Hekla’s Children

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What to expect

A decade ago, teacher Nathan Brookes saw four of his students walk up a hill and vanish. Only one returned, Olivia, starved, terrified, and with no memory of where she’d been. Questioned by the police but released for lack of evidence, Nathan spent the years trying to forget.

When a body is found in the same ancient woodland where they disappeared, it is first believed to be one of the missing children but is soon identified as a Bronze Age warrior, nothing more than an archaeological curiosity. Yet Nathan starts to have horrific visions of the students, alive but trapped. Then Olivia reappears, desperate that the warrior’s body be returned to the earth—for he is the only thing keeping a terrible evil at bay.

Critics Review

“Exceptional.”

Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author

“Like an irresistible mix of Masterton, Simmons, and Gaiman, this novel marks Brogden out as a new rising star.”

Paul Kane, author of Hooded Man

“A compulsive and unpredictable page-turner.”

Mark Morris, British Fantasy Award–winning author

“The engrossing plot features steadily intensifying dread, a diverse cast of characters, and expert world building. Brogden takes readers on a fast-paced and terrifying ride as everyone tries to solve two mysteries, one modern and one ancient, but both with strong ties to a supernatural evil. This is a horror novel and a standout thriller that can hold its own against the best in either genre today.”

Booklist (starred review)

Hekla’s Children had me in its thrall.”

Steven Savile, internationally bestselling author

“A brilliant novel full of great twists and beautifully drawn characters.”

Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author

“Deliciously dark and twisty and filled with menace. A real pleasure to read.”

Ren Warom, author of Escapology

“Genuinely scary, and…will keep readers enthralled. Brogden’s US debut is a wonderfully odd mix of dark Bronze Age fantasy and modern-day thriller, and it works.”

Kirkus Reviews

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