The Sinner by Caroline England

EVERY SAINT HAS A PAST

To the unsuspecting eye Dee Stephens has a perfect life as the vicar’s wife: a devoted marriage to her charismatic husband Reverend Vincent, an adoring congregation and a beautiful daughter.

EVERY SINNER HAS A FUTURE

But beneath the surface, Dee is suffocating. Vincent is in control, and he knows her every sin. Desperate, Dee escapes into a heady affair with Cal, an old schoolmate.

EVERY CONFESSION HAS A PRICE

But is Cal the saviour she thinks he is? What dark secrets does he harbour? And to what lengths will Vincent go to when he uncovers the truth?

From the Top Ten ebook bestselling author, Caroline England’s newest thriller will have you hooked from the first page to the last jaw-dropping twist.

The Sinner is a character driven domestic noir full of secrets and misconceptions, set in the northwest of England. Dee is a vicars wife, struggling with a controlling husband and a teenage daughter who seems to be moving further away from her every day. So when she bumps into old school acquaintance Cal, she is ripe for attention. An affair quickly becomes her main focus leaving her emotions wide open. But is Cal the knight in shining armour that she thinks he is because everyone has secrets to hide here and the truth isn’t buried as deeply as anyone would like…

Caroline England uses her knowledge of toxic relationships from her time as a divorce lawyer to create authentic connections between her characters. Not only do we see things from Dee’s POV but also from Cal’s as he negotiates the different relationships in his life. The tension remains high as the reader tries to work out who is hiding what and why. The prologue features a funeral so we know that someone dies but it isn’t till the last few pages that everything comes together and we find out who.

I always find time to read Caroline’s books. She delivers those dysfunctional family dynamics that I find so fascinating and The Sinner is no exception. It’s dark and dripping in malice throughout but with a satisfying sting in the tale. A gripping storyline from the moment you open it!

The Sinner was published by Piatkus on 16th June 2022.

Caroline England was born and brought up in Yorkshire and studied Law at the University of Manchester. She was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer before leaving the law to bring up her three daughters and turning her hand to writing. As well as The Sinner, Caroline is the author of The Wife’s Secret, previously called Beneath the Skin, the top-ten ebook bestseller My Husband’s Lies, Betray Her and Truth Games. She has also been shortlisted for a CWA Dagger for her short story Blindsided. She lives in Manchester with her family.