Shrink Solves Murder

A Novel

By: Philippa Perry

A small-town psychotherapist draws on all her knowledge of the human psyche to solve the murder of a patient in this warm and witty mystery novel—by a real psychotherapist turned #1 internationally bestselling author.

Living in picturesque coastal Sussex, Patricia Philipps enjoys her quiet life—walking the cliffs, shouting at poorly disciplined dog owners, telling tourists to keep their distance from the crumbling cliff edges, and cold-water swimming.

Then a body washes up near Beachy Head, upending her carefully curated life as she discovers the deceased is one of her clients—her “Three O’Clock,” in fact.

The police chalk it up to suicide, but Pat sees things differently. She reads people. She understands them—their lusts, their loves, their quirks, their ticks, their tells, their deepest desires. She looks, she listens, she watches. And she never jumps to conclusions. After all, she spends her days listening to secrets, resentments, fantasies, and motives. She’s certain someone wanted Henry Clayton dead.

With her chaotic best friend Pritchard (part-time poet, full-time meddler) in tow, Pat swaps the therapist’s couch for the crime scene. It’s time to unpick the lies, untangle the egos, and catch a killer hiding in plain sight.

Critic reviews

“A cunning murder disguised as a suicide, a brilliant psychotherapist who doesn’t believe what she’s told, and a cast of village eccentrics who help (and hinder) her investigations, this is cozy crime at its most enjoyable.”—Natalie Haynes, New York Times bestselling author of A Thousand Ships

“What a joy Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry is. This is cozy crime with a side order of psychological insight and fabulously real characters. Already looking forward to the next one!”—Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

“I’ve always admired the sleuth in Philippa Perry and that’s more than vindicated in this assured and hugely enjoyable murder mystery debut. It’s brilliant!”—Richard Coles, author of the Canon Clement Mysteries series