Under the Hammer: A darkly comic crime satire about the housing crisis

Jemma would kill to end the housing crisis – one landlord at a time…

Jemma has lost everything... Well, the very little she had. Her toxic boyfriend has run off with her best friend, leaving Jemma alone in their flat, and she can't afford the extortionate rent on her own. She's aimless, depressed and, above all, furious. Slowly but surely, her fury finds its focus: landlords. If only something could be done about them...

When Jemma's landlord has a fatal accident while carrying out a property repair, she stumbles across her life's mission: to punish as many landlords as possible. She begins targeting landlords who have appeared on her favourite binge-watch, a home-improvement TV show where their greed is laid bare. It's a messy job, but someone's got to do it.

Governed by her own rules, Jemma is convinced her actions are just – but how long before this vigilante turns villain?

Under the Hammer is a darkly comic and highly topical crime satire, perfect for fans of How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie, Sweetpea by CJ Skuse and I Want To Go Home But I'm Already There by Róisín Lanigan – it's as if Muriel Spark had written the TV series Dexter.

'Pitch-black perfection - Dooey-Miles is an evil genius' - KIRSTIN INNES, author of Scabby Queen

'Outrageously funny' - LAURA ELLIOTT, author of Awakened

READERS LOVE UNDER THE HAMMER...

'A fast-paced, gripping thriller that pulls you in and does not let go... Captivating and twisty' - 5-Star Reader Review

'Sharp, funny and utterly compelling... The twist on the revenge trope felt fresh and relevant, with just the right balance of social commentary and humour' - 5-Star Reader Review

'Gripping, funny and filled with dark humour... A fantastic read' - 5-Star Reader Review

'From the start, this book had me genuinely laughing out loud... Highly recommend for a fun, unhinged, hilarious murdery read' - 5-Star Reader Review

'A fun, addictive story... Excited to see what the author does next' - 5-Star Reader Review

This novel contains depictions of violence and emotional abuse.

© 2026 Verve Books (E-bog): 9780857309396

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E-bog: 5. marts 2026