Pendle Fire

by Paul Southern

Social worker Johnny Malkin is battling a crippling workload and a hostile local community. That's on a good things are about to get a whole lot worse. Two fourteen-year-old girls are found wandering Aitken Wood on the slopes of Pendle Hill, claiming to have been raped by a gang of men. With no female social workers available, Johnny is assigned to their case. But what, at first, looks like yet another incident of child exploitation takes a sinister turn when the girls start speaking of a forthcoming apocalypse. When Johnny interviews one of the girls, Jenna Dunham, her story starts to unravel. His investigation draws him into a tight-knit village community in the shadow of Pendle Hill, where whispers of witchcraft and child abuse go back to the Middle Ages. One name recurs, The Hobbledy Man. Is he responsible for the outbreaks of violence sweeping across the country? Is he more than just myth?

Genres: Thriller

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2018

About the author

Following an induced labour some time in the 1960s (due date: Halloween night), I had my subscription to a normal life revoked by itinerant parents, who moved from city to city. Lived in Liverpool, Belfast, London and Leeds, then escaped to university, where I nearly died of a brain haemorrhage. After an unexpected recovery, formed an underground indie group (Sexus). Met the lead singer through standing on a bee. Made immediate plans to become rich and famous, but ended up in Manchester. Shared a house with mice, cockroaches, and slugs; shared the street with criminals. Five years later, hit the big time with a Warners record deal. Concerts at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Melody Maker front cover, Smash Hits Single of the Week, Radio 1 and EastEnders. Mixed with the really rich and famous. Then mixed with lawyers. Ended up back in Manchester, broke. Got a PhD in English (I am the world's leading authority on Tennyson's stage plays), then wrote my first novel, The Craze, based on my experiences of the Muslim community. Immediately nominated to the Arena X Club (the name Arena magazine gave to a select group of creative, UK-based men responsible for shaping the way their readers lived and enjoyed their lives). Wrote a second novel, Brown Boys in Chocolate, which predicted the London bombings. Fell foul of the censors and subsequently gagged by the press. Got ITV interested in a story on honour killings and inter-racial marriages and was commissioned to write a screenplay (Pariah) based on my life story. ITV balked at the content. Subsequently, trod the Wasteland before finding the grail again: a book deal with children's publisher, Chicken House. Killing Sound, a YA horror set on the London Underground, was published by them in 2014. The book, originally written for older teens (16+) and adults, was edited by the publishers to fit a much younger demographic, and inevitably failed to reach either market; the grail proved elusive and I returned to writing something it was impossible to dilute. Daddy Dearest, a dark, psychological thriller, was released in 2016. A new novel, Pendle Fire, will be published by Bloodhound Books in Spring, 2018.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ Dark & Eerie... will get under your skin!

Pendle Fire is one of those books that literally gets under your skin.
It's creepy, eerie, chilling, made my hair stand on end all within the first few chapters.

This isn't an easy read it contains racism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, child grooming, child sex trafficking topics that some readers might find difficult.

I don't want to say too much about the plot as there is so much going on.
The stories weave together perfectly.
I loved the way Paul built up so much suspense and atmosphere.
It made me feel on edge I knew something was going to happen but didn't know when.

If this book was an audio book oh my gosh it would be perfect. I can just imagine the stormy weather brewing and the eerie noises and screams on Pendle Hill.
Just thinking about it give me chills!

The pace for Pendle Fire is perfect. It builds up ample of suspense and mystery!
I would say this book will definitely unease you and lull you into a false sense of security.
Nothing is quiet what it seems.

The children mention that the end is coming. We know there is supernatural stories from the past of witches and The  Hobbledy Man but could this be what they mean?

Johnny Malkin is a Social Worker. I thought he was a fantastic character. He really cared about his cases. Sometimes a lil too much. But you could really see how passionate he was about his job and always went above and beyond to protect.

Pendle Fire is a Dark, Sadistic, eerie, Crime  Thriller that will definitely get under your skin.
Paul had created a Memorable read.
One word of warning if your easily spooked like me.... don't read this at night!!

