Graeme Cameron - Dead Girls - An addictive and darkly funny crime thriller

Praise for Graeme Cameron Praise Title Page Copyright Dedication Episode 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Episode 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Meanwhile . . . Episode 3 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Episode 4 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Episode 5 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Episode 6 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Acknowledgments Extract About the Publisher

‘If you loved Graeme Cameron’s Normal , you’d better hold on tight, because his exceptional follow-up hits it out of the park. Shot through with dry humour and darkness, and starring a female detective who will blow your mind, Dead Girls is an utterly compulsive read’

Fiona Cummins

‘Deeply creepy and very clever story’

Heat

‘An utterly compelling crime novel with an unforgettable heroine. I hope this is only the start of Ali’s story’

Elly Griffiths

‘Hypnotic and chilling – you won’t forget this in a hurry’

Lee Child

‘Blackly humorous …. Normal marks Cameron out as one to watch’

Daily Express

‘Original and gripping’

Clare Mackintosh

‘I didn’t like Normal . I loved it’

Michael Robotham

Copyright Copyright Dedication Episode 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Episode 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Meanwhile . . . Episode 3 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Episode 4 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Episode 5 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Episode 6 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Acknowledgments Extract About the Publisher

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Graeme Cameron 2018

Graeme Cameron asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © May 2018 ISBN: 9781474046688

For Helen Cadbury, the best and bravest

and

For Derek

Contents

Cover

Praise Praise for Graeme Cameron Praise Title Page Copyright Dedication Episode 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Episode 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Meanwhile . . . Episode 3 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Episode 4 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Episode 5 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Episode 6 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Acknowledgments Extract About the Publisher ‘If you loved Graeme Cameron’s Normal , you’d better hold on tight, because his exceptional follow-up hits it out of the park. Shot through with dry humour and darkness, and starring a female detective who will blow your mind, Dead Girls is an utterly compulsive read’ Fiona Cummins ‘Deeply creepy and very clever story’ Heat ‘An utterly compelling crime novel with an unforgettable heroine. I hope this is only the start of Ali’s story’ Elly Griffiths ‘Hypnotic and chilling – you won’t forget this in a hurry’ Lee Child ‘Blackly humorous …. Normal marks Cameron out as one to watch’ Daily Express ‘Original and gripping’ Clare Mackintosh ‘I didn’t like Normal . I loved it’ Michael Robotham

Title Page

Copyright Copyright Copyright Dedication Episode 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Episode 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Meanwhile . . . Episode 3 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Episode 4 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Episode 5 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Episode 6 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Acknowledgments Extract About the Publisher An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018 Copyright © Graeme Cameron 2018 Graeme Cameron asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. Ebook Edition © May 2018 ISBN: 9781474046688

Dedication For Helen Cadbury, the best and bravest and For Derek

Episode 1 EPISODE 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Episode 2

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Meanwhile . . .

Episode 3

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Episode 4

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Episode 5

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Episode 6

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Acknowledgments

Extract

About the Publisher

‘Something’s wrong.’

Detective Sergeant Eli Diaz, formerly of Thetford CID, latterly seconded to the Major Investigation Team at Police Headquarters, and until today engaged in the search for a number of young women missing from across the county, took a moment to consider the redundancy of his statement.