Hurting Distance

Unraveling the Silent Scream

In Hurting Distance, acclaimed crime writer Sophie Hannah weaves a chilling tapestry of psychological suspense that begins with the inexplicable disappearance of teenage Emma York on a windswept autumn afternoon. As Emma’s distraught mother, Caroline, battles disbelief from the local police, Detective Inspector Simon Waterhouse and his partner, DS Charlie Zailer, arrive to untangle layers of family secrets and hidden resentments. Beneath the village’s tranquil veneer, Hannah’s razor-sharp prose exposes simmering rivalries and unspoken longings—each conversation, each glance, imbued with the tension of a secret waiting to be revealed.

Chasing Shadows of the Past

As Waterhouse and Zailer delve into Emma’s social circle, they uncover a trail of cryptic messages, lost friendships, and clandestine rendezvous that beckon them deeper into emotional terrain fraught with betrayal. Hannah expertly propels the narrative through a maze of red herrings: a scrawled note in Emma’s diary, a regretful neighbor’s confession, and the sudden resurfacing of a cold case that mirrors too closely the present horror. Every new lead fractures into further ambiguity, testing the detectives’ instincts and forcing Caroline to confront painful truths about her daughter’s life—and her own.

Edge of Trust and Betrayal

In a breathtaking climax set beneath a harvest moon, hidden motives clash in a deserted quarry where past and present converge. Hannah’s masterful pacing culminates in a finale that reshapes every assumption, demonstrating that in the pursuit of justice, the line between protector and perpetrator can blur in the blink of an eye. Hurting Distance is both a heart-pounding thriller and an unflinching study of grief, culpability, and the fragile ties that bind us to those we love.

. Sophie Hannah is a bestselling British author renowned for her intricately plotted psychological crime novels, sharp character insight, and the uncanny ability to reveal the darkest corners of the human psyche.