The Wasp Trap
Published on 31. July 2025
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-241-72102-5 (ISBN)
Description
The outstanding new psychological thriller from the 5 million copy-bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Magpies
'The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths' Sunday Times
'I loved this... So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist' Lisa Jewell
'I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!!' Marian Keyes
'A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists. Hugely enjoyable' Alex Michaelides
'Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive' Elly Griffiths
--
Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They're going to launch a website to change online dating forever.
No-one expects it to end in tragedy.
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an invitation: a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again.
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn't seem right.
There's an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying.
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer.
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth...
--
PRAISE FOR MARK EDWARDS
'I kept wanting to tear my eyes away but had to keep reading' IAN RANKIN
'Edwards is at the top of his game' ERIN KELLY
'Twisting and terrifying, the kind of haunting, pacy, spine-chiller that Mark Edwards is the absolute master of.' CHRIS WHITAKER
'I was hooked by this clever, fast paced and addictive thriller... I loved it' CLAIRE DOUGLAS
'Fast-paced and twisted: it's another Mark Edwards sensation' CLARE MACKINTOSH
'Tense, artful and satisfying' LOUISE CANDLISH
'Highly entertaining...kept me guessing to the very last page' LIZ NUGENT
Readers LOVE The Wasp Trap
'The best thriller I've read all year' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'Full of surprises, twists, turns, lies - I couldn't put this down' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'I forgot my plans for the day because of this book and honestly... no regrets' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'This book deserves the hype' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'Take a bow, Mark Edwards. Once again you've given us a tension filled, edge-of-the-seat thriller' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths' Sunday Times
'I loved this... So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist' Lisa Jewell
'I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!!' Marian Keyes
'A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists. Hugely enjoyable' Alex Michaelides
'Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive' Elly Griffiths
--
Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They're going to launch a website to change online dating forever.
No-one expects it to end in tragedy.
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an invitation: a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again.
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn't seem right.
There's an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying.
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer.
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth...
--
PRAISE FOR MARK EDWARDS
'I kept wanting to tear my eyes away but had to keep reading' IAN RANKIN
'Edwards is at the top of his game' ERIN KELLY
'Twisting and terrifying, the kind of haunting, pacy, spine-chiller that Mark Edwards is the absolute master of.' CHRIS WHITAKER
'I was hooked by this clever, fast paced and addictive thriller... I loved it' CLAIRE DOUGLAS
'Fast-paced and twisted: it's another Mark Edwards sensation' CLARE MACKINTOSH
'Tense, artful and satisfying' LOUISE CANDLISH
'Highly entertaining...kept me guessing to the very last page' LIZ NUGENT
Readers LOVE The Wasp Trap
'The best thriller I've read all year' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'Full of surprises, twists, turns, lies - I couldn't put this down' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'I forgot my plans for the day because of this book and honestly... no regrets' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'This book deserves the hype' 5 ***** Netgalley review
'Take a bow, Mark Edwards. Once again you've given us a tension filled, edge-of-the-seat thriller' 5 ***** Netgalley review
Reviews / Votes
I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion. So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end -- Lisa Jewell I read this in one sitting, completely gripped. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists and tension you could cut with a knife. Hugely enjoyable. -- ALEX MICHAELIDES This is AMAZING...I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!! -- MARIAN KEYES Great and vivid characterisation that kept me guessing and surprises up to the very last page, this is a highly entertaining read. -- LIZ NUGENT, author of Strange Sally Diamond Never trust a reunion - especially one in a Mark Edwards thriller... Tense, artful and satisfying, The Wasp Trap buzzes between past and present delivering one deadly sting after another -- LOUISE CANDLISH The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths * Sunday Times * The ultimate - literal - locked room mystery, that hits you with twist after twist. -- RUTH WARE This locked-room mystery is a super satisfying edge-of-your-seat thriller * Sun * The Wasp Trap is a compelling mystery that explores the consequences of human behaviour. Whether it's falling in love, keeping secrets or committing murder, this tightly plotted page-turner reveals, piece-by-nail-biting-piece, how the sins of the past can shape our present in violent ways. Full of Edwards' trademark twists and peopled with a fascinating cast of characters, this deserves to be a smash-hit. -- FIONA CUMMINS Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive, The Wasp Trap takes the reunion thriller into new and exciting places. -- ELLY GRIFFITHSMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
620 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-72102-5 (9780241721025)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Mark Edwards
The Wasp Trap
Six Friends. One Dinner. A Secret You Can't Escape - A Twisted Thriller from the 5 Million Copy Bestseller Author
E-Book
07/2025
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people.
He has sold 5 million books since his first novel, The Magpies was published in 2013, and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Because She Loves Me, The Hollows and Here to Stay. He has also co-authored six books with Louise Voss. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton with his wife, their children, dog and two cats.
He has sold 5 million books since his first novel, The Magpies was published in 2013, and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Because She Loves Me, The Hollows and Here to Stay. He has also co-authored six books with Louise Voss. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton with his wife, their children, dog and two cats.