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* LONGLISTED FOR THE MCILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR *

‘Reminiscent of Mo Hayder at her darkest’ – OBSERVER
‘A tour de force with superb dramamtic twists’ – DAILY MAIL
‘The best book I’ve read all year’ – SARAH PINBOROUGH

‘This is a work of fiction. This is not a confession.’

Lucas Cole is a bestselling writer. He is also a father, a widower, and a beloved celebrity in his small town. He is an unassuming man – tall, thin and quietly friendly. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.

Nathan Cole has known the truth about his father since he was ten years old. Too terrified to go to the police, he ran away from home as soon as he was able, carrying the guilt of leaving his sister behind. But when Lucas is found dead in a dingy motel room, Nathan returns to his childhood home for the first time in seventeen years. It’s there he finds The Midnight King, his father’s final unpublished manuscript, a fictionalised account of his hideous crimes, hidden in a box of trinkets taken from his victims. Trinkets that include a ribbon belonging to a missing eight-year-old girl who disappeared only days before his father’s death.

Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father’s secret. But it may not be as simple as finding a lost child. For The Midnight King holds Nathan’s secrets as well as Lucas’s, and he is not the only one searching for the truth…

Full of unexpected twists and heartrending turns, The Midnight King is a gripping thriller perfect for fans of Chris Whitaker, S.A. Cosby and Ian Rankin.

‘If you’re a fan of Thomas Harris you must read this’ – PRIMA
‘Lean, taut, gripping and bloody’ – CHRIS BROOKMYRE
‘The best book I’ve read about a serial killer since Red Dragon’ – GARETH BROWN

Publisher Review

Reminiscent of Mo Hayder at her darkest * Observer * The Midnight King is everything you want in a thriller. Dark, unpredictable, compelling, twisted and brilliant — Nadine Matheson, author of THE JIGSAW MAN Lean, taught, gripping and bloody — Chris Brookmyre, author of BLACK WIDOW A chilling story that delivers a cascade of demon twists by steely stealth. Leave your expectations aside and immerse yourself in The Midnight King… once you do, I guarantee this book will not let you go without a fight. A sure-fire shocker — Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL The best book I’ve read all year. Dark, twisty, gripping and full of pathos… A story delivered in prose as smooth as honey. If you’re a fan of John Connolly you’re going to love this — Sarah Pinborough, author of BEHIND HER EYES Written in darkly electric prose, The Midnight King is a multi-layered serial killer novel that whips the reader back and forth like a bandsaw. A brutal and demanding read — Vaseem Khan, author THE UNEXPECTED INHERITANCE OF INSPECTOR CHOPRA A twisty and twisted thriller that will worm its way into your mind — Jo Callaghan, author of IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE One of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. Incredibly dark (an understatement), atmospheric, and utterly gripping — Will Dean, author of THE LAST PASSENGER An absolutely brilliant read and dark as hell. A deadly game of cat and mouse but not the one you might expect. Sinister, sly, and beautifully tense — L.V. Matthews, author of THE TWINS An insane ride through dark minds, a shocking serial killer thriller, laced with tension and expertly woven by a skilled storyteller — Mari Hannah, author of WITHOUT A TRACE This has it all – twists, turns and layers of darkness that deepen with every page. It’s beautiful and bleak at the same time, with such a fantastic tale at the heart of it all. Evocative of Thomas Harris. Stunning — Chris Frost, author of THE KILLER’S CHRISTMAS LIST Stunningly dark and utterly brutal, The Midnight King immerses the reader in the world of a serial killer and the family depending on him. As truth and fiction blur, the ripples of violence spread far beyond the killer’s victims, with devastating consequences. A brilliant and unsettling read — Heather Critchlow, author of UNSOLVED Breathlessly compelling, blunt and brutal, The Midnight King confirms Ashkanani as a bright star in the world of serial killer thrillers — Sam Holland, author of THE ECHO MAN The best book I’ve read about a serial killer since Red Dragon… I will be thinking about it for a long time — Gareth Brown, author of THE BOOK OF DOORS A masterful book – intricate, brooding and artful, utterly transporting. A diabolical recipe of pitch-black plot, viciously incisive character and absolute heartbreak. I loved it — Kate Simants, author of FREEZE