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Rachel Abbott
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The Sixth Window: The unbearably tense psychological thriller Kindle Edition

by Rachel Abbott (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 19,827 ratings
Every instinct told her to run…

Natalie Grey is living a nightmare. She has discovered a disturbing website link on her new partner’s computer and fears he has a dark side, and even darker intentions. When her husband died in a hit and run accident, Ed had seemed like a safe harbour. Now where can she turn?

Concerned for the safety of her fifteen-year-old daughter Scarlett, she moves them both to a new home beyond his reach, unaware that the apartment holds secrets of its own. Left alone during the long days of the school holiday, Scarlett investigates strange sounds coming from the other side of the wall, never anticipating the danger that awaits her there.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Douglas’s investigation into the apparent suicide of a teenage girl draws him ever closer to Natalie and Scarlett. But will he be too late to protect them from the danger they face, or from the truths that will tear their lives apart?

Will they ever feel safe again?

A gripping psychological thriller from multi-million copy best-seller Rachel Abbott.

A DCI Tom Douglas Thriller
Books in this series can be read in any order

*****

Praise for The Sixth Window

‘The tension that built throughout this book simply blew me away .’ - Angela Marsons, author of Silent Scream

‘The Sixth Window is a masterclass in tension from the queen of the genre. It is a scarily believable, tense and compelling thriller and it’s impossible to ration yourself to a few pages at a time.’ – Goodreads reviewer

'Masterly and compelling. I couldn’t put it down until its heart-stopping conclusion.’ – Robert Bryndza, author of Girl in the Ice

‘I am in awe of Rachel Abbott’s plotting! The Sixth Window is Abbott at her best. ’ - Elizabeth Haynes, author of Into the Darkest Corner

Praise for Rachel Abbott

'A properly addictive, leave-the-light-on thriller.' – Red Magazine

'This fast-paced thriller will have you racing through to its shocking conclusion.' - Closer

'Almost unbearably tense, with a killer twist.' - Good Housekeeping
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  1. Book 6 of 12
    Tom Douglas Thrillers
  2. Print length
    362 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 21, 2017
  6. File size
    1.7 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  2. It had been a night like so many others over the past few weeks, and as the woman looked down on the narrow street below her second-floor window, still dark at this pre-dawn hour, she finally admitted that she couldn’t take any more.
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  3. ‘She said if I went, nothing would happen. But if I didn’t, she was as good as dead.’
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'I am in awe of Rachel Abbott's plotting! The Sixth Window is Abbott at her best, with pageturning twists to the very end. Recommend it to your best friend and your book group - you will want to discuss it with everyone you know.' - Elizabeth Haynes - author of Into the Darkest Corner


'I have spent two days completely immersed in this twisty turny story and recently emerged breathless. Never in doubt was the skill this author has to captivate me with her complex, dark storylines and masterful character studies but the tension that built throughout this book simply blew me away. DCI Tom Douglas is a particular favourite of mine as well as his trusty aide Becky. I love the relationship between these two characters. I loved the exploration from the different viewpoints and developed a particular soft spot for Scarlett, a fifteen year old girl trying to find her way without her deceased father.At 50% my head was darting in so many different directions due to this author's skill at consistently blindsiding me and adding yet more psychological twists and thrilling turns that sent me off in a completely different direction. None of my theories were correct and I was left open-mouthed as the final pieces slotted into place. Incredibly skilfully woven tale of loss, deceit, jealousy and love set against the backdrop of a difficult subject with the highest amount of sensitivity. A definite 5* read from me.' - Angela Marsons - author of Silent Scream


'Masterly and compelling. I couldn't put it down until its heart-stopping conclusion.' - Robert Bryndza - author of The Girl in the Ice
'Abbott continues to be an outstanding force in the world of thriller writing and The Sixth Window is no exception. Pacy, suspenseful and cleverly constructed, it is a gripping page-turner of a read, filled with astute observations on human nature. I loved it!' - LJ Ross - author of Holy Island
'Rachel Abbott once again confirms she's the Queen of twisted suspense with another taut thriller that will keep you up long after lights out. Her characterization is as adept as her plotting and you'll find yourself mistrusting everyone and questioning everything before the killer twist at the end spectacularly turns everything on its head! Abbott is at the top of her game with The Sixth Window - it's cracking five-star read.' - Michelle Davies - author of Gone Astray
'What a fabulous book! I think I read most of it with my heart in my mouth!' - Kim the Bookworm
'As with all my favourite crime fiction novels, The Sixth Window has a number of strands which are deftly pulled together to provide a scary picture which sadly isn't quite as far from the truth as we may like to believe...this one had me literally gasping with disbelief as my jaw dropped. In conclusion this book is the best in the series yet, brilliant plot, contemporary storyline, great characterisation which culminates in what on reflection seemed to be the only ending possible.' - Cleo Loves Books
'Books in this series have never failed to improve on the last one. This is no exception, and it seems there is no end to Ms Abbott's talent. I really did find this book really difficult to put down. The more I read and the more I discovered about the book, the more I wanted to read and find out more. As always, the characters are believable and from start to finish you can empathise and sympathise with them all through whatever trials and tribulations they face throughout the novel. Ok so the year has only just started, but for me it's one of the best books of the year so far.' - Steve Sutherland, GoodReads user via Netgalley

