DOUG JOHNSTONE

Struggling to come to terms with the suicide of her teenage son, Ellie lives in the shadows of the Forth Road Bridge, lingering on its footpaths and swimming in the waters below. One day she talks down another suicidal teenager, Sam, and sees for herself a shot at redemption, the chance to atone for her son's death. But even with the best intentions, she can't foresee the situation she's falling headlong into - a troubled family, with some very dark secrets of their own. This is from number 1 bestselling author of Gone Again, The Jump is a hugely moving contemporary thriller, and a stunning portrait of an unlikely heroine.

Driving home from a party with his girlfriend and brother, all of them drunk and high on stolen pills, Billy Blackmore accidentally hits someone in the night. In a panic, they all decide to drive off.But the next day Billy wakes to find he has to cover the story for the local paper. It turns out the dead man was Edinburghs biggest crime lord and, as Billy struggles with what hes done, he is sucked into a nightmare of guilt, retribution and violence.From the author of the acclaimed Smokeheads, Hit & Run is another pitch-black psychological thriller.

Meet Martha. Its the first day of her new job as intern at EdinburghsThe Standard. But alls not well at the ailing newspaper, and Martha is carrying some serious baggage of her own.Put straight onto the obituary page, she takes a call from a former employee who seems to commit suicide while on the phone, something which echoes with her own troubled past.Setting in motion a frantic race around modern-day Edinburgh,The Dead Beat traces Marthas desperate search for answers to the dark mystery of her parents past. Soundtracked by and interspersed with a series of gigs from the alternative music scene of her parents generation in the early 90s, Doug Johnstones latest page-turner is a wild ride of a thriller, and a perfect follow-on to his #1 Kindle bestseller, Hit & Run.

Four friends, one weekend, gallons of whisky. What could go wrong?Driven by amateur whisky-nut Adam, four late-thirties ex-university mates are heading to Islay - the remote Scottish island world famous for its single malts - with a wallet full of cash, a stash of coke and a serious thirst.Over a weekend soaked in the finest cask strength spirit, they meet young divorcee Molly, who Adam has a soft spot for, her little sister Ash who has all sorts of problems and Mollys ex-husband Joe, a control freak who also happens to be the local police. As events spiral out of control, they are all thrown into a nightmare that gets worse at every turn.A wild trip to the Scottish Highlands, Doug Johnstones debut on the Faber crime list is a classic violent thriller, doused with black humour.

Its just to say that no-one has come to pick Nathan up from school, and we were wondering if there was a problem of some kind? As Mark Douglas photographs a pod of whales stranded in the waters off Edinburghs Portobello Beach, he is called by his sons school: his wife, Lauren, hasnt turned up to collect their son. Calm at first, Mark collects Nathan and takes him home but as the hours slowly crawl by he increasingly starts to worry. With brilliantly controlled reveals, we learn some of the painful secrets of the couples shared past, not least that it isnt the first time Lauren has disappeared. And as Mark struggles to care for his son and shield him from the truth of whats going on, the police seem dangerously short of leads. That is, until a shocking discovery...

Drones gangland vendettas a missing choir singer disturbances in the cemetery PTSD panpsychism and secrets from the past This can ONLY mean one thing The Skelfs are back and things are as nail biting tense and warmly funny as ever The persistence of love in the Skelf household no matter what fate flings at it is reassuring and life affirming The Times The Skelfs feel like family their joys are my joys their pains are my pain Edinburgh s favourite family bringing darkness and delight Val McDermid Another wonderful entry in one of the finest crime series out there I remain a happily hopeless Skelfaholic Mark Billingham The Skelf women are back on an even keel after everything they ve been through But when a funeral they re conducting is attacked by a drone Jenny fears they re in the middle of an Edinburgh gangland vendetta At the same time Yana a Ukrainian member of the refugee choir that plays with Dorothy s band has gone missing Searching for her leads Dorothy into strange and ominous territory And Brodie the newest member of the extended Skelf family comes to Hannah with a case Something or someone has been disturbing the grave of his stillborn son Everything is changing for the Skelfs Dorothy s boyfriend Thomas

An adrenaline-charged thriller from the Kindle-bestselling author of Gone Again and Hit and Run.An unnerving tale of what happens to ordinary lives when the wheels come off. VAL MCDERMIDA haunting, unforgettable page-turner that ticks every excellence box in crime writing. ALANNA KNIGHTSitting in the departure lounge of Kirkwall Airport, Finn Sullivan just wants to get off Orkney. But then he meets the mysterious and dangerous Maddie Pierce, stepping in to save her from some unwanted attention, and his life is changed forever.Set against the brutal, unforgiving landscape of Orkney, CRASH LAND is a psychological thriller steeped in guilt, shame, lust, deception and murder.

Struggling to come to terms with the suicide of her teenage son, Ellie lives in the shadows of the Forth Road Bridge, lingering on its footpaths and swimming in the waters below. One day she talks down another suicidal teenager, Sam, and sees for herself a shot at redemption, the chance to atone for her sons death.But even with the best intentions, she cant foresee the situation shes falling headlong into - a troubled family, with some very dark secrets of their own.From #1 bestselling author of Gone Again, The Jump is a hugely moving contemporary thriller, and a stunning portrait of an unlikely heroine.

Your best mate just fell off a cliff in mysterious circumstances and you were the last person to see him alive, what do you do? Well, if you''re David Lindsay from Arbroath, you get the hell out of there and don''t return. Not for at least fifteen years. Until Nicola Cruickshank - yes, that Nicola, the girl you always fancied but never had the guts to approach - gets in touch and asks - no, demands - that you go back for a school reunion. To the place where it happened. The place you''ve been running from for fifteen years. Of course you go. Not to belatedly lay your mate to rest, but because you still fancy Nicola. The thing is, if you are David Lindsay, then returning to Arbroath isn''t going to lay any ghosts to rest. And when someone else takes a dive off the cliffs - an act the locals have taken to calling ''tombstoning'' - while David''s there, he has a choice: run away again, or finally find out why people keep dying around him...

Lennox Vonnie and Ava head to Greenland to meet up with Heather Sandy and the Enceladons commencing an epic showdown that will change everything The emotive devastating yet ultimately life affirming conclusion to the bestselling Enceladons Trilogy as seen on BBC2 s Between the Covers An affecting and thought provoking read Johnstone s worldbuilding is top notch in this pacy eco alien tale of peril and hope Tendai Huchu Doug Johnstone has emerged as the unholy octopoid lovechild of David Attenborough and Michael Crichton a thrilling action packed adventure Callum McSorley Surprising compelling and out of this world Ann Morgan A delight We need more novels that take on human exceptionalism with such gusto Ever Dundas It s been eighteen months since the Enceladons escaped the clutches of an American military determined to exterminate the peaceful alien creatures Lennox and Vonnie have been lying low in the Scottish Highlands Ava has been caring for her young daughter Chloe and Heather is adjusting to her new life with Sandy and the other Enceladons in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Greenland But fate is about to bring them together again for one last battle When Lennox and Vonnie are visited by Karl Jensen a Norwegian billionaire

When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they're convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach... an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland's most revered authors... **Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023** 'All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels ...science fiction gains a new author' Derek B Miller 'If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it's this one' Nina Pottell, Prima 'A sci-fi novel that is as moving as it is magical and mysterious. Doug Johnstone has hit it out of the park again' Mark Billingham 'A delicious, demanding departure from Doug Johnstone' Val McDermid ------------------------------------------ Connecting will change everything... Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family.

