Susie Dent

Guilty by Definition: The instant Sunday Times bestselling Richard and Judy book club pick Susie Dent

<p><b> THE BESTSELLING RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK</b><br><b> A TAKE A BREAK BOOK CLUB SELECTION </b><br><b> A GOODHOUSEKEEPING GOOD BOOKS READER FAVOURITE</b><br><br><b> ONE OF THE FINEST MYSTERIES I HAVE EVER READ</b><br> Rob Rinder, <i> Sunday Times </i>bestselling author of <i> The Trial</i><br><br><b> A TANTALISING MYSTERY FOR WORD SLEUTHS AND CRIME FANS ALIKE</b><br> Janice Hallett, <i> Sunday Times </i>bestselling author of <i> The Appeal</i><br><br><i><b> A coded letter. A missing woman. A truth waiting to be found.

<br></b></i><br> When an anonymous letter is delivered to the Clarendon English Dictionary office, it becomes rapidly clear that this is not the usual word-related enquiry. Instead, the letter hints at sinister events linked to a particular year.<br><br> For editor Martha Thornhill, the date can mean only one thing: the summer her brilliant older sister Charlie went missing. Ten years on, Martha and her family are no closer to unravelling the mystery of Charlies disappearance - until now.<br><br> As more letters arrive, Martha and her team follow the linguistic clues to a troubling truth.

It seems Charlie was keeping a powerful secret, and that someone is desperate to keep it well and truly buried.<br><br><b><i> Guilty by Definition </i>is a love letter not only to language but to the city of Oxford, wrapped within an intriguing mystery of a missing woman and considering the emotional aftershocks of her disappearance on those left behind.<br></b><br><b> SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARD 2025: BOOK OF THE YEAR - CRIME &amp; THRILLER<br></b><br><i> Guilty by Definition </i>was a <i> Sunday Times </i>bestseller August 2024</p>