A Dark Matter

Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators...

When patriarch Jim dies, it's left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events. Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn't the husband she thought he was. Hannah's best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined.

As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything...

A compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series.

“"A cracking-good thriller with some seriously good writing and some beautifully designed characters." -- Booklist on Fault Lines”

‘Dark, engrossing, impossible to put down. By turns a crime thriller, a family saga, and a page-turner, this book has everything!’  -- Luca Veste
'That rare book with heart and smarts to lift it above your average crime novel’  -- Stuart Neville
‘I can never get enough of Doug Johnstone’s thoughtful, observant, soul-lifting writing’  -- Louise Beech
‘Piercing, wonderfully real and so very readable … a breath of fresh air’  LoveReading
‘This is confident, assured characterisation that carries the story brilliantly well and keeps the reader utterly immersed in the interwoven story strands’  Live & Deadly
‘A Dark Matter is further proof that Doug Johnstone is as versatile a writer as they come … there’s rhythm and music in his words’ From Belgium with Booklove
‘A thriller that begs to be read in one sitting. Highly recommend’  The Book Review Café
‘Deliciously chilling, with a wry humour running throughout … toxic, unsettling and just perfect’  Random Things through My Letterbox

Doug Johnstone is the author of ten novels, most recently Breakers (2018), which was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his work has been praised by the likes of Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin. He's taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin' Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He's also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh. Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators...When patriarch Jim dies, it's left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events. Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn't the husband she thought he was. Hannah's best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined.As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything...A compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series.

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