When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there's no going back. Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea. Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago - no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman. So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she's unleashed? __________ 'Everyone is going to be talking about The Rumour. An intriguing premise, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist you won't see coming!' Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door. 'In this chilling tale of paranoia, suspicion and accusation, Lesley Kara keeps you guessing until the final page. ' Paula Hawkins, No. 1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train and Into the Water 'A great debut with a slyly clever premise and a rollercoaster ride to the very last sentence. ' Fiona Barton, bestselling author of The Widow and The Child.