The Viper's Nest - by Mark Edwards (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The "so clever and fresh" (Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author) author of The Wasp Trap returns with a novel best described as Succession set in the Scottish Highlands where a plot to murder the patriarch's younger fiancée entangles an innocent outsider in a nest of deadly secrets.

A week in paradise--with the family from hell.

When Patrick is invited by his girlfriend to join her and her family on a luxury holiday in a remote and beautiful part of Scotland, he has no idea that he is about to be plunged into a nightmare of a family, sinister behavior...and a plot to murder the patriarch's younger fiancée.

Arriving at the house, Patrick meets Holly's dad, self-made-millionaire Charles, along with her brother Lewis and older sister Miranda. Also on the trip is the widowed Charles' bride-to-be, Jasmine, who--in her thirties--is around the same age as the three siblings. Lewis and Miranda are horrified by their dad's impending marriage to this younger woman. Surely, she is just after his money--and is going to steal their inheritance from them. To make things worse, Jasmine is an almost exact doppelganger of their mother before she got sick and died.

Patrick finds himself in the middle of this viper's nest, trying to keep out of the family crosshairs. He starts to suspect that Lewis has dark plans for Jasmine--putting himself in peril as a potential witness who could mess up his scheme. Perhaps more than one person won't escape this family of snakes...

Review Quotes

Praise for The Wasp Trap

"I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion. So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end." --Lisa Jewell

"An absolutely thrilling, tautly plotted puzzle." --Shelf Awareness

"Edgy...this book is gonna ring all your bells."--BookPage (starred review)

"I read this in one sitting, completely gripped. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists and tension you could cut with a knife. Hugely enjoyable." --Alex Michaelides

"Jaw-dropping plot twists...VERDICT Superbly satisfying psychological suspense from an author who isn't afraid to flirt with the shadowy side of human nature." --Booklist (starred review)

"Lies, betrayals, secrets and psychopaths - this thrill ride is a masterclass in page-turning, stomach churning tension. It's not often a book takes you truly by surprise, but The Wasp Trap does it again and again. All the stars!"--Ellery Lloyd

"Readers beware because you'll be up all night turning those pages until you reach the end."--Steve Cavanagh

"Six former colleagues reunite after the death of their mentor in this propulsive suspense novel...with big and small revelations that are almost universally unpredictable. This will keep readers turning pages well into the night." --Publisher's Weekly

"The ultimate - literal - locked room mystery, that hits you with twist after twist." --Ruth Ware

About the Author

Mark Edwards is the bestselling author and coauthor of over twenty books, including those he has written with Louise Voss. His latest thriller is The Wasp Trap. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton, UK, with his wife, their children, three cats, and a golden retriever. Find out more at MarkEdwardsAuthor.com.