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The Perfect Psychopath by Alice Hunter x-book

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What to expect

**The gripping, new, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller from the bestselling author of the smash-hit novel The Serial Killer's Wife, now a major TV series**

–––––––––––

'Superbly written. Chillingly compulsive.' Jane Corry

The mind is a dangerous place to hide…

Dr Eleanor Spencer is a well-respected psychologist with a seemingly perfect life. But when a series of women start to vanish, it dredges up memories of her sister’s unsolved disappearance and she finds herself drawn into the investigation.

Desperate, she turns to Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial murderer who revels in mind games. But when Lucas cryptically hints the answers lie buried in her past, Ellie’s carefully constructed world begins to splinter.

Because now she faces a terrifying possibility: the real monster might just be closer than she ever imagined.

Ellie has spent her career deciphering the minds of killers—but now, one of them is inside hers.

A gripping psychological suspense about betrayal, courage, and the darkness that can hide behind a seemingly trustworthy façade. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater and B.A. Paris.

PRAISE FOR THE PERFECT PSYCHOPATH:

‘What an absorbing read. An enticing insight into the dark mindset of a serial killer. I couldn’t put it down.’ Amanda Robson

‘The Perfect Psychopath is Alice Hunter's best novel yet. Absolutely addictive, I was captivated from the first page to the last.‘ J.M. Hewitt

‘I swear I had almost every single character down as the killer at one point, but I still didn’t get it right! So brilliantly twisty. Will keep you guessing until the very last page. Loved it.’ Lucy Roth

‘Deviously constructed and utterly compelling. Led me down a twisty path and then grabbed me by the throat with an ending I did not see coming.’ Anne Wyn Clark

PRAISE FOR ALICE HUNTER:

'I tore through this edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night thriller that will have you asking how well you really know those closest to you. Hunter has created a menacing villain in John, a monster hiding in plain sight. Timely and gripping, don't miss this one.' Katy Brent

‘A stunning debut … It richly deserves to be a hit.’Daily Mail

‘The steadily unfurling plot … kept me hooked. The final double twist, too, is well worth waiting for.’My Weekly

‘This book hooks you in to the drama straight away and does not let you go, even on the last page. Brilliant.’ Sun

‘Wow, what a read! Alice Hunter is the queen of the serial killer thriller.’ J.M. Hewitt

‘Twisty and suspenseful.’ Jane Corry

‘Absolutely gripping and a brilliant premise – how well does anyone ever know anyone else? Fantastic.’ Catherine Cooper

‘A one-sitting read that absolutely gripped me from the first page.’ C S Green

‘Twisty, turny, tense and so very, very clever.’ Susi Holliday

‘Smart, assured and wickedly twisty.’ Jenny Blackhurst

‘A gripping story of secrets, manipulation and power in a quiet Cotswolds village. Terrific!’ Mick Finlay

'Scarily believable – what does go on behind closed doors? A twisty, addictive read, and brilliantly written – highly recommended.' Elisabeth Carpenter

‘Another cracking read from Alice Hunter. Compelling intrigue from the queen of page turners.’ Amanda Robson

‘Compelling, twisty and completely consuming. The pace is electric, the story kept me guessing all the way. I literally couldn’t put it down.’ Darren O’Sullivan

Critics Review

  • PRAISE FOR THE PERFECT PSYCHOPATH

    'Superbly written. Chillingly compulsive.' Jane Corry

    ‘Merging the realities of prison life with a serial killer story, Alice Hunter has created an intriguing tale that keeps you guessing until the very end. I hope prison psychologist Dr. Ellie Spencer returns.’ Joy Kluver

    ‘What an absorbing read. An enticing insight into the dark mindset of a serial killer. I couldn’t put it down.’ Amanda Robson

    ‘The Perfect Psychopath is Alice Hunter's best novel yet. Absolutely addictive, I was captivated from the first page to the last.‘ J.M. Hewitt

    ‘I swear I had almost every single character down as the killer at one point, but I still didn’t get it right! So brilliantly twisty. Will keep you guessing until the very last page. Loved it.’ Lucy Roth

    ‘Deviously constructed and utterly compelling. Led me down a twisty path and then grabbed me by the throat with an ending I did not see coming.’ Anne Wyn Clark

    Readers are obsessed with Alice Hunter:

