The Rumour

***SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES ON CHANNEL 5! STREAM FROM 10 SEPTEMBER 2025!***

'In this chilling tale of paranoia, suspicion and accusation, Lesley Kara keeps you guessing until the final page' - Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Blue Hour

When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there's no going back . . .

Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea.

Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago - no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman.

So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she's unleashed?
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'Everyone is going to be talking about The Rumour. An intriguing premise, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist you won't see coming!' Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door.

'Captivating . . . a subtle examination of the damage that gossip can do' ? Daily Mail

Readers can't stop talking about The Rumour:

***** 'So good ... The twist is amazing and really caught me out.'
***** 'Downloaded it last night before bed and have stayed up all night reading it! Could not put it down.
***** 'I couldn't devour this book quickly enough ... The surprises didn't stop til the very last page.'