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Dead Heat

Escape to Greece in this gripping must-read crime thriller - the perfect beach read for summer 2026

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Dead Heat

By: Sabine Durrant
Narrated by: Rufus Wright
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Brought to you by Penguin.

Former journalist Matt Grimshaw's life is at a low ebb. He's been 'let go' by the paper where he's worked for years, and his relationship with his long-term girlfriend has come unstuck.

So when an invitation arrives from his two closest friends, Celia and Adam Murphy, to join them at their house in Greece, he jumps at it.

It may be harsh and unwelcoming on the Mani Peninsula but Matt determines to stay there for the whole summer and to write his much put-off screen-play.

But then the Murphys plus children arrive, and a wealthy newcomer to the area starts throwing loud and lavish parties in his big house across the bay.

As the nights become hotter and the parties wilder, everyone's motivations darken. Envy rises, resentments grow - until a terrible accident stops the summer in its tracks.

At least, it looks like an accident…

Set over one blazing Mediterranean summer, Sabine Durrant’s new thriller is tense, claustrophobic and utterly gripping.

'A real scorcher. You won't want to miss this one!' HARLAN COBEN
'Gloriously dark and wildly engrossing' LISA JEWELL
'Sun-drenched and dripping with suspense, this is the perfect summer read’ LUCY CLARKE

© Sabine Durrant 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Crime Thrillers International Mystery & Crime Mystery Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense
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Critic reviews

Sabine Durrant is a fantastic writer… Dead Heat is a cracker
Expertly constructed and guilefully written, it inevitably reminds you of Patricia Highsmith, but also of The Great Gatsby
Incredibly atmospheric and oppressive - the heat, the relationships, the events - it’s all sticky and woozy and hot and sandy and salty and languorous . . . this is the perfect book to read on a sun lounger
With scintillating shades of The Great Gatsby, this intoxicating thriller is a superb study in menace
Durrant’s talent for conjuring the harsh beauty of Greece’s Mani Peninsula immediately immerses the reader . . . explosive
This slow-burn thriller gives White Lotus vibes thanks to the luxe setting on Greece’s Mani Peninsula
Durrant pairs taut psychological suspense with crisp, beautiful writing
Explosive
Durrant’s cast of characters are intensely unlikeable and yet utterly irresistible
I loved this book. The descriptions are so beautiful that you almost don’t notice the brilliance of the plotting
All stars
Most relevant
I loved the back drop of this book, with it being in Greece, it gave holiday vibes. It was an interesting mystery story and very well written and narrated

Very interesting story set in a lovely area

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Kept me wanting more! An edge of your seat listen. The perfect holiday read in the sunshine.

So well written, couldn’t switch it off!

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This author writes so well that this book, far from her best, is decent, but it’s also strangely lacking. I found none of characters particularly interesting. The story seemed somewhat fragmented and I never felt truly engaged with it. It must have something though, as I usually don’t hesitate to abandon a book that isn’t ‘doing it’ for me and I never wanted to do so with this one.

Good, but lacking!

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My first book from Sabine Durrant and I really liked it. We have all been to this Greece she sets it in. Maybe want to go back. Didn’t see the ending coming at all. Loved the style and sparse writing.

First time Sabine reader

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Not a gripping storyline, slightly weak in my opinion. Easy to listen to however and well narrated

Not as gripping as I thought it would be

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