Poppet (Jack Caffery Book 6)

In this thrilling and meticulously-plotted crime novel, British detective Jack Caffery is tasked with locating a dangerous mental patient who has escaped confinement—before he can strike again. The Beechway High Secure Unit in Bristol, England, has a storied past, having served as a 19th-century workhouse, a poorhouse for the homeless, and now a psychiatric hospital. This troubled history has given rise to superstitions, such as the belief in the Maude, the ghost of a sadistic workhouse matron.

While some patients and staff believe the Maude is responsible for a series of unexplained self-harm incidents among the ward's patients, nursing coordinator AJ LeGrande suspects a more sinister culprit—a homicidal patient who was erroneously released back into the public. Seeking Caffery's expertise, LeGrande hopes the detective's investigation will uncover the truth behind the unsettling occurrences within and beyond the hospital's walls. However, what Caffery discovers about former patient Isaac Handel is far more disturbing than anyone could have imagined.

Praised for its "enough evil to keep readers awake long after the cases are solved" and "rich psychological portraits" along with a "compelling mystery," this chilling thriller by the acclaimed author has been hailed by critics. The Los Angeles Times noted its powerful impact, while Entertainment Weekly described the book's "high-wire tension" that "never wavers," cautioning readers that diving into "Poppet" when alone and the rain is falling against the windows may not be the best idea, as the novel "oozes sinisterness from the first page."

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