The Marriage by K.L. Slater (any book recommendations TXT) 📕

‘I really miss my mum, but one thing she always wanted was for me to play less on my screen, and so I’m trying to do more drawing and writing at my new school,’ he said, touching my heart with his openness. Such a commendable young man after everything he’d been through!

I turned around when I heard my name.

‘Oh, it’s you, Tom!’ I beamed as he walked over, tall and suave in his well-cut navy suit.

‘Now this is a very special lady, Ellis,’ he told the boy. ‘Miss Threadgold used to teach both me and your dad. She was very strict but fair, and you’d do well to listen to any advice she gives you.’

‘Oh nonsense, Tom. I’m sure you and Bridget do a wonderful job guiding Ellis. I hear he’s a talented artist, and I wondered if perhaps one day I might pop over to the house to do some art together.’

‘That’s a wonderful idea, thank you.’ Tom beamed. ‘What do you reckon, Ellis?’

‘Cool,’ Ellis agreed.

‘I’ll speak to Bridget and we’ll be in touch then,’ Tom said brightly. ‘Take care, Miss Threadgold, lovely to see you again.’ And he was off, to circulate around his other guests.

Back home later that day, I looked around my little house and thought how lucky I was. I’d come a long way myself in recent years.

Seeing everyone today had brought back that fateful night when I’d heard Jesse telling Tom that Robert Billinghurst had fathered Coral’s child. I’d been shocked and appalled, but the worst was to come.

Year after year, I watched Robert Billinghurst getting away with everything he’d done. Held up as a pillar of the community, quoted in the local newspaper as the voice of authority on the mental wellbeing of young people. And, earlier in the year, even some kind of accolade for work in the county presented by the town’s mayor. I was finding it harder to manage without my salary, and to see him, footloose and fancy-free after his wicked deeds … well, it didn’t seem fair.

Then I ran into an ex-student of mine, now a senior bank official and working abroad. He relayed some entertaining anecdotes of some things people got up to in order to shield their income from tax. One of those things was to acquire an untraceable, numbered bank account. It didn’t take me long to set up something fairly private for myself, although perfectly legal, I hasten to add. I opened a completely separate bank account from my usual one and also a PO Box address to enable cash to be sent.

Robert Billinghurst duly received an anonymous message telling him that I was someone who knew all about Coral and the baby and if he didn’t want that shared with his employers and his wife, then he’d have to buy his way out to save his squeaky-clean image. With hardly any bother at all, he paid me a considerable monthly sum for the five years I’d had to extend my mortgage by and then, true to my word, I released him from his commitment.

I’d now paid my mortgage, thanks to my enterprising idea, and I’d even salted some money away so that young Ellis would receive a little nest egg of his own when he turned eighteen.

And now, after our lovely afternoon, Tom and his adorable little family would take me into their hearts and home soon to help young Ellis with his studies.

Like I’d prayed would happen all those years ago, everything had turned out rather splendidly in the end.

If the twists and turns of The Marriage had you gripped, then you’ll love Blink, a gripping thriller about every mother’s worst nightmare.

Available to download here!

Blink

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What if the person you love most in the world was in terrible danger… because of you?

Three years ago, Toni’s five-year-old daughter Evie disappeared after leaving school. The police have never been able to find her. There were no witnesses, no CCTV, no trace.

But Toni believes her daughter is alive. And as she begins to silently piece together her memories, the full story of the past begins to reveal itself, and a devastating truth.

Toni’s mind is trapped in a world of silence, her only chance to save herself is to manage the impossible. She must find a way to make herself heard. She must find her daughter.

A compelling, gripping thriller with a breathtaking twist that will keep you awake until the early hours. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Behind Closed Doors and The Sister.

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What readers are saying about Blink:

‘I was excited to start reading this one and once I started I couldn’t stop. I devoured it. Chomped away chapter by chapter until I have hoofed the whole damned lot and you know what? It left me hungry for more… An absolutely stonking 5 stars from me.’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews

‘The book had me from the very first sentence and kept hold of me until I finished it… There are twists galore but on one occasion my jaw actually dropped open as I realised that all was not as it seemed. Fantastic writing, excellent characterisation that has left me salivating for book number three! Five stars.’ Angela Marsons

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Books by K.L. Slater

The Marriage

The Girl She Wanted

Little Whispers

Single

The Silent Ones

Finding Grace

Closer

The Secret

The Visitor

The Mistake

Liar

Blink

Safe With Me

A Letter from K.L. Slater

Thank you so much for reading The Marriage and I really hope you enjoyed the book. If you did and would like to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at