The Dictator's Wife (A mesmerising novel of deception and BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club pick) - Freya Berry

''A gripping, intelligent, utterly-of-the-moment thriller'' EMMA STONEX''A captivating story of women''s power, love and secrets'' LARA PRESCOTT''Compelling, atmospheric. It''s BRILLIANT'' MARIAN KEYESONE WOMAN KNOWS THE TRUTH. CAN YOU TRUST HER TO TELL IT?Laura flies to her parents'' homeland for the defence case of her life. Facing trial is Marija Popa, ''the Black Widow''; a constant at her husband''s side until the day his people rose up and executed him. Beautiful and beguiling, Marija insists she knew nothing of her husband''s dark affairs. For Laura, the case has a personal meaning. Her mother has never spoken of the horrors she witnessed under the old regime, and remains a shadow of the woman she used to be. As Laura prepares for the trial, she realises that to find the truth, she must enter the web of the dictator''s wife. But what secrets lie within?A BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK.THE NEW EUROPEAN''S BEST FICTION PICK OF THE YEAR 2022. ----------''Richly imagined'' THE TIMES''Demands to be devoured in one sitting'' GLAMOUR''Magnificent'' CHARLOTTE PHILBY''A gripping and moving debut'' HARLAN COBEN''Fascinating, atmospheric, utterly gripping'' LIZ HYDER''Spellbinding'' JANE SHEMILT''Darkly compelling''STYLIST''Thrilling and remarkably assured'' NEW EUROPEAN''The ending left me breathless'' LARA PRESCOTT''Atmospheric, claustrophobic and so elegantly written'' ELLERY LLOYD''Engrossing, evocative, chillingly claustrophobic'' KAREN HAMILTON''A darkly atmospheric, rich, compulsive and page-turning read'' KATE HAMER''A remarkable new talent'' ANTHONY HOROWITZ''Sumptuously written. One of the most compelling literary debuts of the year'' GLAMOUR''Excellent, immersive'' HARRIET TYCE** Coming soon from Freya Berry: THE BIRDCAGE LIBRARY **