What do you think?
Rate this book
Pyres
"Horror’s Kev Harrison is on fire with his latest novel, Pyres, a blistering murder mystery with echoes of Dorian Grey that compels with its artistry as much as its political commentary. Set in the New Forest and conjuring ancient gods, Pyres is darkly revelatory. Definitely make this your next read."—Lee Murray, five-time Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Monster Stories
Angela has been a spirit painter for years. Channelling the spirits as they commit memories to canvas through childhood pets, favourite holiday locations, and sprawling homesteads. But now, something has changed.
The paintings take a dark turn just as her sister, Becky, returns from Italy. People burnt alive, their smouldering remains a vivid, visceral stain on Angela’s canvasses. Already disturbed, her life is thrown into turmoil when a right wing TV news presenter is found incinerated in a facsimile of her new painting.
As the artworks - and charred bodies - mount up, can Angela and Becky find out what’s happening, and how to stop it?
From the Independent Press Award-winning author of Shadow of the Hidden, Pyres is a tense, taut novel of supernatural horror.
Angela has been a spirit painter for years. Channelling the spirits as they commit memories to canvas through childhood pets, favourite holiday locations, and sprawling homesteads. But now, something has changed.
The paintings take a dark turn just as her sister, Becky, returns from Italy. People burnt alive, their smouldering remains a vivid, visceral stain on Angela’s canvasses. Already disturbed, her life is thrown into turmoil when a right wing TV news presenter is found incinerated in a facsimile of her new painting.
As the artworks - and charred bodies - mount up, can Angela and Becky find out what’s happening, and how to stop it?
From the Independent Press Award-winning author of Shadow of the Hidden, Pyres is a tense, taut novel of supernatural horror.
185 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2025
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Kev Harrison
38 books157 followersKev Harrison is a writer of dark fiction and English language teacher from England, living and working in Lisbon, Portugal. He has previously lived in various areas of the UK, as well as Turkey and Poland.
His Independent Press Award-winning debut novel, Shadow of the Hidden, is out now from Brigids Gate Press. His latest novella, 'Below' is also available from the same publishing house.
His debut novella 'The Balance', was released through Lycan Valley Press, while his debut collection 'Paths Best Left Untrodden' was released through Northern Republic.
His forthcoming release, Pyres, is a politically-charged novel of supernatural horror, set in the New Forest.
He is a staff writer for This is Horror and has had short fiction published in a variety of magazines and anthologies and podcasts.
His Independent Press Award-winning debut novel, Shadow of the Hidden, is out now from Brigids Gate Press. His latest novella, 'Below' is also available from the same publishing house.
His debut novella 'The Balance', was released through Lycan Valley Press, while his debut collection 'Paths Best Left Untrodden' was released through Northern Republic.
His forthcoming release, Pyres, is a politically-charged novel of supernatural horror, set in the New Forest.
He is a staff writer for This is Horror and has had short fiction published in a variety of magazines and anthologies and podcasts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 3, 2025
Pyres could also be titled Fahrenheit 162, the temperature which human tissue burns. Like the Bradbury classic, it blazes with intensity and drips with insightful social commentary.
Set in the New Forest of Britain, artist Angela claims to paint with a spiritual guide. Younger sister Becky considers her sibling's rolled back eyes and slashing brushstrokes mostly dramatics and while Angela usually renders kids, dogs and seaside landscapes, her newest painting depicts the fiery demise of a blowhard politician. Her images are accurate down to the color of the melted couch and his grotesque charred legs. Similar occurrences continue and the reader and sisters alike wonder if art is predicting fatal events or contributing to them.
This is a blistering murder mystery with indelible scenes of horror and atmospheric settings. Backstory is filled in as sisters and cunning supporting characters follow disturbing threads. Action and violence are balanced with a steady emotional tone and the narrative ends with a strong, worthy finale.
The modern political attempts used to dehumanize England's neighbors are a theme, as well is the mysterious ways sibling relationships evolve into adulthood. Pyres carries elements of The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Silent Patient and American Gods.
Set in the New Forest of Britain, artist Angela claims to paint with a spiritual guide. Younger sister Becky considers her sibling's rolled back eyes and slashing brushstrokes mostly dramatics and while Angela usually renders kids, dogs and seaside landscapes, her newest painting depicts the fiery demise of a blowhard politician. Her images are accurate down to the color of the melted couch and his grotesque charred legs. Similar occurrences continue and the reader and sisters alike wonder if art is predicting fatal events or contributing to them.
This is a blistering murder mystery with indelible scenes of horror and atmospheric settings. Backstory is filled in as sisters and cunning supporting characters follow disturbing threads. Action and violence are balanced with a steady emotional tone and the narrative ends with a strong, worthy finale.
