All the latest Shadow Writer news and announcements.   Current news can be viewed here 2023 news can be viewed here 2022 news can be viewed here 2021 news can be viewed here 2019 news can be viewed here 2018 news can be viewed here 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2014 news can be viewed here 2013 news can be viewed here 2012 news can be viewed here 2011 news can be viewed here 2010 news can be viewed here 2009 news can be viewed here 2008 news can be viewed here 2007 news can be viewed here 2006 news can be viewed here 2005 news can be viewed here 2004 news can be viewed here 2003 news can be viewed here   December   Paul helped celebrate the 4th birthday of HQ last month (above), publishers of his thriller novels Her Last Secret and Her Husband’s Grave. And what better way than launching a brand new PL Kane newsletter (below)!       As well as containing all the latest news and views, plus film, TV and book recommendations, this also gave people access to the first part of a brand new novelette set within the PL Kane crime universe called Confessions (below).   Photo 10854793 © Haveseen - Dreamstime.com   To sign up in time for the next one, just visit the dedicated PL Kane site and scroll down to the bottom of the front page here. -----------------------------------------       Above are pictures of the Russian edition of the anthology Paul co-edited, Cursed – and don’t they look gorgeous! You can still buy the original here. -------------------------------------------     Guest Writer time now, and for our final GW of the year we have a belter. None other than Chris Whitaker, award-winning author of All the Wicked Girls and Tall Oaks (above). So to read an extract from his phenomenal new book, We Begin at the End (below) just click here.     --------------------------------------------------     Copies of the 10th Anniversary edition of Paul’s serial killer chiller, The Gemini Factor, were making their way out into the world last month – like in this picture above, courtesy of John Questore.         The book also went up on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk here and here, with a 'Look Inside' option. And you can still order the book directly from the publisher here. ---------------------------------------------       Paul received his contributor copies of the new collection Traumas last month (see previous news sections for details), pictures above and below…               It coincides with orders being shipped out to people, like the ones below – courtesy of Helen Brannigan and George Daniel Lea.         The book is out now and you can buy it from Amazon UK here, Amazon US here, and the publisher Black Shuck Books here. ------------------------------------------------     A reviews roundup now, beginning with a glowing one for The Controllers from The British Fantasy Society, who said: ‘For some time, it has been a tradition to ask contributors to an anthology to write stories on a particular theme. Since the imagination can head off in any direction, the stories often take very varied approaches with only the theme linking them. Single author collections with a theme running through the stories are rarer… The Controllers is a collection of six stories, all of which have distinct characters and settings. They are linked by the idea that our lives are being controlled by alien beings that dwell in a different dimension. The first story “Astral” is a Lovecraftian story where the narrator is largely passive. It introduces us to the concept of the Controllers. He discovers that he is capable of astral projection and on one of his voyages, he breaks through into another dimension. There he discovers a world in which the main occupation of the beings that live there is spending their days manipulating human lives. “Eye Of The Beholder” takes the concept further and shows how the life of Lucy is manipulated. If the story was just Lucy’s life, it would be mundane, but the idea that everything that happens to her is being overseen from another dimension gives it a sinister twist. “Pain Cages” is a centre-piece of the collection. It both casts doubt on and reinforces the concept of the Controllers. In the previous stories, the beings that do the manipulation have been hooded, their features obscured. Here the narrator wakes to find himself in a hanging cage. Hooded figures murder the occupants of other cages at intervals, replacing them with people from his life. Between killings, he relates events that led up to the point where he awakes in the cage. It is a sinister and nasty story (in content, not style) and leaves the unanswered question as to whether these events are due to the manipulations of the Controllers or the imaginings of a disturbed mind. “Secrets” turns the situation around. This time one of the manipulators is the fugitive and walks into a bar, telling the barman how human lives are controlled. The tale instils doubt in the barman’s mind about the nature of free will. Characters from other stories appear in “The Scoop” as journalist Adam Regis pieces together the actuality of the Controllers before being warned off. Like many people in that sort of situation, he cannot leave well alone. “Reflections” brings us closer to the Controllers. Professor Maxwell Strauss is a scientist sent to a distant planet to examine an alien artefact in the form of a prism. It draws him in and shows him things he doesn’t really want to see. The main part of this collection is rounded off by “They Watch”, a poem that distils many of the themes behind these stories. Horror is meant to unsettle and disturb; otherwise, it is not doing its job. It is not just the ideas that create the effect but the way the words are put together. Kane has the kind of writing style that enhances the sense of unease without going over the top…’ To read the full thing, click here, and to buy The Controllers click here.     Over on Instagram @dannni_books had this to say about the novella Blood Red Sky: ‘This is a coming of age story, about 5 teenagers who are just trying to survive the thing called “The Trolls”. I thought the book was enjoyable, it wasn't boring just kind of felt like YA to me, which I don't mind sometimes. This read does go back and forth from present day to the past, if that’s something you enjoy. Overall it was a quick-paced read and if you like anything that has to do with the Apocalypse and monster creatures then this is for you! ☆☆☆☆’ You can read the full thing here and buy the book here.     Meanwhile, Diabolique reviewed Sacrifice (aka The Colour of Madness), the movie based on Paul’s ‘Men of the Cloth’. This is what they had to say: ‘Combining folk horror, cult horror, and Lovecraftian elements, Sacrifice (U.K., 2020) is a dread-filled offering that sees Isaac (Ludovic Hughes) and his pregnant wife Emma (Sophie Stevens) travel from New York to the small Norwegian island of his birth when he inherits the family home. Local sheriff Renate (Barbara Crampton) comes calling and tells Isaac that his father was murdered, whereas he grew up believing that his father had abandoned him and his mother. Renate also happens to be one of the high-ranking members of a water-worshipping cult, and after Isaac takes part in one of the group’s ceremonies, he begins turning on Emma and telling her he never wants to leave the island. Co-directors Andy Collier and Toor Mian – Collier gets a story credit, while Mian receives both a story and screenwriting credit – follow up their debut feature Charismata (U.K., 2017) with this eerie effort, which boasts a fittingly oppressive tone. Crampton is dynamite as the sheriff/cult leader, including scenes where her smile obviously masks hidden knowledge or reveals terrifying truths. Stevens is also admirable as she gets the chance to stretch the most, and nails myriad emotions. Hughes and the sizeable supporting players all turn in fine performances. Sacrifice goes a little heavy on scares within dream sequences, but the chilling cult ritual scenes help make up for that.’ You can read the full thing here. And not long afterwards, one of Sacrifice’s stars Barbara Crampton was voted No. 3 in Cinemablend’s ‘All-Time Greatest Scream Queens’ listing, being pipped at the post only by Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis. You can read the full list here.         The film also received a listing on Upcoming Horror Movies (above) which you can visit here.         Finally, The Torturer movie scripted by Paul was reviewed on both the Clive Barker Podcast and the Hellraiser Podcast (above) last month. You can find links to these here and here. -----------------------------------------       Reviews that Paul has done himself now, starting with the new Dawn of the Dead box set (above) which you can read on the Mass Movement site here.       For Sci-Fi Bulletin, he also reviewed Tales from the Lodge, His House (both above) and the seasonal horror The Nights Before Christmas (below). You can read those here, here and here.     ----------------------------------------------       Turning to audio news, and a reminder that the anthologies Wonderland and the aforementioned Cursed are now available as audios (above). You can pick them up here and here.     And The Dead Trilogy, as mentioned last month with the Charlie ‘Walking Dead’ Adlard cover, is now out (above). You can pick that one up here. --------------------------------------------     Finally, it’s Christmas in case you haven’t noticed, so time to plug Paul’s seasonal collection The Spirits of Christmas which makes an ideal stocking filler. You can grab it for under a fiver here.     And keep an eye on this page (above) for more festive horror from Sinister – who published Paul’s collection Death – an advent calendar with a unique twist! You’ll find that one here. All that remains is to wish you a very Merry (and safe) Christmas from us, whatever you’re doing, and a Happy New Year.   --------------------------------------------   November   The big news this month is the reaction to the premiere at FrightFest of the movie Sacrifice (a.k.a The Colour of Madness) based on Paul’s ‘Men of the Cloth’ (above and below).       Ahead of the film dropping at the festival there was publicity in the form of an interview with star Barbara Crampton (above), who was interviewed by Dread Central (you can read the full thing here.     The Horror Channel also interviewed the writer/directors of the Sacrifice, Andy Collier and Tor Mian, which you can read here.       The movie premiered as part of the line-up at 6pm on 22nd October, with audiences reacting with the following online:   ‘Congratulations to FrightFest, Barbara Crampton and everyone involved in the making of Sacrifice – a starkly beautiful dive into chilly cultic chaos! A bit like Secret Life of Walter Mitty reimagined as a dark Lovecraftian nightmare. That water must’ve been FREEZING!!!’ ‘Sacrifice is another example as to why travelling to a remote island for any reason is a BAD IDEA! A creepy film that owes debts to Lovecraft (which it acknowledges in the credits) and to films like The Wicker Man. A good addition to folk horror.’ ‘Sacrifice starring Barbara Crampton is at heart a folk horror movie with the tentacled old ones of Lovecraft thrown in as extra flavouring. It’s an atmospheric slow burner set on a dramatic Norwegian island and is definitely worth checking out. Dream well!’ ‘Suspiria 2018 meets Midsommar, with just the right amount of Lair of the White Worm and maybe a dash of Q-The Winged Serpent thrown in... Congrats, on another great masterpiece!’ ‘Wow!! That was just fabulous! Absolutely loved it... Congrats to Messrs Collier & Mian and everyone else involved. Want to read Paul Kane’s source material now, too!’ ‘Early contender for film of the festival right there. Sacrifice was absolutely brilliant. A very interesting experience watching with my 6 month pregnant wife who was wincing throughout! Beautiful locations, great script and stellar performances from all.’ ‘Sacrifice is a Lovecraft-esque folk horror that slowly burns for the first half before shifting gear into Wicker Man/Midsommar weirdness for the second with a fantastically nuanced performance from Barbara Crampton that I loved.’ ‘Emma and Isaac travel to a Norwegian island that looks beautiful but is populated by a creepy cult – led by Barbara Crampton – who worship “The Slumbering One”... Ominous and gorgeous Lovecraftian folk horror with great mythology.’ ‘Well that was great fun!! Really enjoyed it. The colours, imagery, slow-mo and direction really worked to up the Lovecraftian elements and the cast was great, especially Barbara Crampton.’ ‘Would’ve loved to have seen that head start talking! Really solid movie, hugely enjoyed it. Great performances!’     Then it was the turn of various sites to review the film, beginning with a glowing one from Hollywood News who gave it 4* and said: ‘In the wake of his mother’s death, Isaac (Ludovic Hughes) and his heavily pregnant wife, Emma, (Sophie Stevens) journey to a small Norwegian town to claim his inheritance. Isaac was born on the island, but left with his mother under mysterious circumstances when he was still very little. Initially seen as the enemy by the locals, he quickly finds himself somewhat of a celebrity when people learn of his lineage and links to the place. Taken in by local Sheriff, Renate (Barbara Crampton), the pair begin to explore the area, learning about the mythical deity “the slumbering one” to whom the people pray. Having been light on family his whole life, Isaac finds himself easily seduced by the close-knit community. Events slowly begin to take a sinister turn however, and fearing for their unborn child, Emma becomes desperate to return to the mainland. But will the townspeople, and Isaac, let them leave? Sacrifice, also known as Colour of Madness, was inspired by the novella “Men of the Cloth” by writer Paul Kane, as well as the works of H. P. Lovecraft. The result is an enigmatic and atmospheric tale of alienation, belonging, and blind faith. Directors Andy Collier and Tor Mian move the British-set location of Kane’s novella to the gorgeously ethereal locale of Norway. By shifting the setting, it allows the story to take on a more strange and sinister tone. It also allows some separation from The Wicker Man, a film which it would have otherwise been constantly compared to. H.P. Lovecraft was writing almost a hundred years ago and it’s a testament to his work that almost ten decades later, people are still being inspired by it. The Lovecraftian elements are plain to see, with the filmmakers even going so far as to cast horror icon Barbara Crampton. Crampton has worked on many films across the years that have been based on, or inspired by, the prolific author, and you know that if she’s agreed to star then it’s a good ode to Lovecraft. Here she takes on the role of guide, protector, and surrogate mother, all embodied within Renate, a character who is rather ambiguous as to where exactly her allegiances lie. It’s a complicated role to undertake, but Crampton is as reliable as ever. This scope of Renate’s ambiguity is played out perfectly during a very awkward dinner she hosts for Emma and Isaac… The Scandinavian backdrop will undoubtedly also invoke comparisons to Ari Aster’s Midsommar, though in many ways this could be viewed as Midsommar’s opposite. For one, Midsommar is set in almost total daylight, and is bright and breezy despite its hidden horror, whereas Sacrifice is most definitely a wintry film, channeling its best Arendelle at times, and generating a misty and moody ambience. It shares the slow pace of both The Wicker Man and Midsommar; Collier and Mian tease the audience, relishing in squeezing suspense and intrigue from every inch of celluloid, in order to maximise audience participation. We all love a good mystery, and Sacrifice has that in abundance.’ You can read the full review here.     Eye for Film also marked it 4*, stating: ‘A refreshingly classy piece of folk horror which focuses on character and atmosphere rather than relying on shocks… A loose adaptation of the Paul Kane novella “Men Of the Cloth”, it’s also heavily influenced by the work of HP Lovecraft, especially “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”, and it draws on the idea of lingering ancient traditions which fits very neatly into the Norwegian setting. It does have a few things in common with the recent Midsommar, but not the things you might expect… Sacrifice builds with a slow, gentle rhythm, like the waves rolling up against the shore. Images of water are everywhere, the sea just on the edge of our vision or just within earshot, reminding us of how cut off our protagonists are. Crampton’s performance has a gentleness to it that feels just a little bit too reassuring. Stevens does the heavy lifting. She’s increasingly emotionally fraught. Is it due to Isaac’s behaviour, is it a hormonal effect of the pregnancy, or is something really wrong? Each time she thinks she has it figured out, there’s somebody on hand to gaslight her. There are two kinds of horror in Lovecraft’s work. One concerns the impact of recognising the vastness and strangeness of the universe, and one’s own meaninglessness. The other concerns what belief can drive human beings to do. Sacrifice has a flavour of the former but ultimately depends more on the latter, and finds it in the most intimate places. It’s not just about the actions people take; it’s about the idea that, step by step, one might get used to them. Cool, breezy, surprisingly unpretentious, this is a mature take on a subgenre that’s notoriously difficult to serve well. It discovers the alien within the familiar, inviting complicity, even sympathy, as the waves keep on rolling.’ The full review is here.     Genre film critic and author Kim Newman had this to say on his site: ‘H.P. Lovecraft’s fishier stories are enjoying something of a vogue at the moment. This is based on a story by Paul Kane (“Men of the Cloth”) “and the works of H.P. Lovecraft” but draws on much the same seaside terror as the recent The Beach House and The Deep Ones, with Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” (source for Stuart Gordon’s film Dagon) the specific inspiration. It’s also an entry in the “insular community with strange rites” sub-genre of The Wicker Man and Midsommar and perhaps even ties in with recent Scandi-noir-type TV shows where outsiders or returnees are swept up in mysteries in remote, picturesque, inhospitable locations… Directed and written by Andy Collier and Toor Mian, it’s a gripping, if minor entry in a currently overcrowded field.’ The full review for this one you can read here.     Starburst magazine gave the film 4* too, stating: ‘Directors Andy Collier and Tor Mian – who helmed the brilliant Charismata a few years back – really ramp up the apprehension and intrigue with their Nordic tale, while also filling the screen with some stunningly beautiful vistas. While there are a plethora of “oh it’s a dream” jump scares, they do continue to work thanks to the way the story never really allows us to feel comfortable. In the opening credits, we’re told this is based on a story by Paul Kane and “influenced by the works of H.P. Lovecraft” and although there is a brooding element of the otherworldliness of Howard Phillips’ work and a little bit of tentacle action, it’s certainly not derivative. Having horror royalty Barbara Crampton on board will certainly raise the profile of the film with some and she’s great... Sophie Stevens is the standout here, though. The anxieties of a pregnant woman ooze from the screen as the story twists and turns.  Ultimately, it’s an intriguing take on Nordic folk horror with some genuinely sinister moments.’ The full review can be found here.     While Love Horror commented: ‘Directed by duo Andy Collier and Tor Mian who also wrote the story, Sacrifice is based not only on Paul Kane’s short story “Men of Cloth” but also the works of H.P Lovecraft. The Lovecraftian element is evident throughout with statues, models and images of Cthulhu everywhere in the tiny town, however wisely the mammoth being they all believe in is kept hidden with the occasional tentacle or deep booming voice the only evidence of its existence. Featuring some stunning landscapes the environment is as much a character as the people who live on it and the giant mountains and huge bodies of water excellently evoke images of timeless monsters and the bygone dark magic practices used to tame them. Obsessing over images of liquid, Sacrifice takes the everyday and makes it malevolent as boiling water, baths and even the water surrounding them froths and bubbles with an unknown force. Likewise reality drips away due to some supernatural desire as Emma is troubled by more and more disturbing visions making the local saying “dream well” seem like a mocking taunt towards her. As much about the breakdown of a relationship as it is anything else, the tragic trajectory of Emma and Isaac’s romance is as inevitable as it is relatable. As her pregnancy physically changes her, it psychologically changes him as he becomes more misogynistic, impassionedly echoing the example of the men on the island and calling Emma a bigot for rallying against the old ways, however creepy or sexist they are. Ironically as Isaac exerts his patriarchal rule over his wife, Sheriff Renate sits centre place in the running and ruling of the locals not only as law maker but also as their spiritual leader, something we clearly see in the baptism-like ritual she presides over and Isaac takes part in midway through the movie, pledging his body and soul to the Slumbering One. Huge credit must go to Barbara Crampton who is brilliant in the role and brings just the right amount of gravitas and believability all while managing a decent Norwegian accent… A decent horror featuring an outstanding performance from Barbara Crampton, Sacrifice is well worth checking out especially if you are a fan of folk horror or Lovecraft and I look forward to whatever Andy Collier and Tor Mian have for us next.’ Check out the full review here.     Vodzilla added: ‘Adapted from Paul Kane’s short story “Men of the Cloth” (whose events are here relocated to the fjords from their original English setting), the film is certainly folk horror, as the village, with its creepy totems, peculiar pagan practices and seductive temptresses, sit somewhere on the map between The Wicker Man and Midsommar. Yet all the ancient sea gods, tentacular visions, Cthulhu-like effigies, and the dominance of unearthly purples and oranges – extending beyond the night sky’s aurora borealis to the film’s interior palettes – all point to the cosmic horror of HP Lovecraft (expressly acknowledged in opening text as an inspiration alongside Kane). So like those swirling, blending colours in the film’s opening sequence, Sacrifice offers a blurring of identities and genres, all of which combine to create a pretty, multi-hued picture, but also confuse the viewer in wave after wave of community conspiracy and mystic manipulation.’ You can read that particular review here.     French site Murderville said: ‘If, like us, you haven’t been insensitive to the films The Wicker Man (1973) and more recently Midsommar (2019), the second film by the duo Andy Collier and Tor Mian after Charismata (2017) should catch your full attention. Offered as part of the British virtual festival FrightFest, it is certainly one of the best films in the selection. Far from being just a mix of horrific thriller featuring the actions of a cult making offerings to a monstrous creature, Sacrifice is a film about motherhood, integration but also about the confrontation of people from different countries and totally opposite cultures…The film Sacrifice is an adaptation of writer Paul Kane’s short story “Men of the Cloth” but also draws its inspiration from the world of H. P. Lovecraft’s works. Rather clever, the screenwriters quickly understood that their film was going to be compared to The Wicker Man (1973) and that it had to be given a real dimension of its own. By moving the action from the British location of the short story to an isolated village in Norway and by playing on multiple oppositions, the two directors thus play perfectly on the natural settings and bring an important religious dimension to it. In the same way, Sacrifice takes a definite step back from Midsommar, even though these two films have a number of points in common, such as the blindness of the sect’s members and its deliberate isolation. Water plays an important role here, whether it is the obvious link with fertility or the fact of being baptized in order to be integrated into the sect. In the same way, even if we will never see giant monsters holding an important place in the work of HP Lovecraft (myth of Cthulhu), we feel indeed an inhuman presence marked by supernatural forces. Sacrifice turns out to be one of the outstanding films of the FrightFest festival and we can already bet that its release in 2021 will not go unnoticed. This film will be distributed in the United States by Epic Pictures Group and it is hoped that it will also be distributed in France. We can only advise you to discover this excellent film that you will keep in your memory long after you have seen it...’ The full review for that one is here.     Meanwhile, Live for Films commented: ‘Collier and Mian whip up an odd and unsettling atmosphere and keep things grounded and interesting. The cult has lots of rituals and totems and rights and they all spark the imagination and fight or flight response in equal measure... ominous and gorgeous Lovecraftian folk horror.’ Their full review is here.     And BritFlix – in a review that can be read here – said: ‘In holding a grip on reality, Sophie Stevens (Emma) must run the emotional gamut for Sacrifice. Her performance combines the heightened hormonal state of pregnancy, and the incredulity at the man she loves drifting away from her. All the while, Lovecraftian forces are reaching over into our realm through her troubling nightmares. Like any good folk horror film, human sacrifice is always a possibility, and with a title like Sacrifice, you’d be disappointed if it never delivered on that promise. Fortunately, Collier and Mian have more than enough up their sleeve to make the finale satisfying, dramatic and above all else, surprising.’  The site also offered a short clip from the film, which you can watch by clicking below:     Finally, a quick reminder that you can buy the movie tie-in for the film (below) directly from the publishers Luna simply by clicking here.     ---------------------------------------------------------     The 10th anniversary edition of Paul’s novel, The Gemini Factor (see previous news sections for details) was mentioned last month in the weekly news roundup on This Is Horror here. You can order the book directly from the publisher here. ------------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer this month is the wonderful Amanda Brittany, author of twisty thrillers like Her Last Lie, Tell the Truth and Traces of Her (above). And you can read an extract from her brand new novel, just out, I Lie in Wait by clicking here.     -------------------------------------------------     Paul is delighted to report that the mass market anthology he co-edited for Titan Books, Wonderland, has made it to the shortlist of the British Fantasy Awards! You might remember that the book was also shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson Award earlier this year… You can find a full listing of the nominees in all the categories by clicking here. ------------------------------------------------       More anthology love now, this time from The Independent who included Paul and Marie’s Cursed as part of their listing of Top Horrors to Read at Halloween and Beyond last month, alongside titles by Stephen King, Oscar Wilde, Neil Gaiman and Ray Bradbury (above and below). They said: ‘Who doesn’t love a story with a good curse in it? Whether it’s a “plague on both your houses” a la Shakespeare or an ancient malediction rearing its ugly head, curses are the bread and butter of horror. This thrilling anthology of short stories, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane, explores them in all shapes and sizes. Both authors have done a great job curating an eclectic mix of modern writers, including Neil Gaiman, Christina Henry, and Charlie Jane Anders.’         To read the full list, just click here. -------------------------------------------------     And before we leave anthologies for now, just time to mention that the two stories adapted for the Creepshow Animated Special last month (above): ‘Survivor Type’ by Stephen King and ‘Twittering from the Circus of the Dead’ by Joe Hill were previously published in anthologies edited by Paul and Marie, The Mammoth Book of Body Horror and A Carnivàle of Horror (all below).               ------------------------------------------------     The cover for the audio version of The Dead Trilogy, from Encyclopocalypse, has been revealed with art by Charlie ‘The Walking Dead’ Adlard. Work has been completed on it, so it should be available soon… ----------------------------------------------------       Paul contributed quite a lot of reviews to Sci-Fi Bulletin last month, including the new version of Books of Blood (above) which you can read here, Vampires Vs The Bronx here,  Hubie Halloween here, as well as the TV shows Monsterland here, and La Révolution (above) here.       …this in addition to reviews of the movies Scare Me and The Deeper You Dig (both above) here and here, plus A Babysitter’s Guide To Monster Hunting here, Evil Eye here, The Mortuary Collection here and the immortal Eraserhead (below) here.     ------------------------------------------------   October     We kick off this Halloween month with news of a new horror collection from Paul, Traumas (above) published by Black Shuck Books (who brought out his Nailbiters and More Monsters collections). This from the official PR: ‘A man suffering from extreme grief finds that pieces of himself are going missing, while another attempts to cheat death in a very unusual and dangerous way… One woman gets more than she bargained for during her pregnancy, while another is the target for a unique killer who must feast to survive… And as one prisoner attempts to escape not only his pursuers but this reality, an unhinged individual attempts to build the perfect family bit by bit… In this collection of thirteen tales from award-winning and #1 bestselling author Paul Kane, you’ll find every conceivable kind of Body Horror. This very special book also contains Kane’s first published story ‘Façades’, a novelette set in his PL Kane crime universe featuring a brand new PI, the scripts for the theatre version of The Torturer (recently turned into a short film starring current Pinhead Paul T. Taylor) and the comic adaptation of The Disease, plus it comes with an introduction by John Llewellyn Probert (The Compleat Valentine) and stunning cover art by Les Edwards. Get ready to be traumatised!’   You can find out more and pre-order the title – which comes out in November – by clicking here. -------------------------------------------     The World premiere of Sacrifice (aka The Colour of Madness) will now be part of FrightFest’s Halloween line-up. You can watch the movie on Thursday 22nd October and find more details about what’s on during the event here.     -----------------------------------------------------       Along with a bunch of other HQ/Harper authors, Paul’s book Her Husband’s Grave was part of the Big Publication Day that was featured in the press last month (above). The paperback of this one was released on 3rd September.     There were some more 5* reviews on NetGalley as well, saying, ‘A quick easy read. Fast-paced and a good thriller.’ And ‘This novel had everything. The thrill, the suspense... Every chapter was a page-turner. I highly recommend... Just perfect!’ You can find the page for the book on the official PL Kane site here.       The previous PL Kane title Her Last Secret is also available on audio CD now from BlackStone here. ------------------------------------------------           Last month the movie version of Enola Holmes, adapted by Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials) and directed by Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag) dropped on Netflix. Starring Millie Bobby Brown (from Stranger Things, who also produced), Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games), the film is based on the series of books by Nancy Springer. A few years ago Nancy gave Paul permission to use Enola in Servants of Hell (below), so if you’re looking for something else to read after watching the movie…       -------------------------------------------------     A treat now, just in time for Halloween! Our Guest Writer slot this month spotlights a reissue of an old favourite. The novelisation of classic vampire movie Fright Night (starring Roddy McDowall, William Ragsdale and Chris Sarandon), written by Skipp & Spector based on a screenplay by the film’s director Tom Holland (Child’s Play, Thinner), has recently been reissued by Encyclopocalypse Publications (above and below). There’s even an audio version read by Peter Atkins (Wishmaster, Hellraisers II-IV). So to read the first chapter of this and listen to a sample of the audio from the second chapter, simply click here.     -----------------------------------------       Paul was delighted to see the Titan anthology he co-edited with Marie, Cursed, in this list from Book Riot of the 5 great speculative fiction anthologies of 2020 (above). They said: ‘Drawing inspiration from the darkness of fairytales, this anthology brings together 20 curses shared in 20 different stories. The result is a collection that puts new spins on old favorite stories and tropes, as well as offers a few completely new takes on the concept. Within its pages you’ll find names including Neil Gaiman, Charlie Jane Anders, M.R. Carey, and more.’ And to check the list itself just click here. -------------------------------------------       The short movie of The Torturer received another laurel last month, this time from The Horror Movie Awards 2020 (above). The film was also reviewed by Nick Joy over at Sci-Fi Bulletin, who said: ‘A man wakes up in a cell and is interrogated for information he claims he doesn’t have. But as the torture escalates, it becomes apparent that there is something else happening aside from his battle of wills… Paul Kane adapts his own short story from 2017 collection Nailbiters for this grisly 40 minute short. And it’s pretty bleak. Andy Brooks (Paul T. Taylor, Pinhead in Hellraiser: Judgment) awakens in a dark cell before being dragged into a torture chamber presided over by an unnamed torturer, a menacing Lawrence Varnado… and then the nightmare begins. For the next half hour we witness Brooks being subjected to an increasingly hideous series of tortures due to his unwillingness to reveal whose side he’s on and who he’s working for. One genuinely believes he’s initially telling the truth, though as time goes on, the visits from dead people seem to be awakening something within him. Nails hammered under fingernails and the hacking away at a wrist are just two of the miseries plied on Brooks – what will make him break? When finally the resolution comes, it’s not so much a killer twist as a logical explanation as to what’s been going on… Director Joe Manco manages to create tension and genuine unease with his limited shooting time and resources, and kudos to Paragraph Taylor for a growling, pulsing score.’ To read the full thing, just click here. -------------------------------------------     Paul himself has reviewed the equally brutal Strangers for Sci-Fi Bulletin, which has just been released in a new box set. To read what he thought of that just click here.   September         As mentioned in previous news updates, Gestalt Media are bringing out a tenth anniversary edition of Paul’s popular novel The Gemini Factor – and above is the stunning cover for this new version, including the wraparound. This from the official PR:   ‘IT’S A MIRACLE, PURE AND SIMPLE. THE MIRACLE OF TWIN BIRTH. But in the city of Norchester, being a twin also marks you out as a victim. Because someone is killing them and stealing their body parts. It’s up to Inspector Roy Mason and his Sergeant, Deborah Harrison, to track down the culprit before they can strike again. Their only lead? A man whose own twin was brutally murdered by the killer. A man whose brother is now helping him from beyond the grave. From the imagination of award-winning and bestselling author Paul Kane (The sellout Hooded Man, Before, Her Last Secret), comes a powerful novel, a supernatural whodunnit unlike any other – in which the very laws of the serial killer procedural are turned on their head. A novel that holds a mirror up to our very souls and asks us just who we are. You might not be quite ready for the answer... This very special tenth-anniversary edition contains a brand new introduction by the author, the original introduction by Peter Atkins (Hellraiser II-IV, Wishmaster), the prequel short story “Gemini Rising” and the script for a pilot episode of The Gemini Factor TV series.’         Due out this month in paperback, hardback and ebook (above), you can buy this directly from the publisher here. And you can read an interview Paul has just done with Gestalt about the process of releasing an anniversary edition here. ----------------------------------------     Do we have a Guest Writer for you this September! Bestselling author of Before I Go To Sleep (above, which was turned into a movie starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong) and Second Life, SJ Watson is back with a new thriller. And you can read an exclusive extract from Final Cut (below) simply by clicking here.     --------------------------------------------------     Paul received his wonderful paperback contributor copies of Her Husband’s Grave from HQ/HarperCollins last month (above and below).                 As reported in the last news update, the novel was also the subject of a blog tour in August and you can check out some of what the participants had to say below:     Shalini’s Books & Reviews: ‘Simon was found dead on the beach, and it was up to Robyn, the criminal psychologist, to find the elusive thread which would lead the cops to the killer. A good murder mystery by author PL Kane. The premise was exciting, and the writing kept Robyn in focus. The interpersonal relationships that she developed with her cousin and niece touched my heart. The investigation was sporadic in the first half with Robyn getting rebuffed at her every attempt to help the cops. The threatening notes were a nice touch…The ending was a pleasant surprise.’     The Bookwormery: ‘Robyn Adams is a clinical psychologist, she’s on a break recovering from events during her last case. She receives a call from her cousin, Vicky. Her husband has just been found dead. So, Robyn rushes to the area to help Vicky and find out what had happened to Simon. But it’s not that easy, as she begins to investigate she receives threatening notes…now her life is in danger. But why? Can she find out who killed Simon before it’s too late? Her Husband’s Grave is a twisty, intense psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the very first page…utterly gripping!’     Lotte’s Library: ‘We already know that Kane can combine a crime thriller with a family heartbreak but in this novel he manages to weave in a psychological element complete with an extensive and complex backstory – mastery! This created a dark, intense and twisted plot! This book really packs a punch in the opening chapters! I love that we get such an insight into the shocking backstory of Robyn, it feels like we’ve already read a full novel about her before we even get started on this one. Having such a fully established character added depth and a layer of complexity that I really enjoyed. You could see how this history, along with the clever way that Kane shares additional flashbacks, really influenced how Robyn questioned and saw the world in front of her. It also heightened that emotional reaction to the events happening. As I said before, this multi-layering of approaches meant one minute we were experiencing those raw human emotions and just how real they were, then we were processing the twisted psychological moments, while in the next minute puzzling over the crime details. This constant change in focus kept me hooked pretty much throughout. I think the only time the pacing dipped a little was during the middle of the book when Kane needed to do some fact/world building in order to deliver the impressive latter half of the book, which was totally worth it. I was kept guessing right up until I was reading the plot unfold and loved all the twists and turns. I honestly thought I had it figured out at one point until everything was thrown into uncertainty again. This was, for the most part, a fast-paced and easy to read book. Kane structures his chapters to finish in such a way it entices you to read the next, be that with plot twists, more questions or gut-wrenching events, making it hard to put down. Although it is definitely a standalone story, for those that have read Kane’s previous novel – Her Last Secret – there was a very small but incredibly interesting link. I’m wondering if a third book might reveal more… I’ll be keeping my eye out!’ LL also interviewed Paul, which you can find here.     Little Miss Book Lover 87: ‘This book is intriguing and engaging all at once. I have been gripped by this one from the very beginning and found this book completely impossible to put down. This is my first read by this author, but after completing this book, it definitely won’t be the last! This book is a great read as a standalone novel, although I am keen to read more… The author has done a fantastic job of keeping me interested and engaged in the book. The characters in this book are both likeable and questionable. Vicky is the grieving character and turns to drink and lashing out at others. Whereas Robyn is very impulsive and emotional. I have definitely been pulled into this one. I have been pulled in by the developing romance present, this is always a welcome addition to the thriller. I adore how this has been written, it is clever, tense and completely gripping. This is definitely a strong four star read for me which I highly recommend.’       Tales Before Bedtime: ‘Oooh, I do love a good psychological thriller and this was one very good psychological thriller indeed! There are certain ingredients in a good thriller. The plotline has to grip you very early on. As do the characters, love or hate them you have to want to find out what happens to them. What makes them tick and, of course, what secrets they hold. These boxes are all ticked here! Robyn is quite a complex character. She assists the police in tracking down and convicting serial killers. Something that has put her in grave danger in the past. She’s seen evil head on and after she has helped bring it in, she then has to try and live with the experience. She is certainly damaged and dealing with her own demons and perhaps the chase is merely a distraction for what is at work in her own head. When her cousin’s husband is found dead, she is pulled back to the coastal village where she spent many summers growing up. A place with many memories and not all of them good. Her cousin Vicky has called for her help but Robyn feels a deep sense of unease upon returning. Someone doesn’t want her there and they certainly don’t want her digging around in police matters. But just what lengths will they go to to stop her? Past secrets come back to haunt her and again her life is on the line and this time she could quite possibly lose everything. Kane has written a great many books and he certainly knows what he is doing, this novel still managed to maintain a freshness and a sense of not knowing how it will turn out. It kept me guessing and the twists and turns had me turning those pages. It is an entertaining and exciting thriller, thoroughly enjoyable and gripping. I wonder if we might see more of Doctor Robyn Adams? I certainly hope so! A super read and I look forward to reading more.’     