Anna Downes Anna Downes i(18917389 works by)
Born: Established: Sheffield, South Yorkshire,
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England,
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United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe,
;
Gender: Female
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Works By

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1 y separately published work icon Break Me Down Anna Downes , New York (City) : Macmillan Audio , 2025 28871632 2025 single work novel thriller

'How far would you go for greatness?

'After years of seclusion, the once-celebrated child star Georgia Lane moves to Los Angeles, determined to make a comeback. But as auditions elude her and bills pile up, she quickly realizes that beneath the glitzy facade of LA lies a ruthless and unforgiving city.

'That is, until she meets Henry, an aspiring actor, who sweeps her off her feet, connects her with his agent, and brings her to audit a class at the elite acting studio he attends. It’s here that Marianna, The Studio’s head teacher, takes a special interest in Georgia. As she steps into the intense, ego-driven world of The Studio, she finds herself challenged and invigorated by its unconventional methods, which promise to unlock her full potential but demand much more in return.

'The more she commits to its ways, the more The Studio transforms into a battleground of ambition, jealousy, and psychological warfare. With each step forward, she feels the grip of her past tightening, Henry’s love turning on her, and Marianna’s mentorship becoming all-consuming. And as the lines between the pursuit of art and the survival of the self begin to blur, everything Georgia holds dear starts slipping away, revealing the true price of a dream. Break Me Down is a testament to the power of art to heal, destroy, and ultimately transform.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 Something to Do in the Dark Anna Downes , 2024 single work short story
— Appears in: Dark Deeds Down Under 2 2024;
2 2 y separately published work icon Red River Road Anna Downes , New York (City) : Minotaur Books , 2024 27474184 2024 single work novel thriller

'Katy Sweeney is determined to find her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, free-spirited Phoebe vanished without a trace on Western Australia’s remote and achingly beautiful Coral Coast. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up.

'Using Phoebe’s social media accounts as a map, Katy starts to retrace her steps, searching for the clues that the police have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and what danger did they pose? Was she as happy as her sun-bleached, lens-flared photos seem to suggest?

'Then Katy’s path collides with that of Beth, a young woman on the run from her own dark past—and very recent present. And as Katy realizes that Beth might be her best and only chance of finding the truth, the two women form an uneasy alliance to venture forth into increasingly wild territory to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this breathtaking but maybe deadly place, and how her fate connects them all.

'Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

2 2 y separately published work icon Out of Breath Anna Snoekstra , Sydney : HarperCollins Australia , 2022 24393377 2022 single work novel thriller

'A compulsive, nail-bitingly tense psychological thriller that takes its readers deep into the heart of a seemingly idyllic intentional community - that proves to be anything but...For readers of Anna Downes' The Safe Place and Sarah Bailey's The Housemate.

'Jo Ainsley has been running for a long time. From her childhood in small town England to art school in London to the messy end of a relationship in Sydney, Jo has chosen to run again and again, each time moving further from where her troubles began.

'This time, her escape will bring her to the remote northwest region of Western Australia, where she must work for 88 days on a farm in order to extend her visa. There she meets an American, Gabe, with whom she has an immediate connection. He tells her of an idyllic off-grid community which seems like a refuge to her. Miserable, desperate and traumatised by a brutal event at the farm, Jo decides to run.

'But the paradisal free-diving haven that embraces her without judgement is not all it seems. It harbours some sinister secrets - and so does Gabe. Jo searches for answers, but is she prepared for what she uncovers? She must decide where her loyalties lie and if she is really ready to confront the darkness of her past...'  (Publication summary)

1 1 y separately published work icon The Shadow House Anna Downes , Melbourne : Affirm Press , 2021 22939789 2021 single work novel thriller

'When single mother Alex flees her abusive relationship and moves with her teenage son and baby girl to a rural ecovillage, she thinks she’s made the best decision of her life. Pine Ridge is idyllic: the off-grid lifestyle and remote location are perfect, and the community is welcoming – mostly. Charmed by its magnetic founder, Kit, and the natural beauty of the former farmland, Alex settles easily into her new home.

'But her arrival at Pine Ridge disturbs barely submerged secrets, and she’s shaken by a series of eerily familiar events that seem to be connected to the abandoned farmhouse on the hill. Alex realises that, in escaping her own shadowy past, she may have stumbled into someone else’s. And this time, there may be nowhere to run.' (Publication summary)

3 3 y separately published work icon The Safe Place Anna Downes , Mulgrave : Affirm Press , 2020 18917410 2020 single work novel thriller

'A BEAUTIFUL HOME MIGHT HIDE DANGEROUS SECRETS . . .

'Emily Proudman has been offered the chance of a lifetime - leave her messy London life, move to a beautiful estate in France and help her boss's wife take care of their daughter. It seems like the perfect opportunity to start again.

'But once there, Emily soon starts to suspect that her charismatic new employers aren't telling her the whole truth. That there are even dangerous secrets hidden beneath the glamorous facade.

'Why have the family been moved to this isolated house so far from home? Why does her bosses' daughter refuse to speak or be touched? Why are there whispers in the night?

'The only problem is, the more Emily knows, the less chance there is she will ever be able to leave . . .' (Publication summary)

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