The modern political attempts used to dehumanize England's neighbors are a theme, as well is the mysterious ways sibling relationships evolve into adulthood. Pyres carries elements of The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Silent Patient and American Gods.
November 13, 2025
Pyres is a gripping page turner told by alternating view points of two sisters, one of whom is a spirit painter and receives an unwelcome visitor!
I don't where to begin when discussing everything I liked about this book! Its a real page turner I've read a lot of Kev Harrisons books ( all highly recommended!) he's a very talented author but this one really knocked it out of the park!
It's a fantastic folk horror read but also managed to encapsulate everything I hate about British
politics and the dangerous way its leaning to the right.
I don't want to risk giving out spoilers but suffice to say this is a really fantastic book and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book Kev Harrison writes!!!
I don't where to begin when discussing everything I liked about this book! Its a real page turner I've read a lot of Kev Harrisons books ( all highly recommended!) he's a very talented author but this one really knocked it out of the park!
It's a fantastic folk horror read but also managed to encapsulate everything I hate about British
politics and the dangerous way its leaning to the right.
I don't want to risk giving out spoilers but suffice to say this is a really fantastic book and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book Kev Harrison writes!!!
October 13, 2025
Told in alternating chapters between two sisters, this is a really fast-paced, creepy horror story about a woman who is constantly "hosting" spirits that paint through her. The paintings range in what they depict, and she's quite used to it, until she starts painting the same horrific image over and over again. Her sceptical sister visits and soon suspects that perhaps the spiritual element of her sister's art might not be a marketing gimmick after all...
The only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is because it fell just short of being absolutely perfect. There's a surprising angle to why the horror is unfolding, which I enjoyed, but only wish it had been set up a little more solidly. However, I breezed through this and would wholeheartedly recommend it.
The only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is because it fell just short of being absolutely perfect. There's a surprising angle to why the horror is unfolding, which I enjoyed, but only wish it had been set up a little more solidly. However, I breezed through this and would wholeheartedly recommend it.
November 24, 2025
Pyres was wonderful, in the most macabre and weird.
Firstly, spirit painters. I’ve never heard of these before, but what a hook for a spooky story; and I looked them up, Spirit Painters, and they’re real, crazy stuff - and with Kev Harrison’s ability to weave folk horror into his work to devastating, believable effect, I knew this was going to be a cracking read.
Secondly, Kev takes the tumultuous times we’re living in, more focused with regards to the bigoted views of migrants and asylum seekers and he puts this onto the Pyre too for us to watch everything burn - and provides a wonderful afterword which touches on some of the themes in the book too.
What we get here is a story with heart, a story about revenge of hatred, or fear and with a nice flaming portion of spontaneous human combustion (had me right away) - it has a message and those books are dangerous…in all the best ways…and this catches fire and we watch the world burn!
Firstly, spirit painters. I’ve never heard of these before, but what a hook for a spooky story; and I looked them up, Spirit Painters, and they’re real, crazy stuff - and with Kev Harrison’s ability to weave folk horror into his work to devastating, believable effect, I knew this was going to be a cracking read.
Secondly, Kev takes the tumultuous times we’re living in, more focused with regards to the bigoted views of migrants and asylum seekers and he puts this onto the Pyre too for us to watch everything burn - and provides a wonderful afterword which touches on some of the themes in the book too.
What we get here is a story with heart, a story about revenge of hatred, or fear and with a nice flaming portion of spontaneous human combustion (had me right away) - it has a message and those books are dangerous…in all the best ways…and this catches fire and we watch the world burn!
July 23, 2025
Kev Harrison ignites a flame in Pyres, spinning a tightly-paced supernatural mystery of family bonds and old gods, the narrative burning with political wrath.
With cinematic imagery, the author's signature descriptions of food and wine that will have you salivating, and a rollercoaster ending, Pyres is a worthy addition to your autumn tbr!
With cinematic imagery, the author's signature descriptions of food and wine that will have you salivating, and a rollercoaster ending, Pyres is a worthy addition to your autumn tbr!
December 3, 2025
More novella than novel, but that keeps everything nice and tight. Kev doesn't hang around here with Pyres. A proper page turner you could rip through in one sitting.
There is a message here in between all what's going on, but it's handled with such grace. I really appreciated that.
For me, this was also great showcase of how to blend different genres together.
Five stars deserved.
There is a message here in between all what's going on, but it's handled with such grace. I really appreciated that.
For me, this was also great showcase of how to blend different genres together.
Five stars deserved.
September 18, 2025
I was super lucky and managed to snag a signed paperback of this book while at the Indie Horror Chapter's third event at The Royal Hotel in Weston-Super-Mare.
