These Dark Places

by Hilary Tailor

Some secrets should stay buried. Her husband’s won’t.

Della’s life was everything she’d dreamed a loving husband, teenage daughter, and a peaceful cottage in the woods with her own pottery studio. But then her husband, Leo, collapses and on his deathbed makes a devastating confession that turns Della’s world upside down.

Consumed by grief, Della finds the ancient woodland that once sheltered her now feels threatening. The only solace comes from her new neighbour, Carrie, whose kindness gives Della a fragile sense of hope.

As Della digs deeper into her husband’s hidden life, shocking discoveries emerge – about Leo and the life Della thought she knew, and even about Carrie herself. Is her neighbour truly a friend, or is she hiding the most dangerous secret of all?

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 16, 2026

About the author

Hilary Tailor is a design consultant, and has worked with clients including adidas and Puma as a colour and trend forecaster. She was raised on the Wirral Peninsula and graduated from the Royal College of Art. The Vanishing Tide is her first novel.