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The Wicked Girls

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The Wicked Girls

By: Roz Watkins
Narrated by: Laura Kirman, Venice Van Someren
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'Truly chilling and gripping' The Sun 'Atmospheric, creepy, immersive, chilling' Andrea Mara 'Twisty and absorbing' B A Paris ‘Builds to a shattering revelation’ The Times

A BIZARRE SERIES OF DEATHS

In the Cornish village of Peneerie, a tragedy is unfolding. Girls are dying on their seventeenth birthdays and no one can explain why. Some say it’s a curse; others a psychological phenomenon known as suicide contagion. What Kat knows is her daughter Ruby’s birthday is fast approaching.

A CURSE AWOKEN

Villagers talk anxiously of Eliza, a serving girl in the local manor house who took her own life on her seventeenth birthday nearly two hundred years ago. She cursed the girls of the village to never see womanhood.

A MOTHER PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING

Kat is determined that Ruby won’t be the next to die, by any means necessary. As she races to unravel Eliza’s Curse, Kat will have to confront the ghosts of the past and shocking truths about the world she lives in. But how far will she go to protect her daughter? And what will it cost to break the cycle of tragedy before it’s too late?

____________

‘A twisty and absorbing thriller with a hugely satisfying reveal. I raced through it!’ B A Paris

‘Atmospheric’ My Weekly

‘A memorable and timely read, written with a strong sense of place and weighty themes’ Louise Voss

‘This modern novel is a truly chilling and gripping read’ The Sun

‘A deeply troubling situation in a beautiful, wild setting, with characters you really care about. Add in a gothic mansion, the creepiest doll you've ever imagined and a curse that won't relent, and you have the perfect mix!’ Melanie Golding

‘Deeply creepy’ Daily Mail

‘Atmospheric, gothic, and deeply unsettling in the very best way’ Suzy K Quinn

‘Her best yet’ The Sunday Post

©2026 Roz Watkins (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers
Ghosts Gothic Horror Mystery Psychological Supernatural Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Village
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Critic reviews

‘Relentless pace, twists at every turn – I had to keep reading, desperate to find out what was going on. Atmospheric, creepy, immersive, chilling’ Andrea Mara
‘A twisty and absorbing thriller with a hugely satisfying reveal. I raced through it!’ B. A. Paris
‘Chilling … it’s the kind of legend that appeals to adolescent girls, but Watkins is writing about something much darker … creating a hectic atmosphere that builds to a shattering revelation’ Sunday Times
‘I love Roz Watkins’ books and The Wicked Girls is no exception. A memorable and timely read, written with a strong sense of place and weighty themes, and featuring her usual eminently believable, often flawed characters. I couldn’t put it down’ Louise Voss
‘Roz is a wonderful writer, and the characters here are so well drawn! I was kept gripped to the final page by the mystery. A deeply troubling situation in a beautiful, wild setting, with characters you really care about. Add in a gothic mansion, the creepiest doll you've ever imagined and a curse that won't relent, and you have the perfect mix!’ Melanie Golding
‘Atmospheric, gothic, and deeply unsettling in the very best way. Roz Watkins takes a terrifying premise – girls dying on their seventeenth birthdays, a curse that stretches back two hundred years – and turns it into something I genuinely couldn't put down. A brilliant read’ Suzy K Quinn
‘This book! Couldn't put it down. The first chapter had me locked in and never has a ticking clock felt so pressing! Absolutely loved it. Utterly compelling’ Rachel Wolf
‘An atmospheric and immersive thriller with ouija boards, curses and toxic masculinity – loved it’ Catherine Cooper
‘Gripping, spooky, thought provoking and utterly twisty. I loved it!’ Emma Cowell
‘I couldn’t put this atmospheric, gothic gripper down. Five stars’ Caroline Green
‘This modern novel is a truly chilling and gripping read’ The Sun
‘Atmospheric Cornish thriller’ My Weekly
‘A story packed with atmospheric dread and unsettling twists’ Woman’s Own
All stars
Most relevant
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel recommended to me by one of my favourite authors Liz Fenwick. Well written, fast paced and a not unexpected twist but shocking nevertheless !

Great writing and plot

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A new Roz Watkins title is always a treat, and The Wicked Girls was an absolute masterclass in slow-burn psychological thriller. The premise is terrifying, and the story clutched my heart all the way through. Watkins handles deeply troubling contemporary issues without flinching. The neo-gothic atmosphere is at once relatable and suffused with superstition and folklore. Watkins excels at keeping us guessing throughout. This rich and deeply satisfying thriller weaves the ordinariness of teenage coming-of-age struggles and modern parenting challenges with much darker social ills. Above all else, however, The Wicked Girls' defining triumphs are the plotting, pace, and masterful twists and turns in the service of a thought-provoking heart-pounder of a thriller, also well suited to the audiobook format. What an absolutely stunning listen. Roz Watkins is at the absolute top of her game. Highly recommended.

Creepy, chilling, and a masterclass in suspense.

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