1865. Coal lies beneath Scratch Moss Hall and Lord Henry Brody is determined to get to it. But something else lurks below, something dark and evil.
1905. Reverend George Ackman has never known such godless people as those of Scratch Moss. But if not God, what do they believe in?
1945. Arthur works for the Coal Commission, visiting privately-owned pits ahead of their nationalisation. On his visit to Scratch Moss, he finds only misery and death.
1985. The miners have lost. Thatcher reigns supreme. And in the shattered community of Scratch Moss, rumours resurface about Red Clogs, a terrible presence in the land below.
2025. Divorced, fifty-something writer Joe returns to his hometown of Scratch Moss for the funeral of his father. Soon the memories of Joe’s teenage years, and the horror that blighted the community, come flooding back
A devastating, five-timeline tale centred on a community first invigorated, then devastated by the coal mining industry in the most original folk horror novel of the year.

Praise for Scratch Moss

‘A creepy folk horror set in an old mining town which moves between generations to slowly build a picture of a town complicit in some terrible things. Really loved this one!’ Sarah Pinborough

What readers are saying about Scratch Moss

‘David Barnett may just be the new king of British Folklore horror.’

‘Holy CRAP. David Barnett is at the top of his game.’

‘Wow! I am firmly convinced that David Barnett is simply a master of the folklore horror genre.’

‘I can happily say this was phenomenal.’

‘David has once again made the sleepy corners of England creepy, taking the mundane of everyday live and making it extraordinary.’

‘Folk horror done right.’

‘Earning a locked-in place in my 2026 Top 10.’

Christmas Day 1943, Arisaig, Scotland. The body of beautiful, well-connected Polish SOE agent Krystina Kowolska is found in the gardens of the country house where she’s been preparing for a vital mission to France. The question is, was she already dead when she was hanged?

Two days later, resistance double agent, Investigator Jan Kalisz of the Warsaw Kripo is flown to Britain where Winston Churchill himself tasks him with finding Krystina’s killer, before the cracks in Britain’s alliance with Poland become fractures.

Yet Arisaig is a place of secrets where everyone is a trained killer, and Kalisz discovers that Krystina had her demons and her enemies. Was she the hero her record suggests or the traitor the whispers hint at?

The gripping third instalment in the Warsaw Quartet by Douglas Jackson, perfect for readers of Chris Lloyd and Simon Scarrow.

Praise for Blood Roses, book one of the Warsaw Quartet

‘A compelling, evocative story of evil stalking amidst the chaos of war’ Giles Kristian

‘A dark, twisting thriller … Jan Kalisz, Douglas Jackson’s police officer hero, is the natural heir to the late Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther’ Andrew Taylor

‘A remarkable crime debut What raises the novel to another level is in the atmospheric evocation of a city in the process of being systematically obliterated by the Germans and brought to life again by Jackson’s pen Gripping stuff, a series that could develop into something impressive and a goldmine for Philip Kerr Bernie Gunther fans’ Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time

‘Immensely powerful and vivid …. This is historical crime fiction at its best’ Chris Lloyd

‘The writing is scalpel-sharp, the unrelenting savagery of the Nazi occupation vividly painted With this book, Jackson will rightfully be regarded as one of the UK’s finest crime writers’ Ben Kane

‘A taut, tense thriller Gutsy and gripping, this is perfect for fans of Chris Lloyd and Robert Harris’ D. V. Bishop

‘Jackson has created a brilliant mash-up of WW2 thriller and a serial killer chiller, and in so doing brings a fresh perspective to both. Sharp, intelligent writing that makes for a compelling read’ Alison Belsham

‘Jan Kalisz is a dazzling addition to the canon of compromised heroes… A thrilling wartime adventure story’ Russ Thomas

‘Jackson brings the tension, brutality and paranoia of Warsaw of the period into murderous life. A knife-edge thriller’ Douglas Skelton

‘A dark story set against dark times, you practically need a torch to read it’ Alec Marsh, author of Rule Britannia

‘Jackson has written an utterly compelling novel … A remarkable piece of work, a fine piece of craftsmanship’ Scotsman

William Shakespeare is moving up in the world, his name respected both at court and the theatre. Accepted by Queen Elizabeth, he is trusted to write plays for her, so long as she likes them…
When one of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting is found dead, almost everyone suspects murder. But who stood to gain? And are the rumours that she was with child true?
Sir Robert Cecil, Elizabeth’s spymaster, senses an opportunity to finally rid himself of his bitter rival, the Earl of Essex, who was seen with the girl before she died, and tasks Will to uncover the truth.
But Shakespeare knows that the Earl of Southampton, his patron, is allied to the Earl of Essex. Will is caught between powerful foes. But this time, he must choose a side if he is to survive.
The Bard turns sleuth once more in this fascinating second instalment in the investigations of William Shakespeare.
Praise for Howard Linskey
‘Evoking the danger and the everyday struggles of people in Elizabethan England, A Serpent in the Garden gives us a new slant on Shakespeare and his world. I couldn’t put it down’ Barbara Nadel
‘I haven’t had this much fun in the Elizabethan era since Joseph Fiennes woo’d Gwyneth Paltrow’ Douglas Skelton
‘Absolutely fantastic. Clever, sly, funny, gripping everything to make it a terrific read’ Ajay Chowdhury
‘Howard has done a wonderful job of weaving a thrilling adventure into the weft of established history. The setting is wonderfully evoked and the pacing spot on’ James Oswald
‘Historical fiction meets crime mystery as Howard Linskey transports us back to Shakespeare’s London for this rich page-turner’ Isabel Ashdown

