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SKINNER: Thirty-five years. Four killers. One city.
In 2049, when Dayne Mitchell relocates to Bristol to put two ruined friendships behind him, he decides to research and write about the four serial-killers that have plagued the city since 2015, the year of his birth.
When he began to pull together a book, however, he didn't expect to make discoveries that will bring him quite so close to Skinner; the current, active killer. Suffering from complex mental health issues, Dayne can only hope to survive the situation with his mind intact.
A gory, psychological, action thriller and a dark, bloody love letter to the city of Bristol, England.
When he began to pull together a book, however, he didn't expect to make discoveries that will bring him quite so close to Skinner; the current, active killer. Suffering from complex mental health issues, Dayne can only hope to survive the situation with his mind intact.
A gory, psychological, action thriller and a dark, bloody love letter to the city of Bristol, England.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2022
6 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Jones
3 books14 followersNathan Jones here. Professionally trained sheep fart tester.
Born in Blackburn, 1973, I have been privileged to live in many places but I currently reside in South Wales with my wife and two cats, Spook and Choo-choo.
I'm a long time reader of speculative fiction and just about anything else that's well-written and engaging. For a while I supported aspiring authors by offering a free beta reading service, but since I've grown in popularity, I've begun to charge a minimal fee (if you beg hard enough, however, I'll still consider helping you for free).
I very much enjoy reading self-published works and supporting self-published authors. And if I don't sell lots of books myself, I fully intend to destroy the entire universe simply out of bitterness.
I have two books published currently:
Travelling Without Moving - A post-apocalyptic, dystopian, clockpunk adventure.
Skinner - A gory, psychological thriller with horror elements.
I'm very active on Twitter and love to chat to people there @NathanJonesBook
Born in Blackburn, 1973, I have been privileged to live in many places but I currently reside in South Wales with my wife and two cats, Spook and Choo-choo.
I'm a long time reader of speculative fiction and just about anything else that's well-written and engaging. For a while I supported aspiring authors by offering a free beta reading service, but since I've grown in popularity, I've begun to charge a minimal fee (if you beg hard enough, however, I'll still consider helping you for free).
I very much enjoy reading self-published works and supporting self-published authors. And if I don't sell lots of books myself, I fully intend to destroy the entire universe simply out of bitterness.
I have two books published currently:
Travelling Without Moving - A post-apocalyptic, dystopian, clockpunk adventure.
Skinner - A gory, psychological thriller with horror elements.
I'm very active on Twitter and love to chat to people there @NathanJonesBook
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 13, 2022
The incredible tale of a hunt for a madman with an unexpected twist. There are a lot of things to love about Jones' second book: the main character enduring bipolar disorder and severe seasonal depression in an accurate and realistic manner, the mystery behind who Skinner really is, and the way everything comes together. I also have to give a special nod to Jones' flawless ability to integrate the reader into a futuristic world. While this book takes place around 30 years in the future, the technological advancements are described in an almost nonchalant manner, but still in a way that the reader can understand what everything is and what it is used for. That takes serious skill.
While gruesome, there was nothing I found too over the top or nasty, and I enjoyed riding along with Dayne as he hunted down Skinner's true identity. Highly recommend this dark, twisted novel.
While gruesome, there was nothing I found too over the top or nasty, and I enjoyed riding along with Dayne as he hunted down Skinner's true identity. Highly recommend this dark, twisted novel.
June 9, 2022
Amazon Rating: ★★★★★
Book Rating: ☆★★★★
—
I started reading this book, unsure if it would be up my alley, it’s not my usual desert, but I read the author’s debut novel ‘Travelling without Moving’ and absolutely loved it so thought I’d give it a go, despite my reservations.
S1NN3R is a decent read. Certainly a great book if you’re into crime and thrillers. Also set in the near future so there’s just enough futurism to engage the scifi junkie within.
I very much enjoyed the back and forth storytelling, from the era of covid to 2050s … an alternate history where Bristol is terrorised by successive serial killers, practically becoming the serial killer capital. Dayne, an average man carrying around a sometimes deliberating mental illness is navigating the depressing near future scene of this city. What keeps him going is writing a book on the most infamous serial killers. A book that will lead him a little too closely to the current model killer, SK1NN3R.
I love Dayne’s character. Just like in Travelling Without Moving we are given a real person, there are moments where I feel like this character could be me (oooh dear) or someone in my family. There is no super powers behind him. Sometimes he’s sharp and clued on, sometimes he just blanks over things. Sometimes he’s on top of the world and clean and sometimes he stumbles and turns to self-medication. And none of it feels forced. He feels like a real person any of us could meet on the street or a friends place.