    ‘I buzzed through this book in one sitting!’ Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘An addictive read, filled with suspense and clever twists right to the unexpected ending.' Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘I flew through this…a five-star read.’ Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘This book was extremely captivating…so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat!’ Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘The book explores themes such as trust and deception with everything else in between…I found myself eagerly flicking the page to see what would happen next!’ Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘This was one of my favourite thriller books I have read…absolutely fantastic!’ Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘400 pages gone in the blink of an eye!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘Fast-paced and chilling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘From start to finish this is a page turner – I could barely catch my breath’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘This book blew me away’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘Plenty of suspense, twists and turns – and an ending I did not predict!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘This is one hell of a thriller’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘What a belting good story’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ‘Such an addictive read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

User Reviews

Book 3.0

Narration 5.0

  • No written reviews yet.

Details

Author
Alice Hunter
Narrator
Catrin Walker-Booth, John Sackville
Duration
9 hours 28 minutes
Release Date
22 May 2025
ISBN
9780008662868
Format
x-book®
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Genre
Psychological thriller, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Thriller: serial killers, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Crime and mystery: hard-boiled crime, noir fiction, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives
Rating
3.0(1 review)
Narration
5.0(1 review)

Synopsis

**The gripping, new, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller from the bestselling author of the smash-hit novel The Serial Killer's Wife, now a major TV series** ––––––––––– 'Superbly written. Chillingly compulsive.' Jane Corry The mind is a dangerous place to hide… Dr Eleanor Spencer is a well-respected psychologist with a seemingly perfect life. But when a series of women start to vanish, it dredges up memories of her sister’s unsolved disappearance and she finds herself drawn into the investigation. Desperate, she turns to Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial murderer who revels in mind games. But when Lucas cryptically hints the answers lie buried in her past, Ellie’s carefully constructed world begins to splinter. Because now she faces a terrifying possibility: the real monster might just be closer than she ever imagined. Ellie has spent her career deciphering the minds of killers—but now, one of them is inside hers. A gripping psychological suspense about betrayal, courage, and the darkness that can hide behind a seemingly trustworthy façade. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater and B.A. Paris. PRAISE FOR THE PERFECT PSYCHOPATH: ‘What an absorbing read. An enticing insight into the dark mindset of a serial killer. I couldn’t put it down.’ Amanda Robson ‘The Perfect Psychopath is Alice Hunter's best novel yet. Absolutely addictive, I was captivated from the first page to the last.‘ J.M. Hewitt ‘I swear I had almost every single character down as the killer at one point, but I still didn’t get it right! So brilliantly twisty. Will keep you guessing until the very last page. Loved it.’ Lucy Roth ‘Deviously constructed and utterly compelling. Led me down a twisty path and then grabbed me by the throat with an ending I did not see coming.’ Anne Wyn Clark PRAISE FOR ALICE HUNTER: 'I tore through this edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night thriller that will have you asking how well you really know those closest to you. Hunter has created a menacing villain in John, a monster hiding in plain sight. Timely and gripping, don't miss this one.' Katy Brent ‘A stunning debut … It richly deserves to be a hit.’Daily Mail ‘The steadily unfurling plot … kept me hooked. The final double twist, too, is well worth waiting for.’My Weekly ‘This book hooks you in to the drama straight away and does not let you go, even on the last page. Brilliant.’ Sun ‘Wow, what a read! Alice Hunter is the queen of the serial killer thriller.’ J.M. Hewitt ‘Twisty and suspenseful.’ Jane Corry ‘Absolutely gripping and a brilliant premise – how well does anyone ever know anyone else? Fantastic.’ Catherine Cooper ‘A one-sitting read that absolutely gripped me from the first page.’ C S Green ‘Twisty, turny, tense and so very, very clever.’ Susi Holliday ‘Smart, assured and wickedly twisty.’ Jenny Blackhurst ‘A gripping story of secrets, manipulation and power in a quiet Cotswolds village. Terrific!’ Mick Finlay 'Scarily believable – what does go on behind closed doors? A twisty, addictive read, and brilliantly written – highly recommended.' Elisabeth Carpenter ‘Another cracking read from Alice Hunter. Compelling intrigue from the queen of page turners.’ Amanda Robson ‘Compelling, twisty and completely consuming. The pace is electric, the story kept me guessing all the way. I literally couldn’t put it down.’ Darren O’Sullivan

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