Five lifelong friends gather at a picturesque farmhouse nestled amidst the lavender fields to celebrate a birthday, but beneath the sun-drenched skies of Provence, their dream escape will end in murder.



Steph spent months planning her perfect birthday celebration. Five days in an idyllic setting with her best friends. Long lazy lunches, crisp white wine by the pool and a climb up the beautiful Mont Ventoux. She couldn't wait. They’ve been there for each other through the good times and the bad. This was the break everyone needed.



After their first night partying, they begin their hike. But as the lavender-scented air turns acrid from local wildfires, fierce winds whip up smoke – and tensions in the group. They become separated. Hours later, when the smoke clears, one of the friends lies dead on the mountainside.



As shadows lengthen across the limestone farmhouse, Steph’s birthday transforms into a nightmare of police questions. Now there are only four friends. And the way they avoid each other's eyes suggests one unspeakable truth – the killer might be sitting around this kitchen table.



From multimillion-copy bestselling author Simon McCleave comes a consuming ‘just one more page’ psychological thriller that explores the dark side of friendship and the devastating consequences of long-buried secrets. Five Days in Provence will leave you breathless until the final, jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, T.M. Logan and Lisa Jewell.



Praise for Last Night at Villa Lucia:
‘I was gripped by Simon McCleave’s dark, whodunnit, captivating in every way... You can feel the hum of the cicadas and the corrupting beauty of the Italian landscape. A perfect summer read.' Abi Morgan, Emmy / BAFTA winning screenwriter of Netflix hit ‘Eric’ and BBC's ‘The Split’