Running out of Road: A gripping thriller set in the Derbyshire peaks

Staincliffe's novel is a harrowing but human drama about a teenage girl abducted by her real father, Ron, who has made a living as a house and pet sitter since quitting his career on the front line in the fire service. DS Laura O Neil is running on empty after nights dealing with her teething toddler, but is driving the hunt for Scarlett and knows that every minute counts. The novel explores themes of escape and entrapment, shifting loyalties and new alliances, violence, fear, and love, resilience, kindness, and hope.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Staincliffe excels herself here with the story of a teenage girl abducted by her real father, a harrowing but human drama. The Irish Daily Mail describes it as a "missing schoolgirl, a middle-aged recluse, an exploited teenager. Lives thrown into chaos and set on collision course. With the police in hot pursuit."

Scarlett is dancing in the school talent show tomorrow. Nana, who Scarlett lives with since Mum died, reckons Scarlett will be on Strictly at this rate. Except Scarlett doesn't make it home from school. She's abducted by a man she never imagined she'd see again. A man on the police's most wanted list. Her dad.

Ron has made a living as a house and pet sitter since quitting his career on the front line in the fire service. He's currently looking after a place deep in the Derbyshire Peaks. The solitude suits him. And managing animals is so much simpler than coping with other people.

Dylan is a cuckoo, dealing drugs on the county line, moving from nest to nest, picking out people who dare not say no. Keeping his head down, one step ahead of the law. So far. But now everything's falling apart.

DS Laura O Neil is running on empty after nights dealing with her teething toddler. But Laura is driving the hunt for Scarlett and knows that every minute counts.

A race against time, played out in the brooding wilderness, the limestone gorges, and gritstone edges of the Peak District. Themes of escape and entrapment, of shifting loyalties and new alliances, of violence, fear, and love, resilience, kindness, and hope.

Praise for Cath Staincliffe:

This powerful, often harrowing story will move you to tears. My Weekly describes it as a "real knockout." Ian Rankin praises it as "always exciting to see a writer get better and better, and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that."

In conclusion, "The Girl Who Lived Twice" is a gripping and emotional tale that explores the complexities of family relationships, the consequences of violence, and the power of resilience. Cath Staincliffe's writing is masterful, and her characters are well-developed and relatable. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted thriller with a touch of emotional depth.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 240 x 191 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472132123