Davids best mate died falling off a cliff and he was the last to see him alive. Fifteen years later, he returns to Arbroath, where another death forces him to face the past. A darkly funny, gripping debut from one of Scotlands finest writers newly reissued.20th ANNIVERSARY EDITIONINTRODUCTION BY CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE`Very funny, with a touching and believable romance thrown in Kate Saunders, The Times`[A] pacy debut thriller. . . Johnstone skilfully coaxes the reader into identifying with these difficult-to-love characters and maintains the tension and drama Metro`[Leads] to comparisons with the Scots writer Christopher Brookmyre with a touch of romance [and] a gripping action sequence in the final chapters Scotsman____Your best mate just fell off a cliff in mysterious circumstances. You were the last person to see him alive. What do you do?If youre David Lindsay from Arbroath, you leg it and dont go back. Not for fifteen years.Then Nicola Cruickshank yes, that Nicola, the girl you always fancied but never had the guts to speak to gets in touch. She wants you back for a school reunion. At the very place it happened. Of course you say yes. Not to lay ghosts to rest, but because you still fancy Nicola.The thing is, if you are David Lindsay, then returning to Arbroath isnt going to bring closure. Because when someone else tumbles off the cliffs an act the locals now call tombstoning David has a choice: run away again, or finally find out why people around him keep dying____`Detailed and atmospheric descriptions funny and sparky dialogue Sunday Herald`Excellently written, intriguing storyline, and different from anything else around. A very impressive debut Allan Guthrie`A brilliant new author a rollicking tale of mystery set in Auld Reekie and the east coast town of Arbroath... The List`A vibrant and engaging debut, by turns humorous, irreverent and poignant Bill Duncan `A seductive and thrilling evocation of what lurks beneath the surface of small-town Scotland or, indeed, small-town anywhere Christopher BrookmyrePraise for Doug Johnstone`Tense, funny and deeply moving Mark Billingham`Nobody portrays modern Edinburgh better than Doug Johnstone speaks volumes about the power of story Val McDermid`An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones Herald Scotland`Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave Sunday Times`Gripping and blackly humorous Observer`A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists Publishers Weekly`This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief ... more, please Guardian`Some of the most unique characters in crime fiction Daily Express`Underlines just how accomplished Johnstone has become Daily Mail`Keeps you hungry from page to page. A crime reader cant ask anything more Sun`A thrilling, atmospheric book Move over Ian Rankin, Doug Johnstone is comin...

A pulsatingly tense psychological thriller and a breathtakingly brutal, beautiful and deeply moving story of a good kid in the wrong family, from one of Scotlands finest crime writers.SHORTLISTED for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year***BOOK OF THE YEAR in SCOTSMAN***Its a lovely, sad tale, beautifully told and full of understandingThe TimesThe most powerful and moving book from Johnstone yet a calling card that no-one can ignoreScotsmanThis may be Doug Johnstones best book yet. An unsparing yet sympathetic depiction of Edinburghs ignored underclass, with terrific characterisation. Tense, pacey, filmicIan Rankin____________________There are two sides to every familySeventeen-year-old Tyler lives in one of Edinburghs most deprived areas. Coerced into robbing rich peoples homes by his bullying older siblings, hes also trying to care for his little sister and his drug-addict mum.On a job, his brother Barry stabs a homeowner and leaves her for dead, but thats just the beginning of their nightmare, because the woman is the wife of Edinburghs biggest crime lord, Deke Holt.With the police and the Holts closing in, and his shattered family in devastating danger, Tyler meets posh girl Flick in another strangers house, and he thinks she may just be his salvation unless he drags her down too.____________________A cracking story, great characters its also about something and really addresses the "whys" of crimeMark BillinghamIts as psychologically rich as it is harrowing. Ive come to expect nothing less from Doug Johnstone, one of the genres premiere writersMegan AbbottBreakers again shows that Doug Johnstone is a noir heavyweight and a master of gritty realism. This may be his finest novel yetWilly VlautinDoug Johnstone is for me the perfect free-range writer, respectful of conventions but never bound by them, never hemmed-in. Each book is a different world, each book something new in this worldJames SallisBloody brilliant This is premier league crime-writingMartyn WaitesA tough, gritty and effective ride into the dark side of EdinburghDouglas SkeltonPacy, harrowing and occasionally brutal it had me in tears at the endPaddy MagraneBoth horrifying and uplifting, and one of those books I looked forward to picking up each time I had a moment to read I hope it does as well as it deserves toJames OswaldGripping, dark, fast, but still somehow full of heart Louise BeechA brooding, intensely dark thriller with a defiant beating heart. Evocative, heartbreaking and hopeful the power of the human spirit to shine in the most desperate place STUNNINGMiranda Dickinson

When volcanologist Surtsey finds her married lover dead, she pockets his phone and makes the fatal decision to keep her discovery secret but someone has been watchingA cracking and highly original thrillerMark BillinghamYou dont read Fault Lines so much as you white-knuckle your way through its twists and turnsMegan AbbottA superb, highly original psychological chillerSteve Cavanagh____________________In a reimagined contemporary Edinburgh, where a tectonic fault has opened up to produce a new volcano in the Firth of Forth, and where tremors are an everyday occurrence, volcanologist Surtsey makes a shocking discovery.On a clandestine trip to new volcanic island The Inch, to meet Tom, her lover and her boss, she finds his lifeless body, and makes the fatal decision to keep their affair, and her discovery, a secret.Desperate to know how he died, but also terrified shell be exposed, Surtseys life quickly spirals into a nightmare when someone makes contact someone who claims to know what shes done____________________An explosive thrillerDaily RecordA cracking-good thriller with some seriously good writing and some beautifully designed characters Heres a writer pushing the thriller envelope, giving the reader not just a good novel, but also a unique oneDavid Pitt, BooklistNovel and elegant it is the books thought-provoking and heart-breaking moments that carry the reader through the story and which resonate most at the endScotsmanBoth a meditation on the volatility of human nature and a gripping thriller with plenty of twists and turns An original and addictive thriller, as intelligent as it is shockingForeword ReviewsRichly characterised, beautifully crafted, this is a book that you truly inhabitEmma KavanaghScotlands truest exponent of noirChris BrookmyreA subtly off-kilter speculative thriller that builds to a truly explosive endingEva DolanA pacey, gripping readLouise VossSexy, fearless and addictiveHelen FitzGeraldJohnstone weaves his compelling and original tale with great skill and elegance from the gripping beginning to a tense and explosive endingAmanda JenningsBrilliantly unputdownableMartyn WaitesSuperbLuca VesteBlending powerful imagination and plotting, this is the work of a writer at the top of his gameStuart NevillePlays with every single emotionSusi HollidayThis had me hooked from the first pageCass GreenPoignant, gripping and packed with seismic shocksPaddy MagraneIncisive, intelligent and imaginativeMichael J. MaloneI was completely swept awayCaroline MitchellHits you lie a seismic shockDouglas SkeltonGrabs you by the throat in the first chapterNeil Broadfoot

A heart attack at a funeral, blackmail, murder, grief bots, affairs, the power of music and ghosts of every kind, who threaten the Skelfs very existence. The Skelfs are back in another gripping, heartfelt and irresistible mystery.The persistence of love in the Skelf household, no matter what fate flings at it, is reassuring and life-affirmingThe TimesThe Skelfs feel like family their joys are my joys, their pains are my pain Edinburghs favourite family, bringing darkness and delightVal McDermidAI remain a happily hopeless SkelfaholicMark Billingham______The Skelf women have been keeping their heads down, running the familys funeral directors and private investigation businesses. But when a woman collapses at her husbands funeral and is saved by Dorothy, she finds herself drawn into the murky world of grief tech a booming new industry that creates digital avatars of the dead.Jennys latest case a simple blackmail job for an old school friend quickly spirals into chaos as the womans tangled love life pulls Jenny towards dangerous old habits.Meanwhile, Hannah and her wife, Indy, are confronted by the unexpected arrival of Indys ex-boyfriend, claiming to be dying and eager for the Skelfs to arrange his funeral. But his arrival uncovers more ghosts from the past, and threatens to upend everything theyve built.As their cases collide and their personal lives spiral, the Skelfs face danger from all sides. How far will they go to protect one another, and what will it cost to finally silence the ghosts?Warm, tense and full of heart, Ghost Notes is another masterful instalment in Doug Johnstones award-winning, addictive Skelfs series, and the stakes are higher than ever__________Praise for The Skelfs series:**SHORTLISTED for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year****SHORTLISTED for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Novel**Some of the best female characters in crime fictionSarah HilaryIf you loved Iain Banks, youll devour the Skelfs seriesErin KellyAn addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet UnderChris BrookmyreWonderful characters: flawed, funny and braveSunday TimesUnderlines just how accomplished Johnstone has becomeDaily MailJohnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punchGytha LodgeAn engrossing and beautifully written taleHerald ScotlandOne of the greats of Scottish crime fictionLuca VesteGripping and blackly humorousObserverA must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonistsPublishers Weekly

