A Truth More Painful Than Murder

Chosen by The Times as one of the best crime fiction books in 2025.

’First-class’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
’A breathtaking finish’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
’What a rollercoaster’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
’Tremendous’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
’Wow, wow, wow’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
’Absolutely brilliant’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Newly promoted InspectorFrankie Oliver has always been consumed by the idea of finding her sister’s killer and bringing them to justice.

But when new evidence about the tragic unsolved murder comes to light, and her former boss DCI David Stone embarks on an investigation without her, everything starts to unravel.

After decades without answers, who knows where the trail might lead? And will knowing the answers be the very thing that breaks Frankie irreparably?

The past and present collide with devastating consequences in this taut, breathless new thriller from award-winning crime writer Mari Hannah.

Read what everyone is saying about Her Sister’s Killer:

’Such a great writer’ IAN RANKIN

’Reading her books reminds me of why I love reading so much. Incredible characters and inspired plots; the gold standard’ GRAHAMBARTLETT

’A rich, complex and thrilling book’ KATE LONDON

’A classy thriller packed with pace and action, Hannah also brings real depth and human interest to the story’ ANN CLEEVES

’Treat of a crime novel’ ROXYBOURDILLON

Mari Hannah is a multi-award-winning author, whose authentic voice is no happy accident. A former probation officer, she lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. Mari turned to script-writing when her career was cut short following an assault on duty. Her debut, The Murder Wall, (adapted from a script she developed with the BBC) won her the Polari First Book Prize. Its follow-up, Settled Blood, picked up a Northern Writers’ Award. Mari’s body of work won her the CWA Dagger in the Library 2017, an incredible honour to receive so early in her career. In 2019, she was voted DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. In 2020, she won Capital Crime International Crime Writing Festival’s Crime Book of the Year for Without a Trace. Her Kate Daniels series is in development with Stephen Fry’s production company, Sprout Pictures.