Black Hearts Synopsis
Death is just the beginning. The Skelf women live in the shadow of death every day, running the family funeral directors and private investigator business in Edinburgh. But now their own grief interwines with that of their clients, as they are left reeling by shocking past events.
A fist-fight by an open grave leads Dorothy to investigate the possibility of a faked death, while a young woman's obsession with Hannah threatens her relationship with Indy and puts them both in mortal danger.
An elderly man claims he's being abused by the ghost of his late wife, while ghosts of another kind come back to haunt Jenny from the grave pushing her to breaking point.
As the Skelfs struggle with increasingly unnerving cases and chilling danger lurks close to home, it becomes clear that grief, in all its forms, can be deadly.
Praise for The Skelfs series:
Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year
Longlisted for Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year
Shortlisted for Amazon Publishing Capital Crime Thriller of the Year*
About This Edition
Doug Johnstone Press Reviews
'An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones' Herald Scotland
'Gripping and blackly humorous' Observer 'A tense ride strong, believable characters' Kerry Hudson, Big Issue
'The power of this book, though, lies in the warm personalities and dark humour of the Skelfs, and by the end readers will be just as interested in their relationships with each other as the mysteries they are trying to solve' Scotsman
'Remarkable' Sunday Times
'Keeps you hungry from page to page. A crime reader can't ask anything more' The Sun
'Mysteries aplenty. A poignant reflection on grief and the potential for healing that lies within us all. A proper treat' Mary Paulson-Ellis
'A thrilling, atmospheric book, set in the dark streets of Edinburgh. Move over Ian Rankin, Doug Johnstone is coming through!' Kate Rhodes
'An unstoppable, thrilling, bullet train of a book that cleverly weaves in family and intrigue, and has real emotional impact. I totally loved it' Helen Fields
'This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief. More, please' Guardian
'Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave' Sunday Times
'Exceptional. A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists' Publishers Weekly
About Doug Johnstone
Doug Johnstone is the author of four novels, most recently Hit & Run, acclaimed by Ian Rankin as 'a great slice of noir' and by Irvine Welsh as 'a grisly parable for our times'. He is also a freelance journalist, a songwriter and musician, and has a PhD in nuclear physics. He lives in Edinburgh.
Author photo © Chris Scott
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