It’s publication day for our acclaimed author Mel Sherratt, the Queen of gritty crime with heart.

The first of Mel’s twelve crime thrillers to be published in paperback, Hush Hush will hit the shelves today, published by HarperCollins/Avon.

Since 2012, Mel has acquired a large following of dedicated readers, and was lauded by multi-award winning crime writer, Ian Rankin: “There are a lot of young crime writers that I’ve just met for the first time. There’s one called Mel Sherratt – she’s very interesting”.

Hush Hush is Mel’s latest offering in her self-described ‘grit-lit’ series’, following DS Grace Allendale, who is attempting to escape her troubled past…

A killer is on the loose, attacking people in places they feel most safe: their workplaces, their homes. It’s up to DS Grace Allendale to stop the murders, and prove herself to her new team.

All clues lead to local crime family the Steeles, but that’s where things get complicated. Because the Steeles aren’t just any family, they’re Grace’s family. Two brothers and two sisters, connected by the violent father only Grace and her mother escaped.

To catch the killer, Grace will have to choose between her team and her blood. But who do you trust, when both sides are out to get you?

Mel has sold over one million copies since she started writing in 2012; she was shortlisted for the prestigious CWA (Crime Writer’s Association) Dagger in Library Award 2014 and was on the list of Stoke-on-Trent’s 100 most influential people.

Social media has gone wild about the release, with her dedicated following congratulating her on publication day:

Mel lives in Stoke-on-Trent with her husband and dog, and regularly uses her hometown as inspiration for her novels. You can find out more about Mel in this Amazon video. Both Katherine Diamond and Caroline Mitchell agree, ‘all fans of Martina Cole will love this book!’