Tag: Horror

THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is in the Goodreads Choice Awards 1st Round!

Posted on Friday, November 19th, 2021

We’re very happy to report that THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP by Grady Hendrix is in the first round of the Goodreads Choice Awards! Nominated in the Horror category, voting is open until November 28th.

Published in the UK by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized — someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has picked up so far…

‘A wildly entertaining romp through the conventions of horror’s slasher film subgenre… Hendrix masterfully evokes the paranoid existences of his diverse cast in the aftermath of their traumatic ordeals, and he so explicitly details the massacres and fictional film sagas that grew out of them that readers may believe them to be real. The result is a wonderfully suspenseful and darkly comic novel that cleverly subverts popular culture.Horror fans will be wowed.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Hendrix presents yet another thought-provoking, fun, and chilling winner.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A bloody and grotesque but ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination.’ — Kirkus

‘[An] entertaining, fast-paced, and darkly humorous novel that reads like a sequel to a spooky ’80s horror flick.’ — Booklist

‘THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP sizzles with action, originality, and a gleaming concept sharp as a scalpel.’ — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘Pray for morning, wish for speed, and be as quiet as you can, it doesn’t matter — Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP already knows where you live and breathe.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

‘Take slasher movie adoration, critique, and satire, mix with compelling, flawed characters and neck-breaking plot twists, and drop it all into an industrial blender with large blades. Voilà, you now have Grady’s maniacally clever and compulsively readable The Final Girl Support Group.’ — Paul Tremblay, National bestselling author of Survivor Song

‘A (bloody) valentine to the slasher franchises of the VHS era, but also a smart novel about survivor guilt and the concept of the enduring heroine.’ — Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER: Perfect for Halloween!

Posted on Friday, October 29th, 2021

The spooky season is upon us! With Halloween on Sunday, we thought it would be a great opportunity to remind you all that Roger Zelazny‘s acclaimed A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER could serve as a perfect read for this weekend! Published in the UK by Farrago Books, and widely in translation, here’s the English-language synopsis…

All is not what it seems.

In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman named Jack prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff – gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite. For soon after the death of the moon, black magic will summon the Elder Gods back into the world. And all manner of Players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate.

Some have come to open the gates. Some have come to slam them shut. And now the dread night approaches – so let the Game begin.

Here is a selection of the various other editions the novel is available in…

‘One of Zelazny’s most delightful books: Jack the Ripper’s dog Snuff narrates a mad game of teams to cause or prevent armageddon.’ — Neil Gaiman

‘The last great novel by one of the giants of the genre.’ — George R.R. Martin

‘A madcap blend of horror tropes and fantasy… There aren’t many authors who would set out to write a novel in which the Wolfman and Jack the Ripper were the two heroes… And I’m not sure anyone else could have made it work.’ — Science Fiction Chronicle

‘Sparkling, witty, delightful. Zelazny’s best for ages, perhaps his best ever.’ — Kirkus

‘A cheerful, witty, well-crafted fantasy… Its deft, understated good humor and spare, poetic prose reaffirm Zelazny as one of fantasy’s most skilled practitioners.’ — Publishers Weekly

Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

Grady Hendrix‘s highly-anticipated new novel, THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is out today in the UK! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized — someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

While stocks last, the novel is also available as a signed edition with special sprayed edges from Waterstones (red) and Forbidden Planet (black)!

