Down the years, I’ve largely become known as a writer of
supernatural fiction, dark fantasy, and horror. I’ve written science fiction
too, and even some short mystery stories, but those have almost always had
either a supernatural or a futuristic twist. But now my very first full-blown crime
novel – THE DESERT KEEPS ITS DEAD – is out from Telos Publishing. No spooks, no
sf, nothing but action and intrigue and evil-doing. It’s available in eBook
format and in a paperback version too. The back-cover write-up is below:
The desert … it prefers to keep its dead. It wraps them
up in its hot, dry arms, leeching the moisture from their skin ….
Ex-FBI agent turned private eye Matt Barrett arrives in
Sunset City, Arizona searching for a teenage runaway, only to find her
dead and buried in the desert sand. Investigating further, he learns that
other young girls have gone missing. It seems there may be a serial killer on
the loose. But Sunset City is an unwelcoming place of dark,
closely-guarded secrets, and Barrett is resisted at every step of the way, soon
finding his own life in danger …
A gripping, noirish debut crime novel from acclaimed
horror and dark fantasy author Tony Richards.
‘He’s convincing
… convincing enough that the locals will read about their city as described by
Tony Richards and shudder. And that’s what we call a writers’ writer’ – John Pelan.
THE DESERT
KEEPS ITS DEAD is available in eBook
format from Amazon, B&N Nook, Kobo,
or as a fine looking trade paperback from Telos Publishing.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how my readers react to this new change in direction. Who knows? I might even pick up some new ones. And a second novel featuring the same detective ought to be in my agent's clutches early next year.