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

My Review is also on my blog website:

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I took one look at the cover, was intrigued, then read the blurb and thought "wow, I need to read this book". If there is something I like is it books that are slightly paranormal (or really heavy with the paranormal lol) that are not outright paranormal, more like "what's going on?" kind of moments, when characters in the story are faced with situations that are a bit, mystifying ... The Hobbledy Man, who is a legend that backs back to the Middle Age in Pendle Hill, well that's a fabulous myth that is interwoven with the story of grooming, racism, violence and the end of days...

Pendle Fire is the first book I have read by Paul Southern and I'm impressed with how he mixes what would be an interesting story in itself with the added myth of The Hobbledy Man. I actually had to google The Hobbledy Man to see if there are any historical facts concerning him, but alas lol, or perhaps thankfully he's just for this book.

This is a book with lots of tension right from the start. You just know that something will happen as the violence on the streets gets worse and the main characters are getting closer and closer to a confrontation at Pendle Hill. I really enjoyed reading this book, I loved the added myth of a mysterious figure that reappears through history and is said to bring the world to an end of not a sacrifice is made. It's such an engrossing tale!

I want to thank Bloodhoundbooks for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who is the Hobbledy Man? Is he responsible for the outbreaks of violence sweeping across the country?

John Malkin is a social worker ... overworked, underpaid ... and way too many cases involving children.

Two teenage girls are found wandering in the woods. They speak of men picking them up and taking them away and after several hours released them. All the girls will say is that there is something coming to Pendle ... they see fire and flames destroying their small village.

It's enough to give John the willies ...especially when he hears practically the same thing from a boy he has followed for several years.

It gets even stranger when people start seeing a bent over man with a cane who is always in the shadows. And always following a sighting is violence in one way or another.

What is the Hobbledy Man? And what will it take to stop him?

Part mystery, part paranormal. part horror .... it's well-written with great character development. The reader may not want to read this one in the dark of the night. It's dark and disturbing and creepy as all get out.

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of PENDLE FIRE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Schizanthus Nerd]

DNF at 80%

Trigger Warnings include sexual assault, racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-Muslim statements, death of a dog, trafficking, grooming and despicable behaviour by despicable humans on drugged victims.

First, I want to point out that this book currently has a high proportion of 4 and 5 star reviews so please don’t just read my review and decide based on that alone that this book is not for you. I’d encourage you to read positive reviews as well and then decide for yourself if it’s the book for you or not.

I requested a review copy of Pendle Fire from NetGalley (thank you very much to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the opportunity) and I was looking forward to reading it, mostly because I wanted to know about the Hobbledy Man. I loved the sound of the centuries of urban legend coming to life, the question mark over the possibility of witchcraft and a potential apocalypse in the mix. It sounded really interesting and like my type of book. I was aware from the blurb that there’d be an investigation by a social worker into the alleged gang rape of two teenage girls so I expected my review would include trigger warnings for sexual assault.

However I feel like the book I read about in the blurb and the book I attempted to read over the past ten days were two different books. The blurb was accurate to a point but had it included any of the following information I would have known straight away this wasn’t the book for me:

The Racist, Sexist, Homophobic and Anti-Muslim Parts - There are so many instances throughout the book but I’m not going to quote any of the remarks. Basically you have one group against another group to the point of riots. The escalating riots are actually a large part of the book. I know this is real life and I concede that the author did a good job of showing the escalation of the violence but I’m not personally interested in reading about rioting misogynistic, racist, homophobic, anti [insert any religious belief here] idiots, or corrupt cops for that matter.

The Swearing - I can swear with the best of them but there’s swearing and then there’s utter disrespect. I don’t voluntarily spend time with anyone who calls anyone a c***. I don’t want to read about people who speak to people like that either. Maybe you don’t have a problem with that word but I really do and I’m unapologetic about my disgust surrounding its use. Had I not been trying to read this book to review it I would have stopped reading in chapter 2 when it first showed up and I certainly wouldn’t have still been reading for the subsequent seven (so my Kindle tells me) times it was used.

I tried to connect with the characters, especially the social worker, but none of the people in this story made me need to keep reading to find out what happened to them. Even now at 80% I don’t feel like I need to know how the story ends. It took me a lot longer than it probably should have to realise that there were two characters in the book with the same first name. Yesterday when I was explaining my frustration about this book to someone I couldn’t even remember the name the characters shared or which character one of them was in the book, both of which pointed out to me my lack of investment in this story.

Because this isn’t the sort of book that I’d have started had I known what I do now I can’t tell you how it measures up against others with similar themes. I do, however, want to be specific in telling you that I want to separate the behaviour of the characters in the book from its author. Just because I hated all of the racism, sexism, all the other isms and the disgusting actions of the deplorable characters in their book doesn’t mean that I think for a moment that any of these things should be thought of the author.

This book doesn’t make me want to automatically discount this author’s other books but should I come across another one I’ll be looking at more than the blurb before I decide if it’s for me or not.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite 3 stars.

Oh dear, here I am doing my lone voice of dissent again. I thought the book was awfully jumbled up. Johnny Malkin is an overworked social worker and it seems that some medieval curse/witchcraft/bollocks has singled him out for something awful. The town erupts into racial violence while young white girls are being groomed for sexual favours and high ranking police officers are shown to be super corrupt. Let's just throw everything into the pot here, the more the merrier eh?

There's a lot of running around on dark and stormy nights, people who don't want to be helped, evasive answers, obfuscation and, oh yes, many sightings of the hobbledy man who is never fully explained. I didn't find it creepy as it was all over the place. I suppose it might have been a bit edgy. Johhny's girlfriend, Kat, was a fruitcake and I didn't understand why the girls went along with the abuse. Actually, I don't think I understood much of it at all. It was not a satisfying read. Some parts of the story seemed to be trying to be titillating for the sake of it. Enough said. I'm glad everybody else enjoyed it.

[Liis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendle Fire is the third book by Paul Southern that has found its way to my hands. With Pendle Fire, Southern firmly makes a signature statement. Gritty, dark and disturbing but also clever and daring and challenging. This is what I have come to know from the author! Southern would never deal out a straightforward, single-sided story, and he never discriminates when it comes to choosing his villains.

There is no easy way to explain the intricate web the author has spun, but in its heart lies a legend of the Hobbledy Man. There is no further detail of the story I can add next to the blurb, because that would be just me giving you clues, but I will state that it does come with a few scenes that some may find utterly disturbing, or maybe the right word here would be – uncomfortable. Then again, the majority of thrillers have such content.

Having read previous works of Southern’s, I KNEW I was going to be presented with a very varied cast of characters straight from life. They’re weak, they’re strong, they’re evil and they’re kind, and a lot of the times they’re just pure nuts! More so, Paul does not at all flinch away from squeezing the darkest sides of the humanity onto paper. As I said- daring! Johnny Malkin, Tim Whittle, Nathan, Beth and all the other characters felt all too real and as the plot at the heart of the story makes a few of those characters question their sanity, I found myself entrapped in the same hesitations in my mind.

Pendle Fire is a mixture of fast-paced, thrilling life-threatening moments, crime (the most callous kind) and mystery. The plot is not just surrounding the Hobbledy Man, a legend that seems to bring havoc to the area every now and again throughout history. The beliefs of simple-minded people are mixed with corruption, extreme opinions, sinister agendas and the everyday troubles of regular people. In fact, the whole story was blown into such a proportion, there was a moment, right before it all started tumbling down towards the finale, where I thought- how will the author bring it all to a conclusion?! Let me tell you, that ending didn’t come without the final blow.

Johnny Malkin, the social worker in the thick of it all, is someone I could really feel and root for. Social work is never a simple task and one that requires someone with kindness and heart and confidence to always do the right thing. But no profession comes without its pressures- Johnny is simply a buried man when it comes to his workload and throughout it all, he continuously tries to throw the regulatory meaningless tickboxes on a piece of paper out the window and instead connect with a person, one to one, to really help them. He has put the ethos of helping others ahead of himself as his own health deteriorates and it comes with a heavy price to pay. Will his own relationship survive through the thick of the work pressure? Will the madness that has taken over Pendle Hill taint his mind to a point of no return?

From page one to the very final full stop of the book, I was at the edge of my seat. The pace was unrelenting and as the story moved from chapter to chapter, it snowballed into something huge and difficult and hopeless. Pendle Fire? More like Hellfire! Child abuse, drug abuse, dangerous beliefs demanding bodily sacrifices and racial clashes that bring a town to its knees. All these themes in a single book branched out of a single cancerous cell nestled within society’s very foundations- the cell of truth which once brought society together has now been tainted by fear and ignorance! The balance in between turning a blind eye and wanting to do what is right and just is the central point of this novel, because truth can mean losing a life, truth can mean saving a life… And here, the truth will also mean that one has to accept that they are a freaking lunatic by trying to explain away the man-made hell through the supernatural.

I simply love Paul Southern’s style. His books have always taken me on a wild ride with quite a lot at stake. So, if thrillers are your go-to genre and you are ready to face the sickening underbelly of society- jump right in!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue sets a dark theme for what the reader can look forward to in the rest of the book.

Johnny is a man with issues. I certainly didn’t envy anyone in his line of work and no wonder he struggles to sleep on a night. He tries his best to help the people in his care but at times it’s a constant uphill struggle. His partner and work are understandably concerned as he does seem to be losing it slightly.

The storyline covers racism as well as grooming. Sadly these are things that happen everyday in our world and even though horrifying to read, I applaud the author for not shying away from the reality of it.

Some parts certainly make for uncomfortable reading, especially the grooming of the teenage girls. It certainly is a wake up call with how the men get into the girls heads and I so wanted to grab them and take them away from the horrors of what they were having happening to them.

I enjoyed the whole history from the middle ages that throws a little bit of a super natural element to it all. It certainly made for an intriguing read.

Pendle Fire is a dark and disturbing read that had me engrossed through out. The whole setting was perfect for the story line and added an eeriness that I don’t think would have worked elsewhere. Definitely one for readers who like a more darker crime story.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.. What a book, I just couldn't put it down, so many pathways yet all connected,as it leads you to the end in a dark and scary way.

[Between The Pages (Gemma M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! I absolutely loved this story. There’s just something that makes a story extra special and personal to the reader when they know the location and setting of the book, I do not live far from Nelson and Burnley at all! Scary. I have visited Pendle Hill myself and know all about the tales and stories of the witches!

I loved the main character Johnny. He is a social worker who takes his job seriously and cares for the kids, maybe a little too much at times leading to not much of a personal life with his girlfriend and not much sleep either it seems!

Pendle Fire is a thrilling, fast paced, easy to read, edge of your seat thriller that you really wont be able to put down and will race through! Parts can be quite dark, chilling, suspense filled and disturbing… I found it a brilliant read with short chapters and would highly recommend it to you all. I awarded a well deserved four stars. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. Brilliant. I wont forget this story in a rush.

[Sue Purbrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts by plunging the reader straight back to the 1600s - into an age of superstition and witchcraft - as a young boy is sacrificed to save the world. And then it’s the present, and once again the Hobbledy Man is omnipresent, and must be stopped before he wreaks total havoc. Throughout the modern story there’s a sense of dread, of the supernatural, of things beyond our control. It is told by an overwhelmed social worker, Johnny, and Shaf, a policeman. Johnny is concerned about a disturbed addict in his care, Nathan, who’s warning that the legendary Hobbledy Man is back. Shaf, previously a highly commended officer, and now under suspicion of abuse, is increasingly concerned about what’s really happening. What is behind the sudden uprisings throughout the area? Has the world been plunged back into the dark, troubled times of the 1600s? Who is the mysterious cult? I really enjoyed the tension between the modern day and olde worlde superstition, legend and witchcraft. The book delves into a number of dark, uncomfortable themes – grooming, racism, child abuse. It is well-written and gripping. 3.5 out of 5 stars for me.

