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Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

Sasha couldn’t remember the last time they’d all laughed together, but they did now.

Cramming the last of the cone into his mouth, Kev waved to the owner behind the counter, and said, ‘Come on, everybody, let’s go and get some chips.’

They walked outside and across the road to the thin sliver of beach. With Angel and Denny talking animatedly ahead of them, Kev pulled Sasha close.

‘Thank you,’ he said.

‘Don’t leave us again.’ She was still emotional. ‘We miss you too much.’

He kissed her on the forehead. ‘Not a chance.’

And then he put a finger to his lips, watch this, and crept up behind his daughter, and while she was talking to Denny leaned over and bit the top off her last bit of ice cream.

‘Dad!’ she screamed, and her brother laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen, and Sasha laughed too.

And right at that moment her phone rang and she stopped to fumble in her bag for it. She saw it was a call from the office. Her thumb hovered over the screen, ready to accept the call. But when she glanced up, they were all standing looking at her, Kev and Angel and Denny.

‘No phones,’ they chorused.

She felt the weight of it in her hand, watched the screen flash angrily for her attention, and then lobbed it into the sea.

It sank with a plonk.

Denny and Kev doubled over in laughter.

‘Mum!’ screamed Angel. ‘I can’t believe you did that!’

‘Oh well,’ said Sasha Dawson. ‘That call will have to wait.’

*

If you enjoyed THE BAD PLACE, you're going to love ONE BAD THING, a twisty and chilling thriller about a woman who did one bad thing when she was young... and must now suffer the consequences.

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Acknowledgements

Sasha Dawson will return, as they say in those movies. But while you’re still here, let me mention some lovely people who really helped in the writing of The Bad Place.

I ask Michael Gradwell and Inspector Kevin Horn endless questions about police procedure and they are both unfailingly helpful and patient; the same goes for Senior Paramedic Jason Eddings and his medical guidance. I’m grateful to Robert Colby-Blake and Christopher Langdon at Southend Museums, and to Graham Beale for his technological expertise. Crispin Bonham-Carter and Jason Butler kindly spoke to me about bullying in schools.

I’m lucky to have Jamie Cowen at The Ampersand Agency fighting my corner, and the same goes for Rosie and Jessica Buckman at The Buckman Agency.

Many thanks to my brilliant editor Laura Palmer and all the other lovely and talented people at Head of Zeus. Special mentions must go to Vicky Joss, Nikky Ward, Flo Hare, Sophie Robinson, Dan Gronewald, Vicki Reed, Chrissy Ryan, Christian Duck, Jenni Edgecome, Jon Appleton – and Mark Swan for his terrific cover.