The Night Ferry

Book excerpt: An intense psychological thriller that delves into the psyche of the criminal mind by the multi-million-copy bestselling author of LIFE OR DEATH, Michael Robotham Alisha Barba's dreams of being a detective were shattered when a murder suspect broke her back across a brick wall. Now on her feet again, she receives a letter from an old school friend, Cate Beaumont, who is eight months pregnant and in trouble. On the night they arrange to meet, Cate is mown down by a car that kills her husband instantly. As paramedics fight to save her life they discover there is no baby. Her pregnancy is an elaborate, mysterious lie. Why? What happened? Alisha is drawn deeper and deeper into a dangerous quest that will take her from the East End of London to Amsterdam's red light district and into a murky underworld of sex trafficking, slavery and exploitation. A compelling page-turner, with twists at every turn, THE NIGHT FERRY is Michael Robotham's first standalone novel. **Includes an exclusive extract from Michael's new standalone thriller THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS** 'Will have you turning the pages compulsively' - The Times 'Robotham doesn't just make me scared for his characters, he makes my heart ache for them' - LINWOOD BARCLAY 'A terrific read' - Guardian 'LIFE OR DEATH is a nerve-shredding thriller with the heart and soul so often missing from lesser crime and suspense novels. I couldn't stop reading, yet I didn't want Audie's story to end. Robotham is an absolute master.' - STEPHEN KING