UK-based indie publisher Bloodhound Books has been making waves in recent months. Focusing on what it calls ‘formidable fiction’ the company’s books spans across the crime, thrillers, chillers mystery and horror genres, with plenty of talented new authors coming through.

Bloodhound prides itself on putting authors first, taking a long-term view of their careers and offering industry-leading royalty rates. The crime stable features writers as varied as the young, experimental author Saira Viola through to Anita Waller, whose book Beautiful was written back in 1995 but was ignored by other publishers. Bloodhound stepped in recently and, you know what… it’s really rather good! The company’s roster includes both mass-market page-turners and future cult-classics. Throw in some eye-catching cover designs with canny promotion and this new kid on the block looks like it means business.

Carrion by Betsy Reavley
Having acquired a following after her controversial debut novel, Beneath the Watery Moon, this writer hits us with her second psychological chiller. Monica, a middle-class Londoner survives a fatal accident in which she loses two members of her family. Unable to remember the build up to the crash and drowning in grief, her world starts to unravel. She becomes convinced a crow is out to get her. As the book builds, secrets are revealed and her stability is put into question. What happened on the day of the crash? Is a crow haunting her? Told from the perspective of various characters, this novel takes you on the heart-breaking journey of one woman’s grief and guilt, climaxing in a bittersweet twist. With echoes of Daphne Du Maurier’s The Birds, this book will keep you guessing till the end and stay with you long after the last page.
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Vile by Cornelius Coe
If you have a soft spot for anti-heroes, this hardboiled noir thriller is the right book for you. The lean and unforgiving dialogue, told in the first person by Coe, sets the scene for his dystopia with beautiful accuracy. Coe wakes to find he is lying next to the dead body of his wife. Troubled by addiction and mental illness he sets out on a journey to discover who murdered her. Following Coe, the reader is drawn deeper into the drugs industry and meets a number of unsavoury characters. The prose of this novel will paint a vivid picture in your mind. It is begging to be turned into a film, which would be something similar to the love-child of Sin City and Breaking Bad. This is a startling debut, it’s the first in a series following Coe’s dark adventures.
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Minstrel’s Bargain by Richard Ayre
Following in the steps of the grand master, Stephen King, this book is a true-to-form, good old-fashioned horror. Set in Newcastle, it centres around the rock music scene and follows the story of a small-time journalist, Phil Sturgess, who bites off more than he can chew. When strange and macabre deaths begin to happen across the city, the unlikely hero finds himself tangled in the murky world of a hypnotic rock star. With only the advice of a mystical tramp to guide him, Phil is drawn into an ancient battle of good verses evil. Phil is going to learn that sometimes the Devil is in the music, but can an ordinary man succeed in taking on an extraordinary power? Gory, pacey and sometimes amusing, this book is sure to be a hit with horror fans.
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The Creeping Seawall by Joe Gardner
The Creeping Seawall is an inspired variation on the usual ghost story with a generous amount of black comedy thrown in. The third-person narrative intermingles an engrossing, menacing story with the thoughts and opinions of a rebellious and sexually frustrated young man. Seeking to replace his unsatisfactory life with something more meaningful, Mickey has an obsession with the paranormal. Accompanied by his reckless best friend, he travels to the bleak Kentish coast for the funeral of the uncle he hates. While staying with his family, Mickey learns of a local curse. Fascinated by the myth, he soon discovers an unexpected and terrifying world in which he becomes embroiled. This is an original, clever and wonderful mix of sometimes hilarious, sometimes horribly dark but always, expressive prose. Gardner has self-published a few works but this is the first novel to be picked up by a publisher. Congratulations to Bloodhound Books for discovering a great new talent.
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Acolyte by Chris Tetreault-Blay
An evil unleashed from the distant past threatens the whole of mankind. This gripping thriller-horror will keep you on the edge of your seat. 2011: Colin Dexler is plagued with terrifying visions. Not knowing that the clergyman is not what he seems, he turns to a priest for help. Back in time to 1684: an elderly man hunts for the daughter who was abducted in the night. Fast forward to 2002: Detective Truman’s life is turned upside down by another’s fatal decision. What links these characters over hundreds of years? Great, realistic characters and in the background lurks the menace of The Reaper, death given form. This is brilliant story-telling with a foot in two worlds. Tetreault-Blay is yet another debut author brought to you by Bloodhound books and Acolyte is the first in a trilogy.
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