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a creepy crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
The Police have suspected for a while that teenage girls are being groomed but have no proof. Social worker, Johnny is also aware of it but is frustrated that no-one is doing anything about it.
Alongside this there seems to be a cult forming around the myth of the Hobbledy Man - a stooped figure who wears a bird mask on his face.
Things start turning violent in the town between the EDL and Asians and soon it’s not safe to go out on the streets.
Johnny is told that he can save the town by meeting the Hobbledy Man but he can’t see how this will help.
Girls are missing and the police and Johnny face a race against time to get peace back in the small town.
This is a gripping read and one that I’d recommend.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Malkin is an overworked social worker. His girlfriend has just become pregnant with their first child but the job stress is starting to come between them. One of John’s cases is Nathan, a young man who just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Just as Nathan has landed himself in jail, again, John is asked to investigate two girls who have just reported having been raped by a local police officer. Both Nathan and one of the girls warn him that he is in danger and that a prophecy has named him as the “chosen” one. John knows nothing about this prophecy but strange things are happening and he is determined to get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, Shaf, a Pakistani police officer in the local force, has rescued the two girls after they were attacked by strange men, but the girls lied and blamed him. His boss has suspended him pending an investigation, but later asks him to conduct a secret investigation for him. There are rumors of local gangs “grooming” girls, and race riots are breaking out all over the region. The police force is stretched to the breaking point and DC Ali thinks someone in the force is involved. All roads seem to lead to the “Hobbledy Man”, but who is he and what does he want?

I couldn’t wait to read this book because I had so enjoyed the author’s first book. I was not disappointed. The story is very intense with a lot of different things happening that seemingly have no connection except for the legend of the “Hobbledy Man”. The narration goes back and forth between John, who’s trying to help the kids, and Shaf, who is trying to clear his name. I really liked both of these characters. John is so well-intentioned but as his paranoia grows his actions become more and more erratic. Shaf is trying to be the kind of person that his father was, but soon finds his principles being tested at every turn. The plot line is many-layered but it all works together really well. There are some very graphic scenes of sex and violence which some readers may not like but they do work within the story. This book has elements of the supernatural, the presence of a very active cult, violent gangs, and issues of race relations. Some of the content is disturbing but overall I found this to be another excellent story from Paul Southern.

[Shell Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Pendle Hill we follow the story of Social worker Johnny Malkin who is assigned to the case of two Fourteen year old girls claiming to be victims of a gang rape. has the story unfolds he learns the whispers of witchcraft and child abuse go back to the middle ages.

This is the second book by Paul Southern that I have read and boy is it different to his first one, but different in a good way. The author brings us a story that talks about pedophile rings, grooming cults and a touch of supernatural.

Pendle Fire is one hell of a dark and twisted read which some readers may find disturbing due to the subject matter with some very uncomfortable scenes which will certainly make you cringe.

Not only do we have a gritty thriller but this story has plenty of history. I have to say that I couldn't put this book down I was desperate to know what was going to happen next. I take my hat off to the author for writing a story about uncomfortable subject matters making this a weird and engrossing read with an element of horror.

I liked the fact that the main character is a social worker he is a character you cannot help but like. The toughness of his job is portrayed throughout this story. what more can I say but if you are looking for something different this is the book for you. Which I highly recommend giving it 4 stars.

Thank you to Sarah Hardy for inviting me to take part in this fab blitz

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendle Fire is a thriller with a supernatural edge and at every turn you are left wondering who or what is causing all the violence. Is this myth from the past real or is there somethings else afoot?

The book follows two main characters PC Shaf and Johnny Malkin. They are both caught up and a whirlwind of violence and mystery and the deeper they go the more confusing it gets for them to separate the truth from fiction.

I’ve reviewed for the author previously and knew from the off that the direction I as a reader would go would be turned on its head.