About the Author

Rachel Abbott was born and raised in Manchester. She trained as a systems analyst before launching her own interactive media company in the early 1980s. After selling her company in 2000, she moved to the Le Marche region of Italy. When six-foot snowdrifts prevented her from leaving the house for a couple of weeks, she started writing and found she couldn't stop. Since then her debut thriller, 'Only the Innocent', has become an international bestseller, reaching the number one position in the Amazon charts both in the UK and US. This was followed by the number one bestselling novels 'The Back Road', 'Sleep Tight', 'Stranger Child' and 'Kill Me Again', plus a novella - 'Nowhere Child' - which was top of the Kindle Singles chart in the UK for over a year. In 2015 Amazon celebrated the first five years of the Kindle in the UK, and announced that Rachel was the number one bestselling independent author over the five-year period. She was also placed fourteenth in the chart of all authors. Rachel Abbott now lives in Alderney and writes full-time.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06VTHFBSX
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Dot Publishing Ltd
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 362 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 6 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Tom Douglas Thrillers
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 19,827 ratings

About the author

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Rachel Abbott

Rachel Abbott

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Rachel Abbott's debut thriller, Only the Innocent, was an international bestseller, reaching the number one position in the Amazon charts both in the UK and US. This was followed by the number one bestselling novels The Back Road, Sleep Tight, Stranger Child, Nowhere Child (a short novel based on the characters from Stranger Child), Kill Me Again, The Sixth Window, Come a Little Closer, The Shape of Lies, Right Behind You and Close Your Eyes. The new thriller in the Tom Douglas series - No More Lies - was released in February 2023.

In 2018 Rachel released the first book in a new series - And So It Begins. This was followed by The Murder Game in 2020 (The Invitation in the US).

Rachel's novels have now been translated into over 20 languages and have sold over 5 million copies.

In 2015 Amazon celebrated the first five years of the Kindle in the UK, and announced that Rachel was the number one bestselling independent author over the five-year period. She was also placed fourteenth in the chart of all authors. Stranger Child was the most borrowed novel for the Kindle in the first half of 2015.

Rachel now lives in Alderney - a beautiful island off the coast of France - where she devotes her time to her love of writing fiction. For more information, see Rachel's website at www.rachel-abbott.com, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
19,827 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a great read in the Tom Douglas series, with excellent writing that keeps them interested and in suspense throughout. They appreciate the character development, noting the right amount of characters to keep track of, and are huge fans of Rachel Abbott's work. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it fast-paced while others say it moves very slowly.

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136 customers mention "Readability"126 positive10 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, particularly praising it as the best in the Tom Douglas series.

"...give anything away, if you just go along with the story, it is a very good one...." Read more

"I really enjoyed this one. A really great read! Rachell Abbott is a fantastic writer." Read more

"I have read the Tom Douglas series up to this book and love the series! But I must admit that this was my least favorite due to the ending...." Read more

"This was so good. This author writes so well she makes my heart jump in fear, and the twists are so believable and you won't see them coming." Read more

135 customers mention "Suspenseful"122 positive13 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful, describing it as a thrilling page turner that keeps them guessing with its twists and turns.

"...written that you were never lost in a sea of characters or convulted plot twists. It keeps you guessing until the last word. I'm still guessing...." Read more

"Very good story line...keeps you interested. In the end, though, I had questions like "how could they have not known, ie, real estate ownership...." Read more

"Love all of Rachel Abbott’s books. Each one ALWAYS has a surprise twist that I did not see coming...." Read more

"This one had so many twists and turns it kept me guessing, except for Allison. I didn't trust her from the start...." Read more

36 customers mention "Writing quality"34 positive2 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it excellently written and easy to read, with one customer highlighting its vivid characterizations.

"...A really great read! Rachell Abbott is a fantastic writer." Read more

"This was so good. This author writes so well she makes my heart jump in fear, and the twists are so believable and you won't see them coming." Read more

"...The author's writing style drew me in and kept me interested, and I really loved all of the characters...." Read more

"...This author is so talented and she hasn’t disappointed me yet." Read more

33 customers mention "Character development"29 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the right balance of characters to keep track of and how beautifully they are written.