Read in the Clouds: ‘This is the first book by Paul Kane I’ve read and I’ll definitely pick up more of his work. I love a good murder mystery, although I very rarely get it right! The story follows criminal psychologist Robyn Adams as she is recovering from a traumatic experience in her latest case. Robyn is at breaking point and just when she thinks she has no one, her estranged cousin Vicky calls asking for her help. Vicky’s husband, Simon, has been found murdered and partially buried in the seaside town she grew up in. Robyn has no choice but to return to her hometown and face past traumas. Neither of them could have predicted what would come next. This one was definitely a slow burn, the first half of the book is all about setting the scene and introducing the characters. Golden Sands is such an eerie seaside town with lots of secrets…the author sets the scene well and brings the reader into the lives of its residents. The story jumps between multiple POV’s, mainly Robyn and Vicky. I enjoyed learning about Robyn’s line of work, she has worked on some of the most gruesome cases and it was interesting getting into the mind of a serial killer!... I didn’t see the ending coming and liked how everything was wrapped up nicely. Overall if you are a fan of crime fiction and are looking for a creepy murder mystery with twists and lies then I recommend giving this one a go.’     Melanie’s Reads: ‘This isn’t your typical fast-paced thriller, this is more an in-depth view of the psychology that comes with crime. With the main character Dr Robyn Adams being a consultant psychologist who has previously worked on high profile cases, she seems the perfect person for her cousin Vicky to contact when her husband Simon is found dead. Unfortunately Robyn’s meddling is not wanted by the local police or by the person sending her threatening notes. Very Scooby Doo. This book opens with a heart attack, a watch and a body, so as soon as I started reading I was sucked in. I was then given Robyn’s harrowing back story and the fallout she is dealing with from previous cases. A small coastal village with connections to Robyn’s past was the perfect setting as what comes with that is often a small village mentality that is not accepting of non-locals interfering. With the use of regular thriller tropes to keep the story flowing, it still had me guessing as to who was behind it all.’     Books by Bindu: ‘Her Husband’s Grave was a tightly plotted thriller based around a psychologist Robyn who has returned to her “summer home” of Golden Sands at the bequest of her cousin Vicky. Vicky’s husband has been found murdered and buried on the beach. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and once the author had set the scene, they just kept on coming right to the very end. I really enjoyed the final twist at the story’s conclusion. A lot of crime fiction nowadays has a protagonist who is damaged in some way. However, Robyn still came across as approachable and empathetic whilst still being completely messed up. I think that because a lot of her mental health problems revolve around a previous case you can understand why she would act the way she does. I think there is a lot more hiding under her surface though and could easily see this becoming a series. Is this going to happen Paul?? I really enjoyed the plot and there are a few stand out scenes for me! I loved the library scene and the one where Robyn is a peeping tom! They both made me laugh. They were good counter-balances to some of the darker scenes in the book. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil the plot for you guys. I don’t know why but the setting of Golden Sands made me think of Scarborough. It’s the right location and some things like the castle, the funfair, and pubs being taken over by chains just made me think of my hometown. If you are looking for a great thriller to spend a sunny day reading then this is the book for you! It’s compelling from the opening scene, the pace ramps up in the second half of the book and it’s just a great thriller. I could spin platitudes aplenty but why make it complicated. Basically, it’s a 4 star read.’     Afternoon Bookery: ‘I love a thriller that I just cannot unpuzzle for the life of me. When I was invited onto this tour, I was beyond excited and I was right. It was a great read. When Robyn’s cousin calls asking for help, despite having not seen each other for years, she is family and goes to her aid. Vicky’s husband has been found dead and buried on the beach, a place that once held such fond memories for the cousins as they grew up. Robyn is determined to help solve this case, after all she has the experience of supporting the police. It’s not as simple as that, as things often aren’t. She is met with people who think she is of no aid to them, her own problems from before and the fact someone really doesn’t want her there digging around. This was really clever, I felt like it kept me hooked until the very end, I literally could not put it down. As a reader, in hindsight the hints are there, but there is no way I was getting the answers on my own. The characters were flawed with their own issues they were battling and I enjoyed that, they had so many other emotions other than grief to deal with as the cousins tried to reunite. The cast of supporting characters are all well-developed and all have a relevant part to the story. The narrative itself in places was dark and very, very twisty. I really think this is one people should be checking out because it’s not like anything else. I really felt in the dark with this and for me that is what made it such an enjoyable reading experience.’     Ramblingmads: ‘An enjoyable thriller, where one person’s growing paranoia threatens to unravel everything around them. Robyn needs a break, moving straight from a serial killer case that could have killed her to a more personal one involving her family members has a detrimental effect on her mental wellbeing and sends her spiralling. Her past resurfaces and her relationship with her cousin threatens to fall apart completely. Complicating matters is her rocky professional agreement with the local police and her decision to try and solve the murder on her own. The case takes a back seat to Robyn’s growing crisis and becomes more of a book about her not managing her issues and how dangerous that can be. I found this book interesting and enjoyable as it was more than the average thriller it initially appeared to be.’     Mrs Feg’s Fiction: ‘This is a psychological suspense thriller (my fave genre). It follows Dr Robyn Adams, a criminal psychologist who has worked with the police to catch some of the UK’s most notorious serial killers. She is recovering from a recent traumatic event linked to one of these killers, when she gets a call from her estranged cousin Vicky. Vicky’s husband has been found dead and she desperately needs Robyn’s help. Reluctantly Robyn travels back to her hometown of Golden Sands, desperately wanting to help her cousin, but dangerously unaware of the trouble she’s about to find herself in. This is a great crime thriller which I really enjoyed. I like Paul’s writing style very much, there’s lots of description to the seaside town of Golden Sands and it really helped to set the scene. I enjoyed Robyn’s character, she’s definitely a little bit broken as she’s been through an awful lot, and I liked how her past experiences gave a gritty edge to her character. This isn’t the sort of murder mystery you’ll be able to figure out. The author takes you down so many different avenues that you won’t get an inkling of whodunnit until it’s upon you, and that’s a rare thing in my opinion! I got some Ann Cleeves vibes from this book, it might have been the seaside setting, but I love Ann Cleeves so that was a big thumbs up for me. This was gritty in places, but not hugely scary so I’d recommend it if you enjoy murder mysteries, but don’t like too much horror. Overall 4 stars from me. Another great book from PL Kane with all the right twists and turns of a good thriller!’   You can read the full reviews here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.     In addition, as part of the tour Elementary V Watson and Novel Deelights (above) put up extracts here and here. If all’s that’s whetted your appetite, can order the book – with ‘look inside’ features – here and here, and visit the dedicated P L Kane website here. ---------------------------------------     Sticking with dark crime for a moment, half the stories on the short-list for the CWA Daggers (above), as announced last month, were from Paul and Marie’s anthology Exit Wounds: ‘The Bully’ by Jeffery Deaver, ‘The New Lad’ by Paul Finch and ‘The Recipe’ by Louise Jensen. You can see the full list here. ------------------------------------------     An audio roundup now, and Paul’s novella The Lazarus Condition has just come out (above, alongside some of his other Encyclopocalypse releases). It’s also been released on Kindle (below). You can buy both of these here and here.     And Paul’s previous novel as PL Kane, Her Last Secret, has now been released on audio CD, for those of you who like to collect physical copies. You can buy that here and listen to a sample by clicking here.     ----------------------------------------------     Paul received his gorgeous signed limited copies of The Storm last month from PS Publishing (above and below)           The Storm was also given a fantastic review from Aurealis magazine last month (below).       This is what Tamantha Smith had this to say: ‘Nightmarish monsters sit in tandem with our world. There they are waiting evermore, waiting to break through the thin veil between their world and ours. When Keegan, an ex-soldier and con, first braves the storm, as it strikes the castle where his construction crew are working, the last thing he expects is a battle against unfathomable monsters. Creatures that look like they’d be more comfortable in the ocean, zap, bite, devour hapless tourists as they make way for the greatest evil. The storm has brought an annihilation. The Storm is a bite-sized smack upside the head. The short novel punches wildly and quickly while gruesomely taking out characters that had just become the reader’s friends. With a Lovecraftian edge The Storm invokes sea-like monsters that are simultaneously familiar and disturbingly foreign, to unleash a ferocious horror. Paul Kane uses his gift of masterful character development to narrate the story from a multitude of personalities: from a gifted young child to a torn and lovelorn tour guide, to an old war veteran, to a Spanish tutor, to a young pair of newlyweds and many more. Each character is so well developed that watching them die is heartbreaking. The Storm’s beautiful cover artwork from Ben Baldwin sets the scene for the darkness – and the monsters, oh the monsters! – within the pages. It’s a story for those craving the feeling of their heart beating faster or a desire to perch precariously on the edge of their seat, but don’t have time for a full novel. This shorter tale brings a nightmare to life in the time it would take to dream it.’   You can buy both versions of the book here. --------------------------------------         Paul’s book The Rot and the werewolf anthology he was in Leaders of the Pack were given shoutouts in a mammoth Horrific Tales unboxing (above) recently. You can watch the whole thing below…     ------------------------------------------------------     Meanwhile The Torturer got its first review last month, and it’s a good one! This is what Demons of Celluloid thought: ‘If the grit of Se7en had a baby with the torturous heart of Clive Barker, and the child was raised by Jigsaw, with Grandpa Argento decorating the nursery, and that being could be trans-mutated into a short film, it would be Joe Manco’s masterful interpretation of Paul Kane’s story: The Torturer. I will admit, I went into this with little expectations, as many shorts fall flat, due to time and budget constraints. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I walked away from this feeling like I had sat through a full-length feature, that had my attention from opening to closing credits. The film begins with a vague introduction to our main character, Andy, being captured and thrown into a dark room. Many suspense/thriller types that try this leave the audience too confused to get into the unfolding plot until much further in the film. Not this one. The intensity of the interrogation consumes you, despite not knowing anything about the lead’s back story. The ambiguous nature of the story is the fuel for the cinematic wildfire. As soon as we are drawn into the passionate queries of the Torturer (“Who do you work for and what do you do?!?”), we are smashed in the face with some of the best, lower-budget torture effects I’ve seen. Far from being “torture-porn” the violence takes you right to the edge of unbearably gruesome, only to let you breathe for a bit, before the next round. This is the kind of ebb and flow that genre films have lacked for far too long. Ambience, emotion, isolation and atmosphere are the main tools that comprise the cinematography, which could be best described as visual and visceral poetry. The extreme, uncomfortable closeups tug the strings attached to the part of my heart reserved for the love of this Fulci-esque style. It is absolutely gorgeous. Rhythmic dialogue is the melody, enhanced by the harmony created with superb sound design. Without giving away too much of the plot, I have to touch on the surrealistic sequences with what we would call “The Victims.” Again, ambiguity prevents us from being able to put our finger on whose victims these people are and what relation Andy has to them. The effects here harken back to splatter films of the 80s, but with the Giallo-esque lighting, they are used with excellent precision. At no point is anything gratuitous. On the contrary, it is painful, it is gory, it is art imitating life.     The major arc in the story is obviously the relationship between the Torturer and Andy. It is in no way like Hostel or Saw, as it is not done in a sadomasochistic way or as means of moral teaching, it is that of the cerebral kind. Questions are asked, no clear answers are given and as a result, the Interrogated is punished. Let’s say Lawrence Varnado’s performance is more reminiscent of a vengeful God or perhaps a Cenobite, without the supernatural element. I am reminded of the early Nine Inch Nails home video for the Broken EP, especially the sequence for “Happiness in Slavery”. If you can imagine Michael Madsen from Reservoir Dogs torturing the police officer, except he’s a little more of John Doe from the movie Se7en, all in the realm of psychological horror, you’re getting close. I give this film 4 1/2 Evil-Ed-Heads, shy of five ONLY because I would have love to have seen it stretched to a full-length (could be done easily with the character depth and the passionate plot) and I would like to go further with the visual effects. I’m a SFX Makeup nerd, what do you expect?’ The full review is here.     And the soundtrack to the movie by Paragraph Taylor is now also available from Bandcamp (above). You can buy that here. ---------------------------------------------     Finally this month, you can read Paul’s review of Shudder’s massive horror hit Host on the Sci-Fi Bulletin site here. ----------------------------------------------------   August   There’s a stunning new poster for the movie based on Paul’s novelette ‘Men of the Cloth’, Sacrifice (aka The Colour of Madness), which you can see above. There’s also a page for the film now on the Epic site which you can find here. -------------------------------------------------     A blog tour is happening for Her Husband’s Grave this month, as you can see from the ad above with the dates and bloggers on. The novel also received another glowing review, this time from Surjit’s Books Blog, who said: My thoughts about this cleverly-written, tense, gripping thriller: it was outstanding. PL Kane’s Her Husband’s Grave is truly an unbelievable masterpiece. What I liked about the story was it gave me goosebumps while reading. When it was revealed who killed Vicky’s husband – just fantastic! Author PL Kane’s writing is truly unbelievable, I loved how he has written a powerful story that is not just outstanding but it is brilliantly written, with a nail-biting ending that surely packs a punch. The character I loved the most in this gripping tale: criminal psychologist Robyn Adams who was fantastic. I loved how she goes out and investigates the murder of her cousin Vicky’s husband, and the reveal of who killed him was fantastic. A powerful dark and twisted thriller that is truly remarkable, highly recommended. Five Stars!’ You can read the full thing here. Plus you can order the book here andhere. ----------------------------------------------     Surjit’s Books Blog also reviewed Her Last Secret last month, saying: ‘Just mind-blowing! PL Kane’s debut is truly a masterpiece, that tells the story of a father who loves his daughter so much, when she is murdered he sets out to find out what really happened – just remarkable. In this nail-biting, cleverly-written thriller, the characters are just fantastic. The character I loved the most was: Jake, who is the father of Jordan. He goes on a mission to find the real killer and to investigate what really happened to his daughter, the secrets. What he finds out about his daughter was just shocking! Other characters who were brilliant were: Jake’s ex-wife, Jules, and DC Mathew “Matt” Newcomb, a cop. What I loved about this brilliantly-written, gripping thriller, was it takes you on a journey to find out what really happened to the person you love and how you would do anything to bring the killer to justice. An outstanding debut thriller, that is truly not just good but an outstanding murder mystery thriller, a race against time on a mission of your life. Author P L Kane is truly a fantastic story-teller. Highly recommended, Five Stars!’   You can read the full version of that here and visit the dedicated PL Kane site here. -------------------------------------------     More reviews of previous novels now, and first up a 9 star one for The Storm from Starburst magazine, who said: ‘When a storm arrives at the tourist spot of Willerton Castle, visitors and staff alike find themselves having to take shelter. But it’s more than the rain they’re hiding from; strange creatures are also falling from the sky, vile slimy and tentacled things that show no mercy and exist solely to destroy. Paul Kane’s latest will sound familiar to anyone who’s ever watched a monster movie, or read horror stories like The Mist, but there’s a charm that makes it stand out while paying respect to and toying with everything the reader is expecting. Our hero is Keegan, a military veteran with a troubled past. Naturally he’s misunderstood, in particular by Gemma, the love interest who finds it difficult to completely trust anyone. Add to this the young boy Dillon, tormented by prophetic visions, and you’ve got what could be a cliched collection of characters. Not in Kane’s hands, though; various points of view allow the reader into the heads of all his protagonists, sharing their doubts and fears, their hopes and dreams. As some of them are picked off, there is genuine sadness to be felt; we never linger too much, but Kane’s tight prose is enough to tell us all we need to know and get the emotions flowing. The pace never falters either, with wave after wave of increasingly powerful creatures attacking. There are some wonderfully grisly deaths at the various appendages of these monsters, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes another, culminating with the biggest and meanest of all. The Storm is a story told with great relish, and the author’s enthusiasm is transferred to the reader; yes, we may have seen these tropes many times before, but they feel fresh here, while at the same being imbued with a sense of nostalgia for similar tales. Above all, it’s huge fun and an absolute delight to read; a superb slice of escapism that is, ultimately, a story of love, sacrifice and courage in the face of adversity.’ You can read the full thing here and buy the book here.     A couple of Amazon reviews have appeared for Arcana too, with one saying: ‘I finished reading Arcana by Paul Kane earlier and it has been a fantastic read! Plot and the characters pulled me in from the first page! A rollercoaster of a book, I loved it! Here’s hoping there will be a sequel.’ While the second was more detailed: ‘The synopsis of Arcana instantly drew my attention: a reality where magic exists, a battle between good and evil where nothing is black and white and a protagonist with a haunted past trying to do what is right, even when he’s no longer sure which side of the line he is on. I really enjoyed this book… A solid read with engaging characters, a plot full of tension and romance and a strong battle between the good guys and the bad. You know who you are rooting for the whole way through and want them to overcome their limitations and save the day. Callum is a strong protagonist. Being brought up in the orphanage has left him with scars: his claustrophobia, for one; his determination that magic must be evil and therefore those who practice it are also bad people, for another. He has a heart of gold – his determination to save people and do good is what draws him into the world of M-forcers. Callum’s conscience is a key player – he realises quickly that things might not be as clear as he thinks. When his heart ends up on the line as well, Callum must decide once and for all whose side he wants to be on. There’s some suspense, some uncertainty about what he will chose and it draws the reader in, creating an atmosphere of tension that keeps you turning the page. Ferne – a nurse and magic user – provides both the love interest for Callum, and his pathway into a world he had no idea existed. She was a strong character on her own: she’s been living this life all her life and has far more of an idea than Callum what is going on. She’s both his and the reader’s introduction to the Arcana (the group of magic users the police are determined to destroy) and Callum’s naivety acts as a channel for the reader to find out what is going on. Nero – the ultimate bad guy – doesn’t seem that threatening for the majority of the book, until the final showdown at least. His second-in-command, Sherman, is far more chilling as he personally tortures – and enjoys doing so – and executes those accused of magic. There is a great mix of characters. The good guys, the bad guys, the-good-but-really-bad, the bad-but-really-good and a few that seem to fall into neither category. The plot progresses at a steady rate. There are a few chapters that take a detour into the past to provide some back story and a couple that follow minor characters to set the scene for later events that slow things down. But they also help flesh out the world and help the reader understand what the stakes are. Arcana was, for me, a solid read that kept me engaged throughout. I enjoyed the character development – both personally and the evolving relationships – and the magic added an unpredictable element that made it a fun read!’   You can read those and buy the book here. ------------------------------------------ But that’s not all, Strange Playgrounds also did a detailed review of Paul’s collection The Life Cycle, on YouTube this time. You can watch the 15 minute video below:   ----------------------------------------     We’re delighted to welcome our Guest Writer for August, JA Andrews – author of You Let Him In (above), out this month. You can jump straight into an extract of his debut thriller, though, Mummy’s Boy (below) simply by clicking here.     --------------------------------------------         Paul and co-editor Marie might not have won the Shirley Jackson Award for their anthology Wonderland last month, but they did receive their commemorative pebbles for being short-listed (above).       And it was announced that the anthology Paul contributed to last year, Dark Tides (also featuring the likes of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman) has reached the finals of the Imaginarium Award. You can read more about this here. ------------------------------------------------       As if all that wasn’t exciting enough, artist Anthony Galatis’ poster for the film Paul wrote – The Torturer – was selected for the Shockfest Awards, and flashed across the big screen in Times Square. The announcement included appearances from celebrities like Elvira and Malcolm McDowell (above and below). You can read more about it all here.             In addition, early sketches and pictures of the design process for the poster were also released (below)       ------------------------------------------------------     The company who made The Torturer, Little Spark, are also responsible for the Hellbound Laments series of promo films (see previous news sections), and a new poster for the Servants Configuration plus behind the scenes snaps appeared last month (above and below).           Their next one in the series is based on the puzzle box Paul designed himself, the Scribe Configuration, and you can see the poster for that one below.     -------------------------------------------------     Encyclopocalypse Publications, who are doing audio versions of The Controllers and The Colour of Madness, put up links to the original print/e-book editions of the books (above and below). You can find those here and here.       ---------------------------------------------     Finally, fan Jay S. Kerr posted these amazing pics online featuring the anthology Paul and Marie edited, Hellbound Hearts, and had this to say about the book: ‘Started reading this the other night as I’ve had it sitting for sometime, fantastic collection of writers and work, a must read for any Hellraiser or Horror fan. As Dr Channard said “And to think I hesitated” or the Auditor’s line from Hellraiser Judgment “let’s just dive in shall we?” as you will be glad you did!’       -------------------------------------------------------   July   Paul’s new novel, Her Husband’s Grave, launched as an ebook last month and received some glowing testaments in the form of 4 and 5 star reviews on NetGalley. Here’s a roundup of the best… ‘Her Husband’s Grave is a breath-taking and intensely gripping page-turner that will make you gasp out loud and frantically turn the pages in hurried shock, in a rush to see what happens next.’; ‘Stand-out crime thriller. I held my breath more than once. Plot twist at the end was brilliant. Great book!’; ‘Interesting read, an interesting take on a crime procedural. Being the first book I have read by PL Kane, I was pleasantly surprised I loved the book. It was engaging, suspenseful, and the complexity of the plot and characters is outstanding. I am definitely a fan now and looking forward to the next instalment of the series.’; ‘A good criminal psychologist read and has an exciting and interesting conclusion.’; ‘Thanks to PL Kane for writing this utterly gripping book. This follows Robyn Adams who is a criminal psychologist, seriously at breaking point... I loved this book for all the twists, turns and mysteries. It had me hooked from page 1 right to the end. It was thrilling, gripping, hooking. Definitely recommend!’; ‘I’ll always pick a thriller over a crime story but Her Husband’s Grave really gripped me! Plenty of suspense and darkness!’; ‘Families and secrets in this thriller , with lots of unexpected twists. I liked the characters and the story was fast-paced and credible.’; ‘A really good mystery Whodunnit story. I would never have guessed the ending!! Brilliant and kept me on my toes throughout. An easy read with lots of twists and turns.’; ‘Omggggg y’all this one was so good!! Seriously go out and read it. Honestly I just loved it so much. The suspense was unreal!’     ‘Great book. More or less read this in one sitting. Twists and turns that kept me guessing with an ending that I wasn’t expecting. Really enjoyed the story.’; ‘A tale of intrigue and mystery with a psychological thriller aspect. A fast read because it’s easy to get sucked into the story. Twists and turns that keep you wondering until the end.’; ‘There was an ambiance of mystery that kept me turning the pages and I did enjoy the ending.’; ‘This book was an interesting read to be sure... The characters were well written and the storyline followed the character development… Robyn Adams is a kick-butt woman that goes after her suspect with an undying drive. I recommend this book even if you do not normally enjoy this genre.’; ‘There were twists and turns that I didn’t predict, which made this an enjoyable read, even if you read thrillers like it’s your job... For thriller fans, this will not disappoint. I would definitely read another PL Kane.’     It also received its first glowing review, from The Literary Archives, who said: ‘To start things off, PL Kane was able to bring the drama throughout the entirety of the book. There was rarely a moment where something wasn’t happening that had me trying to figure out the answers! Although the characters weren’t really my favourite people, mostly Robyn, her personality really lent itself to the predicaments she would find herself in. There were many times where she frustrated me, but I really don’t think the story would have worked if I had liked her. This story jumps between multiple viewpoints. We get to read from both Robyn and Vicky. What I liked about PL Kane’s writing style, was that the characters built off of each other very well, often repeating phrases or transitioning through a similar theme or motif… The mystery and criminal investigation side was interesting to read. It was not like the usual crime reads that I find myself diving into. Her Husband’s Grave focused on the more obscure of clues and required more patience from the law enforcement as things fell into place. Her Husband’s Grave was a mystery that tested the strength of family and loyalty and that proved just how challenging it can be to bring justice to light.’ You can read the full thing here.     But the recommendations don’t end there, Paul’s fellow authors had some lovely things to say too. Sam Carrington, bestselling author of One Little Lie and I Dare You (above), said: ‘A gritty, pacy thriller but with an emotional depth that puts this ahead of the pack. Characters you want to root for combined with a clever, twisty plot, makes this novel unputdownable.’     Jenny O’Brien, bestselling author of Silent Cry and Darkest Night (above), said: ‘A very enjoyable crime thriller... Well-crafted and suspenseful – had me gripped right to the end.’     SM Hardy, author of The Evil Within (above) said: ‘I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling and I loved Robyn as a character, even though her sometimes pig-headed behaviour gets her into trouble. For content, brilliant storytelling and enjoyment value I give this novel a full five stars and would definitely read another Robyn Adams novel should there ever be one. A gripping murder mystery and crime thriller that kept me guessing right up until the bitter end!’     And finally, Amanda Brittany, bestselling author of Tell the Truth and Traces of Her (above), said: ‘A gripping page-turner that drew me in from page 1, and kept me guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed it!’   You can order the book here and here. ---------------------------------------------------     And a new glowing review has appeared for Paul’s previous thriller, Her Last Secret, this time from Lotte’s Library: ‘This book kicks off with an eerie prologue playing out Jordan’s last moments alive written from her perspective. From there we’re introduced to Jordan’s mother, her estranged father and what appears to be an open and shut case that sees her current boyfriend as the perpetrator of her murder. However, her father believes there’s more to it and takes it upon himself to delve deeper into the details, taking on the investigation himself, getting into trouble along the way but ultimately uncovering the real truth. Kane combines all the best parts of a crime thriller with all the heartbreaking elements of a family tragedy. One minute Jake was investigating his daughter’s death and the next he was experiencing all the pain and loss you’d expect in such a situation. The added complication that Jake was divorced and hadn’t seen his daughter in three years made that splintering feeling even more real. I was torn between wanting to follow the case, to discover the truth, and wanting to explore the heartache of his loss and the confusion within the family dynamic. The storyline kept me guessing right up until the last minute with each plot twist a shock, both with the case and with the personal side. Even each chapter had me wanting to carry on reading because there was usually an unanswered question, a cliffhanger or a massive plot twist. So I just had to read the next chapter (and the next!)… I’m really looking forward to reading Kane’s next book!’   You can read the full version of that here and visit the dedicated P L Kane site here. ----------------------------------------------------     News now of a future novel, or rather a re-release. Paul had signed on the dotted line with Gestalt Media (above) to bring out a tenth anniversary edition of his popular supernatural thriller The Gemini Factor, with extras including the prequel short story and the script for a pilot TV show. More exciting news about this as and when. -------------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for the month of July is regular HWA event attendee and author of But Worse Will Come (above) and Forfeit Tissue (below), CC Adams – and we have a taster of the former for you right here.     --------------------------------------------------     Another review now, this time for the current anthology from Titan Books: Cursed. Here’s what Publishing ArtsHub had to say: ‘Cursed is an anthology of dark tales by twelve contemporary authors, such as Neil Gaiman, Karen Joy Fowler, Christina Henry, M.R. Carey and Charlie Jane Anders, working in fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, and any other highly imaginative speculative fiction genre one might care to name. These authors are at the height of their careers, working across the writing spectrum from short stories to screenwriting to graphic novels, and they bring their formidable talents to craft tales based on the concept of a curse: what it means to be cursed; what it takes to create a curse; how one lives with a curse; and how a wish can so easily become a curse. Many of the stories are reinterpretations or updates of well-known fairy tales, others are entirely new but still retain that fairy tale energy of reality-but-make-it-shiny. A contemporary take on Bluebeard sees the story told in a modern setting and from a different point of view, but the gruesome quirks of the title character remain. The tale of Hansel and Gretel is transformed in “Haza and Ghani”, where brother and sister journey to a new world, and ovens, witches and revenge take on new and fantastical meanings. Sleeping Beauty dreams peacefully until she is awoken, but was she cursed by her dream or by her waking? A woman is placed under a powerful curse by a demi-goddess, and after centuries of torment perhaps it is making them both suffer. A woman is cursed to die again and again, reviving in the bodies of others who have passed away, but she always finds her way back to her true love. And a golden boy who grew into a golden man faces his worst fear when his intangible appeal is stripped away; will he have the strength to start his life again without his privilege? These and many more twisted, thought-provoking stories take the reader to unexpected places, across times and dimensions, and into the homes and caves of characters both new and recognised. Through the art of the short story and the fluid, ephemeral magic of the fairy tale, these authors explore with dark and imaginative prose every facet of what it means to be cursed, bookended by two poems by Jane Yolen. I would highly recommend this anthology to anyone who enjoys the compact power of the short story, or the timeless reiteration of the fairy tale, or any kind of dark fiction that explores the limits and capabilities of the human mind and soul. 4 ½ stars out of 5’ You can read the full thing here and buy the book here here and here. -----------------------------------------------------         Audio news now, and Paul’s books Lunar and Sleeper(s) (above) are now out to buy from Encyclopocalypse and Audible here and here.     Encyclopocalypse also joined forces with Luna Press last month, in an agreement to produce audio versions of Paul’s books for them – The Controllers and The Colour of Madness (above and below). You can read all about that here.     --------------------------------------------------     Sticking with The Colour of Madness for a minute, and Deadline reported news of the film’s sale – under its new title Sacrifice – which you can read all about here.     A set report has also surfaced, from Out of Dave’s Head (above and below), which includes a little video made during filming. You can find that here.               Finally, there are some new stills from the movie itself on the Hydra site. You can have a look at those below.               --------------------------------------------------------------     More film news now, and Paul’s other movie at the moment The Torturer has some new key art attached to it, specifically the gorgeous poster by Anthony Galatis (above).       And as part of the publicity for the film, star Paul T. Taylor, director Joe Manco and Little Spark Films were on the Indie Brigade show and Clive Barker Podcast – you can listen to the latter here.     Finally, also from Little Spark, a new poster has appeared for the advert they did to promote the Servants puzzle box, based on Paul’s novel Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell (above). -----------------------------------------------   June EXTRA     Some awards extra announcements for June now. Paul was delighted to see that not only were multiple stories from Exit Wounds on the longlist for the Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards – which you can check out here – but also Wonderland was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award in the ‘Edited by’ category – you can see who else is up for awards here. Both anthologies were of course edited with Marie, and published by Titan Books.     ------------------------------------------------ June   Paul’s copies of his novella Blood Red Sky arrived last month from Silver Shamrock, and look great (above and below)           The book was also reviewed again last month, firstly by HorrorBound who said: ‘I read horror all the time and write about a lot of it, but the more I read, the more I realize that usually with horror, shorter is better. There is obviously a lot of examples of good, long horror novels – IT is one of my all-time favorites – but sometimes a short intense horror book can pack just as much of a punch as something longer. Blood Red Sky by Paul Kane is exactly the kind of short but intense book that grabs the reader by the throat and drags them, unrelentingly through the story until they come out on the other side broken, battered, beaten, but happy that they were given the opportunity to take a ride with the characters as the world changed around them. There is a lot going on in this story in spite of its length, but it’s written to perfection. This is a coming of age story and, as I mentioned above, IT is one of my all-time favorite novels and Blood Red Sky has a lot of parallels with the King epic. The story follows a group of kids; teenagers as well as elementary school age kids. The idea behind the story is that all of the adults are gone and have been killed by these large monsters which our group of kids call trolls. First of all, why are there not more books that feature trolls? Second, the trolls were awesome monsters and set up some very intense scenes in the book. But the trolls are merely a backdrop for the actual story which is the journey our group of kids have and the in-fighting that occurs in their small group as they attempt to survive in a world without adults helping them along. While the trolls are awesome monsters, the high points in this book come as Kane creates characters that we care about and shows the relationships that a group of kids would probably have if adults were no longer around to guide them through life. The dynamic between the group of kids is what really sets this book apart from other post-apocalyptic books I’ve read… Blood Red Sky is a fantastic and intense post-apocalyptic coming of age horror novella that gives us a new monster instead of just the usual zombie fare. Kane is able to build a realistic world and characters that the reader cares about and wants to see succeed. It is very well done and I highly recommend.’     While Horror Tree commented: ‘This is a post-apocalyptic yarn, which read against the background of global lockdown, and the Covid-19 outbreak, seems very close to home in spirit if not in actual facts. The story is told through the eyes of a quartet of teens, our main protagonist Ethan, his brainy younger cousin, Faith (who makes home-made bombs in a shed – gotta love this gal), Becky with whom they meet up, and Becky’s older, protective somewhat sullen brother, Cameron. These four find a base, (ironically named the White House – really liked that touch), go scavenging for food, fight off the Trolls, and try to plan a future. There is a touching scene where beans on toast for tea is described as a luxury to be revelled in, in this back to basics new world, with no convenience stores. There are flashbacks from each of the characters inserted throughout… with each being given a backstory as to where they were when the world turned to cheese and the arrival of the Trolls – named thus by Ethan due to their leathery grey skin – and the culling of the adults. Only the children and teens are left, and now the Trolls are hunting them, too. The quartet of teens are joined by two newcomers, Donna, and Liam – a smooth-talker with lots of charm. Their arrival changes the dynamics and loyalties of the group in ways which lead to betrayal and death. The message here is clear: not all the survivors are fighting for mankind’s common good. Who can you trust? I found it easy to get into the story, was grabbed by the sense of danger, by the bravery and resourcefulness of the kids. I particularly enjoyed the character of Faith, so bright, so young, only eleven-years-old and a chemistry whiz with attitude… There are some exciting individual hair-raising action scenes, where the kids face the Trolls. One, in a small village store, was particularly vivid. I would probably have liked more description of the Trolls, but that could just be me. You are never sure of the Troll’s agenda, their numbers, or their how intelligence… Fast-paced, exciting, believable, likeable characters are fighting the enemy within and without for survival. There’s no easy ending but a definite hope for the future. A story for our times for teens.’     And Dead Head Reviews said: ‘Given the cover and the repute of the publisher, I jumped into Blood Red Sky without knowledge of what I was getting into. Paul Kane drops us right into the middle of a post-apocalyptic nightmare. We get to know a group of teenagers who are scavenging for food and doing whatever it takes to survive. Kane jumps back and forth mid-chapter between the present and the onset of the world-changing event of the sky turning, well, blood red and large, aggressive monsters wreaking havoc. The cast of characters that we spend the story with refer to these monsters as Trolls. Paul Kane expertly sprinkles in details throughout this novella’s runtime about the origin of the Trolls. We get glimpses of their genesis combined with theories from some of the characters, both part of the core group and outsiders who join later. If it all seems a bit random and obscured, rest assured that there is a grand plan in the works which makes itself apparent to the reader by the time the credits roll. An argument could be made that this novel fits neatly into the mantle of YA. The story focuses more intently on the characters ranging from around ages 10-17, and despite their constant looming presence, relegates the monsters to the background in favor of character and group dynamics. The gore is present, but relatively light compared to other similar monster novels and the lack of strong language leads the reader to believe that the author sought to create a work that would appeal to a wide readership. Blood Red Sky establishes a world and setting that could reappear in future instalments, though as far as I know it currently is a standalone work… This was a quick, enjoyable read that puts the focus more on the people facing hard times than the hard times themselves.’   You can read the full versions of these here, here and here, and buy the book  here or here. -----------------------------------------------     And yet another review, this time of the anthology Cursed (above). Here’s what Lotte’s Library had to say: ‘What a deliciously wicked collection of dark and twisty fairy tales. O’Regan and Kane have done it once again, sourcing the most excellent takes on new and re-imagined fairy tales written by renowned authors such as Neil Gaiman and Christina Henry. This anthology contains 20 short stories that are based loosely around the theme of curses. These authors have taken this cue, warping and twisting stories so good that even the re-imagined ones bear hardly any resemblance to their originals. I think I can honestly say I found each and every one of these stories both enchanting and captivating. They were each written in the individual author’s style and covered a different take on the cursed theme. No two were the same yet I was equally drawn into them all. Some were beautifully written about magical curses turned sweet and others were disturbingly cold and wretched. Even the placement of each story was well laid out, with each varying greatly from the last, meaning they didn’t mash into one. My particular favourites have to be Christina Henry’s “As Red As Blood, As White As Snow”, Neil Gaiman’s “Troll Bridge”, Jen Williams’ “Listen” and Christopher Golden’s “Wendy, Darling”. Using poems my Jane Yolen to bookend this anthology was a lovely touch. I would highly recommend delving into this if twisted tales are your thing!’ You can read the full thing here. ----------------------------------------     More audiobook cover reveals now, this time for The Storm and The Lazarus Condition (above and below). You can find out about them by visiting the Encyclopocalypse site here and here.     --------------------------------------------     We’re thrilled – literally! – now to have Liz Mistry as our Guest Writer for the month of June. Author of Last Request for HQ/HarperCollins (above), we have an exciting extract from Liz’s second DS Nikki Parekh novel, Broken Silence (below) which you can read here.       -------------------------------------------------------     Returning the favour, Paul did a piece for Liz’s Crime Warp blog where he talks about writing in lockdown and his new releases as PL Kane, including Her Husband’s Grave (above). You can read that here. That novel also made Paul Finch’s Top 40 of books he’s looking forward to over the summer, which you can read here.     Her Husband’s Grave is up now to request for review on NetGalley (above) here, and you can pre-order it here. -------------------------------------------------     The Colour of Madness Official Movie Tie-In (above, in the wild – picture by Jim Dodge) was reviewed last month by Mass Movement who said: ‘The literary press would have you believe that author Paul Kane is the second coming in the world of horror writing. His Arrowhead trilogy was well received and a fantastically forward thinking touch of sci-fi/fantasy that brought Robin Hood into a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Since then he has steadily built up a body of work that has gained him accolades from some of the genre’s biggest names. But in his new book The Colour Of Madness, Kane has really upped the ante and believe me when I say that the hype is very real. A tie-in with the forthcoming movie of the same name, there is lot to unpack here, including extracts from the script, other short stories and production photos. But the bread and butter of the whole thing is the Men of Cloth novelette which inspired the film. The film might be set in Norway, but the original work is based in good old Blighty, as Lance and Shelley, the couple who are the focal point of the story uproot their family for a journey across Britain to find “home.” Having been in and out of foster care from a young age, Lance has a sense of not belonging and a wish to find out more about his roots. But an uneasy welcome at a mysterious village indicates that sometimes you are better off not digging up the past and home isn’t always where the heart is. The Colour of Madness is as imaginative as it is spine-tingling. You just can’t help but get drawn into the mystery as it unfolds with a very Wicker Man-esque sense of quirky wickedness. The suspense-filled story is nearly impossible to put down and it will shred your last nerve. If it plays out on the screen as Kane intended, then we are all in for a cinematic treat, but until the world returns to some sense of normality and we can actually go to the movies, immerse yourself in The Colour Of Madness and fall under the thrall of the new king of horror…’ You can read the full thing here and buy the book here and here.   Meanwhile, now that the film itself is finished some more stills have been released by Hydra Films, which you can view below.                                       -------------------------------------------------------     Sticking with film for a moment, and a sneak peek at the new Torturer poster from Anthony Galatis has appeared (above) as well as a couple more behind the scenes pictures showing Paul T. Taylor (below, courtesy of Little Spark Films).       There’s also a new trailer which you can watch by clicking below:     ---------------------------------------------     Last month, DLS Reviews did a major retrospective of Paul’s Death collection, analysing each and every tale. Here’s their conclusion: ‘There’s not one filler in there. Just quality story after quality story, each showcasing Kane’s incredible ability at adopting different styles and genres. The creativity on show throughout the collection is exceptional. Each story reflects a whole new idea, often incorporating many layers and intricate avenues for Kane and the reader to explore. However, for me at least, the collection’s key strength is with the prose, dialogue and execution within each story. “The Lazarus Condition” is nothing short of a masterclass in how to make an unbelievable story believable. Honestly, Kane’s writing is that good. We’ve also got tales full of imagination and unique flare, such as with “Lifelike”. Then there’s the high-octane thrills and spills of “Mr. D”, along with Kane trying his hand at some over-the-top superhero antics in “The Return Of Mortis-Man”.  Trust me, the list goes on. However, one thing’s for sure with this collection: you will not be bored. The entertainment factor alone is through the veritable roof. There are so many characters to get to know, so many devious plots, so many faces of the ultimate companion in life: Death.’ You can read the whole thing here. ---------------------------------------------------     Paul reviewed two films last month for Sci-Fi Bulletin, The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (above) and The Wretched (below). You can read what he thought here and here.     ------------------------------------------------     Finally, as a lot of authors were doing this last month, and for a bit of fun, we thought it might be quite nice to see what a few of Paul’s books looked like in an alternate universe where they’re Penguin Classics (above and below). We think they look quite snazzy, how about you?       ------------------------------------------- May   So, the exciting news this month is yet another cover reveal, this time for Paul’s second thriller as PL Kane, Her Husband’s Grave (above). Published by HQ Digital/HarperCollins again, here’s the official blurb for this one. ‘A hint of gold glistened in the sand. Desperate to uncover the shiny object, he started to dig. It was a watch, no doubt about it. A watch… attached to a body. Criminal psychologist Robyn Adams is at breaking point after her last case resulted in an attempt on her own life. But as she sits in the car about to head home, her phone rings. It’s Robyn’s cousin, Vicky Carter, who she hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Vicky’s voice cracks down the phone. Her husband, Simon, has been found buried on Golden Sands beach. Desperate to help and determined not to let her last case get the better of her, Robyn returns to the coastal village where she spent summers with Vicky as a child. Robyn knows that she has let Vicky down in the past and is set on making up for lost time. Throwing herself into the case, she combs through evidence, intent on discovering a lead that will help the local police. But there is clearly someone who wants Robyn gone. She is convinced someone is watching her and when she begins to receive threatening notes, Robyn knows that she could be risking her life… But Robyn won’t leave again – she owes it to Vicky to stay. Fans of Helen Phifer, Gregg Dunnett and Robert Dugoni will love Her Husband’s Grave!’ Out as an ebook in June, with a paperback to follow in September, you can pre-order this one here. ---------------------------------------------     Meanwhile, there’s been more love for the first PL Kane release – Her Last Secret – starting with a review from Jaffa Reads Too, who said: ‘The story gets off to a dramatic start with an opening chapter which sets the scene for what is to come in this cleverly thought out murder mystery. It would seem almost from the beginning of the murder investigation that the perpetrator of Jordan Radcliffe's murder is pretty much decided, however, Jordan’s father, Jake, is determined to leave nothing to chance as he searches for more evidence, determined to put right all the wrongs he feels he is responsible for in Jordan’s short life. Her Last Secret is not so much a police procedural, although the investigation into Jordan’s death certainly features, but rather this is more about the guilt of those who are left behind who feel that they could have done more, been more, helped more and who in the face of such profound sadness feel that the only way to assuage their guilt is do everything possible to catch whoever is responsible. There’s so much to say about Her Last Secret but I don’t want to give anything away as this is a story better read without any preconceived notions of where it is heading. Throughout the story there are varied plot twists, and more than enough excitement to keep you guessing. I especially enjoyed getting to know the main characters, particularly Jake, who is carrying more than his share of angst; the reason for his particular sadness is revealed as the story progresses. Well written with an ability to get right into the heart of the characters, particularly between family  members, Her Last Secret is a cleverly controlled murder mystery which will keep you guessing until the very last twist in the tale.’ You can read the full thing here.     Bestselling author of novels like Perfect Remains, Perfect Death and Perfect Kill (above) Helen Fields also had this to say: ‘Loved Her Last Secret by PL Kane. Stunning suspense, a masterclass in giving readers the chills, and wonderful world building. You’ll be turning those pages faster than you can say, “Didn’t see that coming.” Fabulous book. 5* from me.’     While JA Andrews, author of Mummy’s Boy (above), gave this recommendation:  ‘Tense and twisty! A few times I held my breath and raced through the pages to immerse myself in more of the story. Jake is on a mission to uncover the secrets of his daughter’s death, but in doing so he uncovers more than he bargained for. Overall, very well paced and enough secrets and reveals to have you not wanting to put this book down. Characters are very engaging, some will have you raging, but I absolutely enjoyed it. Can’t wait for more from PL Kane.’    You can buy the ebook, paperback and audio versions of the novel here, here and here. ----------------------------------------     Paul’s other novel out at the moment, The Storm from PS Publishing, was also reviewed last month on Goodreads by Leigh Farina, who gave it five stars and said: ‘I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is my first foray into a Paul Kane novel (I’ve heard about his books before just never got around to picking one up) and I was not disappointed. The writing was superb, the characters were well developed (I even found myself having a few I was genuinely rooting for), the story was fast-paced and even gave me goosebumps at certain points. I don’t get scared easily, and I will say that this novel has points where I actually gasped because of how the author weaves the words and creates the descriptions of the creatures, but also the actual characters jump off the page right at you like in a 3D movie. I completely enjoyed this novel and will be picking up more novels by the author as soon as I can. Highly recommend.’ You can read the full version here.     In addition, Paul featured in a PS Newsletter (above) and on their site, with a ‘Top Ten Monster Movies and Books’ piece here.     …and a Q&A here. You can order both editions of the book from PS by clicking here. ----------------------------------------     A special treat now, as we welcome back MR Carey as Guest Writer to the site. The author of phenomenal books such as Fellside, Someone Like Me and, of course, The Girl With All The Gifts (above), we’re lucky enough to have an exclusive extract from his new novel The Book of Koli (below) which you can devour here.       ----------------------------------------------     Another YouTube review has appeared for Paul’s novella Blood Red Sky from Silver Shamrock publishing, this time from Written in Blood (above and below), who commented: ‘I loved the fact it drops you in the middle of the action... You’re wanting to see the kids survive... A solid read, it’s got a lot of good thrills, a lot of good suspense to it. I definitely recommend it!’       You can watch the full thing below:     ------------------------------------------------------     More audio news now, hot on the heels of the announcement of Lunar from Encyclopocalpse publications (see last month for details, and Christian Francis above hard at work on the narration for that one). More adaptations are to follow and we have the cover reveals below for Of Darkness and Light, Signs of Life and Sleeper(s).         You can find out more on the publisher site here and here. -----------------------------------------------     Turning to film now, and a new poster for The Colour of Madness has been revealed online (above). This coincides with Paul receiving his contributor copies of the movie tie-in book from Luna Press (below).               To celebrate with the release of the book, which you can pick up here, Paul was interviewed not once but twice. The first appeared on the SciFiFantasy Network here and the second on the Luna site itself here. ---------------------------------------------     Little Spark Films released snippets from their ‘Hellbound Laments’ advert for Pyramid Galleries’ puzzle boxes, including Paul’s Scribe Box. You can see pictures from this above and below, and watch the ad extracts here.           ---------------------------------------     Little Spark were also responsible for producing The Torturer, which Paul wrote – based on his own short story. Above and below you’ll see pictures of director Joe Manco hard at work on the finished cut of the film, and also photos from a sneak peek clip that the company released which you can watch here.               April     The first bit of news for April is an advance look at the cover for Paul’s new short novel The Storm (above and below, with a glimpse of the endpapers), out this month in hardback from PS Publishing.     This from the official PR: ‘It started off like any other day, but for the tourists, staff and workmen at Willerton Castle it will end in terror. Because a storm is coming, a storm like nothing anyone has ever seen. A storm that will herald an attack by creatures this world has never encountered before. Will any of them survive? This new short novel of monstrous horror by the bestselling and award-winning author of Monsters (a British Fantasy Award finalist), the sellout Hooded Man and the award-winning Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, Paul Kane, comes with an introduction from Rio Youers (The Forgotten Girl, Halcyon) and cover art by Ben Baldwin.’ You can read all about it in a recent PS newsletter – which includes a look at the introduction by Rio – here, and read an extract from the book here. Paul also received his contributor copies of the novel last month, and the signing sheets for the limited edition (all below).               You can pre-order both editions of the book from PS here. --------------------------------------------     Last month of course saw the release of Paul’s first thriller from HQ/HarperCollins as PL Kane, Her Last Secret, in paperback and audio formats – which you can buy here and here.     But it also garnered some more wonderful quotes, beginning with an international Amazon 5* review: ‘Absolutely thrilling read... When I thought I knew the ending, I was proven wrong! A must read! My new best author P.L. Kane!’ Paul Finch was next, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Sergeant ‘Heck’ Heckenberg thrillers, and the Lucy Clayburn novels Strangers, Shadows and Stolen (above), who called the book a ‘Riveting domestic thriller with a razor-edged twist, courtesy of a new top talent.’     Christopher Fowler, bestselling author of The Bryant & May mysteries, including Full Dark House, Strange Tide and Wild Chamber (above), had this to say: ‘Kane is a great guide to the dark secrets and lies that wait unexpectedly behind the curtains…’     Finally, Martyn Waites – bestselling and award-winning author of thrillers such as The Surrogate, Heartbreaker and The Lost Girl (as Tania Carver), plus The Old Religion (above) and The Sinner,said: ‘If you’re looking for something to read then I can  certainly recommend Her Last Secret by PL Kane. A truly gripping, twisting thriller with a huge broken heart at the centre. You won’t be able to put it down.’     The novel was also part of Libraries NI ‘Secret’ Promo (above) last month, which you can check out here. -------------------------------------------     We’re incredibly proud to announce this month’s Guest Writer, #1 bestselling author of The Taker, The Reckoning, The Descent and The Hunger (above), Alma Katsu. We’re lucky enough to have an extract from her latest, The Deep (below), which you can read without further ado here.       -------------------------------------------     Paul sold the audio version of his popular novel Lunar to Encyclopocalypse last month, and you can see the terrific new cover of that above. You’ll also find the pages for this on the publisher site here and here. ------------------------------------------------     Time for a reviews roundup now, beginning with Blood Red Sky from Silver Shamrock Publishing. The first one to come in for that was from S.D. Vassallo over on Goodreads: ‘Blood Red Sky by Paul Kane will be the seventh book to be published by Silver Shamrock Press, and this offering will further cement them as a solid publisher of great horror fiction. I enjoyed the novella and will read it again. The characters were well-established, the plot engaging, and the author did a good job of maintaining tension and suspense up to the end. The story is a coming-of-age tale set in an apocalyptic landscape. I'm giving this one four stars… I enjoyed reading it, and I will be buying a paperback copy when it gets released on March 10, 2020.’     While Mediadrome had this to say: ‘I’m always game for a good “End of the World” scenario, but in the last decade or so, the Apocalyptic offerings have been, oh, I don’t know…. 9 billion percent zombies? All zombies all the time? Dammit, Blood Red Sky is refreshing! Not a zombie as far as the eye can see. I love it! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a good zombie story, but I need a little variety, you know? After what feels like a hundred million years of every apocalypse story trying to ape The Walking Dead, while those showrunners (can’t speak to the comic cuz I haven’t read it) are scrabbling to keep hold of some sort of semi-cohesive narrative, I feel like I just want a break from that. I need other end of the world fare. Give me war, drought, aliens, germs, whatever. Just cool it on the zombies for a second. Like, a few offerings a year is fine – it doesn’t have to be everything forever. But, I digress – shocking, I know. So, back to Paul Kane’s fun, zombie-free take on the apocalypse. But strap in, cuz in pirate speak, thar be monsters. I don’t actually know if that’s pirates, or just old-timey maps, but…go with it, yeah? See, the end of the world happens – all the adults are dead. Killed by monsters. And for reasons that aren’t immediately apparent, the monsters don’t screw with kids. They have to be nearing full maturity before they are at risk. The central cast of characters are Becky, her brother Cam, Ethan, and his cousin Faith. They all feel surprisingly well fleshed out considering this is a novella, not a full-length novel… Faith is a young genius, and is therefore invaluable in the fight against the monsters. She is always busy not only creating weapons, but also conducting experiments on the monsters using first dead tissue taken from them, and later from live samples. She’s clearly got the potential to be a lifeline for humanity at some point – if she can manage to stay alive, safe, and in a place that is conductive to her research – a tall order at the end of the world.’     And Brian Bogart on Kendall Reviews commented: ‘I will say this about Paul Kane: nearly every book I read by him takes a few fantasy tropes and spins them into his own. Blood Red Sky is no exception. In his newest, the author tackles the well-trodden paths of survival in a world ravaged, where the adults are no longer the apocalypse’s saving grace. It’s up to the children to band together and face the evil that has infested their world… under a darkening blood-red sky, of course. We are introduced early on to a group of kids. Each one is fleshed out bit by bit, including segments interspersed within the narrative that detail the moment that the invasion and destruction began. What invaded, you may ask? Was it aliens, or zombies? Maybe some undiscovered breed of cryptoid? Maybe it was some Lovecraftian horror unleashed by a meddling fool? Well, one kid has a name for them: TROLLS. Yep. You read that right. While there are certain characteristics of the enemy described, Kane doesn’t dwell on the details too much. Written from the children’s perspectives, they do not know how or why any of this has come about – only that the adults were the first to feel the impact. They are in survival mode. One girl (a child genius, of sorts) named Faith, has been studying them. She has reached a point in this research that requires the capture of a live specimen. And with the introduction of a few new additions to the group… that’s the start of the shit hitting the fan. I will admit, through the first half of this book, it reads almost like YA fiction in some ways. That’s not a bad thing, just was a bit unexpected. Maybe that’s a testament to Kane delving into the head of the teenagers and letting them be, well, kids. As the book begins to build and head towards the final chapters, though? The death and heartbreak they suffer helps solidify that perhaps, it was intentional. Kane does excel in getting into their heads. The drama. Love. Their growing suspicion with one another. Being forced to grow up in a world gone awry. All of this is well-done and is indeed the point of the story, not the “Trolls” themselves. My only gripe, while reading, was a personal one. I kind of wanted more detail of the how and why of it all. Maybe a few more vivid descriptions of the carnage. But, upon wrapping up the final pages? Those quibbles melted away. It made sense why there weren’t these long flourishes of detail… and let’s face it: If there were no adults around, no scientific community with funding to research and analyse this particular apocalypse? Those very details that I felt were lacking would be missing, in a story viewed through the eyes of a determined and inexperienced group of teens. The last chapter or two, made me see that – in a way I didn’t expect. Well done. All in all, a fresh take on an old favorite. And honestly, sometimes that is what a reader needs. An interesting and unique novella. There are plenty of unanswered questions but room to expand upon. (Kane does enjoy doing series, after all.) Viewing the hell that their town has become from their perspective, works in a lot of ways (despite the YA vibe in the beginning). And it works better, in some respects, after the story comes to a close. Keep watching the skies. Beware of the hue, as the sun hides behind the clouds. Most of all, listen for the ear-piercing screams in the distance. And remember: If you don’t stick together… you’re destined to die apart.’ You can read the full versions of those here, here, and here.     There were also a couple of YouTube reviews, starting with Well Read Beard, who said: ‘There’s a shift in perception partway through that really makes you look again at what’s going on. It’s a nice piece of plotting. I enjoyed it... The ending is pretty wild!’     Then Brad Proctor added: ‘I really enjoyed this... A different take on post apocalyptic. It’s more about the characters’ relationships with each other, past traumas... Definitely think you should check this out.’ You can watch the full reviews by clicking on the below…     And you can pick up your own copy here or here. ------------------------------------------     Strap yourselves in for a compilation of Cursed reviews now, beginning with the Instagram Tour (above) – which Paul and Marie also contributed a Q&A to; you can read that here, here, here, here, and here.     First up on the trail was A Hobbits Books, who offered this: ‘I picked this one up yesterday and I TORE through its 20 short stories in no time!... The stories included in this book range from the mythical and fantastical to some set in modern times and each of the different authors managed to give their own unique spin to a) either widely known fairy tales or by b) crafting new ones that were no less magical. I also loved how gritty, dark, deep and disturbing some of them were. This was sooo right up my alley because I've been getting so tired of “fairy tale endings”! This was a brilliant collection of all things dark and mysterious. It's a 4* rating from me!’     Ghoulish Spirit then commented: ‘Here in this book you’ll find unique twists on the fairy tale conceit of the curse, from the more traditional to the modern – giving us brand new mythologies as well as new approaches to well-loved fables. Some might shock you, some might make you laugh, but they will all impress you with their originality. I love this book and was blown away by the cover, but Neil Gaiman is what made me want to be on tour with it.’     Shelf Rate’s 4/5 * review said: ‘There are 20 short stories all together and each one was a uniquely crafted narrative with the authors putting their own spin on curses. I loved seeing each author’s take on a curse and really enjoyed each story! My favorites were probably “As Red As Blood, as White as Snow” by Christina Henry, “Listen” by Jen Williams and “Again” by Tim Lebbon. Cursed is a dark, twisty compilation of curses of varying degrees. I think there is something for everyone in this.’     Contrary Reader came back with: ‘I’ve been luxuriating in Cursed, an anthology of #FolkTales and #darkfairytales (just released by Titan) these past weeks. And let me tell you that you are in for a moody and atmospheric treat, should this be your kind of read. It has the brilliant #TrollBridge from Neil Gaiman. Alison Littlewood weaves her sinister spritely magic in #TheMerrieDancers (she of the brilliant Mistletoe fame). Charlie Jane Anders brings her best monster game in #FairyWerewolfvsVampireZombies. Catriona Ward serves the sleepless nights with #AtThatAge. Whatever you like to get your teeth into, one of your bites is bound to curse you.’     It was Zoe Readsx’s turn next, who commented: ‘Cursed is a short story collection that is definitely not for the faint of heart...  It’s so deliciously dark and creepy that you cannot do anything else but keep on reading, IN THE BEST WAY! (Though I have to say, not all of them are REALLY creepy but they’re all definitely mysterious.) Most of the short stories genuinely felt like you’re reading an entire book rather than a story of under 30 pages, which was awesome! Besides that, I had so much fun figuring out which fairy tale was being retold and what the new twist on it was. If you’re in the mood for dark stories (for example during Halloween!!), I’d highly recommend picking this up! And be careful not to walk beside the path... who knows what you’ll find… Overall rating: 4*’     The final stop on the tour was Grimdark Dad: ‘To start with, on the whole, this collection is WAY darker than I had anticipated. I guess I was somewhat anticipating a sort’ve creepy yet whimsical feel to the stories (and there are some that feel that way), but dang…there’s some outright horror in this collection, for sure!! And to be clear, I don’t consider myself any kind of authority on fairy tales and/or stories about curses. Some of the stories in this collection are likely retellings of old fairy tales, or at least contain more than a few nods to those stories. And plenty of those references probably went straight over my head. But anyway! Looking back through this, it’s really the first short story (there is one poem before it) in this collection that stands out the most for me: “As Red as Blood, as White as Snow” by Christina Henry. It’s a diabolically clever take on Snow White, with a sort’ve epic fantasy meets horror vibe, and a Prince Charming that’s the stuff of nightmares. This story really set the tone for the whole rest of the anthology!... This is now the third Titan anthology in a row that I’ve read that features an awesome story by Angela Slatter. This one is called “New Wine”, and it’s about a rich kid (well, he’s like nineteen or so) and the woman his father hires to be his (the boy’s) tutor/caretaker/friend/etc…there’s a lot of backstory given in a short amount of time, but this is an awesome story. It reminded me very slightly of a particular Stephen King story, but I’m not saying which one! M.R. Carey is one of my favorites, and I’m betting his entry here, “Henry and the Snakewood Box”, was a lot of fun for him to write. It’s sort’ve a play on the genie in a bottle, only the genie is a demon and kind of a manipulative asshole. Ha! All in all, this is a solid collection… overall the vibe of this book is really dark & creepy, and in addition to the stories by authors I love, it was a great introduction to some new-to-me authors!’ You can read the full things here, here, here, here, here, and here.     A blog tour followed, starting with a review from Books, Bones & Buffy: ‘I’m sad that I didn’t have enough time to read more of this collection in time for my blog tour stop, but I’ll definitely be dipping back into it in the future. This small sampling was excellent, and I can’t wait to read the other stories!’     The Book Lovers’ Boudoir said: ‘I love fairytales, dark fairytales, fairytale retellings and short stories. So my enjoyment of this collection was a given. I wouldn’t expect anything less. Some of my favourite writers have stories in Cursed including Neil Gaiman, James Brogden and Tim Lebbon. You know what to expect with such high calibre writers, dark delights. I also enjoy the work of Jane Yolen. What impressed me was the depth and range of stories. They were all very different even though they shared similar tropes and themes. Some of the stories are retellings and some are original. The best stories were “Troll Bridge” by Neil Gaiman, “At That Age” by Catriona Ward, “Henry and the Snakewood Box” by M.R Carey and “Skin” by James Brogden. There’s something to delight every fantasy / fairytale / horror fan. 4*’     Over on Her Campus, they said: ‘Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane, is a wondrous collection of short stories. Its pages hold words by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Charlie Jane Andrews, M.R. Carey, and Alison Littlewood. The anthology’s premise is a treasure trove of stories about curses and hexes. In one way or another – even if they might not seem like it – they deal with them before, during, and after curses. How are our lives shaped by hexes that ruin lives or small, evil wishes that cause daily inconveniences? How do we remedy the magic of the day-to-day by merely calling it “unusual” when really, larger-than-life forces are at work? The book flowed seamlessly and soundlessly. It was a masterpiece in its editorial storytelling. One story precedes its natural debutant, and it was easy to shift from one story’s tone to the others. The many styles of the various authors found within this anthology complemented each other. It was lovely – and jarring in the best way – to have a story with mostly colloquial language (“Fairy Werewolf vs. Vampire Zombie”) and then change into the reverent prose of (“Haza and Ghani”). The book also cleverly started with a poem and ended with another: this sets the reader’s tone and then slowly, gently released the reader with a curse…’     Howling Libraries came next, saying: ‘Last year, this editing duo released the Wonderland anthology, which I raved about. It was a gorgeous collection and I had so much fun with it that, when I had the opportunity to read and review this new anthology, I jumped at the chance. I’m an absolute sucker for dark fairy tale retellings and many of the authors in this lineup positively excel at the craft. Cursed kicks off, after a quick poem from Jane Yolen, with the story “As Red as Blood, As White as Snow” by Christina Henry, and if you know me, you already know Christina is one of my favorite retelling authors of all time. She has designed a solid portion of her writing career around taking old stories and giving them new life – typically complete with some sort of social commentary that is always so eloquently woven in – and this was no exception. It was easily my favorite story in the anthology and I would honestly urge you to pick this book up even if only for this story’s beautiful prose and ruthless examination of the evils of “Prince Charming” types. Luckily, the good times didn’t stop there; while nothing else in Cursed was quite able to beat out that first story for me, I was so happy to see how many incredible stories this collection contained! A lot of anthologies are severely hit-and-miss, but Marie O’Regan & Paul Kane clearly know how to choose ’em when it comes to short stories. Among others, I loved Catriona Ward’s incredibly unique twist on one of my favorite tropes (but I can’t tell you what it is!) in “At That Age”, the gorgeously melancholy, haunting vibes of Jen Williams’ necromancing “Listen”, and James Brogden’s grotesque, horribly unsettling “Skin”…While these were the stand-out favorites of mine, I genuinely enjoyed almost every single story in this collection… I have so many new authors on my reading list thanks to these short stories, and I know this is the sort of collection I’ll be recommending for a long time – and revisiting time and time again. 4*’     The Misadventures of a Reader had this to say: ‘I am sitting here staring at my screen. We are living through crazy times right now. This book came at the perfect time. Losing yourself in stories that feel familiar but new is helpful during times of stress… If you love stories by amazing story tellers you NEED to pick this up. What I liked: OMG. Reading this anthology was like watching an amazing storyteller tell a story. It was so comforting but very familiar at the same time. Each story felt like a warm blanket. Some old favorites twisted into a modern stories and new stories. All the stories in the anthology fit so well together. There is so, so much to love about this anthology. The beauty in which some of the authors write made my heart soar with happiness. What I didn’t like: There is absolutely nothing that I didn’t like. Star Rating: 5. My Thoughts: Anthologies are hard to review. I don’t want to say too much about one story in particular. They are all fantastic. I know I should be saying more about my thoughts….and normally I would but. I can’t find the adequate wording too describe the comfort that Cursed brought me over the last week. Please pick this up if you need something for your brain or your heart.’     Readers Enjoy Authors’ Dreams: ‘There are so many great authors in this book and it’s hard not to skip to your favourites first. For me this book was perfect, I like all the gory details from the original tales (sorry!). I am also a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, Christina Henry and Tim Lebbon so I completely imploded into a fangirling mess when I got the email. Fairy tales and folk stories are a staple of Fantasy fiction they have a way of dealing with the unexpected price victims have to pay for their misdeeds and have been a staple of the genre. The book is packed with great tales and some amazing authors, some of the stories are retellings while some are original. Whatever style you enjoy, or writers that you like, you are sure to find what you’re looking for in here. The book has something for everyone within its dark delights. Each author fulfils the brief and I enjoyed how diverse the ideas were. Each story is different from the one before it, which means that you go from one story to the next, never quite knowing what to expect. There are a lot of tough topics covered, most of which you would expect to find in an anthology of this type. This book may introduce you to some authors you may not have read before, and also remind you how good some of the better-known authors are. This book is packed with great tales, and some amazing authors. Whatever style that you enjoy, or writers that you like, you will find something to read in this book. Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane provide a useful aide-memoir at the end of the book for you to use and discover more which was a lovely touch.’     Next up was Looking Glass Reads: ‘Another fantastic anthology edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane has been published by Titan Books. Following 2019’s Wonderland: An Anthology comes Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales. Eighteen short stories are within this volume, bookended by two poems by extremely prolific author Jane Yolen. Themes and influences differ from author to author, crossing more into the realm of fairy tales sometimes or straying a bit closer to horror in others. Each author brings something special and magical to their writing (or, perhaps, I’m just a sucker for the dark fairy tales that first built my love of books). All also have a certain readability to them. Stories read quickly, but pack a real punch, landing in that sweet spot of short fiction that is often strived for but can be hard to land. Certain stories take the theme more literally. Curses feature heavily in multiple tales, with authors exploring the nature of curses, their peculiarities, and more. However, plenty of stories lean more into the realm of darker and, at times, more traditional, fairy tales… This is the perfect collection of dark fairy tales for grownups ready to explore the darker side of their childhood favorites and the otherworldly in our modern world. Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane is a fantastic anthology. I look forward to seeing future anthologies this duo curates.’     Then Novel Lives raved: ‘Do you like anthologies? Let me be more specific. Do you like twisted anthologies? Witches, retells of dark fairy tales and new ones that give something dark, this way comes a whole new meaning? Want Alice going down the looking glass look like a walk in the park? Well, dear friends, if you aren’t reading Titan’s anthologies? You have don’t have a reading life. Just go stick yourself in a corner and call it a day. You are reading wrong. You aren’t reading at all. I’m not sure what you are doing with yourself? But you aren’t living. And coming from someone who doesn’t have a life, period? Well. That is saying something. From Hex Life to Wonderland and now Cursed? Just put it on auto buy, kids. You won’t find or do better than Titan. Two of the three are edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (Wonderland and Cursed). When you can consistently pack a line-up with the likes of M.R. Carey, L.L. McKinney and Neil Gaiman? That speaks to the editors at the helm of a project. First, it tells you that these powerhouse writers and the publisher have an enormity of trust in them. Secondly, you don’t keep bringing editors back to helm anthologies because readers see them on the shelves and run from the work. You bring them back because you know that amazing writers will work with them and that the sum of the work they pull together, will be astounding. And here’s the key. With an anthology? That is a rare thing to find. Anthologies, at their heart, are often inconsistent. At best, a publisher can hope there is just enough of “something for everyone.” Out of x amount of stories, everyone will be able to say they liked the majority. Even if everyone didn’t like every story, there were just enough for everyone to recommend it because there is something for everyone. But I swear that in each of the three anthologies I have had the pleasure of reviewing? Each has been incredibly consistent, in its own way. Have I absolutely loved every, single story, in every book? That would be lying. Have not liked any story in each of the three anthologies? NO. And that is shocking. I have at the very least liked each story in each book… Every other anthology I have ever read has been, as typical of them, hit or miss. Titan’s consistency, even more specifically, O’Regan and Kane’s consistency as editors? It is unheard of in the industry (to my knowledge, anyhow – I don’t want to sound like a scholarly expert on all things in publishing anthologies). On an overall basis, I felt it very important to bring those two pieces to the forefront of this review. It speaks strongly to both Titan’s anthologies, the editors and then specially leads into how Cursed stands-up against Wonderland and Hex Life. That is, to say, it absolutely does! One of the things I most like about Cursed is that like Hex Life, it doesn’t just retell familiar fairy tale stories but it often does it in different genres and formats. Additionally it allowed yet another powerhouse line-up of writers trust their instincts with new stories that will not just find you in your nightmares, but disturb your daydreams, if you don’t keep up your guard. One other note that speaks to both the above section and to the variety of Cursed. Like Wonderland and Hex Life, I think O’Regan and Kane should be applauded for not forgetting to utilize not just heavy hitters but including new authors, as well… Also, the cadence of the book is spot on. Much like the track list for a playlist or CD (is that what they call them now??! AYE!), a great compilation of songs can fall flat if they aren’t put in the right order. O’Regan and Kan have a fantastic knack for knowing how to put stories in the right order. Cursed is pulled together in such a way that each story is very different than the one before it. With this approach, you aren’t sure what is coming next. This both keeps you guessing and doesn’t allow for you to feel like the pacing slows down. It is actually, quite the opposite, with a quick clip to it… And with that, I have a feeling that at some point I’m going to have one whole shelf dedicated to Titan’s anthologies. Or at least I hope so because for them to stop would be a scourge on the publishing world.’     