Introducing The Damned, the first in the Darkest Hand trilogy.

[Tarn]

“A gripping work of dark fiction set in an alternative World War One, where werewolves roam and a ruthless inquisition still hold sway.”

I am really pleased to announce that my debut novel, The Damned, a "sublime work of dark fiction" (Intravenous Magazine), is available to buy in the US and Canada from 1st March, courtesy of Overlook Press. One of the Book Depository's 'Books of 2015', it's been out in the UK and Australia since May last year, where it has received rave reviews from critics and readers alike.

Currently weighing in at 4.54 stars on Goodreads after 35 ratings, if you live in the UK or Australia you can buy it TODAY - it's one of Amazon's 'Picks of the Month' for February, discounted to a measly £1.69 or $3.24! A bag of greasy chips would cost you more and sit on your hips a lot longer than my novel ever will. You can get it from Amazon UK or Amazon AU.



So, what's it about?
In 1914, at the very start of World War One in the French city of Arras, a Catholic priest is brutally murdered. The Catholic Inquisition - still powerful, but now working in the shadows - sends its most determined and unhinged of Inquisitors, Poldek Tacit, to investigate: his mission to protect the Church from those who would seek to undermine it, no matter what the cost.

Yet as Tacit arrives, armed forces led by Britain and Germany confront each other across No Man's Land. As the Inquisitor strives in vain to establish the truth behind the murder and to uncover the motives of other Vatican servants seeking to undermine him, a beautiful spirited woman, Sandrine, warns British soldier Henry Frost of a mutual foe even more terrible lurking beneath the killing fields that answers to no human force and wreaks their havoc by the light of the moon. Faced with impossible odds and his own demons, Tacit must battle the forces of evil, and a church determined at all costs to achieve its aims, to reach the heart of a dark conspiracy that seeks to engulf the world, plunging it ever deeper into the conflict.

Morally complex and fast paced, this is a gripping work of dark fiction set in an alternative twentieth century, where humanity's desire for love, compassion and peace face daunting challenges in a world overwhelmed by total war and mysterious dark forces.

You'll be able to buy in the US and Canada from Amazon and, of course, all good bookshops. I hope you do and that you enjoy! And let me know what you think.

And, if you can't wait until the 1st, or you are just interested, if you head to my page at Scriggler, you'll be able to start reading the opening chapters, as well as chapters from the short prequel to The Damned, The Hunted!

Thank you guys!

Tarn
Tarn Richardson

'Richardson's debut has mash-up leanings ... It works surprisingly well.' --Daily Mail

'The atmosphere drips with dark fear of the unknown and, eventually, the unknown's bloody leavings. This is definitely not one for the squeamish.' --The Bookbag

'The historical elements are fascinating, as is the author's twist on the werewolf mythos, but the brooding, conflicted Tacit is the most compelling element. The conclusion will leave readers looking forward to the next installment.' --Publishers Weekly