Death of a Bookseller

Snickering, devil emoji, this-Alice-Slater-is-too-witty LOL brilliance that will make you smile every time you step into a bookshop. A confident, sassy, pitch-black debut by someone who really knows her way around a bookshop, as well as our death-obsessed culture. ― Caroline Kepnes, internationally bestselling author of Netflix sensation, YOU

Fiercely original and deeply disturbing, Death of a Bookseller is a dark masterpiece of grief and obsession - it will work its way under your skin like a splinter and stay there. This is a book you simply can't put down ― Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street

Alice Slater triumphs in Death of a Bookseller, the story of two frenemies who share an antagonistic obsession with true crime. I love a book that features messy women making very bad choices, and this novel delivers the delicious juice in a surprising, twisty narrative that has you guessing until its unpredictable end. ― Chelsea G. Summers, author of A Certain Hunger

Relentlessly, terrifically creepy and deeply compulsive; each point of view was so remarkably strong. This novel blew me away with its incredible characterisation - a one-sitting read for sure ― Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do To Our Friends

For avid readers, thrill-seekers and disgruntled employees alike; Death of a Bookseller is tense, arch and impossible to put down. ― Eliza Clark, author of Boy Parts

Beautifully written and dark as Satan's basement, Death of a Bookseller will have you looking over your shoulder long after the last page is turned. Its characters creep into your subconscious and the plot grips the reader like a sticky pub floor. If you like Caroline Kepnes, then welcome to Alice Slater, your new obsession. ― Erin Kelly, author of The Skeleton Key

Tense, addictive and sticky underfoot, Death of a Bookseller lends a tangible throb of menace to its seemingly cosy world, overturning every preconception and delving deep into its characters' damaged psyches. I couldn't put it down. ― Julia Armfield, author of Our Wives Under the Sea

Add this to your list. A London-set story about true crime, city life, bookshops and friendship. I was sucked in deep. Utterly engrossing, atmospheric and deliciously dark. Hugely compelling. ― Will Dean, author of The Last Thing to Burn

I absolutely loved Death of a Bookseller. It felt so fresh and sharp, expertly plotted and also emotionally charged, comic but also pitch-black dark. Roach and Laura are utterly unforgettable. The dread I felt as I turned the pages was not just because of the inevitable collision course I feared these characters were on, but also the threat of the pages running out, of this dazzlingly good read ending. ― Catherine Ryan Howard, author of Run Time

A stunning debut; a shrewdly observed insight into life behind the bookshop tills and what happens when two very different booksellers clash. Clever, funny, beautifully written and as dark as a goth's shadow, this is the book I will be recommending to everyone this year. ― Jane Casey, Irish Times bestselling author of The Killing Kind

About the Author