'When [the story] finally enfolds you, its grip is strong and terrible.' Literary Review
'Very intriguing' Heat, Book of the Week
There's more than one way to capture a life.
When Elspeth arrives at her ex-husband's LA mansion for his 50th birthday party, she's expecting a crowd for the British film director. Instead, there are just seven other guests and Richard's pet octopus, Persephone, watching over them from her tank.
Come morning, Richard is dead.
In the weeks that follow, each of the guests come under suspicion: the school friend, the studio producer, the actress, the actor, the new boyfriend, the manager, the cinematographer and the ex-wife, Elspeth herself. As stories of Richard's past surface, colliding with Elspeth's memories of their marriage, she begins to question not just who killed Richard, but why these eight guests were invited, and what sort of man would want to trap this mysterious, intelligent creature.
From the LA hills to the Norfolk marshes, The Octopus is a stylish exploration of power: the power of memory, the power of perception, the power of one person over another.
Autorentext
Tess Little
Zusammenfassung
Previously published at The OctopusWe believed he had died from an overdose. There was no reason to suspect otherwise . . .When Elspeth is invited to her ex-husband Richard's fiftieth birthday party, she's expecting a star-studded event for the famous British film director, full of A-listers and hangers-on. But she arrives to find just seven other carefully selected guests in attendance.A surreal evening ensues, orchestrated by the charming yet manipulative host, culminating in what will surely become a night to remember . . .Because by morning, Richard will be dead, and every guest a suspect.Praise for The Ninth Guest:'Very intriguing' Heat, Book of the Week'Tess Little is a modern Agatha Christie, setting up her nine suspects, locking them in a sprawling Los Angeles mansion, and knocking them down one by one' Tanen Jones, author of The Better Liar'A unique locked-room mystery . . . Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley' Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Don't Look for Me