The Hanging Dolls: An absolutely gripping and unputdownable serial killer thriller with a jaw-dropping twist

The little girl’s body rests gently against the trunk of an old fir tree, her small hands laid delicately in her lap. From the day she became a Special Agent, Zoe Storm vowed to seek justice for the innocent. And for this little angel, her promise burns brighter than ever.

When the body of young Lily Baker is found in the sprawling woods behind the close-knit town of Harborwood, Washington, Special Agent Zoe Storm and her partner Dr Aiden Wesley rush to the scene. Nearby, three symbolic nooses hang from a branch and Zoe feels certain that it’s a warning that two more lives will be taken.

Witnesses spotted Lily talking to an unknown man, and she was given candy shortly before she disappeared. Then, another girl vanishes from her bed in the middle of the night. The only link between the girls is that they were from broken homes. Did the killer promise them safety?

With time running out, Zoe uncovers a cryptic note with a clue pointing to the name of the next child and an abandoned greenhouse on the outskirts of town. Zoe knows the killer has set a trap for her. But with two lives hanging in the balance, she will do everything to bring her home.

An utterly gripping new crime thriller series that will have you flipping the pages deep into the night until the final heart-stopping twist. Fans of Mary Stone, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh will be hooked from start to finish.

Readers love Ruhi Choudhary:

“Wow, Wow just WOW!!!… Completely left me speechless and sitting there with my mouth hanging open… heart-racing, page-turning.” Bookworm86 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Holy smokes!… FANTASTIC… WOW. I can’t wait for more. Outstanding.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Astoundingly, jaw-droppingly brilliant… The twists kept on coming, one after the other; the pace never lets up and as a reader you are on tenterhooks, frantically turning the pages while at the same time not wanting the book to end because it's just SO good.” Renita D’Silva ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Started with a bang, ended with a bang! Bang, bang, bang! Loved it!… Kept me captivated from page one… … kaboom, what an ending!” Tove Reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

© 2025 Bookouture (Audiobook): 9781836188025

Release date

Audiobook: 30 July 2025