"...This complicated story was so well written that you were never lost in a sea of characters or convulted plot twists...." Read more

"...The characters seemed real and one moment you were cheering for them and the next minute, you'd be annoyed with them...." Read more

"...style drew me in and kept me interested, and I really loved all of the characters...." Read more

"...The plot was polished and interesting. The main characters were empathetic and realistic. The writing was great...." Read more

9 customers mention "Book love"9 positive0 negative

Customers express their love for Rachel Abbott's books, describing them as a huge fan of all of her works and another hit from the author.

"Love all of Rachel Abbott’s books. Each one ALWAYS has a surprise twist that I did not see coming...." Read more

"Another great novel by Rachel Abbott, the story develops at a steady pace whilst we get to know the characters...." Read more

"...Great job Rachel!!" Read more

"Rachel Abbott does not disappoint. One But, so many characters to track. Moved quickly, and I wanted...." Read more

15 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others say it moves very slowly.

"The book was intense and fast paced, but had a totally stupid ending. It made me angry...." Read more

"The book had a slow start, and I first found the main character unlikable, but halfway though, I couldn't put it down...." Read more

"Love the next book in the saga. Well written and perfectly paced. Certainly kept my interest. Great author, great series!" Read more

"Starts out a bit slow but picks up speed and gets very interesting. Lots of mystery and unanswered questions. The end is some what surprising!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Rebecca Paige
    5.0 out of 5 stars This ending is a game changer
    Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Wow! Way to go Rachel.
    You knocked this one out of the ball park. I've been holding my breath for the last 20 chapters. I loved this one.
    This complicated story was so well written that you were never lost in a sea of characters or convulted plot twists. It keeps you guessing until the last word. I'm still guessing.
    Did he? This book is about secrets and how they kill good people. They destroy lives and families. The fallout destroys our faith in humanity.
    This shows us the lowest of the low. We become privy to the interworkings of organized crime. It is a story of redemption and love. You owe it to yourself to read this.
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  • Barbara Blythe
    4.0 out of 5 stars Clever story line you won't want to miss
    Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Very good story line...keeps you interested. In the end, though, I had questions like "how could they have not known, ie, real estate ownership. Not to give anything away, if you just go along with the story, it is a very good one. The characters seemed real and one moment you were cheering for them and the next minute, you'd be annoyed with them. Story is about a widowed woman and her teenage daughter reeling from the sudden death of the husband and father. Was this a family of secrets or was something else involved? It is frightening to realize how a family's path can be changed so abruptly and then how that path can take on a life of it's own. While Mother and daughter try to untangle what they learn after the husband's death, both are sucked into the same darkness with neither of them knowing who to trust. A good read that will snare you into the story and shouldn't be missed.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Cd arrived in excellent condition and on time. Music is great
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love Rachel Abbott
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Love all of Rachel Abbott’s books. Each one ALWAYS has a surprise twist that I did not see coming. I think I’ve read five of her books since New Years. I look forward to reading more and hope she doesn’t stop writing MORE.
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  • debra lou anthony
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really a great read!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this one. A really great read! Rachell Abbott is a fantastic writer.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Convoluted with spoiler warning
    Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This one had so many twists and turns it kept me guessing, except for Allison. I didn't trust her from the start. Even though Bernie was gone I really had the feeling he wasn't worth Natalie's trust. The real loser, to me, is Ed because Natalie is still clinging to Bernie.
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I have read the Tom Douglas series up to this book and love the series! But I must admit that this was my least favorite due to the ending. The psychological aspect of this book was amazingly horrifying and the story line great as always. But the ends aren't usually left in question, Abbott generally leaves the end clear and explained. At the end of this one though, I'm left pondering if I missed something or what's going to happen next! Another awesome thriller in the series regardless of the ending, but I hope the next book in the series has a better ending!
    One person found this helpful
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  • M. Weaver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was so good. This author writes so well she makes my heart jump in fear, and the twists are so believable and you won't see them coming.
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  • Bobbie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read. I highly recommend it!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I picked this one up on impulse without actually knowing anything about the author, the series, or any of the characters, and I am SO GLAD I did! The story was enthralling and I found myself completely addicted. Like staying up all night to read because if I stopped, I'd be dreaming about it anyway. Fortunately, it was spring break and I had plenty of down time. I love a good mystery and this one kept me on my toes throughout the entire story. Most of the time, I manage to catch on to the ending long before I get there, but this time I was still guessing for almost as long as the investigators were!

    The author's writing style drew me in and kept me interested, and I really loved all of the characters. I'll probably backtrack and read the others in the series now, too! Awesome read. I highly recommend it!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lena
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lena
    Reviewed in Spain on March 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Another bestseller by Rachel Abbot. I've read all her books and I can't wait to read the sequel to this book. I'm sure that there will be one as there are some unresolved matters. I'd love to learn about the fate of Natalie and Scarlett.
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  • abhishek
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good thriller
    Reviewed in India on July 30, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Good thriller must read. Story line in unique and nail biting through out. A must read for who love Thrillerd
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  • Judie Laird
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
    Reviewed in Canada on January 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent story, couldn't put it down. I loved every word. A brilliant twist at the end allowed us to draw our own conclusion although I think it's safe to say Natalie will make the right decision concerning Ed. The tension builds right from the first page to the last. 5 stars! - highly recommend.
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  • JenMedBookLover
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another blinding triumph for Rachel Abbott
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I do love me a little bit of DCI Tom Douglas. Who in their right mind doesn’t? I will admit to having had a bit of a gap in my reading and to reading the books completely out of order, having missed the last couple as I struggle to make headway with my personal TBR, but then that is nothing unusual for me. But when the opportunity came up to get an advance copy of the The Sixth Window, the latest instalment in Rachel Abbott’s DCI Douglas series, well… I just couldn’t say no.

    This is a really interesting story, high on tension, with a very difficult subject as a backdrop to the main action. We follow the life of Natalie Grey, a widow and mother whose husband Bernie, a police officer, had been killed in a hit and run accident over a year ago. She is now living with his best friend Ed, but discovers something on his laptop that she cannot ignore, something which could put her and her daughter Scarlett in real danger. Natalie thinks she has found them a safe haven in an apartment in the city but when the estate manager is attacked, and Scarlett starts to hear strange noises from within their flat, just how safe are they really?

    As Scarlett begins to investigate the apartment block, Tom Douglas is looking into the suicide of a young girl. From a family which follows a strict religious code, her death makes little sense. Her mother will not accept that it is suicide, insisting that her daughter was murdered. The girl’s younger brother seems to be keeping a secret and her father is not as blinkered as his wife, but there is something truly troubling in the girls past and Tom needs to find out the truth before anyone else gets hurt.

    The two stories intersect in the most troubling of ways, with Tom’s team being tasked with investigating the hit and run which killed Natalie’s husband after the suspected killers alibi checks out. There was a time when I wondered how the stories could possibly pull together, and what any of it had to do with the hit and run. But this is the beauty of Rachel Abbott’s writing. She has an ability to pull together many seemingly unconnected threads and weave them into a rich literary tapestry which truly engages and enthralls the reader. The Sixth Window was no exception.

    I really liked the characters in this book. It goes without saying the Tom Douglas and Becky Robinson, both long standing characters from the series, are as well written and engaging as ever. We see a little of the playfulness of their relationship as Becky starts to interfere in Tom’s personal life, but this is part of the wonder of the pairing and it works perfectly. The supporting characters are well rounded and elicit a range of emotions from incredulity to suspicion to outright shock as I struggled to understand their motivations or their actions. Scarlett is a really strong character seemingly having gained some of her tenacity and resolve from her father. She is curious and brave beyond her years but that bravery leads her into danger creating one of the most heart stopping scenes of the whole story.

    As I said at the start, the backdrop to this story is a very difficult one. One of exploitation and abuse. But just who is responsible is not entirely clear and there is misdirection galore throughout the book as Abbott carefully moves the focus from one character to another. The finger of suspicion even falls to the police at one point, with corruption being cited at the very top of the tree. I can’t say I was entirely surprised by the conclusion, I had my suspicions early on which proved correct, but the story was so enthralling and the question marks over certain characters actions so bold that I was willing to be proven wrong. In spite of everything, of suspecting what would come to pass, I still didn’t see that ending coming. Not at all.

    I love these books and you can hardly ask for a stronger and more competent development of both character and plotting than you get from Rachel Abbott. I am even more determined now to play catch up (thank the world for Audible), and can’t wait for the next book in the series. I have loved Tom Douglas since I first read The Back Road, even though at that stage the police investigations were very much secondary to the main story. This book was different, with the Police playing a much greater part in the action and I think I loved it even more because of that. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this will be another storming great hit for Rachel Abbott.

    A full on, twisted, be careful who you trust 5 stars.
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  • realmum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in Australia on March 23, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t wait to get to the end and have the mystery solved, but the last pages left me thinking what happens now? I wanted to shake Natalie the single widow Mum and tell her to wake up. She infuriated me with her naïveté and Becky is a brat a clever resourceful one but still a brat.
    The characters on this book are great and the story is suspenseful and leaves you with a chill running down your spine when you consider that this could be a part of a storyline we see in the news.
    It explores relationships and how we can sometimes place our trust in others and be betrayed. Recommend this one
    Report

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