80,000+ Books in-stock in NZ 📚

The Bestseller

the addictive and suspenseful debut thriller to keep you gripped in 2026
Brief Description
Real Readers are captivated by Jenny Knightsby's debut: It really blew me off my chair, and I had to keep reading until the last page was turned! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved how messy and human the friendships felt, and the moral dilemmas really keep you hooked ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
Pre-order
Releases 8th September 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Bestseller" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

A suspense-filled domestic psychological thriller about a therapist who spills her client's confidential secrets, and her friend who writes them into her next bestselling novel - perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Claire Douglas and Daniel Hurst.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Real Readers are captivated by Jenny Knightsby's debut:

It really blew me off my chair, and I had to keep reading until the last page was turned! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved how messy and human the friendships felt, and the moral dilemmas really keep you hooked ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one gave me tension, moral chaos and that slow creeping dread I live for in a psychological thriller. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jenny Knightsby, whatever you write next, I will read. Put The Bestseller on the top of your TBR list now! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

YOU TOLD HER YOUR DARKEST SECRETS.

NOW MILLIONS WILL READ THEM . . .

Therapist Helena Salve knows that client confidentiality is the number one unbreakable rule of her job. But the constant stories of coercive control and threat she hears from her client Belle about her dangerous husband have been wearing her down. One night over too many glasses of wine, she tells her best friend Tala everything that Belle has told her.

The problem is, Tala is a down-on-her-luck novelist who is looking for an idea for her new thriller.

Months later, Tala is excitedly telling Helena that her publisher is saying this is going to be her biggest book ever. The story is Belle's story. Not only is Helena's job on the line, but if Belle's husband is as dangerous as she says, her life is too...

Why would Tala do this to Helena? She knows what's at stake.

Your friends are meant to protect you... aren't they?

Praise for The Bestseller:

'What a unique premise and so well executed. Tight plotting, and great characters. The Bestseller is set to fly. I loved it!' - LOUISE SWANSON

'A gripping thriller that plumbs the dark depths of our closest relationships' - CLAIRE MCGOWAN

'Brilliant and chilling . . . I tore through the pages' - SARAH EASTER COLLINS

'A dark and compelling exploration of the depths of platonic love, and how far a woman will go to protect the person she loves most' - NAOMI WILLIAMS

'My favourite kind of thriller. Smart and nuanced with twists I didn't see coming. I relished every page' - AMY MEYERSON

'Original, compulsive and unsettling. The Bestseller is a dark tale about trust and friendship which grabs hold of our deepest fears and doesn't let go until the satisfying end' - RUBY SPEECHLEY

'I was hooked on this twist-filled psychological thriller, desperate to know what happened next. I'm thinking about it still' - ELLIE LEVENSON

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781035436316

Publisher: Headline Publishing Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 September 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Mountain Leopard Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Jenny Knightsby is a hospital doctor based in West London. The Bestseller was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2024 and is Knightsby's debut novel.

More from Crime & Thriller

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.