This author is very special, she has not written a mediocre book, all, very different, are riveting and disturbing.  Here we follow a young Australian girl fleeing home and landing up in a squat in London with a load of losers.  She hears noises in the night and her room smells very unpleasant.  What she discovers is pretty upsetting …. And then it gets worse.  It is genuinely unputdownable, a terrific read.

Comparison: Louise Welsh, Nicci French, Sophie Hannah.

Synopsis

Bronny, a young Australian, finds herself down and out in London. She's a sweet girl who has spent her teenage years in a fearful, cautious bubble. She's never taken drugs, had sex or killed anyone. Within six weeks she's done all three. A group of backpackers break into an abandoned London townhouse seeking a rent-free life of debauchery. They don't realise someone's already there: a terrified woman bound and gagged in the basement. The Devil's Staircase combines a chick-lit voice and a dark crime noir environment. Not for the faint-hearted, The Devil's Staircase is funny, sexy and disturbing - it will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Reviews

 'Accomplished and gloriously black comedy
ALLAN GUTHRIE

'As elegant and witty as it is disturbing.' 'Lovely, sparse, elegant writing, highly original plot and ever- building tension make this book irresistible.There's sex and drugs and rock-and-roll, a whiff of true evil and a scream-out loud finale. Wow!'
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

'Scary and stylish slice of urban noir'
BOYD TONKIN, INDEPENDENT

'Colourful characters, dramatic plot twists and vibrant vernacular ... a great read'
THE BOOKSELLER

'Brilliant, shocking and unputdownable'
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

About the Author

Helen FitzGerald is the second youngest of thirteen children. She grew up in the small town of Kilmore, Victoria, Australia, and studied English and History at the University of Melbourne. Via India and London, Helen came to Glasgow University where she completed a Diploma and Masters in Social Work. She has worked as a probation and parole officer for ten years, most of it in Barlinnie, where she helps to prepare serious offenders for release. She's married to screenwriter Sergio Casci, and they have two children. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation