The Death Lesson - A dark and unputdownable Welsh crime thriller

The sins of the past have not been forgottenPippa Evans had been a teacher at Penbryn Hall for just one week when her body was found alongside evidence of a pill overdose. Going undercover at the private school, investigator Mallory Dawson senses something rotten behind the wealth and privilege. Someone is leaving her coded messages: but do they want to help or harm the case?
Mallory soon finds links to the Solstice Sisterhood: a religious cult that believed punishment was cleansing. When a pupil is savagely attacked on school grounds, there is suddenly no time to lose in finding the killer.
A taut and twisty crime thriller set in the wilds of West Wales, perfect for fans of Clare Mackintosh and Fiona Cummins.

What readers are saying about The Death Lesson

'I devoured The Death Lesson'
'A murder mystery that feels fresh and complex, with characters you want to follow even as secrets unravel. Atmospheric writing keeps you hooked until the final reveal'
'Filled with creative twists and well-timed revelations'
'Oozing Atmosphere'

About the author

Sarah Ward is a critically acclaimed crime and gothic thriller writer. Her book, A Patient Fury, was an Observer book of the month and The Quickening, written as Rhiannon Ward, was a Radio Times book of the year. Sarah is a former Vice-Chair of the Crime Writers Association and Trustee of Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival.

Summary

A teacher at an isolated private school is found dead. Investigator Mallory Dawson uncovers something rotten behind the wealth and privilege – a dangerous religious cult. A twisty Welsh crime thriller.

Product details

• Authors: Sarah Ward, Ward Sarah
• Publisher: Pan macmillan Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.12.2025
• EAN: 9781835981450
• ISBN: 978-1-83598-145-0
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 129 mm x 198 mm x 16 mm
• Series: A Mallory Dawson Crime Thriller; Mallory Dawson Crime Thriller
• Subjects: Fiction > Suspense; FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths, FICTION / Crime, Crime & mystery, Fiction: special features, FICTION / Thrillers / Crime, FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Private Investigators, Thriller / suspense fiction, Thriller / suspense, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives