Five by Five

Paperback Published on: 14/08/2025
Price: £9.99
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Bookseller Reviews

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Five by Five
A great introduction to a new series
I really enjoyed this one. We follow Kennedy, who works in a prison. Not only does she investigate the prisoners but the staff too. It's a great crime book... READ MORE
Jodie Whitfield

Synopsis

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

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
  • ISBN: 9781405964463
  • Number of pages: 352
  • Dimensions: 197 x 129 x 22 mm
  • Weight: 247g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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Five by Five
A very good read.
This is an excellent debut novel from the author and I do hope there is a follow up. Set in a Scottish prison, it packs a punch with it's descriptions of t... READ MORE
Martha Brindley
Five by Five
Good debut
The story is based around Kennedy Allardyce, who works as an intelligence analyst in a prison in Scotland. As well as keeping her eye on the prisoners, she... READ MORE
MandyDB
Five by Five
A gripping thriller
I do love a Scottish crime debut and Claire Wilson’s Five by Five has been on my ‘highly anticipated’ list for some considerable time. I’m delighted to rep... READ MORE
Mary Picken
Five by Five
interesting premise
I liked the premise of this book with the different angle of an intelligence analyst providing the main character, and it certainly hit the ground running ... READ MORE
jean
Five by Five
A cracking & feisty debut
This is a cracking & feisty debut. Intelligence Officer Kennedy Allardyce works in a male prison & has just returned to work following a brutal attack (... READ MORE
Deb Day
Five by Five
A promising debut
HMP Forth Valley in Scotland holds 850 high security male prisoners and intelligence analyst Kennedy Allardyce monitors not just them but also the staff. A... READ MORE
Celia Short
Five by Five
Gritty prison drama
Prisons, by definition, are full of acknowledged criminals. But there are also staff, some of whom can be manipulated, coerced, corrupted; not many but al... READ MORE
Denis
Five by Five
An explosive debut
Five by Five' is an explosive debut by Claire Wilson. Kennedy Allardyce works in one of Scotland's toughest prisons and works in a unit that deals with ... READ MORE
Melanie Greaves
Five by Five
Mixed feelings
Five by five by Clare Wilson is the author debut novel. After failing to become a prison officer Kennedy Allardyce works as an Intelligence officer for th... READ MORE
Michelle De Alwis
Five by Five
Read this.
I really enjoyed this fascinating fiction, obviously having never been detained by police Scotland- the whole book is great. Thank you so much for this ad... READ MORE
Laura Jayne Breed
Five by Five
A fantastic debut
When a novel is billed as being anything like Line of Duty I'm in, and Five by Five piqued my interest even further because it's set in a Scottish prison. ... READ MORE
Nicola
Five by Five
An Insight Into an Intelligence Analysts Work in a Scottish Prison.
I've always been intrigued by the criminal justice system and what life is like behind bars. I think it was my early viewing of programmes like Behind Thes... READ MORE
Louise Wilson
Five by Five
A gripping thriller
This gripping thriller grabbed my attention from the start and held it all the way through. I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, as some parts are more grisl... READ MORE
Avid reader
Five by Five
Excellent debut.
This is an excellent debut novel from the author and I do hope there is a follow up. Set in a Scottish prison, it packs a punch with it's descriptions of t... READ MORE
Martha Brindley
Five by Five
Gripping and tense, Five by Five by Claire Wilson immerses readers in the gritty reality of a Scottish prison
“Five by Five” by Claire Wilson is an absolutely gripping and tense debut crime thriller that plunges readers deep into the gritty reality of a modern Scot... READ MORE
MoMoBookDiary
Five by Five
Claustrophobic, dark, and brimming with tension
Claire Wilson works as an Intelligence Analyst within the Scottish prison system. She pitched her debut novel at the Pitch Perfect event during the Bloody ... READ MORE
Anne Cater
Five by Five
Loose ends
I love the setting on this and the incident that happens to Kennedy, the main character, starts the story off really well. I liked the antagonism between t... READ MORE
Sarah Goldthorpe