This book was previously published as Before She Falls.

The Black Squid is back — and it’s learned new tricks.

Ryegrove Hospital was meant to keep people safe. Instead, it hid the truth for seventeen years.

As Anna Gwynne digs into a pair of suspicious deaths long written off as suicides, she uncovers a grotesque collaboration between clinicians, manipulators, and an online phenomenon that turns cruelty into entertainment. The deeper she goes, the clearer it becomes: the Black Squid didn’t corrupt the system — it exploited one already broken.

Tense, disturbing, and brutally topical, The Severn Reckoning is a crime thriller about control, complicity, and what happens when safeguarding becomes camouflage.

What people are saying about The Severn Reckoning

‘Wow wow wow I give this book 5 out of 5 stars… I didn’t want to put it down, and when I did I couldn’t wait to start reading again. Definitely one of my new favourite authors.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A crazy good mystery… solid characters and great plot, the suspense is amazing too!’ Cloud of Thoughts, 5 stars

‘I knocked this one off in two sessions of four hours it was that good! Dylan Young is rapidly becoming a fantastic new author on the scene.’ The Laughing Librarian Book Reviews