBT Liaison Officer, Suffolk Constabulary, and former head of task force on sexual exploitation and traffickingPraise for Mr Todd’s Reckoning:
“Splendidly creepy.” Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail
“Maitland conjures madness from the inside, looking out … a brave book.” Jeff Noon, Spectator
“With stylish economy and a remorseless eye for detail, Iain Maitland’s Mr Todd lures us in to his moral abyss. The banality of evil … drip feeds us its shockingly tense story of unending horror … Riveting, terrifying.” Paul Ritter
“Hurls you through the secret underground tunnels of an insane mind bent on destruction … phenomenally dark and utterly compelling.” Chris Dolan
“A dark chilling read, but I have to say a lot of fun too. There is a clever poetic ending that restores balance to the world but it’s a long journey down a dark tunnel before the light. Mr Todd’s Reckoning is gripping and gritty, exciting and scary.” NB literary magazine
“Superbly crafted … spellbinding and gripping … brilliantly observed … The setting of an ordinary two-bedroomed bungalow in suburbia is genius … the possibilities presented in Mr Todd’s Reckoning are quite terrifying. … Sparkling, mesmerising … absolutely magnificent.” Linda Hill, Linda’s Book Blog
“The characters are brought to life so vividly I could see and smell them … genius … You can’t stop turning the pages … a jaw dropping, atmospheric, creepy and uncomfortable read.” Tracy Fenton, Compulsive Readers Blog
“Truly scary … a fabulous dive into the mind of a classic, self-justifying psychopath … A fantastic book.” Barbara Nadel
“Chilling … compelling … extremely thought provoking and shocking.” Jera’s Jamboree
“A sinister novel with a build that [is] totally unexpected … A quite unique thriller.” A Knight’s Reads Blog
“The kind of creepy disturbing read that stays with you … It’s dark psychological crime fiction with no ground rules or boundaries … don’t get too comfortable.” Cheryl MM’s Book Blog
“This novel grabbed me from the very first page and refused to let go … wonderfully quirky yet frightening … The atmosphere that Iain Maitland creates with his writing is incredible … he is a master of suspense.” Bookaholic Confessions
“Pure creepy gold … A superb storyline, brilliant characters and subplots that tweaked my adrenaline … This is a stunner!” Books from Dusk till Dawn
“A deliciously dark and disturbing read … incredibly dry wit … dark to the nth degree …wonderfully surprising, with a couple of real gasp-out-loud incidents.” Raven Crime Reads
“Iain Maitland is a genius what a book Mr Todd s Reckoning is … A really fantastic read.” It’s All About the Books Blog
“A very clever psychological thriller … A really dark, almost claustrophobic story, with some genuinely creepy moments that had me reeling in disbelief.” Jaffa Reads Too Blog
“There is no way the bloke who wrote this isn’t some kind of psychopath.” Alicia Harrison, Streetwise PublicationsPraise for Sweet William:
“A breathless journey through fear and love that explores how interdependent those two extreme emotions are.” Ewan Morrison
“Extremely well written and very frightening.” Barbara Nadel
“A dark, rocket-paced thriller.” Jon Wise, Sunday Sport
“Taut, darkly humorous and heartbreaking, with an unforgettable narrator, Sweet William packs a real emotional punch.” Lisa Gray, Daily Record
“A compassionate novel imbued with a deep knowledge of mental health issues … Tense and insightful … A heart-stopping thriller with a powerful denouement.” Paul Burke, Nudge Books
“Tense … astounding … dark and chilling … and shockingly realistic. Gripping and immersive … an intelligently written thriller that deals with the intricacies of the human brain, mixed up with the emotional ties of the family.” Anne Cater, Random Things Through my Letterbox
“A story of danger, delirium and devastation … absolutely electrifying.” Alix Long, Delightful Book Reviews
“Enthralling … makes us cold to our bones … a stunning novel.” Buried Under BooksPraise for Out of the Madhouse:
“An excellent exploration of the phenomenology of mental illness and its wider impact.” Joshua Fletcher, Psychotherapist
“I love this book; profoundly moving, beautifully written … incredibly important …wonderfully hopeful.” James Withey
“Confronts the shocking bleakness of mental illness head on.” Charlie Mortimer
“The overriding ingredients … are the warmth of his connections, … and the power of communication.” Dr Nihara KrausePraise for Dear Michael, Love Dad:
“A wonderfully entertaining and moving book, with lessons for every parent.” Daily Mail
“A moving read – honest, funny and sad.” Woman and Home
“Raising the issue of men’s mental health is important and Dear Michael, Love Dad is to be praised for that … [a] loving and well meant mix of letters and commentary. Daily Express
The Scribbler
THE FIRST GAYTHER & CARRIE
COLD CASE THRILLER
BY
IAIN
MAITLAND
For Georgia, Glyn and Sophie.
CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
DEDICATION
PROLOGUE
PART ONE THE CARE HOME
PART TWO THE SUSPECTS
PART THREE THE HOUSE
PART FOUR ANOTHER VICTIM
PART FIVE THE OLD BARN
EPILOGUE
AUTHOR’S NOTES
AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ALSO BY IAIN MAITLAND
COPYRIGHT
PROLOGUEMONDAY 12 NOVEMBER, 7.25AM
The Carrie family – the 20-something woman, her middle-aged mother and her five-year old son – sat around the kitchen table of a semi-detached bungalow on an estate on the outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk.
Eating breakfast. Cereal. Coco Pops. Tea. Orange juice. Milk. Toast. Marmalade. Nutella.
Watching the clock on the wall.
The two women both had jobs to go to and the little boy had to be dropped off at school before that, by the older woman on her way to the hospital.
“So, Georgy …” the older woman sipped at her glass of orange juice as she looked across at her slight, crop-haired daughter, “… you’re sure this new job’s what you really want to do?”
“Bit late to change my mind now, Mum.” The younger woman checked the clock. “An hour and a half before I start work.” She bit into a corner of her toast.
“It wouldn’t be the first time, sweetheart.” The mother smiled back.
“Mum!” the young woman shouted in mock exasperation. “I know what I want to do now
