Overview

* THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE MIDNIGHT KING *'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'Compellingly dark. This is not for the faint hearted' - GUY MORPUSSTwo 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?

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9781805222323

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Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR 'Reminiscent of Mo Hayder at her darkest * Observer * A tour de force with superb dramatic twists * Daily Mail * A clever and powerfully plotted, terror-inducing, propulsive read with a haunting presence that lingers long after the last page * Sunday Post * 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 Lean, taut, gripping and bloody -- Chris Brookmyre, author of BLACK WIDOW

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, author of NATURAL CAUSES 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, author of THE APPEAL 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, author of THE PUPPET MASTER I was totally gripped by this book. Fantastic characters and a seemingly unsolvable mystery -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLUE WATER 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, author of UNSOLVED 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, author of THE TWINS Tariq Ashkanani is a phenomenal storyteller. The Hollow Boys is tense, atmospheric and expertly crafted. A masterclass in mood and menace -- Joanna Wallace, author of YOU'D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST Deliciously sinister and perfectly plotted -- Lisa Hall, author of BETWEEN YOU AND ME Brilliant, with shades of Stephen King. A propulsive tale -- Tina Baker, author of CALL ME MUMMY An absorbing and heartbreaking slice of small town American noir that fans of True Detective will love -- Lisa Gray, author of THIN AIR Compellingly dark. A town and its people corroding from within, filled with silence, suspicion and sharply escalating tension. The Hollow Boys is not for the faint hearted, but rewards the reader with a brilliantly gritty tale of hope and horror -- Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS An absolutely spectacular slice of American gothic. Brilliantly written, wrong-footed me throughout, I didn't want it to end -- Adam Simcox, author of THE DYING SQUAD I was fully immersed in this sleight-handed blend of crime, mystery and horror. A masterful gothic detective thriller -- J.D. Pennington, author of THE OTHELLO CLUB This book is absolutely sensational, and I'm sure it's going to be another hit -- Louise Mullins, author of ONE NIGHT ONLY

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, author of THE APPEAL I was totally gripped by this book. Fantastic characters and a seemingly unsolvable mystery -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLUE WATER 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, author of THE PUPPET MASTER 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, author of UNSOLVED 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, author of THE TWINS Tariq Ashkanani is a phenomenal storyteller. The Hollow Boys is tense, atmospheric and expertly crafted. A masterclass in mood and menace -- Joanna Wallace, author of YOU'D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST Deliciously sinister and perfectly plotted -- Lisa Hall, author of BETWEEN YOU AND ME Brilliant, with shades of Stephen King. A propulsive tale -- Tina Baker, author of CALL ME MUMMY An absorbing and heartbreaking slice of small town American noir that fans of True Detective will love -- Lisa Gray, author of THIN AIR Compellingly dark. A town and its people corroding from within, filled with silence, suspicion and sharply escalating tension. The Hollow Boys is not for the faint hearted, but rewards the reader with a brilliantly gritty tale of hope and horror -- Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS An absolutely spectacular slice of American gothic. Brilliantly written, wrong-footed me throughout, I didn't want it to end -- Adam Simcox, author of THE DYING SQUAD I was fully immersed in this sleight-handed blend of crime, mystery and horror. A masterful gothic detective thriller -- J.D. Pennington, author of THE OTHELLO CLUB This book is absolutely sensational, and I'm sure it's going to be another hit -- Louise Mullins, author of ONE NIGHT ONLY

The Hollow Boys is a stunning novel from the master of small town horror. 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, author of THE APPEAL Compellingly dark. A town and its people corroding from within, filled with silence, suspicion and sharply escalating tension. The Hollow Boys is not for the faint hearted, but rewards the reader with a brilliantly gritty tale of hope and horror -- Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR 'Reminiscent of Mo Hayder at her darkest * Observer * A tour de force with superb dramatic twists * Daily Mail * A clever and powerfully plotted, terror-inducing, propulsive read with a haunting presence that lingers long after the last page * Sunday Post * 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 Lean, taut, gripping and bloody -- Chris Brookmyre, author of BLACK WIDOW

Author Information

Tariq Ashkanani works as a lawyer by day. His debut novel, Welcome to Cooper, won the Bloody Scotland Debut Award 2022, and was shortlisted for both the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and Capital Crime Fingerprint Award. His third novel, The Midnight King, won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2025. He also co-hosts the writing podcast Page One. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two sons.

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