The novel has already picked up a number of great reviews and blurbs pre-publication. Here are just a few of them…

‘A wildly entertaining romp through the conventions of horror’s slasher film subgenre… Hendrix masterfully evokes the paranoid existences of his diverse cast in the aftermath of their traumatic ordeals, and he so explicitly details the massacres and fictional film sagas that grew out of them that readers may believe them to be real. The result is a wonderfully suspenseful and darkly comic novel that cleverly subverts popular culture.Horror fans will be wowed.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Hendrix presents yet another thought-provoking, fun, and chilling winner.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A bloody and grotesque but ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination.’ — Kirkus

‘[An] entertaining, fast-paced, and darkly humorous novel that reads like a sequel to a spooky ’80s horror flick.’ — Booklist

‘THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP sizzles with action, originality, and a gleaming concept sharp as a scalpel.’ — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘Pray for morning, wish for speed, and be as quiet as you can, it doesn’t matter — Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP already knows where you live and breathe.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

‘Take slasher movie adoration, critique, and satire, mix with compelling, flawed characters and neck-breaking plot twists, and drop it all into an industrial blender with large blades. Voilà, you now have Grady’s maniacally clever and compulsively readable The Final Girl Support Group.’ — Paul Tremblay, National bestselling author of Survivor Song

‘A (bloody) valentine to the slasher franchises of the VHS era, but also a smart novel about survivor guilt and the concept of the enduring heroine.’ — Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Grady Hendrix Interviewed re: THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

Posted on Monday, July 5th, 2021

In case you missed it, we wanted to share the interview Grady Hendrix did for Forbidden Planet TV, which you can watch above, celebrating the imminent release of THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP. The novel is due to be published by Titan Books in the UK next week! Here’s the synopsis…

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized — someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

Just as a reminder, the novel is available to pre-order in limited editions from Waterstones and Forbidden Planet.

Here are just a few of great reviews the novel has received already…

‘A wildly entertaining romp through the conventions of horror’s slasher film subgenre… Hendrix masterfully evokes the paranoid existences of his diverse cast in the aftermath of their traumatic ordeals, and he so explicitly details the massacres and fictional film sagas that grew out of them that readers may believe them to be real. The result is a wonderfully suspenseful and darkly comic novel that cleverly subverts popular culture.Horror fans will be wowed.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Hendrix presents yet another thought-provoking, fun, and chilling winner.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A bloody and grotesque but ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination.’ — Kirkus

‘[An] entertaining, fast-paced, and darkly humorous novel that reads like a sequel to a spooky ’80s horror flick.’ — Booklist

‘THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP sizzles with action, originality, and a gleaming concept sharp as a scalpel.’ — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘Pray for morning, wish for speed, and be as quiet as you can, it doesn’t matter — Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP already knows where you live and breathe.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

‘Take slasher movie adoration, critique, and satire, mix with compelling, flawed characters and neck-breaking plot twists, and drop it all into an industrial blender with large blades. Voilà, you now have Grady’s maniacally clever and compulsively readable The Final Girl Support Group.’ — Paul Tremblay, National bestselling author of Survivor Song

‘A (bloody) valentine to the slasher franchises of the VHS era, but also a smart novel about survivor guilt and the concept of the enduring heroine.’ — Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP by Grady Hendrix Out Next Month in the UK!

Posted on Monday, June 21st, 2021

This is just a reminder that the highly-anticipated latest novel from Grady Hendrix, THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is out next month! Due to be published in the UK by Titan Books, on July 13th, here’s the synopsis…

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized — someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

The novel is also available to pre-order as a signed edition with special sprayed edges from Waterstones (red) and Forbidden Planet (black)!

The novel has already been racking up a number of great reviews and blurbs. Here are just a few of them…

‘A wildly entertaining romp through the conventions of horror’s slasher film subgenre… Hendrix masterfully evokes the paranoid existences of his diverse cast in the aftermath of their traumatic ordeals, and he so explicitly details the massacres and fictional film sagas that grew out of them that readers may believe them to be real. The result is a wonderfully suspenseful and darkly comic novel that cleverly subverts popular culture.Horror fans will be wowed.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Hendrix presents yet another thought-provoking, fun, and chilling winner.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A bloody and grotesque but ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination.’ — Kirkus

‘[An] entertaining, fast-paced, and darkly humorous novel that reads like a sequel to a spooky ’80s horror flick.’ — Booklist

