The Guilty One

Key Features

• Deeply psychological and suspenseful, The Guilty One is already an international phenomenon and one of the most talked-about books of the year.
• Dealing with the emotional themes of foster care and juvenile delinquency, this is a curious blend of Maggie O"Farrell meets Lionel Shriver
• The global reaction to Lisas debut can only help set up what will be a really strong launch in our superlead slot.
• Across-the-market appeal and perfect book club material

About the Book: The Guilty One

A little boy was found dead in a children's playground. Daniel Hunter has spent years defending lost causes as a solicitor in London. But his life changes when he is introduced to Sebastian, an eleven-year-old accused of murdering an innocent young boy.

As he plunges into the muddy depths of Sebastian's troubled home life, Daniel thinks back to his own childhood in foster care - and to Minnie, the woman who adopted him and whose love saved him, until she, too, betrayed him so badly that he cut her out of his life. But what crime did Minnie commit that made Daniel disregard her for 15 years? And will Daniel's identification with a child on trial for murder make him question everything he ever believed in.

About the Author: Lisa Ballantyne

Lisa Ballantyne was born in Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland and was educated at Armadale Academy and University of St Andrews. She spent most of her twenties working and living in China, before returning to the UK in 2002, to work in Higher Education. She lives in Glasgow; this is her first novel.

Reviews

"A truly astonishing debut. Wonderfully written a page turning psychological thriller"-Chiara Libonat, Neri Pozza

"Wow, what a powerful voice still trying to catch my breath"-Vitor Goncalves, Porto Editora

" Lisa Ballantyne keeps the ambiguity of the main characters throughout. This doubt has an interesting effect on the reader whose beliefs are questioned as the novel progresses, and might be shattered at any moment."-Pablo Alvarez, Suma de Letras

"Terrifying and positively disturbing, a dark story about a damaged child who could be a relative of Kevin in Lionel Shriver's masterpiece We need to Talk About Kevin"-Francoise Triffaux, Publisher

"I fell instantly in love with Lisa's precisely-crafted, psychological journey. Her gorgeous, lush writing and careful attention to her characters and their relationships make this something truly special"-Amanda Bergeron, William Morrow