The story line is very engrossing and tackles some difficult subjects such as grooming with some very detailed accounts at times and while it’s a hard subject to read about it added to the mystery of the tale..for me I was left undecided as to the true culprit(s) of the of the events that played out and I feel the author wrote it this way to engage with the reader..you decide the ending you believe.

I’m all about the flow of a book and the alternating perspectives worked well and kept things fresh adding suspense as the tale progressed.

Overall a fast paced dark and disturbing tale, well written with a decent page count makes this an easy read to get stuck into.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendle Fire is a dark, disturbing thriller that touches on subjects that are present in our society these days. Do be warned, the book does go into subjects that some readers may find difficult to read however I feel a great thriller isn’t afraid to touch upon these dark subjects.

There isn’t much more I need to say about the blurb as you definitely need to read this book to know what’s going to happen. There is a brilliant cast of characters that are well-written and they all have their own distinct personality. Paul has written them so well and despite the chapters focusing on different characters, it’s easy to follow who we’re with due to Paul’s fabulous writing. Some of the characters will make you feel sick, others will make you want everything to be alright with them. They were all brilliant though.

I love books about witches and legend stories so as soon as I heard this book will focus on the legend of the Pendle witches I had to read it. It didn’t disappoint – Paul has taken the legend and twisted it on its head bringing life to it. I was reading about the legend of the witches after finishing the book and Paul has done a fabulous job.

There’s lots of mystery, intrigue and crime throughout the book – the book touches upon racism and riots between different race groups and also child grooming. Both of these subjects have been written with such care and consideration, I felt like I was there in the middle of it all but without feeling like it was too over the top or offensive to the different racial groups. At several points, it felt so real what I was reading, I was sickened at times when I realised that this could happen in our society at any point. Things come to a head between different groups and before we know it, we have a riot on our hands.

I was gripped from the beginning, the characters, the setting and the legend all worked brilliantly in the book. I just had to know where this book was going and oh boy, it doesn’t disappoint. This was the first book I’ve read by Paul but I won’t hesitate to read another, I’ll be first in line! Everything was just spot on, it was dark, engrossing and really brought to life the worst aspects of today’s society.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story begins in 1612 with the sacrifice of a young boy to the Hobbledy Man to keep him away. From there we jump to present day with Johnny Malkin, an over worked social worker. He is called in on a client, Nathan Walsh who just can’t seem to keep out of trouble. He cares too much and it is starting to cause a strain on his pregnant wife and his marriage.

At the same time two teenage girls have been attacked by a gang of men, they claim that the police officer that saved them is the one that raped them. Nathan is called in to look into the case. The police officer, Shaf is put on suspension but is asked to secretly looking into gangs “grooming” girls and causing race riots.

While all of this is taking place, we also come back around to the Hobbledy Man. How does he figures into this mess? Although this is legend does he really have a hold of the area and the people?

This story starts with a bang and just keeps up the pace. A young boy loses his life for a legend. Another young man wants to die and warns Johnny that he is part of the prophecy and needs to be careful. Then you have the abuse of young girls to groomed by the local gangs.

This is a dark story that may bother some readers. I loved it. It was well written, had many different angels, and wrapped up beautifully. I love the addition of the Hobbledy Man. That just added to the excitement. This is a great story and one I recommend. I can’t wait to read more from Paul Southern.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[tinalouisereadsbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this book via Netgalley for it's title. I knew nothing about this book or author so didn't really know what to expect but was perhaps hoping for something connected to the Pendle witches.

The witches were only mentioned briefly as this story is very modern and follows a social worker, John Malkin. There is a lot going on in this story. There is the legend of the Hobbledy Man which made me think the story may have a little supernatural in it. Then the story has racial tension, EDL and BNP with several kindle pages of riots, sex grooming, rape and abuse.

I have to say that I'm 60 % through and I feel that at the moment I don't really want to continue. I'm finding the writing very course and sharp. I don't like the storylines and I am uncomfortable with them.

The book is on my kindle so may pick it back up in the future when there are more reviews out there and just to satisfy my curiosity, just to find out if the story was supernatural after all. For the time being it is going to remain unfunished.

Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.

[Nerys Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Malkin is a social worker struggling to keep up with his huge caseload. Nelson where he is based is full of tension between the white and Asian communities. The EDL are recruiting there and a group of Asian men have been accused of grooming young white girls. People are also talking of seeing a strange figure linked to an old legend - the Hobbledy Man is thought to be responsible for trouble in the town and only a sacrifice will stop him. John keeps hearing from other people that he is the only one that can make a difference. A story containing witchcraft, sexual exploitation, racism and police corruption this was an interesting read.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books and Paul Southern for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Paul’s I have read but it is a very interesting if strange book, which I did enjoy reading.

The book is a thriller, with a very strong hint of the supernatural as it includes talk of witches.

The story is a very dark thriller, which does cover some very tough subject matters, which some readers may find uncomfortable. including gang rape, racism and child grooming.

It is a very fast paced book, which kept me engrossed from start to finish and is so intriguing with all the mystery and folklore involved in the story.

I can highly recomend this book if you are after a thriller with a hint of the supernatural in it.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half star rating.
Part topical (gangs abusing young girls in northern towns) and part legends and witchcraft. Johnny, an overworked social worker and PC Shaf find themselves involved in the centre of the weird goings on and have to attempt to save the day. Set in and around the notorious Pendle Hill in Lancashire, this is a good, dark page turner with plenty of action and suspense to keep the reader intrigued with mystery and the mundane working seamlessly plus the very creepy Hobbledy Man who I hope will make another appearance soon!
I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a story! Drawing on folklore, certain post-2001 events in Yorkshire and Lancashire and the traditions of the crime thriller, Southern brings the reader a gripping tale of mysterious cults and corrupt coppers.

I found the interwoven plots of John Melkin and Constable Shaf Kahn as they investigate the assault on two young girls from the Pendle area, one as their social worker  and the other as the one who found them. Shaf is drawn into an undercover enquiry, while John feels he is slowly going mad.

[Steve Turnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

A really enjoyable read by an author new to me. A thriller set around Pendle Hill in Lancashire. An area notorious for its witch trials in the 17th century. A heady mix of folklore and police procedural, it tackles many contemporary issues like grooming gangs and racial tension. The writing is strong and the characters are vivid and well drawn. I liked the ending and the nebulous nature of the hobbledy man and the cult that grew up around the legend. Interesting book and I would read this author again.

[Sharron Machin (booksbehindthetitle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tense roller coaster of a book which gripped from the outset. The author not afraid to write about very current affairs which some may not agree with but its part of a bigger storyline here. A book that adds a twist of ancient myth and legends to a current landscape blighted by newer dark deeds. A great addition to any book shelf/pile .

[Alicia Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this book is so well written, with so many different and interesting angles, yet wrapped up perfectly. It made me think, it gave me chills, and at times scared the crap out of me!

Big thanks to Paul Southern for gifting me a copy to read and give my honest review!

Read my entire review of this and other books at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com

[Silver Surfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, this one was a bit weird to start with and then it grew on me. Couldn’t wait for the end to see what happens. I wonder if there was any reality involved. Strange ending though. Recommended read.

[Kerstin Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping storyline couldn't put it doen

Really enjoyed this book, hard hitting at times when dealing with child grooming. With the underlying story of witchcraft and myth and legend it made interesting reading. Would recommend to anyone wanting something a bit different to read

[Gill Southern · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner

The story is cleverly interwoven between its two main characters, a policemen and a social worker with all the threads coming together at the end. But who is the hobbledy man?

[janice robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pendle Fire

I found this book fascinating from start to finish it was different from any other book i have read and highly recommend it

[Vron · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! This was quite different to what I usually read, but i was instantly fascinated by the blurb! An intriguing story!

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Queermisia
Islamomisia
Sexism
Racism
Sexual assault
Animal death (dog)