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Thirteen Marks: A Psychological Thriller
Twenty-eight years of silence turned Horace Vance into a ghost.
Convicted as “The Monster,” he survived by erasing himself—until his mind became nothing but a White Veil.
When a renowned scientist confesses on his deathbed, Horace is exonerated. But freedom doesn’t give him a life back. It gives him questions.
A tattoo winds up his arm in faded dots and paths he can’t explain. A design that makes people flinch. A design that feels like it’s pointing somewhere.
Horace wants the truth. The world wants closure. And someone in the shadows wants the past to stay buried—because if Horace remembers what he used to be, the “Monster” might not remain a story.
Some prisons are made of bars. Others are made of missing memories.
Convicted as “The Monster,” he survived by erasing himself—until his mind became nothing but a White Veil.
When a renowned scientist confesses on his deathbed, Horace is exonerated. But freedom doesn’t give him a life back. It gives him questions.
A tattoo winds up his arm in faded dots and paths he can’t explain. A design that makes people flinch. A design that feels like it’s pointing somewhere.
Horace wants the truth. The world wants closure. And someone in the shadows wants the past to stay buried—because if Horace remembers what he used to be, the “Monster” might not remain a story.
Some prisons are made of bars. Others are made of missing memories.
159 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2026
About the author
James A Arkin
4 books1 followerJames A. Arkin is an American author of psychological thrillers — stories that explore the darkest corridors of the human mind.
His debut novel, Thirteen Marks, follows Horace Vance — a man wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 28 years, who survived only by erasing himself completely. When he is finally released, the mind he buried begins to resurface in terrifying ways.
Arkin writes for readers who want to be challenged, unsettled, and ultimately transformed. His thrillers are emotionally raw, psychologically complex, and impossible to put down.
His trilogy:
• Thirteen Marks (Book 1)
• Never Go Postal (Book 2)
• The Glass Inheritance (Book 3 — coming soon)
Follow him on Instagram: @jamesaarkin
His debut novel, Thirteen Marks, follows Horace Vance — a man wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 28 years, who survived only by erasing himself completely. When he is finally released, the mind he buried begins to resurface in terrifying ways.
Arkin writes for readers who want to be challenged, unsettled, and ultimately transformed. His thrillers are emotionally raw, psychologically complex, and impossible to put down.
His trilogy:
• Thirteen Marks (Book 1)
• Never Go Postal (Book 2)
• The Glass Inheritance (Book 3 — coming soon)
Follow him on Instagram: @jamesaarkin
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 18, 2026
Psychologically gripping, emotionally challenging, Thirteen Marks keeps you at the edge of your seat. A true page turner to read in one go.
January 11, 2026
A great ride: you can’t stop until it is over
This book feels like a great roller-coaster ride. Gripping, exciting and full of twists and turns. It keeps you engaged at all times, and it sometimes toys with your emotions. A great read, you can’t stop until it is over. Entertaining and masterful.
This book feels like a great roller-coaster ride. Gripping, exciting and full of twists and turns. It keeps you engaged at all times, and it sometimes toys with your emotions. A great read, you can’t stop until it is over. Entertaining and masterful.
February 1, 2026
this was such a good book it really does make you wonder what do people do that are in prison for long periods of time but then get released most of the time its a new era new things happen while they are in there.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews