Annie surged forward, but she was too slow, too late.
A hand came over and down, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck.
Then all became smoke, and silence.
Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.
While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.
Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.
Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…
The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…
It is such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for The Torments by Michael J. Malone today. Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
I love Michael J. Malone's books; the poetically descriptive lyricism and keen appreciation of human behaviour is always a joy to read. His crime fiction is unfailingly of the highest order but as we head into autumn and, of course, Halloween, I was particularly excited to read another of his immersive gothic thrillers. The Torments is the second in his Annie Jackson series and while it's not necessary to have read The Murmurs, I recommend that you do – you'll gain a deeper understanding of the origin of Annie's curse and what she has already endured.
The melding of contemporary crime fiction with ancient Scottish folklore is what makes this series so memorable, and the book actually opens with the chilling tale of the Boabhan Sith, an ancient fey creature. However, while the storyline switches between past and present, it's more recent history which is revealed here. Alongside the main narrative which follows Annie and her twin brother, Lewis's search for their missing cousin, Damien, there's a dark, disturbing story following a couple of twisted individuals who meet at boarding school.
Annie is, understandably, reluctant to leave the peace and safety of her cottage – she does have a job but the burden she bears is quickly apparent. Cruelly mocked by the curse of the murmurs which become impossible to ignore when she leaves her sanctuary, she also has a terrible gift which means she has horribly graphic premonitions when somebody is going to die. She has learned that she is unable to stop the death from happening but in failing to warn someone about their upcoming tragedy, she invokes the wrath of the local community. The lonely life she has built for herself is challenged but when she reluctantly agrees to look for Damien, she slowly grows less passive and in spite of the dangers she faces, she is a strong, engaging character throughout.
The relationship she has with Lewis was one of the highlights of The Murmurs; it's developed further here and with a number of chapters told from his perspective, I enjoyed seeing his character further developed. As it becomes increasingly obvious that somebody is trying to warn them off their investigation into Damien's disappearance, Lewis has as important a role to play in proceedings as Annie and he certainly experiences more than his fair share of testing situations.
The rich descriptions ensures the sense of place is effortlessly evoked but as well as being a vividly atmospheric read, The Torments is spine-chillingly tense and exciting. As the truth of the dark decades-spanning story is gradually revealed, the real and supernatural worlds become terrifyingly intertwined. However, it's the wickedness of people and the torments borne by the victims of violence and the cruel, insatiable lust for power which is most disturbing. Not all the victims are easy to like but Michael J. Malone's empathy for his characters means we are at least able to understand how they have been brutalised and manipulated into behaving as they do.
The Torments is a compelling, supremely creepy and harrowing read; packed with drama and full of heart, I loved every word and cannot recommend it highly enough.
The Torments is published by Orenda Books. It can be ordered directly from their website, further purchasing links can be found here.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.
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