Adrift - by Will Dean (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The author of the "master class in suspense" (Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author) The Chamber returns with a high-tension thriller about a family's descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.

Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family's lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife's sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.

With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew's gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.

With Will Dean's signature "well-drawn characters and excellent prose" (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.

Review Quotes

Praise for THE CHAMBER

Praise for THE LAST ONE

"THE CHAMBER by Will Dean is the ultimate locked room page-turner. Six saturation divers trapped in a hyperbaric are dying one by one under mysterious circumstances and don't know who to trust. The isolation and fear are palpable, and the impending dread thrums along with a steady, heart-hammering intensity. Dean's meticulous research into the day-to-day duties of saturation divers lays the groundwork, but it's his ability to thrust readers into the metal chamber and slam the door behind them that makes THE CHAMBER a haunting, unforgettable thriller."--Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of THE OVERNIGHT GUEST and EVERYONE IS WATCHING

"THE CHAMBER is a masterful claustrophobic thriller, crafted with the precision of a fine watch and the reveals executed with more depth than a North Sea oil rig. Just brilliant!"--Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of THE EXAMINER

"A dream trip aboard a luxury liner turns into a nightmarish voyage in Will Dean's edge-of-your-deck chair thriller, THE LAST ONE. Dark, desperate, and loads of fun, Dean thrusts the reader into a maritime maze of danger, intrigue, and nerve-shattering twists and turns. Add this one to the top of your summer reading list at once!"--Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest

"A highly original thriller set in the claustrophobic, high-risk world of saturation diving. The tension is almost unbearable. A masterclass in suspense--I absolutely loved it!"--Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

"Astonishing."--Ian Rankin, New York Times bestselling author of The Inspector Rebus series

"Breathtaking. Terrifying. Unforgettable. So tense you'll want to put it down, so thrilling you won't be able to. The Chamber is simply brilliant."--Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE END

"Brilliant, twisted and oh so clever. The Last One is Will Dean at the top of his game. And just wait for that killer last line."--Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End

"Dean (THE LAST ONE) shrewdly reimagines the closed-circle murder mystery in this tense and claustrophobic nail-biter set in an underwater hyperbaric chamber... Dean maintains unyielding strain on his characters, brilliantly riffing on a classic setup while flexing his gifts for style and characterization. The results are gripping." -- "Publishers Weekly"

"I really enjoyed this high concept mystery from Will Dean. No spoilers from me, suffice to say...a contemporary twist on the case of the Mary Celeste."--Adrian McKinty, author of the instant New York Times bestseller The Island

"I was utterly gripped by THE CHAMBER. This unbearably tense thriller conjured a claustrophobic atmosphere that had me reaching for the escape hatch even in the open spaces of Devon. Well-drawn characters and excellent prose. A superb summer read."--Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author of THE SANATORIUM

"If you look up the definition of locked-room mystery, don't be surprised to see the cover of THE CHAMBER by Will Dean. Saturation divers dying inside a locked hyperbaric chamber with no way out for four days is one of the most unique and compelling premises I've read in a long time. It was claustrophobic, intense, and as the pressure built and the countdown to the surviving divers' freedom was on, I couldn't put the book down for a single second. THE CHAMBER is perfection, Dean's writing and research are flawless, and I can't wait for whatever new mind-blowing gem he comes up with next."--Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of ONLY ONE SURVIVES.

"It takes locked-room mysteries to new depths like never before. If someone had told me to read a book set in a decompression chamber, I would have passed but I went in blind and found all of the meticulously researched facts absolutely fascinating. Once you start to read the book, the pressure is on to finish it which I did in two days.

It is a tour-de-force. If your daily job can kill you in multiple ways, you certainly don't expect to be targeted by your colleagues. Chilling, intriguing and educational in a most entertaining way."--Liz Nugent, #1 Internationally bestselling author of STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND

"One wild ride that is not to be missed."-- "- First Clue"

"Original, imaginative, thrilling."--Marian Keyes, #1 internationally bestselling author of Again, Rachel

"The narration is breathless and brisk, with a tiny suspenseful hook to keep you guessing, and reading on, at the end of each chapter. A number of strange and troubling things will go wrong for these unfortunate people before they're hit by a giant plot twist. Get your bowl of popcorn." -- New York Times

"A true adrenaline rush, THE LAST ONE by Will Dean will have you trembling with anticipation from the very first page." -- Bella Media

"Thrilling and terrifying in equal measures with a brilliantly heart-stopping ending. So good!" --B.A. Paris, New York Times bestselling author of The Prisoner

"THE LAST ONE is the latest in brilliant novels by the ultra-talented Will Dean, who year after year proves he is one of the best writers doing it today...Chapter-ending cliff hanger after chapter-ending cliff hanger, THE LAST ONE is a horrifying, nightmare-inducing thrill ride." -- "- Best Thriller Books"

"Will Dean's THE LAST ONE is the perfect place to settle in for some deadly intrigue on the high seas."-- "- Off the Shelf"

About the Author

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands of the United Kingdom. After studying law at the London School of Economics and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a wooden house in a vast forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel, Dark Pines, was selected for Zoe Ball's book club on ITV, shortlisted for the National Book Award (UK), The Guardian's Not the Booker prize, and was named a Telegraph book of the year. He is also the author of This Is Not the End, The Last One, First Born, The Last Thing to Burn, which was shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and The Chamber.