Portraits of the Dead
by John Nicholls
GENRE: Psychological Thriller
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One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Please visit GoddessFish.com to follow the tour, remember the more you comment better your chances on winning.
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BLURB:
Emma didn’t know how long he hid, silent and unmoving, in the large Victorian wardrobe to the side of her single bed. She didn’t know how long he peered out, salivating and drooling, between the two heavy dark oak doors, and watched, mesmerised, as she slowly drifted into fitful sleep. She didn't know what time he pushed the doors open and crept towards her in the drab grey darkness of the night.
Detective Inspector Gravel finds himself floundering when a local nineteen-year-old university student is abducted and imprisoned by a sadistic serial killer, who has already tortured and killed five young women.
A gripping page-turner of a serial killer thriller packed with suspense. If you like Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza and Karin Slaughter, discover John Nicholl’s chilling new thriller today.
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Excerpt:
Chapter 1
2:20 A.M. Saturday, 2 May 1998
Emma didn’t know how long he hid, silent and unmoving, in the large Victorian wardrobe to the side of her single bed. She didn’t know how long he peered, salivating and drooling, between the two heavy dark oak doors and watched, mesmerised, as she slowly drifted into fitful sleep. She didn’t know what time he pushed the doors open and crept towards her in the drab grey darkness of the night. But he did. She knew that he did.
Emma woke with a start, tense, alert, and opened her bleary eyes, telling herself insistently that the dark silhouette slowly approaching her was the nightmare construct of her subconscious mind. But initial anxiety became blind panic as the inky shadow took on an obvious human form that suddenly gained pace and loomed over her. And then a hand, a large hot clammy hand, pulled the bedclothes over her head, clamped her mouth tight shut and silenced her scream before it materialised.
A myriad unwelcome thoughts invaded her troubled mind as he pinned her head to the pillow and raised his free arm high above his head, before closing his fingers tightly, forming his hand into a formidable weapon and bringing it crashing down, again and again and again, with all the force he could muster, rendering her unconscious and bleeding.
She didn’t know how long she remained senseless, or what he did to her while she slept. She didn’t know what time he lifted her from her bed and carried her from her student bedroom, down the creaking wooden staircase and out into the Welsh city street. But he did. She knew that he did.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
John Nicholl, an ex-police officer, child protection social worker, manager and lecturer, has written three dark psychological suspense thrillers, each of which are Amazon international bestsellers, reaching # 1 in multiple categories in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Australia, Canada and the USA. John is always happy to hear from readers, bloggers or anyone interested in proposing a joint creative project. He can be contacted via his author website at:
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Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeletecongrats on the tour, I enjoyed reading the excerpt, and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa, it's appreciated.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the excerpt, sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteDo you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the excerpt and really like the cover sounds like an interesting read
ReplyDeleteYour bio makes me think that your work experience would surely appear in your work, in some capacity.
ReplyDeleteDianna
I can't wait to read this book !
ReplyDeleteYou've definitely worked in fields that come into contact with the darker side of human nature.
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt. The story sounds very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteSalivating AND drooling! A double threat!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover.
ReplyDeletePerfect cover with all the clown stuff going on.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds really awesome! Right up my alley!
ReplyDeleteENjoyed chapter 1.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHappy hump day!
ReplyDeleteStopped by to thank you again for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI love giveaways like this! They're great for discovering new books and authors!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week. Stopped by to share the post.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to vote tomorrow! Shared this post again. :)
ReplyDeleteWatching the votes come in. Go Hillary! Shared the post again. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend. Shared the post again.
ReplyDeleteJust noticed the creepy clown in the background. Lol. Shared the post. :)
ReplyDeleteClowns freak me out!
ReplyDeleteStopped by again to share the post. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteSuspense and thrillers are my favorite genre. This sounds so intriguing.
ReplyDeleteDropped by to quickly share the post. :)
ReplyDeleteSerial killer stories are so interesting to me. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a successful tour. Thanks again for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the boogie man hiding in the shadows - terrifying stuff!
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend everyone & good luck!
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend everyone & good luck!
ReplyDelete