* THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE MIDNIGHT KING *
'A masterpiece of small-town horror' - GUARDIAN
'A page-turning, unsettling read' - iPAPER
'Will leave you reeling' - DAILY EXPRESS
Two children lost. The wrong one found.
The town of Aurora is waiting to die. A few miles away a deep seam of coal burns underground, the fire creeping closer ever year. Businesses close. Families leave. Hope dwindles.
And then one day, nine-year-old Danny Yates comes back from the dead. He walks into town half-starved and silent, ten months after he and his best friend Will Keefe were presumed drowned. But when Danny does finally speak, he swears that he's not Danny anymore. He's Will.
Danny's mother is convinced that her boy has come back wrong, and that the town itself is now at risk from whatever dark force returned her son. Chief of Police John Deacon is more interested in how the sinister disappearance of two boys could have been written off as a tragic accident, and who was responsible. What happened to Danny to make him take on his friend's name, his personality? And does Danny's return mean there's a chance that Will is still alive?
'A brilliantly unsettling piece of purest American Gothic' - JAMES OSWALD
'The master of the small-town thriller at the top of his game' - JANICE HALLETT
'An atmospheric thriller. I loved this book' - SARAH PINBOROUGH
Genre: Mystery
'A masterpiece of small-town horror' - GUARDIAN
'A page-turning, unsettling read' - iPAPER
'Will leave you reeling' - DAILY EXPRESS
Two children lost. The wrong one found.
The town of Aurora is waiting to die. A few miles away a deep seam of coal burns underground, the fire creeping closer ever year. Businesses close. Families leave. Hope dwindles.
And then one day, nine-year-old Danny Yates comes back from the dead. He walks into town half-starved and silent, ten months after he and his best friend Will Keefe were presumed drowned. But when Danny does finally speak, he swears that he's not Danny anymore. He's Will.
Danny's mother is convinced that her boy has come back wrong, and that the town itself is now at risk from whatever dark force returned her son. Chief of Police John Deacon is more interested in how the sinister disappearance of two boys could have been written off as a tragic accident, and who was responsible. What happened to Danny to make him take on his friend's name, his personality? And does Danny's return mean there's a chance that Will is still alive?
'A brilliantly unsettling piece of purest American Gothic' - JAMES OSWALD
'The master of the small-town thriller at the top of his game' - JANICE HALLETT
'An atmospheric thriller. I loved this book' - SARAH PINBOROUGH
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Brilliant, with shades of Stephen King. A propulsive tale." - Tina Baker
"Bleak and shocking, Ashkanani masterfully rips open the seams of ex-mining town Aurora, exposing the darkness and toxicity at its core, while illuminating the humanity of those left standing. A powerful and unsettling read from an author at the top of his game." - Heather Critchlow
"An absorbing and heartbreaking slice of small town American noir that fans of True Detective will love." - Lisa Gray
"Deliciously sinister and perfectly plotted." - Lisa Hall
"The Hollow Boys is a stunning novel from the master of small-town thrillers. A journey into a darkness so terrifying the only light is from flames that will never burn out. Fire and ice, sin and redemption, despair and hope, this story has it all and I read it in one frantic sitting, totally transported. This is Ashkanani at the top of his game." - Janice Hallett
"A chilling, razor-sharp novel that creeps under your skin and refuses to let go. A carefully crafted portrait of small-town America, thick with dread and humidity, where the worst has happened. Unforgettable, beautiful and bleak." - Sam Holland
"Incredible. The Hollow Boys is set against the backdrop of small town America, and delivers perfectly the mystery of two missing boys. It's addictive, pacy, and it has heart." - L V Matthews
"I was totally gripped by this book. Fantastic characters and a seemingly unsolvable mystery." - Leonora Nattrass
"A brilliantly unsettling piece of purest American Gothic. I absolutely loved it. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end, and the small town setting was masterfully drawn." - James Oswald
"Mesmerisingly bruising and pitch-black brilliant. Yet again, and with masterful ease, Tariq Ashkanani has cemented his position as one of the most audaciously bold, must-read writers." - Rob Parker
"An atmospheric noir set in a doomed town full of characters burning up with secrets that finishes with an emotional gut punch. I loved this book." - Sarah Pinborough
"Intriguing, suspenseful and beautifully written, this is Tariq Ashkanani at his dazzling best." - Victoria Selman
"An absolutely spectacular slice of American gothic. Brilliantly written, wrong-footed me throughout, I didn't want it to end." - Adam Simcox
"Tariq Ashkanani is a phenomenal storyteller. The Hollow Boys is tense, atmospheric and expertly crafted. A masterclass in mood and menace." - Joanna Wallace
"Tariq Ashkanani leads us effortlessly into a savage and unrelenting world that is impossible not to believe. The very epitome of gritty authenticity... I'm consistently blown away by Tariq's books and can't wait for the next one." - Matt Wesolowski
"Bleak and shocking, Ashkanani masterfully rips open the seams of ex-mining town Aurora, exposing the darkness and toxicity at its core, while illuminating the humanity of those left standing. A powerful and unsettling read from an author at the top of his game." - Heather Critchlow
"An absorbing and heartbreaking slice of small town American noir that fans of True Detective will love." - Lisa Gray
"Deliciously sinister and perfectly plotted." - Lisa Hall
"The Hollow Boys is a stunning novel from the master of small-town thrillers. A journey into a darkness so terrifying the only light is from flames that will never burn out. Fire and ice, sin and redemption, despair and hope, this story has it all and I read it in one frantic sitting, totally transported. This is Ashkanani at the top of his game." - Janice Hallett
"A chilling, razor-sharp novel that creeps under your skin and refuses to let go. A carefully crafted portrait of small-town America, thick with dread and humidity, where the worst has happened. Unforgettable, beautiful and bleak." - Sam Holland
"Incredible. The Hollow Boys is set against the backdrop of small town America, and delivers perfectly the mystery of two missing boys. It's addictive, pacy, and it has heart." - L V Matthews
"I was totally gripped by this book. Fantastic characters and a seemingly unsolvable mystery." - Leonora Nattrass
"A brilliantly unsettling piece of purest American Gothic. I absolutely loved it. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end, and the small town setting was masterfully drawn." - James Oswald
"Mesmerisingly bruising and pitch-black brilliant. Yet again, and with masterful ease, Tariq Ashkanani has cemented his position as one of the most audaciously bold, must-read writers." - Rob Parker
"An atmospheric noir set in a doomed town full of characters burning up with secrets that finishes with an emotional gut punch. I loved this book." - Sarah Pinborough
"Intriguing, suspenseful and beautifully written, this is Tariq Ashkanani at his dazzling best." - Victoria Selman
"An absolutely spectacular slice of American gothic. Brilliantly written, wrong-footed me throughout, I didn't want it to end." - Adam Simcox
"Tariq Ashkanani is a phenomenal storyteller. The Hollow Boys is tense, atmospheric and expertly crafted. A masterclass in mood and menace." - Joanna Wallace
"Tariq Ashkanani leads us effortlessly into a savage and unrelenting world that is impossible not to believe. The very epitome of gritty authenticity... I'm consistently blown away by Tariq's books and can't wait for the next one." - Matt Wesolowski
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