Lesley Thomson grew up in west London. Her first novel, A Kind of Vanishing, won the People's Book Prize in 2010. Her second novel, The Detective's Daughter, was a #1 bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies.
'A truly brilliant book, full of atmosphere and a creeping sense of menace. Lesley Thomson lures you in with meticulously drawn characters and a matchless sense of place, and then you are caught in the jaws of a remorseless thriller' -- Elly Griffiths 'Characters so well crafted you expect them to walk off the page. Death of a Mermaid is a tense, beautifully written novel' -- Rachael Blok 'Lesley Thomson doesn't muck about: three people have popped their clogs before page 40 ... Thomson lets rip in this stand-alone novel. Catholic guilt, monstrous hypocrisy and all kinds of fishy business are explored in an atmosphere of creeping dread ... The climactic shipwreck is deeply impressive' * The Times * 'Returning to a childhood home is also at the centre of Lesley Thomson's creepy thriller Death of a Mermaid' * Independent * 'This novel examines the inability of the three women to shake off the past and its ugly secrets ... Lesley Thomson is on top form yet again' * Shots eZine * 'A strong sense of place, wonderfully woven with a cast of memorable characters' -- Mari Hannah 'Powerful and moving and like nothing else you'll read this year, Death of a Mermaid is a brilliant tale of dark secrets that fester in a small seaside town' -- William Shaw 'Lesley Thomson gets better and better' -- Ian Rankin 'The setting positively sings with realism ... Simple and complex at the same time ... In Death of a Mermaid she creates an entire world, presented in enough detail to make it live, and peopled by meticulously drawn characters who stay in the mind' * Mystery People. * 'Stuffed full of captivating drama, wiles, and deception this is a thoroughly entertaining read ... Death of a Mermaid is a stimulating read, the characters weave their way through the plot which spins to a dramatic conclusion' * LoveReading. * 'Thomson deploys her trademark quirky style and character choices, alongside a lyrical descriptive strand evoking the Sussex coastline. An intriguing plot keeps the reader guessing' * Sussex Life * 'Original, full of sinister atmosphere and a creeping sense of menace ... Death of a Mermaid has all the trademarks of Thomson's previous work - clever plotting interspersed with gentle humour, well-drawn characters and an atmospheric evocation of place' * Crime Review *