Published in English by:
HarperCollins (UK & Canada) / Berkley (Penguin Random House) (US)

Publication Date:
29 Sept 2020

The Nesting

“[A] hypnotic psychological thriller….Readers will keep guessing what’s really going on right up to the surprise ending. Rebecca fans won’t want to miss this one.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The modern and the Gothic collide in The Nesting.”—PopSugar

‘Atmospheric’ — New York Post, Best Books to Read

“[A] nail-biting, Gothic suspense novel.”–OK! Magazine

‘Norwegian Fjords and folktales are beautifully evoked in this vivid and compelling novel’ —Sunday Times bestselling author Rosamund Lupton

The Nesting is a gorgeous, atmospheric book that chilled me to the bone. The perfect escape book into the deep woods of Norway, where nothing is as it seems. C.J. Cooke just became one of my favorite authors.’ – Samantha Downing, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It.

‘A taut, scary thriller that winds the suspense so tightly you can barely breathe’ — New York Times bestselling author Simone St. James

‘An original and haunting thriller, filled with secrets, ghosts, and Norse folk tales. The Nesting is an evocative and chilling tale that will keep you guessing, and is best read with the lights on’ –Alice Feeney

‘It’s been such a tonic – chilling, totally engrossing and full of intrigue. The pages just whizzed by while I ignored everyone! It’s marvellous’ Katherine May

‘Nordic folklore, snowy landscapes, and an ever-turning screw of tension – a fun, gothic treat’ Kirsty Logan

The Nesting is at once a taut psychological thriller, an eerie Nordic fable, and a thoughtful meditation on stewardship––not only of children, but of friendship, of truth, and of the natural world we take for granted at our peril. Ms. Cooke tells her story with a spare, elegant prose that betrays a poet’s ear, and also a poet’s discipline. The language is beautiful, but effortlessly so, pushing the story forward in two deftly handled timelines. The characters are heart-breakingly three-dimensional, yet tell us only what we need to know when we need to know it. This is my favorite kind of book––a quick read with a long echo’ Christopher Buehlman, author of Those Across the River

“A thrilling blend of lore and suspense, The Nesting is a gripping, deliciously tense page-turner that will give you chills.”—Rachel Harrison, author of The Return

It was like something out of a fairytale…

The grieving widower.
The motherless daughters.
A beautiful house in the woods.
And a nanny come to save the day.

So what if Lexi isn’t telling the truth about who she is? Escaping to the remote snows of Norway was her lifeline. And all she wanted was to be a part of their lives.

But soon, isolated in that cold, creaking house in the middle of ancient, whispering woods, Lexi’s fairytale starts to turn into a nightmare.

With darkness creeping in from the outside, Lexi’s fears are deepening. Lexi knows she needs to protect the children in her care.