An Average Life then stated: ‘Let’s start with that gorgeous cover! Those who follow will know I rarely take photographs of books, I always mean to and never find time, but Cursed had me inspired as soon as I received it from Titan. This particular cover style resembles Christina Henry’s canon which is likely why it immediately caught my eye. As I’ve discussed before, I don’t often have luck with anthologies. Perhaps now the tides are finally changing… Along came Cursed to test my theory. From a favourite publisher Titan Books, and with contributions from several of my auto-buy authors; Christina Henry, Tim Lebbon, James Brogden, M R Carey and Neil Gaiman. A dream line up! I’m going to give a little hint and overall reaction to just some of the twenty short stories in this collection… Of the twenty different curses I adored almost all… All are dark but none too scary or squeamish for those who avoid horror. There are some fantastic interpretations of well-known fairy tales as well as new and unique ideas. I found some authors to keep an eye on in future and thoroughly enjoyed contributions from my favourites. Shout out to editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane on an incredible collection. A must have for any fantasy fan.’     Odd Socks and Lollipops followed and said: ‘Cursed has been perfect for short bursts of reading – as it is an anthology of short stories. Some are as dark and enchanting as I’d hoped, some are gritty and perfect for the dystopian adventure we seem to be having right now. I have to say I loved most of them… But all in all I would recommend Cursed for those fans of dark retellings and fantasy in general. Some of the highlights in this collection were “As Red as Blood, As White as Snow” by Christina Henry, “Troll Bridge” by Neil Gaiman, “At That Age” by Catriona Ward, “Henry and the Snakewood Box” by M.R. Carey, “Wendy Darling” by Christopher Golden, and “Little Red” by Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple… I read the stories in order, but the anthology is so easy to dip in and out of, and certain stories did jump out at me just through the titles. I really enjoyed reading Cursed, it was perfect as I like fantasy with a dark twist, though some of the stories are definitely on the darker side, with warnings and cautionary tales being a focus just like in the older, darker, definitely not happily ever after fairy tales. I would definitely recommend Cursed and I am sure there is something in there for everyone.’     Then it was the turn of Angel Wings and Petticoats: ‘This whole book of short stories, are all around a theme of the dark side of fairy tales, and being a lover of fairy tales this just sounded perfect. There was definitely some in this one that I had not heard of before, so it was really refreshing for them to be unpredictable – to be fair even those I had heard of I didn’t even find to be predictable… I really want to make the point that this is a fantastic collection of stories that I have really enjoyed. Even more so than previous short story collections that I have read… All in all, this whole collection is my favourite collection I think I have ever read, I do love short stories! For anyone who loves childhood fairy tales, or even horror stories, this is definitely one to give a try… I gave this a four star rating, as it was so close to perfect… I definitely think you should give this one a try!!     And finally, The Writerly Way: ‘Anthologies are hard, because you sort of always have to expect a mixed lot. I’ve never read an anthology where I’ve just loved every single one of the stories. But this one came pretty darn close, I have to say. Cursed is a masterfully edited book from a list of highly talented authors that delivers on its promise of evil curses, dark fairy tale retellings, and twists that are sure to give you goosebumps. I definitely didn’t find any part of this terrifying per se. I didn’t stay up at night worried that the shadows would get me. This was a more subtle sort of feeling, a pervasive creepiness as you read that you know something’s not quite right. If there’s one thing you should go into this anthology with it’s this: expect the unexpected. I have to say, the editors did a fabulous job curating the stories, and the authors brought some interesting new perspectives to fairy tales we all know and love. I actually didn’t know many of these authors going in, but I’m happy to say that I’ve found some new ones whose other work I’ll be looking. The stories range from straight up horror to some with a more philosophical bent to even some humorous ones. Because what screams horror more than humor, am I right? But it worked perfectly.’ You can read the full versions of these here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.     There were also some standalone reviews which appeared last month, beginning with a mighty 10/10 from Starburst: ‘Editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane have gathered together eighteen short stories and two poems, all based around the theme of a curse. We may think we know what to expect – modern takes on the folk tales that have been with us for centuries, a new spin on the Brothers Grimm – but even when this is the case, the authors adapt the tropes for their own ends, to produce works of an incredibly high standard. Some of the stories create new monsters, which often prove too human for comfort; others have new styles of hex for the modern world, trouble for even the most mundane of people. There isn’t a rotten apple in this crop, most of which are new to this collection, sitting alongside some old favourites from the likes of Neil Gaiman and Christopher Fowler. The same theme may run throughout, but there’s a wide range on offer that will have readers shocked, sad or even laughing. There isn’t always an obvious moral message, and the reader is often left with food for thought, maybe contemplating “what if?” along with a sense of wonder and entertainment that begins right from the very first page and never fades. The standard is so high that it creates a need to keep reading; just when you think you’ve been able to pick a favourite, another comes along, bringing a feast of ideas. The editors have assembled a fantastic collection here, one that offers an array of talent and is packed with stories that are all worthy of a return visit. Cursed is an anthology that certainly lives up to and surpasses expectations, with each tale creating its own unique atmosphere, treating the reader to unexpected developments and characters that will delight and thrill and ultimately satisfy. There is that sense of wanting more (as with all great fiction), but – as many of the stories will tell you – we have to be careful what we wish for.’     Foreword Magazine had this to offer: ‘A curse is a wish gone sour, twisted sideways, and stuck into the softest spots. Titan’s Cursed collects twenty skin-crawling, tooth-grinding scary and sensuous stories and lyric poems that revive traditional fairy tales and create beautiful new horrors as well. In many entries, magic pervades real life; trolls, fairies, and spirits brush shoulders with unsuspecting people. In Catriona Ward’s “At That Age,” a pair of creepy twins emit “a strange, delicate scent … like the fruit bowl at home when those little flies start hanging over it.” Normalized magic increases the spooky factor of stories like “New Wine,” suggesting that life could go sideways at any moment. The wrong word is enough to invite danger here; Cursed revisits well-loved tales about Snow White, Peter Pan, and Little Red Riding Hood alongside a smattering of modern stories. Many entries pay homage to traditional images, incorporating otherworldly visitors, poison, and unexpected powers. However, these tales’ deliberate amorality suggests that, for modern magic, curses are a matter of chance. Bad luck is equal opportunity and could happen to anyone. Curses are portrayed as natural disasters or a necessary evil, as when heartbroken Jack trades places with a maybe-malevolent beast in Neil Gaiman’s “Troll Bridge.” The troll diagnoses Jack’s innate troll-ness, his selfishness and inadequacy. After a lifetime of failure, Jack chooses the bridge, setting the creature free. Monsters, hexes, and mythology mingle with everyday people, suggesting that the veil between daily life and certain doom is much thinner than presumed. Curses arrive as punishment, but are not linked to any particular misdeed. Jane Yolen’s eerie poems about haunted castles bookend the stories. Cursed is an excellent collection whose unforgettable, spooky images invoke the magic of daily life.’     This from Lisa’s Books, Gems and Tarot: ‘I enjoyed reading this book so much! It was so interesting to read. There were some stories that I was familiar with, such as Snow White, but with a twist. There were other stories that were not so familiar, but amazing. All of the writing was spot on, and each story kept me engaged. My favourite: I had to pick a favourite story from them all and that was “Listen” by Jen Williams. This story was about a girl called Erren who was cursed. She was forced to play music to bring back the dead of those who listened. The truth of their deaths to finally come out. I would definitely recommend this book. It was such a quick read with you able to read a tale here and there. I gave it 4*’     And from Pythia Reads: ‘This collection of twists on folk and fairy tales is an absolute joy to read. I’d intended to read one or two of the stories and save the rest… All I can say is that that didn’t happen. Fairy tales and folktales are some of my favourite things, particularly because of the cultural features and inbuilt messages from the times and societies in which they were written, and I absolutely love reading new interpretations and twists on stories that may be timeless in terms of their entertainment factor, but perhaps not so morally relevant now (for example, a princess waiting around for a prince to save her is no longer a particularly positive message for young girls) and what nuances within the tale can be tweaked to make it an entirely different story with a new message. I was thrilled to see another collection of this sort from Titan, having previously read Hex Life (twists on tales of magic and witchery) and adored it. I’m going to stick to commentary about two of my favourite stories from Cursed, the first being “As Red as Blood, as White as Snow” by Christina Henry. This tale is based on Snow White and subverts the expectation that the Prince is indeed charming and the stepmother is evil. In this instance, Snow’s stepmother does everything that she can to try and protect her and give her a chance to survive her impending marriage to a prince who intends to claim her by whatever means necessary, having manipulated her father by enchantment and played the court into believing his dangerous obsession is devotion. There is a whole realm of terror in the simple sentence, “I see the way he looks at me.”… One of the other stories that I found especially effective is a retelling of Peter Pan, entitled “Wendy, Darling”, by Christopher Golden. In this tale, the features of the Peter Pan story are translated into a “real world” scenario, in which Wendy has what her father and medical professionals have told her are mad delusions; visions of the Lost Boys who accuse her of forgetting them and abandoning them when she should have been their mother. On the eve of her wedding, Wendy sees the Lost Boys again, who prompt her to remember what she has tried to forget and move on from, which is heavily implied to be a childhood rape by a boy named James, nicknamed “Hook” for his work at the butcher’s… Cursed is a brilliant collection.’     While Trans-Scribe stated: ‘Anthology books can be a gamble. The very nature of compiling a book with a dozen or more different authors, with varying styles and takes on a certain subject means that there could very easily be some parts of a book, perhaps even a majority, that won't quite be to your taste. Luckily, readers seemed to have dodged this curse (see what I did there?) with Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales. The brilliant duo of Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane have once again produced a collection of short stories and poems that not just manage to entertain, but make some bold choices. As the name of the book suggests, there are some stories in this collection that have their roots in the world of fairy tales, and are intriguing reinterpretations of classic stories, whilst some others do something completely different and bring the magic and horror of curses into the modern world… The book is packed with great tales, and some amazing authors. Whatever style that you enjoy, or writers that you like, is sure to be met here. The book has something for everyone, and continues the tradition of Titan producing some of the best anthology books around.’     Finally Bloody Flicks rounded everything off with: ‘When it comes to the classics, it never harms to go back and appreciate some stories of yesteryear. In this anthology, edited by authors Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, we have some twists on fairy tales plus a mix of brand new stories and poetry thrown in for good measure. There really is plenty to admire here, with an array of different authors adding their slants on tales such as trolls under bridges or even sleeping beauty given a sexual predator vibe. With the short story format, even some of the stories that don’t work are over in a flash so you can move on to the next one. Highlights include Charlie Jane Anders’ bombastic “Fairy Werewolf vs Vampire Zombie”, Christina Henry’s “As Red as Blood as White as Snow” and Lilith Saintcrow’s “Haza and Ghani”. The beauty of Cursed is that after finishing it, it gave me incentive to discover authors I had never heard of before; which is probably the best gift of all.’ You can read the full versions of those here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can order the book here and here. ---------------------------------------------       But the promotions didn’t end there. For starters, there was a big full page Cursed advert in SFX (above).     It was also chosen as one of the best books of the month by Den of Geek here.     And of course there was a Cursed Forbidden Planet signing in London, just prior to the lockdown. You can see photos from this and the HWA pub meet afterwards above and below.                     -------------------------------------------------------     Back to one of the anthologies from last year now, and a huge congratulations to Juliet Marillier whose story ‘Good Dog, Alice’ from Wonderland has been shortlisted for an Aurealis Award. You can read the full list of nominees here. ------------------------------------------------------     Paul reviewed the classic chiller Magic last month for Sci-Fi Bulletin. You can read what he had to say by clicking here. ---------------------------------------------     Finally, Paul was interviewed last month for Janine’s Ghost Stories, which you can read simply by clicking here. --------------------------------------------   March     The official movie tie-in book for The Colour of Madness, as reported in previous news sections has gone up for pre-order. You can see the front cover and wraparound cover above, and find the first pictures of the very first edition (as modelled by publisher Francesca of Luna Press) below.           Out in April, you can pre-order directly from the publishers simply by clicking here. ------------------------------------------------         Copies of Blood Red Sky, published by Silver Shamrock, went out to reviewers last month and various promos appeared online (all above)  To order that one, just click here or here. --------------------------------------------------     Joining us as Guest Writer for March is StokerCon attendee and award-winning writer, the wonderful Priya Sharma. Author of books such as All the Fabulous Beasts (above) and Ormeshadow (below), we have an extract from one of her stunning pieces of short fiction which you can read by clicking here.     ---------------------------------------------------     Returning to The Colour of Madness for a moment, post production continued on the movie itself at Juniper Post in Burbank – photos above and below.                       ---------------------------------------------     The short movie Paul scripted, The Torturer, is also in post-production and nearing completion (as announced above). A new still from the production was also released last month (below).     -----------------------------------------------------     A sneak peek at the audio version of Paul’s thriller Her Last Secret has gone online. Read by Ethan Kelly, you can listen to that here and order from Audible here.     Another great 4* review of the physical copy of the book – out this month – has also appeared. This is what Shalini’s Books & Reviews had to say: ‘I think I have quite a gooey heart, this book, a pure murder mystery, had me quite emotional at times… My first book by author PL Kane, I too wanted to know who killed this child who was so troubled in life that she was cutting herself. My insides twisted as the family life unfurled. I felt sad for the parents for their loss of love and relationship, and the way they lost their only child. The story was quite a domestic drama… The twist shook me and made this book come alive. I loved the rush of excitement, the heartbeat rising with every page, and the ending which caused a surge of adrenaline. It was this twist which invigorated me and made this book a fun read. I had tears at the end of the book for the daughter they had lost…’ You can read the full thing here. And order the paperback here and here. --------------------------------------     Contributors to the Cursed anthology were getting their copies last month, and posting pictures online – including Alison Littlewood, James Brogden, Tim Lebbon, Jen Williams, Catriona Ward and Angela Slatter (above and below).               Meanwhile, the first glowing review for the book appeared on Publishers Weekly (above), who said: ‘O’Regan and Kane, who previously collaborated as editors on Wonderland, an anthology of stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, bring together 18 new and reimagined fairy tales in this spellbinding anthology, bookended by poems from Jane Yolen… Readers won’t have to be Brothers Grimm fans to appreciate this dark mélange.’ To read the full review, click here. And you can order the book here and here. --------------------------------------------     Finally, Paul reviewed the supernatural movie Under the Shadow last month for Sci-Fi Bulletin. You can read what he had to say about this here. -------------------------------------------------- February   We continue to hit the ground running in 2020, with the cover reveal of yet another new book coming in March. Published by Silver Shamrock, Blood Red Sky (above, art and design by Kealan Patrick Burke) is a unique post-apocalyptic tale. This from the official PR: ‘The world has changed. Ever since the night that sky, the blood red sky, appeared and the adults were wiped out by what some of those who remain call the Trolls. Huge, hulking beasts that hunt the young survivors. One such group have tried to make a life for themselves, tried to create another family after losing their original ones – whilst at the same time planning a way to defeat the creatures who roam this new landscape. But that’s all about to change as well, when a couple of newcomers appear. Strangers who have their own story to tell… The latest post-apocalyptic tale from Paul Kane, the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of the Hooded Man novels, Pain Cages, Lunar, Before, The Rot and Sherlock Homes and the Servants of Hell, this is a compelling coming of age novella unlike anything you’ve ever read.’ You can pre-order this title here or here. ---------------------------------------     The ebook version of Her Last Secret was released last month, bringing with it more 4 and 5 star NetGalley and Amazon reviews. Here are just a few of the comments: ‘THE PLOT TWIST! I swear on anything you want, not even for a second I had seen this coming!... Grab this book... Just do it! Read it, and thank me later!’; ‘I found this a quick read – mostly because I couldn't put this down once I started! Well written, great characters with a great story. Hooked from page 1. A great read.’; ‘I really enjoyed this book! The plot was fantastic! I read this in one sitting! I loved the strong characters in the book!’; ‘The tension is always present... A very fascinating story that you won't want to stop reading.’; ‘Had me hooked from the start. I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.’; ‘A very interesting psychological thriller.’; ‘This is a gripping book that I just couldn’t put down. I found that I read it really quickly because I was really keen to know more... I enjoyed the author’s writing style and characters that I would like to see more of in future books. I would recommend if you fancy something exciting or enjoy the genre. I will look forward to more from the author. Brilliant.’; ‘I really enjoyed the storyline and the plot twist was like WOAH! It was well written and easy for me to read quickly... well worth the read and I will be checking out any future books by this author.’; ‘I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.’; ‘This is a good quick read. There is a lot of action and I was gripped the whole way through.’; ‘An entertaining, well-written book and I really liked the way the plot developed.’     Paul was also fortunate enough to receive quotes from the crime-writing community. MW Craven – bestselling and CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning author of The Puppet Show and Black Summer (above) – said: ‘P.L. Kane has delivered a stand-out crime thriller. The character-driven plot is intelligent, clever and finely paced, and Jake Radcliffe is a flawed but compassionate protagonist. Exceptional.’     Jo Jakeman – bestselling author of Sticks and Stones and Safe House (above) – said, ‘What are you doing to me, PL Kane? I’ve got editing to be getting on with, but I accidentally read the first few pages of Her Last Secret and couldn’t stop! I think my heart might be broken! Cracking thriller…’     While Roz Watkins – bestselling author of The Devil’s Dice and Dead Man’s Daughter (above) – called the book, ‘A dark, twisty tale with an emotional heart.’     As well as this, the novel was the subject of a blog and review tour. You can see what people thought of it below. Captivated by Fantasy: ‘I have said it before and I will say it again…I LOVE a good thriller!!! And I loved this one. One thing I really appreciated about this read was the complex storyline, although the case appeared straight-forward, its complex layers make for a compelling and page turning read. The question on everyone’s tongue was, “WHO KILLED JORDAN?” Well, well, well, buckle in for a fast-paced ride because this is one hell of journey of discovery. The protagonist, a grieving father, drives the story through a guilt-driven and tragic point of view – and is definitely one that grabs the readers’ attention and gets them on board… The over-arching narrative and characters make for a quick and intense read. I would definitely pick up another one of Kane’s books.’     Book Wormery: ‘This is a story of a family tragedy and a murder mystery. A tale of loss, grief and guilt after the death of Jordan…the what if’s and maybe’s . This is not a police procedural or thriller, it’s gripping murder mystery with an emotional heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it.’     Mrs Feg Fiction: ‘You all know that thrillers and crime mysteries are my absolute fave genre, and it’s been too long since I had a good one to get my teeth into! I absolutely loved Jake and the idea of a normal civilian investigating a crime (I hope he will get a book 2, I have lots of ideas for this!!) He has to really dig deep into himself to uncover the truth about his daughter and my heart broke for him! This book is full of secrets, some big, some small, and it has a couple of really strong plot twists. There’s lots of darkness and danger and I held my breath more than once! The plot twist at the end though is more than I could have asked for!! I've seen a review saying that one part of this story was a bit too far-fetched, but as I am closely linked to a real-life detective, I know that this isn’t the case! (sadly) and I loved the fact that I didn't see this twist coming at all! There are side plots to the main storyline of friendship, love and forgiveness and I really liked the characters! I especially liked Sam (can she go into book 2 please?) Overall thoroughly enjoyed this one, it’s a 4.5 star for me!’     Cheryl M-M’s Book Blog: ‘The death of a child, your own child, is the worst possible experience a parent can go through, even more so when your child is brutally murdered. Jake and Julie are completely devastated by the murder of their daughter Jordan. The only comfort is the fact the police already have the murderer in custody. Bobby was found covered in his girlfriend’s blood, but he still insists that he is innocent. Her parents, in particular Jake, find it difficult to reconcile their present with their past. Jake has to deal with the new man in her life and the new father figure in his daughter’s life. A man he takes an instant dislike to – is it just jealousy? One of the most poignant elements of this story is guilt. Jake realises that there is no going back – no do over as a father to his daughter. He wasn’t there to protect Jordan or to give her advice. Instead the separation from wife and home also resulted in the father and daughter relationship being severed. He points the finger straight at his ex-wife. Why didn't she pay more attention to what Jordan was doing and who she was seeing? It’s an easy way to deal with your own sense of guilt, I suppose. Blame someone else, because the reality is so much more painful than Jake wants to acknowledge. It’s an emotionally charged domestic noir – fraught with guilt and regret. Kane plots a crime, but turns the story into a compelling tale about relationships, broken homes and families.’     Books Behind the Title: ‘This book brought me to tears. It is a story told from the POV of the grieving father, his turmoil, guilt, grief are all described so well that you feel his pain. You become invested, in his fight for justice and the truth. You want him to put to rest all the regret he feels for not being in his eyes a better father. His fight for the truth takes him on a dark lonely path, alienating people in his desperate search. He is haunted by the ghost of his daughter and he knows that while ever her murderer is out there she won’t rest in peace. The first suspect seems to be the one, but is he? Jake is not totally convinced. Jake takes on those that want the death wrapped up as soon as possible leaving him convinced there is some form of conspiracy. The book charts his seemingly self-destructive path to the truth, and we the reader are grieving alongside him as he struggles on. The tension, pace and depth make it an engrossing book and one I finished in one day. Totally moved by the description of Jake’s thoughts and feelings, it could have made for hard reading, but for me it was also uplifting and poignant. The final truth when it is revealed is such a shock not only to him but to me as I never saw it coming. A different take on a crime novel by using the POV of the grieving family over the detectives searching for the killers make it a fabulously powerful book.’     Melanie’s Reads: ‘This is a fantastic character-driven book, highlighting the fractious relationship between a teenage daughter, before her murder, and her now divorced parents. The detailed account of their grief tore through me as a parent of a teenage girl myself, and having been a similar teenager to Jordan back in the day made me empathise with her too. Starting with a slow but steady pace it picks up once Jake starts investigating and my favourite character, lawyer Sam Ferrara, is introduced. In she waltzes to get Jake released from the cells and gives the book a little light relief from all the darkness. I loved her attitude, her sharp perceptiveness and her sense of justice in wanting answers even if it could hurt her client who is the main suspect in Jordan’s murder. A dark domestic crime thriller with a really strong plot that delivers some nice unexpected twists and another author to add to my booky radar.’     Book Reviews For U: ‘This was my first time delving into anything written by this author. We are immediately thrown into the gruesome discovery of the body of Jordan Radcliffe, daughter of Jake & Julie. All evidence is pointing to her boyfriend Robert “Bobby” Bannister but Jordan’s dad Jake feels something is off with him having committed the crime. Thrown into the equation is the fact that Jake didn’t have a great relationship with his daughter in the later years of her life, so trying to find out anything about her life and her friends proves a little difficult for him. Emotions are high between Jake, his ex Julie and her new husband Greg. Why can't Jake seem to get on with Greg? And old feelings are being stirred up between himself and Julie which isn’t helping... Jake does have a good friend in Matthew though, the police officer on the case. But he is a man on a mission to solve his daughter’s murder while trying to deal with his grief on his own. Grief that at times is too much for him to handle… A gripping read that will have you turning the pages quite quickly...’     Locky Loves Books: ‘Poor Jake was really tortured by the past and his actions and, even though he rather brought it all upon himself, I had sympathy for this poor grieving father who has lots of regrets and guilt and was unable to protect his little girl when it counted most and save her from being murdered. This was an entertaining, well-written book and I really liked the way the plot developed and we got to know more about Jake and Jordan. The story was a bit slow paced at first but it was good to build up a picture of events and see things from Julie and Jordan’s viewpoints. Then things ramped up as Jake got nearer the truth and found himself in some dark and dangerous situations. There were lots of interesting twists and turns and a surprising back story is revealed that I wasn’t expecting! Overall, an enjoyable, quick read and I’ll be looking out for more of P.L. Kane’s books in the future.’     Darren Purdue: ‘I’ve seen this book scrolling across my social media feed and decided to give it a shot. The title alone caught my attention and I did some digging and discovered that the author PL Kane is actually Paul Kane. Since I have a couple of his books under my belt, I was ready to dive in. The set up for the book is a good one. A father gets a message that his estranged daughter was murdered. He goes back home to find out what happened. As he digs, some of his daughter’s darker secrets come to light. The more he digs, the less he likes what he finds, until he gets to her final secret, and it is one that can tear the whole town apart. Overall, this was a fun and fast read… The main character, Jacob Radcliffe, is one you want to see succeed, and some of the people in his way you really want to see get theirs… Would I recommend this book to a friend? Yes. Would I but this book for someone who likes the genre? Yes. Will I read anything else the author comes out with? Most definitely. 4 bookmarks out of 5.’     The Eloquent Page: ‘I think it is the characterisation where Kane’s writing excels. It certainly raises this above your standard crime thriller fare. Jake and Jules are so well fleshed out, they feel real. These are two ordinary people who have had to deal with an extraordinary situation. Fans of television shows like Broadchurch and The Killing, and I count myself amongst them, should seek out this novel...  Part psychological drama, part character study, Her Last Secret is a captivating and intense experience.’   You can read the full versions of these here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.   But to judge for yourself, you can read the first couple of chapters of the novel at Google Books here, plus Paul had penned an unseen extract from Jordan’s diary which is now on the HQ Stories site here.       To mark the occasion of the novel’s release, a new website featuring all things PL Kane-related has also launched (above) which you can find here. And to order Her Last Secret on Amazon just click here. -----------------------------------------     Sticking with crime for a moment, our Guest Writer for this month is Ronnie Turner (above), author of the superb debut thriller Lies Between Us (below), which you can read an extract from simply by clicking here.     ----------------------------------------     Back to reviews now, and Paul’s werewolf tale in Leaders of the Pack has been getting some attention with Ginger Nuts of Horror saying it’s ‘Best described as a feminist werewolf tale’here and Books I Like stating, ‘Paul Kane is an author I have enjoyed the writings of before many a time! And this story is no exception!’here. Paul also talked about his love of the sub-genre and what he was trying to achieve with the tale here. You can order the anthology itself here and here. ------------------------------------------     Paul received his contributor copies of the French translation of the Warhammer anthology Maledictions last month (above and below). The book contains his tale ‘Triggers’ which for this edition has become ‘Traumas’.       ------------------------------------       Paul was busy reviewing last month. He tackled two classic horrors from Amicus, The House That Dripped Blood and Asylum (both above), and the German TV show 8 Days (below) for Sci-Fi Bulletin. You can read those here, here, and here.     ------------------------------------------     Paul and Marie were in Hornsea visiting PS Towers last month (above you can see the very enjoyable curry on the final evening), and from there went to Scarborough for StokerCon meetings (below).       It’s not long till the convention now and things are getting finalised, including the Ann Radcliffe conference which you can find the page for here. So to book your place just click here. ------------------------------------------     Just before that, Paul and Marie will be doing a signing for their new anthology Cursed at the Forbidden Planet Megastore in London on 7th March at 1pm (with James Brogden, Jen Williams, Catriona Ward and Maura McHugh), followed immediately afterwards by a HWA Pub Meet at the Craft Beer Company at 2pm. You can find a link to the signing here and the page for the HWA event here. ---------------------------------------     Finally, February is of course Paul’s birthday month, so we’re sure you’ll join us in wishing him many happy returns! ------------------------------------------------ January   The first piece of news for 2020 is that a very special movie tie-in is heading your way, to coincide with the release of The Colour of Madness (above). Published by Luna Press – who brought out Paul’s collection The Controllers last year – this will not only include the original story the film is based on, ‘Men of the Cloth’, but also other folk horror tales from Paul and extras from the production, in particular exclusive behind the scenes photos. You can find out more about it all by reading Paul’s piece on the Luna site here. ----------------------------------     Crime authors were posting pictures of receiving their copies of Her Last Secret last month, including MW Craven (above), Angela Clarke, Roz Watkins (featuring Starsky the dog), Sam Carrington and Fiona Cummins (all below).           In addition to this, more reviewers have been posting their thoughts on NetGalley, including these reactions: ‘Dark, creepy and dangerous this was a fantastic book and very well written. I loved it and was on the edge of my seat the whole time.’; ‘Such a compulsive, claustrophobic read. It made my heartrate climb... Characters are at their peak. Jake’s character is awesome and makes you feel connected with him... Narration of the story is good and keeps you engaged till the end...awesome thriller. Highly recommended.’; ‘At times this book was really chilling, fast paced, and unputdownable... The characters are well developed, and it is well written... If you like those creepy, atmospheric thrillers you will definitely love this one!’; ‘What an utterly fantastic story, the emotion absolutely pours from the pages. Although Jake was flawed I think he worked perfectly as a character.’         Plus the novel received its first blog review over at The Secret Book Sleuth, who commented: ‘Shout out to this author for bringing all this to the light and having the discussion of those who overstep their boundaries in more than one way. As a survivor of abuse it’s crucial that those who are abused are not lost.’ You can read the full review here. To pre-order the book on Amazon, still for only 99p, click here. And a reminder that PL Kane has a Twitter page, which you can follow @PLKane1 for all the latest news. ------------------------------------------     Our first Guest Writer of the decade is Alice Castle, author of the  #1 bestselling London Murder Mysteries series including Death in Dulwich and The Girl in the Gallery (above). Her first thriller as A.M. Castle is The Perfect Widow (below) for HQ Digital/HarperCollins and you can read an exclusive taster of that one here.     --------------------------------------------------     Paul received his gorgeous hardback contributor copies of Leaders of the Pack (above and below) at Christmas. Published by Horrific Tales, Paul’s tale is a spin-off from his popular Life Cycle series: ‘Lifeline’.           Out very soon, you can pre-order this one here and here. -------------------------------------------     Last month, the filmmakers behind The Torturer – Little Spark – made another promo video for The Servants Box featuring Sherlock Homes and Watson (above and below).     -------------------------------------------------     Sticking with movies for a moment, and Paul reviewed one of the biggest hits of the holidays for Sci-Fi Bulletin, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (above). Included with a contrasting review, you can read what he thought of this one here if you scroll to the middle. ------------------------------------------------------     More reviews now, and the Sci-Fi And Fantasy Reviewer had a look at Maledictions, featuring Paul’s story ‘Triggers’. Here’s what they had to say: ‘“Triggers” by Paul Kane is a rather intriguing piece of fiction that looks at a character archetype that so often appears in the background of Warhammer 40k stories but is rarely, if ever, the focus: the planetary governor. Tobias Grail is a Governor with a shady and murky past, and at the beginning of the story there’s little indication as to how, exactly, a former Imperial Guardsman came to assume such a high-ranking and powerful position. Kane paints a portrait of a man who’s outwardly confident, assured, even arrogant and vain, but actually harbours both a dark secret and some very specific personal habits that tend towards exactly the sort of dodgy stuff the archetype trends towards in other 40k fiction. There are some twists and surprises in the overarching plot of the story, and it’s a tale well told with some rather chilling undertones.’     Meanwhile The Book Bag reviewed the forthcoming Titan anthology Paul co-edited with Marie, Cursed (above). And they said: ‘Curses. They’re there throughout tales of faerie and other fantastical folk – people being cursed to do this, or not to be able to do that. Children can be cursed, as can princesses on the verge of marrying, and older people too. It seems in a way there’s no escaping it. Which is why the theme of this book of short stories is such a standout – we may well think we know all there is to know about this accursed character, that demonised place, and that other bewitched person. We’d be very wrong… All told, though, this was definitely a strongly put together compilation, with very solid qualities, and no real stinkers of note. Yes, a few of the choicer pieces had been in other anthologies before now, but not to a huge extent and not well-known ones, meaning to a dabbler in fantasy and faerie a lot of this would remain brand new. The editors have managed to secure such a strong bunch of pieces… This, then, really does achieve exactly what it set out to do. Curse it.’   You can read the full versions of both of these here and here. -----------------------------------------     Finally, above and below you’ll find photos from Paul’s trip to London in December, including spotting his books in Forbidden Planet, attending a Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue signing and the HWA Christmas Pub Meet at the Angel, which was packed.                 -------------------------------------------------------------- Current news can be viewed here 2023 news can be viewed here 2022 news can be viewed here 2021 news can be viewed here 2019 news can be viewed here 2018 news can be viewed here 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2014 news can be viewed here 2013 news can be viewed here 2012 news can be viewed here 2011 news can be viewed here 2010 news can be viewed here 2009 news can be viewed here 2008 news can be viewed here 2007 news can be viewed here 2006 news can be viewed here 2005 news can be viewed here 2004 news can be viewed here 2003 news can be viewed here

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