Riprap

by Tom McCulloch

Patti Letham isn’t dying after all. In and out of consciousness, she trawls through what brought her to this hospital bed. Somewhere in that kaleidoscope of scandal and eccentricity something must ring true, but Patti distrusts herself as much as everyone distrusts her: Hector, the detective who’s shadowed her whole life; hostile locals; and her long dead parents – still so disappointed. Then there’s Frank, who everyone knows she tried to kill once before.

206 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2026

About the author

I come from the Highlands of Scotland and now live in Oxford with my family. I'm the author of four novels: The Stillman, A Private Haunting, The Accidental Recluse, and Riprap.

With The Stillman I was named an Amazon Rising Star. The Accidental Recluse was a Scotsman newspaper book of the year.

My short stories and poems have appeared in many magazines and compilations, including Jacked: a crime fiction anthology (Run Amok Crime) and Romy Lives.

Reviews

[Liz Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enticing read that keeps you ensnared as it unravels; at each turn something else is revealed as you realise there are many possibilities before the end.
The characters are presented gradually in mosaic form within evocative landscapes and atmospheric settings. While the protagonist may seem elusive at times, at others she is earthy and solid. This balance between the ephemeral and visceral plays throughout the novel right to the last page.

[Jamie Mollart · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Rip Rap Tom has crafted something akin to Maribou Stalk Nightmares with a heart. An elegant and edgy puzzle box of a novel that’s also a contemplation on the validity of memory.Patti is a wonderfully compelling unreliable narrator as she unwinds this entertaining and unsettling tale of revenge, isolation and what constitutes family.

Rip Rap is tightly plotted, written in taut prose, packing a hell of a punch for its short length.