So, I promised announcements. Well, here we go.
First up, my second novel will be released on June 29th. That’s right, somehow I talked myself into a book a year. Madness really but hey, I’ve got nothing better to do with my time.
My new novel is called Silma Hill and is a Scottish Gothic historical thriller, kind of Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner meets The Crucible. Here’s the blurb:
A fast paced historical thriller where a rural village is ripped apart by accusations of witchcraft.
From the author of the Not the Booker short-listed debut novel First Time Solo, comes a fast paced historical thriller. Accusations of witchcraft are sparked by the unearthing of a pagan idol in a remote Scottish village and exacerbated by generations-old social divisions. The Reverend Burnett is the unpopular minister at Abdale. Behind the manse lies Silma Hill, which has a circle of ancient standing stones at its summit. Burnett lives with his sixteen year old daughter Fiona who he treats no better than a servant.
Old Sangster unearths a pagan icon in the peat beneath Silma Hill and hands it over to Burnett, who plans to write a paper on it for the Historical Antiquities Society in Edinburgh. Hours after finding the relic, Sangster is found dead. Fiona is drawn into accusations of witchcraft, fuelled by hatred of her father.
As hysteria in the village builds, will Fiona’s father be able to put aside his pride to save his daughter or will she be consumed by the fire of anger, fear and superstition that has enveloped Abdale?
I don’t know anything about covers, readings etc. but as soon as I know, you will too.
The second announcement, or the second part of this announcement is that for Silma Hill I’ve signed a two book deal with the lovely people at Freight Books. This means there will be another book at roughly the same time next year. It will have nothing to do with WW2 and nothing to do with witches. It will be contemporary (more or less), set all over the world and since I’m 40’000 words into the first draft just now, I’m really excited about it.
More news as and when.
Iain Maloney 