The co-op bookstore for avid readers
Book Cover for: The Pure in Heart: A Gripping Psychological Thriller of Kidnapping, Redemption, and a Broken Past, Susan Hill

The Pure in Heart: A Gripping Psychological Thriller of Kidnapping, Redemption, and a Broken Past

Susan Hill

What happens to a town when a child disappears without a trace?

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler is still grappling with the unresolved murder of a colleague when a call summons him back to the English cathedral town of Lafferton. A nine-year-old boy, David Angus, has been snatched from his own front gate.

The police investigation is relentless, but as days turn into weeks, the boy's family begins to unravel under the immense grief and suspicion.

A haunting psychological mystery for fans of Ruth Rendell and P.D. James.

In the second installment of Susan Hill's acclaimed British series, the town is rocked by multiple crises:

  • The unraveling of a family: As the boy's disappearance wears on, the Angus family is torn apart by despair and secrets.
  • The struggle for redemption: An ex-con, recently returned to Lafferton, finds it nearly impossible to escape his past and the prejudice of his community.
  • A detective pushed to the edge: With pressure mounting and multiple tragedies closing in, Serrailler must navigate his own demons while trying to solve a seemingly unsolvable case.


This isn't just a police procedural. It's a gripping exploration of human nature, a testament to the complexities of family, and a powerful look at how grief can tear lives apart.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Overlook Press
  • Publish Date: Sep 1st, 2008
  • Pages: 384
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 8.06in - 5.44in - 0.89in - 0.66lb
  • EAN: 9781590200858
  • Recommended age: 18-UP
  • Categories: Mystery & Detective - Police ProceduralThrillers - PsychologicalCrime

About the Author

Hill, Susan: - Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Her novels and short stories have won the Whitbread Book, Somerset Maugham, and John Llewellyn Rhys awards, the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year, and have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. The play adapted from her famous ghost novel, The Woman in Black, has been running in the West End since 1989. The titles in the Simon Serrailler series are all available from The Overlook Press.