The Book Centre Crime Fiction Book of the Year

Winner 2025

It Should Have Been You

By Andrea Mara

Your neighbours have secrets. How far would they go to keep them?

Look what you started.
You text your sister. Your message is full of gossip about your neighbour. But you accidentally send it to the entire local community WhatsApp group instead.

Now everyone knows.
As rumour spreads like wildfire through the picture-perfect neighbourhood, you convince yourself that people will move on, that this will quickly be forgotten. But then you receive the first death threat.

And someone wants you dead.
The next day, a woman has been murdered. And what’s even more chilling is that she had the same address as you – 26 Oakpark – but in a different part of town. Did the killer get the wrong house? It won’t be long before you find out…

About Andrea Mara...

Andrea Mara is a No.1 Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author. Her books have sold more than 900,000 copies worldwide, and four of them have been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year. No One Saw a Thing, was a Richard and Judy Bookclub Pick, sold more than 100,000 copies in thirteen weeks, and was No.1 in the UK, Irish and Kindle charts. She lives in Dublin, with her husband and three children. You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor

Explore the 2025 winners

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Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Junior)
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Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year
The Last Word Listeners' Choice Award
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Irish Book Week Non-Fiction Book of the Year
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TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year
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International Education Services Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year, in honour of John Treacy
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New Irish Writing Best Short Story in association with the Irish Independent
New Irish Writing Best Poetry in association with the Irish Independent