This is a completely gripping book, from start to finish, and right up my alley with being supernatural based horror. The main character, Angela is a 'spirit painter' which means she channels visions from beyond the veil through her art. But when they turn into images of horror, with one being identical to the real life death of a right wing TV presenter, things get very scary. Her sister, Becky, returns from Italy just in time to help her untangle what is going on.
Set in the British countryside, with very real characters I loved this book. It's dark, fast-paced, with a background of political narrative that's very satisfying. It's the best thing Kev Harrison has released to date.
This is a completely gripping book, from start to finish, and right up my alley with being supernatural based horror. The main character, Angela is a 'spirit painter' which means she channels visions from beyond the veil through her art. But when they turn into images of horror, with one being identical to the real life death of a right wing TV presenter, things get very scary. Her sister, Becky, returns from Italy just in time to help her untangle what is going on.
Set in the British countryside, with very real characters I loved this book. It's dark, fast-paced, with a background of political narrative that's very satisfying. It's the best thing Kev Harrison has released to date.
October 9, 2025
Pyres is like waking up from a dark daydream of killing off heartless politicians to find that the darkness has infected your life. This short novel is an incredibly compelling read that is alternately satisfying and frustrating in just the right way. I feel like it also has enough subtext to let you make larger statements about society in ways that I haven't found in most of my recent reads.
First, this isn't so much a warning as it is a fyi: this novel has British expressions that I had never heard before. Their use isn't so overwhelming that you'll never be able to read it if you aren't from the UK. However, you might need to look up an expression or two. That is the way people talk, though, right? So, it just makes the story better, in my opinion.
You won't find a single, laggardly sentence in this book. From the moment that we meet Becky and her subsequent reunion with Angela, the story moves. At the same time, the author doesn't skip characterization in the breakneck pace of the story. Angela has a paranormal ability that could have been portrayed as nothing but a burden or a self-indulgent desire that makes everyone else miserable. I really like that her unusual life choices are treated as though they matter by the author. Becky is much more gritty and has backed up her opinions with action. The sisters, like all sisters, have a complicated history. These are great characters, and it is so easy to care about them. As with all the best books, the secondary characters have personality too.
A friend of mine said that the setting should be like a character in the story. We all know the state of the world today, so the part of the story about crappy politicians is a frustration that resonates. But Angela lives in a mysterious and ancient part of England, which sets up a nice contrast. I enjoyed the way they were woven together.
I have to say that the plot was pretty surprising. There were elements that I absolutely did not expect, although I felt that they were perfect when they came up. The end was kind of controversial, perhaps, but I felt like it fit the story well. Also, the points that were made there were good ones.
So, I'm not going to say too much about the subtext and what one can say the characters in the story represent, because spoilers. I love a book that says something more than just the story and the plot.
This is the second book I've read by Kev Harrison, and I really like the first one, Shadow of the Hidden, too. While I don't mind some creepiness, I'm not up for anything that is super dark, which is - obviously - often part of the horror genre. What I like about this author's work is that I can have that creepiness without feeling too stressed to sleep or super depressed when I close the book. Now, I have the impression that the detective character from this story will show up in another of Kev Harrison's novels, and I will absolutely be there to read it.
Should you read this book? There are mentions of politics and people being hurt in creepy and disturbing ways. Also, there are women kissing other women. While I am sensitive about politics, I didn't find the political part to be overwhelming. So, if you can handle those things, you should read this book. It is so compelling that you can get through it in one or two sittings if you have the time, and I feel like it is enjoyable enough to make it worth spending that time.
First, this isn't so much a warning as it is a fyi: this novel has British expressions that I had never heard before. Their use isn't so overwhelming that you'll never be able to read it if you aren't from the UK. However, you might need to look up an expression or two. That is the way people talk, though, right? So, it just makes the story better, in my opinion.
You won't find a single, laggardly sentence in this book. From the moment that we meet Becky and her subsequent reunion with Angela, the story moves. At the same time, the author doesn't skip characterization in the breakneck pace of the story. Angela has a paranormal ability that could have been portrayed as nothing but a burden or a self-indulgent desire that makes everyone else miserable. I really like that her unusual life choices are treated as though they matter by the author. Becky is much more gritty and has backed up her opinions with action. The sisters, like all sisters, have a complicated history. These are great characters, and it is so easy to care about them. As with all the best books, the secondary characters have personality too.
A friend of mine said that the setting should be like a character in the story. We all know the state of the world today, so the part of the story about crappy politicians is a frustration that resonates. But Angela lives in a mysterious and ancient part of England, which sets up a nice contrast. I enjoyed the way they were woven together.
I have to say that the plot was pretty surprising. There were elements that I absolutely did not expect, although I felt that they were perfect when they came up. The end was kind of controversial, perhaps, but I felt like it fit the story well. Also, the points that were made there were good ones.