‘THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP sizzles with action, originality, and a gleaming concept sharp as a scalpel.’ — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘Pray for morning, wish for speed, and be as quiet as you can, it doesn’t matter — Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP already knows where you live and breathe.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

‘Take slasher movie adoration, critique, and satire, mix with compelling, flawed characters and neck-breaking plot twists, and drop it all into an industrial blender with large blades. Voilà, you now have Grady’s maniacally clever and compulsively readable The Final Girl Support Group.’ — Paul Tremblay, National bestselling author of Survivor Song

‘A (bloody) valentine to the slasher franchises of the VHS era, but also a smart novel about survivor guilt and the concept of the enduring heroine.’ — Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Coming Soon: Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP!

Posted on Wednesday, April 14th, 2021

You may have seen the North American cover for Grady Hendrix‘s highly-anticipated new novel circulating online for a little while, now. Today, we’re very happy to report that THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is going to get a UK edition!

Due to be published by Titan Books on July 13th, here’s the synopsis…

A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that follows a group of heroines to die for, from the brilliant New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

Ever wonder what happens to those Final Girls? After the cops eliminate them as suspects, after the press releases their brace-faced, pizza-cheeked, bad-hair-day class photos that inevitably get included on the cover of the true crime book? After the candlelight vigils and the moments of silence, after someone plants the memorial shrub?

For Lynette Tarkington, it’s been a support group. Her, five other final girls, a therapist. Close to twenty years. Today’s the last day for group, but Lynne doesn’t know it yet. It’s also going to be the last day for one of the group. And maybe the final day for all of the final girls, because someone’s been planning a nasty surprise for them for a long time.

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

JUDGE DEE Returns!

Posted on Thursday, February 11th, 2021

Judge Dee, Lavie Tidhar‘s vampire detective, returns! A new short story starring the character, JUDGE DEE AND THE THREE DEATHS OF COUNT WERDENFELS is out now! Available to read on Tor.com’s website, and also as an eBook, it’s another great detective story with a horror twist.

Judge Dee is back to solve a brand-new case involving the mysterious death of the vampire Count Werdenfels. The mystery? Who killed him. The twist? Three different people are proudly proclaiming to have committed the crime.

The first story, JUDGE DEE AND THE LIMITS OF THE LAW is also still available, on Tor.com and as an eBook.

Lavie’s latest full-length novel, the acclaimed BY FORCE ALONE is also out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.

‘Profane, hilarious, brutal… kills as both sheer entertainment and canny political statement. To my fellow writers: the Arthurian Revision category is now closed. Take your ball and go home.’ — Daryl Gregory

‘BY FORCE ALONE is a highly original take on Arthurian legend featuring aliens, a radioactive no-go area, a dragon sighting and the hunt for the Grail. Lancelot’s a ninja warrior, Merlin a fey creature, and Arthur a street kid… Sometimes when a writer has the audacity to revisit stories that others would avoid for fear of over-familiarity, they can steal the power of the oldest tales.’ — SFX

‘Tidhar saturates this epic adventure with profanity, dark humor, sword-sharp twists, and unexpected moments of pathos. Readers who hold King Arthur dear to their hearts will be gratified by Tidhar’s attention to detail amidst the innovation. This dark, imaginative take on a classic is sure to impress.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘One of the most purely enjoyable novels of the year, Lavie Tidhar’s BY FORCE ALONE, which reads very much like an Arthurian fantasy by someone who’s lost patience with Arthurian fantasies. With its punk, post-Brexit sensibility, its cavalier anachronisms, and genre-hopping that takes us everywhere from kung fu movies to Beowulf to the Strugatskys’ Roadside Picnic, it might well upset Arthurian purists, but is marvelous example of the anarchic possibilities of post-postmodern fantasy.’ — Locus

‘The novel is a bloody, bravura performance, which Tidhar pulls off with graphic imagery and modern vernacular… a salutary antidote to the more romantic glossings of recent modern fantasy.’ — Guardian

THE COMPLETE SOOKIE STACKHOUSE STORIES out now in UK paperback!

Posted on Thursday, November 26th, 2020

THE COMPLETE SOOKIE STACKHOUSE STORIES by Charlaine Harris is out now in paperback! Published in the UK by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

For the first time together in one volume, the complete Sookie Stackhouse short stories – with new introductions from Charlaine Harris

New fans can fill in the gaps in their Sookie lore, while old friends can revisit some of their favourite moments and characters. From investigating the murder of a local fairy to learning that her cousin was a vampire, from remodelling Tara’s house to attending a wedding with her shapeshifting boss Sam, Sookie navigates the perils and pitfalls of the paranormal world.

Gather round the bar at Bon Temps’ favourite watering hole and hear stories that will make you wish that Sookie never left, including:

‘Fairy Dust’
‘One Word Answer’
‘Dracula Night’
‘Lucky’
‘Gift Wrap’
‘Two Blondes’
‘If I Had a Hammer’
‘Small-Town Wedding’
‘Playing Possum’
‘In the Blue Hereafter’

This definitive collection is the perfect binge read for people who like their stories with bite!

Gollancz has published the entire Charlaine’s Sookie Stackhouse series in the UK. In case you somehow missed it, the novels are the inspiration behind HBO’s popular True Blood TV show. Here are all of the covers together…

Zeno represents Charlaine Harris in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Ishmael Jones Investigates THE HOUSE ON WIDOWS HILL in Two Weeks!

Posted on Monday, September 21st, 2020

THE HOUSE ON WIDOWS HILL, Simon R. Green‘s ninth Ishmael Jones novel is out in two weeks in North America! Already available in the UK, it will be published by Severn House, on October 6th. Here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones investigates a haunted house… but is haunted by his own past in the latest of this quirky paranormal mystery series.

Harrow House has remained empty for years. Now, on behalf of an anonymous prospective buyer, Ishmael and Penny are spending a night there in order to investigate the rumours of strange lights, mysterious voices, unexplained disappearances, and establish whether the house is really haunted. What really happened at Harrow House all those years ago?

Severn House publishes all of Green’s acclaimed Ishmael Jones novels in the North America and in the UK: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR, MURDER IN THE DARK, TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART, and NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the series has received so far…

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘Genre-blending author Green introduces another wisecracking protagonist, Ishmael Jones…Fans of the British TV series Torchwood will enjoy the irreverent, otherworldly protagonist.’ — Booklist on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect…I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘Not to be taken too seriously, this meld of SF and traditional hard-boiled spy fiction hints at plenty of further adventures.’ — Publishers Weekly on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘This sequel to the wonderful THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD takes the basic structure of a traditional English country house mystery and mixes it with a bit of supernatural horror and suspense. Richard Kadrey and E.E. Knight fans will particularly relish Green’s genre-blending novel.’ — Library Journal on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

‘I recommend VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES if you are looking for a fun, scary, and entertaining read before bedtime.’ — Fantasy Book Review

‘Fans of the series will be delighted to reconnect with the quick-witted detective and to learn a little bit more about his early days on the planet.’ — Booklist on TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART

‘Fun, fast-paced, light fare that passes almost as quickly as that fatal train ride.’ — Kirkus on NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER

‘[An] entertaining romp.’ — Publishers Weekly on NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Series Spotlight: The THOMAS FOOL Novels by Simon Kurt Unsworth

Posted on Monday, September 7th, 2020

Like horror novels? Like crime and noir fiction? Then perhaps we could interest you in Simon Kurt Unsworth‘s acclaimed Thomas Fool novels? Published between 2015-16, THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE and THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE offer a fantastic twist on horror and noir fiction that is ‘Dark and luminous, compelling and insidious‘ and ‘transcends genre’ (Michael Marshall Smith).

Here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

In The Devil’s Detective, a sea change is coming to Hell… and a man named Thomas Fool is caught in the middle.

Thomas Fool is an Information Man, an investigator tasked with cataloging and filing reports on the endless stream of violence and brutality that flows through Hell. His job holds no reward or satisfaction, because Hell has rules but no justice. Each new crime is stamped “Do Not Investigate” and dutifully filed away in the depths of the Bureaucracy. But when an important political delegation arrives and a human is found murdered in a horrific manner — extravagant even by Hell’s standards — everything changes. The murders escalate, and their severity points to the kind of killer not seen for many generations. Something is challenging the rules and order of Hell, so the Bureaucracy sends Fool to identify and track down the killer…. But how do you investigate murder in a place where death is common currency? Or when your main suspect pool is a legion of demons? With no memory of his past and only an irresistible need for justice, Fool will piece together clues and follow a trail that leads directly into the heart of a dark and chaotic conspiracy. A revolution is brewing in Hell… and nothing is what it seems.

The Devil’s Detective is an audacious, highly suspenseful thriller set against a nightmarish and wildly vivid world. Simon Kurt Unsworth has created a phantasmagoric thrill ride filled with stunning set pieces and characters that spring from our deepest nightmares. It will have readers of both thrillers and horror hanging on by their fingernails until the final word. In Hell, hope is your worst enemy.

The Thomas Fool novels are out now, published by Del Rey in the UK and Anchor in North America.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novels have received…

‘Unsworth’s care in constructing an imaginary world enables him to make the most of his debut’s challenging concept: a hard-boiled detective novel set in Hell itself… Unsworth offers intriguing variations on traditional themes and some memorably hair-raising prose…’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE

‘A clever spin on the traditional police procedural… Unsworth, a British author of numerous horror and supernatural short stories, makes his book-length debut, and it’s a rousing success. The story is well crafted, and the setting is ingeniously conceived: Hell is a real, tactile place, with a bureaucracy and corporate structure. We’ve seen other novels set in Hell, but we haven’t seen a Hell quite like this. Whether the premise is strong enough to support a series is an interesting question; at the very least, another novel would be most welcome.’ — Booklist on THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE

‘With wit, ingenuity and prodigious timing, first-time British novelist Unsworth imagines an unsettling afterlife that at times feels uncomfortably close to some of the more unbearable regions of our waking dreams. The whodunit aspects of this novel may, in the end, be less interesting than the phantasmagorical details surrounding it. But that’s far less a complaint than a compliment of the author’s visionary gifts. A grand, nightmarish page-turner that will have you riveted.’ — Kirkus on THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE

‘Hell as the setting for a noir investigation turns out to be as fun as it sounds in THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE. Inventive and pacy, Simon Kurt Unsworth has created a world – underworld? – distinctly his own.’ — Andrew Pyper

‘THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE grips. Unsworth’s storytelling is taut and lean, avoiding any lapses into potboiler… When he writes about Hell, he makes it downright hellish… The book eventually spins all this admittedly sumptuous horror into thought-provoking notions about salvation, hope and free will.’ — NPR

‘Unsworth’s conception of a spiritual universe where deeper understanding may itself be the greatest curse is as nuanced and ingenious as his depiction of “poor little Fool,” perhaps the most oddly endearing sleuth to come along in years. The scales are tipped a tad more toward gaudy savagery and gratuitous cruelty than toward more intellectual digressions and plot twists. Still, one suspects Thomas Fool will return, with more respect from readers than from his spiritual jailers. It’s less a whodunit than a ripsnorter, with an emphasis on the ripping. Or maybe the snorting.’ — Kirkus on THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE

‘Unsworth’s imagination soars! THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE is a twisted journey into the afterlife, a dark labyrinth of mystery, and a brilliant contemplation on identity, transgression, and our struggle to recognize that we each make our own heaven and our own hell. A fresh new voice in dark fiction. Don’t miss this series!’ — Christopher Golden

