The Midnight Man

by Simon Clark

Van Gogh paints works of transcendent genius, while in London a killer launches a reign of terror . . . - Nidabi is attacked by her master but is rescued just in time by Pastor Hux, a man who befriended Van Gogh many years ago. A decade later the men live different lives. But soon a deadly momentum will draw the two old friends together into a withering storm painted in madness and death.

Genres: Horror

234 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2008

About the author

Born, 20th April, 1958, Simon Clark is the author of such highly regarded horror novels as Nailed By The Heart, Blood Crazy, Darker, Vampyrrhic and The Fall, while his short stories have been collected in Blood & Grit and Salt Snake & Other Bloody Cuts. He has also written prose material for the internationally famous rock band U2.

Raised in a family of storytellers – family legend told of a stolen human skull buried beneath the Clark garage – he sold his first ghost story to a radio station in his teens. Before becoming a full-time writer he held a variety of day jobs, that have involved strawberry picking, supermarket shelf stacking, office work, and scripting video promos.

He lives with his wife and two children in mystical territory that lies on the border of Robin Hood country in England.

Reviews

[Bandit]

I suppose there are certain historical figures, famous or notorious or both, that just hold too much fascination for writers not to want to reimagine. Clark's got an interesting combination of those here, but he made it work. Epistolary style, strong characters, vivid descriptions and good pacing made this into a very entertaining read. The cover has the style, but not quite the essence of the titular creation. Midnight Man to Clark is what Savage is to Laymon. Fun read. Recommended.

[Geoff Battle]

Clark is capable of producing spine chilling work, however The Midnight Man, a tale set in 1888, does not offer a glimpse of that talent. The story rattles between several perspectives which is difficult to follow at times. There are no particularly endearing characters either and these factors combine to produce a lacklustre experience. The detail, vernacular and background are all well described, Clark has evidenced his research and fans of historical fiction should be entertained. Ultimately though, it's the lack of horror or suspense that let's this one down.

[Stephen Theaker]

Next in my run at the British Fantasy Award nominated novels is The Midnight Man, by Simon Clark (best known perhaps for his sequel, Night of the Triffids). Like The Victoria Vanishes, it's not one I'd have picked up to read if it wasn't on the BFA list.

To begin with it seemed like Anno Dracula with Vincent Van Gogh instead of literary characters. The story is told from the point of view of two young women; Ty, a prostitute fascinated by the red-headed lunatic who paints in the fields, and Nidabi, an Indian slave/servant/whore rescued from a miserable existence by Pastor Hux, an intense young man who grinds her master's face against barbed wire..

It took me a while to get into it - it's very much a slow burner, and I'm not a fan of epistolary or diary novels at the best of times - too much unnecessary faff - so I put it to one side while reading The Victoria Vanishes. I got on with it much better the second time around. Like earlier Gothic novels like The Mysteries of Udolpho, it needs time to catch you in its mood and tempo. It's an interesting gaslight thriller, but...

It's not a fantasy novel in the slightest. Bit of a stretch to even call it horror (though that's how the publisher has categorised it on the copyright page). So it won't get my vote in the British Fantasy Awards. I think The Graveyard Book is still the front runner, although The Victoria Vanishes is my favourite of the books so far.

[Jo]

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It follows two stories simultaneously; that of Pastor Hux who rescues prostitutes in London but starts killing them and of Vincent Van Gogh who befriends a young prostitute in France. As the English side of things takes place around Whitechapel in the 1880s it would appear that Clark is offering another fictional Ripper account. The characters all gather together in southern France for an explosive conclusion.

[Bondama]

This book is so wildly different from all the other Simon Clark books I've read -- For one thing, it's the first with any historical context at all!!

I am enjoying it, although I can't say I'd call it a book I "can't put down!!"

[Samantha]

I found this book very slow starting until about 3/4 of the way when the story picks up pace. A very enjoyable book though and interesting in places. The ending is not as predictable as you think but nonetheless a happy ending.

[Annette Gisby]

I never finished it, I just couldn't get into it. It'll be going back to the library. Just glad I hadn't bought it.