2025 McIlvanney Prize
* WINNER OF THE MCILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR *
'A tour de force with superb dramatic twists' - DAILY MAIL
'If you're a fan of Thomas Harris you must read this' - PRIMA
'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. A quiet and unassuming man, he's a beloved celebrity in his small town. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.
Nathan Cole has always known the truth about his father. But it isn't until Lucas is found dead that Nathan discovers The Midnight King, his father's 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 girl who disappeared only days before Lucas's death.
Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father's secret. But 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.
Genre: Mystery
'A tour de force with superb dramatic twists' - DAILY MAIL
'If you're a fan of Thomas Harris you must read this' - PRIMA
'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. A quiet and unassuming man, he's a beloved celebrity in his small town. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.
Nathan Cole has always known the truth about his father. But it isn't until Lucas is found dead that Nathan discovers The Midnight King, his father's 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 girl who disappeared only days before Lucas's death.
Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father's secret. But 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.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Lean, taught, gripping and bloody." - Chris Brookmyre
"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
"A twisty and twisted thriller that will worm its way into your mind." - Jo Callaghan
"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
"One of the best novels I've read in a long time. Incredibly dark (an understatement), atmospheric, and utterly gripping." - Will Dean
"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
"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
"An insane ride through dark minds, a shocking serial killer thriller, laced with tension and expertly woven by a skilled storyteller." - Mari Hannah
"Breathlessly compelling, blunt and brutal, The Midnight King confirms Ashkanani as a bright star in the world of serial killer thrillers." - Sam Holland
"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
"The Midnight King is everything you want in a thriller. Dark, unpredictable, compelling, twisted and brilliant." - Nadine Matheson
"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
"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
"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
"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
"A twisty and twisted thriller that will worm its way into your mind." - Jo Callaghan
"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
"One of the best novels I've read in a long time. Incredibly dark (an understatement), atmospheric, and utterly gripping." - Will Dean
"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
"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
"An insane ride through dark minds, a shocking serial killer thriller, laced with tension and expertly woven by a skilled storyteller." - Mari Hannah
"Breathlessly compelling, blunt and brutal, The Midnight King confirms Ashkanani as a bright star in the world of serial killer thrillers." - Sam Holland
"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
"The Midnight King is everything you want in a thriller. Dark, unpredictable, compelling, twisted and brilliant." - Nadine Matheson
"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
"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
"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
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Used availability for Tariq Ashkanani's The Midnight King