Despite this novel being a little outside my typical reading preference I couldn’t help but think about the story during the late hours of night. It would burrow into my brain where I’d be at its mercy as the events played over in my mind, pondering what is going to happen. I like to try and crack where a story is heading. Sometimes I get it and sometimes I fail miserably. By the time I finished the book I still wasn’t sure what happened. I had two scenarios in my head fairly early on but I’m still not sure which was right. A bit of both? I don’t know. I think my mind missed something, perhaps that’s the idea of the ending. I read it twice and I still wasn’t too sure. Am I an idiot? Maybe … but I also feel that might be the point. Dayne fell into a state of confusion and uncertainty and that’s how I felt at the end. I want to write why but that would mean spoilers so I’ll let you decide.
---
My rating Systems:
Amazon Rating: (because they suck and will kill your book)
5 – Fantastic work. Anything from brilliant to highly likeable.
4 – A decent solid piece of writing with a lot going for it. I really dig your jive.
No rating if I don’t like it or think others won’t like it.
All other Book Rating Systems:
5 – Absolutely genius. I might want to marry you.
4 – Fantastic story. I loved it and will pick up your other work without hesitation.
3 – A good solid story. You had some good ideas here, (might be some bad ones too)
2 – I wasn’t into it. Some potential and missed opportunities.
1 – We need to talk.
Book Rating: ☆★★★★
—
I started reading this book, unsure if it would be up my alley, it’s not my usual desert, but I read the author’s debut novel ‘Travelling without Moving’ and absolutely loved it so thought I’d give it a go, despite my reservations.
S1NN3R is a decent read. Certainly a great book if you’re into crime and thrillers. Also set in the near future so there’s just enough futurism to engage the scifi junkie within.
I very much enjoyed the back and forth storytelling, from the era of covid to 2050s … an alternate history where Bristol is terrorised by successive serial killers, practically becoming the serial killer capital. Dayne, an average man carrying around a sometimes deliberating mental illness is navigating the depressing near future scene of this city. What keeps him going is writing a book on the most infamous serial killers. A book that will lead him a little too closely to the current model killer, SK1NN3R.
I love Dayne’s character. Just like in Travelling Without Moving we are given a real person, there are moments where I feel like this character could be me (oooh dear) or someone in my family. There is no super powers behind him. Sometimes he’s sharp and clued on, sometimes he just blanks over things. Sometimes he’s on top of the world and clean and sometimes he stumbles and turns to self-medication. And none of it feels forced. He feels like a real person any of us could meet on the street or a friends place.
Despite this novel being a little outside my typical reading preference I couldn’t help but think about the story during the late hours of night. It would burrow into my brain where I’d be at its mercy as the events played over in my mind, pondering what is going to happen. I like to try and crack where a story is heading. Sometimes I get it and sometimes I fail miserably. By the time I finished the book I still wasn’t sure what happened. I had two scenarios in my head fairly early on but I’m still not sure which was right. A bit of both? I don’t know. I think my mind missed something, perhaps that’s the idea of the ending. I read it twice and I still wasn’t too sure. Am I an idiot? Maybe … but I also feel that might be the point. Dayne fell into a state of confusion and uncertainty and that’s how I felt at the end. I want to write why but that would mean spoilers so I’ll let you decide.
---
My rating Systems:
Amazon Rating: (because they suck and will kill your book)
5 – Fantastic work. Anything from brilliant to highly likeable.
4 – A decent solid piece of writing with a lot going for it. I really dig your jive.
No rating if I don’t like it or think others won’t like it.
All other Book Rating Systems:
5 – Absolutely genius. I might want to marry you.
4 – Fantastic story. I loved it and will pick up your other work without hesitation.
3 – A good solid story. You had some good ideas here, (might be some bad ones too)
2 – I wasn’t into it. Some potential and missed opportunities.
1 – We need to talk.
April 17, 2022
Set in Bristol, the book opens with a murder. We then scoot forward thirty-four years, into the future, and meet our protagonist Dayne, a very ordinary person working for the health services but in his spare time writing a book about four serial killers in Bristol, the latest being Sk1nn3r, who flays a part of each victim. As Dayne develops his thesis that the killers, each of whom has a theme, are part of a cabal, his researches bring him closer to an inevitable clash with Sk1nn3r himself.
It is a very dark theme, made even darker by the graphic descriptions of the horrors Sk1nn3r inflicts upon his victims. In response, the whole mood of the book is unremittingly sombre. The near-future setting is one in which the technological advances, mostly very probable, have made the world an even bleaker place. The protagonist suffers from multiple problems including severe intestinal problems and bipolar disorder exacerbated by seasonal affective disorder. He finds it difficult to make friends and is plagued at work by an unsympathetic boss. He's a very ordinary little man, with no superpowers or special skills and this makes the story hugely realistic, even when the Batman-like villain is a reclusive billionaire with special abilities, a secret lair, android servants, and access to futuristic technology. It also makes the ending portion of the book, when Dayne spirals down into drug abuse and paranoid madness, compelling.
The book is a fascinating fusion of horror and scifi, with a dash of thriller for added spice. We are introduced to the dystopian setting bit by bit, as is natural, rather than all at once. Consistent with the theme of the book, and with the condition of the protagonist, this is a dark and forbidding place, and I welcomed the few moments of humour as glimpses of a rainbow in a stormy sky. It is the product of an author whose skills have improved even beyond his great debut novel, Travelling Without Moving.
