
Five by Five
Claire Wilson(Author)
Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 14. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-1-4059-6446-3 (ISBN)
Description
YOU WATCH THE PRISONERS.
BUT WHO IS WATCHING YOU?
'Tense, chilling and distinctive, this is a one-sitting read' Guardian
'A bloody good read' Val McDermid
******
Just because the most dangerous criminals in society are caught and locked up, doesn't mean they stop committing crime.
That's where Kennedy Allardyce comes in - monitoring not just the prisoners, but also the staff.
And she's just stumbled across her most dangerous foe yet - rumours of a corrupt guard with lethal influence. And what's worst, it seems they've already realised Kennedy is on their tail.
At least one thing is giving her joy - a blossoming relationship with Molly, a beautiful, enigmatic new guard.
Wouldn't it be awful if the killer she's hunting turned out to be the woman she's falling for?
******
Why readers are gripped by Five By Five
'I was hooked right from the first page of this book and I did not want to put it down' 5***** Reader Review
'A cracking debut thriller' 5***** Reader Review
'Fast pace, vivid characters and dramatic plot, Five by Five is gritty, compelling and surprisingly affecting' 5***** Reader Review
'Such an exciting read' 5***** Reader Review
'An incredible book. The characters are believable and relatable. I loved the setting, I haven't read many set in a prison' 5***** Reader Review
BUT WHO IS WATCHING YOU?
'Tense, chilling and distinctive, this is a one-sitting read' Guardian
'A bloody good read' Val McDermid
******
Just because the most dangerous criminals in society are caught and locked up, doesn't mean they stop committing crime.
That's where Kennedy Allardyce comes in - monitoring not just the prisoners, but also the staff.
And she's just stumbled across her most dangerous foe yet - rumours of a corrupt guard with lethal influence. And what's worst, it seems they've already realised Kennedy is on their tail.
At least one thing is giving her joy - a blossoming relationship with Molly, a beautiful, enigmatic new guard.
Wouldn't it be awful if the killer she's hunting turned out to be the woman she's falling for?
******
Why readers are gripped by Five By Five
'I was hooked right from the first page of this book and I did not want to put it down' 5***** Reader Review
'A cracking debut thriller' 5***** Reader Review
'Fast pace, vivid characters and dramatic plot, Five by Five is gritty, compelling and surprisingly affecting' 5***** Reader Review
'Such an exciting read' 5***** Reader Review
'An incredible book. The characters are believable and relatable. I loved the setting, I haven't read many set in a prison' 5***** Reader Review
Reviews / Votes
A very satisfying blend of grit and humanity * Ian Rankin * Tense, chilling and distinctive, this is a one-sitting read * Guardian * A bloody good read -- Val McDermid A significant crime debut. Authoritatively authentic, irresistibly pacey and nerve-shreddingly tense -- Chris Brookmyre Five by Five is an assured debut by former prison officer Claire Wilson, taking us inside the claustrophobic and offtimes gladitorial setting of a modern prison. With the dodgy guards and vicious cons, this is a topical dive into the darker aspects of our penal system. Terrifyingly authentic. Raw, brutal, claustrophobic, fast and impossible to put down. Written by someone who's walked the walk and seen the prison system close up -- Neil Lancaster, bestselling author of Dead Man's Grave Brilliantly plotted and so tense I forgot to breathe in places -- Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me I really enjoyed this gritty crime thriller... feels like a blend of Orange is the New Black and Line of Duty -- Roxie Key, author of The Deadly Spark Raw, brutal, claustrophobic, fast and impossible to put down. Written by someone who's walked the walk and seen the prison system close up. * Neil Lancaster, bestselling author of Dead Man's Grave *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
250 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-6446-3 (9781405964463)
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

Claire Wilson
Five by Five
An addictive thriller about obsession, corruption and desire inside a high-security prison
E-Book
08/2024
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Claire Wilson is from central Scotland. Her debut novel Five by Five was the inaugural winner of the Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize. The book is based on her day job as an Intelligence Analyst in a Scottish Prison and has gone on to be shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, the CrimeFest Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award, Capital Crime's Debut Award and longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger.