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The Beauty Queen

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About this listen

Forty years ago

It should have been the happiest night of her sister's life when she was crowned Miss Sunshine Sands.

But that was the last time she was seen alive, and all they ever found was her pink satin sash washed up on the shore.

Now

Journalist Zoe Kincade arrives in the rundown seaside town of Sunshine Sands to report on this year's talent show. The motionless Ferris wheel blurs into the dark sea beyond and polystyrene chip trays bounce along the pavement.

She checks into the Forget-Me-Not hotel, a faded Edwardian terrace that has seen better days, the place her beautiful older sister Jane stayed the night she disappeared.

Zoe has spent forty years trying to block out the pain. The aftermath of that night destroyed her chance of a happy marriage and living in any kind of peace.

She was only a little girl when Jane vanished. She just remembers how much she loved her big sister.

Now, Zoe is determined to find out what really happened. She will make them pay for taking Jane from her. And no amount of glitter and sparkle can hide the dark truth of that night.

This gripping and twisty thriller is perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Mary Kubica, Daniel Hurst, Claire Douglas, Chris Whitaker or Jane E. James.

©2024 Sally-Anne Martyn (P)2025 Podium Audio Mystery Psychological Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths
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Loved this book, the third of Sally-Anne’s I’ve read/listened to
Always an exciting story with strong female characters…excellent!

Fab, tense story

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Salty-Anne you did it disappoint with your latest book. The Beauty Queen tells of a time when me thought they were gods gift and all women were their playthings.
Beautiful wrote. Great characters and a friendship that you did not see coming.
Loved, loved, loved the plot twist. I really wasn’t expecting that but I expect nothing less from this author. It’s a dark one!
I can’t wait for your next book!


Creepy old men that give you the ick and a plot twist

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Beautifully written. I could “see” the hotels and people in all of their ugly glory. Fascinating characters and wonderful story telling which kept me hooked from start to finish.

Twisty thriller!

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An unexpected thriller for me. I thought the book was really nicely expressed with great, current themes for any reader. It was dark but with no gratuitous violence. Everything in it with a purpose. It was well read and nicely paced. I was pretty compelling. Sally Ann Martyn really captured that slight eerie most British Seaside towns however pretty seem to have. I would recommend.

Great thoughtful thriller

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