So, I'm not going to say too much about the subtext and what one can say the characters in the story represent, because spoilers. I love a book that says something more than just the story and the plot.
This is the second book I've read by Kev Harrison, and I really like the first one, Shadow of the Hidden, too. While I don't mind some creepiness, I'm not up for anything that is super dark, which is - obviously - often part of the horror genre. What I like about this author's work is that I can have that creepiness without feeling too stressed to sleep or super depressed when I close the book. Now, I have the impression that the detective character from this story will show up in another of Kev Harrison's novels, and I will absolutely be there to read it.
Should you read this book? There are mentions of politics and people being hurt in creepy and disturbing ways. Also, there are women kissing other women. While I am sensitive about politics, I didn't find the political part to be overwhelming. So, if you can handle those things, you should read this book. It is so compelling that you can get through it in one or two sittings if you have the time, and I feel like it is enjoyable enough to make it worth spending that time.
October 13, 2025
Such a page turner and a thoroughly creepy horror story. The chapters were told in alternative viewpoints between two sisters who have very different outlooks, and I loved this as a narrative choice. Great book.
September 26, 2025
I first came across Kev Harrison back in 2020 with his excellent Slavic Baba Yaga-inspired supernatural folktale
The Balance
, which later featured in my Horror DNA Top Ten Novellas of 2020 roundup. In 2021,
Below
heads to an abandoned Californian goldmine where nastiness lurks for an unlucky group of documentary filmmakers. Harrison followed this in 2022 with a thoughtful collection of short stories,
Paths Best Left Untrodden
, which slipstream from genre to genre. He also features in an extensive range of anthologies, with work being released by an impressive range of top indie horror publishers, including Demain, who is responsible for both
Curfew
and
Cinders of a Blind Man Who Could See
in its Short Sharp Shocks! series.
By the time of the excellent Shadow of the Hidden: A Novel of Adventure Horror (winner of an Independent Press Award), Harrison had graduated to full-length novels, with this great occult adventure thriller about an ancient curse. His latest, Pyres, is another supernatural tale, where the author abandons setting his fiction in far flung locations, instead basing the story entirely in the New Forest area of the south of England.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
By the time of the excellent Shadow of the Hidden: A Novel of Adventure Horror (winner of an Independent Press Award), Harrison had graduated to full-length novels, with this great occult adventure thriller about an ancient curse. His latest, Pyres, is another supernatural tale, where the author abandons setting his fiction in far flung locations, instead basing the story entirely in the New Forest area of the south of England.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
November 2, 2025
Pyres is a geat read!
The story is told by alternating first-person accounts of two sisters – one a spirit painter, who has built a career with beautiful, pleasant artwork channeled through her by the dead, but something has changed with her newest pieces, as the supernatural process has taken a dark and dangerous turn. The younger sister has just returned to England after years away and is waiting for her new job to start – she works with migrants seeking refuge – this is integral to the plot also, as the story has an important theme of social injustice and policy. Be sure to read more of the author’s thoughts on this in the Afterword.
This is a tightly written, riveting story, with stellar descriptions – the settings come alive - to accompany the fast-pasted narrative.
The story is told by alternating first-person accounts of two sisters – one a spirit painter, who has built a career with beautiful, pleasant artwork channeled through her by the dead, but something has changed with her newest pieces, as the supernatural process has taken a dark and dangerous turn. The younger sister has just returned to England after years away and is waiting for her new job to start – she works with migrants seeking refuge – this is integral to the plot also, as the story has an important theme of social injustice and policy. Be sure to read more of the author’s thoughts on this in the Afterword.
This is a tightly written, riveting story, with stellar descriptions – the settings come alive - to accompany the fast-pasted narrative.
August 24, 2025
Kev Harrison's storytelling is on fire in this enthralling supernatural mystery thriller. Pyres reminded me of the best of those mid to late 90s TV shows we watched in the dark that still remain firm favourites in our hearts to this day. And I'll admit when I read this, I thought I knew where Kev was leading me, and he still managed to surprise me. Furthermore, those anxiety-inducing fire sequences hit me right in the chest. Cheers Kev! Another top read.
November 10, 2025
Pyres took me back to a part of England I know well having formerly lived in Southampton for many years so I was immediately at home. Suitable spooky and supernatural and with its rural setting in the New Forest, it took me back and I was 'there'.
Touching on current attitudes towards immigration in the UK, it challenges the reader to consider their own opinions and morals: when is violence justified? - if it ever is.
An entertaining way of making a point without preaching.
Touching on current attitudes towards immigration in the UK, it challenges the reader to consider their own opinions and morals: when is violence justified? - if it ever is.
An entertaining way of making a point without preaching.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews