Toxic People: A Gripping and Unputdownable Irish Psychological Thriller

The havoc wrought by a narcissistic mother can span oceans and decades...

'Beautifully written... The plot is taut and clever and the characters entirely credible.' - Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Our Little Cruelties

'I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough... the plot and pacing ticks all the boxes for me.' - Patricia Gibney, bestselling author of the Detective Lottie Parker series

'Rich, propulsive and immersive, Toxic People takes you on a rollercoaster ride... A thriller for the ages.' - Awais Khan, author of In the Company of Strangers and No Honour

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Jenny, a member of the rich and influential Donaldson family, is used to the finest of all things. So, when her exclusive Dublin home comes under threat, she will do almost anything to save it.

First, her husband Shane is almost murdered during a robbery that does take the life of a burglar. Then, a threatening stranger warns of doom before nightfall. But for which of them, and how, and why?

As the hours rush by, Jenny and Shane find their pasts, their presents and their ideal futures colliding in a tornado of hate and love, jealousies and frustration, rage and regret. Meanwhile, one woman - Jenny's mother, Vera - wrests centre stage, as she always has.

But however self-absorbed Vera may be, what mother could destroy everything her child holds precious, simply to further her own caustic interests? As the hour of reckoning approaches, and the hunt for the persecutor continues, Jenny is about to discover that vengeance can visit from the most unexpected quarters ...

Compelling, fast-paced and tautly written, Toxic People is a superbly modern psychological thriller and a classic page-turner. Readers who appreciate the work of Patricia Highsmith and Gillian Flynn will no doubt thoroughly enjoy this, as will anyone with an interest in the psychology of crime and of family relationships.

S.D. Monaghan is from Ireland but has also lived in Thailand and Canada. He has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in creative writing from Trinity College Dublin.