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Letters From The Dead - Ryan's Story
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2026
About the author
Mark Tilbury
29 books279 followersMark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.
He's always had a keen interest in writing and after being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and began self-publishing. Mark's writing has earned him the name #TwistedTilbury due to the dark and twisted nature of his books. He's published 13 thrillers, and his 14th novel, Letters From The Dead - Ryan's Story, will be published July 21st 2026.
When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.
Did you know that you can follow authors on Amazon? If you hit the 'follow' button on my author page, you'll be kept updated of any price reductions and new publications.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Tilbury...
Thank you!
He's always had a keen interest in writing and after being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and began self-publishing. Mark's writing has earned him the name #TwistedTilbury due to the dark and twisted nature of his books. He's published 13 thrillers, and his 14th novel, Letters From The Dead - Ryan's Story, will be published July 21st 2026.
When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.
Did you know that you can follow authors on Amazon? If you hit the 'follow' button on my author page, you'll be kept updated of any price reductions and new publications.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Tilbury...
Thank you!
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 28, 2026
Claire has a special psychic gift where loved ones come through to her when she holds something of their possessions and they take over and come through in the form of a written letter. She has never been asked to try for anyone that is missing before but Ryan’s mum is persistent and she gives it a try. She soon wishes she hadn’t as it becomes clear that Ryan was murdered. She is put in an impossible situation as she doesn’t feel she can tell Dawn this and sends her away thinking that will be an end to it as she doesn’t want to get involved. Ryan though has other ideas and is determined to be heard.
This was quite a sombre read with the death of a loved one and what poor Ryan had to endure in his final moments. Ryan’s letters are heart breaking to read. The killer is sick and very twisted. Along with Claire, she soon has the help of her husband, sister and brother-in-law, Nick, to help and try and solve who the killer is before he can strike again and hopefully find peace as well as justice for Ryan.
It certainly isn’t an easy read. The killer is homophobic and his rage against gay men is brutal. Claire and the others have nowhere to turn other than to try and solve it by themselves and as they get closer, it filled me with trepidation at was to come not just for them but for Ryan also.
Letters from the Dead – Ryan’s Story was a compulsive read that was uncomfortable in some places due to the nature of the story. It filled me with a lot of emotion and I was rooting for Claire and the others to put a stop to this evil killer. The author never fails in delivering disturbing reads with the most unlikeable killer’s. They may be sick and deranged but boy does it make for some great reading. If you love a seriously twisted serial killer thriller, you won’t be disappointed. Dark, twisted and so very good!
This was quite a sombre read with the death of a loved one and what poor Ryan had to endure in his final moments. Ryan’s letters are heart breaking to read. The killer is sick and very twisted. Along with Claire, she soon has the help of her husband, sister and brother-in-law, Nick, to help and try and solve who the killer is before he can strike again and hopefully find peace as well as justice for Ryan.
It certainly isn’t an easy read. The killer is homophobic and his rage against gay men is brutal. Claire and the others have nowhere to turn other than to try and solve it by themselves and as they get closer, it filled me with trepidation at was to come not just for them but for Ryan also.
Letters from the Dead – Ryan’s Story was a compulsive read that was uncomfortable in some places due to the nature of the story. It filled me with a lot of emotion and I was rooting for Claire and the others to put a stop to this evil killer. The author never fails in delivering disturbing reads with the most unlikeable killer’s. They may be sick and deranged but boy does it make for some great reading. If you love a seriously twisted serial killer thriller, you won’t be disappointed. Dark, twisted and so very good!
June 5, 2026
Mark Tilbury really is the king of the twisted thriller.
Letters From The Dead follows Claire, a woman who can communicate with the dead through a journal. When she comes into possession of a missing young man’s ring, she finds herself unwillingly drawn into uncovering the truth about what happened to him. As the messages become impossible to ignore, Claire is forced to relive Ryan’s story night after night, despite the physical and emotional toll it takes on her.
What I loved most about this book was how believable the paranormal element felt. Claire’s gift isn’t portrayed as something easy or convenient. It affects her deeply, and even the sceptics around her struggle to explain how she could possibly know the things she does.
This is a very dark and disturbing read. Sean is one of the most unsettling villains I’ve come across in a long time, and the deeper the story went, the more twisted it became. Some scenes were genuinely difficult to read, not only because of the violence, but because of the hatred and homophobia that runs through much of the story. It made parts of the book especially harrowing and heartbreaking.
What stops this from being just another serial killer thriller is the emotional heart at its centre. Ryan’s story stayed with me long after I finished the book, and I found myself completely invested in seeing the truth uncovered and justice served.
Despite the darkness, Mark Tilbury still manages to create characters that feel real and people you genuinely care about. He also has a knack for adding small moments of humour and humanity exactly when they’re needed.
This is definitely not a book for the faint-hearted, but if you enjoy dark, twisted thrillers with a paranormal edge, I highly recommend it.
Disturbing, emotional, gripping and impossible to put down. Another brilliant read from an author who never disappoints.
Letters From The Dead follows Claire, a woman who can communicate with the dead through a journal. When she comes into possession of a missing young man’s ring, she finds herself unwillingly drawn into uncovering the truth about what happened to him. As the messages become impossible to ignore, Claire is forced to relive Ryan’s story night after night, despite the physical and emotional toll it takes on her.
What I loved most about this book was how believable the paranormal element felt. Claire’s gift isn’t portrayed as something easy or convenient. It affects her deeply, and even the sceptics around her struggle to explain how she could possibly know the things she does.
This is a very dark and disturbing read. Sean is one of the most unsettling villains I’ve come across in a long time, and the deeper the story went, the more twisted it became. Some scenes were genuinely difficult to read, not only because of the violence, but because of the hatred and homophobia that runs through much of the story. It made parts of the book especially harrowing and heartbreaking.
What stops this from being just another serial killer thriller is the emotional heart at its centre. Ryan’s story stayed with me long after I finished the book, and I found myself completely invested in seeing the truth uncovered and justice served.
Despite the darkness, Mark Tilbury still manages to create characters that feel real and people you genuinely care about. He also has a knack for adding small moments of humour and humanity exactly when they’re needed.
This is definitely not a book for the faint-hearted, but if you enjoy dark, twisted thrillers with a paranormal edge, I highly recommend it.
Disturbing, emotional, gripping and impossible to put down. Another brilliant read from an author who never disappoints.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews