The Crocodile Bird

At Shrove House, an isolated estate in the English countryside, two women live hidden from the world. For sixteen years, Eve has kept her daughter Liza sheltered indoors, away from modern life and visitors, resorting to murder to maintain their isolation. Liza has accepted this existence without question until police arrive one night, forcing her to flee into the darkness. Alone for the first time, Liza must learn to survive while fearing that her mother's murderous past will find her. She takes shelter with the groundskeeper and begins recounting her traumatic childhood, searching for understanding and a place in this new, frightening world. As she reflects on her past, Liza confronts an unsettling question: how much like her mother is she? This psychological thriller explores the relationship between mother and daughter, isolation, and the legacy of violence. The Crocodile Bird is a New York Times Notable Book by Ruth Rendell, a three-time Edgar Award winner.