Rose Marlowe is a hard-working nurse, a loving wife, and a merciless killer. Or so she says. Despite her confession, it is hard to believe that this beautiful, kind woman could have killed her vulnerable patient in cold blood.

Down-on-his-luck true crime author, Theo Hazel, is convinced that there’s more to what happened than Rose is telling, and so decides to visit her behind bars to write her story. His first surprise comes when Rose reveals that the victim was not a stranger to her.

As time goes on, it seems that Rose is letting Theo see behind her perfect mask. With each new visit, he learns terrible new things about her heart-breaking past. With each new visit, he becomes more and more convinced that she can’t be a killer. But is he trying to free an innocent woman, or falling prey to a calculating murderer?

A gripping and unputdownable thriller that will keep you guessing into the early hours of the morning. Perfect for fans of The Silent Patient, Shari Lapena and JP Delaney.

What everyone is saying about The Nurse:

‘A clever, pitch-perfect read’ Jenny O’Brien, author of Silent Cry, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Wow what a read!? I was glued to the pages? Another stay up all night read! The idea for this story I found to be fresh, its execution first-class and its characterisation second to none. The Nurse is dark, compelling, compulsive, twisty and will have you addicted from beginning to end as you race to see how it all will unfold? A must read for 2021.’ Once Upon a Time Book Reviews, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Will stay with you long after the final page’ S.E. Lynes, author of The Housewarming

‘Among the best of the psychological thrillers that I have read? The author has smashed it out of the park? A fresh plot and so gripping throughout? There really was no putting this book down unless I absolutely had to.’ Beyond the Books, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘I finished The Nurse last week and can’t stop thinking about it‘ NetGalley Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Took me completely by surprise!’ Karen King, author of The Stranger in my Bed, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Haunting, spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat reading!‘ Noelle Holten, author of the DC Maggie Jamieson series

‘I absolutely inhaled this book. Read it in two days and obsessed about it when I wasn’t reading it. SO gripping and twisty, I couldn’t put it down? Highly recommend! Go and read it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘One of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘It was impossible to put the book down‘ NetGalley Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Took my breath away!‘ Jane Isaac, author of the DCI Helen Lavery series

‘You just want to devour the book in one sitting’ Goodreads Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘An easy five-star read for me!’ J.M. Hewitt, author of The Night Caller, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Didn’t want it to end? Really packs a punch.’ Amanda Robson, author of Obsession

‘Kept me on my toes throughout’ Goodreads Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Satisfyingly twisty‘ NetGalley Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Filled with intriguing characters and surprising twists’ M. M. DeLuca, author of The Secret Sister, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Utterly compelling and absorbing’ Jo Jakeman, author of Safe House

‘Clever and intriguing’ Emma Haughton, author of Now You See Me, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Twists and turns right up to the end’ Goodreads Reviewer, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

‘Thrilling and chilling’ Margaret Kirk, author of Shadow Man

Her younger son has just been diagnosed with autism.

She’s accidentally quit her job.

The marriage she was dedicated to suddenly seems like a sham.

She’s pretty sure that she is going to have an affair with a hot new dad at the school.

The only thing that stays the same is everyone else. Emma realises it’s not them – it’s her. But if she’s not who she thought she was, can her old life fit in with the new Emma?

Compassionate, funny and poignant, Another Us is perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Fiona Gibson.

Praise for Another Us:

‘Kirsten Hesketh’s debut is both painfully real and at times painfully funny. Another Us is the warm and witty novel you need in your beach-bag this year.’ Chrissie Manby, bestselling author of Seven Sunny Days

‘A real page-turner, with a wonderfully relatable main character. Kirsten has such a fresh new voice and I’m so excited to read whatever she writes next!’ Christina Pishiris, author of Love Songs for Sceptics

‘Delightful action-packed read that will break your heart only to glue the pieces back together, albeit in a slightly different order.’ Jenny O’Brien, author of Silent Cry

‘What may, at first, seem a light-hearted portrayal of playground politics becomes something brave and brilliant, which both entertains and informs. Kirsten Hesketh’s writing is assured and the pace never falters… a total must-read debut.’ Claire Dyer, author of The Moment

‘This accomplished debut is gripping, at times heart-breaking and wonderfully well-written. It sheds a piercing light on the choices and difficulties experienced when Asperger’s is a part of family life, but also shows the strength and power of courage, love and persistence. A searing and honest look at a family reaching breaking point.’ Maddie Please, author of The Summer of Second Chances