Pendle Fire

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.

WOW what can I say, I couldn't put this book down, I literally read it in one day, the psychological element mixed with a supernatural element was superb, I am still thinking about the ending, was it coincidence the rioting/madness stopped or was it that the Hobbled Man got his sacrifice, this is one that will stay with me. Many thanks to @netgalley and @Bloodhoundbook for an advanced copy of this book.

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...

FULL REVIEW WILL BE POSTED ON PUB.DATE!

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.

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.

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!

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.

The description for Pendle Fire definitely caught my attention especially the sinister whisperings surrounding The Hobbledy Man. I was interested in seeing how it could be mixed into the modern day story. The opening to the story had a dark and chilling edge which definitely caught my attention and carried through right to the end. It's safe to say that this story has a deep and darkly disturbing subject matter that was hard to read at times, mainly because this happens in real life.

I loved the addition of the supernatural to the story it wasn't overly done and brought an extra depth to the story that made things even more interesting. Paul Southern wove a very eerie myth into the modern day world really well but also had some very sinister characters that had a very threatening and poisonous effect.

I thought Johnny's character was engaging especially as he is trying to do his job but with limited resources. The plot is pretty fast paced and it didn't take me long to read with some parts providing plenty of tension and suspense. If you are a fan of a darker story then Pendle Fire would be perfect.

Four stars from me!

With thanks to Sarah at Bloodhound Books for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Having read and enjoyed Paul Southern's novel, Daddy Dearest, I was excited to hear that he'd written another book.

Pendle Fire is a clever mix of ancient folklore, modern day life and sprinkled with just a hint of the supernatural.

There are several strands to the story line as we follow social worker, Johnny Malkin, who often asks himself "Did I miss something?", Constable Shaf Khan, who is tasked with investigating the claims made by the two young girls and then of course there's The Hobbledy Man.

Some readers may find certain aspects of the story make for uncomfortable reading. I thought that it was a brave move on the authors part to tackle racism, riots and grooming but sadly, these are topics that seem to regularly appear in the news and are a sign of the times in today's world. That said, I feel that the author dealt with them sensitively, it wasn't gratuitous and he'd clearly done his research, which for me made it a very realistic read, but it definietly won't be everyone's cup of tea.

If, like me, you like your fiction to be dark, unsettling and full of tension then Pendle Fire could be just the book for you.

Pendle Fire starts off dark and only gets more chilling as the story goes on. This is the second book that I've read by Paul Southern, and it has already become apparent that he has a talent for crafting dark, thrilling stories with complex characters, and that he is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects. I'm keeping this review brief because I don't want to give away any part of this book, as this is definitely one of those thrillers that you should experience knowing as little as possible about what is going to happen.

Johnny Malkin is a great protagonist to follow, largely due to his strong work ethic and desire to connect more with the children he comes across while working as a social worker. Of course, his overworking does have negative effects on his personal life, but it's hard to fault someone with that much passion. Malkin is one of those characters that you can't help but feel connected to and become invested in his life.

Southern is a whiz at creating characters that are authentic and actually come across as real people, both good and bad. There are so many grey areas involved in people's actions, and Southern always seems to incorporate those ideas into his work extremely well. Before I picked up this book, I was also slightly skeptical about the supernatural addition to this story, but it was also what intrigued me so much about this book. I ended up really loving how this element successfully mixed myth with modern day life and created a unique but fascinating storyline.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the bigger issues that framed the story, such as doing what is right versus doing what is easy, open-mindedness versus close-mindedness, and so many more incredibly relevant topics that I think we can all benefit from discussing more. Southern does a fantastic job of taking risks with his writing, and I love that; nothing seems to be off-limits, and he handles his subjects extremely well. I zoomed right through this book due to how suspenseful and well-written it was, and I found myself having a hard time putting this book down--I just wanted to keep reading and find out what would happen next.

Before I wrap up, I also just want to add this isn't a book for the fainthearted, so if difficult subjects aren't for you, this might not be for you. However, I still recommend anyone who wants a great, page-turning book pick this one up and give it a shot.

Overall, I've given Pendle Fire four stars! If you're looking for a dark, shocking thriller with a bit of a supernatural edge then look no further and pick up a copy of Pendle Fire.

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!!

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!