Drones, gangland vendettas, a missing choir singer, disturbances in the cemetery, PTSD, panpsychism, and secrets from the past This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as nail-biting, tense and warmly funny as ever!`The persistence of love in the Skelf household, no matter what fate flings at it, is reassuring and life-affirming The Times `The Skelfs feel like family their joys are my joys, their pains are my pain Edinburghs favourite family, bringing darkness and delight Val McDermid`Another wonderful entry in one of the finest crime series out there. I remain a happily hopeless Skelfaholic Mark Billingham_______________The Skelf women are back on an even keel after everything theyve been through. But when a funeral theyre conducting is attacked by a drone, Jenny fears theyre in the middle of an Edinburgh gangland vendetta.At the same time, Yana, a Ukrainian member of the refugee choir that plays with Dorothys band, has gone missing. Searching for her leads Dorothy into strange and ominous territory.And Brodie, the newest member of the extended Skelf family, comes to Hannah with a case: Something or someone has been disturbing the grave of his stillborn son.Everything is changing for the Skelfs Dorothys boyfriend Thomas is suffering PTSD after previous violent trauma, Jenny and Archie are becoming close, and Hannahs case leads her to consider the curious concept of panpsychism, which brings new danger while ghosts from the familys past return to threaten their very lives.Funny, shocking and profound, Living Is a Problem is the highly anticipated sixth instalment of the unforgettable Skelfs series shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Novel and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year where life and death become intertwined more than ever before_______________`A series that keeps getting better and better. Readers have come not only to know the Skelf family but care for them too, which makes their increasingly dangerous predicaments all the more thrilling Scots Whay HaePraise for The Skelfs series**SHORTLISTED for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year****SHORTLISTED for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Novel**`Some of the best female characters in crime fiction Sarah Hilary`If you loved Iain Banks, youll devour the Skelfs series Erin Kelly`An addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet Under Chris Brookmyre`Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave Sunday Times`Underlines just how accomplished Johnstone has become Daily Mail`Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch Gytha Lodge`An engrossing and beautifully written tale Herald Scotland`One of the greats of Scottish crime fiction Luca Veste`Gripping and blackly humorous Observer`A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists Publishers Weekly

Three generations of women from the Skelfs family take over the family funeral home and PI businesses in the first book of a taut, gripping page-turning and darkly funny new series.***Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year*** ***Shortlisted for the Amazon Publishing Capital Crime Awards***An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertonesHerald ScotlandGripping and blackly humorousObserverI was addicted from the first page; gripping, gritty and darkly funny as hellErin KellyA Dark Matter showcases a writer at the peak of his powers, except that with every book, Doug Johnstone just gets betterVal McDermid_________________Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigatorsWhen patriarch Jim dies, its 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 wasnt the husband she thought he was. Hannahs 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 everythingA compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, A Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series._________________A fiendish mystery that is also deeply moving and laced with suitably dark humour set to be one of the books of the yearMark BillinghamEmotionally complex, richly layered and darkly funny. An addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet UnderChris BrookmyreThis dark but touching thriller makes for a thoroughly enjoyable slice of Edinburgh noirMary Paulson-EllisThis enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief, as the three tough but tender main characters pick up the pieces and carry on: more, pleaseGuardianA tense ride strong, believable charactersKerry Hudson, Big IssueThey are all wonderful characters: flawed, funny, brave and well set up for a series. I wouldnt call him cosy, but theres warmth to Johnstones writingSunday Times