The Headhunter: Ellie Lawrence Crime Thriller Book 1

by Marie Anne Cope

Ellie Lawrence’s world has fallen apart. She’s lost the detective job she adores, the man she loves and the mentor she looked up to. In addition, she has walked away from the friends who’ve been her life for the last few years.

With nowhere else to go, she returns to the cottage she abandoned to try to piece together a future. Part of her return involves reconnecting with Victoria Stephens—her oldest friend and fellow inmate of Sackville School for Behavioural Difficulties.

But the news that a deranged serial killer is on the loose and her incompetent, onetime nemesis is leading the case draws Ellie back into her former life. With the help of local crime reporter Jayson Christian, Ellie gets lost in a twisted world where even her supernatural senses lead her astray. As time is running out, can Ellie face the hard truth and stop The Headhunter?

426 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2023

About the author

Marie Anne Cope is a captivating voice in supernatural and thriller fiction, known for blending dark, provocative themes with storytelling that hooks readers from the very first page. Originally from Manchester and now living in the picturesque landscapes of North Wales with her three feline companions—Jasmine, Texas, and Stoker—Marie’s work takes readers into shadowy worlds where suspense, fear, and emotion collide.

Marie burst onto the literary scene in 2013 with her debut novel, Bonds, the first in her acclaimed supernatural series. With follow-up instalments—Broken Bonds, Bonds Re-Bound, and Eternal Bonds—Marie has firmly established herself as a tour de force in supernatural fiction, seamlessly blending romance, danger, and the dark unknown.

Marie’s talent for complex characters and razor-sharp tension took a new turn with The Ellie Lawrence supernatural crime thriller series. Ellie is a private investigator and werewolf who tackles both real-world crimes and supernatural mysteries, blending suspense with dark, paranormal intrigue. Fans of supernatural thrillers and gripping crime stories will find themselves captivated by Ellie’s journey.

Beyond long-form fiction, Marie has earned a reputation for delivering bite-sized horror with her Tales From A Scarygirl short story collections. In 2024, she surprised her fans by venturing into contemporary romance with Chasing Rainbows, a heartfelt tale of Jessie Ellis rebuilding her life and finding an unexpected second chance at love.

Writing under the pen name M A Cope, Marie has also created The Misfits, an enchanting series for younger readers, where a quirky group of supernatural friends embark on life-affirming adventures.
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Awards & Achievements
• Winner, Murder Mystery Competition, Wrexham's Carnival of Words (2025) - One Haunted Night
• Finalist, Golden Stake Literary Award at the International Vampire Film & Arts Festival (2020) for Bonds
• Winner, Short Story Competition, Wrexham’s Carnival of Words “2017) – Two Days (Romance)
• Quarter-Finalist, Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (2012) for Bonds

Reviews

[Chloë Blyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written werewolf crime thriller. A little slow to get into and I guessed where it was going minus the extra detail, but it was still very enjoyable and I liked getting some backstory to Ellie.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gripping and compelling book from this author.

Ellie is a character from the Bonds series. She is a great character in that series, but most definitely deserves her own books! It was great to finally learn more about Ellie and see her take the spotlight.

The book is well written. The storyline has been carefully thought out and planned well. It takes the reader on a journey of discovery and intrigue. As I was reading The Headhunter, I found myself constantly trying to connect the dots of the story together.

The more I read, the more I wanted to read. The times when I knew I needed to stop reading, I found myself saying 'one more page'!

I was hooked from the first chapter to the very last page.
I'm looking forward to seeing what is next for Ellie.

Even though Ellie has come from the Bonds Series, you can easily read The Headhunter even if you haven't read the Bonds series, but I'd highly recommend reading that series, too.

[Polly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Marie, and it did not disappoint! You don’t need to have read The Bonds series to enjoy this book, although I definitely will be reading Bonds, as it is set in the same universe and there are nods to event that have occurred within this series. The Headhunter is a gripping and intense crime thriller. It is not for the faint-hearted, as there are gory moments and intense themes. However, these moments aren’t just for the sake of shocking the reader, they add to and progress the story. There are mysteries galore and complicated relationship dynamics, with brilliant character development. I can’t wait for book 2!