Five by Five

Tense, chilling and distinctive, this is a one-sitting read * Guardian *A bloody good read – Val McDermidA significant crime debut. Authoritatively authentic, irresistibly pacey and nerve-shreddingly tense – Chris BrookmyreRaw, brutal, claustrophobic, fast and impossible to put down. Written by someone who’s walked the walk and seen the prison system close up – Neil Lancaster, bestselling author of Dead Man’s GraveFive by Five is an assured debut by former prison officer Claire Wilson, taking us inside the claustrophobic and offtimes gladitorial setting of a modern prison. With the dodgy guards and vicious cons, this is a topical dive into the darker aspects of our penal system. Terrifyingly authentic. Claire Wilson’s debut novel Five by Five grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. She quickly establishes that she’s blessed with a distinctive new Tartan Noir voice, so you’d better watch out Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, Alex Gray and Denise Mina because there’s a new girl in town.” – Professor David Wilson, leading criminologist and author of My Life with MurderersBrilliantly plotted and so tense I forgot to breathe in places – Lisa Hall, author of Between You and MeOne of the best debuts I’ve read in some years. Five By Five is a no-holds barred gritty account of working in the prison service, and told from such a unique perspective. Claire Wilson writes with such a confident and assured voice. Utterly impossible to put down. – Robert Rutherford, Sunday Times bestselling author of Seven DaysGritty and unflinching, unbearably tense and claustrophobic, it gripped me throughout. Claire’s professional expertise shines through and gives such authenticity to the story. The ending left me needing more so I really hope we meet Kennedy again in the future! – Natalie Chandler, author of What We DidI really enjoyed this gritty crime thriller… feels like a blend of Orange is the New Black and Line of Duty – Roxie Key, author of The Deadly Spark

Claire Wilson is from central Scotland. Her debut novel, Five by Five, was the inaugural winner of the Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers’ Prize. The book is based on her day job as an Intelligence Analyst in a Scottish Prison and has gone on to be shortlisted for the CrimeFest Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award, Capital Crime’s Debut Award and longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger.