A Bad, Bad Place: Winner of the Val McDermid Crime Debut Award

· Random House
4 reviews
Ebook
384
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

Get ready for the record-breaking debut of the year - perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things. A mystery unlike any other...

'Clever, honest, heart-rending.' VAL MCDERMID
'It will stay with me for a long, long time' JENNIE GODFREY
'Clever, authentic, and humane' IAN RANKIN
'Frightening, funny and full of heart' PAULA HAWKINS

What happens to the dog walker who finds the body?

Glasgow, 1979. Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious, for a walk. Not anymore. Not after Sid found the murdered woman at the abandoned railway.

Janey can’t remember what she saw down there, but the police think she’s hiding something. And they’re not the only ones interested.

Fear and rumour rip through the tight-knit community of Possilpark. Janey and her nana, Maggie, are dragged into the hunt for a murderer. And Maggie’s struggle to keep her beloved granddaughter safe becomes ever more desperate.

Because Janey’s memories can’t stay hidden forever.

And neither can the killer...

*WINNER: VAL McDERMID CRIME DEBUT AWARD*
*WINNER: McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR*
*WINNER: BLOODY SCOTLAND DEBUT PRIZE*

Everyone is talking about A Bad, Bad Place:

'Richly authentic, funny, moving and insightful.' JANICE HALLETT

'I haven’t read anything quite as unique as this since Trainspotting.' LIN ANDERSON

'Lingers long after the final page' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I loved every page!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Got under my skin in a way I didn't expect' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Absolutely brilliant, funny, full of life, completely convincing' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Brilliant' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Stunning' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I couldn't put this book down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Get ready for the record-breaking debut of the year - perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things. A mystery unlike any other... 'Clever, honest, heart-rending.' VAL MCDERMID 'It will stay with me for a long, long time' JENNIE GODFREY 'Clever, authentic, and humane' IAN RANKIN 'Frightening,...

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Ratings and reviews

4 reviews
Lois Skinner
September 16, 2026
outstanding read
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About the author

As a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, Frances was delighted to graduate age 60 with MLitt (Distinction) Creative Writing from Glasgow University. In 2023, she won Bloody Scotland/ Glencairn Crime Short Story Competition and the first chapters of her debut novel, A Bad, Bad Place, won Highly Commended in Moniack Mohr Emerging Writer 2024.

Frances grew up in North Glasgow, and credits the people of Possilpark and Milton as her writing inspiration. She still lives in Glasgow with her family, and likes libraries and punk rock.

As a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, Frances was delighted to graduate age 60 with MLitt (Distinction) Creative Writing from Glasgow University. In 2023, she won Bloody Scotland/ Glencairn Crime Short Story Competition and the first chapters of her debut novel, A Bad, Bad Place, won Hig...

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