It is a very dark theme, made even darker by the graphic descriptions of the horrors Sk1nn3r inflicts upon his victims. In response, the whole mood of the book is unremittingly sombre. The near-future setting is one in which the technological advances, mostly very probable, have made the world an even bleaker place. The protagonist suffers from multiple problems including severe intestinal problems and bipolar disorder exacerbated by seasonal affective disorder. He finds it difficult to make friends and is plagued at work by an unsympathetic boss. He's a very ordinary little man, with no superpowers or special skills and this makes the story hugely realistic, even when the Batman-like villain is a reclusive billionaire with special abilities, a secret lair, android servants, and access to futuristic technology. It also makes the ending portion of the book, when Dayne spirals down into drug abuse and paranoid madness, compelling.
The book is a fascinating fusion of horror and scifi, with a dash of thriller for added spice. We are introduced to the dystopian setting bit by bit, as is natural, rather than all at once. Consistent with the theme of the book, and with the condition of the protagonist, this is a dark and forbidding place, and I welcomed the few moments of humour as glimpses of a rainbow in a stormy sky. It is the product of an author whose skills have improved even beyond his great debut novel, Travelling Without Moving.
February 20, 2023
A man researching Bristols serial killers discovers a connection between three inactive cases, and a fourth active case. Armed with this knowledge, will he be able to stop the killings and bring Skinner to justice?
Sk1nn3r is a blast to read. The first half of the story was a little bit slow for my liking. However, all the detail really sets the tone for a roller coaster second half of the story. Nathan Jones story telling skills are rock solid.
The world he's created is an interesting, semi-dystopian, near future. The characters, especially Dayne and HR, are well fleshed out, and it's clear what motivates them. The plot rivals that of many box office smash movies, and takes many twists and turns. Some are foreseeable but many are rather clever. The author has a sense of humor that at times, had me laughing out loud.
I'll definitely be reading more by Nathan Jones. It was refreshing to read a great horror/ suspense story written by someone other than King or Koontz.
Sk1nn3r is a blast to read. The first half of the story was a little bit slow for my liking. However, all the detail really sets the tone for a roller coaster second half of the story. Nathan Jones story telling skills are rock solid.
The world he's created is an interesting, semi-dystopian, near future. The characters, especially Dayne and HR, are well fleshed out, and it's clear what motivates them. The plot rivals that of many box office smash movies, and takes many twists and turns. Some are foreseeable but many are rather clever. The author has a sense of humor that at times, had me laughing out loud.
I'll definitely be reading more by Nathan Jones. It was refreshing to read a great horror/ suspense story written by someone other than King or Koontz.
September 16, 2022
This is the second book of Nathan's I have read and like the last one ("Travelling without Moving" a clock-punk, dystopian) again is a new genre for me me.
SK1NN3R is a dark thriller, set in Bristol during the 2040, something's have changed, drones deliver goods, parks are full of AR, and the police are stretched even thiner with drones patrolling the skies.
Oh and a chain of serial Killers have plagued the city. But on the plus side, you can still get a pint in some old town ale houses.
Dayne, our friendly yet, tortured hero, suffers from seasonal disorders and hasn't had the best of lives, but does have a knack for spotting the links, unfortunately these links lead him into the path of the latest of Bristol's killers "Sk1nn3r" will this game of cat and mouse end with Skinner being captured, or will Dayne become a pawn for the killers own games
This book will keep you guessing, until Nathan throws in another curve ball and changes the destination all together.
Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.
SK1NN3R is a dark thriller, set in Bristol during the 2040, something's have changed, drones deliver goods, parks are full of AR, and the police are stretched even thiner with drones patrolling the skies.
Oh and a chain of serial Killers have plagued the city. But on the plus side, you can still get a pint in some old town ale houses.
Dayne, our friendly yet, tortured hero, suffers from seasonal disorders and hasn't had the best of lives, but does have a knack for spotting the links, unfortunately these links lead him into the path of the latest of Bristol's killers "Sk1nn3r" will this game of cat and mouse end with Skinner being captured, or will Dayne become a pawn for the killers own games
This book will keep you guessing, until Nathan throws in another curve ball and changes the destination all together.
Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.
April 22, 2022
Clever and unforgivably dark in the BEST of ways!
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish. The protagonist and setting was realistic and entertaining to follow. I liked the storytelling so well that I read the book in a single day! It’s dark, witty, and written with style. I look forward to reading more from Nathan Jones.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish. The protagonist and setting was realistic and entertaining to follow. I liked the storytelling so well that I read the book in a single day! It’s dark, witty, and written with style. I look forward to reading more from Nathan Jones.
May 14, 2022
Skinner is a psychological thriller. A serial killer is on the loose and only one person has the wherewithall to track him down. Nathan leads us on a twisted path that follows the interplay between the predator and prey. You will be on the edge of your seat, waiting to see which one ends up being the predator and which one the prey.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews