First Born

THE LAST THING A TWIN EXPECTS IS TO BE ALONE ... *** From the acclaimed author of THE LAST THING TO BURN comes a new thriller about identity, rivalry and deceit. *** 'Dean handles his plot with skill ... Molly is an intriguing protagonist and Dean has plenty of surprises for the unwary reader' OBSERVER ' The talented Mr Ripley would have enjoyed every moment of its tortuous plot. There is no higher praise' DAILY MAIL 'Highly accomplished, dark and dazzling. First Born twists and deceives, and cements Will Dean's status as a truly rare talent. Pure brilliance' CHRIS WHITAKER Molly lives a quiet, contained life in London. Naturally risk averse, she gains comfort from security and structure. Every day the same. Her identical twin Katie is her exact opposite: gregarious and spontaneous. They used to be inseparable, until Katie moved to New York a year ago. Molly still speaks to her daily without fail. But when Molly learns that Katie has died suddenly in New York, she is thrown into unfamiliar territory. Katie is part of her DNA. As terrifying as it is, she must go there and find out what happened. As she tracks her twin's last movements, cracks begin to emerge. Nothing is what it seems. And a web of deceit is closing around her. Delivering the same intensity of pace and storytelling that made THE LAST THING TO BURN a word-of-mouth sensation, FIRST BORN will surprise, shock and enthral. 'Powerful ... Dean takes on issues of personal identity and familial responsibility' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Tiptoes into Highsmith territory here. Pacy, exhilarating and jaw-dropping, it's a meditation on identity and loneliness as well as a bloody good page-turner. New York buffets the characters about its ruthless streets, just as the reader is propelled from one twist to the next' ERIN KELLY 'A superb page-turner' STEVE CAVANAGH 'Will Dean writes a mean thriller, with a keen ear for what scares us. The streets of New York shine off the page, and the action rarely lets up. Highly recommended' SARAH HILARY 'Will Dean manages to accomplish the rare blend of excellent writing and intriguing, ingenious plotting' LIZ NUGENT 'Taut, suspenseful, chilling and surprising' GILLY MACMILLAN 'Equal parts murder mystery and psychological thriller, Will Dean dazzles with FIRST BORN. A tense, taut plot that blows through unexpected twists and turns, you won't be able to look away until the final, shattering page' JULIE CLARK 'Great pace, great twists, a perfect psychological thriller' B.A. PARIS 'A clever and sophisticated construction...A jolly good read' SHOTS 'Rather special' Sunday Times Crime Club *Star pick* 'The storyline is truly original, with one of those brilliant endings only a great thriller writer can dream up' The Press Association 'Spine-chilling' Irish Independent 'This psychological thriller is a masterpiece' Crime Review

THE LAST THING A TWIN EXPECTS IS TO BE ALONE ... *** From the acclaimed author of THE LAST THING TO BURN comes a new thriller about identity, rivalry and deceit. *** 'Dean handles his plot with skill ... Molly is an intriguing protagonist and Dean has plenty of surprises for the unwary reader' OBSERVER ' The talented Mr Ripley would have enjoyed every moment of its tortuous plot. There is no higher praise' DAILY MAIL 'Highly accomplished, dark and dazzling. First Born twists and deceives, and cements Will Dean's status as a truly rare talent. Pure brilliance' CHRIS WHITAKER Molly lives a quiet, contained life in London. Naturally risk averse, she gains comfort from security and structure. Every day the same. Her identical twin Katie is her exact opposite: gregarious and spontaneous. They used to be inseparable, until Katie moved to New York a year ago. Molly still speaks to her daily without fail. But when Molly learns that Katie has died suddenly in New York, she is thrown into unfamiliar territory. Katie is part of her DNA. As terrifying as it is, she must go there and find out what happened. As she tracks her twin's last movements, cracks begin to emerge. Nothing is what it seems. And a web of deceit is closing around her. Delivering the same intensity of pace and storytelling that made THE LAST THING TO BURN a word-of-mouth sensation, FIRST BORN will surprise, shock and enthral. 'Powerful ... Dean takes on issues of personal identity and familial responsibility' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Tiptoes into Highsmith territory here. Pacy, exhilarating and jaw-dropping, it's a meditation on identity and loneliness as well as a bloody good page-turner. New York buffets the characters about its ruthless streets, just as the reader is propelled from one twist to the next' ERIN KELLY 'A superb page-turner' STEVE CAVANAGH 'Will Dean writes a mean thriller, with a keen ear for what scares us. The streets of New York shine off the page, and the action rarely lets up. Highly recommended' SARAH HILARY 'Will Dean manages to accomplish the rare blend of excellent writing and intriguing, ingenious plotting' LIZ NUGENT 'Taut, suspenseful, chilling and surprising' GILLY MACMILLAN 'Equal parts murder mystery and psychological thriller, Will Dean dazzles with FIRST BORN. A tense, taut plot that blows through unexpected twists and turns, you won't be able to look away until the final, shattering page' JULIE CLARK 'Great pace, great twists, a perfect psychological thriller' B.A. PARIS 'A clever and sophisticated construction...A jolly good read' SHOTS 'Rather special' Sunday Times Crime Club *Star pick* 'The storyline is truly original, with one of those brilliant endings only a great thriller writer can dream up' The Press Association 'Spine-chilling' Irish Independent 'This psychological thriller is a masterpiece' Crime Review

Bragante, also known as the Firstborn, has grown elderly and weak, so she decides to reveal the truth about her past to her granddaughter. She had a passion for books, and very early on felt the anguish of childbirth. Her elder status means she is responsible for educating the last-born, but she refuses to shield the child from the monstrosities that her father, the king, is known for. It is through unrelenting cunning that she might someday survive to take the throne. Exploring the origins of the Ogre Gods fantasy universe, this latest (and final) volume in the series introduces Bragante, known as the Firstborn among the giants, and the last to survive childbirth to the increasingly larger next generation. She has witnessed the evolution of her family and their increasing brutality, and vows to not let their wickedness pass on to the most recent "last born". Her tale is full of woe and intrigue, as well as strength, cunning, and conviction... This internationally celebrated series of dark fantasy tales have been described as Game of Thrones in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, presented as if a Disney animated feature.

Bragante, also known as the Firstborn, has grown elderly and weak, so she decides to reveal the truth about her past to her granddaughter. She had a passion for books, and very early on felt the anguish of childbirth. Her elder status means she is responsible for educating the last-born, but she refuses to shield the child from the monstrosities that her father, the king, is known for. It is through unrelenting cunning that she might someday survive to take the throne. Exploring the origins of the Ogre Gods fantasy universe, this latest (and final) volume in the series introduces Bragante, known as the Firstborn among the giants, and the last to survive childbirth to the increasingly larger next generation. She has witnessed the evolution of her family and their increasing brutality, and vows to not let their wickedness pass on to the most recent "last born". Her tale is full of woe and intrigue, as well as strength, cunning, and conviction... This internationally celebrated series of dark fantasy tales have been described as Game of Thrones in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, presented as if a Disney animated feature.