The Woman Before Me (Cate Austin, Book 1)

De: Ruth Dugdall

Narrado por: Josie Charles, Kate Okello

Don’t missing the first chilling installment of Ruth Dugdall’s Cate Austin Series. PRE ORDER NOW!

WINNER OF THE CWA DEBUT DAGGER AWARD

‘Authentic…diverting debut’ Daily Mail

‘Ruth Dugdall’s novels are intelligent and gripping, with a sophisticated psychological sensibility. She is a huge talent.’ Sophie Hannah

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Rose Wilks' life is shattered when her newborn baby Joel is admitted to intensive care. Emma Hatcher has all that Rose lacks. Beauty. A loving husband. A healthy son. Until tragedy strikes and Rose is the only suspect.

Now, having spent nearly five years in prison in Ipswich, Rose is just weeks away from freedom. Her probation officer Cate must decide whether Rose is remorseful for her crime, or whether she remains a threat to society. As Cate is drawn in, she begins to doubt her own judgement.

Where is the line between love and obsession? Can justice be served and, if so… by what means?

Readers love The Woman Before Me:

'I found this story an irresistible read. It's a psychological crime thriller that seemed to linger'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A must read this book kept me guessing right until the end. I literally couldn’t put it down'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Absolutely loved this book and all subsequent Cate Austin novels'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2026 Ruth Dugdall

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for Ruth Dugdall:

'Twisty, profound and completely convincing, it grips the reader by the heart. Unputdownable' Erin Kelly

‘Ruth Dugdall’s novels are intelligent and gripping, with a sophisticated psychological sensibility. She is a huge talent.’ Sophie Hannah

‘Authentic … diverting debut’ Daily Mail

'A chilling tale of betrayal and obsession…keeps its secrets well' Publishers Weekly

'Well plotted…The author understands how to build suspense and create atmosphere' Kirkus

'The menace is skillfully intensified by Dugdall… a twisting labyrinth of child-trafficking and police cover ups.' The Times

‘Timely and beautifully-written… Highly recommended.’ Mark Edwards

‘An absolute tour de force that left me thinking for days’ Alex Marwood

‘A chilling psychological thriller with a shocking twist. I read it one day and couldn’t put it down’ Louise Millar

'Dugdall’s background as a probation officer shines as she gets inside the heads of a range of characters, some quirky, some terrifying, all fascinating. In this chilling psychological thriller, she doesn’t so much prod the seedy underbelly of Europe as rips it wide open' Mike Craven

'An intelligent mystery, beautifully written, with an intriguing storyline. This one will keep you up to the wee small hours.' Jane Isaac

'Utterly chilling' Karen Maitland

'Ruth Dugdall has created a child killer who is no evil stereotype. She skillfully reveals his thoughts and his motives, pulling the reader into a story that spirals towards a shocking conclusion. One to make you think.' Julie Corbin

'Intelligent, thought-provoking and tense, Humber Boy B deals with an emotive subject sensitively whilst continually piling on the suspense. Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop until you reach the heart-stopping end' C.L Taylor

'A thought-provoking and tension-filled novel – with evocative characters and an ending that I didn’t expect' Mel Sherratt