‘Truly a literary gem that plays out as a great mystery series with a one of a kind anti-hero!’ — BookPeople, Austin, Texas, on THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE

‘The ultimate solution is a fairly clued surprise, and Unsworth’s creative worldbuilding leaves plenty of room for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE

‘Do you love Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series? How about the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch? Like a bit of John Le Carre intrigue? If so, you will love THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE. A hybrid between horror fantasy and crime procedural, Simon Kurt Unsworth’s novel had this writer hooked from its first opening, fiery lines… Unsworth has built a very horrible, yet believable universe with characters who you can hate as well as root for. While you don’t need to read the first novel to enjoy the second in the series, we really do recommend you start at the beginning. There’s a lot to take in and a great deal of character development to enjoy. A real page turner.‘ 10/10 — Starburst

For those who prefer audiobooks, both novels are also available in that format, published by Penguin Audio in the UK and Random House Audio in North America.

Short Fiction Watch: Aliette de Bodard in ECHOES

Posted on Thursday, November 7th, 2019

Just a quick post today to bring to your attention the new anthology ECHOES, which contains a story by Aliette de Bodard! Published by Saga Press, it’s out now.

Everyone loves a good ghost story, especially Ellen Datlow — the most lauded editor in short works of supernatural suspense and dark fantasy. The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories is her definitive collection of ghost stories.

These twenty-nine stories, including all new works from New York Times bestselling authors Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Hoffman, Seanan McGuire, and Paul Tremblay, span from the traditional to the eclectic, from the mainstream to the literary, from pure fantasy to the bizarrely supernatural. Whether you’re reading alone under the covers with a flashlight, or around a campfire with a circle of friends, there’s something here to please — and spook — everyone.

Aliette is the multi-award winning author of many other short stories, novellas, novellettes and novels. Her most recent series, Dominion of the Fallen, is out now published by Gollancz in the UK, and in North America by Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3). It is also available in a growing number of translated editions.

Aliette is also the author of the acclaimed Xuya series of stories, including THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE (Subterranean Press and JABberwocky), and various stories contained within OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT (Subterranean Press).

The author’s most recent stand-alone novel is the highly-acclaimed IN THE VANISHERS’ PALACE, published by JABberwocky.

NECROVILLE: 25 Years of TERMINAL CAFE!

Posted on Tuesday, October 1st, 2019

This month marks quite the amazing milestone: Ian McDonald‘s NECROVILLE was first published 25 years ago! The novel was published in 1994 by Gollancz (UK), and by Spectra (US) as TERMINAL CAFÉ. Both of the first covers are above. Here’s the synopsis…

In the Los Angeles ghetto of Necroville, the yearly celebration of the Night of the Dead – where the dead are resurrected through the miracle of nanotechnology and live their second lives as non-citizens – becomes a journey of discovery and revelation for five individuals on the run from their pasts.

With his customary flair for making the bizarre both credible and fascinating, McDonald tosses aside the line of demarcation between living and dead in a story that confronts the central quandary of human existence: the essence of non-being.

The novel is still available in the UK, published by Gollancz.

The BSFA Award-nominated novel was met with some great reviews when it was first published. Unfortunately, because the internet wasn’t a thing, yet, it makes it a little difficult to find good pull-quotes. We do have a few, though…

‘McDonald’s lush prose paints a vivid and credible Armageddon. World-building SF that’s punk, funky, and frightening: a fantastic acid trip to the end of the world.’ — Kirkus

‘McDonald, who won the Philip K. Dick Award for KING OF THE MORNING QUEEN OF THE DAY, reveals the workings of his bizarre society through the exploits of five friends as they search for the meaning of life in the Necroville at Los Angeles on the Night of the Dead. Sorting through five points of view requires some patience, but it is well rewarded. In the best science fiction tradition, McDonald provokes reexamination of current societal standards through the prism of another time and place.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘McDonald revels in the creation of brilliantly described near-futures and lushly exotic settings, and has more ideas in a book than most writers dream up in a lifetime. Here death is no more: the dead are reborn thanks to nanotechnology in Jesus-tanks and decanted into “techtoplastic” bodies. Drug-designer Santiago Columbar invites his friends to join him in the Terminal café in the suburb of LA known as Necroville, and in the resulting free-wheeling, mind-spinning novel we follow the friends as they travel to meet him, encountering genetically engineered dinosaurs, undead prostitutes, werewolves and an invasion of Earth by resurrected space workers. In Necroville, decay sits next to fabulous invention, terrible privation next to limitless possibility. The book…offers a graphic dystopian vision.’ — Guardian

For those who prefer their books delivered as audiobooks, the novel is also available via Audible, narrated by Christopher Ragland.

The novel has also been published in translation in a number of territories, including Germany where it is published by Heyne.

Another new Russian edition of A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER…

Posted on Wednesday, November 28th, 2018

Эксмо has released a new edition of Roger Zelazny‘s classic A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER. Published in Russia as Ночь в одиноком октябре, here’s the synopsis…

В Лондоне конца XIX века под покровом тумана промозглого октября в Великой Игре сойдутся известнейшие персоны своего времени и их питомцы-помощники. Смогут ли игроки открыть врата в иной мир? В чем заключается их сила?

First published in 1993, the novel was re-published recently by Farrago (and for the first time in eBook). Here’s the English-language synopsis…

All is not what it seems…

In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman named Jack prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff – gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite. For soon after the death of the moon, black magic will summon the Elder Gods back into the world. And all manner of Players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate.

Some have come to open the gates. Some have come to slam them shut.

And now the dread night approaches – so let the Game begin.

The novel was very well-received when first published. Here’s what Neil Gaiman had to say: ‘One of Zelazny’s most delightful books: Jack the Ripper’s dog Snuff narrates a mad game of teams to cause or prevent armageddon.’

Zeno represents Roger Zelazny in Translation, on behalf of the Zelazny Estate.

Mass Marketing THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES…

Posted on Monday, June 25th, 2018

The mass market paperback edition of Freda Warrington‘s fourth Blood Wine novel is out tomorrow in the US! THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES, the third novel in the critically-acclaimed vampire horror/romance series, is published by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

The ballerina Violette Lenoir has fallen victim to the bite of the vampire Charlotte. Her fire and energy have fuelled a terrifying change and a dreadful realisation; that Violette has become Lilith, the demon mother of all vampires. Haunted both by what she has done and by Violette’s dark sensuality, Charlotte and her immortal lover Karl are drawn towards the dancer and the terrible destiny that has fallen on her shoulders. But other, far more dangerous shadows are gathering around Violette. To the vampire Sebastian and to the dark heirs of Kristian, she threatens to wreak havoc with their plans to bring all of mankind under their dark wings. Innocently embroiled in the endgame, courtesan extraordinaire Robyn Stafford finally meets her match as she is torn between the two ultimate lovers: Sebastian, and Violette…

Titan has published all four of the books in the series, in both the US and UK: A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE and A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET are also available in MMPB; the final volume in the series, THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD, is available in trade paperback.

Here are just a few of the great review the series has received…

‘The third book in Freda Warrington’s brilliantly evocative Blood Wine Sequence, and for me at least, possibly one of the best… I’ve yet to end any review of one of Freda’s books without referring to the impressive style of her writing — it’s smart, compelling, and simply fabulous… So easy to recommend this, and any of the others in the Blood Wine Sequence.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES

‘The series is among the best of those spawned by the wave of fashionability which has caught up ‘revisionist’ vampire fiction in the last twenty years. All three volumes have been written with an emotional fervour and vividly Decadent style which are perfectly suited to the subject-matter and all three have maintained a sense of philosophical enquiry which patiently, perceptively and politely raises questions about the reasons for our fascination with the vampire and related mythological figures… The series so far adds up to one of the most striking and most intriguing exercises in modern fantasy fiction; it may yet be further augmented.’ — Vector on THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES

‘A great novel, which is entertainingly frightening, splendidly romantic and erotic, and darkly suspenseful. The true Queen of the vampire novel.’ — Black Tears Magazine on THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES

‘Areally, really splendid read… It’s a story that plays out over cups of tea and glasses of brandy in the drawing rooms of chic London townhouses and glittering stately homes, and here again Warrington shows her writer’s chops, layering in exquisite period detail. Sometimes the effect is playfully satirical… but more often it’s lusciously picturesque; and, with the characters barrelling around in Hispano-Suizas and the like, it’s all attractively reminiscent of the lux, country house horror of Hammer’s The Devil Rides Out. On this evidence, Freda Warrington is like a cross between Anne Rice and Kim Newman – she has the sweep of one, the cleverness of the other. Titan will be reissuing the other titles in the series throughout the year, and they’re not to be missed.’ — Starburst on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘Channeling the tone of a Gothic romance, Warrington presents a 1920s version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula that focuses on the vampires rather than their stalkers… The first of Warrington’s Blood Wine series will sate those hungry for classically melodramatic vampire sagas.’ — Booklist on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘Afull-blooded gothique that rips more than bodices… Warrington’s vampire dynasty has the grandeur of a cobwebbed cathedral, and her plot is forged in operatic passions. Treating her subjects with theatrical intensity, she creates lush images, awash in colour and shadow, and the ideal gothic mood is preserved; a dark romance to lose yourself in.’ — Time Out on A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET

‘Sexy, brooding and epic in scope, once you have encountered Warrington’s undead, others will pale by comparison.’ — British Fantasy Society on A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET

‘In the style of authors such as Anne Rice, Warrington has made a tale that beats convention and shows readers what is more likely to happen to vampires than in many other novels. It is great to see that what were once 90’s novels have been re published for a fresh audience who have already indulged in the Twilight novels. The cover art for this one and the other three is striking and beautiful in a gothic way and tells a lot about the kind of novels they are. This is for those who want to curl up with a good book…’ — Fantasy Book Review on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘I can’t praise this series enough, the author’s writing is poetic, enduring, and consumes you hook, line, and sinker. A superb ending to a marvellous series, and highly recommended.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

The first three novels in the series are also available via Audible.

Ian R. MacLeod’s RED SNOW available in eBook!

Posted on Tuesday, May 29th, 2018

Ian R. MacLeod‘s 2018 Locus Award-finalist RED SNOW is available more widely now as an eBook! Published through the JABberwocky eBook Program, the novel is now available from most eBook retailers. Here’s the synopsis…

In the aftermath of the last great battle of the American Civil War, a disillusioned Union medic stumbles across a strange figure picking amid the corpses, and his life is changed forever…

In the cathedral city of Strasbourg in the years before the French Revolution, a church restorer is commissioned to paint a series of portraits that chart the changing appearance of a beautiful woman over the course of her life, although the woman herself seems ageless…

In Prohibition-era New York, an idealistic young Marxist is catapulted into the realms of elite society, and forced to assume the identity of someone who never existed…

Red Snow is a novel of love and violence, ideas and dreams, and revolves around the mystery of a monster drawn from humanity’s darkest myths which still somehow survives, and thrives, and kills, in this modern age.

The novel was first published as a limited edition by PS Publishing (a few copies left), and has also been published in Poland by MAG. Here are just a couple of the reviews the novel has received so far…

‘… always manages to take us somewhere unexpected… by turns western adventure, Renaissance horror, political intrigue, dysfunctional family drama, and more.’ — Locus

‘By turns horrifying and hauntingly beautiful, this epic vampire story is the stuff of real nightmares.’ — Tim Powers

‘A rich, beautifully written, deftly plotted vampire novel’ — Goodreads